Sherwin Williams White Duck (7010): Undertones, Lighting, & Real Home Use
Sherwin Williams White Duck is an off-white, warm neutral paint color. It’s commonly used on interior walls, especially open-concept spaces, but it’s also found in single rooms, on kitchen cabinets, and exteriors.
When it comes to paint colors that are neutral and versatile, Sherwin Williams White Duck is in my top five. Its unique blend of neutral undertones and just-right depth makes it a great option for everything from walls and cabinets to exterior siding – and more!
However, just because it’s one of my favorites doesn’t mean it’s your best color. This is why you do your research and then sample and compare similar shades. And to make your life easier, we’re going to do most of that below!
WHAT TYPE OF PAINT COLOR IS WHITE DUCK?
White Duck is a warm, off-white, neutral paint color that’s an awesome hybrid of cream, tan, and gray. Now, this means its base is cream (yellow). However, whereas some traditional cream paint colors can be a bit obnoxious in their commitment to color (personal opinion), White Duck is toned down with a healthy dollop of gray.
I’d love to tell you whether White Duck’s a beige, greige, tan, or cream, but it’s actually a hybrid that slightly favors cream!
If you have north-facing, afternoon eastern, or morning western light, you may find White Duck leans a bit neutral/muted while still holding to a vague warm base. However, if you have a south-facing light, thanks to its neutral backdrop, it will lean more into cream without going overly yellow.
North, East, South, West – Which Paint Color is the Best?
DOES IT WORK IN A DARK ROOM?
No color ‘works’ in a dark room – you need better lighting. But in general, White Duck and similar colors can look a bit flat and dingy without adequate lighting (think smoker’s walls). But again, fixable with some good interior lights!
The Best Paint Colors for Dark Rooms
DOES WHITE DUCK LOOK LIKE A CREAM PAINT COLOR?
What you might REALLY be asking is, ‘Will White Duck look overly yellow?‘ Nope. As you learned above, while it’s a warm paint color with a creamy approach, the tan and gray calm it down considerably, making it look far less like a traditional cream paint color!
Personally, I don’t like cream paint colors (I don’t love yellow), but I love White Duck.
If you love cream paint colors but don’t love yellow (which every cream has), this could be a great choice as the yellow is cut back considerably, to the point that sometimes you hardly see it at all (depending on your room’s exposure/surrounding finishes).
By the way, if you’re looking for a cream with more color, check out Sherwin Williams Creamy.
White Duck (looking much grayed-out and more like Pale Oak) with Benjamin Moore Simply White
WHAT’S THE DEPTH (LRV) OF WHITE DUCK?
White Duck’s LRV is 74, which parks at the bottom of the off-white range. While it will hold itself a bit better in a bright room than an off-white with a higher LRV, it can still wash out (learn more HERE).
As mentioned earlier, with this LRV and lack of color (chroma), White Duck can look a touch dingy in a dark room. You need adequate, good interior lighting to support it. Regardless, you might want to sample a warmer cream paint color, creamy white, or a brighter, warm shade of white.
The Best Paint Colors With Wood Finishes
Not sure what LRV is? It could save your paint-lovin’ life – read all about it HERE.
WHAT ARE ITS UNDERTONES?
White Duck doesn’t have obvious yellow, orange, pink, or green undertones. It does cater to yellow (cream), but it’s not by much.
Compared to Shoji White, which is very…very similar (we’ll talk more about it shortly), White Duck is more likely to grab green but isn’t overly inclined that way and shouldn’t be a concern unless you’re pairing it with beige finishes or ones with pink undertones.
Here’s your Peel & Stick sample…
WHAT’S THE BEST WHITE TRIM OR CABINET COLOR WITH WHITE DUCK?
White Duck is a lover and enjoys many shades of white. However, given current trends, you may even consider painting your trim the same color as your walls. Personally, I’d be careful with this trend. Sure, I might paint it on my walls, trims, and doors in ONE room, but I sure wouldn’t commit to it in my entire home.
Why?
If you want to change wall colors down the road, White Duck will 100% hold you back – it’s not flexible like white trim paint colors.
As for whites that coordinate with it…
- Sherwin Williams Pure White is nice for a slightly softer contrast between trims, cabinets, and walls.
- If you want more contrast between your trims/cabinets and walls, you can go brighter with Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace.
- While some like to partner White Duck with Sherwin Williams Alabaster, it’s ‘okay,’ but White Duck prefers whites with a bit less yellow.
The 4 Best White Paint Colors from Sherwin Williams
HERE’S WHERE IT DOES (& DOESN’T) LOOK GOOD
White Duck can do a lot of things – walls, cabinets, trims, but it can’t do EVERYTHING.
WITH CREAM CABINETS & TRIM
Generally speaking, no, White Duck won’t work with traditional cream cabinets and trims – they’re too yellow for it.
While it’s a side profile, here it is on painted cabinets, painted brick, and walls…
However, some creamy cabinets and trims are incredibly toned down, and the rare ones can handle an off-white like this. While I wouldn’t count on it, you may as well try it!
- If it looks dingy and dirty compared to your cream finish, it doesn’t work.
- If it’s lighter (and not as warm) as your cream cabinets and trims – again, no worky turkey-lurkey.
- If your cabinets actually are White Duck, then awesome possum – feel your lil’ cream-colored boots.
The Best Paint Colors With Cream Cabinets & Trims
WHITE DUCK & WOOD TRIMS & CABINETS
White Duck goes with some wood finishes. In particular, it’ll be fussy regarding wood stains with overly pink undertones. Instead, it would rather your wood stain pick up a vague yellow, an orange, a subtle pink or red, or, really, just a nice brownish hue.
As you can see, it’s reasonably happy with this orange wood stain…
REVIEWS: BM Ballet White | BM China White (Sea Pearl) | SW Aesthetic White | SW White Heron
While it can handle a wood stain with some red (below), make sure it doesn’t go too far.
AS AN EXTERIOR HOUSE COLOR…
White Duck can be a stunner on exterior siding, brick, or other surfaces. Its passive warmth will fall back in north— or east-facing light, but can lean creamier/warmer in south-facing or afternoon western light.
Check out this next home in its pink-brick glory…
After, it looks classic and timeless, bathed in White Duck…
The Best Off-White Exterior Paint Colors
And it has the most charming front door, painted in a gorgeous blue-green blend…
While white exteriors had a moment, it’s passed. Instead, I’m seeing many more requests for warm off-whites in my Online Paint Color Consulting. While white is the perfect color for some exteriors, depending on specific exterior features, a gentle off-white can be a more timeless choice…
5 Steps for Choosing an Exterior Paint Color
Not to say off-white won’t fall out of style either; these things ebb and flow, but if you choose the RIGHT color for the RIGHT home, you’ll get a great lifetime out of it.
DID YOU KNOW? I have an AWESOME YouTube channel, full of color reviews, with dozens more waiting to be published – check it out HERE!
WHITE DUCK AS A CABINET COLOR
COME TO MOMMA – heck yeah, White Duck can be amazeballs on cabinets. Because it’s so muted, with a low chroma (not much undertone), it can be a great off-white paint color for cabinets, nodding at the creamy white world, but less yellow.
As shown on these painted wood cabinets, it’s a great partner to the strong green in the backsplash and countertop…
A brighter white could’ve contrasted more with the green granite countertops, whereas the more gentle approach of White Duck brightens this kitchen while offering a subtler contrast. It’s also great with the wood floor.
Remember, even if you’ve fallen in love with White Duck, make sure your backsplash (first) and countertop (second) coordinate with it. Some kitchen finishes need more white, beige, gray, or even prefer to be left with their natural or stained wood finish!
I recommend comparing similar shades before picking your fave.
COLORS THAT ARE SIMILAR TO WHITE DUCK
Every color has its own nuances, and there will be no perfect match—you WILL see shifts in undertones, temperature, and depth. However, more so than many others, it has some great comparables.
WHITE DUCK COMPARED TO BENJAMIN MOORE BALLET WHITE
Ballet White is similar to White Duck in its approach. However, it’s a bit darker (with an LRV of 71.97 to White Duck’s 74). Ballet White also has a bit more color and a slightly creamier look.
Benjamin Moore Ballet White with White Dove trim, front door, and wainscoting.
FULL Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Ballet White
WHITE DUCK COMPARED TO SHERWIN WILLIAMS WHITE SESAME
There isn’t much difference between White Duck and White Sesame, but those wee shifts can make all the difference.
Starting with depth, White Sesame’s LRV of 73 is 1 point lower, making it a wink darker.
As for undertones, of the 2, White Duck is slightly more inclined toward green, but both are very susceptible to changing in lighting conditions.
If I were to choose my favorite of the 2? Ooooo, probably White Duck, only because I’m so familiar with it. However, as more people use White Sesame (as it’s a newer shade), it could take over.
COLOR REVIEW: Sherwin Williams White Sesame
SHERWIN WILLIAM SHOJI WHITE COMPARED TO WHITE DUCK
If you want to stick with Sherwin Williams, but want to see a lil’ tweak (which is different from a lil’ twerk), check out Sherwin Williams Shoji White, which is the closest match. However, both colors have their sneaky undertones.
Remember, your light bulbs and exposure can greatly affect how your paint color looks!
While they don’t often grab much for undertones, when you compare the two, you might notice that Shoji White looks a tiny bit pinker. While White Duck doesn’t want to pick up green, it might seem that way compared to Shoji White.
Of the two, Shoji White often suits more interior finishes, but they’re both super valid options.
Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Shoji White
WHITE DUCK COMPARED TO BM WIND’S BREATH
Wind’s Breath and White Duck are good to compare, as they approach their warmth differently.
Wind’s Breath is darker than White Duck. In gaining this bit of depth, Winds Breath can look more grounded and calming (open to perception). Some might call this grounded look ‘dirty,’ but dirty isn’t always a bad word when it comes to paint colors (or my mind) – sometimes it’s just what a room needs!
Color Review of Benjamin Moore Winds Breath
And if you’re thinking of color matching between brands (i.e., getting Benjamin Moore to make a Sherwin Williams paint color), you might want to read this first.
WHAT COLORS GO WITH WHITE DUCK IN A PALETTE?
Whether you’re looking for a paint color for an adjoining room, a well-placed feature wall, or smaller accents in your room (home decor and furnishings), White Duck has some great partners…
- GRAYS: Gray paint colors that are the same depth or darker, particularly ones with a blue or blue-green undertone. It doesn’t love a purple undertone quite as much, but it depends on which one you’re looking at.
- GREIGES: A ton of gorgeous greige paint colors from the light range, right down to the SUPER darks!
- BLUE-GREENS: Blue-green blends, especially those with a good dose of gray in them.
- DARK BLUE & GREEN: Navy blue and other dark accent colors, including medium and dark shades of green.
- White Duck favors shades of tan over beige (stronger orange undertones), as long as they’re a bit more muted, like Sherwin Williams Sandbar.
- WARM WHITES: While White Duck prefers warm shades of white, it can also handle brighter whites – it just doesn’t work with cool white paint colors.
QUICK SUMMARY (TL;DR)
- Sherwin Williams White Duck is a flexible, warm off-white with creamy tendencies
- Its LRV of 74 offers contrast with white trim while staying light on the walls
- White Duck has very minimal undertones and can occasionally grab a slight green
- It’s super popular for single rooms and entire homes, as well as exterior finishes and kitchen cabinets – it does it all!
READ MORE
Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Ballet White
The Best Off-White Paint Colors
The Best Warm Neutral Paint Colors that AREN’T BEIGE!
Get the best paint color advice with Kylie M’s Online Paint Color Consulting – I’d love to help!
UPDATED WITH NEW IMAGES & CONTENT FOR 2026
Hello
Your page Los saving me from a paint breakdown. I’m curious what trim color you would do with white duck ?
With White Duck I do like the soft look of SW Pure White or the cleaner approach of SW High Reflective White 🙂
If I’m doing white duck exterior and dark gray shutters, what window trim would you recommend? Pure white or just use white duck as the trim and siding? (All wood siding, color oak style house.)
Hi Renee, it depends on the window color! SW PUre White can look super pretty, whereas White Duck is a more seamless look. These can both read differen thought, depending on white, black, beige or brown windows!
OMG thank you so much!! We decided to just do white duck on all! We have white windows 🙂
Do you think Amazing Gray shutters would work? Worldly gray? Collonade? I like some contrast… not monotone. But not BLACK on WHITE feel either.
Hi! I know a million people have asked something similar but I’m still stuck. Our cabinets are being painted white duck. Love the color but want to bring out more of the cream but in this space it’s reading more gray (with just primed walls). Any suggestions for wall color that will bring out the cream? In the off white/warm range. Thanks so much!
Oooo Kate, when it comes to White Duck, IT is often its own best wall partner (or a lighter or darker version of itself). Once you start mixing colors that are a similar depth, but different COLORS, they can really compete with each other. It would also GREATLY depend on the coutnertop, that this wall color works with the cabinets, countertop, and backsplash too! In otherwords, I don’t have a quick easy answer for you!
Ooh yeah I thought about doing the same color for the wall. I love the color! Maybe I’ll play around with it lightened a bit. Every sample I’ve tried so far just doesn’t look quite right except for the more pure whites, but I want something softer.
My countertops are Taj but a more gray and cream one. Not a lot of gold. And white oak island. Thanks for the advice!
What would you do for cabinets in the kitchen if you do white duck on the walls?
Hi Terri, it’s definitely MORE about what your countertop/backsplash look like as that combo is the most important. Generally speaking though, I might look at SW Pure White :).
I am trying to decide between Ballet White and White Duck. Your reviews of both colors mention that they are very similar. However when asked about trim color pairings with each color, with Ballet White you recommend White Dove and with White Duck one of the colors you recommend is Simply White. Why do you not recommend White Dove with White Duck? Thank you!
Thank you for introducing me to white duck!! I had been struggling to decide between cabinet colors, and this is the perfect solution. Now I just need to pick a wall color! Your recommendation to pair SW Pure White with it is helpful, but I was hoping to do a slightly warmer white. Would BM White Dove or SW Alabaster be a nice complement to SW White Duck? Thank you in advance – you rock!!! Great name by the way. 😉
KYLIE M! Well, at least we know there are THREE of us in the world! Sadly, Kylie Minogue gets most of the glory ;).
Now, I don’t dislike the idea of Alabaster, but PREFER the idea of White Dove as it’s just that bit more muted :). I hope that helps and i’d LOOOOOVE to see it all done!
Kylie I just love your post, you have helped tremendously. My painter only uses SW
I’m wanting to use White Duck or Oyster White for my cabinets and I know you like White Dove for wall but that’s not an option since I have to use SW. I’m trying to decide what wall color to use. My living room has both south facing and north facing windows. Should I just lighting the cabinet color to use on the walls. I feel like most of the off whites that I have tried are leaning gray. ☹️
Having this same dilemma as well! I need to stay w SW – is there a good SW paint color that would work well w White Duck cabinets?
haha I use Kylie Minogue as a reference when I try to get people to remember my name
And thank you!! Yes, it is a tough decision because our cabinet maker only uses SW and I was hoping to incorporate the wall color in our range hood. I will definitely share the final outcome (need to figure how to attach pictures first)!
THANK YOU SO MUCH! Cheers!
BTW, the location is on the West coast of Florida, and primarily needs to look best during the winter season when the sun rises and sets South of due East.
Hi! I’m in love with Ballet White but my contractor uses SW. You compare these two — I live up north and get little natural light. You say this could look dingy, and I’ve read that elsewhere. Is the same true of Ballet White?
Hi Sonya! If you are worried about Ballet White being a bit dingy, White Duck won’t be much better, as it’s slightly less warm. It’s LOVELY, but not a terribly clean colour. Have you looked at a colour like SW Creamy maybe???
What about pairing Greek Villa for trim and ceiling with
White duck for walls? It’s in the same color line. What are
Your thoughts on that?
Hi Kylie
I’m thinking of painting my bedroom furniture white duck and the walls evergreen fog, would these 2 colours pair well together?
Hi Lori, I just might take a look at SW Aesthetic White instead, it’s just a bit more muted against the green ;).
Kylie,
I am really stuck. Our home has White Duck trim, doors, and ceilings. I want to paint the walls a bright fresh white or beige color that leans warm rather than cool. We have West- facing window… what do you recommend?
Hiya! You might want to check out my most recent blog post on cream paint colours as White Duck will have similar tendencies, just with LESS yellow – so you’re lucky!
Hi Kylie!! Thank you so much for all of your awesome paint color reviews!! They have helped me out so much!! I have a chair rail in my kitchen and will be painting it (along with all of my trim) with Sherwin Williams Pure White. The wall above the chair rail will be White Duck. Which color would pair best on the wall under the chair rail – Sherwin Williams Pavillion Beige or Benjamin Moore Natural Linen?
Thank you!!
I am so glad I found your website. I am painting my exterior with White duck (SW) and I came across your blog! I love the blue green door in this article (the one with the two wagons in front of the door). Could you please tell me the color name and the company? Thank you so much.
Hi Lakshmi, that’s BM Sioux Falls 🙂
Hey Kylie! We have a west facing home and are thinking of painting the brick. We really love white duck because it’s not stark white or too cool. Does the yellow become very strong in the afternoon sun? Is there a better white, in your opinion, for west facing exterior? Our roof is gray with a slightly green undertone… so there’s that. LOL.
Hi Kylie. I just painted my kitchen in White Duck from Sherwin Williams (not color matched) and it is looking a little purple!! My kitchen is even south facing!! I have not painted my trim yet which is quite yellow and my living room which is open to my kitchen is yellow (which I was planning on painting white duck as well). Could the yellow trim and yellow living room be causing it to look purple?!? We also only did one coat – the previous color was similar to Benjamin Moore Gentle Cream. Please help!!
Hello Kylie, We are building The Tyrell Place Plan by Frank Betz. The house is East facing. We are doing an all brick front with black exterior windows and gutters. The siding will be vinyl. Would we be able to use white vinyl siding and trim near roof? If not, what white would you suggest that is not yellow, I’m ok with bright but was thinking something else may look better overall. I love your blog and videos, thanks for all the info!
Hi Kylie,
Could you compare and contrast White Duck with Neutral Ground? I’m considering using one of those on interior doors with Creamy walls but want to make sure I understand the undertones before committing. Thanks!
Hi Kylie, would White Duck or shoji white go with a tile floor that is beige with a light pink beige? Before I knew I had a pink undertone to my tile floor I purchased a Quartz counter that is white with green gray veining. Would Maritime white, Shoji White, or white duck work with my pink undertone?]
Oooo, ALL of those make me nervous. Maritime White will definitely be the closest (I mean, this is without seeing your countertop), but it might not have enough pink???
Could white duck pair with cream trim?
Our entire house’s trim is a cream that could lean yellow at times. I’m trying to avoid the room looking yellow though.
Oooo, I don’t think so. I mean, it can depend on the cream, but my first thought is nope.
Hi Kylie!
I made the mistake of using SW Greek Villa trim throughout the house (it was before I discovered your blog I promise!). I’d hoped to use Shoji White on the walls. We get mostly East/West light and some Northern light. I’m worried Shoji White still appears a bit dark in our hallways and East facing living room (which get lots of ambient natural light) West facing study and dining rooms. I can’t tell if it just looks super dark because the walls are primed. Should I try White Duck or will that not pair well with the GV trim? Looking for a very soft greige feel. I tried Greek Villa on the walls too but that feels like a too bright white (maybe it’ll be better after it’s fully painted)
I have natural cherry kitchen cabinets (cherry wood with clear coat). Over the years the cabinets have turned a little more red than I wanted. It’s time to paint the walls, will SW White Duck help tone down the red in the cabinets? If not do you have any suggestions in a neutral paint color?