Paint Colour Review: Benjamin Moore White Dove OC 17

The MOST POPULAR White Paint Colour – Benjamin Moore White Dove

When it comes to the best white paint colours, Benjamin Moore White Dove is definitely in my top three. It’s earned its place time and time again by looking captivating on cabinets, wicked on walls and tremendous on trim! There isn’t a lot that White Dove CAN’T DO, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have some particular quirks (don’t we all…).

What type of paint colour is White Dove? Is it a warm or cool white?

White Dove is a WARM white paint colour. It’s not overly creamy/yellow (depending on who you ask, this IS a subjective point), but it’s DEFINITELY not close to the border of being a legit ‘white’ – it’s softer than that. But most importantly, White Dove is NOT an off-white paint colour.

If you have north-facing light, White Dove can be a nice soft balance to the cool light coming in your windows. If you have south-facing or afternoon western light, you may find White Dove leaning that bit more into its warmth. If you don’t want to see a noticeable warmth and have western or extreme southern light, White Dove COULD be a bit much.

North, East, South, West – Which Paint Colour is the Best?

White Dove trim with lightened Edgecomb Gray walls

What’s the LRV of White Dove?

White Dove has an LRV of 85.38. So, while it’s in the white range, it’s not as stark or clean as some of the other popular white paint colours with higher LRVs.

Not sure what LRV is? It could save you paint lovin’ life – read all about it HERE.

What are the undertones of White Dove? Will it look yellow?

A lot of people turn to White Dove expecting ‘a relatively straight-up white’, but as discussed earlier, it has more warmth and softness compared to some of the other popular whites, such as Benjamin Moore Simply White or Sherwin Williams High Reflective White. So yes, if you’re SENSITIVE to yellow, you might find it a bit much, but generally speaking, it’s one of the more MUTED warm soft whites.

You might not notice it in a small sample of White Dove, but its warmth will come into play if you partner it with products that are a starker/cleaner white, such as white appliances, marble or white subway tile backsplash, which is one reason why I ONLY partner White Dove with white subway tile IF the subway tile is an equally as warm white.

However, when partnered with products with slightly softer tones, it can fall back and look a bit more subtle…

With Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter cabinets

Kylie M E-Design / Lewis Remodelling / Rick Pharaoh Photography

Situations where White Dove can look slightly more yellow…

• in south-facing light, White Dove can look even warmer and can definitely pick up some more yellow, but so can a LOT of whites – south-facing light is powerful

• if you partner it with a cool-toned marble or quartz countertop

• if you have white appliances, White Dove can look considerably more yellow in COMPARISON to your white appliances

And if the above applies and worries you, White Dove MIGHT not be the right white for you and your room.

Decorating a Kitchen With White Appliances

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What’s the best way to sample White Dove?

Like with every paint colour, I highly recommend using SAMPLIZE.

However, whereas I usually put white paper around my off-white and darker samples, when it comes to white paint samples, I only compare them to ‘paper-white’ for a quick second. Paper-white will ENHANCE and over-expose the look of White Dove, bringing out its warm undertones – the same undertones that can settle back on a larger scale, when NOT compared to a cleaner white.

Judge White Dove on its own merits, not how it compares to a clean or cool white.

What’s the best white trim or cabinet colour with White Dove walls?

• if you have White Dove walls, consider painting your cabinets and trim White Dove as well

• if you have White Dove cabinets and want white walls or trim, consider painting them White Dove as well

• if you have White Dove trim and want white walls or cabinets, considering painting them White Dove as well

Notice some consistency in the above two points? That’s right, if you’re painting one surface white, it’s usually BEST to continue with the same white so you don’t have clashing undertones. This will keep things consistent and you can just let the shift in PAINT SHEEN do the work for you, rather than messing around with undertones.

How to Pick the Best White for Your Home

If you choose to paint your trim/cabinets a white that’s BRIGHTER (higher LRV) than White Dove, this white could make White Dove look warmer/more yellow in comparison.

Cabinets similar to BM White Dove

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Is White Dove a good paint colour for kitchen cabinets, is it popular?

ABSOLUTELY! But, you need to make sure it’s the right TYPE of white for your countertop, backsplash or flooring. White Dove can be too warm for some quartz countertops and marble backsplashes, but not quite warm enough for some of the more traditional granite countertops – make sure you pick the RIGHT WHITE for your products, not just the one that you love the most.

Does Sherwin Williams have a white that’s similar White Dove

• Sherwin Williams Alabaster (warmer and slightly darker)
• Sherwin Williams Pure White (not as warm, but similar LRV)

When it comes to white paint colours, it can be hard to find ‘comparable whites’ between brands – and you should NEVER colour match (which you can read all about here).

Not sure if White Dove is right for you? Want a bit more warmth, white, gray? I’ve got them all!

READ MORE

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Not sure which paint colour is best for YOUR home?

Check out my Online Paint Colour Consulting – I’d love to help!

Chat soon,

ORIGINALLY WRITTEN IN 2020, UPDATED FOR YOU IN 2021