Benjamin Moore White Dove OC 17: Paint Color Review

THE MOST POPULAR SHADE OF WHITE

When it comes to the best white paint colors, Benjamin Moore’s 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 this doesn’t mean it doesn’t have some particular quirks (don’t we all…).

IS BENJAMIN MOORE WHITE DOVE A WARM OR COOL WHITE?

White Dove is a WARM white paint color. 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 color.

If you have north-facing light, White Dove can be a nice soft balance to the cool light coming in your windows. With south-facing or afternoon western light, you may find White Dove leaning that bit more into its warmth.

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

White Dove trim with lightened Edgecomb Gray walls

WHAT’S THE LRV OF WHITE DOVE?

White Dove USED to have an LRV of 85.38. However, changes are afoot, and the new LRV is 83.16 – very curious. Either way, White Dove is a WHITE, not an off-white. However, having this slightly lower LRV, White Dove is softer than many of the popular brighter shades of white.

Not sure what LRV is? It’s a GAME-CHANGER in the paint-pickin’ world – read all about it HERE.

NEED HELP? Check out my ONLINE PAINT COLOR SERVICES! 

WHAT ARE WHITE DOVES UNDERTONES? WILL IT LOOK YELLOW?

Many people turn to White Dove expecting ‘a relatively true white’, but as discussed earlier, it has warmth and softness compared to some of the other popular whites.  So YES, if you’re overly sensitive to yellow, you might find it too much. However, I DON’T love yellow or cream paint colors for my own home, but I have White Dove plastered all over it and LOVE it. The key is to not partner it with a white that’s WHITER than it.

You might not even notice White Dove’s warmth in a small sample. However, if you partner it with products that are a starker/cleaner white, such as white appliances, a cool-toned marble, or a white subway tile backsplash, it could look more yellow-cream just in COMPARISON.

Situations where White Dove can look slightly more yellow…

• White Dove can look even warmer in south-facing light and 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 some standard ‘white’ quartz countertops.

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

WILL WHITE DOVE LOOK GRAY?

White Dove doesn’t WANT to look gray, being a soft, warm white, but your exposure or lack of quality lighting could have it looking gray – this is about the surroundings, NOT the paint color itself.

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

WILL WHITE DOVE LOOK DINGY?

This is open to perception. White Dove is a grounded, more muted, warm white. This neutral base cuts back on the degree of YELLOW you see. If you clean that up, you’ll see more yellow (i.e., Benjamin Moore Simply White). It’s about choosing the look you want. Long story short, White Dove can look dingy compared to a cleaner or cooler white, but it looks softer and warmer compared to a more muted white like Sherwin Williams Pure White.

If any of the above worries you, White Dove MIGHT not be the right white for you and your room.

Decorating a Kitchen With White Appliances

The 3 Best White Paint Colors for a North-Facing Room

ARE THERE PEEL & STICK SAMPLES FOR WHITE DOVE?

Like with every paint color, 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. These same undertones 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.

IS WHITE DOVE POPULAR?

Yes, White Dove is THE most popular white paint color. With its versatility for walls, trims, cabinets, ceilings, doors, and exteriors, there’s not much that White Dove can’t do!

WHAT’S THE BEST WHITE TRIM COLOR WITH WHITE DOVE?

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

• With White Dove cabinets, your walls and trim should also be White Dove.

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

White Cabinets, Walls, & Trims: Do They ALL Need to Match?

Notice some consistency in the above three 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 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.

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IS WHITE DOVE A GOOD PAINT COLOR FOR CABINETS?

ABSOLUTELY! But you must ensure 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.

WHAT WALL COLOR GOES WITH WHITE DOVE CABINETS?

Your White Dove cabinets should be the LEAST of your concerns. When choosing the best paint color for your walls, White Dove will be flexible; it’s more about finding the color that best suits your countertop and backsplash – DON’T let White Dove call the shots!

See the FULL REMODEL HERE

While White Dove can be sensitive to some off-whites and grays, the countertop/backsplash connection is more important regarding the wall color.

WHAT COLORS ARE SIMILAR TO 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 colors, it can be hard to find ‘comparable whites’ between brands – and you should NEVER color match (which you can read all about here).

WHICH IS BETTER – BENJAMIN MOORE WHITE DOVE OR SWISS COFFEE?

White Dove and Swiss Coffee are KISSIN’ cousins. However, there are some subtle differences…

• WHITE DOVE LRV: 83.16
• SWISS COFFEE LRV: 81.91

The above means that White Dove is WHITER than Swiss Coffee. Swiss Coffee borders on the off-white range. Personally, I believe that White Dove is better than Swiss Coffee.

Comparing Swiss Coffee to the white in the light shade will help you see its softness.

Also, of the two, Swiss Coffee is SLIGHTLY more likely to pick up a vague green undertone (vague is an understatement). However, with these two whites being VERY similar, of the two, I prefer White Dove as it’s a bit more predictable.

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

Benjamin Moore White Dove vs. Cloud White, Swiss Coffe, & 10 Other Popular Shades

READ MORE

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Sherwin Williams 4 Best White Paint Colors

QUICK Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Simply White

Benjamin Moore’s 8 Best White Paint Colors

NEED HELP?

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

Chat soon,

ORIGINALLY WRITTEN IN 2020, UPDATED FOR YOU IN 2023