Sherwin Williams River’s Edge – previously known as China Doll

While the world hasn’t QUITE shifted into the warmer end of things yet, the tides they are a turnin‘. This is why today, we’re taking a look at Sherwin Williams China Doll, which is sure to be one of the more POPULAR beige paint colors in the coming years.

In order to show you RELATEABLE & REAL homes, I ONLY use photos from my Online Color Consulting clients. This means I don’t always have the quality/amount of pics I need, but DEFINITELY have some SUPER helpful info to help you on your way!

What type of paint color is Rivers Edge / China Doll?

Rivers Edge is a light beige paint color with mild undertones. If you have a room with north-facing light, morning western, or afternoon eastern light, Rivers Edge offers some warm balance to these exposures. On the other hand, if you have a south-facing room or an afternoon west-facing room, Rivers Edge doesn’t flash OVERLY warm, but it definitely leans that way compared to greige and taupe paint colors.

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

What’s the LRV of Rivers Edge?

Rivers Edge has an LRV of 63, making it a LIGHT depth paint color. If you have a DARK room, Rivers Edge could look a bit dingy or flat without the right interior lighting. If you have a SUPER bright room, this depth of paint color will wash out to a degree, keeping in mind that ANY paint color will look lighter than expected in a lot of light. Generally speaking, Rivers Edge is an awesome depth for the ‘average’ room.

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

What are the undertones of Rivers Edge/China Doll?

Every warm paint color has undertones of either yellow, orange, or red (pink). The key to picking the best paint color for your home is to align the undertones of your paint color with that of your interior finishes!

Rivers Edge centers on an ORANGE undertone – an orange that leans into pink. While this might sound SCARY (pink being a four-letter word), this makes Rivers Edge an interesting choice for many homes built in the early 2000s with their predominantly beige-inspired carpets and tiles.

What’s the best way to sample paint?

Like with every paint color, I highly recommend using SAMPLIZE. Samplize is a peel & stick paint sample that you can easily move around your room for over HALF THE COST of traditional sample pots – and they deliver right to your front door!

Learn all about Samplize HERE

If I’m painting my walls Rivers Edge, what’s the best white paint color for my trim?

Rivers Edge is tricky because of its orange-pink undertone. Why? Because most warm whites lean on a yellow undertone. I actually prefer Benjamin Moore White Dove with Rivers Edge as it has warmth, but it’s a bit toned-down. Sherwin Williams Alabaster is okay, but you will see that bit more yellow in it compared to the orange-pink of Rivers Edge. Sherwin Williams White Flour can also be an interesting choice but is tougher to live with on a larger scale as it doesn’t accommodate many other paint colors.

SHOULD I Paint My Wood Cabinets White? A QUESTIONNAIRE

The 4 Best White Paint Colors from Sherwin Williams

Is Rivers Edge a good color for the exterior of my home?

It sure could be, as long as your stone/brick/roof accommodate its undertones. MANY of the popular stone claddings are actually quite fond of the undertones in Rivers Edge!

5 Tips to Choosing an Exterior Paint Color

Which paint colors are similar to Rivers Edge for comparison’s sake?

Remember, every color has its own personality and there will be NO perfect match – you WILL see shifts in undertones, temperature, and depths.

Benjamin Moore Muslin
Sherwin Williams Natural Linen
Sherwin Williams Moderate White
Sherwin Williams Accessible Beige

The Best WHOLE HOME Warm Paint Colors

What type of paint colors look good with Rivers Edge?

lighter and darker beiges with comparable undertones
soft taupes that are darker than Rivers Edge
greiges that are a similar depth or darker
grays with a bit more depth and blue-green undertones

Paint Color Review: Sherwin Williams Accessible Beige

Paint Color Review: Sherwin Williams Natural Tan

Not sure which paint color is best for YOUR home?

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

Chat soon,

John
June 3, 2021 at 5:57 pm

I painted every room in my house China Doll. I really like it. My house is a small manufactured home, done in warm neutrals.

Landy
September 5, 2022 at 2:20 pm

I read your article about cream cabinets and how tough they are to paint around. How do you see Rivers Edge with cream cabinets? Thank you!

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  KylieMawdsley
  September 5, 2022 at 6:42 pm
  
  Oooo, that probably won’t work as River’s Edge has quite the pink undertone.
  
Melissa
January 7, 2023 at 2:01 am

Is this color considered a dated color or timeless? Do many people still use it today? Reason being is my whole house is painted this color. It was like this when I purchased it 20 plus years ago. Anytime I have to touch up or refresh I continue to use it. My home is considered a traditional brick exterior with a mixed interior style of classic, modern farmhouse, boho vibe. I recently had my hardwood floors refinished. Went from that golden brown to a more brownish gray color. It seems to work but often struggle finding the right color of lighting to pare with it. Please help.

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  Author
  
  KylieMawdsley
  January 12, 2023 at 5:46 pm
  
  It’s a tough one. I would say it’s SLIGHTLY dated because it has a bit more orange-pink than the average beige. However, trends are definitely leaning warmer. And YES, it can be a tough one to partner colours with because of the pink in it; that’s probably its biggest downfall. Depending on the trim, something like SW Moderate White and BM Maritime White have a ‘similar’ approach, but they’re lighter and a bit more modern AND flexible :).