Sherwin Williams Pure White (7005): Undertones, LRV, & Best Uses
Sherwin Williams Pure White is a warm, soft white paint color. It works beautifully on interior trim, as well as kitchen cabinets and walls.
Warm white paint colors like Pure White can change how they look throughout the day. Surrounding finishes, exposure, and light bulbs all play a part in their appearance.
As for popularity, white is still moderately in style—and not just for wine, sneakers, and SUVs; while it’s timeless on cabinets and trims, it’s still showing up on walls and exteriors.
Will it be hot in the coming years?
Again, some white surfaces (like cabinets) will always be timeless, but we’re moving away from this low-contrast look and into more organic, natural palettes. However, this doesn’t mean you can’t still love your white scheme, whether it’s trendy or not!
But sadly, not every home can pull off white walls. The stars need to align with regard to exposures, finishes, furnishings, and tastes to pull off a white paint palette.
Luckily, I have Online Color Consulting clients with just the right style, furnishings, and spaces to pull off white walls, and in MANY cases, Sherwin Williams Pure White is the number one choice!
It’s also my 2nd fave white in the world (aren’t you dying to know my first? It starts with char and ends with donnay).
Seriously, though, keep reading, and you’ll discover a few of my OTHER favorite white paint colors. Stop reading, and you’ll get a spankin’ with a wet noodle.
In the images below, you’ll see rooms in the warm sun of Hawaii, the cool gray of Vancouver Island, as well as a whole range of exposures and lighting, showing you the massive versatility of this awesome white paint color.
So, without FURTHER ado, let’s check out this wicked white…
IS SW PURE WHITE WARM OR COOL?
As you’ve probably figured out, Pure White is one of the most versatile, flexible, and popular white paint colors on the market—but it’s not a true white. It has a soft, passive warmth without looking as creamy as some other whites. Pure White works well for walls, trims, cabinets, and exterior siding!
If you want a warm white with only a wink of yellow (as you won’t find a popular warm white without it), Pure White could be the color for you.
WHAT’S THE LRV OF PURE WHITE?
Pure White has an LRV of 84, so I call it a soft white – it’s not stark but not overly creamy, either.
Pure White looks gorgeous on the cabinets, walls, and trims in this updated kitchen.
Bright white paint colors sit closer to the 90+ range. Off-whites run from around 73-81.
With an LRV of 84, Pure White has the potential to act like white without being stark.
If it looks stark, compare it to something that really IS white (like Sherwin Williams High Reflective White) and see the shift.
On the other hand, if Pure White doesn’t appear white enough, compare it to Sherwin Williams Alabaster (we’ll compare them shortly). I often compare Alabaster to my butt cheeks, and that lets me know they’re PLENTY white.
If you aren’t familiar with LRV, you should take a gander here—it’s kind of a big deal and a GAME-changer when it comes to choosing the best paint color for your room.
WHAT ARE PURE WHITE’S UNDERTONES?
Pure White has a soft warmth in the form of a wee wink of black (which just softens it) and a drop of yellow, which makes it slightly warm. But really, when I say SLIGHTLY…I ain’t kiddin’.
And like any shade of white, Pure White can easily pick up color from its surroundings. In the above photo, Pure White appears a bit crisper and cleaner, whereas in this next photo, it looks a bit softer and warmer…
In this next photo, at the top, the wall is getting hit by a SOLID dose of northern light, and look at how cool it looks (literally and figuratively).
This means that if you have a bright red couch, Pure White could reflect a subtle pink hue. If you have tons of grass or landscaping, it could pick up a wee wink o’ green.
It isn’t always about the white you choose BEING those colors, it’s about what your white paint color is reflecting back at you, which leads us to our next topic…exposure.
PURE WHITE IN A SOUTH OR WEST-FACING ROOM
South-facing light is warm and slightly yellow, which plays well into the subtle warmth of Pure White. Could it look too yellow? That’s open to perception, keeping in mind that ANY white will pick up the warmth of southern or western sunshine. For me? Heck no.
In a west-facing room, you won’t get that same warm glow in the morning when the sun is on the opposite side, but as the afternoon progresses, things will warm up nicely.
However, if you have a south-facing room and don’t love warm whites, you might want to make an abrupt shift into a different type of white or explore a soft gray, cool blue, or green hue.
PURE WHITE IN A NORTH-FACING ROOM
Northern light is a cool gray light. In a north-facing room, you might find Pure White has a slightly cleaner edge than the softness you’d find in other lights. If you have a north-facing room and want a really warm, soft white, you may want to choose another white paint color, as it might not be warm enough.
I personally LOVE warm whites, but in my north-facing rooms, Pure White isn’t warm enough. If my whole home were south-facing – HECK YES.
North, South, East, West: Which Paint Color is the Best?
Here’s your 9×12 Peel & Stick sample of Pure White…
WHAT WHITE TRIM COLOR GOES WITH PURE WHITE WALLS?
If you pair Pure White with a brighter white (since it doesn’t suit a white with a similar/same LRV), you risk Pure White looking dingy or ‘off’ compared to the brighter white. While some people partner Pure White with Alabaster, it barely makes the cut and is one of the few that’s okay…
The best white trim or cabinet color OR the best wall color if you have Pure White trim and cabinets is…Pure White. This approach lets the change in sheen between finishes do the work for you without changing COLORS and risking clashing undertones.
Do My White Walls, Trims, & Cabinets Need to Match?
This next photo is a fabulous example of Pure White in its FULL glory – walls, ceiling, trims, and cabinets.
IS PURE WHITE A GOOD KITCHEN CABINET COLOR?
Hells, yeah! As shown above (and below), Pure White is a gorgeous cabinet choice. It generally looks like white without being as stark as traditional whites. It’s also versatile and suits a wide range of popular quartz countertop choices.
Pure White is ABSOLUTELY in my top three white paint colors for cabinets.
THE FIVE Best FOOL-PROOF White Paint Colors
Check out my CURATED KITCHEN PALETTES using Pure White cabinets!
Also, because I have wicked cool clients who send me after-photos, I can show you how Pure White shifts from day to night!
Pure White in the daytime with no light bulbs…
And Pure White in the early evening with light bulbs (lower the Kelvins of your bulbs for this softer, warmer look)…
In the above photo, you can see how Pure White softens a little bit with the warm bulbs compared to the brighter look of the previous photo. This is the LIGHT warming up Pure White, not Pure White itself.
IS PURE WHITE A POPULAR EXTERIOR PAINT COLOR?
Whether you’re painting your siding, trim, garage door, or brick, Pure White is one of the top shades.
Why?
The Best Medium-Depth Greige, Taupe, & Mushroom Paint Colors
Whereas some whites are stark and startling, Pure White does the job of being DARN WHITE without being as stark. This being said, your natural light is only going to increase its brightness, so make sure a ‘white house’ is what you really want and not a flexible off-white (more so for siding than trim – it’s a fab trim choice).
Thank you to my Online Color Consulting clients and readers for sending your photos in – I couldn’t do this without you!
WHAT PAINT COLORS ARE SIMILAR TO PURE WHITE?
You won’t find an exact match for ANY color between brands – you WILL see shifts in undertones, temperature, and depths. However, there are some with similar intentions but different approaches…
PURE WHITE vs. BENJAMIN MOORE WHITE DOVE
This is a great comparison, as White Dove is my favorite white and one of Benjamin Moore’s best-selling shades.
Now, if we’re talking depth, White Dove (LRV 83.16) is a bit darker than Pure White, which is 84. But let’s be honest: This difference is fractional, at best, and for all intents and purposes, they’re the same depth.
On that note, do White Dove and Pure White go together? No. There, that was easy!
White Dove usually looks a bit warmer than this.
As for undertones and temperature, this is where you’ll see a noticeable difference. White Dove is more of a creamy white compared to Pure White. While both have warmth, Pure White is super subtle, whereas White Dove is more purposeful (without being overwhelming in its warmth/yellow undertone).
White Dove with Benjamin Moore Ballet White (left wall) and Sherwin Williams Worldly Gray (right wall)
If you have a south-facing room or one with intense afternoon western sunshine, you might like how Pure White handles the light. On the other hand, if your room is north-facing, White Dove might give you that wink o’ warmth you need!
FULL Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore White Dove
PURE WHITE vs ALABASTER
While Pure White is more popular than Alabaster for the average home, I have many Online Color clients who’ve fallen for Alabaster’s softness!
Starting with depth, Alabaster (LRV 82) is darker than Pure White (84). While two points aren’t drastic, it’s enough to have Alabaster politely winking at the off-white world and looking much softer than Pure White.
It’s easy to see the pretty softness of Alabaster in this mudroom/entry.
As for undertones, Alabaster has a much more noticeable creamy warmth. This warmth makes it a bit more popular with many of the older granite countertops, but it ALSO makes Pure White’s reduced warmth a bit better suited to many of the more modern white quartz countertops.
Which white is better for your kitchen cabinets? It depends on your finishes!
As for exposures, Alabaster can be pretty darn warm for a room with south-facing or western afternoon light (if you’re sensitive to a creamier look). On the other hand, its creamy white warmth makes it a beautiful choice for cool north-facing rooms or even some with flat eastern light.
For the BEST colors to compare with Pure White, check out my CURATED WARM WHITE COLOR BUNDLE.
FULL Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Alabaster
PURE WHITE vs EXTRA WHITE
We need to have a chat. If I’m specifying a white paint color and have these two shades to choose from, I choose Pure White 99% of the time.
Why?
Extra White is tricky. If you compare Pure White and Extra White in the fan deck, you’ll see that Extra White looks crisp and BLUE. However, when you order Extra White in a cabinet or trim paint, it comes home a bit warm/yellow. Why you can’t get the same color across all lines and finishes is beyond me, but you can’t. Or sometimes you can, but not with EVERY line and sheen. Ooooof. I’ve had this problem with Extra White and White Dove. I’m yet to have it with Pure White (and if I did, there wouldn’t be a ton I could do about it).
Extra White shown with Sherwin Williams Guild Gray – found in this blog post
The next image shows Extra White with Alabaster walls. Based on what you see in the fan deck, you’d never put Alabaster and Extra White together. However, given how warm Extra White can look in trim paint, it looks pretty amazeballs…
Does Extra White have the potential to be perfect? Heck yes. However, I’m always left second-guessing how it’s REALLY going to turn out.
To sum it up, Pure White is more predictable, so it’s my go-to. As for depth, Extra White (86) has a slightly higher LRV than Pure White’s LRV of 84.
FULL Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Extra White
WHAT COLORS GO WITH PURE WHITE?
Oh boy, where do I even start? Pure White is super flexible and humors a wide range of colors. Let’s look at what does AND DOESN’T work…
- Both warm and cool grays – although it can be fussy with fresh, cool grays with noticeable undertones.
- Light to medium taupe paint colors often love Pure White as their trim or cabinet partner.
- Greige paint colors of any depth can look gorgeous with Pure White trim and cabinets.
- ‘Colors’ (e.g., blue, green, purple), as long as they have some gray to calm them down—no clean colors.
- Pure White is super fussy with cream colors and only humors the most muted, passive shades of cream and off-white.
- Pure White can work with some beige and tan paint colors, but beige must be muted (grayed out), not overly rich and warm.
Pure White ceiling, trims, and built-ins with Benjamin Moore Wind’s Breath
PROS & CONS: A SUMMARY OF PURE WHITE
- PRO: Pure White’s LRV makes a soft white paint color, not a bright one. This makes it flexible with a wide range of interior finishes.
- PRO: More so than many other whites, Pure White suits many of today’s most popular white quartz countertops, even some of the warmer ones.
- CON: Pure White is the least warm of the warm whites and doesn’t always have the needed look for finishes that suit a softer, slightly creamier approach to white.
- CON: Pure White doesn’t have the brightness of brighter whites (higher LRVs) or the warmth of other soft, warm whites. For this reason, some people find it lacking personality.
- PRO/CON: Pure White suits a wide range of paint colors, but can be fussy with warmer shades of cream and beige.
- PRO: Pure White is a popular color for exterior trim when you don’t want a super bright white, but want a white that’s softer than white windows.
READ MORE
The 8 Best Benjamin Moore White Paint Colors
The 4 Best Sherwin Williams White Paint Colors
How to Pick the Best White for Your Cabinets or Vanity
The Ultimate Guide to Choosing White Paint Colors
Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Greek Villa
Get the best color advice…
Check out my Online Color Consulting packages!
Originally written in late 2018, it was updated and improved in 2025!
We are building a lake home, and the standard Hardie Board white color is SW Pure White. Any suggestions for your favorite paint color for the front door?
Thinking about a coastal palette with hale navy, TBD blue-gray, lots of white dove and white oak floors inside.
Oooo, the world is your oyster! Our lake home is gray with white trim and I did SW Connors Lakefront. Hale Navy is also wicked pretty – or even SW Riverway!
Hi Kylie, I’m looking at using white in a windowless bathroom where the floor and cabinet are white and the vanity top is Calcutta quartz….a lot of white. Would Pure White still look fairly neutral in a windowless room where the trim is Simply White or would it look dingy? I don’t want anything too warm as I want it looking fresh and bright but not stark. As there are different whites in the room should I maybe lean towards undertones of green, or blue to add contrast, instead of too many competing whites?
OOO, it’s tough with Simply White trim already in place AND a white cabinet (which will be a different white) and then the white of your quartz. I would look at the off-white/light depths as the degree of yellow in Simply White will be very touchy with cool tones that are too light.
We are also trying to find a paint for our windowless bathroom. I just painted the vanity SW Secret Cove. Counter is a greyish/white marble looking quartz and the floor is something with similar tones. Do you think SW Pure White would work for the walls?
Hi Kylie. Great article! Can you tell me the trim color in the photo below?
I have very white cabinets. I’d like a bright white trim to see the warmth of the Pure White walls.
Do you think Pure White walls will look dingy with bright white cabinets? Thank you.
https://www.kylieminteriors.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Kylie-M-Interiors-Edesign-powder-room-small-bathroom-with-gray-hexagon-tile-floor-and-green-painted-vanity-with-gold-accents.-Sherwin-Williams-Pure-White.-Online-paint-colour-advice-and-blog.jpg
Hi Eileen, the walls and trim are Pure White! Any variation could be the change in sheen. It would probably be best to get your cabinets color matched to get the closest match, as you don’t want three different whites competing!
Hi Kylie! I’ve been devouring your blog! We are considering acacia flooring in our newly constructed building. would Pure white go with that? Brushed Acacia Santa Ana Natural by Kentwood specifically. I just can’t tell. The floor is definitely warm but somewhat muted and so cooler looking than other acacia. South and West and Northern exposure. Thanks so much for all the great info on here!
What white would you use for cabinets if Taj Mahal quartzite is your countertop? Was hoping to use same white throughout house for trim. Thinking pure white or alabaster SW. kitchen is pretty dark so most light will be from fixtures. Lots of greenery outside windows. Rest of house is northeast and southwest exposure. And is choosing the same white for walls still trendy?
Hi Kylie (great name btw; I picked it for our first baby who is now 31 🙂
You are hands-down my go-to person for paint and I’ve learned so much from you! We’re getting new cabinets and countertops and backsplash. The cabinets will be SW Pure White (and we will be painting our Dover White trims, doors, mantel, spindles, etc. Pure White as well). I was wondering do you have a quartz countertop that is your/your clients’ fav for Pure White cabinets? I would like something you would consider timeless because I do want to keep resale in mind. Thank you.
Hey Sherri, GOOD CHOICE on the color AND the name ;). So, for what’s trend-proof, that’s tough. People are DEFINITELY still doing white quartz with gray veining, in which case I love Minuet by Viatera https://www.lxhausys.com/gl/products/viatera-quartz-surface/minuet/2944 (we did this combo in my sis-in-law’s home). YOu can see her whole home here https://www.kylieminteriors.ca/a-beautiful-new-all-white-open-layout-home-with-a-lil-colour-here-and-there/
Going into slighlty warmer trends, I do have a few faves in here you could check out… https://www.kylieminteriors.ca/the-8-best-warm-toned-quartz-quartzite-countertops/
Ahhh I had read your warm quartz blog post, but was thinking those wouldn’t work with SW Pure White. I will have to revisit.
Hi! You have a pic of pairing SW pure white cabinets with classic grey walls. What color is the ceiling in those pics? We’re about to do the same combo but don’t know what to use for the ceiling and trim.
Thank you ♥️
DEFINITELLY SW Pure White!
What Sheens and paint type do you use from Sherwin Williams? IE. Duration? Flat matte? What type of paint for ceilings? Using Pure White all over?
I personally prefer flat for ceilings and love a good matte on walls, as long as it’s a quality/washable one! Some bump up to eggshell for the walls.
Hi. We just had our kitchen painted in pure white. The walls in eggshell, the trim and doors in satin and the cabinets in pure white lacquer paint. For some reason, the lacquer ended up looking a lot more white than the eggshell and satin. It’s like the warmth is missing from the lacquer pure white paint. Have you heard if lacquer paint comes out more white than other paint types?
Thank you
Hmmm, interesting. Usually lacquer paints come up warmer. HOWEVER, in general, the shift from one TYPE of paint to another, even with the same color, can result in a slightly different look. It’s super frustrating as a consultant and a consumer that we can’t get a consistent look between the finishes/lines of paint. This being said, if the painter color matched it into their OWN preferred lacquer paint (not Sherwin Williams), which is quite common, there can definitely be a difference in the look of it!
Why do I get so darn giddy when you talk about whites? Thank you so much for always discussing this color. Your knowledge is so appreciated!
Whites can be so fun! I think it’s because they can seem intimidating, but once you get to know them, they aren’t that scary at all!
Hi, I have SW Pure White trim and cabinets with Minuet Viatera quartz countertops and white subway tile with warm hickory hardwood floors. flooded with natural light. Would Aesthetic white or Edgecomb gray work as a wall color or do I need a cooler color.
Hi there!
I’m going to paint my brick pure white and will have a black/charcoal roof. I was thinking tricorn black garage doors and front door and need something warmer for my gutters and downspouts. Any suggestions? Thanks so much! It’s very much appreciated!!
I thought we were set on BM White Dove but we will be using Sherwin Williams paint. I have been reading the BM colors are almost impossible to match which scares me. We are looking at SW Pure White now. Would you safe it’s safe to have Sherwin Williams match white dove or should we choose another paint like pure white. If not pure white what would you recommend?
Thank you for asking! SW doesn’t do a good job of matching White Dove, I’ve tried with zero luck (it comes up far more yellow). Pure White is an awesome white! It’s not as warm, but Alabaster is TOO warm for many homes (I’d compare both with White Dove and your finishes and see which settles best :).
Hi! Would love your advice! We are refinishing our kitchen cabinets. The rest of the house is all SW Pure White (walls, trim, ceiling) and counters are white quartz with warm undertones. Do we need to stick with Pure White on the cabinets or can we go with something a little warmer like Alabaster. We definitely don’t want yellow/overly creamy cabinets but we do love warmer whites on cabinets. Thank you 🙂
Hey Kylie! We are repainting our living/dining room (east/west) exposure. I read several of your blogs and landed on Alabaster. We painted the whole thing and I realize I hate it. It looks far too “yellow”. Would pure white be a better choice? I considered Extra White as it leans more cool (and the yellow comes out more in afternoon due to the west exposure of that room) but it fights (appears too cool/stark) compared to our white quartz countertops. Thank you so much!
It’s hard to say without seeing your home, but Pure White definitely has less yellow/warmth, without being a stark or cold/true white! Have you looked at BM White Dove, too?
Hi Kylie! Huge fan of your blog! You are my go to for all things paint. We are doing a total renovation of our home and wanted to go with Chantilly Lace for the cabinets, trim, walls, etc. The cabinet maker uses SW Pure White or SW High Reflective white on their cabinets though. So now we are in leaning towards the Pure White now would like a Tricorn Black island. Does Pure White work well with Tricorn Black? Thanks so much!!!
Hey Lindsey, you bet it does – no problem there at all!