Sherwin Williams Pure White – The SECOND Best White Paint Color
White is IN – and not just relating to wine, sneakers, and SUVs, I’m talking whole home paint color palettes of white-on-white-on-WHITE.
But sadly, that doesn’t mean EVERY home can pull off white walls. In fact, the stars need to align with regard to exposures, finishes, furnishings and tastes in order 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 fave white paint colors. Stop reading and you’ll get a spankin’ with a wet noodle.
And all of these homes are different! 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…
What type of paint color is Sherwin Williams Pure White? Is it warm or cool?
Well, 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, as it has a soft, passive warmth to it, without looking as creamy as some of the other whites. Pure White works well for walls, trims, cabinets and even exterior siding!
What is the LRV of Pure White?
Pure White has an LRV of 84, so it’s what I call a soft white – it’s not stark, but not overly creamy either.
If you aren’t familiar with LRV, you should take a gander here – it’s kind of a big deal and is a GAME-changer when it comes to choosing the best paint color for your room.
READ MORE: The ULTIMATE Guideline to Using LRV to Pick Paint Colors
What are the undertones of Pure White?
Pure White has a soft warmth to it 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 white, Pure White can EASILY pick up color from its surroundings. In the above photo, Pure White looks a bit more crisp and clean, whereas, in this next photo, it looks a bit softer and warmer…
See the WHOLE home HERE / Western Exposures Photography
In this next photo, at the top of the photo, the wall is getting hit by a SOLID does 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/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.
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, without going too far.
HOWEVER, if you have a south-facing room and don’t LOVE warm whites, then you might want to look at a few different whites that don’t have that wink of warmth in them.
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 to it vs the softness you’d find in other lights. This means that if you have a north-facing room and want a really warm soft white, you may want to choose another white paint color.
North, South, East, West: Which Paint Color is the Best?
Let’s take a quick break to talk about paint samples…
Undoubtedly, you’ll be heading out in the near future to grab paint samples – stop right there! I want you to check out SAMPLIZE. Samplize offers peel and stick paint samples that are more AFFORDABLE, EASIER and more ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY than traditional paint pots. Here are just a FEW reasons why I recommend Samplize to my clients…
- samples arrive ON YOUR DOORSTEP in 1-3 business days, depending on location
- they’re more affordable than the samples pots/rollers/foam boards that are needed for traditional paint sampling
- if you keep the samples on their white paper, you can move them around the room
Visit the SAMPLIZE website HERE
What’s the best white trim color if your walls are Pure White?
if you want to see the warmth of Pure White, partner it with a clean white like Sherwin Williams High Reflective White. HOWEVER, I personally prefer having my walls, cabinets and trim in the SAME white so I don’t need to worry about clashing undertones. This approach lets the change in SHEEN do the work for you without having to change COLORS.
This next photo is a FAB example of Pure White in its FULL glory – walls, ceiling, trims AND cabinets.
See more of this gorgeous home HERE
Is Pure White a good kitchen cabinet color?
Hellllls yeah! As shown above (and below), Pure White is a gorgeous choice for cabinets. It generally ‘looks like white’, without being as stark as more traditional whites. It’s also versatile and suits a WIDE-range of countertop choices. It’s ABSOLUTELY in my top 3 white paint colors for cabinets.
THE FIVE Best FOOL-PROOF White Paint Colors
And 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 Kelvins)…
In the above photo, you can see how Pure White softens that 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.
What Benjamin Moore paint colors are the same as or 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: While Pure White and White Dove have similar enough LRVs, White Dove has MORE warmth and can withstand northern light a bit better. However, Pure White is often the preferred choice for south-facing rooms.
PURE WHITE vs ALABASTER: Alabaster has a lower LRV than Pure White; making it a soft white. It also has more creamy warmth. This means that Alabaster is often preferred over Pure White for north-facing rooms. On the other hand, Pure White is a more popular choice with today’s popular white quartz countertops.
And if you’re thinking of color matching between brands, you might want to read THIS first.
Sherwin Williams Pure White trim with a beautiful taupe siding color & navy blue front door!
So, there you have it. If you did your reading, you’ll know that Benjamin Moore White Dove IS my OTHER absolute fave white paint color – this month anyway 😉
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
Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Greek Villa
Need help picking YOUR best white paint color?
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Chat soon,
Originally written in late 2018, updated and improved in 2022!
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?
Author
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.
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
Author
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!
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.
Author
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.