Sherwin Williams Extra White SW 7006: Paint Color Review

SHERWIN WILLIAMS EXTRA WHITE: might not be as EXTRA white as you expect…

You shouldn’t believe EVERYthing you read (unless you’re reading my blog) because while this color might be CALLED Extra White – it’s anything but…

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

WHAT ARE EXTRA WHITE’S UNDERTONES?

Extra White has undertones. And while its roots suggest a slightly warm green-yellow undertone, Extra White most often reads as having NO undertone or as a very slightly cool blue undertone (this is likely due to the type of paint it’s usually mixed into).

IS SHERWIN WILLIAMS EXTRA WHITE WARM OR COOL?

Extra White is a WARM white paint color – if you look at the SCIENCE of it. However, don’t expect it to LOOK warm on your walls, ceilings or trims; in fact, it more often looks like a slightly cool or pretty darn BRIGHT white.

Why?

As I mentioned above, my educated guess (which I’ll confirm at my local SW store shortly) is that Extra White shifts how it looks due to the type of paint it’s mixed into – stay tuned.

But regardless of whether you lean into science or not, if you use Extra White in your home, it’s SURPRISING how darn white Extra white can look.

Why is it surprising? 

As you’ll learn in the LRV section (coming up next), Extra white is not in the ‘bright and true white’ range – and it sure as heck ain’t ‘extra’ white.

HOW WHITE IS SHERWIN WILLIAMS EXTRA WHITE?

Extra White has an LRV of almost 86. This higher LRV means that while it’s in the white range, it has some depth compared to WHITER and BRIGHTER whites – making it more of a soft shade of white (technically). This might not be noticeable until you partner it with a WHITER white with an LRV of, say, 92+; then, it will look softer – maybe not off-white, but darn close. Grab a sample of Extra White and High Reflective White (LRV 93) and note the differences.

OVERALL THOUGH, yes, Extra White can look like a true white, especially if you don’t have a brighter white to partner it with AND partner it up with cool paint colors.

If you’ve never heard about LRV, you’ll LOVE learning about this great color-picking tool – read all about it HERE.

USING PEEL & STICK TO SAMPLE EXTRA WHITE

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 the 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 COLOR SHOULD MY TRIM BE IF I HAVE EXTRA WHITE WALLS?

Another version of this question would be…

If I want WHITE walls and have Extra White trim, which white should I use?

No matter what you’re doing, the best white for Extra White IS…Extra White. Once you start messing with different whites, you have a risk of clashing undertones or making one look dingy/dirty/icy compared to the other.

The exception is if you WANT to see some of the subtle undertones in Extra White. In this case, your TRIM should be Sherwin Williams High Reflective White with Extra White walls (it can’t be the other way around, or it could look like you have blue trim).

DEFINITELY Extra White. The exception will be if you want to SHOW the soft undertones of Extra White a bit more, in which case you could look at Sherwin Williams High Reflective White.

WHITE PAINT COLORS – Walls, Cabinets & Trims, do they need to match?

The 4 Best White Paint Colors from Sherwin Williams

IS EXTRA WHITE A GOOD EXTERIOR COLOR FOR TRIM OR SIDING?

If you want a white with no noticeable warmth and a crisp cool approach, Extra White could be a great fit for the trim OR the main house color!

In this next photo from one of my Color Consulting clients, Extra White is in its GLORY with cool siding (James Hardie Night Gray)

5 Tips for Choosing an Exterior Paint Color

One time you can expect Extra White to look WARM is when your home gets good hits of sunshine (i.e. south-facing/western afternoon). In this case, ANY shade of white can pick up some yellow/cream hues.

Exterior Paint Colors: Does Exposure REALLY Matter?

IS EXTRA WHITE POPULAR?

The reason why Extra White isn’t considered one of the TOP white paint colors is because of its cool undertone. This undertone makes it a bit finicky when partnering it up with other paint colors – ESPECIALLY warm paint colors. However, give it some cool hues and it’s pretty darn happy, as shown in my client’s cute kid’s room below!

EXTRA WHITE COMPARED TO A FEW OTHER WHITES

If you’re looking for whites that are SIMILAR to Extra White or a bit different, I’ve got some beautiful shades for you to check out…

EXTRA WHITE VS SHERWIN WILLIAMS PURE WHITE

Extra White is a touch whiter than Pure White. The big difference is that Extra White comes off much cooler/blue compared to the subtle warmth in Pure White. Extra White is also CLEANER-looking than Pure White.

Cabinets in Sherwin Williams Pure White with beige tile floor

EXTRA WHITE VS SHERWIN WILLIAMS HIGH REFLECTIVE WHITE

If you asked me, there’s no competition. High Reflective White is WHITER/brighter than Extra White (due to its higher LRV) and has virtually no undertone. This makes High Reflective White far more versatile for the average home.

Painted white surfaces in Sherwin Williams High Reflective White

EXTRA WHITE VS BENJAMIN MOORE VS BENJAMIN MOORE SUPER WHITE

Extra White and Super White are similar as their LRVs are reasonably close – Extra White at 86, Super White at 87.36. Even so, if you compare them, Super White looks a bit brighter, a bit whiter and has CONSIDERABLY less undertone – again, Super White wins (but of them all, High Reflective is the best for this general approach).

Cute powder room in Benjamin Moore Super White! 

READ MORE

Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Pure White

The Ultimate Guide to Choosing White Paint Colors

Sherwin Williams 4 Best White Paint Colors

Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Simply White

The 8 Best Benjamin Moore White Paint Colors

Not sure which paint color is best for YOUR home?

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

ORIGINALLY WRITTEN IN 2019, UPDATED FOR YOU IN 2022