Sherwin Williams Cold Foam: Undertones, LRV, Best Uses

Cold Foam. Not only is it tasty on Starbucks’ Iced Coffee, it’s great on your walls, too (just don’t mix them up – paint has a terrible aftertaste #funfact. 

If you’re looking for a warm, soft shade of white, one that isn’t ‘the usual’ like SW Alabaster, Greek Villa, and Pure White, have I got a treat for you, as today, we’re taking an up-close and personal look at Cold Foam.

Could it be the best white for your walls, cabinets, trims, or even exterior? Let’s find out. 

IS COLD FOAM A WARM OR COOL WHITE?

Cold Foam is a warm white paint color. While you’ll see some direct comparables shortly, Cold Foam has a traditionally warm white look without overdosing on undertones. 

If you have a south-facing room or one with warm, afternoon western sunshine, Cold Foam’s warmth will be present without being overbearing (although that could be open to perception). 

As for cooler north-facing rooms or those with a flat eastern afternoon or western morning light, I WONDER if Cold Foam might fall just a wink flat, at least compared to similar warm shades of white (below). 

North, East, South, West: Which Paint Color is The Best?

WHAT ARE SHERWIN WILLIAMS COLD FOAM’S UNDERTONES?

While Cold Foam has a passive creamy (vague yellow) undertone, there’s a good whack of gray, too (whack being a technical term).

In the next image, compare Cold Foam (walls and trims) to a) the white ceiling and b) the white mats surrounding the photos.

These help you see the subtle warmth of Cold Foam, where the gray is more of an afterthought…

However, its gray backdrop makes me a bit nervous in lower light areas or those without warm sunshine. I wouldn’t say it totally puts me off, but I’d compare it to other warm shades (which we’ll do shortly) to see if one settles better than another. 

WHAT’S THE LRV OF COLD FOAM?

Cold Foam has a moderately low LRV of 84 (as far as whites go, that’s pretty low). With the white range running approximately 82-94, this makes it a soft, warm shade of white. 

Don’t know about LRV? It’ll change your paint-pickin’ life! READ ABOUT IT. 

COLD FOAM AS A CABINET OR TRIM COLOR?

Cold Foam could be a pretty color for kitchen cabinets, trims, and doors. It’s reasonably flexible in terms of coordinating wall colors, with some limitations. These limitations mean it didn’t make my ‘top white paint colors for trims & doors (or cabinets)‘ list. 

Here’s your Peel & Stick sample of Cold Foam…

WHAT COLORS ARE SIMILAR TO COLD FOAM?

This is the fun part! Comparing colors, especially shades of white, is the best way to land on the white paint color that goes with your interior finishes. 

COLD FOAM VS. SHERWIN WILLIAMS ALABASTER

If you’re looking for a warm, soft shade of white, comparing Cold Foam to Alabaster is a great place to start. 

To start, Cold Foam (LRV 84) is a bit lighter than Alabaster (LRV 82). So, whereas Alabaster more often gets mistaken for being a soft, creamy off-white, Cold Foam’s higher LRV has it passing more like a white. 

As for undertones, there’s only a wee subtle shift, with Alabaster looking a TINY bit grayer, which makes Cold Foam look that prettier and softer in comparison. 

KYLIE’S FAVORITE: Of the two, I do love the versatility of Alabaster. 

Sherwin Williams Alabaster: IMAGES, Info, & More

COLD FOAM VS. SHERWIN WILLIAMS GREEK VILLA

One reason I love comparing Cold Foam and Greek Villa is that they have the EXACT same depth (LRVs of 84). This means they’re both soft white and could potentially be fighting for the same project! 

Where you see a notable difference is that Greek Villa appears a bit less warm compared to Cold Foam and almost a bit whiter, even though they’re the same LRV. 

KYLIE’S FAVORITE: Of the two, I prefer the subtlety of Cold Foam. 

Sherwin Williams Greek Villa: IMAGES, Info, & More

COLD FOAM VS. BENJAMIN MOORE WHITE DOVE

Oooo, nobody messes with my White Dove! Well, maybe Cold Foam does. 

As far as depth goes, Cold Foam (LRV of 84, which may very well be a rounded-up number) is more or less the same as White Dove’s LRV of 83.16. Apples to apples. 

Benjamin Moore White Dove with Sherwin Williams Network Gray

As for their overall approach to white, Cold Foam approaches its warmth almost a bit more ‘dusky’ compared to White Dove – both are warm, but I prefer the cream in White Dove more than Cold Foam. 

Benjamin Moore White Dove: IMAGES, Info, & More

WHAT COLORS GO WITH COLD FOAM?

If you’re painting your walls Cold Foam, your BEST bet is to paint your trims, doors, and ceilings the same color. One white will expose the undertones, depth, and temperature of another, and pairing them isn’t always a great idea. 

Cold Foam with Sherwin Williams Balanced Beige accent wall & Thunder Gray island. 

If you’re creating a palette with a non-white wall color, adjoining room, kitchen island, colorful or neutral accent wall, or whatev’s, I’ve got some great shades for you to explore…

• Cold Foam suits a wide range of tan paint colors and a few beiges (just be careful with overly orange-pink beiges) – Balanced Beige (shown above) is as far as it can stretch. 
• It looks amazeballs with greige paint colors, everything from light and medium greiges to the darker end of the greige world. 
• Cold Foam suits some of the more popular, warm off-white paint colors. 
• I love it with varying shades of green, including light green paint colors and medium to darker shades of green. 
• You can easily partner Cold Foam with green-gray paint colors as well as some blue-green-gray blends. 

READ MORE

The Ultimate Guide to White Paint Colors

Sherwin Williams 3 Best Warm White Paint Colors

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