The 6 Best White Paint Colors for Cabinets
Top 6 Shades of White (Sherwin & Benjamin)
Choosing a white paint color for cabinets (or trim) can be a harrowing experience. This is especially true if you aren’t starting from scratch and have to coordinate with existing, and possibly outdated, finishes.
But don’t worry, whether you’re designing a new home, renovating, or doing a budget-friendly kitchen update, I’ve got the best white paint color for your cabinets – this should be white up your alley.
*Updated for 2026 with the best paint colors, home update ideas, and timeless design and decorating tips for today’s homeowner.
1. BENJAMIN MOORE WHITE DOVE OC 17
White Dove is one of my most popular, consistently suggested shades of white for cabinets, trim, doors, ceilings, and walls.
Why?
Some whites are too stark or cold for the average home’s countertop and backsplash. Other whites are too warm. White Dove is the middle ground between too white and too warm, with a passive approach. So, while it appears white, it’s neither stark nor overly creamy.
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White Dove is also a great option if you want white walls, trims, and cabinets – all painted the same color. Its warmth and LRV suit various exposures and finishes, offering a softer approach than Pure White and Chantilly Lace.
The Best White Quartz Countertops
This next photo is a great comparison between the most popular whites…
COLORS THAT ARE SIMILAR TO WHITE DOVE
It’s important to compare different white paint colors. A white can look pretty darn neutral until you compare it to another, at which point the undertones and temperature become clearer. Just remember, there are no exact matches between brands (and brands can’t color-match each other’s whites)—each white will have its own unique look.
- Sherwin Williams Alabaster is one of the most popular, softer, warmer whites (close to an off-white)
- Sherwin Williams Greek Villa offers a bit more brightness than Alabaster, while still being a soft, warm white.
- Sherwin Williams Cold Foam is one of their newest shades of white.
White Dove uppers, a gorgeous green-gray paint color on the lower cabinets
Here’s your Peel & Stick sample of White Dove…
FULL Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore White Dove
2. SHERWIN WILLIAMS PURE WHITE 7005
Pure White is fantastic and one of my FAVORITE, versatile white paint colors. This super popular white sits between White Dove’s warmth and Chantilly Lace’s simplicity. Pure White is a warm white, but it’s one of the most subtle warm whites on the market.
Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Pure White
99.5% of the photos in my blog are from my Online Color Consulting clients, readers, talented photographers, & friends— because real homes deserve to be celebrated (dirty laundry & all!) While not magazine-perfect, they’re packed with ideas & proven color choices to help you create a home you’ll love.
Whereas some warmer, creamier white paint colors can be challenging to coordinate with white quartz countertops, Pure White is generally the most versatile.
WHAT COLORS ARE SIMILAR TO PURE WHITE?
Welllll, nothing compares to Pure White, it’s a creature unto itself. This doesn’t mean there aren’t some great colors to compare with, as some countertops need more warmth than Pure White offers, but no other white is really ‘the same.’
- Benjamin Moore White Dove (a bit warmer)
- Sherwin Williams White Snow (brighter)
Get your Peel & Stick sample of Pure White…
3. BENJAMIN MOORE CHANTILLY LACE OC 65
Chantilly Lace is THE most classic, timeless shade of white. While it does have a touch of softness to it (which we know about thanks to its LRV of 90.04 – if it were a true white, it would be a higher number)…
Chantilly Lace acts like white without being stark or cold.
Many people find TRUE white paint colors a bit too stark for their cabinets or trim – and they can be, depending on the surrounding finishes. Chantilly Lace is popular because it gives a cleaner contrast with finishes (compared to softer, warmer whites), without being edgy or harsh. This is because while Chantilly Lace ‘looks’ pretty darn white, it has a wink of softness to it!
Get your Peel & Stick sample of Chantilly Lace
FULL Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace
COLORS THAT ARE SIMILAR TO CHANTILLY LACE
Chantilly Lace is definitely my favorite option for this range/type of white. However, there are a few worth comparing…
- Benjamin Moore Simply White – similarly white, but has a warmer undertone
- Sherwin Williams White Snow is a great comparison
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4. BENJAMIN MOORE CLOUD WHITE CC-40
While Cloud White isn’t one of my TOP 3, it’s a great option for kitchens that need a more obvious warmth. Cloud White can look like a real white UNTIL you place it next to a real white (like paper or my butt cheeks). If you didn’t know it was that type of blog, now you do (wink wink).
Cloud White has a subtle yellow/creamy undertone with a grounded neutral base, making it less stark than traditional white. However, if you already have ‘white’ trim, appliances, or windows, you WILL notice the difference.
See more Cloud White here: A Maple Kitchen Makeover with Cloud White
WHAT COLORS ARE SIMILAR TO CLOUD WHITE?
- Sherwin Williams Alabaster – just a wink softer and creamier
- Benjamin Moore Simply White. It has the warmth, but it’s cleaner and brighter, so the yellow can show up at the party a bit more
Here’s your Peel & Stick sample of Cloud White…
FULL Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Cloud White
5. SHERWIN WILLIAMS ALABASTER 7008
As it relates to the best paint colors for cabinets (with more warmth), Alabaster is the softest, warmest white. This is one reason it’s a hit with my clients who have homes from the 1990s and early 2000s/Tuscan-style kitchen trend, as it tends to suit many finishes from these times.
See my client, Jenna Christian’s beautiful home and style HERE.
Alabaster has an LRV of 82, so while it’s considered white, it’s a soft, dark shade of white. Will it ‘act like white?’ Yes, as long as your idea of ‘white’ is soft, gentle, and warm. However, if you place Alabaster with a whiter shade of white (i.e., GE Cafe white appliances/most white subway tiles), it will look softer and almost creamy in comparison.
Taj Mahal Quartzite Countertop Review
COLORS THAT ARE SIMILAR TO ALABASTER
- Sherwin Williams Greek Villa
- Benjamin Moore Cloud White
- Benjamin Moore White Dove
Here’s your Peel & Stick sample of Alabaster…
FULL Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Alabaster
6. SHERWIN WILLIAMS WHITE SNOW 9541
White Snow is a new shade of white that’s only available in Sherwin Williams Emerald Designer’s Edition (along with eight other NEW shades of white).
Because it’s new and not easy to sample (you can’t get sample pots made of it), I haven’t had many clients use it on their cabinets (yet). It’s also the most expensive line of paint they carry – but damn, does it have a beautiful finish.
Samplize Peel & Stick is the only way to get a sample of White Snow (short of buying a very expensive gallon)…
Here’s your Peel & Stick sample of White Snow…
White Snow is awesome. It looks white and acts like white, but it isn’t stark like true or cold whites or overly warm like some other shades. It could be great in various kitchens, and I can’t wait to see it in action!
COLORS THAT ARE SIMILAR TO WHITE SNOW
I highly recommend comparing White Snow to several other shades. Noticing the difference between whites is what helps you see which one your interior finishes gravitate towards.
- Benjamin Moore Simply White is similar but a bit warmer
- Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace is similar in depth but not as warm
- Sherwin Williams Extra White is BRIGHTER and whiter
FULL Paint Color Review of White Snow
WHY IS WHITE SNOW SO HARD TO SAMPLE?
You can’t get paper chip samples, sample pots, or quartz of White Snow (Sherwin should REEEALLY remedy this). Aside from Samplize, the ONLY way to see White Snow in action is to purchase a full gallon. At $125 CDN, that’s a huge stretch for the average person. Sampling needs to be EASY.
READ MORE
The ULTIMATE GUIDE to White Paint Colors
SHOULD You Paint Your Kitchen Cabinets White?
The 3 Types of White Kitchen Cabinet Palettes
3 STEPS: Choose the Best White for Your Cabinets, Trims, or Walls
Get the best paint color advice
Check out my affordable Online Color Consulting!
Originally written in 2017, updated in 2025
I think your best the of all blogs.
Stainless steel everything in kitchen white counters.
Not crazy about gray. Want paint color that will warm up my ugly kitchen cabinets.
This blog is my new best friend! I have been devouring your posts as we have been planning a complete kitchen re-do. We are installing Caesarstone London Grey quartz countertops in a kitchen/living/dining room whose main source of natural light is east-facing windows. Torn between BM White Dove which is more ‘matchy’ to the counter and BM Simply White which has a bit more of a contrast. Worried White Dove will be too yellow and Simply White will not work with the east-facing natural light. They both ‘look’ good. Advice?
Hi Nancy, did you decide? And what backsplash are you using? I am installing Colonial White granite that has whites, beiges, creams, black, and purple. (Sounds like a mess, but pretty…). Curious to what you went with…Thank you!
I have been looking at houses for sale online and if I see another kitchen with gray walls and white kitchen cabinets I am going to drown myself in a bath tub full of vodka.
Well, you gave me my morning giggle – well done! Yes, it is SO nice to see wood cabinets come back in style. I did some in our bar area, just to do something different and i LOOOOVE them!
Thursday, July 9, 2020
3:28 PM
Hello Kylie! THANK YOU for your great advice. So appreciative of your knowledge and the humor to relieve this decorating stress! 😉 I’m replacing your favorites (Venetian Gold counters and orange, cathedral arched oak cabinets) with Colonial White Granite (warm and soft with cloudy grays, green undertones, purple garnets that I don’t love but accepting b/c it’s better than venetian gold). Wish I could justify quartz for my home…anyway, I have BM Vanilla Milkshake trim and SW Anew Gray walls. The vanilla milkshake isn’t common but love how it looks. Anything was better than the orange oak trim. Would you suggest vanilla milkshake cabinets (some areas are close to trim & doors), simply white, or white dove? I still need to get the backsplash (MAJOR CRY ON CHOOSING THAT ONE!). Any advice would be so helpful; praying for your response!
Hi Kylie! I have learned so much from all of your articles! We are considering painting our kitchen cabinets white. We have white crown molding already in the kitchen that flows into a hallway as well as molding around the entry to our great room and dining room (and white doors throughout). I assume I should match the cabinets to the molding, but how do I best determine the current color of the molding? The kitchen has northern exposure with a decent size window as well as a bay window in the breakfast nook (or whatever it is called these days – the place where our kitchen table resides). All these white paints are making me want to just stop and drink some wine!
Hi Lisa! Well, first off, wine can definitely help ;). Here’s what I would do. I would go to the paint store (I’d hit two – BM and SW) and pick up:
1. Their whites white (BM Chantilly Lace and SW High Reflective White)
2. Warm versions (BM Cloud White, White Dove and Simply White / SW Alabaster, Pure White and Dover White)
3. cooler versions (BM Super White/Decorators White / SW Extra White)
Bring those home and stick them on your trim to see which one blends the MOST! It can be tricky as the sheen of your trim can skew things, but that will be as close as you can get. You can also take a piece of trim into the paint store and have them colour match it, but I’ve seen some PRETTY HOT MESSES that way, you have to really double-check it on a larger scale.
I hope that helps!
Thank you so much! I know we are on the cooler version, so now it’s down to figuring out which one works best. Do you have any advice on picking the one that blends well but isn’t too stark since we have northern exposure?
Oh my Lord, I need a nipple on my Prosecco bottle! We just had Taj Mahal quartzite counters and gray and white calcatta marble subway style in maple which translates to gray and white with an occasional light maple vein. Now between age and the new installs, our cabinets have gone yellow (formerly PPG Desert Fawn-Older color) .our Walls are Mesa Tan (SW) and I am thinking of a change there as well. My window which was just installed faces N.E. but very little direct sun comes in.
ANYWAY, help with white trim color! Considered Arcade or Ibis prior to reading your blog. I love your blog! Paint selection is a trial.
Well, if THIS isn’t the funniest comment I’ve read in a while, I don’t know what is! Taj Mahal is aaaaamazing! As for trim colour, I tend to say pretty traditional for MASS versatility, rather than picking up whites that could flash pink or anything scary. Check out the likes of BM Simply White or SW Pure White :).
Hi Kylie
I am repainting my white kitchen. Currently the cabinets are a different white than the walls. Is it ok to have the walls, ceiling and cabinets different or can/should they be the same white? The two whites I like are White Dove and Simply White. If the cabinets where WD would they look ok by the SW walls?
J
Hi Janet! I do get a BIT nervous with mix and match whites. Simply White is cleaner/whiter and that touch more yellow than White Dove and I might worry a bit about White Dove looking just a bit dingy in comparison. I’d get a quart mixed up of White Dove in satin finish and do 2 coats on a sample board, tape it up on the wall with Simply White and see how they flow :).
I am going to go with your suggestion and have cabinets painted SW alabaster. The house is open concept with a full wall of windows. I want a warm white for the walls. Should I paint them alabaster also?
You betcha – and I would love to see photos when it’s all done!
Trying to figure out what undertones I am looking for if I have more yellow butcher block countertops. Thank you for your help!
Is Mascarpone BM a flexible white paint for trim?
I wouldn’t do it – too yellow 🙂
Hello, Kylie,
Will you please tell me the color of the blue island in the first picture (under SW High Reflective White)?
I really appreciate your help 🙂
Hi! I’m getting ready to do a kitchen remodel and I’ve been reading your blog (which is super helpful!) and now I’m scared/ stuck. My doors and trim in my entire house were all painted by the previous owners in what appears to be SW Crisp Linen. Which I’ve actually never minded and most people identify as “white” when they come over. I want white/cream cabinets in this remodel and was just going to do the cabinets in the same Crisp Linen as the trim and doors but I’m thinking you would tell me NOT to do that 😬 since crisp linen has a pinky/peach undertone. What white/cream should I do on the cabinets so as not to clash with the crisp linen doors and trim? Floor is a traditional warm medium brown wood look LVP, countertops are black soapstone with cream and green veining. I plan to do a beadboard backsplash in the same color as the cabinets so I guess I’m stuck on that too 🫤
I’m painting my walls SW Alabaster. What white would you suggest for cabinets & trim?
Personally, I would stick with Alabaster. When you mix whites, one exposes the undertones in another. The only other type of white you could use would be a brighter warm white, but it would make Alabaster look more yellow/cream, just in comparison. If you keep Alabaster as the WHITEST white in the space, it acts more as it should.
Hi there,
In my kitchen I have urbane bronze walls – there are not many wall surfaces, the backsplash is a high vertical full wall design in white octagonal tile. The cabinets were already painted an off white like alabaster but it’s different and more creamy than the backsplash . I want to repaint them so there are not competing whites. This kitchen is open concept and will flow into a living area with white dove walls. Any suggestions for the kitchen cabinets ?
Hi Renee, your BEST plan of attack will be to find a white that blends with your tile. If it’s not the same, it will look either more yellow, creamy, dingy, etc… of course you could do a NON-white, in which case your countertop will call the big shots! If you like the idea of white cabinets, SW Extra White and High Reflective White are often similar to ‘white tile’ – same with BM Chantilly Lace. However, once you throw White Dove in the mix, you’re back mixing warm whites/bright whites again. Sometimes there isn’t a happy medium between what’s there and something bigger has to shift – either White Dove OR consider non-white cabinets that go with the countertop :).
Hi Kylie. I just want to say your articles on kitchen cabinets, specific BM color shades etc helped me immensely while planning a kitchen reno. I tend to gravitate towards dramatic color flare, your blog kept me grounded and reasonable. Thank you for sharing all this useful info. Much appreciated
Jana, what a nice note to get. I do get soooo many comments asking for help, and a note like this just lights up my heart – thank you 🙂
I have spent years studying your amazing site, but I still can’t make a choice for most of my painting decisions! However, I did use White Snow based on your analysis in a post when the new paint line first came out. It is beautiful! I am very sensitive to the yellow in Simply White, but White Snow is a definite white in my west facing room. So Pretty. I’ll be changing out all the Simply White to White Snow. Your description of how you used White Dove in your lake house almost swayed me in that direction, but I’m so glad I went with White Snow. Thank you for sharing your talent with us-it is greatly appreciated. Now back to worrying over grays that go with slate fireplace surrounds!
Ooo Laine, I’m SO happy to hear this! If you happen to have a few photos of it, I would be SO EXCITED as (as you know), I don’t have any of it in action! If that’s not your comfort zone, I totally get it :).
I’m so happy you’re happy! As for the grays, slate USUALLy likes grays wtih a slight blue-green undertone (an undertone that tends to pop more in gray). Look at SW Roycroft Pewter, BM Kitty Gray (stronger again). Sooooome slates can handle a slightly warm gray like Amherst Gray or Kendall Charcoal, as long as the look a bit green with your slate (not violet).
Too funny-I truly have a totally defective undertone detector! 🙂 About 2 months ago I finally had what I thought was an ‘Eureka Moment’ and decided slate must have a violet undertone. I’ve spent the last 3 weeks staring at Big Chill and Light French Gray, super convinced that one of them had to be right. Hence years of indecisiveness! I will definitely get the Samplize for your suggestions. I have a few more touches to finish in the room with White Snow and then I’ll try photographing it. Thank you for the time you took to reply.
Hi Kylie!
Love all your articles ! Have been reading through a bunch of them and am agonizing over a white color choice for my cabinets (which are cherry right now). My granite is Ubatuba green granite (a dark green almost black color, with some gold, black, earthy tone elements) and I have oak floors. I haven’t picked a backsplash yet but am looking to do a shiny white tile with some very light earth tones swirled in here and there to tie in the cabinets and counter. The walls are stonington grey right now… I really want to brighten up the space and want a white look but afraid of being too stark or too yellow! Oye! Right now I’m considering cloud white and simply white and maaaaaaybe white dove. Do you think cloud white could work with what I have? I think I’m leaning in that direction
Hi Kylie – Your articles have been so helpful as I have done a deep dive on so many colors here. I love your sense of humor and the way that you can keep me grounded when I want to make things more complicated. Actually, I don’t want to, but you get what I’m saying. Ha! I’m currently working on a kitchen remodel and plan to go with Viatera Cirrus for the counters. I feel like Pure White is a bit too stark for what I’m looking for and was wanting to go with Alabaster instead. Do you feel like this would be a good match? I would appreciate your insight. Thanks so much for your consideration!
Hey Selina! I’m not familliar enough with Viatera Cirrus (I’d need to have it in my hot little hands to say for sure). Off the TOP, I’d say that Alabaster can be a bit creamy/yellow for many countertops, whereas when Pure White is a bit too white, often, BM White Dove is the better happy medium???
Hi Kylie! Love this blog post. We’re updating our kitchen and will be painting the cabinets Chantilly Lace. I love the marble tile backsplash shown in your picture above. Do you happen to have a link for that or can direct me to where it was purchased? Thank you so much!