The 5 Best ALMOST FOOL-PROOF White Paint Colours for Your Home

Your GO-TO White Paint Colours for Walls, Trims, Cabinets, & More

Looking for your PERFECT white paint colour? I bet I’ve got it.

And while there is no fool-proof white, some whites have a WAY better chance of working than others. These magical whites are the ones I recommend ALL THE TIME in my Online Paint Colour Consulting because they DO THE JOB.

WHY IS THERE NO FOOL-PROOF WHITE?

There are MANY reasons, including:

• YOU. What I think is a fool-proof white, you might find too warm (I prefer my white slightly chilled if you know what I’m sayin’). Now the question is, which one of us is the fool? BTW, it’s probably me – it usually is.

• EXPOSURE. White paint colors will change how they look based on the EXPOSURE of a room. This means that a white that looks warm in your south-facing room could look too cold in your north-facing room.

• REFLECTION. Because white paint colors have high LRVs, they reflect colors from their surroundings. This means that a white that looks PERFECT on your kitchen cabinets might pick up a green hue from the grass outside your living room window or pink from your bright red sofa.

• INTERIOR FINISHES WITH OPPOSITE NEEDS. It’s not about which white YOU love; it’s about the white that suits your interior finishes. And with such a WIDE range of finishes,  warm to cool, bright to neutral, there isn’t ONE WHITE PAINT COLOUR that will make every surface happy.

This is especially the case when remodeling, as we often want to update SOME, but not ALL, of the finishes in our home and often pick finishes with different needs. Different needs mean different whites.

Just remember…

You need to pick paint colors for the home you HAVE, not the one you wish you had. 

The Ultimate Guide to Picking Paint Colors USING LRV

But as mentioned, I’ve got some WICKED gorgeous whites that will definitely give you the best shot possible at satisfying you AND your home…

1.  SHERWIN WILLIAMS HIGH REFLECTIVE WHITE 7757

While High Reflective White isn’t MY favorite white (I lean a bit warmer), nor is it the fave of Sherwin Williams paint store employees (long story), it works SO WELL in today’s modern home!

WHY IS HIGH REFLECTIVE WHITE SO POPULAR?

• It’s one of the WHITEST WHITES on the market with its HIGH LRV (read more HERE if you’re curious…once you’re done reading all of this).

• It’s nice for a home with multiple exposures, AS LONG AS you’re okay with it looking cool in north-facing light.

Get your PEEL & STICK SAMPLE of High Reflective White

HIGH REFLECTIVE WHITE IS OFTEN BEST FOR…

• More modern homes with cooler preferences (suits many marble finishes).

• Any home that caters to the slightly cooler end of things.

• Balancing south-facing light or warm afternoon western sunshine.

FULL Paint Colour Review of Sherwin Williams High Reflective White

MY YOUTUBE Video Review of High Reflective White

2.  SHERWIN WILLIAMS PURE WHITE 7005

If you ask me, this is it – the white paint colour with the BEST CHANCE of humoring your home and many OTHER HOMES on a large scale. Why?

Pure White is a soft white. Whether it’s a newer home or a renovation, soft whites often have the best chance of suiting a MULTITUDE of interior finishes with slightly different needs – this white is more flexible than a ten-year-old gymnast. HOWEVER, I’ve found that many of my clients want a brighter, whiter approach, even when Pure White could do SUCH A GOOD JOB. Remember, it’s not about you; it’s about your home (in the ideal world, both of your wants/needs collide, but that’s often wishful thinking).

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If you’re unsure which white your home loves, you may want to read up on The 5 Types of White Paint Colors.

Get your PEEL & STICK SAMPLE of Pure White

WHY IS PURE WHITE SO POPULAR?

• While it’s a soft white, Pure White isn’t OVERLY warm or creamy.

• Pure White is a nice choice for a home with multiple exposures. It will lean warmer in southern light and afternoon western sun, but so will ANY white. If you have northern light, it will lean cooler without going LEGIT icy cold. And, of course, there are east/west facing rooms, but they change so much throughout the day, it’s usually about adjusting your interior lighting and expectations.

PURE WHITE IS OFTEN BEST FOR…

• New construction or homes built in the last 5-10 years.

• MUTED warm interior finishes (it’s a hard no with the Tuscan finishes of the early 2000s)

• Cooler interior finishes, as long as they aren’t TOO icy cold/light. Remember, any cool finish will make Pure White look that bit warmer in comparison.

• Many of the popular quartz countertops. On a small scale, it can look too warm for many of these countertops but often turns out PERFECT on a large scale (undertones in whites are tricky this way).

If your home’s features aren’t listed above, this doesn’t mean Pure White WON’T work (although it might not); it’s just that I can only cover so many situations and try to hit the main ones.

FULL Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Pure White

MY YOUTUBE Video Review of Pure White

3. BENJAMIN MOORE CHANTILLY LACE OC-65

Coming in a HOT third place is Chantilly Lace. For all of you ‘bright white’ lovers out there, this will be more up your alley (along with the previously mentioned, High Reflective White).

And yes, I WISH I had more ‘after’ photos of Chantilly Lace. I rely 100% on my E-Design clients for these, and not everyone is comfortable sending them in., Also, some of the photos that show up just aren’t clear/bright enough for me to use, so I make do with what I’ve got!

WHY IS CHANTILLY LACE POPULAR?

Chantilly Lace is a great way to get a white look without looking sharp or harsh. HOWEVER, if you partner it with warmer-toned products, it WILL look harsh ‘in comparison.’

Get your PEEL & STICK sample of Chantilly Lace! 

CHANTILLY LACE IS OFTEN BEST FOR…

• New construction or homes built in the last 5-10 years.

• MUTED warm interior finishes (it’s a hard no with the Tuscan finishes of the early 2000s).

• Cooler interior finishes.

• Suits many of the popular quartz countertops.

If your home isn’t listed, this doesn’t mean it WON’T work (although it might not); I can only cover so many situations and try to hit the main ones.

FULL Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace

Did you know that Samplize offers peel-and-stick paint samples that are more AFFORDABLE, EASIER, and more ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY than traditional paint pots?

• samples arrive ON YOUR DOORSTEP in 1 DAY; depending on the location,

• they’re more affordable than the samples pots/rollers/foam boards that are needed for traditional paint sampling

4. BENJAMIN MOORE WHITE DOVE OC-17

While this might not be AS popular with today’s modern homeowner (who tends to lean brighter), White Dove is a hit with many homes as its softness appeals to a lot of interior finishes.

WHY IS WHITE DOVE SO POPULAR?

Like Pure White, it’s a SOFT white, but it has a bit more creamy warmth WITHOUT being overly yellow. Of course, this can be open to perception, but that doesn’t change what it is at heart.

If you’re more of a Sherwin Williams fan, Alabaster has a SIMILAR approach.

WHITE DOVE IS OFTEN BEST FOR…

• Homes built in and around the early 2000s (warmer interior finishes).

• Warm interior finishes* in general (but not OVERLY creamy/yellow ones).

• Some cooler, stormier-looking gray finishes, as long as they aren’t ICY cold. Keep in mind, cool finishes will make White Dove look a bit warmer in comparison.

*The more yellow/cream a surface is, the less happy it might be with the more POPULAR, GO-TO whites. You may need to hit the warm off-white/cream range if these whites don’t work. 

Get your PEEL & STICK sample of White Dove

Again, if your home’s features aren’t listed above, this doesn’t mean White Dove WON’T work (although it might not); it’s just that I can only cover so many situations and try to hit the main ones.

FULL Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore White Dove

MY YOUTUBE Paint Color Review of White Dove

5. BENJAMIN MOORE CLOUD WHITE OC-130

We’re kickin’ it OLD SCHOOL with this one (sans Will Ferrell). Cloud White has been popular for almost as long as Swiss Coffee (although Swiss Coffee makes me a bit twitchy, and I WAY prefer Cloud White). Why has it been around for so long?

Cloud White is a great choice when you need a white that’s just a bit warmer…

Why might you need a warm white like this? It might not be because YOU love the warmth of it (fewer people do), but there sure are a lot of homes that love it…

WHY IS CLOUD WHITE SO POPULAR?

• It has a soft warmth without being OVERLY yellow. That being said, it can be too warm/yellow for many cool finishes.

• It’s got some serious street cred with the older population. That’s a generalization, but I see it ALL the time in my work.

• It’s a nice transition out of cream tones without going too stark/harsh.

Benjamin Moore Cloud White walls

CLOUD WHITE IS OFTEN BEST FOR…

• Homes that were built in and around the early 2000s (warmer interior finishes).

• Warm interior finishes generally, even ones that lean a bit more cream.

• Cooler interior finishes, as long as they aren’t ICY cold. Keep in mind, cool finishes will make Cloud White look considerably warmer in comparison.

Get your PEEL & STICK sample of Cloud White

FULL Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Cloud White

MY YOUTUBE Review of Cloud White

And while there’s a whole WHACK (whack being a technical term) of white paint colors out there, these five should get you WELL on your way to finding the best white for you and your home.

THE WHITE PAINT COLORS THAT ALMOST MADE THE MOST POPULAR LIST…

• Benjamin Moore Simply White (sometimes it’s just a WINK too yellow)
• Benjamin Moore Super White (Chantilly Lace is just more versatile)
• Sherwin Williams Extra White

If you want to compare a wide-range of white paint colors, I highly recommend checking out my FAVE WHITE PAINT COLOR BUNDLE…

Get the FULL BUNDLE of White Paint Colors!

WHAT’S THE MOST POPULAR SHADE OF WHITE?

Benjamin Moore White Dove and Sherwin Williams Pure White are the two best, most popular white paint colors.

WHAT WHITE PAINT COLOR DO DESIGNERS USE?

There’s no SINGLE shade of white that designers use exclusively. Every white is chosen specifically for a room and its needs – in fact, there are 5 different types of white paint colors.

ARE WHITE PAINT COLORS STILL IN STYLE FOR 2023 AND 2024?

You bet. White will always be the most popular choice for trims, ceilings, and doors, but white walls and exteriors should still be kickin’ it strong. This being said, they are on the end of their cycle as we see softer, warmer colors showing up.

READ MORE…

SAMPLIZE PEEL & STICK: FAQs, Tips, & Ideas

Should You Really Paint Your Kitchen Cabinets White? Which White is Best?

The WHITEST White Paint Colors

The 9 Best White Paint Colours: SHERWIN WILLIAMS DESIGNER EDITION

Benjamin Moore’s 8 Best White Paint Colors

Sherwin William’s 4 Best White Paint Colors

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CHECK OUT MY ONLINE PAINT COLOR CONSULTING

Chat soon,