The 4 Best Shades of WHITE For Dark Wood Trim or Cabinets

WHICH WHITE PAINT COLORS GO WITH DARK WOOD?

For those of you who want to lighten and brighten your room with white walls or need the best white trim color for your darker wood-toned cabinets or floor, I’ve got you covered.

When updating a room with dark wood trim or cabinets, the goal is usually to lighten and brighten. And while white will help, there are a few things to consider before you start slappin’ paint on your walls.

Did you know there are five different types of white?

Crazy, eh? And while your room, its exposure, and its interior finishes will pick your best shade for you, it’s important to know which type(s) of whites you lean toward (once you’ve finished this blog post, read this: The 5 Types of White Paint Colors.)

Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace (trim and built-ins) is a bright shade of white.

But aside from the five different whites, here are a few more considerations…

CONSIDER THE CONTRAST

If you have many doorways and windows, white walls will contrast strongly with your trim, making a space look smaller and more cluttered (especially hallways). Of course, sometimes we have to pick our evil, as to lower the contrast, you need a darker color, which definitely won’t lighten your space.

But with this in mind, what if white isn’t the best fit for your space? I have another great blog post for you to read if you want to explore neutrals or even a wink of color: What (Non-White) Paint Color Goes With Medium to Dark Trim & Cabinets?

This cream paint color is pretty but a touch too yellow for the furnishings (this is a before photo)

CHANGE THOSE BULBS (OR ADD SOME!)

If you don’t have enough light (natural or interior), your white could look chalky, flat, or dingy. Make sure to improve your interior lighting as much as possible, including choosing the right Kelvins that suit your favorite shade of white and the temperature of light you like to live in!

No paint color will save you if you don’t have enough lighting. 

There are other ways to improve how a dark room looks that DON’T involve lighting – check them out HERE once you’re done with this blog post!

And lastly…

DARK WOOD UNDERTONES

By the way, most dark wood finishes have an undertone. Sure, some seem more or less brown, but most often, you’ll find red, yellow, orange, purple, or a combination. If you want to see which type of wood undertone YOU might have, you can find those details in this blog post.

1. BENJAMIN MOORE WHITE DOVE OC-17

White Dove is one of my favorite whites with wood, especially darker woods. Now, a lot of color coordination between walls and their surrounding finishes revolves around matching undertones. This isn’t always the case with white. For example, many dark woods have a red undertone, making you think you need a white with a red (pink) undertone. And while you CAN go that route, you don’t need to.

Why?

Let’s be honest—few of us really want pink-tinged walls. If you do, Benjamin Moore Atrium White is beautiful. However, if you want a more flexible shade, White Dove is FAB. Will the undertones match your red-toned wood? Nope, but this doesn’t mean they won’t look good together, as shown in this next photo (which is more brown-toned but still rich and NOT yellow).

This is not my home, just an example of walls that are VERY CLOSE to White Dove.

White Dove is a soft white, so it’s not a bright, crisp, clean shade. This softness means there’s a bit of gray in it and some creamy (yellow) warmth. I’m NOT a fan of yellow, but I chose White Dove for my home because it’s a great way to get a light, soft color with minimal commitment to undertone. As you see in the above photo, a subtly warm white like White Dove is a beautiful backdrop and partner to dark wood trim and floor when supported by surrounding furnishings.

If your room happens to have north-facing light or even eastern light, White Dove offers a pretty softness to help balance these gray, flat lights.

The only time I get nervous with White Dove is with overly red or pink ones. White Dove has a creamy warmth and it can look a touch yellow against super pink/red woods. This said, these stronger wood stains don’t leave you with many options, and sometimes, SOMETHING’S gotta give (and it’s not usually Jack Nicholson).

However, NEVER pick a paint color, especially white, without comparing it to similar shades. Often, a wee tweak in temperature, depth, and undertone makes one color the PERFECT shade for your room over another.

A FEW OTHER WARM WHITES TO EXPLORE & COMPARE WITH WHITE DOVE…

• Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee
• Benjamin Moore Cloud White
• Sherwin Williams Greek Villa

FULL Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore White Dove

Before & After Painted Wood Cabinets

2. SHERWIN WILLIAMS PURE WHITE SW 7005

If you’re more of a purist but don’t want a super stark white, Pure White could be your color. While Pure White has warm undertones, it’s not as traditionally yellow-hued as other warm whites. Not that all of them are overwhelming either; it’s just that Pure White has THE most modest, muted approach to its warmth, as shown in this transitional kitchen below…

For those who find White Dove too warm for their tastes or exposure, Pure White is especially popular—especially for south—and west-facing rooms. While it’s a warm white, it’s passive enough to suit many of these warmer spaces. It will pick up more yellow, but it’s still a beautiful shade for walls, cabinets, and more.

FULL Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Pure White

Again, NEVER pick a paint color without comparing it to other shades…

A FEW OTHER WARM WHITES TO EXPLORE & COMPARE WITH PURE WHITE…

I would compare Pure White to White Dove and Alabaster, as well as these popular shades…

• Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace is brighter and cleaner
• Sherwin Williams Extra White is also brighter and cleaner than Pure White
• Sherwin Williams White Snow is brighter and has a beautiful subtle warmth

Get your PEEL & STICK SAMPLE OF PURE WHITE!

3. SHERWIN WILLIAMS ALABASTER SW 7008

When it comes to the warm world of creamy whites, it’s hard to beat Alabaster. While those who love traditional shades of white find it a bit too warm, with its yellow undertone, others find it the PERFECT shade between the white and the off-white worlds.

Alabaster is especially nice if you have north-facing light, as its soft warmth adds a bit of visual balance to these gray-light spaces.

As shown in the above dark hallway with a very dark wood floor, Alabaster adds a beautiful warmth to the walls and offers a subtle contrast with the trim and doors (Sherwin Williams Extra White).

Get your PEEL & STICK SAMPLES OF ALABASTER! 

(Don’t worry, it’s not as yellow as it looks on the website)

THE BEST WARM WHITES TO COMPARE WITH ALABASTER

Finding similar warm whites is a great way to land on the one that’s the BEST for your home’s finishes…

• Benjamin Moore Cloud White (coming up next)
• Benjamin Moore Simply White (brighter)
• Benjamin Moore White Dove (previously mentioned)

FULL Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Alabaster

4. BENJAMIN MOORE CLOUD WHITE OC-130

Cloud White is a gorgeous shade if you’re looking for a creamy white with a more noticeable warmth than White Dove and Pure White but LIGHTER than Alabaster.

Now, I don’t always have JUST the image I need, so while this next kitchen doesn’t have dark wood trim, cabinets, or flooring, the mid-toned wood floor still shows how beautiful Cloud White looks in contrast…

Cloud White has an LRV of 85, so it’s similar depth to Pure White and White Dove; it’s just more noticeably warmer. It’s a classic shade from Benjamin Moore’s Off-White Collection. And while compared to a brighter white, it can READ like an off-white, its LRV and degree of color tell us it’s a legit shade of white.

Here’s Cloud White on the board and batten and trim with a dark wood floor and medium-toned greige paint color on the walls…

And in the same home, with green-gray paint on the walls and a dark wood dining room table, this photo really shows Cloud White’s warmth.

FULL Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Cloud White

Because I rely on my Online Color Consulting clients for their photos or use my own images, I don’t always have the EXACT example I need! However, there are a few more shades of white I’d love for you to explore!

• Sherwin Williams White Snow
• Benjamin Moore Simply White
• Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace, for those wanting a BRIGHTER, whiter shade

As I get photos of these colors in action, I’ll add them to this blog post for you.

This bright white is similar to Benjamin Moore Super White—not every home can pull off a shade like this! 

In the meantime, check out some non-white paint colors for your dark wood – you might be surprised at what you fall in love with!

What Paint COLORS Go With Dark Wood?

READ MORE

The 20 Best Paint Colors to Go With Oak or Maple (Lighter Woods)

The Best Paint Colors with Oak

Should You Paint or Stain Your Wood Cabinets – A QUESTIONNAIRE

Wood Kitchen Cabinets: REAL HOMES, REAL BUDGETS

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Originally written in 2023, updated in 2024 for you!