Paint Colour Reviews: The Most Popular Behr White Paint Colours

Do you have questions about some of your favourite Behr paint colours, but can’t find any answers? I hear you, and I’m here to help.

While I specialize in Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore paint colours, I wanted to do some work with BEHR, to answer questions you have about some of their most popular paint colours, questions like:

What can I expect from these colours re: undertones and general look?
What are the LRV’s of these colours? Not sure what LRV is? Learn about it here: The Ultimate Guide to Picking Paint Colours with LRV
What paint colours do they look good with?
What Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams paint colours do they COMPARE to?

Now, I don’t do Online Colour Consulting specifically with BEHR (only BM and SW) and don’t know their colours intimately, but this info should DEFINITELY help you out. And while I’m usually a SAUCY lil’ Ginger, these blog posts are more straight-forward to get you started on your next painting project!

BTW, because I don’t use Behr colours and ONLY use photos from my E-DESIGN clients, I don’t have photos of these colours in action, but will show you COMPARABLE colours for the general idea.

Sample paint can lids below are only approximations. Click on the red highlighted colour name to see it on Behr’s website.

1. Behr Ultra Pure White

If you’re looking for a SUPER white – this is your paint colour. With an LRV of 94, Pure White is about as white as you’re going to get and is EVEN WHITER than Sherwin Williams High Reflective White…which is pretty darned impressive in my books.

Shown above, VERY similar colour, Sherwin Williams High Reflective White

Ultra Pure White is similar to…

Definitely Sherwin Williams High Reflective White, super close

What paint colours look good with Ultra Pure White?

Well, it’s pretty flexible, but GENERALLY will look best with cool paint colours because it is such a CLEAN white.

The 5 WHITEST White Paint Colours

Cool Paint Colours: The 3 Undertones You HAVE to Consider

2. Behr Sleek White OR-W15

If you’re looking for a warmer, brighter white, then Sleek White could work for you. It has a yellow undertone in it, but a bit of a neutral base to calm it down. With an LRV of 92, Sleek White is pretty darned white, just not stark or clean or as bright as Ultra Pure White.

Shown above, VERY similar colour, Benjamin Moore Simply White

Sleek White is similar to…

Benjamin Moore Simply White which is slightly more neutral/less yellow
Sherwin Williams Whitetail which is slightly more muted and grounded

What paint colours look good with Sleek White?

Personally, I’d be careful as yellow can be a tricky undertone when it comes to partnering other colours up, especially the colours in products like marble and a lot of the white-base quartz countertops. When it comes to Sleek White, I would look at cleaner cool colours if you want the warm/cool play, especially greens or stronger warmer neutrals.

3. Behr Swiss Coffee 12

Swiss Coffee has been kickin’ it for a LONG time as one of Behr’s most popular white paint colours. In fact, I’ve worked with it DOZENS of times with my Online Colour Consulting clients when they want me to work with their ‘existing Behr Swiss Coffee trim’.

Swiss Coffee is a warm white with a soft muted neutral base to calm it down, so it comes off LESS warm/yellow compared to Sleek White, and this PERSONALLY, makes me way more comfortable. And with an LRV of 84, it’s what I consider a ‘soft warm white‘ as it won’t necessarily ACT like white, but a softer, gentler version of it.

Shown above, similar colour, Benjamin Moore Cloud White

Swiss Coffee is similar to…

Benjamin Moore Cloud White, Cloud White is a TOUCH more muted, but really SO comparable. Cloud White has been a HUGELY popular colour for Benjamin Moore
VERY CLOSE to Sherwin Williams Alabaster

Paint Colour Review of Sherwin Williams Alabaster

What paint colours look best with Swiss Coffee?

Generally, I like muted, earth-toned hues with a colour like Swiss Coffee because they are also that bit more grounded. I don’t know that I’d go TOO cool with my paint colours unless I really wanted that contrast of the warm/cool end of things.

Click HERE to see available packages!

4. Behr Spun Cotton YL-W09

When it comes to whites like Spun Cotton, I start getting twitchy(er). Sometimes a white LOOKS white…until you compare it to a more muted or brighter, cleaner white (ie: Behr Swiss Coffee or Sleek White) and that’s what would happen if you compared Spun Cotton to those colours. It is quite SIMILAR to Sleek White, but it has a bit more depth and I find that yellow is coming up a bit more.

LRV 89
Similar to Sherwin Williams Dover White, but Dover White is a bit more neutral looking/less yellow

What paint colours look best with Spun Cotton?

Well, it’s a pretty warm colour and it LIKES pretty warm colours as well, ones with a similar yellow undertone in them. Would I partner it with gray or greige? HECK no.

5. Behr White 52

Ooo, if you want a muted, slightly cool-toned white, White would do the trick. But just because it SAYS white, doesn’t mean it IS white. In fact, with an LRV of 83, White is actually a soft white that is getting a bit close to the off-white range. Want to know what that range IS? Read about it HERE.

In the above photo, Decorator’s White is the bottom sample – see how cool-gray it looks compared to the others?

If you partner White with a REAL white on the trim, it will showcase it’s depth/undertones a bit more, however, if you paint the walls/trim the same colour it will act a bit more like white.

LRV 83
Similar to Benjamin Moore Decorators White which has a similar, slightly cool, slightly gray cast to it

What paint colours look good with White?

Definitely the cooler, cleaner end of things, not greige, beige or anything warmer.

6. Behr Palais White GR W15

I do LOVE Palais White! With an LRV of 87, Palais White is getting up there for sure, kind of in-between legit WHITE and a softer white. And it has a pretty passive warmth to it.

Why do I love Palais White? Well, it’s the closest colour that Behr has to one of my FAVE white paint colours – Benjamin Moore White Dove.

Shown above, similar colour, Benjamin Moore White Dove

Palais White is similar to…

Benjamin Moore White Dove, but not QUITE as awesome (wink wink). I also love its subtle neutral base, making it feel less creamy warm compared to Behr Swiss Coffee

What paint colours look good with Palais White?

Palais White is pretty flexible, but won’t necessarily love a colour with much cream (yellow) or typical warmth in it. I lean more into subtle taupe or greige colours. I’d also avoid anything with a green undertone.

Now, I REALLY wanted to show you a Behr paint colour that was close to one of my FAVE WHITE PAINT COLOURS – Sherwin Williams Pure White, but there’s just nothing like it! The next CLOSEST would be Behr’s Silky White but it DOES look a wink pinkish in comparison.

Shown above, Sherwin Williams Pure White – it stands alone!

So, there you have it, hope that helps you pick the right white for your project! If you’re looking for OTHER colours, stay tuned as I’m putting together these blog posts as quickly as I can!

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Chat soon,

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KYLIE M INTERIORS E-DESIGN, E-DECOR AND ONLINE, VIRTUAL PAINT COLOUR CONSULTING SPECIALIZING IN SHERWIN WILLIAMS AND BENJAMIN MOORE PAINT COLOURS

Karen Maple
August 15, 2020 at 9:22 am

Hi Kylie! I was thrilled to find a review on Behr paints ! If i was to use SW creamy , Timid white , of Ballet White which Behr trim color would go with those? I personally love the way Behr paint is so easy to work with.. no brush marks😊 Thank you in advance for your advice!

Crystal Knee
August 21, 2020 at 1:49 pm

Hi Kylie,
I love all of your blogs! I am so happy you wrote about behr paint. I have been stuck for sometime trying to figure out a white to paint my walls if all of my trim and doors are behr ultra pure white. Can you throw any idea out? Thank you so much.

Lorri Curto
February 23, 2021 at 9:13 am

I am SO glad to see Behr paint getting some love. I’ve used SW, BM and Behr and find Behr paint to be the best when it comes to application.

Holly
May 11, 2021 at 12:18 pm

Have you seen Oxford white on cabinets? Would love your opinion. I was going to go with dove white and last minute I just told my painter Oxford instead. Now I’m getting nevervous!

1. Post
  Author
  
  KylieMawdsley
  May 12, 2021 at 7:56 am
  
  Hi Holly! Oxford White is beautiful! It’s cleaner AND whiter than White Dove, so if it was the warmth of White Dove making you nervous, this could fix that :).
  
Desiree
June 12, 2021 at 10:11 am

I LOVE the look of the first photo (with the “stay cozy” sign), can you tell me which of these whites are closest to that? Thank you in advance!

1. Post
  Author
  
  KylieMawdsley
  June 12, 2021 at 6:48 pm
  
  Hi Desiree, that’s actually Sherwin Williams High Reflective White!
  
  1. Casey
    August 17, 2021 at 7:25 pm
    
    Have you used the lo-sheen Sherwin Williams HRW? I have a 5 gallon of this and was wondering if the lo-sheen works for walls/trim/ceiling so I don’t have to buy another sheen 🙂 Thanks!
    
    1. Post
      Author
      
      KylieMawdsley
      August 20, 2021 at 3:15 pm
      
      Oooo, I’d be awfully nervous about low sheen on trims, satin is usually a bare minimum with FLAT on the ceiling :).