Benjamin Moore Ballet White OC-9: Paint Color Review
IS IT CREAM, IS IT OFF-WHITE? LET’S FIND OUT…
Are you looking for a warm neutral with a creamy backdrop, but are nervous of yellow undertones? Have you looked at colors like Navajo White, White Duck, and
Creamy, but none have hit the spot? Let me save you some time and stress by introducing you to one of my favorite warm neutral paint colors, Benjamin Moore’s Ballet White.
WHAT TYPE OF COLOR IS BALLET WHITE?
In the depths of its heart, Ballet White is a cream paint color – but it’s not quite that simple.
Cream is a yellow paint color with a neutral foundation to calm it down, and Ballet White is quite neutral, making it what I fondly call a dirty cream paint color—and dirt has never looked so good.
By the way, did you know that Ballet White is also known as Benjamin Moore Muskoka Trail 974?
Clean colors have less gray or brown; dirty colors have more. If we took some of the ‘dirt’ out of Ballet White, we’d have more of a yellow.
However, Ballet White isn’t just subtle in its earth-toned approach; it’s even dirtier than my mind, giving it more flexibility for the average home.
All the photos in my blog are from my Online Color Consulting clients, readers, & 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.
WHAT’S THE LRV OF BALLET WHITE?
The LRV of Ballet White is 72 (71.97), which means it’s a light color but darn close to the off-white range. If you’re not well-versed in LRV, I highly recommend you read the ultimate guide to LRV and paint colors, as it’s a game-changer.
This LRV means that while Ballet White is reasonably light, it still offers a nice, soft contrast with white trim while keeping things low-key and muted.
If you don’t know what LRV is, you should learn about it – it could save your paint-lovin’ life.
WHAT ARE BALLET WHITE’S UNDERTONES?
A typical cream paint color starts as yellow and then has a neutral base to calm it down. From there, it can sometimes grab a wink of orange, red (pink), or green.
Ballet White is an interesting neutral as it’s passive in its overall approach to cream AND undertones. So, while it rarely shows up at the party, a wee nugget of green flashes up once in a while.
There’s hardly any yellow to be found on these walls!
If you love creams that show a purposeful yellow, Ballet White might not be for you, as its neutral base takes a good chunk of its color away. However, you’ll still get a passive warmth, even in a room with north-facing light. If you need more warmth, I’ve got some comparisons listed below.
Get your Samplize Peel & Stick sample of Ballet White HERE
In this next photo, the warmth shows up a bit, but it’s still very subtle.
Ballet White in the foreground, Benjamin Moore Gray Cashmere in the background
On the other hand, if you love cream but are nervous about too much yellow, Ballet White could hit the spot.
IS BALLET WHITE GOOD WITH WOOD CABINETS & TRIMS?
Heck to the YES—Ballet White is one of those paint colors that looks amazing with a wide range of wood finishes, thanks to its passive approach to undertones.
Are Wood Trims Outdated or Trendy?
DOES BALLET WHITE GO WITH CREAM CABINETS & TRIMS?
You know what? It’s worth a try. A lot of the time, we don’t know exactly what color our cream cabinets and trims are – and sometimes they ARE…Ballet White, or darn close.
If Ballet White matches your cabinets, awesome. If it’s a bit darker but still jibes (doesn’t look dingy compared to your cabinets), give ‘er a go.
This next image shows a very rare combo, whereas Ballet White (walls) works with a creamier trim…MIRACLES DO HAPPEN!
Cream trim color is unknown
In this case, because the trim isn’t too dense or intense a cream, Ballet White sits grayer and more muted on the walls, but not glaringly so. While it’s not ideal, sometimes that’s okay when working with tricky finishes.
The Best Paint Colors to Update Cream Cabinets & Trim
But sample carefully, as if your cabinets and trims are ‘legit’ cream, Ballet White will be too dirty and light.
IS BALLET WHITE GOOD FOR A HOME’S EXTERIOR?
Ballet White is a great choice for an exterior, assuming it suits your brick, stone, roof, landscaping, etc. Natural light can make Ballet White look much lighter and more like an off-white compared to interior walls, so having white trim to contrast with it is important (if you want to see your siding color a bit more).
Before Ballet White…
And after Ballet White…
A Stunning Exterior Makeover – Painted Brick and More
If you prefer a super subtle approach, you can paint your siding and trim the same color, as shown on this Colonial style exterior with dark blue-black shutters…
If your home is north-facing, Ballet White might not look as light as it could in other exposures.
If you’ve read my post re: picking exterior paint colors, you’ll know that exterior colors tend to come up lighter than you think they will, when given good natural light. Ballet White proves this point nicely without looking white or stark.
WHAT’S THE BEST WHITE TRIM OR CABINET COLOR WITH BALLET WHITE WALLS?
Ballet White is more flexible than a 10-year-old ballerina and humors a wide range of beautiful whites…
- Benjamin Moore Cloud White
- Benjamin Moore White Dove
- Sherwin Williams Pure White
- Benjamin Moore Simply White
Benjamin Moore’s 8 Best White Paint Colors
WHAT PAINT COLORS ARE SIMILAR?
Several paint colors are worth comparing with Ballet White; colors with similar intentions but adjustments in depth/temperature/undertones, etc.
BALLET WHITE vs. WHITE SAND
Due to their close placement in the fan deck, comparing these two shades can seem like a good idea. But while they’re both warm neutrals, they have different intentions. Ballet White is more like a dirty, muted shade of cream.
White Sand, with its increased depth (LRV 66.95), is a tan paint color, so its yellow/cream base isn’t as obvious. White Sand is a more typical ‘light depth,’ whereas Ballet White is on the high end of the range, winking politely at the off-white world.
BALLET WHITE vs. SHERWIN WILLIAMS SHOJI WHITE & WHITE DUCK
These are great comparables with White Duck. Shoji White and White Duck have LRVs of 74, so they’re in the off-white world and lighter than Ballet White’s LRV of 72. By a LOT? Heck no, but these subtle shifts can make or break a color!
Sherwin Williams White Duck on exterior siding
In comparing the three shades, you’ll also see that Ballet White has a bit more color/undertone/warmth compared to the slightly more muted look of White Duck and Shoji White.
While Ballet White and White Duck have a VAGUE green undertone in common (whereas Shoji White is a wink inclined toward pink), Ballet White has a stronger warmth.
Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Shoji White
Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams White Duck
Some people ask what the difference is between Ballet White and Natural Cream. I didn’t want to go too deep, as I’m not a huge fan of Natural Cream (I don’t even have a review of it)—like a fart while wearing white shorts – I just don’t trust it.
The meat n’ potatoes is that Ballet White has more of a cream foundation and Natural Cream has a bit more taupe – BUT, like Ballet White, it can also pick up a wink of green!
As for depth, Natural Cream’s LRV of 64.78 means it’s a good dose darker – in the middle of the light range rather than off-white.
WHAT COLORS GO WITH BALLET WHITE?
If you’re creating a color palette with Ballet White, there’s no shortage of awesome options. While it depends on whether you need a coordinating cabinet or island color, accent wall, or a color for an adjoining room, here are some to get you started…
- Ballet White looks badass and beautiful with smokey gray-blue-greens, particularly those in the light-medium to medium range.
- I’d also check out green-gray paint colors for a soft, organic look. Lighter shades can look nice in adjoining rooms, medium to darker shades make for great accent partners.
- As far as warm neutrals go, Ballet White suits tan paint colors (yellow undertones) more than beige paint colors (orange undertones).
- I LOVE it with greige paint colors, both light shades and darker greiges when I need an accent color.
- Check out a range of navy blues with Ballet White, especially those that have a blue-gray base calming them.
- Dark green paint colors are gorgeous accents to Ballet White.
In this next photo, Ballet White is in the foyer (left) with Sherwin Williams Worldly Gray on the right. These are partnered with Benjamin Moore White Dove on the trim, ceilings, front door, and wainscoting…
A BIT MORE ABOUT BALLET WHITE
- If you’re looking for a warm color, but with LESS warmth than Ballet, check out Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray instead. Benjamin Moore Wind’s Breath is great, too.
- Ballet White has a reasonable grayish backdrop, which calms the yellow down, so if you don’t love this ‘dirtier’ look and prefer a more noticeable cream/yellow, check out Benjamin Moore Gentle Cream, Sherwin Williams Casa Blanca, or Benjamin Moore Navajo White.
- Direct natural light will wash Ballet White out because of its higher LRV.
- Ballet White is a great ‘whole home’ color as it is light enough for hallways and interesting enough for larger rooms.
- Ballet White can be a great kitchen cabinet color if you want a more modern approach to cream cabinets without too much yellow. It’s a more modern choice vs traditional cream cabinet colors.
READ MORE
Benjamin Moore’s Best Cream Paint Colors
The Best Warm, Off-White Paint Colors
Paint Review of Benjamin Moore White Down
Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Linen White
Color Review of Sherwin Williams Shoji White
NEED HELP?
Check out my Online Color Consulting Services; I’d love to help!
ORIGINALLY WRITTEN IN 2018, AWESOMELY UPDATED IN 2024
wonderful post as always!! Can you do a crisp white trim color with this color on an exterior? Thanks so kindly for responding!
I love your color reviews! They have been so helpful as we have painted our home. I am looking for a paint color to put above white dove wainscoting in our north facing bathroom. I read your review of SW Wool Skein, but the green undertones are a bit to strong with the Travertine tiles . I think BM Ballet White might be the perfect color. However, I am looking for a LRV of 62-64. Could I just darken Ballet White by 50%? Or is there another color that would be darker but similar to Ballet White?
Thanks!
Krista
Hi Krista, you can definitely try Ballet White 25% darker or look at BM White Sand, just keep in mind, as a colour like Ballet White gets darker it will lose its creaminess and turn more beige!
Wanting to paint three bedrooms in a pale neural. Our trim is currently Benjamin Moore white down, which we do not want to repaint. So far we have tested Pale Oak…did not work. Thinking of perhaps ballet white or Navajo white. Something that will complement the trim. Bedrooms face east and are not very large. Furniture tends to be dark, white California shutters on the windows. I have googled and researched Pinterest but am becoming more confused. Hope you can help!
Thanks so much…any ideas greatly appreciated.
Jan
Hi Jan! When it comes to personal questions, I do refer to my E-design! I try to give as much helpful complimentary info as I can on my blog and if that doesn’t help, it might be time for a closer look! Off the top of my head, I would stick to the warmer end of things vs the likes of Pale Oak, so that the undertones don’t bounce off of each other! https://www.kylieminteriors.ca/online-decorating-design-services/
~Kylie
Hi Kylie,
Your blog is very helpful! I am painting my exterior wood siding Ballet White and need a color for my shutters and doors. Do you recommend a complementary colors with Ballet White ?
Thank you
Katie
Hi Katie, thank you for asking! I actually have an E-design service (which is currently on vacation) for just this purpose, this way I can look at your roof and any brick/stone, otherwise I’m 100% guessing!
Hi Kylie! just found this thread and like a ton of others have pulled a few hairs out! The painter is here this week..need to decide Ballet White for North facing Bedroom with plantation shutters and an adjoining bathroom with light maple cabinets and travertine tile….I dont have time for an e consult plus they are all SOLD OUT !!! Hope you get this message! thankyou!
Hi Kylie,
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your blog, and am a huge fan. Thank you for the blog on Ballet White. I have been searching for a not too creamy not too grey off white for my living room and dining room for YEARS. I finally came across Ballet White and love it, but I’m a bit scared to actually paint the walls. I decided to check your blog for a color review, and there it was! Thank you so much Kylie. I’m ready to commit! You’re awesome!
Teri
I am ALMOST ready to commit to Ballet White. Loved reading that it looks like a dirty floor! We are very close to repainting the exterior of our smooth stucco home and the color I am hoping to achieve (main body color) is close to old French plaster walls. That color will work perfectly with our driveway pavers, roof and stone work. I’ve tried so many sample colors but they are either too brown, too white or have strong undertones of yellow, green. Any suggestions for another exterior color? Gray colors do not seem to have enough warmth. Am so thankful for finding your blog posts!
Lynn
Thank you for this post! I’ve been looking for a “flexible” color for our home. My husband and I come from a long line of needlework enthusiasts and artists, so our home is decorated with the work they’ve passed down plus our own contributions. I needed a paint that would “go” with everything.
We live and work on a farm, so true white colors are not an option because of all the dirt and fingerprints. I ain’t got time for that! Our house is small, so I wanted a nice light color for the whole thing (aside from kid’s rooms). One question: would Ballet White “work” for all surfaces- ceilings, walls, trim/cabinets if done in different finishes?
Hi Vicki! Hmmmm. Personally, I might find it a bit dark for all surfaces. For an ‘everywhere’ look, I want you to check out BM China White which is a similar idea, but it’s lighter and softer :).
Kylie, THANK YOU! I grabbed a color card while I was at Ace Hardware grabbing parts to fix farm equipment. I REALLY like how China White looks next to the tile and wood floors! Next step, grab a sample pot and paint a foam display board like you showed in your video. If I love it as much as I do now after that, I’ll be painting after Christmas when I’m stuck inside (Central Wisconsin here- hello from the Frozen Wasteland!) Again, Thanks a MILLION!!!
I noticed to Pat that you recommended a color other than Ballet White . I have brown countertops and a cream backsplash and based on your recommendations on how to pick a cabinet paint color, Ballet White matches my backsplash perfectly. I am looking for a cream color cabinet (not white) and my walls are SW accessible beige with trim BM white dove. Do you recommend ballet white for cabinets or should I look at another color?
I was wondering too about ballet white for a cabinet colour- wanting an off white cabinet ( I’ve read all your posts I can get my hands on about this!)
I have ballet white on my cabinets, in Satin finish and I absolutely LOVE IT! I actually painted the trim in the same color and finish. And then loved the color so much I painted the walls with it, but in Flat finish. Still in love with it all being Ballet white, but different finishes.
Don’t you love the moment, after weeks of researching colors, when you roll that first stripe on the wall and just want to scream- YES!!!!! That’s the exact color I saw in my head!!!!!! It’s perfect!! And you find yourself going into the room 50 times that day just to look around and smile. That’s what you and ballet white did for me today Kylie. Thank you!!!!! I love neutral colors. They just make me feel calm. I had a teeny-tiny, little den/spare guest room with lots of knee to ceiling windows on 2 wall. (South and west exposures). I love yellow so I wasn’t afraid of an undertone if one came out. I see slight tan, cream with maybe a slight yellow, beige, griege all in very soft and pale shades. But what is consistent throughout the day is that the color is nothing short of STUNNING in any light. I’ve been torn for a kitchen and master bath color and I’m using this for those rooms as well. Thanks again for such through insight into every color.
Also- I have light oak floors and the same color wood trim throughout the house. I’m not changing that any time soon so I’m learning to live with it and love it. Ballet white looks so pretty with the yellow, warmth of all the oak trim and floor. It’s tough finding colors to go with all that wood but ballet white compliments it beautifully.
Lila, this is just the BEST comment ever – thank you and Merry Christmas, I’m SO happy that you’re happy :).
For kitchen cabinets in “white”, look at BM White DOWN instead of White Dove. Warmer and goes great with antique bronze pulls, offwhite bone subway tiles , charcoals and medium grays. Looks great with a mid-sheen.
Yes, White Down is GORGEOUS for a warm creamy off-white look – I totally agree!
Hi, Kylie,
Do you think ballet white would look good with BM Oxford white as a trim? I know that there is a tad of some grey in the Oxford white as well as in the ballet white, but wasn’t sure if they would clash too much. Given the warmth of the ballet white. Thanks!
I am going out of my mind trying to fibd just the right cream. I have like the others bought dozens of testers. I just got ballet white and love it and it does not have a huge amount of yellow in it. I am wirried it will make my beige tiles look pink. Thoughts??
Hi Rhonda, it can depend on your tiles and their undertones, so I’m sorry, I won’t really be able to know! But if the sample is making you nervous, you may want to pay attention to that instinct ;).
Hi Kylie! All of the information you provided around Ballet White is super helpful! We painted our detached garage Ballet White a few years ago and love it. We are now getting the exterior of our brick ranch painted in October 2020 and I am currently debating if we should paint the brick exterior Ballet White as well as it seems to appear darker on the brick than it does on the hardie board of the garage (which is located behind the house but peeks out a bit so you can see it from the road). Do you suggest always using the same color on the exterior of the house and the garage even if the paint color appears darker on one material than it does the other?
Thanks!
Danielle
Oooo, generally speaking I’m definitely inclinded to keep things as CLOSE as possible. Maybe lightening it by 25% could help a bit with that shift??
I thought I was all set to use ballet white for my kitchen/living room and darker looking hallways after searching your sights for quite a while. I have taupe coloured kitchen cabinets that I don’t plan on painting. Do you have any thoughts if ballet white would go with taupe coloured cabinets. My little colour sample looks darker than I thought it would. I have east facing windows in the kitchen and west facing windows in the living room. Thanks!
Hi Michelle! Well, it can depend on what your definition of taupe is as some are more purple-pink and WOULDN’T be so hot with Ballet White which has that creamier base. If you’re more of a GREIGE, then it can work sometimes :).
Does BM Ballet White pair with SW. Dovetail and/or SW Agreeable grey?
Hi Stacy, I don’t think I would. I mean maybe in a home palette where they’re SEPARATED by a room or 2, but not right next to each other. Dovetail works with Agreeable though!
Hi Kylie! Please help! I have decided on Ballet White for my house and White Dive trim per your suggestion! Will white quartz countertops in the kitchen work with these paint colors or should I select a brighter white trim?
Oooo, most white quartz countertops can be too stark for the warmth of Ballet White and White Dove. You can do a whiter trim, like Chantilly Lace, but I’m still not feeling most quartz with that… 🙂
Hi Kylie. You have provided more guidance than any other site or colour consultant articles I have read so, I come to you with this! Re-paint of our whole main floor and kitchen is in the works (or about to be 😉). We are toying with SW Origami White (but open to other suggestions) however, the natural lighting in our home is all over the place. The front of our house faces NE while the back faces SW. We know that we do not want to see yellow or something too creamy (BM Soft chamois=too creamy). We know that we want some warmth and BM Calm is too purple/pink.
Can you suggest two things? While Origami White is our first choice so far, it could use a little more warmth (maybe one with less LRV?). Can you suggest a SW or BM paint colour that we get me there. Also, we will be painting our kitchen cupboards as well too. Can you suggest a paint that would work well with Origami White or any other selection?
Thanks a million! My head is spinning 😂
Karen
I’m dying… finding a paint color for my main floor is killing me. LOL! I painted the room Navajo White (BM), but I’m find it a bit too country. I’ve put up a million swatches of Ballet White, but it looks a little too gray and dirty. UGH! Is there a color that is in the middle of Navajo White and Ballet White. Can be any brand. Any help would be GREATLY appreciated. You’re the best 🙂