Choosing the Perfect White Paint Color for Your Home

Today we’re talking about how to find the perfect white for your home. It’s amazing that there can be so many choices for one color. It can easily get overwhelming to make a choice and feel like you might regret it.

Here you’ll see our favorite white paint colors with examples of this color used in beautiful homes. After our top choices, we’re going to show how to choose which one is perfect for YOUR HOME.

WHAT MAKES EACH WHITE DIFFERENT?

When you first start hunting for white paint every white looks…well…white. Unless you have it next to other whites. Then white paint begins to take on different colors.

This is because of UNDERTONES. Some whites are cooler with blue/green undertones some are warmer with yellow/orange undertones. Undertones can get a bad wrap. You hear people say “I don’t want a white that shows yellow”, but these undertones can help you accomplish the look you’re going through. These examples will help you see the difference and get excited about choosing the perfect white with the perfect undertone for your design style and lighting.

1. SHERWIN WILLIAMS ALABASTER

We have used Sherwin Williams Alabaster in mom’s living room. This is our go-to in so many projects. It’s warm but doesn’t show too yellow like some of the other creamier whites. Alabaster has subtle beige undertones. I love how the Sherwin Williams Director of Color Marketing describes it, “Alabaster is neither stark nor overly warm, but rather an understated and alluring hue of white.”

2. SHERWIN WILLIAMS PURE WHITE

I used Pure White in my living room. When I put samples on the wall it was simply the cleanest white without feeling too stark. I love that pure white looks great paired with Alabaster. Mom has Alabaster on her walls with Pure White on her Cabinets. I used the same colors in my new kitchen that I’ll share soon. They work together perfectly.

3. SHERWIN WILLIAMS EXTRA WHITE

KariAnne of @Thistlewood used Extra White in her living room which brought the perfect canvas for the bold pops of colors she introduced. I used Extra White in my previous home and with my lighting it was perfect. Sherwin Williams claims Extra White is their “truest white.” In some lights it can show a little cool which still looks amazing with many design styles.

4. SHERWIN WILLIAMS SNOWBOUND

I have two beautiful examples to show of Sherwin Williams Snowbound. My friend Mattie of @RusticVivoDesign used Snowbound in her living room. My friend Amber of @TheValeHouse has Snowbound in her living room as well. Snowbound is a crisp white with a slight gray undertone, meaning it has a cool look. It’s a cooler white that doesn’t have a blue undertone. It’s so versatile in so many settings.

5. SHERWIN WILLIAMS MARSHMALLOW

Stephanie of @BloomingIvyLane used Marshmallow in her entire home. Sherwin Williams Marshmallow is an inviting white paint with slightly red undertones giving the color overall a warm and creamy texture. You can see how beautiful this color looks with Stephanie’s vintage-infused home.

6. BENJAMIN MOORE CHANTILLY LACE

Ryan from @TexasForeverFarmhouse used Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace in her living room and it’s stunning. This is a cool crisp white. It’s a crisp white without being too sterile. With Chantilly Lace, it is hard to say whether it is warm or cool because its undertones are just so slight.

7. SHERWIN WILLIAMS RESERVED WHITE

Jessica of @the.old.barn’s living room is Reserved White. To the naked eye, Jessica’s living room definitely looks white, but when really evaluating Reserved White it has enough grey undertone to be considered a really really light grey. I actually love that about this color. If you have greys in other rooms and would like them to transition well this is a perfect choice.

8. SHERWIN WILLIAMS WEST HIGHLAND WHITE

We used West Highland White in our client Terri’s home. It’s beautiful and creamy. I love this color with a European farmhouse look. It’s warm but not too yellow. It looks great with Pure White trim to bring a distinct pop.

9. BENJAMIN MOORE SIMPLY WHITE

My friend Angela of @The.Rosewood.Home painted her dining room Simply White by Benjamin Moore. Simply White is another warm white to give a cozy feel when going for that bright and airy look. Like many of these other whites, it creates a bright look without feeling sterile. It has a slight yellow undertone that brings the perfect amount of warmth.


OUR TOP WHITE PAINTS

HOW TO CHOOSE THE PERFECT WHITE

Paint Samples on the wall with lighting in mind. We light to paint samples on the wall in a couple of places to see how they show in each area. Different lighting can also bring out different undertones of white paint. Every paint will pull some type of undertone color whether that is blue, green, pink, brown and so on.

The natural lighting in your house might make white paint with pink undertones seem pinker. While a darker area might make the white paint seem more cream with hardly any pink. This is why it is so important to put the paint samples in different areas so you can see how the different lighting makes the paint look and feel in your specific lighting.

This sneaky undertone can pop out when you least expect it, so this process is worth the time to see what works best in your home.


I hope these examples and white paint choices help you choose the perfect white for your home. The process of choosing paint can be overwhelming but it can also be a lot of fun when you have some really great choices. I’d love to know if you have any questions in the comments below or if you have a favorite white that I didn’t mention. I love hearing from you in the comments!

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7 Comments

  1. I need help with choosing my paint color for my den extended from my kitchen. I want a white. i don’t want to have to change my sectional couch out, which is a khaki color. Will you be willing to lend some advise?

  2. Would SW Pure White & SW Reserved White pair well? I don’t want yellow or green undertones & ok with gray undertones. Thinking of reserved white for cabinets & trim with the pure white on walls. Thoughts?

  3. Great insight of these whites! I certainty have been struggling with narrowing down my search for the perfect white and would appreciate any advice you might offer. I only have access to SW Paints. My guest room sits at the end of the hall (Repose Gray), to the right is the guest bath (Sea Salt❤), and to the left is the master (F&B Downpipe). All trim is SW Extra White. Furnishings are a mix of farmhouse & French country. Natural lighting in guestroom comes from an east facing window and a window facing northeast. I have white, soft gray & duck egg blue colors in decor. Can you help me narrow down a SW white that would blend well with the other rooms that are also visible? Your article has me leaning towards Pure White, Snowbound, or Reserved White. A cool white is fine with me and maybe even perfect with a slight gray//silver undertone. The Repose Grain hallway leans slightly blue due to lack of natural light. Would I keep the Extra White trim in that room? Ceilings all match the EW trim even though I can’t remember the actual name. I appreciate any help you can offer and your time. I did try Alabaster but it read too yellow for that room. I could open a paint store with all of my samples, lol! Thanks again and I look forward to your suggestions.
    Sincerely,
    What white in Tn (Lisa K.)

  4. LISA K. — my Sherwin Williams can mix all of the most popular Benjamin Moore colors to perfection. They have the formulas in their computer. It’s not a color match, but the formula. I have done this with Revere Pewter (a BM color) many times! Maybe give it an ask!

  5. This is a helpful article. I’m looking for kitchen cabinet paint, it’s turning into such a pain. I’m looking for an off white color without yellow undertones. Thinking farmhouse look. This will be last part of kitchen remodel and so far I don’t see how I’m going to accomplish this. So hard to pick the perfect paint.

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