Posted on March 29, 2022 by KylieMawdsley
Sherwin Williams Pure White – The SECOND Best White Paint Color
White is IN – and not just relating to wine, sneakers, and SUVs, I’m talking whole home paint color palettes of white-on-white-on-WHITE.
But sadly, that doesn’t mean EVERY home can pull off white walls. In fact, the stars need to align with regard to exposures, finishes, furnishings and tastes in order to pull off a white paint palette.
Luckily, I have Online Color Consulting clients with just the right style, furnishings and spaces to pull off white walls and in MANY cases, Sherwin Williams Pure White is the number one choice! It’s also my 2nd fave white in the world (aren’t you dying to know my first? It starts with char and ends with donnay). Seriously though, keep reading and you’ll discover a few of my OTHER fave white paint colors. Stop reading and you’ll get a spankin’ with a wet noodle.
And all of these homes are different! You’ll see rooms in the warm sun of Hawaii, the cool gray of Vancouver Island as well as a whole RANGE of exposures and lighting, showing you the massive versatility of this awesome white paint color.
So, without FURTHER ado, let’s check out this wicked white…
What type of paint color is Sherwin Williams Pure White? Is it warm or cool?
Well, as you’ve probably figured out, Pure White is one of the most VERSATILE, flexible and POPULAR white paint colors on the market – but it’s not a TRUE white, as it has a soft, passive warmth to it, without looking as creamy as some of the other whites. Pure White works well for walls, trims, cabinets and even exterior siding!
What is the LRV of Pure White?
Pure White has an LRV of 84, so it’s what I call a soft white – it’s not stark, but not overly creamy either.
If you aren’t familiar with LRV, you should take a gander here – it’s kind of a big deal and is a GAME-changer when it comes to choosing the best paint color for your room.
READ MORE: The ULTIMATE Guideline to Using LRV to Pick Paint Colors
What are the undertones of Pure White?
Pure White has a soft warmth to it in the form of a wee wink of black (which just softens it) and a drop of yellow which makes it slightly warm. But really, when I say SLIGHTLY…I ain’t kiddin’.
And like ANY white, Pure White can EASILY pick up color from its surroundings. In the above photo, Pure White looks a bit more crisp and clean, whereas, in this next photo, it looks a bit softer and warmer…
See the WHOLE home HERE / Western Exposures Photography
In this next photo, at the top of the photo, the wall is getting hit by a SOLID does of northern light and look at how cool it looks (literally and figuratively)…
This means that if you have a bright red couch, Pure White could reflect a subtle pink hue. If you have TONS of grass/landscaping it could pick up a wee wink o’ green. It isn’t always about the white you choose BEING those colors, it’s about what your white paint color is reflecting back at you, which leads us to our next topic…exposure.
Pure White in a south or west-facing room
South-facing light is warm and slightly yellow, which plays well into the subtle warmth of Pure White.
In a west-facing room, you won’t get that same warm glow in the morning when the sun is on the opposite side, but as the afternoon progresses things will warm up nicely, without going too far.
HOWEVER, if you have a south-facing room and don’t LOVE warm whites, then you might want to look at a few different whites that don’t have that wink of warmth in them.
Pure White in a north-facing room
Northern light is a cool gray light. In a north-facing room, you might find Pure White has a slightly cleaner edge to it vs the softness you’d find in other lights. This means that if you have a north-facing room and want a really warm soft white, you may want to choose another white paint color.
North, South, East, West: Which Paint Color is the Best?
Let’s take a quick break to talk about paint samples…
Undoubtedly, you’ll be heading out in the near future to grab paint samples – stop right there! I want you to check out SAMPLIZE. Samplize offers peel and stick paint samples that are more AFFORDABLE, EASIER and more ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY than traditional paint pots. Here are just a FEW reasons why I recommend Samplize to my clients…
- samples arrive ON YOUR DOORSTEP in 1-3 business days, depending on location
- they’re more affordable than the samples pots/rollers/foam boards that are needed for traditional paint sampling
- if you keep the samples on their white paper, you can move them around the room
Visit the SAMPLIZE website HERE
What’s the best white trim color if your walls are Pure White?
if you want to see the warmth of Pure White, partner it with a clean white like Sherwin Williams High Reflective White. HOWEVER, I personally prefer having my walls, cabinets and trim in the SAME white so I don’t need to worry about clashing undertones. This approach lets the change in SHEEN do the work for you without having to change COLORS.
This next photo is a FAB example of Pure White in its FULL glory – walls, ceiling, trims AND cabinets.
See more of this gorgeous home HERE
Is Pure White a good kitchen cabinet color?
Hellllls yeah! As shown above (and below), Pure White is a gorgeous choice for cabinets. It generally ‘looks like white’, without being as stark as more traditional whites. It’s also versatile and suits a WIDE-range of countertop choices. It’s ABSOLUTELY in my top 3 white paint colors for cabinets.
THE FIVE Best FOOL-PROOF White Paint Colors
And also, because I have wicked cool clients who send me after photos, I can show you how Pure White shifts from day to night!
Pure White in the daytime with no light bulbs…
And Pure White in the early evening with light bulbs (lower Kelvins)…
In the above photo, you can see how Pure White softens that little bit with the warm bulbs compared to the brighter look of the previous photo. This is the LIGHT warming up Pure White, not Pure White itself.
What Benjamin Moore paint colors are the same as or similar to Pure White?
You won’t find an exact match for ANY color between brands – you WILL see shifts in undertones, temperature and depths. However, there are some with similar intentions, but different approaches…
PURE WHITE vs BENJAMIN MOORE WHITE DOVE: While Pure White and White Dove have similar enough LRVs, White Dove has MORE warmth and can withstand northern light a bit better. However, Pure White is often the preferred choice for south-facing rooms.
PURE WHITE vs ALABASTER: Alabaster has a lower LRV than Pure White; making it a soft white. It also has more creamy warmth. This means that Alabaster is often preferred over Pure White for north-facing rooms. On the other hand, Pure White is a more popular choice with today’s popular white quartz countertops.
And if you’re thinking of color matching between brands, you might want to read THIS first.
Sherwin Williams Pure White trim with a beautiful taupe siding color & navy blue front door!
So, there you have it. If you did your reading, you’ll know that Benjamin Moore White Dove IS my OTHER absolute fave white paint color – this month anyway 😉
READ MORE
The 8 Best Benjamin Moore White Paint Colors
The 4 Best Sherwin Williams White Paint Colors
How to Pick the Best White for Your Cabinets or Vanity
Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Greek Villa
Need help picking YOUR best white paint color?
Check out my E-Design packages – affordable and FUN!
Chat soon,
Originally written in late 2018, updated and improved in 2022!
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I just had my picket fence stained with SW pure white! Came out great.
Author
Nice choice – it’s pretty darned versatile!
What would be your favorite (light) colors to complement Pure White? Saying I used Pure White in a whole home with a lot of west light, but truly all directions, for ceiling, trim and cabinetry, what are your top coordinating wall colors? Alabaster seems to go a bit too yellow in some of the rooms. Pure White is feeling a bit too stark! Lots of gray, blue and white tiles.
Hi, I just read your blog thank you for all the info. I was wondering what you think of SW Pure White vs. BM Simply White? I’m remodeling a kitchen, and did one coat of Chantilly Lace and it is a bit too blue/chilly for my taste. The room gets almost no direct sunlight and has south facing windows at the far end. I’m stuck! 😉
Author
Hi Kathryn! Now i haven’t seen your countertop/backsplash, which can make a BIG difference in your choice, but I lean into Pure White unless you want a more noticeable warmth/yellow in the paint. Pure white could be a nice happy medium between Simply White and Chantilly Lace :).
Hi Kylie,
I found this post you made on white paint very helpful..I’m feel a bit stuck though because my kitchen faces NW and I’m looking for that “white kitchen” look. My countertop is white but sometimes looks like a light gray (Aurea stone in Paragon), cabinets (upper and lowers on the perimeter) will be white and my island will be an off-black. I’m terrified of picking a white for my cabinets that will set off a yellow tone. What color would you suggest for this? Also, I was thinking white walls…would I pick the same white as cabinets for the walls? I haven’t picked a back splash yet either. it’s all so very overwhelming!
Thank you
Hi! I know this is a random comment to leave and I’m not sure if it will be seen but I also have Aurea Stone Paragon countertops! Can I ask what color you went with?
Thank you!
Really enjoy your posts. Very helpful. I have a quick question. What trim colour goes best with BM white dove – BM simply white or SW pure white.
Hi! I recently moved into a new home where the walls are SW Pure White (matte), and they painted the trim SW Ceiling Bright White. Unfortunately, the trim looks gray, and we want to repaint the trim. What color and finish do you recommend?
Thanks!
I am doing pure white color for ceiling, trim and cabinets. Would you recommend doing the walls color pure white also or Alabaster would be a good choice for wall color? Or alabaster won’t look good on the walls with pure white trim, doors and cabinets?
Author
Hi Vadim! If it were me, I’d go for consistency and stick with Pure White on all of those surfaces and just let the change in paint sheen do the shifting for you!
Hi! I’m building a house and the kitchen perimeter cabinets will be SW Pure White. The island will be BM Hale Navy. I’m having trouble picking a white quartz with large (preferably gray) veining. I love MSI Calacatta Laza but I’m not sure how it will look against the pure white. Any quartz countertops that you love with the pure white? Unfortunately, with the restrictions due to Covid 19 we are unable to go to any stores to see in person.
Curious if pure white went with your calcatta laza countertops? I am having the same issue.
HI Kylie,
Thank you for all of the great advice and videos you offer. You have helped me tremendously as we are in middle of a new build. My cabinet maker only uses SW paints. If we chose the Pure White for cabinets, doors and trim through out the house, would it go well with my favorite paint color from BM, Edgecomb Gray.
Could I pair Edgecomb gray walls with trim in Pure White from SW?
Thank you.
Author
You betcha!
Thank you!!
Author
NOOOOOO! I mean that no nicely :). I would keep the whites consistent and with Classic Gray (assuming it’s SW Classic French Gray?)and would lean WAY more into Pure White as BM Alabaster can grab some weird undertones (slightly pink…). If you meant BM Classic Gray, then I would still do SW Pure White. If you mean SW Alabaster, I would still do Pure White (as SW Alabaster could be a wink warm/yellow).
I hope that helps!
Very interesting considering the one house on VI.
Imagine yourself driving down a longish driveway into the woods, in Sooke. You come up on a stereotipycal 1050sqft carriage home with garage down, living up. Facing you is the 500sqft vaulted ceiling great room with 10 1/2 foot windows in the front. With windows facing north west. Some direct light in the morning.
I’m wanting to go all white but avoid the greys coming out. I have ‘settled’ on BM Simply White from all I’ve read (including your blogs) but from a price perspective SW PW is much less than BM SW. Any thoughts?
Author
Hmmm. I do love Simply White and the yellow in it could help counteract the grays that bit, whereas Pure White does have a more muted (but still warm) base. Colour matching is usually a hot mess. I do wonder though if you’ve looked at SW Alabaster. Sometimes if they can add a few shots of white to the gallon it cleans it up a bit and improves the coverage. It is WARMER and creamier than Simply White, with more of the body of Pure White (with a bit less neutral undertone). PERSONALLY, I’m a BIG Pure White fan and would probably lean into it regardless 😉
I hope that helps, would love to see how it turns out!
Very much so. Many thanks. I’ll be sure to post a pic. ????
Just read your 4 best whites for cabinets post. Oxford White!
Love all your stuff! I have two questions: First, during these crazy COVID 19 times, are you still offering your E-Design package options? And second, can a package include new perimeter kitchen cabinet color and stain choices for the island?
Thanks!
Author
Hi Jean, you bet I am! We open up at 8am most days and often sell-out quite quickly! And I can do the cabinets for sure, but generally stay away from stain recommendations as it can depend on the brand/type of wood/etc…so I just stick with paint colours :).
Hi Kylie! First of all, can I just say that I have read hundreds of interior design blogs (especially about choosing white paints), and yours is by FAR the best! Thanks so much for taking the time to educate the rest of us on whites – you are such a wealth of knowledge! So after reading many (and I mean many!) of the articles you posted regarding whites, I’m wondering what you think about pairing Pure White walls with BM Dove White trim to “ease” the transition between stark white walls and warm taupey/beigy crema marfill marble floors?
Some context: I know you mentioned pure white walls and trim (and letting the sheen change between the 2) as the best option for pure white walls, but we tested it and found it may be too stark for the beigey/taupey crema marfill tile floors we inherited. We are trying to go with an all white wall look to make our house a lot more contemporary/modern to suit our taste, though, and we’re not a fan of overly yellow walls. We do have crown mouldings in the ceiling areas (most ceilings are high) and traditional, thick looking baseboards. Pure White on trim + walls seems a bit stark, and White Dove walls seem a bit too creamy. I guess Snowbound Trim + walls could be a possibility, too, but it also looks a bit stark in several of the rooms.
What’s your take on whether BM Dove White Trim could work with SW Pure White walls if the floor is a beigy marble? Would you recommend this? Would love to hear your thoughts on this combo of 2 of your fave colors! 🙂
There is no Chardonnay in Sherwin Williams. I was wondering what your first choice was….
She’s referring to her love of white wine.
Author
This is true! And thanks for catching that Melanie, at first I was confused :).
Hello! Thanks for this post. I wonder if Pure White will go well with Shoji White trims. I don’t want to paint the trims at least for now and they are shoji white.
Hi Kylie!
I love your posts. Seriously some of the best advice when it comes to paint colors. I never knew about LRV and why it’s important until I came across your blog. I am sort of stumped on picking a white for my kitchen walls trim and doors. The kitchen has north and east facing windows and seems on the darker side. The cabinets are painted SW Dorian Gray, the countertops are concrete with a white subway backsplash and charcoal gray tile floor. I want a softer tad bit warm white. I am considering either SW Alabaster and SW Pure White. This would be the same trim and door color through the entire house with SW Gossamer Veil on the rest of the walls. Would painting the walls, trim and doors all the same color be too much of one color? Again thank you for your content.
Vanessa
Author
Hi Vanessa, it’s SUPER IMPORTANT that the white you choose matches the white in your backsplash. If it’s more yellow (ie: Alabaster probably will be, even though it’s a lovely warm white) it could look yellow in comparison to the brighter look of traditional white subway tile. Pure White could be a happy medium as it probably isn’t as white, but at least it’s less yellow! Really, High Reflective White is often a closer choice :).
I am getting ready to paint my kitchen cabinets and have a dilemma. My kitchen ceiling and wainscoting in the adjacent dinning room are Simply White. (Butcher block countertops) I’m afraid I won’t like the Simply White on the cabinets. Can I get away with Pure White, Cloud White, or
White Dove without repainting everything? My cabinets do not reach the ceiling and the dinning room is adjacent but not an open floor plan. I’ll repaint if I have too, but would really rather not!
I love your blog and Instagram and am so thankful for it!. I have been a student of your blog for a year now and you have helped me tremendously! Picking paint colors has always caused me so much anxiety, but your information has given me confidence to start trying!
Author
Aww, I’m so glad to hear that! And don’t worry, while I can advise people ALL DAY LONG, I get massive (massive) anxiety when choosing colours for my own home, so I get it!
So, if it were ME and I were you, I would probably hit SW Pure White on the cabinets and hope that the change in rooms/exposure/lighting fudges any shifts (which it really SHOULD). The goal is that only YOU would know they were different whites :). Actually, check out BM Oxford White too…:)
Hi Kylie,
I have enjoyed several YouTube videos and reviews on colors! I’m repainting my entire interior of my home. The majority of my windows including a 12 ft slider and a 10 ft slider are east facing (morning sun). I have Versailles pattern travertine floors. I’ve decided on Neutral ground for my walls but deciding what white to use on trim for my baseboards, new doors, trim and staircase. I’ve narrowed down to pure white or chantilly lace. Any advice or input would be greatly appreciated.
Warm Regards,
Diana
Author
Hi Diana! Of the 2, I LEAN into Sherwin Williams Pure White as it’s that bit softer. I also love the slightly whiter approach of BM Oxford White, which isn’t AS white as Chantilly Lace :).
Hello!! Ok, I’ve been losing sleep over cabinet color lol. I love the sw Pure White, but feel we may need something creamier as our dated “1992 special” granite is in the darker cream/brown darker veined family. Could we get away with Pure White in a south facing, not very bright kitchen? Or would Alabaster be better? I feel SW creamy is too creamy. Can’t pick a wall color or island color until we figure this one out.
Thanks in advance!
Author
Well Jen, from the SOUNDS of it, Alabaster could likely be a better fit and it REALLY IS a gorgeous white (whereas I’d definitely be talking you out of Creamy 😉
Thanks for all the helpful info you provide about paint! You are my go to source when I am picking a paint color for a room. Could you tell me please would BM Oxford White or SW Pure White be better for trim with the walls painted BM November Rain (the cream and gray undertones come through, not so much the green undertones) in a room with a lofted ceiling with two windows facing south and one facing west. The room has rustic wood beams and wood floors. I am looking for a soft contrast between the walls and trim. Thanks!
Author
Hi Krista, I don’t think either would be bad, but Pure White would give you a SOFTER contrast as the LRV is a bit lower than Oxford White 🙂
Thank you so much!
I love your blogs! Curious if you have any thoughts on Pure White vs Origami White for kitchen cabinets/trim to go with Modern Gray throughout the house?
Author
Ooooo, I HAVE to say Pure White, only because off-whites are trickier as trim colours and WILL limit you in the longer if you ever want to change wall colours!
Hi Kylie,
I’m having a huge dilemma. I painted my kitchen cabinets in SW high reflective white after a post you made on that color. I ended up having to repaint my kitchen and dining area in SW pure white after that since the white color I had on the walls prior came off way too creamy in comparison to high reflective white. We have now decided to use SW pure white as a whole house paint color. I’m wondering if it would be ok to use high reflective white on all trim and doors against the pure white walls. I know the LRV is a difference of about 9. Do you think this will look ok? Thank you!
Author
Hi Amanda, people do it, but it depends on what YOU want out of your white paint colour. HRW will show off or ENHANCE the subtle warmth in Pure White making it look that bit more yellow in comparison. PERSONALLY, i lean towards having all of the surfaces the same white so that one doesn’t set the other off ;).
Hi Kylie! You’re a favorite of mine, and I’ve read nearly all of your posts, which led me to narrow down my cabinet color decision to SW Pure White or SW HRW. I bought samplize samples of both for my kitchen that gets east facing morning light and south facing light the rest of the day. My issue with Pure White was that it looked yellow when getting direct sunlight, but when hanging on the south wall (facing north but without northern sun) it looked gray! The HRW seemed most stable throughout the day and in different locations. However, I’m very anxious to pull the trigger on HRW for our new cabinets because in one post you said it works best with cooler finishes, which is not how our home is styled, and I will be using whichever white I choose for all of our ceilings and trim as well. Is this a what is best for me vs what is best for my home situation? Will HRW be ok with slightly warm finishes?
Author
Hi Allison, generally, I don’t worry AT ALL about HRW with slightly warm finishes – you’re good!
Thank you!!
Thank you so much for this post! It was very helpful as I prepare to choose paint colors for our new build. I have settled on SW Pure White as our main interior paint color (understanding that this dates the home 2017-2022)… which brings me to my next question. I genuinely love the beige/grey trim trend against white walls. Most people seem to have done the walls in SW Pure White (or Alabaster) with SW Accessible Beige trim. I like SW Agreeable Gray more than Accessible Beige and the undertones work better with our cabinets and tile. Am I going to regret painting trim gray? Or should I stick to SW Pure White in a different finish?
Author
Well, speaking from PERSONAL opinion, I chose to paint our INTERIOR DOORS a soft warm gray (BM Revere Pewter) and it’s not that i don’t love them, I do, but they TOTALLY AND COMPLETELY limit me when I want to make FUTURE colour changes – I always have to accommodate the depth/undertone. A room can really only handle one paint colour in a certain depth, so having Agreeable Gray trim means that if you don’t want white walls down the road, you either have to KEEP them or go with a light-medium to medium depth on the walls. For this reason, they make me nervous. HOWEVER, between painting trim and doors, I would ALWAYS paint doors as they’re way easier to change down the road than all the trim!
I am in the process of updating my kitchen. We have replaced the cabinet doors and painted the SW Pure White (which I love). My countertops are Cambria Ironsbridge. I am having a difficult time choosing a white subway tile that coordinates well with the Pure White. The stark white tiles are too white and the softer white come off as slightly off white. I see you have photos of Pure White with subway tiles. Are there specific brands that you can suggest?
Hi Kylie! I always refer to you for all my color choices. We’re wanting to paint our ranch exterior white. I’m having white anxiety. The choices are overwhelming. Our home faces directly North. We have brick on the front and cedar siding that we will use a solid stain on for the rest of the house. We have SW pure white now on all our exterior trim work and I do love it. What do you think for the whole exterior in pure white since our house faces North?
Author
Hi Amy! While I can’t say that whites the BEST choice for your home without seeing it, if you’re thinking white and already have Pure White in play, then YES, I would stick with Pure White 🙂
Hi! We are using Pure White in the exterior for our bay home. We are using is for the siding And for the trim. Should we use Satin finish for the siding snd Gloss finish for the trim ?
Hi Kay- I’m also about to paint siding and trim of bay home Pure White. Just curious how yours turned out. Are you happy with it?
Hello Kylie,
I need help from am expert! ha! I have repainted my oak trim, baseboard, doors all in BM White Dove and have been very happy with it, until I began remodeling my kitchen. I just purchased a beautiful white quartz countertop LG Lumina. It closely matches SW Pure White. You can see the problem here. It took me a week to admit to myself that my plan to paint my kitchen cabinets White Dove was not going to work, because the new counter makes White Dove look yellow/pink. Do I forge ahead with my dream white kitchen and paint the cabinets SW Pure White as well as the trim and two built ins in the kitchen to match or do I choose a new color. I like SW Crushed Ice but am I choosing something dated from the get go, or am I smart to avoid clashing whites or repainting three levels of White Dove? For what it’s worth, i have an L shaped kitchen with an island and north and east windows which opens into a sunroom with oak floor and stainless steel appliances.
Thank you so much!
I love Classic Grey for the main part of my house (gorgeous), but….. The countertop I hate but must keep for a couple of years + is a grey with a blue undertone, a clash with Classic Gey. So…. I thought avout Pure White. But, of course there is a but, my kithcen cabinents, which I did not paint and cannot afford to re-paint, are a start white. Me thinks Pure White will not look good in the kitchem (unless I use tile in the areas where there are cabinets. This is a small kitchen. I truly want Classic Grey and that d**** countertop in blue undertone grey is going to make Classic Gey clash! My couch is a dark slate with blue undertone and the rug in the livingroom is a red, blue undertone and with other colors (blue, slight pin and navy). My artwork is warm. Just to make my life complicated by bedrooms are small and , yes, north facing. With Classic Grey I was going to use Creamy in the bedrooms. But with Pure White, what do I do?
Ugh..
Hi Kylie,
Thank you for the super informative post! When painting walls and trim with SW Pure white, what sheen do you personally recommend on the walls vs. the trim?
Author
Hi Christian, great question! I prefer a high quality matte on the walls (personally) or at the most, eggshell. On trims, it’s almost ALWAYS satin/pearl ;).
I just want to thank you for ALL the informative posts! Your blog has helped me nail several paint choices before and undoubtedly will again! Never had I thought I’d be sweating so much over white paint!!! I’d hire you, but until I can learn the skills to develop a bot to snap up spots when they’re available, obsessive reading will have to do!
Just to share…an essay to show I’m paying attention! I am currently almost finished having my bathroom expanded and renovated and I think I’ve reached peak decision overload. My normal inclination would be to do some color but I splurged on a gorgeous handmade blue-green tile for the shower wall so I want that to be the star! The shower side walls are white subway tile. The floor is a slightly warm grey, as is the vanity top—the vanity is cherry, so…warm. The room is north facing and while it has a big window for a small bathroom, it’s still a normal bathroom window. I’ve been thinking SW Greek Villa for a while with High Reflective white for the door & trim. Thought being it was slightly warmer while not being too warm. But after reviewing your articles and comparing with the tile color, I’m leaning Pure White or High Reflective for the walls, but the latter seems a bit too bright for all walls. And is slightly brighter than the tile. How am I doing, teach? At least this is a way lower pressure decision than picking permanent fixtures!!! Thanks for all you do!
🙂
Hello, I am hoping you can help me out here. I have white vinyl windows which tend to lean pretty bright white and I am wanting to paint my trim to match. However, I read that bright white is just too BRIGHT in the sun for trim. I don’t know how to pick a white that will match my windows but not be so stark. I thought maybe pure white but I don’t want it to be extremely obvious they do not match the bright white windows. Can you give me any tips or color options to match the windows?
side note: front of house faces east in the morning, so fairly shaded all day.
What did you decide on?
Hello, We live on Vancouver island, We have Douglas fir Wood windows and trim. We painted our T & G ceiling simply white. We had decided to use Benjamin Moore Swiss coffee for the walls but now find that they look a little dingy next to the simply white. We are wondering if you had any ideas for anther complimentary white that would work with the simply white ceiling and the Fir windows? Perhaps sw pure white? Thanks, Jerett & Courtney
Author
VANCOUVER ISLAND – SWEET! I love when I see locals pop up :). And if you ask me, I would do Simply White on the walls. It can be tough to mix and match whites as what you’ve already experienced will happen – one white showcases the DIFFERENCE in another. Pure White would potentially look even a bit more dingy next to Simply White as it’s less warm than White Dove.
Hi Kylie,
First off, Loveeee loveee your blog! Thank you so much for explaining so well. We’re young newlyweds and acquired our first apartment so all this painting and decorating is new to us and you’ve been super helpful.
We’re looking for a color for our kitchen cabinets. Our kitchen faces south-east and only gets a lot of natural lights for 2-3 hours in the afternoon (we live in montreal, canada). Walls are sea salt, which we know you love. We chose it because we decided to keep the original trim from the house in certain spots. Around the window, the 2 doors to the kitchen and around the patio door is a honey-orangey coloured oak (think 80s) . To tie in the wood, we have shelving in that same wood stain and will maybe do a mini breakfast counter in the same. Our countertops and backsplash are the same : Calcutta gold quartz with both gold and grey veins running through. Appliances are stainless, the frigde and stove have touches of black. Faucet and hardware will be brushed gold. (haven’t picked light over island and stools but thinking to incorporate both gold and wood to “marry it all in”). We have hardwood floors in out kitchen that are maple and the color is a light beige (rustic) with some mocha and grey spots in it to complement the trims in the house (link to floor : https://appalachianflooring.com/product/travertine-maple-excel/). The idea is to modernize but still keep some of the charm of our 1950’s home.
We want a warmer white for our cabinets in order to compliment the wood in the kitchen, trims and flooring. However, with there being both the counters and backsplash being calacutta gold and the “background” being so white, I don’t want the cabinets to appear dirty. I don’t want them to look beige either though, I also don’t want the color to “pull” green or blue from the sea salt walls (in my kitchen the color looks smack in the middle like an aqua rather than very green). We would greatly appreciate your input on this please.
Also if you have any ideas or suggestions regarding stools & above island lighting fixtures, I’m definitely all ears.
Happy holidays and thanks in advance!
Thank you for the wonderful guidance. I’m committed to Pure White for my newly installed bulked up trim and will pick a wall paint color after furniture, but can you provide feedback for pairing furniture in the room with Pure White trim. For example, can I use a soft ivory or cream furniture mixed with navy and light blues? I have these stunning white embroidered curtains that will be hung on the walls and I just want to be certain how a large piece of furniture might look in a room with such bold moulding.
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It’s HARD to say. Generally, soft ivory suits slightly warmer more yellow-based whites. I mean, Pure White has some warmth to it, but not much. OVERALL, though I do like the sounds of ivory/cream/navy/light blue! And being on the trim, you’ll have MUCH more forgiveness than if you were to do the walls AND trim in Pure White.
Enjoy reading your input on whites. I have an entire wall of west facing windows and then two large south facing windows in my open concept livingroom/kitchen. The ceilings are 27′ high as well. The house has not been drywalled so it is hard to see paint colors as of yet. I was thinking of just playing it safe and doing pure white all over and just changing the sheen for the trim. (I have pewter green lower cabinets and will have white upper cabinets with calcatta quartz countertops). I like the looks of origami white or snowbound with the quartz and backsplash but afraid with the light it will pull undertones. I also will have a roman clay fireplace that will be a greige color on the south facing wall. I want the same color throughout the house so that is why I was thinking pure white.
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Hi Kylie!
I am looking to paint my whole house white. However, my painter (husband) is refusing to paint the trim. It’s bright out of the can trim white. It’s probably pretty cool and stark. I want to use a white paint that is softer (I do love those warm whites) but don’t want it to look yellow or dirty next to the trim. I thought that could potentially happen with simply white. Would you suggest pure white? I was thinking about chantilly lace but I feel it could be too stark. Would love your feedback.
Author
Welllll, without painting the other trim, any NOT super bright clean white will look dingy/yellow/blue/green, even Pure White can do it! I’m afraid that there’s no great way to get where you want to go without painting that trim!~
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Hi Kylie
Your site is amazing. We are renovating our kitchen and we are using Agreeable Gray cabinets. We have a very large kitchen with darkish brown wood beams on the ceiling and. over the hood. We have mid brown scraped oak floors. Our quartz is MSI Calcutta Valentin, which has some gray and brown veining. It looks really good with the Agreeable gray cabinets. We planned on alabaster trim and walls, but it looks a bit yellow. South facing room with fairly low natural light. Then we looked at Incredible White walls, but it looks a bit pink. What do you think of Agreeable gray walls, lightened 25% (learned this from you!) and Pure White trim? Thank you
We are building a lake home, and the standard Hardie Board white color is SW Pure White. Any suggestions for your favorite paint color for the front door?
Thinking about a coastal palette with hale navy, TBD blue-gray, lots of white dove and white oak floors inside.
Author
Oooo, the world is your oyster! Our lake home is gray with white trim and I did SW Connors Lakefront. Hale Navy is also wicked pretty – or even SW Riverway!
Hi Kylie, I’m looking at using white in a windowless bathroom where the floor and cabinet are white and the vanity top is Calcutta quartz….a lot of white. Would Pure White still look fairly neutral in a windowless room where the trim is Simply White or would it look dingy? I don’t want anything too warm as I want it looking fresh and bright but not stark. As there are different whites in the room should I maybe lean towards undertones of green, or blue to add contrast, instead of too many competing whites?
Author
OOO, it’s tough with Simply White trim already in place AND a white cabinet (which will be a different white) and then the white of your quartz. I would look at the off-white/light depths as the degree of yellow in Simply White will be very touchy with cool tones that are too light.