Posted on March 17, 2023 by KylieMawdsley
ASK KYLIE: Do all my surfaces need to be the SAME white paint color?
When it comes to paint and wine, whites are DEFINITELY the hardest to pick. Does this chardonnay go with my sofa? Which white paint color best suits a steak dinner? While I can’t answer these particular questions (and am personally not that fussy, I’ll drink wine with Kraft Dinner), I can answer almost ANY question regarding the best white paint colors for you and your home!
And hands-down, the most COMMON question I get asked on my Instagram feed and Youtube channel is…
‘Do my walls, trim, & cabinets need to be the SAME WHITE paint color?’
The short answer is YES; the long answer is a bit more complicated. The thing is, not all whites are created equal – they have undertones. This means that one white can potentially make another look dirty, yellow, pink, blue, etc… in COMPARISON to another. However, you’ll have some flexibility depending on which TYPE of white you plan on using or currently have on one of your surfaces. But the question is, do you REEEEAAALLLY want flexibility, or do you just want to humor the crazy lil Ginger, make your paint-pickin’ life MUCH EASIER, and use the same white on everything?
Oh, you are a GLUTTON for punishment…I like that about you.
First, let’s make a list of what this general topic covers:
1. If you have WHITE CABINETS and want to paint your trim and/or walls white as well
2. You have WHITE TRIM and want to paint your cabinets and/or walls white as well
3. You’re starting from scratch and want to use TWO or more whites in your room
4. If you have WHITE CABINETS & TRIM (and I pray they match each other) and you want to paint your walls white as well
Long story short, if you plan on using white on MORE THAN ONE SURFACE in your room, this info applies.
But before we start (seriously, I don’t stop talking in real life either, this stuff LIGHTS ME UP LIKE A FIRECRACKER!), I have one more important point to make…
Regardless of what you read below, if you decide to mix and match whites, your BEST chance will be to use a TRUE WHITE on trim/cabinets and a white with a lower LRV on the walls – don’t do it the other way around unless you’re a hardcore pro, and even then…don’t do it.
BTW, you might expect to see some amazing photos of mix & match whites in this blog post – tough luck, Chuck. Because I ONLY refer to my Online Paint Color Consulting client’s homes and RARELY recommend mixing and matching whites, you won’t be seeing any glorious combinations. Instead, you’ll see examples of each TYPE of white being used to its best advantage on a whole range of surfaces.
IF YOU HAVE ‘TRUE OR PURE WHITE’ TRIM OR CABINETS
If you have TRUE white trim or cabinets (i.e., Sherwin Williams High Reflective White or Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace), it will be easy to paint your walls a different type of white if you’re so inclined (learn about the 5 TYPES OF WHITE).
TRIM & BENCH: Sherwin Williams High Reflective White WALLS: Stonington Gray
WHY?
As mentioned earlier, white paint colors have undertones…except for TRUE WHITES. Because true whites don’t have undertones (or at least nothing obvious to reckon with), it’s easier to embrace bright or soft whites without worrying about clashing undertones. But don’t just assume the white you currently have on your cabinets, trims, or walls is actually WHITE. Go to your local paint store and grab that brand’s WHITEST WHITE and bring it home to compare to your white – you might be pleasantly (or NOT so pleasantly surprised) at what you see!
If it turns out you DO have a TRUE white on an existing surface, should you choose a different white for another surface in your room, it would need to be a SOFT white or bright white (as explained in the 5 types of white).
WALLS, CEILING, TRIM: Sherwin Williams High Reflective White GRAY WALLS: Stonington Gray
WHY?
Well, you don’t want to paint your finishes two different TRUE whites; it doesn’t make sense (you may as well use the same white, silly). Instead, you’ll choose a bright or soft white that suits the finishes in your room. Just remember, in partnering bright or soft whites with a TRUE white, the true white will EXPOSE your other white’s undertones. Oftentimes, ‘white’ only LOOKS white until you compare it to a TRUE white.
SUMMARY OF TRUE WHITES
If you have a current surface that’s a TRUE WHITE, it’s best to paint your walls the same white for consistency and flow. HOWEVER, if you’re okay with seeing the undertones of a particular white, then you can choose a bright or soft white for your walls – make sure its LRV is lower than your current white and the undertones suit your room and its finishes!
The 8 Best Benjamin Moore White Paint Colors
3 STEPS to Pick the Best White Paint Color for Your Room
IF YOU HAVE COOL WHITE TRIM OR CABINETS
If you have COOL white trim or cabinets (i.e., Sherwin Williams Extra White or Benjamin Moore Decorators White), I would HIGHLY SUGGEST using the same white on your soon-to-be-painted surface.
Benjamin Moore Super White
WHY?
If you use a TRUE white, your trim or cabinets could look icier and cold and MAYBE even a wink blue or violet in comparison.
If you use a WARM white or BRIGHT white, your trim or cabinets are even more likely to look that bit more colorful and your warm white could look YELLOW in comparison. Opposites attract and make each other stronger.
SUMMARY OF COOL WHITES
If you have trim, cabinets, or walls that are painted a cool white, choosing a different white is a risky business. I recommend painting the SAME white and letting the shift in sheen do the work for you rather than messing around with undertones.
Want to learn how to pick paint colors for your own home or even OTHER PEOPLE’S homes? I’ve got just what you need…
CLICK HERE TO VIEW AVAILABLE ONLINE PAINT COLOR COURSES
IF YOU HAVE WARM WHITE TRIM OR CABINETS
If you have cabinets or trim that are currently a WARM WHITE (i.e., Sherwin Williams Pure White, Alabaster or Benjamin Moore White Dove, Cloud White) and you don’t plan on changing them and REALLY want white walls, GUESS what you’re choosing? WARM WHITE BABY!
Benjamin Moore Cloud White (north-facing light)
WHY?
Well, just as with cool whites, if you partner BRIGHT, COOL, OR TRUE white walls with warm white trim or cabinets, the new white will make your warm white look that bit…more…creamy. I’ve found that MOST people with warm white trim or cabinets don’t want to enhance them and would rather calm ’em down and blend ’em in. Hands down, the best way to blend them in is to literally…blend them in.
For example, take a look at this lovely kitchen below. You could say this kitchen is ‘white’ and quite lovely at that…
You’re looking at Benjamin Moore Cloud White, a soft, warm white with an LRV of 87. To look at this photo, you might see the casual warmth of Cloud White without being overwhelmed by the yellow undertone. HOWEVER, take a look at this same room with one wee adjustment…
Sherwin Williams 3 Best Warm White Paint Colors
How does it look NOW? Cloud White doesn’t look as warm as it can when there’s no obvious WHITER white to compare it to. However, adding a TRUE or COOL white (two back doors) can change your perception of Cloud White and its visual temperature! Remember, the degree of yellow/warmth hasn’t changed from photo to photo, but it appears ENHANCED by the comparison.
(My E-design client hired me to choose colors for her two back doors. I just filled in the doors via computer in the first example and am eagerly awaiting her REAL after photos!)
HOWEVER…
I normally wouldn’t partner WARM and COOL whites together, nor would I pair a TRUE white and WARM white unless the TRUE white were on cabinets/trim. However, there are a few warm white combinations that are doable AS LONG AS your trim/cabinets should be a lighter white than your walls. This means the cabinets and trim should have a higher LRV than the walls.
- Sherwin Williams Alabaster and Benjamin Moore Simply White
- Benjamin Moore Oxford White and Benjamin Moore White Dove
- Sherwin Williams Pure White and Sherwin Williams Alabaster are okay, too, although I wish PW had a BIT more warmth
But remember, JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN, DOESN’T MEAN YOU SHOULD…
(which is my passive-aggressive way of saying I STILL recommend doing the same white on ALL surfaces)
SUMMARY OF WARM WHITES
If you partner COOL white walls with WARM white trim or cabinets, you’ll have yellow trim/cabinets and blue walls – CONGRATS! If you have warm white trim/cabinets and paint your walls a bright or true white, again, you’ll ENHANCE the color of your trim/cabinets rather than complementing it.
Please check out SAMPLIZE peel-and-stick for samples that are more AFFORDABLE, EASIER, and more ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY than traditional paint pots.
Visit the SAMPLIZE website HERE
IF YOU HAVE CREAM CABINETS OR TRIM & DESPERATELY WANT WHITE WALLS
This blog post can be heart-wrenching for those who have considerably warm white or cream cabinets/trim (i.e., Sherwin Williams Dover White, Antique White, Creamy, or Benjamin Moore Navajo White) and DESPERATELY want to add some REAL white to their room. Just because you WANT white doesn’t mean your HOME does. If this is you, insert wine and funnel ‘here’ or at least read the info below first.
You can’t get ‘cream’ or a creamy white without yellow, which means your cabinets have a yellow hue to them. And this yellow MIGHT look subdued right now, especially if your cabinets and trim are painted the same color (they help to blend each other). HOWEVER, what happens if you partner your warm-toned cabinets and trim with cleaner, brighter white walls? Your previously subtle (or not) creamy cabinets/trim will look MORE YELLOW as they’ll have a whiter white to be directly COMPARED.
In the above photo, these cabinets COULD look more subtle if a) the trim were the same color, and b) the walls were painted a more suitable color. HOWEVER, between the paint color on the walls and the white trim, the warmth of the cabinets is much more obvious ‘IN COMPARISON.’ And heck, the above cabinets aren’t even overly creamy!
The comparison shows the difference between colors, so if you WANT to exploit your cream cabinets, fill yer lil yellow-hued boots. But remember, depending on which warm white/cream you currently have, a brighter white won’t just make it look more yellow; it could also make it look dirtier in comparison – wooooof.
In this next example, while I can appreciate why the homeowner wants to avoid painting their trim the same cream as the cabinets (Sherwin Williams Antique White), by AVOIDING THE CREAM, they’ve actually created a hot creamy mess, which isn’t doing their home or our eyeballs ANY favors…
However, the above situation isn’t as clear as it seems. Sure, it’s easy to say, ‘They should just paint the cabinets the same color as the trim,’ but the thing is, the TRIM isn’t the best color for the granite countertop and travertine tile backsplash. Sometimes the foundation of a room just isn’t solid enough to make the right move forward, or at least not in the direction a homeowner wants to go. Sometimes, saving your money is best until you can make larger-scale changes.
DECORATE FOR THE ROOM YOU HAVE, NOT THE ROOM YOU WISH YOU HAD
SO, WHAT DO YOU DO?
I know these might not be the answers you want, but the answers you want could have you ending up with a butt-ugly room. You came here for my honest advice, wit, and charming personality…riiiight? Sometimes the answers you don’t want to hear are the best solutions for your HOME until you’re ready to make larger-scale changes OR adjust your preferences/expectations.
1. If you’re keeping your cream cabinets, I highly advise having cream trim. From there, choose paint colors that suit your cabinets and trim. Depending on which cream you’re dealing with, you aren’t likely to paint your walls gray – even greige or taupe will be a stretch. Realistically, you’re looking at the WARMER end of things – cream, beige or tan. If you can’t handle these, it might be time to paint those cabinets or accept that your cabinets/trim and walls might clash, but at least you’ll love your wall color (gag me with a spoon, but I forgive you).
The 12 Best Beige & Tan Paint Colors
In this next photo, because the trim and mantel are a soft white/light cream, the owners were best off choosing a NON-WHITE for their walls; it looks beautiful! Even if they’d WANTED white walls, it wouldn’t have looked good.
2. If you’re keeping your cream cabinets and, come heck or high water, are painting your trim white, well, don’t say I didn’t warn you. Remember that even though your new white trim will likely be quite friendly to various colors, your cream cabinets still run a very tight ship.
3. If you’re keeping your cream cabinets and want brighter white walls, we’re no longer friends unless we both suddenly fall in love with yellow, potentially dingy-looking cabinets.
Nuff said.
PEOPLE ALSO ASK…
IS IT OKAY TO PAINT MY TRIM THE SAME COLOR AS MY NON-WHITE WALLS?
If you have an off-white or light-depth paint color on your walls, YES, it’s totally okay to do the trim and walls the same color, with a few exceptions (i.e., white kitchen cabinets). This creates a low-key low look and can make a room look bigger.
DO I PAINT THE CEILING THE SAME COLOR AS MY WALLS & TRIM?
It depends. If you’re using white, yes, I recommend doing the same white on walls, ceilings, and trim. If you’re doing an off-white/light depth color and have textured ceilings, I would do a lightened version. Or, I might rethink painting my trim the same color (depending on the home). However, if you have a flat ceiling, it’s way better suited to being the same color as the walls/trim.
HOW DO I FIND MATCHING TRIM PAINT OR MATCH WHITE WALLS TO TRIM?
Take off a piece of your trim and take it to several paint stores to have them professionally color-match it. Go with the brand that gets it the closest. Remember, there can be a shift in how a white looks based on the SHEEN (as trim is often satin or semi-gloss and walls are often matte/eggshell).
WHAT COLOR SHOULD THE TRIM BE IF THE WALLS ARE WHITE?
If your walls are white, the trim should be the SAME white, just in a different sheen. While it can be trendy to paint your trim a non-white, like greige, taupe, or gray, it’s a trend. It will have a longer life in OLDER homes, but for a more modern home, it will eventually be dated.
READ MORE
6 Questions to Ask BEFORE You Paint Your Kitchen Cabinets WHITE
White Dove vs. 10 Popular Shades of White (Cloud White, Simply White, & More)
The Ultimate Guide to White Paint Colors
Sherwin Williams 3 Best Warm White Paint Colors
Should You Paint Your Cabinets White or Keep Them Stained? A QUESTIONNAIRE!
NEED HELP?
CHECK OUT MY ONLINE PAINT COLOR CONSULTING & COLOR COURSES!
ORIGINALLY WRITTEN IN 2021, AWESOMELY UPDATED FOR YOU IN 2023
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I’m curious how this advice applies to the ceiling color. In the last set of photos with the light cream mantel and walls, the ceiling seems very white in comparison. Wouldn’t it look better if the ceiling was the same color as the walls, or is it the same color, and it just looks whiter because it’s on the ceiling?
Author
Well, it’s ALWAYS a tough one. 95% of the time I like the ceilings to be the same as the trim for consistency. BUT, in this project, the client already had the trim painted the creamy colour and the white ceiling and wasn’t willing to repaint them. I do agree that the ceiling is much whiter (a bit too white) for the trim and in the ideal world I would’ve loved to see them BOTH painted the same white – something like SW Pure White :).
Thank you for the response. That makes sense!
This article has been so helpful thank you!! Before researching paint colors for our new home I never realized how nuanced choosing the right white paint can be. I’m also wondering about ceiling colors. I love the color SW Pure White does it work to do trim, walls, and ceiling the same pure white? I read your article on Pure White which was also informative but I didn’t see anything mentioned about ceilings.
Author
Hi Michelle, YES, I would recommend staying with Pure White, definitely!
I don’t like to be the “what if” girl, but what would you recommend if my ceiling was planked cedar? It’s what we love most about the house and it’s in its natural state in EVERY room in the house, but with oak floors (already consuming your advice on what woods go together), I am be very thoughtful about cabinets, trim, and walls. Cheers. Your blog is the new bright spot in my new year remodeling adventure.
Thank you so much for all your helpful articles! We are doing a whole house remodel and have chosen pure white for all of the trim and doors. We are doing new white kitchen cabinets but are concerned that pure white will be a bit too stark for our tastes. We like Alabaster on cabinets but not on trim. My question is- is it a good idea to try to darken pure white by 25-50% to warm it up a bit just on the cabinets?
Author
Well, it can be risky as things can change as you lighten/darken colours. It would make me nervous that the cabinets could potentially be a bit warmer/more yellow than the walls and more like a mismatch – get some samples done in the paint FINISH you’ll be using before you jump in feet first 🙂
Hi! We’re painting our master bedroom soon. I want to do a black accent wall (either Benjamin Moore blacktop or black jack) with the rest of the walls white, and I’m thinking BM Chantilly lace for the walls. Should we also do the trim in Chantilly lace, or what white would you use for the trim? And would you use a different or the same finish for the white walls and trim? The rest of the room is all cool tones- light silvery-gray carpet, medium gray tweed upholstered bed.
Thanks!
Author
Hi Samantha, I would definitely stick to using the same white on any surface you want painted white! You’d then do matte or eggshell walls with satin or semi-gloss trim. 😉
Hi,
Thanks for your reply! The room is being painted today, we are definitely doing Chantilly Lace for the walls in matte, and semi-gloss for the trim and doors. The accent wall will be Black Jack in matte. I was torn on the black color as well, but I think the Black Jack will look nice.
Thanks! 😀
We plan to paint our walls maritime white and our trim is already pure white, so I planned to paint the ceiling pure white as well. Does this sound like a good combination or would a warmer trim and ceiling color suit maritime better, like white dove? Loving all your tips!
Thanks for the article! We are in the middle of a new build and have already painted ceilings and walls SW Alabaster. We had planned on painting trim and doors in SW Alabaster, but in a semi-gloss finish to make it seem lighter. We got our cabinets in and they are more of a truer white. The tones don’t seem to “fight”, so not realizing this was a big deal, we have already ordered countertops that compliment the white of the cabinets. Repainting the entire house is not an option. So, would it be better to repaint the cabinets in SW Alabaster which would be an extra cost in money and time and risk not complimenting the countertops or paint the trim and doors to match the cabinets which would then make my ceiling and walls look creamy?
What do you think about combining Chantilly Lace trim with White Dove walls?
Author
You bet! As long as you’re comfortable with White Dove looking warmer than expected against Chantilly 🙂
Thanks so much! I have samples, and the CL makes the WD read like a very light greige. 🙂
Hi Kylie,
I currently have Chantilly lace ceilings, and White Dove walls. Trying to decide on trim color. Which would you recommend I stick with for trim? Thanks, Jesse
Author
Well, it depends. If you do Chantilly Lace trim, it will make the White Dove walls look creamier and warmer in comparison (whereas the ceiling won’t have QUITE the same effect as they aren’t on the same vertical sight line. White Dove trim will be a softer transition and reduce this a bit for sure.
Hi Kylie! My cabinets and trim will be alablaster. What’s a good greige wall color you’d pair with that?
Just the article I was looking for!! Would snowbound for trim, cabinets and ceiling go with incredible white wall?
Hi Kylie. My trim, doors and cabinets are going to be alablaster and I was wanting pale oak or classic grey for the walls but worried it will pull out yellow in alablaster and pink/purple undertones in the wall colors. Would it be better to do something with a lower LRV like agreeable grey or gossamer veil?
Hi Kylie. Great article. The more I read, the more I realized I need to learn about paint colors! We just bought a house that has White Dove walls with Simply White trim. The cabinets are an old 1995 oak. We are going to modernize the kitchen affordably by painting the kitchen cabinets. Since White Dove is a warm white, I feel like that would look too warm on the kitchen cabinets and that the Simply White is more appropriate. Does that correctly follow your guidance regarding avoiding creamier darker colors on cabinets when trim is lighter?
Author
YES, thank you SO much for reading as this is SOOO right and will save you some grief :).
Appreciate the response! I will definitely be reading more of your articles as I do more home improvement projects. Thank you!
Kylie,
Your articles are fantastic and very helpful. We are also in the middle of a new build and have simply white shiplap and trim throughout. However in the master bath we have chantily lace cabinets to coordinate a bet better with the cooler white subway tile shower, white quartz countertop and white tub. Should changing the walls and trim paint in the bathroom to chantily lace be a no no because the rest of the house is simply white?
Author
It’s TOTALLY okay. While I do love consistency, it’s always best to do what ‘suits the room itself’ first – you’re all good!
Kylie ,
We are doing a complete remodel. I want to paint kitchen cabinets SW Pure White as well
as trim , walls , and ceilings using different sheens for depth as recommended . However, in the living room we have a plank ceiling with crown molding . If the trim is satin what sheen should the white plank ceiling be? I appreciate your help.
Author
Hi Sandy, satin is about as shiny as I would do on a ceiling, but I could easily be talked into eggshell. Ceilings can be a tough spot to have a lot of sheen on.
Hi Kylie, thank you for being a paint expert! 🙂 Our walls are currently SW Ivory Lace and our trim is more of a true white, and we are about to remodel the kitchen. Would you suggest painting the cabinets Ivory Lace as well, but in a satin finish vs eggshell? Or trying to match the trim (not sure exactly what it is?) We will also be adding white quartz countertops and a white backsplash, so I’m hoping to coordinate all of them without looking quirky! Thank you!
Author
Hi Sarah, I WOULDN’T do Ivory Lace on the cabinets. I would try to match the trim as much as you can, and make sure the whites between the trim/cabinets/quartz/backsplash all more or less blend :).
In the last set of photos with the light cream mantel, can you tell me the wall color that was used? I love your article and desperately needed the lesson you taught in mixing colors. I have now avoided a huge mistake and changed my way of thinking.
Sincere Thanks!!!
Author
ooooo, I think the one you’re talking about would be Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray 25% darker ;).
Hey Kylie,
Thanks so much for the info! It’s incredibly helpful. Our current home has SW Creamy cabinets, trim and doors. I want to lighten up and paint the walls cream as well. I’d planned on doing Creamy walls to make sure the whites don’t clash, but my painter just told me he only uses Benjamin Moore and doesn’t like to match paint across brands. Help! I’ve sampled White Dove, Swiss Coffee and Vapor. So far, Swiss Coffee is the front runner. Would this be okay? Their LRV’s are a touch different but not by much. I’m am honestly losing sleep. I don’t want our cabinets and trim to look dirty or dingy in comparison. Thank you for your help!!
Author
Wellllllll, to be honest, when I have a painter do that, I insist on using the paint brand I like or find another painter. I know, they can be hard to get, but there’s NO reason for a painter not to use SW paint. I have both in my home and they’re great, although the contractor-grade in BOTH is pretty bad. Often a painter is just familiar with a line and its consistency and often haven’t tried another brand or tried a low-end version of another brand (ie. contractor grade). OR…just go out and buy the paint yourself, ask them to colour match it and have them dry two coats on a swatch for you in-store. If the painter gets a discount, explain your situation and ask for the discount. Compare their colour match and make sure it’s as CLOSE as possible. Doing it this way will be closer than trying to find a comparable in BM :).
Losing sleep too & feeling pressured by the painter…. !!!
Kylie, you are a true color expert. Never read anything this thorough on mixing white! And I’ve read a lot! It can get super tricky unless you’re a pro.
In that case, if I was to dream about an all Alabaster white bedroom, can I skip the whole white trim/door thing and go a with a super soft grey, green or taupe? I’d love to do that but Alabaster is tricky. Can you recommend?
Author
You definitely can, keeping in mind that Alabaster can look that bit MORE yellow up against gray/greige/taupe trim. I might look at something like…hmmm…BM Coventry Gray, maybe SW Amazing Gray – just a few to get you started :).
Hi! Your article was a godsend! I have “creamy” cabinets which I love. And I was going to paint the walls and trim to match. Would the ceiling be to much? Or a lighter shade of creamy? I also have blue slate tile floors, which I don’t love but I don’t want to change just yet.
Author
Hi Jennifer, awesome! How about getting a sample pot of Creamy made 50% lighter, see how that looks? Maybe even 75%? You’ll also want to know that all Creamy WILL look that much more yellow against the blue slate :).
I’m doing a White Dove kitchen. Can I do Chantilly Lace trim and walls?
Author
Nope, I sure wouldn’t. I would stick with White Dove on the walls too, unless you want your cabinets to look that bit more yellow/creamy than the walls. 🙂
I recently discovered your blog and I have learned so much! Unfortunately I didn’t find you sooner…I’m in the middle of having our house painted before we move in, and I am so discouraged. The walls will be Behr Sandy Clay, and we are struggling to find a trim that won’t look “too white” that will also provide the right amount of contrast. Behr doesn’t have LVR printed on their paint chip cards so I can’t use your “at least 20+ between walls and trim” rule. Would it be better to just paint the trim/doors the same as the walls??! The trim isn’t necessarily anything interesting to look at, just your basic strip. Cabinets are oak and I’m dreaming of eventually painting them a dark or bright olive green, but for time and budget constraints, that’s not happening anytime soon. Floor is travertine with dark grout.
I am remodeling our house and we have decided to do BM white dove paint for walls, ceilings, and trim. As far as our kitchen cabinets go, should we stick with white dove as well? And if so, what finish do you recommend?
What did you end up going with for the cabinets? We have white dove walls as well and I need to make a decision by Friday lol
Kylie your blog is so helpful! We just had white dove cabinets installed in our kitchen (thanks to all your information for helping me pick the color!). The kitchen now opens up into the dining room (not 100% open concept) where we had board and batten style wainscoting installed in the dining room and down the hallway. We currently have chantilly lace ceiling and trim in the dining room/hallway which I LOVE. My question is can we stick with that and have the board and batten wainscoting painted chantilly as well? Walls are currently classic gray so we have to decide if we are keeping that or changing it. Or do we need to have the dining room wainscoting and trim painted white dove? I just worry if we do white dove we are changing the whole feel of the house and where does white dove end then. I have been agonizing over this decision and clearly I have no idea what to do. I appreciate any advice! Thank you!
Author
Hi Jenna! If the rooms that have the Chantilly Lace trim/ceilings also have the board and batten/wainscoting, I 100% SUGGEST sticking with Chantilly on the wainscoting/board and batten too. I wouldn’t mix whites in the same room on trim-style surfaces! Now, this all COULD make White Dove look that much warmer in comparison, but short of painting your trim/ceilings in White Dove, this might just be what it has to be!
Hi Kylie! I’m in the midst of a remodel and I’m working with an open floor plan and the kitchen cabinets are the manufacturers stock white which they’ve indicated is close to Behr’s “frothy surf”. I have asked the painter to color match the cabinets for the trim and the ceilings since the cabinets go to the ceiling. However, for the walls I wanted to do SW “pure white”. Am I following your advice correctly or should I do my trim in SW pure white as well but in a satin finish since walls are matte?
Hi Kylie,
I love your blog and try to read every relevant article I can before making any changes to my house (I’ve spent a few too many dollars picking hideous colors, painting, and then complaining to my husband how horrible it looks!) I decided to start painting my open concept home in Alabaster and love it so far…but now I’ve gotten to the kitchen. I’ve used Behr ultra pure white on the trim/doors and I personally love it, though it may make you vomit. So my question is, can I paint my kitchen cabinets Behr UPW and keep my Alabaster walls …my counters are ubatube-ish (taupe/black) granite from 2005. thank you!
Author
Hi Kay! It’s totally okay to partner UPW with softer whites, this is the BEST way to do it, as long as you’re cool with the walls looking warmer than they might look if you had the trim/walls the same colour. The question is whether UPW is the right white for your countertops/backsplash. My BIG concern here is that it might come off just a bit too harsh/sharp against your countertop (and maybe your backsplash, too). 🙂
Hi Kylie! Your blog sure comes up often when googling paint colors! You go girl! I have LOVED this article and all of the responses. I have BM linen for kitchen cabinets in my kitchen and the same baseboard trim around my house…except the “last horizon” which is our master bath and bedroom. I had intended to do the same and am obsessing over whether this is the right decision! If I switched to white dove in the bathroom/bedroom (which adjoin), is that appropriate since the rooms are separated. from the rest of the house? Also, I’m looking at BM “ cedar key” 982 or ppg “cool concrete” 1023-2 as wall color in the bathroom (or possible accent wall). We already have linen white as a “holding color” on all the walls in both the bedroom and the bath. I suppose the easiest would be to stick with linen white for the cabinets/upcoming trim….but I just want to make sure linen white isn’t too “yellow” for a bathroom?? Thoughts? Thanks so much!!
I am having a huge conflict and have lost so much sleep. We have new doors, kitchen and trims. I picked a cabinet color it is called lace. It’s a white, not bright, no yellow. I tried to color match it, but am not sure if painting doors and trim around the whole house is a good idea to match everything with the kitchen cabinets. I purchased white dove but am scared it will be to cold and muddy looking. it looks dull. I definitely want warmer not cooler white. but not yellow. I also read that white dove can look yellow on doors.
I have tried so many samples and cant decide. please help. they were suppose to paint today but are coming back tomorrow.
thank you in advance
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Oh, it’s so hard sometimes, isn’t it? My BEST answer without seeing your space is to continue with the cabinet colour – there’s no reason NOT to. It sounds like it’s flexible for you and could give you what you want. Sometimes we get so caught up in a project that it takes an outside voice to say, ‘hey, I’d do this’ – and that outside voice HAPPENS to come from a place of knowledge, so…. :). And while colour matches are never perfect, I bet they can get close enough to alleviate some concerns, as it sounds like White Dove has you worried :).
Hi! We are building a new lakehouse and we are planning to use BM Decorator’s White — I think the equivalent is Sherwin Williams Pure White? Would it make sense to paint cabinets, walls, trim and ceiling all the same white? We are planning to do a navy blue island (sherwin williams recommendations would be appreciated!!). I am hoping to avoid any royal blue tone, I prefer a deeper navy. Thank you so much, this article is tremendously helpful!!
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Hi Emily, yes, I would stick with the same white :). However, Decorators White is quite different as it’s a soft white that has a gray with a violet undertone – not sure if this is what you’re wanting? Pure White is USUALLY a more popular and flexible choice :). If you’re looking for something within BM, I would recommend Chantilly Lace, even though it doesn’t cover well (use primer and expect a good 3 coats).
Hi Kylie, this article is amazing!! I am planning to paint my walls Crushed Ice and then my kitchen cabinets white. I am leaning towards Simply White by BM because the room is east fasting and doesn’t get a ton of natural light outside of mid-day and the granite countertops have some warm browns in it. Do you think I should use the Simply white for the white trim as well, or would you go with a whiter white to help make a more visual contrast with the Crushed Ice color?
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Hi Sonya, with the degree of yellow in Simply White, I would lean more into Chantilly Lace 🙂
Hi Kylie,
I was wondering if you remember the name of the wall paint color in the photo you shared right after you wrote this about it:
“In this next photo, because the trim and mantel are a soft white/light cream, the owners were best off choosing a NON-WHITE for their walls; it looks beautiful!”
I have very cream colored trim all over the house and am having a difficult time finding a suitable wall color for my basement walls. This paint color may be it! Thank you so much!
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Hi, I believe that’s the photo with BM Edgecomb Gray 25% darker 🙂
Phew this information is helpful
But ALOT! PLEASE HELP!!!!! We recently had a white speckled quartz ( no idea the name of it) installed and a white subway tile backsplash. I’m bothered already about how different the counter white and backsplash white look.
I Want to do white upper cabinets, but am super worried about having 3 colors of whites : counter, backsplash ( looks much whiter than counter), and then unknown color of white for cabinets. The SW consultant advised me to match cabinet white color samples to the counter top and find the closest match. Another designer friend told me to Color match to the adjoining laundry door white and it’s trim . What to do? Thank you!
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Hi Robin! If it were me, I would absolutely match to the backsplash. Sometimes once you understand the WHY of it, it’s easier to make a decision (whereas some people just have ‘opionion’s :))
Because the cabinets are on the same vertical sightline as the backsplash, this connection is the MOST important. If this is off, everything will be off. Sure, the laundry room door and trim will also be vertical and closeby, but they’re more changeable than the backsplash and the backsplash runs through the whole kitchen :). In the ideal world, your cabinets and trims/doors would be the same white – based on which white is best for the BACKSPLASH :).
Heard! You just made my life much easier, even if I did fall in love with a complicated white (snowbound). I’ll keep my cabinets, and paint the walls and trim the same color, alter the finish….and with sort of low ceilings, same color or go with highly reflective light?
Is it possible my other quandary can be solved with this same approach—to carry my snowbound into the adjoining family room?
Your posts are amazing, thank you!
Hi Kylie, Love all of your articles. We are moving into a new home in a few weeks and are planning to get the main and upper levels painted.
I really want to paint my walls White Dove (in the whole house) but am conflicted on the trim, ceilings, etc. Should I go with White Dove everywhere or opt for something like Simply White for the trim? If I did White Dove everywhere, I assume I’d use eggshell for walls, semi-gloss for trim – what would I use for the ceiling? Also, one of the ceilings has a sunken panel – kind of like a coffered ceiling. Is it fine to paint the whole ceiling white dove? What would you recommend for white kitchen cabinets? White dove or something else?
I assume we’d also need to paint the doors white dove if we’re painting the trim?
Hi Kylie! I found this article EXTREMELY helpful just now. I’m worried about a paint choice now though, in regards to the ceilings. I don’t have the option to repaint my ceilings. They are a fresh coat of BM Muresco Flat White. I’m sampling wall/trim/doors to be either SW Alabaster or BM Simply White or BM Chantilly Lace in 2 different finishes depending on wall or trim. Are my color choices going to read too yellow with white ceilings? I have a ton of North and South light source in our open concept layout. I’m suddenly not trusting my eye.
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Hi Sheri, I’m not familir with this exact paint, but it sounds darn white, so yessss, you do risk any warm white looking that bit more yellow in comparison – but Chantilly Lace would be the safest of the 3!
Hi Kylie. We are smack in the middle of our new home build. While reading your post I think I got the finished down but want to confirm. I’m going with Pure White. So the ceiling needs to be eggshell, walls matte, trim and kitchen cabinets satin, is that correct?
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Hey Lisa! I would look at FLAT for the ceiling. The walls can be matte or eggshell, trims and cabinets are usually satin 😉
My wife and I like SW moderate white but are looking to find another lighter/softer white to match it for our trim and cabinets. We are looking at SW creamy but not sure we need to go lighter than that. We are not a fan of SW pure white or SW alabaster. Would creamy and moderate white be an ok combo for walls and then trim/cabinets? We have a house we are trying to lighten up due to the north/south orientation and darker Saltillo tiles and leather/brown wood furniture.
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Hiya! Moderate White is VERY tricky and fussy with its white partners (as you’ve found), the best way to coordinate is to take it to the paint store and ask them to make it 50% lighter and 75% lighter, see which one of these you like the best :).