How to Choose the Best White Paint Color for Any Room in Your Home

Paint is hard. Choosing the right white paint can be especially difficult.

Many of our clients want to brighten up their spaces by painting their walls, cabinets, trim, or doors white. It’s a great way to freshen up a dark room and make spaces look larger, but choosing the right white paint color for your space isn’t as easy as heading to the paint store.

There are hundreds if not thousands of “white” paint colors out there. How are you suppose to choose which one is the right color for your space? I’m going to share with you some “tricks of the trade” when it comes to selecting a white paint color. Plus, I’ll share my list of go-to whites for any space in your home.

First things first.

Choose the Right Undertones

This is why choosing white paint can be really tricky. There are a ton of variations in white shades and a lot of things to consider. The first thing to consider is the undertone.

All paints have undertones. White paints with warm undertones will have some combination of red, orange, pink, yellow or brown undertones. White paints with cool undertones will have a combination of green, blue, purple, or even gray. Recognizing them can be tricky.

How to Test Paint Color Undertones

So how do you determine what undertones are in your white paint swatch? The best thing to do is to hold up your swatch next to something that is pure white - like a sheet of paper. The complex undertones will start to reveal themselves.

Tip: Never pick out your paint at the paint store! The lighting is notoriously terrible, plus paint samples can look drastically different in different light.

Take your paint swatches home and consider the other colors that are in the room or rooms you are wanting to paint white. Ask yourself if the furniture, decor and lighting in your space pulls more warm or cool colors. If they are warm you'll want to lean to whites with warm undertones (pink or yellow) and if they are cool choose whites with cool undertones (blue or green)

What if I have a Neutral Space?

You may be wondering, "But what if my furnishings are neutral?" In that case I recommend a warm white.

Current design trends are pulling towards warmer wood tones and beige than gray, so if your decor is neutral and not too cold, choose a warmer white. If there is a lot of color in your space - a cooler white will work best.

Always Test Samples

Try out a variety of paint samples in your space and watch how the lighting, whether artificial or natural, has an impact on the perception of white in your space throughout the day. We really like the company Samplize for their reusable peel n stick paint samples made with real paint from some of your favorite brands. That means you don’t have to store dozens of tester cans of paint!

Once you've made your way through these steps selecting the right white paint color for your space will become so much easier!

How to Choose the Right Paint Finish

1. FLAT - A flat paint sheen doesn’t have any shine or gloss to it whatsoever. It is best used for ceilings because you don’t often want them to have shine. Do not use it for anything but a ceiling! It is very unforgiving when it comes to dirt and fingerprints - you can thank me later.

1. EGGSHELL - An eggshell sheen falls between flat and glossy and will have a subtle shine to it. This sheen is best used for most walls because it is not overly glossy, but will still reflect light nicely. Most importantly, eggshell is pretty easily cleanable with a damp cloth.

2. SATIN or SEMI-GLOSS - A satin or semi-gloss sheen is going to be much more glossy than eggshell. It will be similar to the natural finish in an oil base paint. It is best used for trim, moldings, cabinets, and built-ins. Especially if you are painting those to match the wall color because the shine in the satin sheen will set them apart. It is also very easily cleanable.

The Best White Paint Colors

All this being said, I do have a few go-to whites that are usually a safe starting point for any space! You’ll notice most of these are Benjamin Moore, but you can always go to Sherwin Williams and have them match it - and vice versa.

Neutral White Paint Colors

1. Benjamin Moore Super White

2. Benjamin Moore Oxford White

3. Benjamin Moore Decorators White - great for trim, molding, and baseboards

4. Sherwin Williams Pure White

Warm White Paint Colors

Pink, red, yellow, orange, and brown undertones

1. Benjamin Moore White Dove - ideal for kitchen cabinets

2. Benjamin Moore Simply White

3. Benjamin Moore White Heron

4. Sherwin Williams Alabaster - good for cabinets, ideal “modern farmhouse white”

5. Sherwin Williams Snowbound

Cool White Paint Colors

Blue, green, purple, gray undertones

1. Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace

2. Benjamin Moore White Wisp

3. Benjamin Moore Mirage White

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