Selecting a paint color (in general) is overwhelming. Selecting a white paint color can be even more intimidating because there are literally hundreds of options to choose from.
Honestly, white can be one of the hardest ‘colors’ to choose so I’ve narrowed down the vast amount of choices to 10 white paint colors that designers love and use on repeat (because the colors are THAT good)!
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HOW DO I CHOOSE A WHITE PAINT COLOR?
How do you choose a white paint color?
Before we talk about the best interior white paint colors, let’s discuss how to even begin choosing the best white paint color for your home.
Hopefully, you already have some idea of whether or not you want a stark, bright white (i.e. white-white) or a softer white (i.e. slight off-white).
If you haven’t yet narrowed it down to stark white vs. soft white, here’s a general rule of thumb:
If your home decor style is traditional, stick with softer, warmer whites. If you gravitate toward a clean/modern/farmhouse aesthetic, use crisper whites.
However, always remember that you can break ANY decorating ‘rules’ and do whatever you want because it’s YOUR home!
I technically ‘broke’ the ‘rules’ by choosing a warmer white in my modern coastal-style home.
I chose Benjamin Moore ‘White Dove’ which is a soft, very slight off-white color for my interior trim, ceilings, cabinets, interior doors, and my girls’ bedroom walls. This color isn’t for everyone because it can have a bit of a yellow hue in certain lighting, but I absolutely LOVE it!
WHITE PAINT QUICK TIPS
Let’s go over some quick tips for choosing white paint.
TIP 1: STICK TO ONE WHITE PAINT COLOR FOR YOUR HOME
I, personally, prefer to keep all the white paint consistent in my house (i.e. trim, ceiling, doors, cabinets, walls, etc.).
Not everyone agrees with this philosophy, but I’m not a fan of homes where multiple white paint colors are intermixed because one ‘white’ color usually looks too yellow or too stark (and it just doesn’t work).
I think sticking to one white color in your home gives your home a cleaner look and you don’t have to worry about any of your whites clashing.
TIP 2: BE SURE TO SAMPLE PAINT COLORS IN YOUR HOME
White paint colors (or any paint color for that matter) can look VERY different in your home than they do in an edited photo in a magazine or on a screen.
It’s extremely important for you to see a sample of the color in ‘real life’ before you spend money ordering several gallons of paint for your home.
I recommend that you order peel-and-stick paint samples for all of your top white paint color choices.
I personally love Samplize samples and highly recommend them. I have tested these samples for both Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore and the colors are SPOT ON!
TIP 3: CREATE LARGE PAINT SAMPLES
Once you narrow down your white paint colors via the peel-and-stick paint samples, create a large sample of your top two (or three) color choices on your wall, or you can use this trick to create a large paint sample.
Once you have your larger samples, look at the white paint colors in various lighting (morning, afternoon, night, and artificial) and in different rooms to determine which white you like the best.
Psst … this is another reason I recommend peel-and-stick paint samples because they can be reused in different rooms to see how the color looks in the various lighting. I also recommend ordering 2-4 samples of the same color so that you can create a ‘large’ square of the color on your wall.
POPULAR WHITE PAINT FOR WALLS
All right, now for the fun part that we’ve all been waiting for … the 10 white paint colors that designers love and use on repeat! We’ll start with a list and overview of the 10 colors and then I’ll divide them into categories of cool vs warm whites.
BENJAMIN MOORE ‘WHITE DOVE’ OC-17
We’ll start with my personal favorite white paint color that I have throughout my home.
Benjamin Moore ‘White Dove’ is a soft warm white with a hint of yellow in artificial lighting. This is a VERY popular white and I have it on all of my trim work, ceilings, interior doors, and kitchen cabinets (as well as my girls’ bathroom cabinets, my office cabinets, our laundry room cabinets, and my girls’ bedroom walls).
The hue does change slightly with the lighting. Overall, White Dove looks like a true white, but it takes on a creamier, slightly yellow hue when artificial lights shine on it.
During the day when sunlight is coming into my home and the lights are turned off, my cabinets look white. However, at night when lights are shining on the cabinets, the color looks slightly off-white.
I’m not an ‘off-white person’ AT ALL, but I do love ‘White Dove’ and I don’t consider it to be a true off-white; it’s more of a white with a soft yellow hue at times.
Order a peel-and-stick sample of White Dove.
BENJAMIN MOORE ‘SIMPLY WHITE’ OC-117
Benjamin Moore ‘Simply White’ is another extremely popular white that I probably would have chosen if I had built my home a couple of years later when this color exploded in popularity when it was the Color of the Year in 2016.
‘Simply White’ is a warm white but it isn’t too creamy at all. It definitely is closer to the cool white side than the off-white side.
This color is definitely a fan favorite and is still as popular in 2022 as it was when it was the Color of the Year six years ago.
Order a peel-and-stick sample of Simply White.
SHERWIN WILLIAMS ‘CREAMY’ SW 7012
Sherwin Williams ‘Creamy’ is another soft and subtle warm white that looks beautiful on walls, trim, ceilings, doors, and cabinets.
Order a peel-and-stick sample of Creamy.
BENJAMIN MOORE ‘CLOUD WHITE’ OC-130
Benjamin Moore ‘Cloud White’ is a soft white that has a hint of grey in it. It also has a mix of yellow and grey undertones, so it doesn’t lean fully to either the warm or cool side. It’s just a very neutral white that isn’t too stark.
Order a peel-and-stick sample of Cloud White.
SHERWIN WILLIAMS ‘ALABASTER’ SW 7008
Sherwin Williams ‘Alabaster’ is another soft, almost off-white with beige undertones. It’s a creamy color, but it’s not too creamy.
Order a peel-and-stick sample of Alabaster.
BENJAMIN MOORE ‘SWISS COFFEE’ OC-45
Benjamin Moore ‘Swiss Coffee’ is another warm white that definitely has a hint of a yellow undertone. I would certainly consider this color a true off-white.
Order a peel-and-stick sample of Swiss Coffee.
BENJAMIN MOORE ‘DECORATORS WHITE’ OC-149
‘Decorators White’ is a true cool white with grey undertones.
Order a peel-and-stick sample of Decorators White.
BENJAMIN MOORE ‘NAVAJO WHITE’ OC-95
Benjamin Moore ‘Navajo White’ is a creamy off-white with a strong hint of a yellow undertone. Honestly, I think it looks more ‘yellow’ than ‘white’. This is one I’d love to hear your opinion on in the comments :).
Order a peel-and-stick sample of Navajo White.
BENJAMIN MOORE ‘CHANTILLY LACE’ OC-65
Benjamin Moore ‘Chantilly Lace’ is a very cool, crisp, and clean pure white. It has a hint of blue/grey undertone which makes it a very cool white. This color definitely has a clear white vibe. If you want white-white, this is the way to go!
Order a peel-and-stick sample of Chantilly Lace.
SHERWIN WILLIAMS ‘EXTRA WHITE’ SW 7006
Sherwin Williams ‘Extra White’ is crisp and clean, but not too stark. There is no yellow undertone so it pairs great with blues and grays.
Order a peel-and-stick sample of Extra White.
BEST WARM WHITE PAINT COLORS
Now let’s categorize these colors into warm and cool white paint colors.
What are warm white paint colors?
Warm white paint colors are softer and creamier than cool whites and they range in the spectrum of ‘off-whites’, from slightly off-white to almost yellow.
When you think about warm whites, think ‘off-white’.
Warm whites have an undertone of red and yellow and these colors work well in rooms that get very little sun because they have a soft and welcoming glow.
DESIGNERS’ FAVORITE WARM WHITE PAINT COLORS
Click on the links to order a peel-and-stick sample or shop samples below.
BEST COOL WHITE PAINT COLORS
What are cool white paint colors?
Cool whites are much crisper and brighter than warm whites. Cool whites are your true whites and can sometimes look very stark and cold.
However, cool whites look great in rooms that get a lot of natural sunlight because the cool white tends to neutralize the bright natural light. Cool whites also look great in minimalist and ultra-modern homes.
DESIGNERS’ FAVORITE COOL WHITE PAINT COLORS
Click on the links to order a peel-and-stick sample or shop samples below.
Benjamin Moore ‘DECORATOR’S WHITE’
Benjamin Moore ‘CHANTILLY LACE’
Sherwin Williams ‘EXTRA WHITE’
NEXT STEPS: CHOOSE YOUR WHITE PAINT COLOR
Now you have a list of 10 white paint colors that designers love and use on repeat!
Do remember that colors can look very different in real life vs. on a screen, so go ahead and order peel-and-stick samples of your favorite white colors so you can see exactly how the color looks in YOUR home.
If you’re building your home or haven’t even broken ground yet, that’s ok … just look at the samples in your current home. Do NOT order gallons and gallons of paint until you can see the paint samples in your brand-new home as it goes up.
Again, I love and recommend Samplize paint samples because the color is SPOT ON!
Let me know what white color you decide is a perfect fit for YOUR home!
