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The 10 Best White Paint Colors, Sorted by Undertone
There are hundreds of white paints, and they look identical on a chip and completely different on your wall. The difference is undertone. Here are the ten whites designers come back to, and how to pick the right one for your light.
The short answer
For a warm, cozy white: Sherwin-Williams Alabaster (SW 7008) or Benjamin Moore White Dove (OC-17). For a clean, true white: Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace (OC-65) or Sherwin-Williams Pure White (SW 7005). For a crisp, cool white: Sherwin-Williams Extra White (SW 7006).
North-facing rooms usually need a warmer white; bright south-facing rooms can handle a cooler one. Always test a large sample on two walls and look at it morning and night.
Why white paint looks different at home
Every white has a hint of another color in it — yellow, red, green, blue or gray. That's the undertone. In the store it's invisible. On four walls with your own light bouncing around, it shows up. That's why the "perfect white" from a friend's house can look yellow, pink or dingy gray in yours.
The other number to know is LRV (light reflectance value), printed on the back of most paint chips. It runs from 0 (black) to 100 (pure white). Most popular wall whites sit in the low-to-high 80s. The higher the number, the brighter and whiter it reads.
- Warm whites (yellow or red undertone) feel soft and cozy. Great for living rooms, bedrooms and north light.
- Neutral whites have very little undertone. They work almost anywhere.
- Cool whites (blue or gray undertone) feel crisp and modern. Great with bright light, white marble and black accents.
The 10 best white paint colors
| Color | Undertone | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Sherwin-Williams Alabaster (SW 7008) | Warm, soft cream | Whole-house walls, cozy living rooms, farmhouse |
| Benjamin Moore White Dove (OC-17) | Warm, slightly greige | Walls, trim and cabinets — the most versatile white |
| Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace (OC-65) | Clean, near-neutral | Trim, ceilings, modern kitchens, gallery walls |
| Sherwin-Williams Pure White (SW 7005) | Neutral, a touch warm | Cabinets, trim and walls when you want 'just white' |
| Benjamin Moore Simply White (OC-117) | Bright, slightly warm | Bright rooms, kitchens, exteriors |
| Sherwin-Williams Extra White (SW 7006) | Cool, crisp | Modern spaces, trim against gray, sunny rooms |
| Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee (OC-45) | Warm, creamy | Living rooms and bedrooms, traditional homes |
| Sherwin-Williams Greek Villa (SW 7551) | Warm, soft | Walls in dim rooms, Mediterranean and coastal looks |
| Benjamin Moore Decorator's White (OC-149) | Cool, slightly gray | Trim and cabinets with cool grays or marble |
| Sherwin-Williams Snowbound (SW 7004) | Soft, cool-neutral | Trim, doors and cabinets in modern homes |
If you only test two: White Dove and Chantilly Lace. Between them they cover most homes — one soft and warm, one clean and bright.
Which white to use where
Walls
Choose a warm or neutral white with a little depth — Alabaster, White Dove or Swiss Coffee. Stark whites on every wall can feel cold and clinical, especially at night.
Trim and doors
Use the same white as the walls in a semi-gloss for a calm, modern look. Or go one step cleaner (Chantilly Lace, Pure White) for crisp contrast. Just make sure the trim white is never dingier than the walls — that makes walls look dirty.
Ceilings
A flat finish in the wall color, or a clean white like Chantilly Lace. Ceilings get the least direct light, so they always look a bit darker than the chip.
Kitchen cabinets
White Dove, Pure White and Simply White are the classics. Hold the sample next to your countertop — a warm white next to cool white quartz can look yellow. More in our kitchen cabinet color guide.
Exterior
Outdoor sun washes color out, so whites look brighter outside. A slightly warmer or deeper white (Alabaster, Swiss Coffee) keeps a house from looking glaring in full sun.
Match the white to your light
| Room faces | Light quality | Choose |
|---|---|---|
| North | Cool, bluish, even | Warm whites — Alabaster, Swiss Coffee, White Dove |
| South | Warm, bright, strong | Almost any white; cool whites stay fresh |
| East | Warm morning, cool afternoon | Neutral whites — Pure White, Chantilly Lace |
| West | Cool morning, very warm evening | Neutral or slightly cool — avoid very yellow whites |
Your light bulbs matter too. Warm bulbs (2700K) make every white look creamier. Daylight bulbs (5000K) make warm whites look flat and cool whites look blue. See how to light a room.
See a white on your own walls
Upload a photo of your room and preview a fresh paint color in seconds. Your furniture, floors and windows stay put — only the walls change. Free, no signup.
✨ Try a New Wall Color — FreeHow to test white paint (the right way)
- Get big samples. Peel-and-stick sample sheets or a painted poster board, at least 12 x 12 inches. Tiny chips lie.
- Put them on a white background. Hold every sample against a plain sheet of printer paper. It reveals the undertone instantly.
- Test on two walls. One that gets direct light and one that's in shadow.
- Look three times a day. Morning, mid-afternoon, and at night with your lamps on.
- Preview the whole room. Upload a photo to DecorIn or our wall color changer to see the color on every wall at once, next to your actual floors and furniture. Then buy the sample for the final check.
Still unsure? Our guide to visualizing paint colors covers testing any color, not just whites.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most popular white paint color?
Sherwin-Williams Alabaster (SW 7008) and Benjamin Moore White Dove (OC-17) are two of the most popular warm whites in the US, and Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace (OC-65) is a favorite clean white for trim and modern rooms.
What white paint does not look yellow?
Choose a neutral or cool white such as Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace, Sherwin-Williams Pure White or Sherwin-Williams Extra White. Also avoid very warm 2700K bulbs if you want the white to look crisp.
What is the best white for a north-facing room?
A warm white such as Sherwin-Williams Alabaster, Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee or White Dove. North light is cool and bluish, and warm whites balance it so the room doesn't look gray.
Should trim and walls be the same white?
They can be. Using the same white in a different sheen (flat walls, semi-gloss trim) looks calm and modern. If you use two whites, make the trim the cleaner, brighter one.
What is the best white for kitchen cabinets?
Benjamin Moore White Dove, Sherwin-Williams Pure White and Benjamin Moore Simply White are all popular. Test the sample next to your countertop and backsplash, since they change how the white looks.