I recently asked my Instagram followers on @fuchsiadesign what they wanted to know, and the response was that picking the right white paint color is IMPOSSIBLE. Have you been to the paint store recently and realized there are A LOT of whites? There are blue-whites, pink-whites, yellow-whites, and white-white. It's also the most challenging color to get right because white is the most reflective color meaning that it can take color from it’s surroundings and reflect them onto the walls – so what you pair it with also affects how it looks.
Do you have a red sofa or rug? Chances are, it's going to reflect pink on to your walls and mix with whatever paint color you have. Do you have a wall with a lot of greenery outside it? Hints of green will reflect onto the walls, or if you're windows face south, the warm tones of the sun can flood the space. This is why white can get tricky. Even though it might work in one room, it can look completely different in another.
Here's a few of my tried and true, whites that I use regularly along with what I recommend pairing them with.
Benjamin Moore Simply White OC-117
I love Simply White. It has a slight undertone of gray, but it's not too blue or too pink so it pairs well with a lot of colors. I love to pair it with gray and bold colors. like shown above and below.
Benjamin Moore Athena 858
Athena is a beautiful warm white that has undertones of yellow and gray. It pairs wonderfully with beige, greige, and warm grays and goes beautifully in sophisticated spaces. Seen below, you can see how well it works in a more natural, muted palette.
Benjamin Moore White Dove OC 17
White Dove has undertones of warm griege. While it pairs well with warm palettes, it has a bit more contemporary vibe to it compared to Athena which is a more rich, traditional white. That doesn't mean it doesn't work in a sophisticated space, but as you can see below, it pairs well with warm-grays.
Benjamin Moore PM-3 Decorators White
Decorators White is one of the most popular whites used because it is so close to a 'true white'. It has a very subtle cool undertone meaning it pairs well with grays and blues, but this color is also often used on ceilings because it pairs so nicely with a wide range of wall colors due to the lack of obvious undertones.
Benjamin Moore Cotton Balls OC-122
I recently chose Cotton Balls for all of the trim, walls, and ceiling in my office and here's why. Yes, I love Simply White and Decorators White, BUT - if you're going to paint large surfaces white like walls and ceiling, you should select a white that is not a harsh true white. Simply White and Decorators White work beautifully when they are contrasting the color they are next to, but when a room is white on white on white, you need to select a white with either a cool or warm undertone so it doesn't feel stark. I decided to pair a warmer white with 3000K LED lightbulbs throughout so that it still feels warm and sophisticated, but it doesn't look yellow.
See how the walls have a subtle warm glow?
Despite being white, the walls aren't too stark thanks to the warm undertone.
So, there are you have it! My top 5 favorite white paint colors. Which is your favorite? Are you painting your home soon? Would love to hear more about your upcoming project!
