My Favorite White Paint Colors

I LOVE white paint. In fact, many of our rooms are painted white. I thought I’d devote a whole blog post to my favorite white paint colors and answer all your white paint questions!

I know. Many people think white is boring and basic BUT the truth is white is exactly the opposite of boring – it can be complex, reflective, elegant, neutral, expansive… In fact, I can’t think of a BETTER color to paint your walls because it truly gives you a gorgeous canvas in which to change your decor to your heart’s delight! Here are my favorite white paint colors!

Renoir said once that nothing was so difficult, and at the same time so exciting, to paint, as white on white.”

Ambroise Vollard, French Contemporary artist, 1866-1939

I love white on white on white with a bit of blue mixed in and and some vintage / antique finds here and there. If you’ve read my blog for some time I expect you already know this to be the case.

Lately, I’ve been painting lots of things white – John’s room, John’s bureau and desk and soon our bedside table. In fact, it’s the current time we’re living through that has me craving white.

Why I LOVE White Paint

• Undoubtably white paint gives any room a fresh canvas – a clean slate.
• It can make a small dark room feel bright and airy.
• It makes any surface feel clean and new.
• It always reminds me of coastal living – white sails on boats, white sand on beaches, white linens, white shiplap, white picket fences and trellises with pale pink roses climbing up.
• White brings a fresh feeling like no other.
• White pairs with any color well – from a design perspective it’s easy to swap out pillows, rugs, window treatments, and art when the walls are white.

Okay, let’s chat about my favorite white paint colors with some real life examples.

My Favorite White Paint Colors

AF-20 Mascarpone

This use-anywhere shade of off-white taps a soft yellow undertone to achieve the versatility and creamy richness of its namesake cheese.”

– Benjamin Moore

I loved this color so much I’ve actually used it in two of our rooms! Our living and dining room. It has beautiful but clean yellow undertones which makes for a warm white that is so welcoming.

Here you can see it in our living room with our new Moroccan poufs. Total comfort!

A glimpse of that same white in our dining room:

OC-12 Muslin

This color is part of the Off-White Color collection. Inherently sophisticated and endlessly versatile, the Off-White collection offers subtle nuances of whites that suit tranquil, serene environments…”

Benjamin Moore

This color is named after the fabric dress makers use to make patterns. We have this color in our entry hall and our upstairs hallway. The walls were originally a forest green when we moved in and I love the neutral warm shade upon entering our home.

OC-17 White Dove

Unerring style defines this classic, softly shaded white. Light and luminous, it is a favorite choice for moldings and trim.”

Benjamin Moore

One of my most favorite whites! It’s warm and soft and I always recommend this color to clients. It’s classic. We actually used this on our kitchen cabinets. It’s a nice trim color but equally nice on walls.

Here you can see it in our kitchen cabinets, the walls are gray owl:

OC-65 Chantilly Lace

As delicate and refined as the lace it was named after, this crisp, clean white evokes images of pure silk, soft linen and simpler times.”

Benjamin Moore

I used this color in my basement studio. The walls were originally dark paneled wood and painting the walls white really brightened up the room.

OC-17 Simply White

Fresh as the first snowfall, this clean, crisp, multi-purpose white is a perennial favorite for trim, ceilings, and walls.”

Benjamin Moore

Simply White is my FAVORITE white. I’ve used it in 4 of our rooms and countless client spaces. This white works EVERYWHERE. In fact, I learned Serena & Lily always uses this color as their “go to” white.

Here you can see it in our new bedroom. I shared the lighting an the window treatments a few weeks ago:

In our sunroom:

We painted the floors white a few years ago and love how bright it looks in here 🙂

The playroom:

See more about the playroom here, here and here.

AND we just painted John’s new bedroom this color with the exception of the wallpapered wall. We’re painting here:

The walls were previously Glass Slipper which is a very pale blue but painting it Simply White made this room so much brighter.

Fingers crossed a reveal of this space will be coming soon, but you can see his DIY Parsons Desk I just shared over the weekend:

Super White PM-1

Also known as Super White OC-152. A brilliant, almost sparkling white, this clean shade suggests clarity and simplicity.”

Benjamin Moore

I LOVE this color for trim and built-ins. It’s such a nice bright white. We used it for the trim in our sunroom and also all the trim and bookshelves in the boys playroom.

Playroom:

It’s a nice crisp white.

Shiplap Magnolia Home

Weathered undertones. Aged. Comfortable. Organized. To me, Shiplap always tells a story. This color is the perfect page for those kinds of traditional, colorful, classic stories to play out on.”

Magnolia Home

We chose this color for our old bedroom which is now our guest room / shared office. We love this color and are so happy we went with it. It looks great in all kinds of light.

Here you can see it when it was our old bedroom:

Learn how to make this faux board and batten wall here.

75 Polar Bear

A nuanced, warm white, like dawn of an Arctic summer. A hint of pink like the wet lick of a Polar Bear cub brings a subtle, playful warmth to this otherwise cool, classic white.”

Behr

We opted on this color when we turned an unfinished shed into a she shed. I wanted a warm white for shiplap panneling. This white was perfect.

She Shed on a summer morning:

That she shed is now a pool house and we still love the Polar Bear paint as much as when we painted it originally:

OC-69 White Opulence

This color is part of the Off-White Color collection. Inherently sophisticated and endlessly versatile, the Off-White collection offers subtle nuances of whites that suit tranquil, serene environments as well as creates color-enhancing accents for dynamic spaces. A compilation of 152 white and off-white colors.”

Benjamin Moore

I actually haven’t used this color but I’m dying to! It has a subtle pale pink undertone that I think would be gorgeous in a bedroom or living room. You can read more about this color here.

Tips for choosing the right paint for your home

There is a world of white and off white paints out there. I have a few recommendations for finding the perfect one for your home!

My tips:

• Don’t just rely on magazine photos or internet photos to choose, the color looks different in person.
• You need to see the color chips in your home. Either get color chips from your paint store or get wall clings of the color.
• Hang the paint chips and look at it in all lights and times of day – morning, daylight, and night.
• Make sure you like the wall color at all times of day. This is really important because color can change at different times of day. Perhaps there’s a yellow undertone and you don’t like yellow. That happened to me with Linen White in our first house…
• Choose the right finish for your space. More about this below.

What Paint Finish Should I Use?

Usually the glossier the paint the more durable it is but no one wants high gloss walls in every room.

Matte or Flat – I like using this on our walls because many of our walls have texture and even eggshell can highlight that texture. Matte or flat usually requires an extra coat of paint and isn’t has durable as eggshell but Magic Eraser has become my friends 😉

Eggshell – Most people opt for this one walls generally.

Pearl – Nice in bathrooms. Offers mildew resistance. Gloss that is highly durable. Good for trim and wainscoating.

Semi Gloss – Good on cabinets and trim.

High Gloss – Great on front doors and some ceilings when you want to make a statement.

What about knots on Shiplap?

Pine shiplap has knots. Those knots want to bleed through so it’s essential to spot prime EVERY SINGLE KNOT. Sorry. I know it’s a bummer. It takes time but so well worth it. I primed every one with Zinnser Bin Spot Primer and then did two coats of oil based primer on top then painted the walls in Polar Bear in the She Shed / Pool House.

What Color Should the Ceiling Be Painted?

I get asked this question a lot. We often use Simply White in Waterborne Ceiling Paint by Benjamin Moore in the Ultra Flat Finish. When choosing a white ceiling paint pick one with the same family of undertones as your wall color. Popular whites for ceilings include White Dove OC-17, Cloud White OC-130 and Decorator’s White OC-149.

Color can also be fun on a ceiling. If you paint a high ceiling black (like in a warehouse or restaurant) it can make the space feel cozier.

I’m partial to blue ceilings on porches and sunrooms. We opted for Ocean Air in our sunroom and love it! Down South ceilings were painted Haint Blue – it was thought to ward off evil spirits.

How our blue ceilings came out:

Well, I hope this post was helpful. I’ve also shared the my favorite coastal colors and my favorite colors with dark wood trim that might be helpful.

I know you’ll find just the right white for your home! Please share your spaces with me! I can’t wait to see how they come out. If you have more questions please reach out. Also, if you need design help I offer eDesign and in home design services.