Curious about the white paint shades loved by nearly everyone? We reviewed more than 100 white paint colors mentioned across over a dozen “best white” roundups to determine the favorites. I even put together a spreadsheet! These 12 white paint shades appeared again and again. They’re relied upon by everyone from interior designers and architects to contractors and bloggers. So let’s explore why professionals suggest them and how to select the ideal white paint shade for your home.
Why Designers Prefer White Paint
White remains a timeless option for trim, ceilings, and even cabinetry. But when it covers your walls? That’s where firm opinions appear! Some people dismiss white walls as plain or uninteresting. Yet they can be a thoughtful, enduring choice that feels both classic and current. We’re big fans ourselves. Here’s why:
- White walls are complementary: They draw attention to other focal points in a room, including artwork, furnishings, accessories, feature walls, or even the outdoor scenery.
- White walls are illuminating: Perhaps their clearest advantage is that pale colors – particularly white – can make rooms feel brighter, more open, and more spacious.
- White walls are adaptable: They pair well with nearly every decorating aesthetic: traditional, cottage, farmhouse, contemporary, and beyond.
- White walls are accommodating: For anyone who frequently refreshes a room, white walls simplify adding fresh colors, prints, and textures without repainting the entire area.
- White walls are changeable: When the light in a room shifts, white paint can alter in appearance more noticeably than deeper or more intense colors. That can make it tricky to select, but fascinating to experience day to day.
Which White Paint Colors Are Best?
These are the 12 white paints that appeared most frequently in the recommendations.cited across the lists we compiled. We reviewed collections from home design magazines, DIY platforms, and individual professionals and influencers such as Martha Stewart and Shea McGee. We’ll examine each one more closely later in the article, but if you’re here just for the list, you’ll find it below!
Note: The color samples in this article come directly from each paint brand’s website. They are imperfect digital representations of each shade, but we consider them the most reliable apples-to-apples method for discussing paint online. We recommend examining physical samples of any color before you begin painting.
These 12 top white shades are arranged by frequency, beginning with those that appeared on the greatest number of lists. Indeed, the first three were included on almost every list.
- Benjamin Moore White Dove (OC-17)
- Benjamin Moore Simply White (OC-117)
- Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace (OC-65)
- Benjamin Moore Decorator’s White (OC-149)
- Benjamin Moore Super White (OC-152)
- Sherwin-Williams Pure White (SW 7005)
- Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee (OC-45)
- Farrow & Ball All White (No. 2005)
- Sherwin-Williams Extra White (SW 7006)
- Sherwin-Williams Alabaster (SW 7008)
- Farrow & Ball Pointing (No. 2003)
- Sherwin-Williams Snowbound (SW 7004)
Being familiar with the top 12 provides an excellent starting place, but choosing the ideal option for your space requires a little more knowledge about how white paint behaves.
Selecting the Ideal White Paint
To identify the ideal white for your home, begin by recognizing the subtle differences between shades, particularly their brightness and undertones. These concepts matter when selecting any paint color, yet they become especially significant when evaluating white shades.
What Does LRV Mean?
LRV means Light Reflectance Value. It is a consistent system used to assess how bright a paint color is. LRV indicates the portion of light reflected by a shade, ranging from 0 (complete black) to 100 (true white). A greater LRV number indicates a brighter paint color. Below is a selection of well-known paint shades along with their LRVs.
White paint colors generally land within the 80-95 LRV range. Once the number rises above that, the white can feel excessively glaring. As the number drops, the color begins to appear grayer, more beige, or “greige.” We’ve placed the 12 top white paints on the chart below, making it easy to see each one’s position on the LRV scale.
Key Takeaway: A large number of highly regarded white paints are not quite as white as their names imply (Ultra! Super! Extra!). Some might even be classified as extremely light greiges. That might catch you off guard. However, it shows that selecting a brighter white is not automatically the best choice for a home. Truly! Many people end up wishing they had avoided an overly bright shade, since it may cause soft white furniture and drapes to appear yellow in contrast – so keep that possibility in mind.
Using LRV to Pick a White Paint
Judging the brightness of different white paint colors by eye alone can be challenging. This is particularly true because paint decks and displays in stores usually don’t organize white shades by brightness, even though they do so with other colors. For that reason, LRV provides a practical method for comparing whites. When a white appears too deep in your room, select a shade with a higher LRV. If it seems excessively bright, choose one with a lower LRV.
LRV values are useful when combining two shades of white in the same space as well. In the room shown above, for example, we hoped to create a gentle distinction between the walls and trim. Both selected colors include “white” in their names – SW Spare White for the walls and SW Extra White for the trim. A little confusing, isn’t it? Spare White, however, has an LRV of 77, which is nearly 10 points below Extra White’s 86. That information assured us the pairing would create the understated contrast we wanted—and it did.
What Are Undertones?
Undertones are faint underlying shades found within a particular color. They’re usually categorized as either “warm” or “cool,” as illustrated below. Any color can have undertones, though they’re especially worth considering with whites and grays. Warm whites may take on a creamy or beige appearance, while cool whites can lean gray or blue.
Recognizing undertones can be challenging. It’s also highly subjective because the way you perceive them is influenced by surrounding conditions, including the lighting and nearby colors in a room.
One effective way to identify a white paint’s undertone is to compare it with other shades. On their own, many white paint samples seem entirely “neutral.” However, when viewed together, you can notice which ones appear more yellow, green, red, and so on. We’ve made our best effort to arrange the 12 white paints on this list along a warm-to-cool undertone spectrum below.
Key Takeaway: Most professionals tend to prefer warmer whites featuring subtle yellow, red, or tan undertones. This may be because cool whites can look harsh, clinical, or gray on your walls. It isn’t an absolute rule, but we thought it was notable that so many of these top white paints had warmer undertones.
Choosing White Paint with Undertones in Mind
Selecting a warm, cool, or neutral white often comes down to individual taste. You might enjoy the inviting feel of a creamy warm white, or you may favor a clean, cool white with a more energetic appearance. Still, it’s important to account for elements in your room, such as existing colors and lighting, since they may also lean warm or cool. Below, you can observe how the look of one particular white paint shifts over the course of a day:
In general, your white paint should work harmoniously with existing undertones, although it can also help offset them. Proceed cautiously, since undertones may easily conflict. For that reason, testing paint samples in the room beforehand is always essential. It’s also worth mentioning that our preferred white paint color, shown above in our family room, has a relatively cool undertone on the paint-color spectrum I created, yet it looks considerably warmer at certain times of day. Just picture how much warmer one of the whites with stronger warm undertones would appear in that room during that same period!
Suggestions for Trying White Paint Colors
Before covering an entire room—or even a whole house—with a new color, it’s wise to try it first. Even the most trusted expert advice cannot promise that a particular white paint will suit YOUR space, given YOUR lighting and YOUR preferences. Here’s the process we suggest for testing any paint:
Pick up PLENTY of swatches from the paint store. Collect more samples than only the 12 shades included here. Take home options that are darker, paler, grayer, more yellow, and so forth than you believe you want. Having a broader range of tones to compare will make it easier to select your favorite.
Purchase peel-and-stick samples. After reducing your choices, visit a website such as Samplize to buy large, pre-painted sample stickers. The price is similar to having sample-size paint mixed, while the removable stickers help you avoid the mess. We’ve provided links to every color on this list below. You can also find most of these shades, along with a few additional ones, in the Warm White or Cool White bundles.
- BM White Dove sample sticker
- BM Simply White sample sticker
- BM Chantilly Lace sample sticker
- BM Decorator’s White sample sticker
- BM Super White sample sticker
- SW Pure White sample sticker
- BM Swiss Coffee sample sticker
- FB All White sample sticker
- SW Extra White sample sticker
- SW Alabaster sample sticker
- FB Pointing sample sticker
- SW Snowbound sample sticker
Examine samples on different walls and under varied lighting conditions.scenarios. Give your samples plenty of time. View them in the morning, afternoon, evening, and under artificial lighting to assess their brightness and undertones. It’s also helpful to test them on multiple walls throughout the room. You can attach them to cabinets, trim, or any other surfaces you’re considering painting.
If you still can’t settle on a final shade, apply a large sample straight onto the wall. However, we suspect you probably won’t have to take that extra step.
The 12 Best White Paint Colors
Now that you know what to look for when assessing white paint, let’s examine the shades that professionals repeatedly recommend. They appear according to how often they were mentioned, starting with the color cited most frequently when this post was written:
Benjamin Moore White Dove (OC-17)
BM White Dove earns the top spot on this list for a reason. This widely appealing interior white can be used on nearly any surface, including walls, trim, ceilings, cabinets, and more. Its gentle warmth prevents White Dove from appearing overly harsh or brilliant, while still giving walls a fresh, crisp white appearance. It closely resembles Sherwin-Williams Pure White (which appears here as well and remains one of our personal favorites—in fact, it’s the shade we chose for the entire house).
Benjamin Moore Simply White (OC-117)
BM Simply White has been a highly successful bright white choice for the trim throughout our home. We’ve additionally applied it to walls and built-ins to illuminate and warm up shadowy spaces, including the living room in our former house shown below. Simply White remained our preferred white paint shade for many years.
Its noticeable yellow undertone appeals to certain people but may be a drawback for others. We explore that distinction further in our honest review of Simply White. In the end, that quality led us to favor Pure White instead, the color used throughout our current home.
Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace (OC-65)
BM Chantilly Lace resembles Simply White, but lacks its warmer undertones. Benjamin Moore also describes Chantilly Lace as a very clean white, making it a popular choice for those seeking a crisp, neutral appearance.one of its “brightest whites.” Super White also appears on this list. It’s a particularly strong option for trim, ceilings, or moldings, since it creates a pleasing contrast with many deeper whites, grays, and greiges.
Benjamin Moore Decorator’s White (OC-149)
BM Decorator’s White offers a cool-toned alternative to this list’s leading choice, BM White Dove. Both colors sit within the appealing 82-84 LRV range, providing brightness without looking overly stark on walls. Choose this shade when your current furnishings have cool undertones or the space receives abundant natural light.
Benjamin Moore Super White (OC-152)
BM Super White is slightly deeper than Benjamin Moore’s other “brightest white,” Chantilly Lace, while sharing its nearly undetectable undertones. If you want an understated contrast, the pair could be an excellent wall-and-trim combination. Super White is also an excellent standalone trim shade, and it suits moldings or built-ins where you want a timeless white appearance.
Sherwin-Williams Pure White (SW 7005)
SW Pure White is the first Sherwin-Williams color featured here, and we view it as a close alternative to the top selection, BM White Dove, particularly if you prefer a cooler undertone. We’ve chosen Pure White throughout our home (walls! trim! ceilings! doors!), and we’re very happy with it.
For additional photos of our home, visit our SW Pure White deep dive post. We think it’s an exceptionally adaptable white that performs beautifully under many types of lighting (our rooms point North, South, East, and West – and it looks great in all of them).
Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee (OC-45)
BM Swiss Coffee is the first distinctly warm off-white shade featured on this list. Although it is a lovely color, it generally won’t appear as a crisp white. With the lowest LRV among these options, it can still add plenty of light to a room while maintaining a comfortable, inviting atmosphere. It is also suitable for trim and doors, though warm wall colors will be necessary to prevent visual conflict.
Farrow & Ball All White (No. 2005)
Farrow & Ball All White is the brightest, purest white included here. It carries the highest LRV and is said to contain no additional pigments, so it does not display noticeable undertones. That quality makes it an excellent choice for trim, ceilings, and other areas where a vivid white is desired, although some people may find it overwhelmingly bright on walls or in certain spaces.
Sherwin-Williams Extra White (SW 7003)
SW Extra White is an adaptable white with a gently cool cast. The sources we examined identified its undertones in various ways, ranging from blue and gray to yellow and green. That range reflects how understated they are, allowing the color to coordinate nicely with many hues and lighting conditions.
With an LRV of 87, it falls into the medium-brightness range, so it works well on both walls and trim. Our Extra White color review post shows how we applied it in both ways.
Sherwin-Williams Alabaster (SW 7008)
SW Alabaster closely resembles Benjamin Moore’s Swiss Coffee, which appears several entries earlier on this list. In most settings, it likewise looks like a creamy off-white, though Alabaster has slightly stronger red undertones. It is possiblythe warmest white featured here. This refined, understated beige works best alongside other warm shades. Sherwin-Williams also selected it as its 2016 Color of the Year (that same year, Benjamin Moore chose another white featured on this list: Simply White). Explore more Color of the Year selections.
Farrow & Ball Pointing (No. 2003)
Farrow & Ball Pointing is another distinctly warm white, much like Swiss Coffee and Alabaster. Since it appears considerably brighter than those two shades, it may be the more suitable choice for warm white trim or ceilings. The name refers to the process of placing mortar between bricks, a subtle reference to the paint’s red undertones.
Sherwin-Williams Snowbound (SW 7004)
SW Snowbound completes this collection with another unmistakably warm white. Like several of the other options, it leans red rather than yellow, which led us to choose it for the exterior trim on our red brick house. As shown below, it still created a crisp, bright-white look – particularly outdoors, where white shades generally appear even lighter (occasionally, an excessively high LRV can look glaring outside).
Using Snowbound on our brick home’s trim illustrates why it helps to select a white whose undertones harmonize with the surrounding colors and furnishings. A cool white might have contrasted sharply or appeared gray against the brick. Since Snowbound’s undertone works well with the brick, its reddish quality virtually fades away, producing a neutral white appearance.
Other White Paint Considerations
As you decide on the ideal white paint for your room, keep these additional points in mind.
Online images aren’t always reliable. Because every display shows color and brightness differently, an online room photo may not accurately reflect how it looks in person. For that reason, be sure to examine swatches in real life and within your actual spaces.
White walls may pick up colors from their surroundings. Paint becomes increasingly reflective as its LRV rises. As a result, nearby shades (such as a vivid rug, a colorful accent wall, or rich greenery outdoors) can reflect onto white walls and alter their appearance during the day. While this contributes to the lively quality of white walls, you might prefer a paint with a lower LRV if that effect is a concern.
Think about the direction your windows face. North-facing rooms typically receive cooler indirectlight, whereas south-facing areas receive warmer, stronger sunlight. East- and west-facing rooms experience a combination of both, depending on the hour. Consider this when assessing undertones. Warm whites can bring balance to cool rooms, while cooler whites are less likely to appear yellow in warm spaces.
Don’t forget about your light bulbs. Bulbs produce either warm or cool illumination. Fluorescent and “daylight” bulbs emit cooler light, whereas “soft white” and “warm white” bulbs create a warmer, more yellow glow. Our best LED light bulb deep dive offers additional information. Since artificial lighting can change the appearance of white walls, make sure to check your samples at night with the lights switched on as well.
White paint colors may look overly bright outdoors. Because direct sunlight intensifies every paint color, experts generally suggest choosing whites with lower LRVs for exterior applications. We selected SW Moderne White for our home’s exterior, and we’re thrilled with the result. It’s a gentle warm white with an LRV of 74.
Take care when combining different white paint colors. White paints can conflict with one another, particularly when their undertones differ. For instance, a faint yellow undertone on a wall may become more noticeable beside cool-toned white trim. Always compare both samples side by side before moving forward.
Additional White Paint FAQs
Let’s finish with a few concluding thoughts and quick answers to commonly asked questions about white paint.
Which white paint color is the most popular?
Benjamin Moore White Dove is the most widely favored white paint color overall. Among Sherwin-Williams options, Pure White is the top choice.
Which white paint color works best for trim?
Sherwin-Williams Extra White and Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace are both widely chosen for trim. Their bright, neutral undertones coordinate nicely with a wide range of colors. That said, every paint color listed here can work on trim, particularly when it also appears on the walls. For gentle contrast, try different sheens, such as eggshell on the walls with semi-gloss on the trim and doors.
Which white paint color is ideal for ceilings?
Benjamin Moore Super White and Benjamin Moore Decorator’s White are excellent ceiling choices. Still, when the walls are white, it’s generally preferable to carry that same shade onto the ceiling. A flat or matte finish is typically recommended for ceilings.
Is it possible to color match white paint between brands?
In most cases, matching paint colors between brands is discouraged. Each manufacturer relies on different bases and pigments, meaning a Benjamin Moore shade cannot be reproduced perfectly at a Sherwin-Williams store, or the other way around. We recently learned that matched paint colors may be off by roughly 10-17%, making this a significant risk that could ultimately produce disappointing results.
Which other white paint colors are popular?
Following these top 12 choices, the white paint colors mentioned most often in the lists we examined included:
- Benjamin Moore Oxford White (CC-30)
- Benjamin Moore Paper White (OC-55)
- Farrow & Ball Wimborne White (No. 239)
- Farrow & Ball Strong White (No. 2001)
- Benjamin Moore Cloud White (OC-130)
Which white paint is the brightest?
Among the most luminous white paints on the market are Behr Ultra Pure White (LRV 95), Farrow & Ball All White (LRV 94), and Sherwin-Williams High Reflective White (LRV 93).
Which cool white shades are best?
For white paints with subtly cool undertones, the leading choices include Sherwin-Williams Extra White, Benjamin Moore Super White, and Benjamin Moore Decorator’s White.
Which warm white paint shades are best?
Experts frequently recommend Benjamin Moore Simply White, Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee, Sherwin-Williams Alabaster, and Farrow & Ball Pointing as excellent warm white paints. Benjamin Moore Cloud White and Sherwin-Williams Shoji White also feature on numerous expert recommendations.
Additional Paint Colors We Adore
To discover more of our tried-and-true paint color favorites, tour our homes using the menu at the top of the blog. We’ve also created the following in-depth guides covering some of our favorite paints:
- Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray
- Benjamin Moore Simply White
- Sherwin-Williams Pure White
- Sherwin-Williams Extra White
- The 12 Best “Haint Blue” Paint Colors
- The 9 Best Greige Paint Colors
- Every 2024 Color of the Year
- Every 2025 Color of the Year
- Every 2026 Color of the Year