The Best White Paint Color

The ‘Best’ white paint color. It is really more a personal choice and what fits your home. But we definitely have some favorites that have been on repeat for awhile now. And since I always get so many questions about what color paint we have in our home, I thought I would share why I love the color and sheen about it again today.

The Best White Paint Color

There was a time back in the day when I went to Home Depot to grab paint chips for refreshing the house. I grabbed probably 3 dozen different ones. I chose the ones with the prettiest shades and the prettiest names. And when I brought them all home, I spread them out on a table and stared at them. And all together you could see the different shades, tones and color values they each had.

We chose a paint called Asiago for the outside of our house. Not too white. Not too bright. And with just enough ‘tint of almond’ undertone to balance the strong sunlight. But that was probably the only time choosing the color based off the vibe of the name worked well. Most often, that name just sounds good but doesn’t translate to being THE color that you are looking for so the first tip is to not choose the color based on the name.

Pay attention to the shade of white and undertone. As you can see in the photo above- that blue, yellow, purple, etc. undertone really sets the overall color. You can see ‘Nice White’ in the photo is more gray blue, Summer Lily is more pink and Intricate Ivory leans beige. Those tones will make a difference on your walls and whether the room feels brighter, cooler or warmer.

Favorite Shade

Simple and sweet and Simply White by Benjamin Moore. It is literally simply white. I don’t get a strong undertone of yellow or blue coming through. No beige or pink tint, or anything other than creamy white. For our house, it works well on our wood walls and with the light we get from the windows.

We are currently refreshing the paint in the living room, bedroom and kitchen with a fresh coat of Simply White in all semi-gloss.

Why Sheen Matters

Wait did I say semi-gloss? Yes indeed. I know that it is not the most common sheen for interiors. Most folks prefer a satin or eggshell for interiors- and when I first tried to get semi-gloss for the living room- the paint folks talked me out of it. So we tried the eggshell and it is lovely but now that we are refreshing- we are updating since we prefer the semi-gloss. The wood plank walls absolutely look better with a bit more sheen- and that goes for the ceiling too. I am a big fan of light bouncing rather than being absorbed in the room and so, semi-gloss it is. If you prefer less sheen- go with an eggshell or satin. A little bit of bounce but not too shiny. And if you prefer a more chalky finish- use a flat paint.

How To Choose

So now you know my current favorite shade of white paint- but how do you find and choose the perfect white paint color for your home?

I suggest you start with narrowing down the undertone you prefer considering the light in your home. Then pick up some sample pots and paint in several areas- by windows and away from windows for the best representations and look at them in light at various times of the day and night. And when you find THE one, save the color formula so you can have it mixed again.

All that aside- I have more info in this post with Tips for Choosing White Paint Colors– so head on over there for more.

We are working on a fresh coat of paint this week-including updating the eggshell ceiling paint in the living room with a fresh semi-gloss. So, I will share the difference that makes in another post soon.

Happy Monday all.