Sherwin Williams Extra White SW 7006 / LRV: 86 It's one of Sherwin Williams' most popular paint colors—in fact, most painters give their clients Extra White if they don't know what trim paint white color to use. Many builders also use Extra White as their standard base trim color.
Based on the deep dives we did preparing for this article, it seems that, above all others, Sherwin-Williams Pure White, a.k.a. SW 7005, is the most popular color of white paint right now.
Here are some additional colors to consider for interior trim and baseboard paint or kitchen cabinets: Benjamin Moore Super White, BM Linen White, BM White Cloud, Sherwin Williams Pure White, and SW High Reflective White are good alternatives to the colors we have listed above.
The most common color used on ceilings is “Swiss Coffee White,” Campbell adds, a very soft white with a hint of beige in it.
Blank Canvas is one of the most popular off-white paint colors out there and Newhart describes it has her go-to off-white shade. "It's light and bright with a creamy undertone to help it feel welcoming and not too stark," she says.
Sherwin Williams Extra White SW 7006 / LRV: 86
It's one of Sherwin Williams' most popular paint colors—in fact, most painters give their clients Extra White if they don't know what trim paint white color to use. Many builders also use Extra White as their standard base trim color.
It almost looks like a true off-white; however, it does have a touch of yellow undertone. SW Pure White looks muted and much warmer than SW White Snow.
Ceilings should almost always be painted in a flat, matte acrylic paint. The reason for this is that: Flat paint will not reflect light or draw attention away from the wall and room furnishings. Ceilings don't receive much wear and tear, so a glossy, durable paint is not necessary.
The Science of the Shade
The RGB values for Alabaster are 237 / 234 / 224, which makes it a really nicely balanced white with slightly less blue, so it keeps a little cozy warmth without pulling yellow.
Swiss Coffee, Kelly-Moore's top seller, is a creamy off-white that looks great with browns and aqua blues. Antique White adds warmth to interiors and is a great base for wine and muted brown accents. Slightly cooler than Antique White and Swiss Coffee, Acoustic White is a clean neutral that never looks too stark.
A versatile classic, White Dove OC-17 is a homeowner favorite for trim paint because of its subtle touch of warmth. For trim with cooler wall colors: White Heron OC-57 and Decorator's White OC-149 are two favorite trim paint colors for walls with cool undertones—think greens, blues, violets, and cool grays.
Benjamin Moore Chantilly White: Cooler True White
Chantilly White is a stark white-based color with little depth in my opinion. Compared to Simply White, it has cooler undertones. I think this is a great color for trim, windows, doors, ceilings as well as modern, minimalist spaces.
For a crisp, calming, warm white paint color without yellow undertones, try the following options: Benjamin Moore's Swiss Coffee (OC-45), Benjamin Moore's Super White (OC-152), Sherwin-Williams' Snowbound (SW 7004), or Farrow & Ball's Pointing (No. 2003).
Sherwin Williams Pure White
Sherwin Williams' Pure White, a true, bright white paint, is interior designer Sarah Sherman Samuel's favorite. "It's not too cool, not too warm—just perfectly neutral when you need a clean white," she says.
What is Builder's Beige? Builder's Beige is the generic colour that most new homes come with. It usually is the colour that a builder uses for an entire subdivision of homes. These colours may actually have sophisticated sounding names but they are just different shades of builder's beige.
A white ceiling makes smaller spaces feel larger. For seamless color flow, select a white for your ceiling that shares a similar undertone as the wall color. Favorite whites for ceilings include White Dove OC-17, Cloud White OC-130 and Decorator's White OC-149.
Builders do not like to have to paint walls edge to edge, so they use flat paint. During the building process, there are many trades that come into the home and damage the paint job. This makes it easier to fix.
Don't use Pure White in a room with cool Northern light or low light because it can look dingy. Pure White is a beautiful option for a whole house exterior paint color, as long as the house doesn't have brick or stone. Avoid Pure White as an exterior trim color, unless your wall color is very light.
BM White Dove tops this list for good reason. It's a crowd-pleasing interior white that works on just about any surface: walls, trim, ceilings, cabinets, etc. White Dove's subtle warmth keeps it from being too stark or bright, while still achieving a clean, pure white look on your walls.
Simply White can sometimes appear too yellow for some people. While it's bright enough to avoid looking dingy, it can look off-white or cream in certain circumstances. So if this is something you're concerned about, we recommend using something like Sherwin-Williams Pure White instead.
SW 7012Creamy
This bright white has the softest of yellow undertones to create a subtle warmth in the room. Pairs wonderfully with other soft, warm hues, like Reynard.
White acrylic eggshell paints are a great option, as they're more durable than matt emulsion paints. They're also moisture resistant, making them ideal for rooms with high condensation such as kitchens and bathrooms.