Trying to decide between Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee vs White Dove, or Sherwin Williams Alabaster? This white paint guide has all the best colors!
Choosing the perfect white paint color can be tough! Who knew there could be so many different shades of white?
Are you stuck trying to decide between Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffe and White Dove? Can’t decide betweenSherwin Williams Alabaster and Benjamin Moore Simply White? Don’t worry – I got you!
This white paint guide will help you find the perfect color for your home.
Best White Paint Colors
This article breaks down the most popular white paint colors in detail. If you prefer video content, check out the video below! Otherwise keep reading to see all my favorite paint colors.
Best White Paint Colors Video
Let’s break it down and talk about what makes each shade of white paint unique. To help you pick the perfect white paint, here’s what you need to know!
Top White Paint Colors For Interiors & Exteriors
Here is a list of my top picks for white paints, both from our own home as well as the white paint colors designers use over and over again.
Let’s dive in!
1. Swiss Coffee byBenjamin Moore (OC-45)
Swiss Coffee – LRV: 83.93 (LRV, or Light Reflectance Value is a scale commonly used by design professionals where 0 = absolute black and 100 is pure white.)
Benjamin Moore is my absolute favorite paint and Swiss Coffee (OC-45) is just one of the many reasons why. I mean, can you really go wrong with a name like Swiss Coffee? Fun fact: my mother-in-law actually puts a lot of significance in paint color names, and I think she might be on to something!
Swiss Coffee has a LRV of 83.93 which puts it right in the sweet spot for bright white paint colors. It’s bright enough to make a room feel light and airy, but not so bright that walls start to look boring and sterile. Swiss Coffee has mildly warm undertones which tends to create an inviting and happy feel.
Here’s how Benjamin Moore describes Swiss Coffee:
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…
View the color Swiss Coffee on the Benjamin Moore website here.
The warm inviting entry room below is painted with Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee.
2. White Dove by Benjamin Moore (OC-17)
White Dove – LRV: 85.38 (LRV, or Light Reflectance Value is a scale commonly used by design professionals where 0 = absolute black and 100 is pure white.)
Benjamin Moore White Dove is my go-to white paint color! I love its slightly warm hints of grey. The white creaminess of this paint color has a calming vibe that makes any home feel more inviting. It’s perfect for interior walls, trim, doors, or even a white shiplap accent wall if you’re feeling brave.
I like it so much that I used White Dove to paint my entire home! Check out my full White Dove Paint Color Review – I share my personal experience with the color, tons of pictures, and all the nitty gritty details.
White Dove has sophisticated color nuances, and looks great in all lighting conditions. I’ve found that many warm white colors can be less appealing (or worse) when paired with warm lighting. This is not the case with White Dove. The color isn’t warm enough for that to be a problem.
Benjamin Moore describes White Dove as:
Unerring style defines this classic, softly shaded white. Light and luminous, it is a favorite choice for moldings and trim.
View the color White Dove on the Benjamin Moore website here.
It looks good on moldings and trim, but White Dove is a versatile color that also looks great anywhere! All of the white walls and trim you see in my home are painted with White Dove. It’s my #1 choice for many reasons, but the most important reason is it looks amazing no matter where you put it!
In the image below, Benjamin Moore White Dove paint pops against the natural tones of the wood accent wall in our master bedroom.
FAQ: Swiss Coffee or White Dove?
Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee vs White Dove
Swiss Coffee and White Dove are very similar colors with subtle differences. They are both members of Benjamin Moore’s off-white collection.
Swiss Coffee is creamier and slightly warmer with stronger yellow and grey undertones. White Dove is slightly brighter with a LRV of 85.38 compared to Swiss Coffee’s LRV of 83.93.
If you’re looking for an interesting white paint color that is a little more off-white than white, then Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee might be the perfect choice for you. Both colors work well in most rooms, however in a room with limited natural light, White Dove would be the better choice.
3. Antique White by PPG (PPG1024-2)
Antique White – LRV: 72 (LRV, or Light Reflectance Value is a scale commonly used by design professionals where 0 = absolute black and 100 is pure white.)
Color profile: R:225G:218B:202
Antique White is a stunning off-white paint color that’s new to this list for 2021! With a LRV of 72, you’ll notice right away this is a definitely an off-white color. However, it still feels like white and doesn’t end up looking like a neutral or gray color in most rooms.
If you’re starting to love this warm off-white paint color, you aren’t alone. PPG is the second largest manufacturer of paint in the world, and this is one of their most popular paint colors.
Here’s how PPG describes Antique White:
Antique White is a light, gray, caramel white with a bronze undertone. It is a perfect paint color for an elegant statement in any room. Pair it with gray or beige to create an elegant historical statement in any room.
View the color Antique White on the PPG website here.
This bright living room with lots of natural light is perfect for PPG’s Antique White paint color.
4. Alabaster by Sherwin Williams (SW 7008)
Alabaster – LRV: 82 (LRV, or Light Reflectance Value is a scale commonly used by design professionals where 0 = absolute black and 100 is pure white.)
Alabaster (SW 7008) was the Sherwin-Williams color of the year a few years back, and for good reason. It’s a beautiful white with dusty undertones that make it a really versatile color for interiors. It looks good in kitchens, bedrooms, and bathrooms.
In fact I used Alabaster throughout our entire renovated RV. It has quickly become one of my very favorite white paint colors.
Jackie Jordan, the Sherwin-Williams director of color marketing describes Alabaster as:
A hue symbolic of new beginnings, Alabaster (SW 7008), is Sherwin-Williams… Color of the Year. At a time of interconnected commotion and overstimulation, Alabaster offers a sense of personal solace and revival to weary minds. It is the true neutral to set the tone…
View the color Alabaster on the Sherwin Williams website here.
Compared to White Dove, Alabaster is less creamy and more of a true white. This makes it a great option if you are looking for a naturally flattering hue with little undertone.
I love how the Sherwin Williams’ director of color marketing describes it, “Alabaster is neither stark nor overly warm, but rather an understated and alluring hue of white.”
Check out how Alabaster looks in the neutral nursery below.
FAQ: Alabaster or White Dove?
Sherwin Williams Alabaster vs Benjamin Moore White Dove
Sherwin Williams Alabaster and Benjamin Moore White dove are two of the very most popular white paint colors – they’re both beautiful!
Each of these white paint colors fall into what I consider the sweet spot for brightness (low to mid 80’s on the LRV scale). White Dove is slightly brighter than Alabaster with LRVs of 85.38 and 82 respectively.
When I was choosing a paint color for my home, Sherwin Williams Alabaster vs Benjamin Moore White Dove ended up being my two finalists.
Personally, I love both colors. Alabaster is slightly warmer, and White Dove is slightly cooler. Because of this difference, one color is usually better suited for your specific home based on natural lighting conditions, and the other colors in a room.
I recommend testing both colors in your home to see which one looks better in person. And, did you know that you can now get real paint samples delivered to your own home? Check out these Peel-and-Stick Paint Samples from Samplize!
In many cases, once you get the paint samples up on your walls, one will look a little better and seem to belong in a room.
5. Simply White by Benjamin Moore (OC-117)
Simply White – LRV: 91.7 (LRV, or Light Reflectance Value is a scale commonly used by design professionals where 0 = absolute black and 100 is pure white.)
If you do any research about white paint colors you will probably come across the color Simply White by Benjamin Moore. It was the Benjamin Moore color of the year in 2016, and for good reason!
This color is a crisp, clean, and bright white. Simply White’s fresh finish makes it a great option for bright trim, doors, or cabinets.
Benjamin Moore describes Simply White as:
Fresh as the first snowfall, this clean, crisp, multi-purpose white is a perennial favorite for trim, ceilings, and walls.
View the color Simply White on the Benjamin Moore website here.
Simply White has a LRV of 91.7, which is nearly the highest of all the paint colors on this list. The high LRV means it is the closest to pure white. The low 90’s is as close to pure white as I recommend going; any whiter and the colors start looking cool, sterile, and lack complexity.
The sitting room below is painted with Benjamin Moore Simply White.
6. Silos White by Magnolia Homes
I couldn’t write a post about paint without including one from the Magnolia line. All of Joanna’s colors are beautiful (just like everything else she creates), but my favorite white from her collection is Silos White.
Joanna Gaines describes this color as a warm white with beige undertones. I tend to lean towards the warmer whites (or off-whites) because I love the bright and airy feeling they give off without the stark and sterile vibe that a pure white tends to create.
The dining room in the image below is painted with Magnolia Homes Silos White.
7. Super White by Benjamin Moore (OC-152)
Super White – LRV: 89.09 (LRV, or Light Reflectance Value is a scale commonly used by design professionals where 0 = absolute black and 100 is pure white.)
Super White by Benjamin Moore is the most basic, classic color on this list, but that isn’t a bad thing! I love the simple, clean white because it appears very pure without coming across as blinding.
Benjamin Moore describes Super White as:
A brilliant, almost sparkling white, this clean shade suggests clarity and simplicity.
View the color Super White on the Benjamin Moore website here.
Super White has less beige, creamy undertones than all the other white paints I recommend. Many true whites tend to be overly cool and bright, but not Super White.
How does it do it? With a LRV of 89.09, it accomplishes the ‘white as snow’ look without making you feel like you just checked your phone in the middle of the night with the screen set on max brightness.
The walls of the great room in the image below are painted with Super White by Benjamin Moore.
8. Creamy White by Benjamin Moore (OC-07)
Creamy White – LRV: 72.35 (LRV, or Light Reflectance Value is a scale commonly used by design professionals where 0 = absolute black and 100 is pure white.)
Creamy White by Benjamin Moore has the lowest LRV, and the most warm, off-white undertones of all the paint colors on this list. While most of the colors included in this white paint color guide are close to true white, this is not the case when it comes to ‘Creamy White’ – it’s more of an off-white.
The color might be for you if you’re interested in a more sophisticated color compared to pure white, but don’t want to go full-on beige or grey. With Creamy White (OC-07), you can still expect a clean looking off-white color.
It’s also a great choice for rooms with north facing windows that let in cool northern light. The light from north facing windows has a tendency to bring out the blue undertones in cool and neutral white paint colors. Using a warmer white, like Creaming White (OC-07) by Benjamin Moore will prevent this from happening.
Related: Best Paint Colors for North Facing Rooms
The warm vibes of Benjamin Moore’s Creamy White would be an excellent color choice to make a bedroom, guest room, or common area feel extra inviting.
Here’s what Benjamin Moore has to say about its Creamy White paint color:
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.
View the color Creamy White on the Benjamin Moore website here.
The Creamy White cabinets in the kitchen below creates a warm cozy vibe while still looking fresh & clean.
9. Chantilly Lace by Benjamin Moore (OC-65)
Chantilly Lace – LRV: 92.2 (LRV, or Light Reflectance Value is a scale commonly used by design professionals where 0 = absolute black and 100 is pure white.)
Chantilly Lace is one of my favorite colors, and it has been gaining popularity. It’s a pleasant bright white paint color with an understated hint of cool greenish hue.
Don’t be scared of the greenish undertones – it’s just enough to give this paint color a unique appeal that can add character and interest to a room.
Benjamin Moore aptly describes this paint color in their product listing:
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.
View the color Chantilly Lace on the Benjamin Moore website here.
With a high LRV of 92.2, this color is a very bright, pure white. It’s the brightest white paint color on this list making it a great neutral white paint color.
The low 90’s is my upper limit for white paint colors that I’ll recommend; once you get into the mid 90’s and above, colors can start looking washed out, sterile or just plain boring.
You can see how crisp and bright Chantilly Lace looks as an exterior white paint color option in the image below.
10. Snowbound by Sherwin Williams (SW 7004)
Snowbound – LRV: 83(LRV, or Light Reflectance Value is a scale commonly used by design professionals where 0 = absolute black and 100 is pure white.)
R:237G:234B:229
Snowbound by Sherwin Williams is featured in their Top 50 Color rankings. It’s also included in the following color collections: Minimalist, Pottery Barn – Fall/Winter 2021, Living Well – Reflect, Top 50 Colors, and Timeless White.
This popular new paint color is light, bright, and has a hint of silvery gray. Its ideal for trim, but also makes an excellent color for walls and ceilings if you’re looking to keep things light and airy.
Snowbound is a cool, neutral white paint color with some gray undertones. This means that Snowbound could be a good choice for nearly any room.
There you have it, my top picks for best white paint colors. I hope you found this article helpful and now have a few colors in mind to try out in your space.
Want my A-to-Z blueprint on how to design a room that’s beautiful and stylish?
My Top Painting Tips & Resources:
The easiest way to see paint samples on YOUR walls:
Before you make a final decision on a paint color, test out your favorites with Peel-and-Stick paint samples from Samplize! The 12″ x 12″ Peel-and-Stick samples use real paint, and make it easy see how a color will look in your home (without the mess).
Plus, it saves you the trouble of having to pick up multiple tiny cans of paint that end up going to waste.
Check out my full Samplize Review where I share about my experience using Samplize to help me decide on a paint color.
Samplize allows you to see different color options in a variety of locations. The peel-and-stick squares have non-damaging adhesive that you can reposition many times, and can even wrap around corners to show contrast between walls.
Testing out a paint color in your home is important because a paint color’s appearance depends on the unique lighting conditions in your home.
A paint color can even look a little different throughout the day as lighting conditions shift with the sun’s position in the sky.
Make sure to examine your paint sample during different times of the day to see how natural light affects the appearance of the color. Also make sure to see how the paint colors look with the lights in the room on, and off.
If you want to make a bold paint color statement in a room, I recommend painting all the walls white and choosing only 1 wall to make a your bold statement with an accent wall.
Another option is to install a wood accent wall. To learn more about wood accent walls, check out my blog post called: How To Build A Wood Plank Accent Wall.
How To Choose A Paint Color
Want to know exactly how to pick the best paint color for your space? How do you know which color of white is the best fit for your home, your decor, the lighting in your home, and your style?
I wrote an entire blog post with easy to follow steps for choosing a paint color that answers all these questions, and more. It has all the info you need to know – from undertones, sheen, to the lighting in a room, and so much more.
Check it out:
How To Get A Great Deal On Paint
Did you know that you can use budget friendly paint, and have it color matched to premium Benjamin Moore or Sherwin Williams paint colors? At Joyfully Growing Blog, we always use Glidden Premium paint from The Home Depot.
Glidden Premium rivals the quality of the top paint lines from Behr, Sherwin Williams, and Benjamin Moore.
Any paint store, or home improvement store with a paint section will be able to match colors from most major brands. This means that you can select one brand of paint, but get it mixed in any color you want!
In many cases, affordable paint like Glidden Premium can be up to 50% cheaper than the ‘big name brand’ competition. This can save you a ton of money!
Our Go-To Painting Supplies
I recommend ‘Pro Grade’paintbrushes – they’re the perfect budget friendly option. The brushes are high quality, and buying from Amazon, you can get a much better deal than in stores. You might be surprised how cheap this professional quality 5 Brush Set is on Amazon (it’s less than $10!).
Paint brushes and paint rollers will get the job done, but for serious efficiency and productivity, you cannot beat this Graco Magnum Project Plus airless paint sprayer (Amazon). I personally own this paint spay, and have used it on tons of painting projects.
It’s an excellent quality sprayer, and powers through any painting projects in a hurry. We used to dread painting, but now with the airless sprayer, it’s actually pretty fun!Painting with an airless sprayer makes it easy to complete projects in much less time.
Looking for more paint color guides?
If you found this white paint color guide helpful you may also enjoy reading through my Gray Paint Color Guide blog post. In the post I’ve broken it down into four categories:Neutral Gray,Warm Gray,Cool Gray, andDark Gray.
Another popular interior paint color is green. In fact I think green will continue to be one of the toppaintcolors going into next year.
But, many people who want topainttheir walls (or cabinets) green are concerned that green might not flow with the rest of their home.
I spent tons of hours researching, as well as asking many of my readers what their favorite options were. After compiling all the results, I’m shared a blog post with allthe best greenpaintcolors!
My Other Paint Color Resources
Helping people choose great paint colors is one of my passions! I’ve written several articles to help streamline and destress your decision making process.
Check all of them out here:
White Dove Paint Color Review | After Painting My Whole House!
Paint Color Trends 2021 | Trending Colors From Top Brands
Best Paint Colors For North Facing Rooms
How To Choose A Paint Color | Lighting, Undertones, Sheen (and more!)
Samplize Review | Peel-and-Stick Paint Samples
Best Gray Paint Colors | The Ultimate Guide
Green Paint Color Guide | Most Popular Colors
Thanks for reading along! If you have any questions, please ask in the comments below!
White Paint Color Guide
FAQs
Which is better white dove or Alabaster? ›
Alabaster is slightly warmer, and White Dove is slightly cooler. Because of this difference, one color is usually better suited for your specific home based on natural lighting conditions, and the other colors in a room. I recommend testing both colors in your home to see which one looks better in person.
Is white Dove warmer than Alabaster? ›Alabaster is just a touch warmer than White Dove by Benjamin Moore. White Dove also has a higher LRV of 85, giving it more of a true white appearance than Alabaster. It also has a hint more of a gray undertone than Alabaster.
What is the difference between white dove and Swiss Coffee? ›White Dove is also a bit WHITER and BRIGHTER than Swiss Coffee, making it a bit more flexible. You might have seen that Shea lightened Swiss Coffee by 25%, which would brighten it – maybe even a WINK lighter than White Dove.
Do white dove and Alabaster go together? ›WHITE DOVE VS ALABASTER | Best Light Neutral Paint Colors - YouTube
Is white Dove or Alabaster more yellow? ›When comparing Sherwin Williams Alabaster to Benjamin Moore White Dove, there are a few differences very slight between the two colors. White Dove is a bit more white than Alabaster. Both paint colors are very light and have a high LRV, White Dove being a tiny bit higher at 85.38.
Is Swiss Coffee too yellow? ›Swiss Coffee is a WARM white paint colour – not OVERLY yellow/creamy, but definitely warm.
Does Alabaster white look yellow? ›It's very obvious in our kitchen that SW Extra White is a very cool white, while Sherwin Williams Alabaster is definitely a warmer shade of white. For us, Alabaster does not look yellow, even in rooms with low natural lighting.
Is Alabaster white popular? ›Alabaster is a Popular Choice
Alabaster has been a popular shade of white for several years, and shows no signs that it's going anywhere. It's a great choice for walls because it doesn't feel cold, but also an excellent choice for kitchen cabinets.
Does White Dove look yellow? White Dove does not have a yellow appearance or undertone nor is it a pure white. It stands as a soft, warm white with more of gray undertones than yellow. White Dove can read differently in rooms based on lighting, furniture choice, and accent colors in a space.
Does white dove and Swiss Coffee go together? ›Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee works well with Benjamin Moore White Dove and Benjamin Moore Cloud White as trim. You can also try it in a tone on tone method, which is Painting Trim and Walls the Same Color.
Is white Dove Too white? ›
White Dove has yellow undertones mixed with a slight gray, which together create a beautiful soft creamy off white color. The warm and cool undertones balance each other out to create the perfect neutral white paint. But paint colors will always be affected by the amount of light in a space.
What color goes well with Swiss Coffee? ›Browns, tans and terra cotta earth tones look best with Swiss Coffee. I also love how deep charcoal grays and dark navy blues look with this creamy white paint color. Swiss Coffee is a great paint color choice for kitchen cabinets.
What Sherwin Williams paint color is closest to white Dove? ›The closest Sherwin Williams equivalent to White Dove would be SW Alabaster or SW Snowbound.
Is Alabaster a popular paint color? ›Paint Colour Review: Sherwin Williams Alabaster SW 7008
What colour compliments Alabaster? ›It can be paired with light blushes or grays and bridge transitional and traditional styles. You can create a yin and yang harmony with contrasting dark colors, such as Urbane Bronze (SW 7048) or Gray Area (SW 7052) in a spa-like bathroom.
Does Sherwin Williams alabaster look yellow? ›It's very obvious in our kitchen that SW Extra White is a very cool white, while Sherwin Williams Alabaster is definitely a warmer shade of white. For us, Alabaster does not look yellow, even in rooms with low natural lighting.
What Sherwin Williams paint color is closest to white Dove? ›The closest Sherwin Williams equivalent to White Dove would be SW Alabaster or SW Snowbound.
Is white Dove Too white? ›White Dove has yellow undertones mixed with a slight gray, which together create a beautiful soft creamy off white color. The warm and cool undertones balance each other out to create the perfect neutral white paint. But paint colors will always be affected by the amount of light in a space.
Is Alabaster a popular paint color? ›Paint Colour Review: Sherwin Williams Alabaster SW 7008