Comments for Old White Paint Post From 2014-2017

Just came across your blog and think it’s one of the best out there! Great info, great voice, yummy photos.

Just tried Cotton Balls on the strength of your recommendations here, on your “ceilings” post, your “he one white trim color that works every time” post, and on the ^the only six white paint trim colors you’ll need” post.

It’s in my north-facing bedroom, which is painted Farrow and Ball’s Tallow – just a yummy complex , soft yellow. I found the existing white ceiling paint too harsh. Dove White to gray and muddy. But here’s the thing – Cotton Balls went all yellow on me! It’s not a rich saturated “white” – definitely yellow. Clean and beautiful, but fairly clearly pale yellow. I did not see it on my test swatches – the yellow is obvious mostly in the corners. I tried cutting it a bit with 5% Dove White (made no difference.) So I am going to switch out my incandescent bulbs for something a little cooler and hope I grow to love the yellow-and-tallow combo. Note to self – test samples in the corners of the room as well as the middle….

Finding a white that does not read as a “color” or hue, but has lots of body, is a big ask. Your photos and advice fab (love love love the cabinet painted Cotton Balls in your apartment).

I just don’t know if Cotton Balls is to clean and creamy for the complexity of the F&B Tallow? The trim is Chantilly Lace, which is perfect. Yum.

I know this is an article on whites, but I have a color question. (I’ve painted a NYC co-op in Simply White and love it. We are southeastern facing and it changes from warm and sunny and in the evenings a more cozy, nearly pale gray.)
So, I wanted to go white in our main bedroom, but it just doesn’t seem right. Any thoughts? I did read through a lot of questions and answers but didn’t see any related posts. (Are there any pale colors that look good in easternmost facing rooms?) I’d appreciate any advice. 🙂

I am finishing up a bathroom remodel, and chose White Dove…trim,cabinets in oil based, and walls in eggshell. I have read so much about it, and that you can never go wrong with it, but my marble and tile selections are so white, that I am not sure this was the right choice. The walls mostly, are really taking on a yellowish cast, especially in the evening and at night. I painted it on poster board and taped it, but really focused my attention on the cabinets. Not sure if I should have the painters repaint the walls and if so how do I select a white that is less yellow or more bright, and not repaint the trim and cabinets….. It is actually most noticeable/bothersome on the walls. Any advice?

Love your site! Question, what is difference between BM White Dove and Navajo White? Is one more creamy white, do not want bright white trim! But also do not want too beige/white trim

Shaker beige, Balboa Mist, Seasalt and London Fog are colors so far in home.

Thanks!

Hi Laurel. I have a white dove kitchen and have changed all trim in the house to white dove and I love it. I have a question. My two story foyer leads into a two story dining room – front to back of house. The lower part of the walls in both rooms are a paneled wainscot and I am now painting it white dove too. What color do you recommend for the upper part of the wall? Mind you this color will go all the way up the stairs in the two story foyer, down the bedrooms halls as well as in the two story dining room. I am nervous about paint choice because its a lot of space and I need something versatile and timeless- not too trendy. Thoughts? I was thinking BM Soft Chamois. I need a neutral! Thank you.

Love this post, so much great info. Thanks for Shoreline, a beauty. I have Nimbus in my family room and I thought “oh no, repaint!” but it is very pretty and not muddy in my light. Try it Laurel! Ok, I read a list somewhere that listed whites in order of whitest. They had cotton balls as the top 1 or 2 which worries me. Do you find cotton balls whiter than Simply? It looks so clean which is great. Next time you are in WI I can bring you a very muddy gallon of gray cashmere, a gallon of a very blue gone bad in my light Pebble Beach and a gallon of thundercloud gray which is also blue. Some ppl hide purchases, maybe shoes etc I hide paint purchases from my family and need to get rid of the evidence.

Hi Laurel,

I’m considering using Paper White for the walls of a bathroom that has carrara marble and white ceramic tiling. What trim color would you recommend? Decorator’s white seems to popular choice but I wondered if there were other options that you preferred.

Also, while we’re on the subject of trim, do you have a recommended trim color to go with Farrow and Ball’s Ammonite? Preferably in BM as I’m trying to limit the number of gallons of FB that we buy.

Best,
Danielle

This is an amazing blog . I am so thrilled to find it . We are adding a large white master bathroom . White Dove has always been my go to white but sine we are using Carrara marble in the shower and a Carrara diamond mosaic inset in the floor I am not sure going with BM white dove will work ? I don’t want a cold white bathroom but I love the sparse clean look of white . What would your suggestion be .

Hi Laurel,

Came across this post while looking for colors for my kitchen and master bedroom. We recently painted the living room (which is seen through the kitchen window) with BM Hepplewhite Ivory.
The kitchen has big bay window facing west and receives lots of natural light. I am looking for color shade that will match with Hepplewhite Ivory.
Now, for the bedroom, it has east facing windows, but does not receive much light other than few hours in the morning. Am struggling to find right color (had shortlisted BM Hawthorne Yellow which looked too loud, so now am considering BM Gold Tone)

Appreciate your feedback

My baseboards are Swiss coffee. I painted my walls with Rice Bowl by Dunn Edwards and RH Linen and the rice bowl is a little too yellow and the Linen in the day looks greenish and at night very yellow. I don’t want to do swiss coffee on the walls so what would you recommend to try with that in mind?
Thank you!

Dear Laurel,

We are fully renovating a newly purchased home with a sunny east-facing great room with cathedral pine ceilings and soon, Brazilian Walnut floors–so lots of orange tones. We replaced all of the pine cabinets with Brookhaven in a warm Alpine White, and the oak banisters with walnut and iron. We are looking for a warm off-white for the great room/main hall and kitchen/breakfast nook that is not too white, and not yellow (linen white seems yellow), peach or beige or gray. What is scaring me is that the only color that seems to not turn muddy or any of the above is Spanish White! I’m wondering if it is looking good in our space because of all of the warmth of the wood counteracting the slightest hint of yellow-green (think spanish olive). We also have water views (blue) that nicely contrast.

I am having a tough time getting the description of putrid and looking like a dog peed on the walls out of my head! I don’t want to make a huge mistake! But I have to wonder if the space where it looked like this was already pulling greens–such as from foliage outside. I LOVE Hawthorn Yellow, but I couldn’t go so bold in my current kitchen. I settled for Summer Harvest–very different, but I needed to counteract the green from the fluorescent lighting so it reads as a soft, warm yellow, giving a similar feel. I’m wondering if all the orange in my wood is counteracting the green in the Spanish White, leaving me with a “wheat” off-white with a touch of gold.

For the trim, with the Spanish White, I prefer the brightness of Simply White, which to me looks akin to heavy whipping cream, to the slightly cooler/grayer White Dove.

Any thoughts on this combination and the madness to my method?

Love your blog!

Can I make a suggestion based on my own basement experience?

Thank you for the article. I wanted to know if you believe that the finish plays a part in making a room look larger? I have a tiny bedroom, 7×10, I am painting that east facing but has only one small window. The white I have found is cool in temperature, much like photo 5 and 6 you have listed here. I just tested it out on the wall and realized they gave me a matte finish rather than satin, or a semi gloss. Do you think this will play a part in how large the room appears to be?

Thanks,
Ricky

First of all I want to say I LOVE your blog! I’ve really appreciated your insights! My interior designer recently chose Steam by BM for our ceilings and trim. It looks fabulous in the daylight, but I find it looks a little greyish in the nighttime with lamps on. I don’t see a lot of conversation around this color and was wondering if you have used it and your thoughts?

Love your blog! Wondering…how do you test colors for a ceiling, given that I assume the light would hit it differently than the walls? I have Swiss Coffee (Valspar) on my bedroom walls with Woodlawn Colonial Gray (Valspar) for trim, but would like my ceiling a slightly different color I think than the Swiss Coffee walls. Problem is, my ceiling is planked, tall, and sloped in multiple directions! Makes it difficult to put a sample up. How do you test out a ceiling color?

Help!
I am decorating a small beach cottage. I am looking to complement but not match my Andersen 400 windows which have a gray tinge. I have China White in my current home, but I was thinking of doing something different on the trim. I plan to use blues and grays in this cottage.. Thx !

Laurel,

Thanks for all of your helpful comments. We have a rustic home with hickory wood work. White Dove might be a bit too white, Linen White seems a bit too yellow. What do you recommend for a white wall color and ceiling color if we want our ceilings JUST a touch darker with a hint of grey. Are there 2 whites that go together here?

Chris

Just thought I’d ask. It’s one of the off white colors. Has a hint of gray to it.

Benjamin-Moore whites

I want to use a creamy white for my entire first floor, including walls, trim and ceilngs. It has oak floors in the natural color which is a little yellow. Kitchen cabinets visible from most rooms are maple which is also yellow. Most rooms have a lot of light. A dining room has low light and I may eventually paint that a contrasting color (like Galapagos Tortoise if I’m brave enough).

I want to try Snowfall White for the walls, trim and ceilings. Most rooms have a lot of light.

Would that be a good idea? I seek opinions! Thank you!

What a wonderful post!
For a petite cottage up in the hills of So Cal with spectacular views of downtown LA PAsadena (once in a great great while, the ocean):
We’ve chosen BM White Blush 904. Love how it reads in the brite sunshine, compliments skin tones, and does well at night (ceiling recessed lighting. ALL low 8′ ceilings. Ceilings are white but don’t have the shade handy. )
Initially was going to do all the trim in a brighter white to contrast but hubby convinced me that all trim and wood door interiors should be in White Blush (maybe 80% so that trim in satin gloss is a tad lighter) to create a uniform box. There is picture rail and above the rail is White Blush too
Am okay with the trim not being a contrast and wonder if you have a view.
Here is the REAL question. Your post mentions that Blush White 904 doesnt play well with yellows. YIKES! We are installing new wood floors in a natural hickory — of course there is an opportunity to stain it. But am i headed for conflict?
And BTW, if i have exceeded the boundaries here, i am pleased to remunerate for your advice. Thanks for taking time.

All my cabinets and trim are Seed Pearl (and I LOVE it)
What white wall color would you recommend that would work best
with Seed Pearl trim? Thanks in advance!!!

$90 for a paint consultation is a BARGAIN…:-)

A couple of comments…

Regarding Krista and her child’s desire for a blinding bright yellow. I will say that years ago my young son wanted Plasma Green after we stayed at the Nickelodeon Hotel. Holy 5 Alarm Fire! That sucker was bright and all I envisioned was a shut door and needing a welders helmet to go in. To top it off he could not be dissuaded because he took a pile of chips and had them scattered everywhere. So we went with it. But we toned it down with a blue rug over the hardwood floor and plenty of poster sized art from Land of Nod, and some bullfighting posters we got in Spain. Add to that his school projects and boy knick-knackery and voila! Plasma Green we all actually liked (because we could barely see large swaths of it). They’re only young once and I think when they fly the coop we’ll miss the times we choked down their paint choices.

Now On the BM Advance. If it goes on like oil, does it stink like oil or is it like BM Natura? Also if its self leveling then why sand between coats?

Thanks

Laurel,

I had to laugh at your comments about BM American Cheese. What a color! Yuck! Oriole doesn’t look much better to me, especially since “he doesn’t want it bright”!! Maybe Krista could pick one of the colors given below Oriole, like Peach Cobbler or Malibu Peach or something similar.

I must tell you how much I’ve enjoyed the information about BM’s whites and grays and greens . . . I’ve gotten so many ideas from your websites and a few other websites I’ve read, things really intriguing like black (maybe charcoal? base mouldings and interior doors, and painting ceilings something other than white. My project to repaint the interior of my house is probably a couple of years away but I’m getting ideas now. This will give me plenty of time to test, test, test — whites, blacks, charcoals, blues, pinks, lime green, yellow green, etc.!!

Many thanks,
Susan

What are your thoughts on BM Mascarpone (AF-20). Is it a good trim color to use all over a house? What are pros and cons of Mascarpone?

Hi Laurel,

I’m moving soon and thinking about painting the natural wood color kitchen cabinets, white and am also trying to decide on a wall color that will provide a nice contrast with the cabinets. Both the granite and wood floor have a lot of warmth. The granite kind of has a lot going on- orange-y browns, little specks of beige, and some chocolate running through. I’m having a hard time choosing colors, especially the white for the cabinets because I know I need a warmer white, but I don’t anything too yellow or peach. Any advice you can offer would be really, really appreciated. The paint color options are starting to make me crazy!

Hello, Laurel,

I’m a new subscriber, so I may have missed it, but I would like to duplicate the paint combination in your 6-18-14 blog for the entry way (https://laurelberninteriors.com/what-is-best-palette-no-fail-paint-colors):

1) Entry. The entry is the area that welcomes people into the home. It could be a wow! Or it could be soft and serene. However, it is the backbone of all of the other colors and it will be the same color downstairs and upstairs as well. We are going to paint it a rich cream.

You identified the wall color as 925 IVORY WHITE but I don’t se what trim color you paired it with. Help!
Thanks for the neat blog – it is always fun to read.

I have a bathroom two rooms vanity in one bathtub in other one small window in bathtub area so bathroom is dark I want a shade of white but no gray undertones tryin is white white what is a good shade

I visited your blog today because of an email from Pinterest featuring the 20 best whites so I think that is where all of the traffic is coming from. That said I was a little surprised to not see Chantilly Lace on your list. Care to comment.

my contractor is recommending BM Divine White for our mostly beige bathroom. Opinion?

This is great advice! I’m so happy to happen upon your site. In general, which white do you like for hallways with little light?

Your style is the style people wish we had and admire so much in others. Thank you for sharing.

Hi Laurel,
I have been agonizing over my paint choice for some time. We originally picked a color that is very beigy gray and with a north facing room, it’s too dark so am opting to re-paint in white (talk about a huge waste of time and money). The issue I am having is my kitchen cabinets have a yellow hue (they are ivory) and pretty pigmented. I am attempting to go lighter than the cabinets since darker did not work. I have tested ivory white, cotton balls, cloud white, white dove and simply white (eliminated decorator’s white,navajo white and mascarpone). I like white dove but not sure the gray in it works and love ivory white but it seems too close to my cabinet color so stuck at cotton balls, simply white and cloud white (unless I can re-consider white dove). Any thoughts? I have a medium tone wood floor, dark furniture and my island cabinet is dark expresso. I know you now charge for color consults so I apologize if you cannot answer this. If you cannot, how accurate would the color be for you to do online?

Hi, just found your website. Amazing. I have a dark room to paint with very little light. Is there a colour you would recommend to warm up this room but that still enhances the small amount of light in it? I was thinking of an eau de nil on the wooden book cases from craig and rose paint distributors. Unsure though!!

Hi Laurel–

Do you have recommendations for a white to go on the walls in a house with exposed fir beams/ceiling and fir trim and doors. There is so much color in the wood, we’d like to use white for a more contemporary feel and to not create rooms that are dark. Stained concrete floors–earth tones like olive green, dark brown, mustard, and even some Aqua/turquoise blue in a marbled look. Pacific Northwest house, and all rooms face south (a long, passive solar house). Many thanks for any recommendations!

Hi Laurel,
Thank you for posting this information on whites. I love white! I presently am trying to pick a white for a north facing guest bedroom, and BM Marscapone seems to look best there. However, my design dilemma is that the connecting bathroom has white floor tile and a white countertop, and Marscapone is looking creamier. What should I do?
Patty

What a great collection of photos showing beautiful, airy white rooms! I used BM Snowfall White for my doors and trim work with BM Revere Pewter, Chelsea Grey, Grey Horse, Thousand Island, Silver Fox, Pashmina and Barely Beige walls. It is a versatile white. I also love BM Deep in Thought which I used on my kitchen cabinets! Love Benjamin Moore colours!

Hi!! This post is genius! I am currently ripping my hair out looking for the perfect white and I find this!! What are your thoughts on decorators white for all trim and dove wing on the walls? We are doing a lot of trim work. in a satin finish. Do we go matte on the walls? Advice?

Our home is loaded with cedar:1st floor is cedar logs milled flat, most trim is white cedar and LR/foyer has cathedral ceiling with cedar tounge & groove. All inside walls are sheetrock and currently white.
We are about to repaint walls & ceilings and my wife suggested BM Atrium White for walls. Then I found your article on whites.

I’m concerned because I don’t think Atrium is going to go well with the cedar. And the inside walls are subject to different lighting. Floor plan is very open and we have a lot of glass in both the DR/Kitchen (2 full sliders + 3 full stationary windows) with primarily western light exposure. LR/foyer has 5 full sliders, 2 full stationary windows, large 2nd floor windows and skylights. This area gets some morning sun but most light is then from north & west.

Would you recommend different whites for these two distinct areas?

Thank You. I’m very glad I found your article.

While brilliant white might exist, my designer friend worked with Vicente and says his go to was Super White as you deduced!

: )

Hi Laurel,

I painted the exterior and trim of my house White Dove. I painted the shutters a SW color-Attitude Grey. I am not happy with the shutter color-it is a more ‘cool’ color, whereas the White Dove is a more warm color. Do you have a color you would recommend for my shutter color?

Thank you very much!!
Carolyn

Love your site and such great info! I just painted my bathroom Glidden-drifting snow which is a white with a slight grey undertone. The problem i have is the walls are a brighter white than the trim. I don’t know the color of the trim, and cannot change the color of the trim because it goes through the whole house. It looks very odd with the walls lighter than the trim. Any advice on a different wall color I should go with? The trim looked super white before I painted, but now they look more cream next to the white walls. Any advise would be great!

Hi Laurel,
I love your article, thank you. I need some expert advice please. You seem to know a LOT about whites! We are doing a remodel, and wish to go with an “all-white” palette on walls and trim. Existing trim is BM White Dove, and we think we will stay with this throughout the existing and new/added space, both because we love it and because it is too costly to repaint all existing woodwork. Would also like to go with White Dove Walls (will that be boring??) OR Simply White walls with the White Dove trim. I am nervous, but hoping the clean palette will be lovely…also have not seen ANY blogs/articles/images of WHite DOve trim with Simply White walls! Also in your opinion can we use Super White on ceilings or should we do WHite DOve on ceilings too? THANK YOU!!!

Lauryl-Hello from Oregon 🙂 Thank you so much for this article and the one on grays! I was hoping you might have a white or cream suggestion for the exterior of our home. We chose to paint our single story 50’s house a dark gray (Behr’s dark ash). It looks great in small amounts, but now that the whole house is painted it has taken on a blue undertone. We started painting the trim white but it now the house looks even more cold and boring. I was hoping you might have a cream or off-white suggestion that would help it feel classy and elegant rather than stark and cold.

Thank you!!
Mary

Now that I see linen white it looks too yellow. What do you think about decorators white for all walls and ceiling and door… Too stark? Tile has some brown and fixtures are going to be a light gold… Is there another white you would recommend to keep that clean airy bathroom feel?

Hi Laurel,

Thank you for your speedy response. Yes, you are correct about my appliances being white. I will have to look into those shades of white and what looks right in my room. I like a little of the cream look. I just don’t want it to look yellowed in contrast to my appliances. I enjoy reading your comments-entertaining and informative!

Hello Laurel,

Thank you so much for the quick response. We have dark wood floor. White cesarntone counter top. And I am thinking about either white subway tiles or something that has a hint of grey as backsplash. For the family room right next to it, I am deciding between beige or light grey sectional. Thats all i have for now, everything else is still up in the air as there are just too many things going on with renovation!!!!!!!

Thank you again!

Hi Laurel,

I am doing a kitchen Reno and choose white dove for the cabinet. What other white would go perfectly with white dove as I am struggling with the wall color.

Thank you so much!

Linda

Thanks!

Now I am searching your blog for the color you used on your white cabinets and walls! Care to say?

I have white dove in my hoard, I’ll try it. I’m also going to try Snowfall white, have you tried it? Have you painted any doors black? That is on my list. My gray owl walls are going blue so it’s all going white and black !

You are amazing! I have scoured so many blogs, Pinterest, images for hours etc looking for the information you provided. I think I have a new thing, overuse of ipad while searching for white paint shoulder injury!Thank you so much.

I have simply white, moonlight and super white samples on my south facing walls and I need something in between simply and super. Super is too white and simply goes too warm at night. Moonlight is even warmer than Simply but lovely. Do you have a suggestion for my next test pot?

Love what you said about some of the whites. Thank you for being so honest, really helps!