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After comparing the most-used whites from Benjamin Moore and Sherwin-Williams across dozens of real rooms, three stand above the rest: Benjamin Moore White Dove (OC-17) for its foolproof warm balance, Sherwin-Williams Alabaster (SW 7008) for cozy traditional spaces, and Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace (OC-65) for crisp modern rooms. The right white depends on your light, your trim, and your undertone tolerance.
Why White Paint Is So Hard to Get Right
White is the most returned paint color in America, and it is not even close. The reason is undertones. Every white paint leans somewhere — yellow, pink, blue, green, or gray — and that lean becomes dramatically more visible once it covers 400 square feet of wall. A white that looks clean on a two-inch chip can read buttery yellow in a south-facing living room or icy blue in a north-facing bedroom.
The second trap is LRV, or Light Reflectance Value. LRV runs from 0 (absolute black) to 100 (pure white) and tells you how much light a color reflects. Two whites with LRVs of 82 and 92 will feel like entirely different colors in the same room. As a rule of thumb: LRVs above 85 feel bright and crisp, LRVs between 75 and 85 feel soft and creamy, and anything below 75 starts reading as off-white or greige.
This guide sticks to manufacturer-published specs and the whites designers specify most often, with honest notes about where each one works and where it fails.
The Top 3 White Paints, Ranked
1. Benjamin Moore White Dove (OC-17) — The Safest White You Can Buy
LRV: 85.38 | Undertone: warm, faintly creamy yellow | Typical price: ~$70/gallon (Regal Select)
White Dove is the best-selling white in Benjamin Moore’s lineup for a reason: it almost never looks wrong. The warm undertone keeps it from feeling sterile, but it is restrained enough that it never reads yellow on the wall. In south-facing rooms it glows softly; in north-facing rooms it stays warm without turning dingy.
Best rooms: living rooms, bedrooms, whole-house color schemes, kitchen cabinets. Best lighting: versatile — works in north, south, east, and west light. Watch out for: next to very cool grays it can look slightly creamy by comparison; pair it with warm-leaning companions.
2. Sherwin-Williams Alabaster (SW 7008) — Best Warm White for Cozy Homes
LRV: 82 | Undertone: warm beige-cream | Typical price: ~$80/gallon (Duration) or ~$65/gallon (SuperPaint)
Alabaster was Sherwin-Williams’ 2016 Color of the Year and it has been a top seller ever since. It is noticeably creamier than White Dove, which makes it ideal for traditional, farmhouse, and transitional homes where you want warmth. In bright south-facing light it can lean a touch yellow, so it is at its best in rooms with moderate or north light.
Best rooms: bedrooms, dining rooms, exteriors paired with warm brick or stone. Best lighting: north and east light; use cautiously in intense southern exposure. Watch out for: can look dingy next to bright-white trim — use it for trim too, or choose a cleaner trim white.
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3. Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace (OC-65) — Best Crisp Modern White
LRV: 92.2 | Undertone: cool, barely-there blue-gray | Typical price: ~$70/gallon (Regal Select)
Chantilly Lace is the cleanest white Benjamin Moore makes — no discernible yellow, pink, or cream. That purity is exactly why modern and Scandinavian-style homes love it. But that same purity is a liability in low light: in a north-facing room it can feel cold and stark. It is also the least forgiving white on imperfect walls, because high-LRV colors show every flaw.
Best rooms: modern kitchens, bathrooms, home offices, trim and ceilings. Best lighting: south and west light, or rooms with abundant natural light. Watch out for: feels sterile in dark rooms; not the pick for cozy traditional spaces.
Warm Whites Worth Considering
Benjamin Moore Simply White (OC-117)
LRV: 89.52 | Undertone: clean warm with a whisper of yellow | ~$70/gallon (Regal Select)
Simply White sits between White Dove and Chantilly Lace: brighter than White Dove, warmer than Chantilly Lace. It was Benjamin Moore’s 2016 Color of the Year. It is a superb trim color and works beautifully on walls in well-lit rooms. In dim rooms the yellow undertone becomes more apparent.
Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee (OC-45)
LRV: 83.93 | Undertone: warm, creamy beige | ~$70/gallon (Regal Select)
Swiss Coffee is a designer favorite for a soft, enveloping white. It reads as a true off-white rather than a white-white, which makes it forgiving and cozy. Excellent for bedrooms and living rooms where you want warmth. Avoid it if you want crisp contrast with white trim — it will look beige next to a brighter white.
Sherwin-Williams Greek Villa (SW 7551)
LRV: 84 | Undertone: warm, slightly golden | ~$65/gallon (SuperPaint)
Greek Villa is Sherwin-Williams’ answer to White Dove — a warm, livable white that works across styles. It is a touch warmer and more golden than White Dove, which suits Mediterranean, traditional, and warm-modern homes. Like Alabaster, keep it away from harsh southern light if you are sensitive to yellow.
Benjamin Moore Cloud White (OC-130)
LRV: 85.05 | Undertone: soft warm with gray-beige nuance | ~$70/gallon (Regal Select)
Cloud White is the quiet achiever of the BM white family — less famous than White Dove but beloved by designers for trim, ceilings, and cabinetry. The slight gray-beige undertone keeps it sophisticated and prevents it from ever looking stark. A top pick for trim when walls are a warm color.
Cool and Neutral Whites
Sherwin-Williams Pure White (SW 7005)
LRV: 84 | Undertone: neutral, barely warm | ~$65/gallon (SuperPaint)
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Pure White is one of the most neutral whites on the market — it does not commit strongly to warm or cool, which makes it extremely versatile. It is a go-to for exteriors, trim, and whole-house schemes where you want a white that plays well with everything. It will not add warmth to a cold room, though.
Sherwin-Williams Snowbound (SW 7004)
LRV: 83 | Undertone: cool with a gray-violet whisper | ~$65/gallon (SuperPaint)
Snowbound is the cool counterpart to Alabaster — same depth, opposite temperature. The faint gray-violet undertone makes it a natural partner for cool grays, blues, and modern palettes. In north-facing rooms it can feel chilly; it shines in bright, warm light where its coolness balances the sun.
Sherwin-Williams Shoji White (SW 7042)
LRV: 74 | Undertone: warm greige | ~$65/gallon (SuperPaint)
Shoji White is technically an off-white — at LRV 74 it has real depth. The warm greige undertone makes it a bridge color between white walls and beige/greige furnishings. Ideal for open floor plans where you want subtle definition without committing to a mid-tone color. Not for anyone who wants a bright, crisp white.
5 More Whites Designers Spec Repeatedly
- Benjamin Moore Decorator’s White (OC-149, LRV 82.74) — cool-leaning white with a faint gray undertone; a classic trim and ceiling color for modern homes.
- Sherwin-Williams Egret White (SW 7570, LRV 70) — soft warm off-white; beautiful in bedrooms and low-light spaces where you want glow, not glare.
- Benjamin Moore White Heron (OC-57, LRV 82.28) — cool white with the faintest blue-gray; pairs with Carrara marble and cool palettes.
- Sherwin-Williams White Duck (SW 7010, LRV 74) — warm off-white with beige depth; great for exteriors and cozy interiors.
- Behr Ultra Pure White (LRV ~94) — the brightest, cheapest option (~$35/gallon Premium Plus); best reserved for ceilings and trim, as it can look harsh on large wall areas.
How to Test White Paint Before Committing
Never choose a white from a chip alone. Buy sample pots of your top three contenders and paint large swatches — at least 2×2 feet — on foam boards, not directly on the wall. Move the boards around the room and observe them at three times of day: morning, midday, and evening under artificial light. Whites shift more than any other color family, and the shift is the whole decision.
Two pro tips: first, test next to your fixed elements — flooring, countertops, and trim all cast their own undertones onto the wall. Second, look at the swatch in the least-lit corner of the room, not just the brightest spot. A white that looks perfect in sunlight but dingy in shadow will disappoint you every evening.
Common White Paint Mistakes
- Ignoring the trim: If your trim is a bright white (like Chantilly Lace) and your walls are creamy (like Alabaster), the walls can look dirty by comparison. Match undertones between trim and walls, or paint trim the same color in a higher sheen.
- Choosing by chip in the store: Fluorescent store lighting lies. Always test at home.
- Going too bright for the room: High-LRV whites in dark rooms look gray and flat, not bright. A slightly deeper white (LRV 75-82) often looks brighter in low light than a stark one.
- Forgetting the ceiling: A bright white ceiling over warm walls creates a visual disconnect. Consider painting the ceiling the same white as the walls, or a half-strength version of it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most popular white paint color?
Benjamin Moore White Dove (OC-17) and Sherwin-Williams Alabaster (SW 7008) are consistently the two best-selling whites in North America, with White Dove the choice of more interior designers in published projects.
What white paint has no yellow undertones?
Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace (OC-65) is the purest white with virtually no yellow. Sherwin-Williams High Reflective White is even brighter but can look stark and is best for ceilings and trim.
Should white walls and white trim be the same color?
Using the same white in different sheens (eggshell walls, semi-gloss trim) is the safest approach and looks intentional. If you use different whites, keep their undertones in the same family.
What LRV is best for white walls?
For most rooms, LRV 80-88 hits the sweet spot — bright without glare. Above 90 works for trim, ceilings, and very well-lit modern spaces. Below 78 reads as off-white.
By Ella Knight
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