Freshen up this summer with the perfect shade of white

With endless shades of white, here’s how to get it right.

If the thought of choosing a paint color pains you, picking out a perfect white shade is a nightmare come to life. Pure white? Off white? Simply white? Whether you’re painting a powder room, ceiling, or the walls of your master bedroom, choosing the right white makes more of a difference than you’d think. To save you from the headache of trying to decide between hues that seem nearly indistinguishable, we got the scoop from top designers on the best white shades, and where to use them.

1) CLOUD NINE, BENJAMIN MOORE

"As a colorist, white is seldom on my mind, but when I need a neutral gallery-esque background, I reach for Cloud Nine by Benjamin Moore. I painted the exterior of my office building in this particular shade and it's the perfect contrast to the gloss black trim." — MA Allen

 

2) SNOW DAY, CLARE

"Snow Day is the perfect cool white that has just enough warmth to keep it from feeling sterile. This is a great option for a south-facing room or for a bright white to pair with cool colors." — Nicole Gibbons

3) PURE WHITE, SHERWIN WILLIAMS

"Finding the right white is always a tricky task. However, I’ve found that a successful shade of white is one that’s honest and bares no hidden undertones of blues, yellows or pinks. Pure White by Sherwin Williams is an elegant white, which grounds the space and creates a nice neutral background to allow your furniture to shine." — Eileen Keshishian

 

4) WHITE DOVE, BENJAMIN MOORE

"Our go-to living room paint color, Benjamin Moore White Dove, is a warm white that perfectly complements the fresh pastel colors of this feminine space, creating a calm and welcoming room for entertaining. We typically opt for the wow color moments in the fabrics and accessories, rather than on the walls, to keep the living room as a more transitional space and the formal center of the home." — Christine Markatos

"White Dove has a creamy undertone that brings a lovely warmth to homes in urban environments or those in climates that often experience grey and overcast skies. Meanwhile, in more traditional settings, White Dove reads as a crisp white without being too cold or modern." — Emilie Munroe

"I love to use White Dove by Benjamin Moore. It’s so versatile! Because I focus a lot on art and artists in my work, this color never fights with sculptures, street art or abstracts. My favorite thing to do is apply one coat of Wise Owl's Opalescent Pearl Glaze over the White Dove. It softly shimmers with directional lighting, and the walls 'slow dance' without fighting with the art, fabrics and rugs. It's clean, simple and timeless!"— Kari Whitman

5) SIMPLY WHITE, BENJAMIN MOORE

"Benjamin Moore Simply White is always a crowd pleaser. It’s a warm, but true white, that looks both crisp and cozy in every space." — Kristen Peña

“Benjamin Moore Simply White is my go-to for a kitchen. It just feels right–not too cool, not too warm.” — Victoria Hagan

“Benjamin Moore Natura Simply White has a slight warm undertone, which keeps it from feeling too sterile (no hospital vibes here). I have yet to come across a color scheme Simply White wouldn’t complement. It also really goes to work in those darker spaces with little to no natural light because the paint color itself simply radiates. Bonus, this is an eco-friendly zero VOC paint for the environmentally conscious!" — Meridith Baer