Here we are in Week 2 of this series - answering all your decor questions and I've received dozens of submissions about White Paint and as I started to respond, I realized they all have a similar response!
What is the best white paint?
What white paint works with (cool)gray?
Difference between Pure White or Chantilly Lace?
Isn't all white paint neutral?
I'm going to tackle all these here and if you have a question of your own, simply click on the button at bottom of this email.
Entryway with Chantilly Lace walls and Pure White trim
What is the best white paint?
There are lots of great white paints out there. Which only makes it more complicated. I would say the best is one that is a true neutral - or few undertones (meaning it doesn't suddenly look green or pink depending on the time of day).
I have tried my fair share of white paints and these are the ones I go back to again & again (click to order peel & stick sample):
Lots of folks or moving away from gray or at least trying to freshen things up a bit (I'll be writing a whole post on this) but because grays almost always have a strong undertone either cool (steely, icy, greenish, cold) or warm (greige, pinky, putty) - choosing a neutral white is crucial!
Why? A warm white with a cool gray will make the white feel dingy.
A cool white with a warm gray will make the gray feel brown & muddy.
Instead- stick to a true neutral white (like the ones I've mentioned) who will play nicely with existing grays.
Chantilly Lace walls with Pure White wood trim
Difference between Pure White or Chantilly Lace?
Because they are becoming so popular, many people wonder about the difference between the two.
Honestly - it is very, very subtle. You can see from the spaces I've worked on above I used both in the same space (wild I know!). The walls are all Chantilly Lace from Benjamin Moore and the wood trim is Sherwin Williams Pure White.
They are both considered neutral white paints but Chantilly Lace is just a touch crisper & brighter while Pure White is every so slightly warm & soft.
This graphic shows them in their true hex code where you can really see it:
I've written a whole article on it - see below for more info but I'd say by and large Pure White is a bit more accessible. Chantilly Lace is great for very modern spaces.
Isn't All White Paint Neutral?
Well, we kind of covered this already but no. Whites are either warm, cool, or more of a balanced neutral. Even though we see whites grouped under neutrals, I usually distinguish it as whether it's a "true neutral."
Some popular white paints will look very creamy - which will give a more traditional, cottage-y, or cozy feel but can be hard to update over time.
An example is Alabaster by Sherwin Williams which is a warmer, softer, creamier white. Still very pretty but just know where it lands!
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