How to Pick the Perfect White Paint

How to Pick the Perfect White Paint

Let’s talk about white paint! Even though there are early blooming cherry tree blossoms on Green Hill this December, I say let it snow, let it snow, let it SNOW!! I love the color of snow, which is why I’m so excited to talk about how to pick the perfect white paint color and share ideas for using white paint in a coastal home.

Benjamin Moore has chosen Simply White OC-117 as 2016 color of the year, which makes our conversation a current trend. White gives us all something to celebrate because it is a rich pure organic color.

White is often the best color choice for so many interior design applications. This is even more the case for homes by the sea.

Versatile Advantages of White Paint:

1. White can be layered easily with any other color.
2. White casts shadows and plays with light in a warming or cooling way, adding sophistication.
3. Whites can be dressed up or dressed down. Formal like a Tux, or casual like a white linen Caftan.

How to Choose the Right White Paint?

Choosing the perfect white paint color is regularly the biggest challenge my clients face. If you’re instead looking for the perfect gray, read my earlier post How to Decorate with Gray Paint.

Working with White Paint

There are many ways to work with white once you commit to your pallet. Consider one of these 3 ways:

1. If you seek a pure monochromatic pallet, you will layer whites with light beiges and light grays. This creates a seamless sea of softly layered tones.
2. The second approach is to use white with high contrast colors of almost any hue. For example, white & navy is a classic bold color combination for cottages.
3. My third favorite way to use white is to mix white with hues from nature. Such as, natural raw woods, metal, glass, rope and burlap. Yes, I love my burlap! The soft light browns of these natural materials mixed with gray metals and the reflection of glass, creates a serene oasis. Picture your white slipcovered couch, white wash walls, sea grass and cow hide rugs, combined with some linen drapes with wood woven blinds. Now that’s a recipe for coastal living!

Which White Paint?

For years Simply White BM 02-117 served as a strong reliable white for decorators, but this is often too bright for my clients that more often seek a soft and “less harsh” white.

Here are my favorite Benjamin Moore “go-to” whites:

Liz’s Favorite White Paint Color Picks:

• Soft Chamois OC-13
• Ballet White OC-9

Liz’s White Paint Color Combo for Cape Style Homes:

• Dove Wing – OC-18
• White Dove – OC-17

Liz’s Favorite White ~ Gray Paint Choice

Here’s a fantastic off-white with just enough gray to let white accents play off of it beautifully:

• Classic Gray OC-23

White color in a room decor is hardly boring, but rather the perfect canvas that puts the emphasis on what’s in the room rather than what’s on the walls. Give some of these white paint colors a try in 2016 & see for yourself!