If you could use a little help finding the proper cool, bright white paint for your walls, trim, or ceilings, this may help. So often we simply need a place to start. Inspiring images help us visualize what we love and don’t love. The cool white I used in our former fixer upper turned out to be highly transformative. Even if it isn’t the right white for you, the advice here will help. Read on to learn which white won me over as well as other cool white colors ideas to sample.
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Cool White Colors to Consider & Tips to Get the White Right
Favorite Cool White: Benjamin Moore OC-151
Benjamin Moore OC-151 was just what we needed to transform interior walls, ceilings, and trim. The temperature and mood needed to change in our fixer upper, and after sampling a bunch of possibilities, I landed on a winner. My style is modern European Country, and I wanted cool white subtle contrast with warm neutral furnishings.
BM calls OC-151 “a classic, all-purpose white that creates a clean canvas in the home,” and it definitely delivered on being a perfect white canvas to set a modern, gallery-like fresh mood.
Let’s face it. We can only go so long without another post from me packed with white walls. Why? Me and white paint have been friends for a lonnnnnng time. I started painting everything white in the early 90s and never really tired of it.
Then the internet decided my contribution to humankind should be highly engaging discussions…fine…helpful hand holding to guide others with ideas of whites to sample. It all sounds pathetically boring, and guess what? I’ll take it.
White and the beauty of the white rainbow is somehow a constant in my decorating style and personal lifestyle. (At least I don’t need to feel imposter syndrome when it comes to blogging about white paint colors.)
I’ll show you this color’s effect within different rooms at different times of day so you can decide whether to sample it.
Hopefully it will help to see OC-151 on walls (flat), trim (semi-gloss), and ceilings (flat) in various sheens in bedrooms, kitchen, bath, and living room with different amounts of natural light and in different seasons.
LRV (Light Reflectance Value) for OC-151
The LRV (light reflectance value) is 83.56 so it is going to reflect lots of light in the room. Our home receives a fair amount of strong yellow sunlight, and I needed a white that would not pull yellow or creamy warmth.
Why so many different variations of white paint? Each varies in terms of undertones, light reflectance (LRV), and temperature (cool or warm?). Choosing the right shade of white for your unique space involves a little bit of detective work and mindfulness.
Even after arriving at the best white paint for a particular room, it may look less than perfect in another part of the house or another home.
Why does this happen?
Your room’s unique lighting, exposure, lighting, furnishings, etc. impact perception of the color and the complete design picture. Rooms within your home vary in their exposure and window placement so the same color will vary.
It didn’t bother me that OC-151 appeared slightly different room to room.
I actually find this preferable. It was more important for me to find a cool modern and clean color that didn’t look dingy with cool undertones to cancel out yellow during the day.
Let’s explore more ideas to land on the precise white to enhance your own space.
Tips for Choosing the Best White Paint Color
With decades of experience painting walls, objects, and canvases, my experience lies with neutral color palettes. My eye is trained eye for whites in particular. It is imperative to remember that there are not just a few trustworthy white paints floating around.
In fact, there are endless variations with varying pigments, LRV, and temperature.
One of the most common questions I am asked all of the time is a version of: WHAT WHITE COLOR WILL MATCH WITH _________ AND _____________?
Most homeowners have little experience thinking about the beauty of a mix of whites living together.
Rather, they think the main goal is “matching” so that all of the whites (walls, cabinets, fabrics, trim, furniture) are the same white. But matching is NOT the objective and can leave the composition flat and uninteresting. To arrive at a pleasing, sophisticated, welcoming overall mood, it’s better to lean into concepts of harmony and balance as opposed to matching.
1. Whites Interact With Natural Light & Geographical Location
Since I live in Northern Illinois where the light is wholly different from the light in the Southwest, white paint colors here take on a particular quality as a result of the light. I like the contrast of BM OC-151 with warmer linen colors, sunlight and golden tones from light wood.
2. A Wildly Popular White Paint May Not Be the Right White
There are certain bestselling whites that work for a ton of spaces across the country, but they aren’t guaranteed to be the most flattering to your home. I had never heard of OC-151 and started with samples of BM Decorators White, White Dove, and SW Alabaster.
As soon as I sampled this color with the most boring name (sample Benjamin Moore White OC-151 right here), it was the only choice that immediately felt right. To choose the BEST WHITE, don’t become obsessed with just one color you see in an image or on Pinterest and assume it will be perfect without trying a sample.
Why?
First, professional photography for print or web often involves editing. Second, your room’s location and lighting are unique. Third, often a lot of folks experience an emotional reaction to the mere NAME of a paint color which doesn’t mean a thing.
3. Sample This Benjamin Moore White With Other Whites
Begin with a handful of samples for your walls. You could also try Brilliant White OC-150, Sherwin-Williams SW Extra White, and BM Chantilly Lace.
You’ll begin to notice the subtle differences and see the influence of undertones.
For this fixer upper, I first selected about five different bright clean white contenders.
4. Analyze the White Paint Samples
After viewing the samples in different rooms throughout the home at different times of day, I scrutinized. I took time to notice how the white changed or didn’t change throughout the day.
5. Undertones in White Paint
All whites have subtle undertones of grey, pink, yellow, brown, blue, etc. which influence the white’s temperature and perception in varying light.
Even your age can come into play as far as perceiving color. Did you know as we age, the lens of the eye gradually yellows?
This yellowing lens will influence perception of colors. The lens will likely absorb and scatter blue light so that it is trickier to notice nuance in shades of purple, green or blue.
6. Why I Ultimately Chose This BM Neutral
I can imagine that this white could be too stark for certain interiors, but in ours, it took on a cool, modern, gallery-like, slightly monastic and ethereal feel.
Will the Right White Stand the Test of Time?
We painted all the walls, trim, and ceilings in our North-South exposure home (which receives intense yellow sunlight) BENJAMIN MOORE White OC-151. Seven years later when we put the home on the market, we still loved it and had no plans to change it. Trends come and go, but when you stick to classics and listen to what a home’s architecture and lighting are whispering, you’re saving yourself a lot of time and money in the long haul.
What a transformation when we painted over yellow walls!
7. Choose the Most Flattering White Rather than a Trending Color
BM OC-151 White does not seem to be internet popular as it is cool white and perhaps not as gentle as white paints I chose for other homes.
8. More White Hues to Consider
BENJAMIN MOORE White Dove remains a favorite of mine for vintage furniture and what I chose to paint my family piano. It’s an off white that works very well in traditional style homes.
9. Viewing Image Galleries Online Helps
While there are paint color experts who may advise against stalking Pinterest and blogs for paint color ideas, I have my own opinion (however biased it is as a blogger!).
Collecting images of beautiful white painted rooms online or in shelter magazines (where the paint color name is provided) can be far more helpful for securing initial samples than deliberating over teeny pieces of cardstock under fluorescent lighting at the paint counter.
If you can’t wait for peel and stick paint samples to arrive in the mail and want to rush out to a paint store or big box paint counter for paint pots immediately…
Ever considered painting wood cabinets to brighten up your kitchen, bath, or laundry room?
Here’s a tutorial.
10. Pinterest for Paint Color Search
I have a Pinterest board HERE and white paint favorites HERE devoted to paint colors so you’ll score ideas.
BONUS TIP: Create your own Pinterest board devoted solely to white paint colors.
Curious about what interior designers recommend? Make sure to to READ THIS!
Peace to you right where you are.
-michele
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