Neutrals are incredibly versatile to work with when you’re after a timeless and natural color story. But which one’s best for your particular project? Even when you narrow it down to “white,” detective work is in order. This post will help. As a paint color consultant assisting others everyday, my secret weapon may simply be that I AM OLD. 30+ years of experience and plenty of successful paint projects. These Timeless Whites are in the spotlight to guide you.

I independently selected products in this post—if you buy from one of my links, I may earn a commission.
Timeless Whites to Paint Interiors & Exteriors
Do you live for picking out a white paint in a shadowy big box store aisle? You go do you. Me? That scene makes me cuckoo. Consider the alternative.

The gallery here reflects white paint colors designers have learned to trust and provides ideas for colors to sample.

How Do You Choose the Right Timeless Whites?
At a minimum, plan on sampling at least three possibilities. Peel and stick samples can be ordered online or pick up sample pots if painting on the wall is more your style.
Easiest way to see if a timeless white will work? Order samples with Samplize to be delivered straight to your door.

Timeless whites spotlighted here are popular with homeowners and designers for good reason. Their formulas tend to work for designers, painters, and DIYers across varied contexts.
These whites also seem versatile for a variety of surfaces: exterior siding, walls, cabinets, or trim.

BM 2143-70 Simply White
Benjamin Moore points out this hue’s slightest hint of warmth makes it clean, crisp and versatile.
Simply White’s light reflectance value (LRV) of 89.52, means it is both bright and reflective…the brightest white in fact of the three timeless whites we’ll profile here.

See its luminosity above?

Need a Simply Perfect White for Trim?
Yes you most certainly can use the same white for shiplap, ceiling, and trim. Notice how it is all Simply White below:

Quite the transformation Katie Beth Lamb made to a basement bar area which used to be brown. Way to erase gloom in one beautiful white swoop.

With modern farmhouse taking over suburbia in recent years, it would seem Simply White did too. So many designers chose this color for shiplap!

Notice how the warmth of brass fixtures works with it here:

What happens to Simply White for exterior applications?

I have heard designers recommend only painting white exteriors a color with a LRV under 80. Does that mean Simply White is not appropriate at nearly 90? Depends on the setting of your particular structure.

You’ll know whether it is calling your name by sampling it. It’s an excellent color for trim…just look at all this paneled glory above and below.

Another reason it is so imperative to sample and live with the sample as long as you can? It is going to change at various times of day.

Ceilings are a prime place where Simply White may be the right white. We tend to under-mention ceilings when it comes to decorating blogs, but they matter.

SW 7005 PURE WHITE
Curious to know the bestselling Sherwin-Williams white? Sherwin Williams say it is this one:
Does SW 7005 feel more of a wintry white than the sunny Simply White? A swatch of Simply White looks downright creamy in comparison to the Pure White one above.

This difference illustrates the importance of sampling whites side by side and viewing images of real rooms.

The fact Pure White has cooler undertones than Simply White could suggest it is more appropriate for modern interiors.

Will it look too sterile? This bright white has the slightest yellow undertone to prevent it from going too stark.

Maybe this explains why it is hugely popular for trim.

LRV for Pure White is 84. That seems nearly perfect as far as my own personal preference and experience with whites.


BM OC-17 WHITE DOVE
If you haven’t heard of OC-17, you are likely not a design freak with subscriptions to interior mags.
Because White Dove is legendary. According to Benjamin Moore, White Dove’s unerring style is what is most memorable about this clean and classic white.

White Dove’s LRV is 83.16. That is almost identical to Pure White which sits in the sweet spot for light reflectance if you ask me. (The amount of light reflected back into the space will be 83.16%.)

Are you beginning to see the beauty of seeing one color across a number of different contexts and lighting conditions?

Here it is in a timeless dining area with shiplap and on kitchen cabinets here:

Will White Dove Work Equally Well With Traditional and Modern Interiors?
In the early 90s when first I fell for White Dove, home was the sweetest 1920s bungalow.
Just perfect for that house inside and out. However, it is equally pretty in modern spaces like the one above.

White Dove has been a personal favorite for trim and doors since it delivers a traditional, classic, established look.
Have a Pinterest board reserved for paint colors? It is a smart way to stay organized.

White Dove is lovely for kitchen cabinets, and it plays nice with just about every white marble, quartz, or solid surface countertop.

If living with white is new for you, maybe you worry the room will feel too cold.

As long as there is plenty of texture, a mix of materials, and good lighting, White Dove can be very warm without going yellow on you.
I independently selected products in this post—if you buy from one of my links, I may earn a commission.
Great Additions if You Love White

It can be a challenge to find a white sofa that strikes the right balance of unfussy but not too casual.


Peace to you right where you are.
-michele
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