Best White Paint Colors

shoji white exterior home

It can be so difficult to choose the best white paint colors for your home. There are so many shades of white paint it becomes overwhelming to try to choose one that fits your space the best. When I went to look at white paint samples for the first time, I would choose one that I thought I liked in the store but it ended up looking totally different on my walls.

We are currently in the middle of painting our interior spaces in our new home in Kansas City. I view white paint as a fresh start and use it as a starting block, unless I’m already set on another color.

White painted walls have been very popular over the past several years because they are so easy to design around. A fresh coat of white paint can make a huge impact in a home. I love painting a space white because it gives it a fresh start and can work with any design style. After painting a space white, you can plan decor and accent colors around how you want that specific space to feel. Today I’m sharing the best white paint colors so you can narrow down your choices and get to painting!

Best White Paint Colors

The best white paint colors will make your home feel fresh and give it new life. One of the most common fears I have heard when it comes to using white paint is that it could make your home look and feel sterile. There are several ways to prevent that from happening, and it all starts with choosing the best white paint color for your home. Then you can create points of interest and add in coziness with accent colors, textures, and other design elements.

A good example of this is from our previous home, when we remodeled our fireplace and painted it black and added a warm wood mantle. It helped the white space feel very cozy. Read about our Pinterest-popular fireplace remodel here!

Here’s a peek at our white living room with our black remodeled fireplace. You can read the blog post here.

Sherwin Williams Alabaster

In our last home, we used Sherwin Williams Alabaster throughout. We also used it on our wood siding when when lime washed our brick exterior. I loved this color because it has a bit of warmth in it (without being too yellow). If you have small spaces with warm light, it might pull a little too warm for your taste. But if you’ve got a big open floor plan with lots of natural light, this is a great shade of white paint for helping that space feel neutral and still feel cozy.

Sherwin Williams Alabaster in Master Bedroom
Sherwin Williams Alabaster in our previous home.

Benjamin Moore Decorator’s White

This is a popular choice for designers and for good reason. Benjamin Moore Decorator’s White is a very neutral shade of white paint, meaning it won’t pull too warm or too cool. It doesn’t have grey or beige undertones. Essentially this shade of white could be used in almost any space and look great. Here it is in my favorite Oklahoma designer and friend Carissa Miller from CC and Mike’s master bedroom.

Carissa Miller’s master bedroom design using Decorator’s White by Benjamin Moore.

Sherwin Williams Shoji White

This is a very popular white paint color and I have seen it used beautifully for white home exteriors as well. It is an off-white with greige/beige undertones and looks lovely in large open spaces or on cabinets. It’s a great neutral if you’re looking to steer away from a white paint that could pull too cool or too bright.

@mrsparanjape (Lori Paranjape on Instagram)

Sherwin Williams Snowbound

Snowbound by Sherwin Williams was the most popular suggestion when I asked my Instagram audience for their favorite white paint colors. It’s a little brighter than the other white paint samples we tried. I had a designer friend tell me that Snowbound is what she suggests to her clients who already have a lot of warmth in their home. Our wood floors are very warm so this was the best option for us. It’s ultimately the color we ended up choosing for our living room, entryway, and kitchen area. I’ll share more about our transition to white interior paint soon!

Benjamin Moore’s Swiss Coffee

Another beautiful, white paint with warm undertones is Benjamin Moore’s Swiss Coffee. It can pull very warm so be sure to test out a swatch in your space before committing! It will make a white space feel cozy. Swiss Coffee is also a great option for white kitchen cabinets that won’t appear to stark white. In fact, with beige interior accents coming back in style I think Swiss Coffee is a great option for warming up kitchen cabinets a little.

Image Source: Studio McGee. Walls are Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee at 75%.

Sherwin Williams Pure White

Sherwin Williams Pure White is exactly that. It’s a great match for Benjamin Moore’s Decorator’s White because it has neutral undertones. Pure White is a great color for baseboards and trim. I always use a satin base for trim. We used Sherwin Williams Pure White in our pantry remodel with Benjamin Moore’s Boothbay Gray for the cabinets which I’m so excited to reveal soon!

Best White Paint Colors

I hope this list of the best white paint colors is helpful as you plan your white interior spaces! Whether it’s a living room, entryway, or bedroom – these are my favorites. Be sure to follow me on Instagram to catch more of our home remodel and see how our white paint turns out!