The ultimate guide to white and off-white paint colors
Inspirations
Explore the best white paint colors for your home, get tips on warm and cool white hues
and more
Transcendent and timeless, white and off-white paint colors offer unrivaled versatility. With their underlying tonalities and natural reflection of ambient hues, however, choosing the just-right white is an enduring challenge.
Read on to find insights and inspiration on the white and off-white hues that will work wonders in your distinct space.
Most Popular Benjamin Moore White
and Off-White Paint Colors
These versatile, tried-and-true white and off-white paint colors are long-standing favorites
How to Recognize Undertones in White Paint
Most paint colors are created by using two or more colors. An undertone is created when there is a higher percentage of one color over the other.
Warm white hues have undertones of red, orange, and yellow, resulting in a soft glow and welcoming vibe. Cool whites have hints of green, blue, and violet, resulting in crisp, clean and fresh spaces. When looking for the “just-right” white paint:
- Visit your local Benjamin Moore store and pick several color strips.
- Layer them on top of one another at home.
- Observe the difference between brightness levels and undertones.
- View the strip’s paint colors against your home furnishings to find which white is most complementary.
Warm White Paint & Undertones
Warm whites include red, orange, and yellow undertones
Cool White Paint & Undertones
Cool, crisp whites include green, blue, and violet undertones
Our Brightest, Cleanest White Paint Colors
“What is Benjamin Moore’s ‘most pure’ white paint?”
We get this question all the time.
From hundreds of white and off-white colors, we’ve narrowed it down to Chantilly Lace OC-65 and Super White OC-152. Both have little to no visible undertone, making them two of our “whitest white” paint colors.
We love Chantilly Lace and Super White for a few reasons:
Adaptability: Each effortlessly pairs with almost any color combination.
Super Bright: Both are crisp, refreshing white hues.
High Light Reflectance Value (LRV): In color parlance, a high LRV means they reflect a lot of light.
Classic White Paint for Trim and a Look at Finish
Clean, white-painted trim is always a go-to. For ultimate continuity, paint all the trim in your home the same Benjamin Moore white paint color. For finishes, we recommend:
- Semi-gloss for trim and doors
- Matte or eggshell for walls
- Flat for ceilings
Designers love using finish/sheen to differentiate any hue, including white or off-white paint colors.
High gloss: Turns up the drama and highlights architectural details. Offers greater durability.
Matte: Provides an understated, elegant finish that pairs with rich surfaces like marble countertops.
Eggshell: A homeowner favorite for its practicality, eggshell offers a soft hint of gloss and an easy-to-clean surface.
Designers Share their Favorite Benjamin Moore White Paint Colors
Finding the right white and off-whites is critical to interior designers.
Check out the ones they turn to again and again in this video.
Designer favorites include Linen White OC-146, Atrium White OC-145, Cotton Balls OC-122, Chantilly Lace OC-65, and Steam AF-15, from the mix-and-match Affinity® Color Collection.
A Crisp White: The Ultimate Color Pairing
Colors that connect one room to the next, or "color flow" is easier with white hallways, trim and doors. Brushing on paint samples—even when it comes to hallways, trim and doors—is always the best test.
Here, deep, rich Old Navy 2063-10 against crisp, white-painted trim, ceiling and farmhouse door, punches up this charming kids’ room.
The white paint in this room is elevated further with Advance® Interior paint. Advance cures to a furniture-like finish, and its durability makes it an ideal choice for doors, trim, cabinetry, and yes—bunk beds!
Pairing White & Off-White Paint Colors on Walls and Trim
Here, window trim in Morning Dew OC-140, a soothing cool gray with a touch of green, pairs beautifully with Steam AF-15. Other white and off-white pairings we love for trim and walls include:
- White Dove OC-17 on trim, Ballet White OC-9 on walls
- Fossil AF-65 on trim, Swiss Coffee OC-45 on walls
- White Down OC-131 on trim, Cloud White OC-130 on walls
Explore the Benjamin Moore Off White Collection to find paint color pairing recommendations, compare similar shades, and more.
The Power of Classic White Paint on Exterior
A white or off-white home exterior is a longstanding homeowner favorite, standing out against surrounding landscapes. White-painted exterior siding, be it vinyl, wood, or stucco, provides a harmonious hue against which brick, stone and slate pops. Other hues we love for all-white home exteriors include Swiss Coffee OC-45, White Diamond OC-61, and Distant Gray OC-68.
Thinking of painting your exterior a deeper shade? White exterior trim adds clean crisp lines and highlights architectural details.
"There are hundreds of Benjamin Moore shades of white. By viewing white paint colors next to one another, the undertone will become more obvious, making it easier to select a white option that leans warm or cool.”
—
ANDREA MAGNO
COLOR & DESIGN EXPERT
Test Your White Paint Colors
White paint colors are especially prone to taking on different tonalities from morning to evening, under both natural and artificial lighting conditions.
Use brush-on paint samples and live with your options for a few days before you buy.
Get Inspired
Visit your local Benjamin Moore retailer for your Off White Collection brochure, or get your copy here
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What is the most popular white paint color
A. The most popular Benjamin Moore white paint color is White Dove OC-17, a clean and classic white hue. White Dove is also our most sampled paint color.
Favorites Chantilly Lace OC-65 and Swiss Coffee OC-45 are close behind as most popular Benjamin Moore white paint colors. You’ll find these three favorite white hues and many more in the Benjamin Moore Off White Collection.
Q. What shade of white is best for walls?
A. The best white paint for interior walls depends on many factors, from décor to lighting in a space. Three favorites include Chantilly Lace OC-65 and Decorator’s White OC-149 — both cooler whites, and Simply White OC-117, a former Benjamin Moore Color of the Year, which leans warmer in tone.
Q. What are different shades of white?
A. Shades of white are typically divided into either “warm” or “cool” categories. Warm white hues include red, orange and yellow undertones. Cool white hues include green, blue and violet undertones.
When designing your space, consider that red, yellow and neutral home accessories will harmonize with warmer white paint colors. Green, blue and cool gray furnishings and fabrics synch with cooler white paint colors.
Q. What are warm white paint colors?
A. Warm white paint colors have red, orange and yellow undertones, evoking a soft glow and welcoming energy. Popular warm white hues include White Opulence OC-69 and Pink Damask OC-72 (red undertones), Pompeii OC-82 and Onyx White OC-74 (orange undertones), and Mayonnaise OC-85, and Acadia White OC-38 (yellow undertones).
Q. What are cool white paint colors?
A. Cool white paint colors have undertones of green, blue, and violet. Cool whites evoke a crisp, clean, fresh look. Favorite cool white paint colors include Minced Onion OC-128 and Meadow Mist OC-134 (green undertones), Distant Gray OC-68 and White Ice OC-58 (blue undertones) and Mirage White 2116-70, and Calm OC-22 (violet undertones).
Q. What is the most neutral white paint color?
A. If you are looking for our most neutral white paint color, consider Chantilly Lace OC-65. This neutral white is a classic go-to white hue that elicits images of fresh cotton and pure silk.