How to Choose the Perfect White Paint Color

When it comes to painting a room, you might think that choosing a white paint color would be the easiest decision. White is white, right? Wrong. 

Picking the perfect white paint can be surprisingly challenging, and if you’ve ever found yourself staring at a wall of paint swatches thinking you’re going crazy, you’re not alone. 

Here’s why choosing the right white paint is surprisingly hard, and how to figure out which direction to go.

Sheens and How They Change the Color

First off, let’s talk about sheen. The sheen (AKA shininess) of your paint can drastically alter the appearance of the color on your walls. 

Paint sheens range – in order of least shiny to most – from flat to matte, eggshell, satin, semi-gloss, and high-gloss. Each sheen reflects light differently, which can change the perception of the color.

• Flat or Matte: These finishes have no shine, making them great for hiding imperfections, but they can make white look dull or, well, flat.
• Eggshell and Satin: These have a slight sheen, striking a balance between hiding imperfections and reflecting light. They often make white look a bit brighter.
• Semi-Gloss and High-Gloss: These are highly reflective and can make white appear more vibrant and crisp. They also highlight every imperfection on the wall, so prep work is crucial!

Warm and Cool Undertones

Not all white paint colors are created equal. Some have warm undertones and others have cool undertones, which can affect how the color looks in your space.

• Warm Whites: These have undertones of yellow, red, or brown. They tend to have a cozy, inviting atmosphere but can sometimes appear too creamy or yellow in certain lights.
• Cool Whites: These have undertones of blue, green, or gray. They tend to give a clean, modern look but can sometimes feel stark or sterile (especially on all the walls in a room)

Choosing between warm and cool white paint depends on the mood you want to create in your room and how the undertones complement your existing décor.

The LRV of Paint

LRV, or Light Reflectance Value, is another factor that goes into how different white paints are. It measures the amount of light a paint color reflects. The higher the LRV, the more light the color reflects, making a room feel brighter and more spacious.

• High LRV: A high LRV white paint will reflect more light, making it ideal for small or dark rooms. It can make the space feel more open and airy.
• Low LRV: A lower LRV white paint will absorb more light, which can create a cozier, more intimate atmosphere.

Lighting Changes Throughout the Day

Have you ever painted a swatch on the wall and loved it, then the ugly overhead lights of night time came on and you hated it? That’s because natural light varies based on the time of day, the direction your room faces, and even the time of year, which all impacts how your white paint color looks.

• Morning Light: If your room faces east, you likely get warm light in the morning, so white paint with warm undertones will be enhanced in east-facing rooms, while cool whites are more balanced (less stark blue) in these kinds of rooms.
• Afternoon Light: West-facing rooms get warm, golden light in the afternoon (goals), which can make whites with cool undertones look softer and more inviting, but may make warmer whites look way too yellow.
• Northern Light: Rooms with northern exposure get consistent, cool light all day, which can make warm whites look more neutral and cool whites look more blue or gray. 
• Southern Light: South-facing rooms receive the most consistent light, which can make whites with any undertone look bright and true to color (lucky you!).

Artificial lighting also plays a role so make sure to think about whether you’re a lamps-only girlie or if you’re more of a can light person. 

Incandescent bulbs cast a warm glow, while LED lights come in various temperatures, from cool to warm, which will impact how your white paint looks.

Final Thoughts

This whole blog post is giving science lesson but there really is a whole lot going on when you’re picking a white paint. Taking a little time to think about the LRV, the undertones and the lighting in your room might help you avoid standing in front of your swatch-covered wall ranking super similar-looking colors.

In our current house, we’ve used ‘shoelace’ by Behr in just about every room and we’ve found it’s a solid neutral/warmer white. In our last house, we used ‘fresh popcorn’ by Behr, which worked great in that smaller home with less natural light but when we tried it in our current house, it looked so dingy and yellow.

On our exterior brick paint, we used ‘Timeless’ by Clare which is also a great warmer white that’s super similar to the popular Shoji White color, so maybe those are a few to get you started!

Whichever way you go, take your time, test a few options, and you’ll eventually find the perfect white that makes your space feel just right. Happy painting!

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