Interior Design

The 15 Colors of White Paint Top Designers Swear By

Whether you need a warm or a cool shade, they’re here to help.

March 25, 2021
Photo by Virtually Here Studio

Deciding to paint a room white is easy. Picking out the right shade, however, can seem downright impossible thanks to the sheer volume of highly-nuanced options available. We have you covered, though. Today, 15 of our favorite designers are sharing the tried-and-true hues they keep at the ready. From warm to cool, their go-tos are sure to work in any room, no matter the amount of light it gets or its underpinning style.

Jessica Blue, Jessica Blue Interiors

“I love Benjamin Moore’s Decorator’s White because it has the depth of whitewashed villas you see in Grecian architecture. It is equally cool as it is warm, and is a beautiful neutral backdrop for any space.”

Benjamin Moore’s Decorator’s White Photo by Mark Trela Photography

Justin DiPiero

“I love Benjamin Moore’s Decorator’s White because it's the perfect in-between white: It's not too warm or too cool. Like in a gallery, it creates the perfect backdrop for all the colors and textures from other design elements to stand out. I love it as a base color throughout a house.”

Justina Blakeney, The Jungalow

“I'm a fan of Behr’s Spun Cotton. The color feels a bit old-worldly, really soft, and warm. It plays nicely with brights too and doesn't feel too stark.”

Behr’s Spun Cotton Photo by Justina Blakeney

Mikel Welch

“I love the crisp consistency of Farrow & Ball’s All White. Oftentimes, white paint leans yellow or gray, but this color remains a true white. I use this color on walls, ceilings, baseboards, and trim.”

Sheena Murphy, nune

Farrow & Ball’s All White. It’s bright without feeling stark; it’s both warm and cool; it's very flattering on most people's complexions. It works with almost every color and shade out there.”

Brady Tolbert

"Of all the white paint colors I've ever used both in my own home and in client projects, Benjamin Moore’s Simply White is, by far, my favorite. It’s clean, crisp, bright, and bounces the light around in such a good way."

Benjamin Moore’s Simply White Photo by Sara Tramp

Shanan Campanero, Eskayel

Sherwin-Williams’ Ultra Pure White is just the perfect white. It’s really a true, true white, which makes for the perfect blank canvas to then layer in color and pattern.”

Sherwin-Williams’ Ultra Pure White Photo by Eskayel

Maegan Blau, Blue Copper Design

“I love using Sherwin-Williams’ Bohemian Lace because of its chameleon-like quality. It’s a warmer white that can read creamy when around other warm tones or crisp when around blacks and grays.”

Sherwin-Williams’ Bohemian Lace Photo by LifeCreated

Katherine Thewlis, Haus Matter

“Honestly, my most-used white is not a paint color but just the unmixed primer. I use this when I'm looking for a crisp white to contrast a darker color or architectural detail because it has no undertones.”

Photo by Katherine Thewlis

Tiffany Leigh Piotrowski, Tiffany Leigh Design

Benjamin Moore’s White Dove is the ideal choice for living spaces as its warm undertones allow rooms to feel inviting and cozy. Also, don’t be afraid to have both off-white and pure white in your home. A mix of tones adds complexity and interest to a room.”

Benjamin Moore’s White Dove Photo by Patrick Biller

Emily Henderson, Style by Emily Henderson

"Benjamin Moore’s Super White has been a long time favorite of mine. It’s definitely a crisp bright white without yellow or blue undertones, which makes it the perfect tone to brighten up and freshen any room. My old house was painted Super White floor-to-ceiling, and it bounced the light around throughout the day in such a pretty way.”

Dabito, Old Brand New

“My go-to white lately is Behr’s Night Blooming Jasmine. It's a soft, slightly warmer white that’s versatile enough to work in different spaces. I've used this in pretty much all my rooms. It works great with my colorful style.”

Behr’s Night Blooming Jasmine Photo by Dabito

Kirsten Blazek, A 1000x Better

Benjamin Moore’s Chantilly Lace is a clean white that’s very neutral and not too stark with a hint of gray in the base.”

Benjamin Moore’s Chantilly Lace Photo by Virtually Here Studio

Michelle Martel

Benjamin Moore’s Chantilly Lace is my go-to. It's crisp, fresh and very neutral, meaning no particular hues coming through. It just is! White doesn't have to be boring, and this is a great paint because it complements a variety of artwork, furniture colors, and accessories.”

Benjamin Moore’s Chantilly Lace Photo by Michelle Martel

Whitney Jones, Whitney J Decor

Benjamin Moore’s Chantilly Lace is a beautiful shade of white that's warm–but not too warm–and cool enough to fit perfectly with blue and green accents. It's great for updating a furnished room too because it can freshen up reds, oranges, and browns, and warm up cooler colors.”

Benjamin Moore’s Chantilly Lace Photo by Whitney Jones

Do you have a favorite white paint? Share what makes it so great in the comments below.

This post originally ran in October 2017 but has been updated by our editors because there's nothing like a fresh coat of white paint to refresh your space.

See what other Food52 readers are saying.

Garrett Fleming

Written by: Garrett Fleming

Interiors Editor & Art Director

1 Comment

youngEsmerelda22 January 24, 2022
Sherwin-Williams Eider White is always a great choice.