Monday, May 4, 2009

Paint Colors: White

Choosing a color, especially white, is a difficult process. First, everyone's eye sees color differently. Second, it depends on where you live and the kind of light you get. Do you face East, or West, or do you like in the Northwest or Southeast? Third, it depends on whether or not you are looking for a crisp and bright white or soft and warm white or cream. Most importantly, what is the overall feel you want your house to convey?

With all this in mind I've gathered up some of the best whites, creams, and non-white neutrals on the market to try and simplify the process for you.

Soft, Creamy Whites: (works with everything)
White Dove - Benjamin Moore (the most commonly used white I found)
Steam - Benjamin Moore Affinity
Cloud White - Benjamin Moore
Moonlight White - Benjamin Moore
Picket Fence White - Ralph Lauren
Pointing - Farrow & Ball
Swiss Coffee - Behr

Bright Whites: (clean and crisp)
Design Studio White - Ralph Lauren
All White - Farrow & Ball
Decorator's White - Benjamin Moore
Super White - Benjamin Moore
The Right White - Restoration Hardware

Creams: (warm toned, but still in the white category)
Vellum - C2
White Tie - Farrow & Ball
Linen White - Benjamin Moore
Navajo White - Benjamin Moore
Seashell - Benjamin Moore
Mediterranean White - Restoration Hardware
Polo Mallet White - Ralph Lauren
Riveria Terrace - Ralph Lauren

Some designer's favorite non-white neutrals:
Dimity - Farrow & Ball (Canadian House & Home)
Clunch - Farrow & Ball (Ina Gardens' barn decorated by Robert Stilin)
Abingdon Putty - Benjamin Moore (Susan Ferrier)
Seawind - Benjamin Moore (Phoebe Howard)
Horizon - Benjamin Moore (Phoebe Howard, Steven Gambrel)
Titanium - Benjamin Moore (Darryl Carter)
Gray Owl - Benjamin Moore (Darryl Carter)
Slipper Satin, String, Stony Ground - Farrow & Ball (Belgian Style via House Beautiful)
Elephant's Breath - Farrow & Ball (Kim Alexandriuk)

Did I miss one of your favorites? Let me know and I will update the list as paint colors are always changing.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

I hope you can point me in the right white direction...

I live in an apartment that faces north. It has enormous windows that stretch across the entire width of the living room and bedroom respectively. I mention this because it means I do get quite a bit of light BUT the light I get bounces off the wall-of-red-brick building across the narrow street. (I live in a non-historic walk-up in a very historic town....that apparently gave away red bricks for free 250 years ago.) Sooo...

I fight pink wash. Almost every white runs an appalling pink at some point in the day. And if the yellow is too bright/much, my walls turn a ghastly flesh color.

Grey seems to withstand the pink onslaught well.
Moonlight White is grey with a muted yellow, and to my eye, no pink.

I do love moonlight white from BM but it seems to be quite light. Is there something in this same genre that you can recommend? Something else, besides moonlight white?

Anonymous said...

I am using soapstone with a greenish tint on the perimeter of my kitchen with white carrara on the island...I am pulling my hair out trying to decide upon a white that is not so stark that will blend with marble???

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...