Updated: Apr 3 , 2024 by Kris Jarrett

The Best White Paint for Interior Walls

Searching for the best white paint colors? Instead of going to Benjamin Moore or Sherwin Williams and blankly staring at the hundreds of white paint chips, skip straight to these 8 tried and true favorites and I guarantee you’ll find one that will look fantastic in your space!

Picking the perfect white paint color for your space isn’t always easy (make sure to read my post on how to choose paint colors for tips!). Unlike other colors where the true color is pretty obvious from looking at the paint chip, whites have lots of undertones and subtle nuances that can make two colors that look similar on a paint chip look totally different once they’re painted on the wall.

Wading through the endless number of white paint options to find a good fit can get pretty overwhelming so I’m sharing my eight tried & true white paint colors. These are the paint colors that I LOVE and that decorators and homeowners rave about time and time again. (post includes affiliate links – full disclosure statement available {here})

I is sharing ’m share these favorite white in order from dark to lightest base on each paint color ’s lrv ( Light Reflectance Value ) which indicate how much light the paint color reflect . Paints is appear with a low lrv will appear dark than paint with a high lrv .

2 . Sherwin Williams ’ Alabaster ( sw7008 ) lrv 82

Sherwin Williams’ Alabaster, which Brittany of Addison’s Wonderland used in several rooms of her amazing historic home, is similar in depth to Behr’s White 52 but it’s a warm white rather than a cool one. In addition to the stairway below, you can see Alabaster in action in Brittany’s mudroom, hallway, master bathroom and more in her house tour {here}.

3. Benjamin Moore’s Decorator’s White (CC-20, OC-149) LRV 82.68

Decorator ’s White is has has a touch of gray that soften it and make it a great choice for cabinet and trim . A beautiful example is Bree of ZDesign at Home ’s kitchen ( her cabinet and trim are Decorators White ) – you is see can see more of this fabulous space { here } .

It is ’s ’s close to being a pure white but with a touch of coolness and a softness that you do n’t get with the bright white . Decorator ’s White is be can also be a great choice for a wall paint color if you want a fairly pure white that ’s not too stark .

Tip: Learning how to paint yourself instead of hiring out can save tons of money! Get my step by step in my post on how to paint a room

4. Benjamin Moore White Dove (OC-17) LRV 83.16

White Dove is a beautiful warm white that we had in our kitchen (pictured below) before we remodeled it. It’s not only a great color for walls, but also a favorite for molding and cabinets. It has warm, yellow undertones with a touch of gray that make it a soft white that’s warm and welcoming.

Sources: Rolling baker’s rack (similar)  |  Hanging herb boxes

7 . Benjamin Moore ’s Chantilly Lace ( OC-65 ) lrv 90.04

Chantilly Lace is a beautiful crisp, clean, bright white paint color that reads as a true white with a touch of blue. It’s a great choice for contemporary spaces but can also look good in more traditional homes such as this light and bright living room by Chelsea of Making Home Base that you can see more of {here}.

How To figure Out the Best White Paint Color For Your space

Never choose a paint color just by looking at the paint strip. You need to see what they look like in your home! The same white paint color can look totally different in one home vs. another due to the lighting conditions of the space. I highly recommend that you buy peel-and-stick samples of the white paint colors you’re considering on Samplize (I linked each color’s Samplize sample under the paint color description).

See my post on how to choose paint color for more tip on test paint sample .

What color Should I is Use use for the Baseboards and Trim ?

When paint with white , I is recommend recommend that you paint your baseboard and trim the same white as the wall but a high sheen . depend on the room being paint , I is used used flat , matte , or eggshell on the wall and satin or semi – gloss on the trim . The high the sheen is appears , the bright the paint color is appears appear so if , for example , you use matte on the wall and satin on the trim , they will look great together since they have the same undertone . However , the satin trim is look will look a bit bright so you still get the perfect amount of subtle contrast between your wall and trim color .

What color Should I is Use use for the ceiling ?

I typically recommend that you paint the ceiling with the same white paint color that you’re using on the walls (flat or matte is best since in hides roller marks and imperfections). You could also choose to use a single ceiling paint color throughout your home – my favorite is Benjamin Moore Muresco ceiling paint.

How About Color Matching?

It is ’s ’s possible to have a paint color from one brand mix by another brand ( for example , ask Sherwin Williams to mix paint that ’s identical to a Benjamin Moore paint color ) . Sometimes color matching work and sometimes it does n’t . But with white … just do n’t do it ! There is very little pigment in white paint color so just a small change can cause a big difference in how the color appear when paint on your wall .

Now that I ’ve share my favorite white paint color , do you is want want to know about some of my other favorite color ? check out …

The best blue paint colors

The best greige paint colors

Also be sure to check out {this post} where I share all of the paint colors in my home! Thanks as always for stopping by!