Lately I have had a number of questions about picking out the right white paint. As an online interior decorator, the most asked question is what is your favorite white?  When selecting the perfect white paint and you have hundreds of choices to choose from; making a decision can be overwhelming. Warm whites, cool whites, ultra-whites, creamy whites – it can be hard to see and know the difference when they all look white.

So I have collected my favorite colors from popular paint brands to hopefully help you narrow down your options.

Here are my all-time top five go to white paint colors – in no particular order:

Benjamin Moore / Linen White 912 – Linen White is a warm white with a yellow undertone. I love to use Linen White on walls when you want the clean look of white but still some warmth.

Sherwin Williams / Alabaster SW 7008 – Whether you are painting trim, wainscoting, walls, or cabinets Alabaster is a great option. Alabaster is a crisp yet creamy white with no yellow or antique undertones.

Benjamin Moore White / Dove OC-17 – White Dove is one of the most universal white paint colors ever. It almost always looks great. It is a white with a touch of cream and a touch of gray without being dingy.

Benjamin Moore / Navajo White PM-29 – Not to be confused with Sherwin Williams Navajo White (the colors are completely different), Navajo White by Benjamin Moore is warm and rich. This reads almost like a beige-yellow. If you have a lot of natural light and you’re going for a Mediterranean vibe, this is your white.

Valspar / Du Jour 7002-6 – If you think you want white-white, but are trying to avoid the purple fluorescent look Du Jour may be your color! It’s bright and fresh, fantastic for bathrooms, wood paneled walls, and trim.

Do you have a favorite white to add to the list? Please share! To see some of my other favorite paint colors, please follow my Pinterest Board Favorite Paint Colors.

Paint color is a key element in a room!  Whether you go neutral, light or bold – getting the paint color just right is essential to a room design.

A “brush-out” is a term that means a sample of the actual paint color painted on a wall or a sample board in the designated room. I recommend this step on every project whether it be an in house client or an online client.

Here is some information on how to make your paint color selection just like an interior designer:

1.  Always do a small “brush out” of any paint color prior to painting the entire room. This helps make sure that the color that looks so great on your computer screen or even a paint store swatch will actually look as good on your walls. I recommend painting a brush out even if you really like the color or have seen it before. The reason for this is the light and other elements in a room or home can dramatically change the look of paint colors.

2.  Most major paint manufacturers now sell sample size paints. If your color is not available in a sample size you can purchase a quart of each paint color that you are considering using from your local paint store. This may seem like an expensive way to test the color but it is much less costly to pay for a quart of paint than it is to repaint an entire room.

3.  Paint a 3’ by 3’ square on the wall and let it dry completely. If you have a dark color already on the wall or you are sampling a deep paint color, you will need to paint several coats on your brush out to ensure that you have the true color. Once the color dries, look at the paint in different lights of the day to really get a true sense of the color. What may look yellow in the morning may look greener in the afternoon light.

4.  Take a look at online color viewers. Some of my favorite paint manufacturers have easy to use online tools for painting a sample room online. Take a look at Personal Color Viewer Benjamin Moore and ColorSnap Visualizer by Sherwin-Williams to get started.

Doing this type of color study is the best way to trust that you are going to like a paint color prior to painting an entire room.