White paint colors
Top picks for white
6 editor's picksEditor's picks + the named white every designer roundup features. Each card links to a single-color reference or full brand guide.
More white shades
9 variantsDrill into shade variants — modifier-specific bands (light, deep, muted) and named in-between shades each link to their own hub with cross-brand matches.
White at every US brand
10 brands · 5 picks each5 picks per brand spread across the LRV range, drawn from each brand's full white lineup. Tap any swatch for its single-color spec; tap the brand title for the brand's complete deck.
Behr
Benjamin Moore
Dunn-Edwards
PPG / Glidden
Valspar
Sherwin-Williams
Farrow & Ball
Magnolia Home
Clare
Top Kompozit white
123 in deckKompozit's deck has 123 colors that match the white band. The 5 below are spread across the LRV range — pick a darkness, hit Amazon for the can.
White in real rooms
17 roomsCurated picks per room with cross-brand matches at every major US brand.
About white
White is the hardest color to specify well. The right white shifts under daylight, north-facing rooms, and warm-LED bulbs — and most "whites" actually have a strong undertone (yellow, pink, green, or blue) that only shows up once it's on the wall. Below: the warm whites and cool whites we recommend most often, organized so you can compare them at a glance.
Use the LRV (light reflectance value) to gauge how the color will read in your space — a true white sits at 85+, a soft white at 75–85, and anything below 70 starts to read as cream or off-white. Always test a sample on your actual wall, in both daylight and your evening light, before committing.
White paint — frequently asked questions
What is the most popular white paint color?+
Benjamin Moore White Dove (OC-17, LRV 85) and Sherwin-Williams Alabaster (SW 7008, LRV 82) are the two most-spec'd whites in US designer rooms. Both are soft warm whites — slightly creamy, never icy. Chantilly Lace (BM OC-65, LRV 92) is the standard for a pure crisp white when you want zero warmth.
Warm white vs cool white — which should I pick?+
Warm whites (yellow or pink undertone) pair with oak floors, brass, beige carpet, and creamy trim. Cool whites (blue or grey undertone) pair with marble, chrome, white oak, and a contemporary palette. If your fixed materials are warm, a cool white will fight them; if they're cool, a warm white will look dingy. Match the room's temperature first.
What LRV is a true white?+
LRV 85 and up is a true white that reflects most of the light hitting it. 75–85 is a soft white that still reads bright. Below 70 the color starts to read as cream, ivory, or off-white. The CSS reference white #FFFFFF is LRV 100 — no paint product actually hits that, since pigment binders always knock LRV down a few points.
Will a white look the same on the wall as on the chip?+
No. Whites pick up the undertone of everything around them — the floor, the trim, the bulb temperature, the time of day. A "neutral" white in a north-facing room with cool LED bulbs can read blue; the same paint in an evening incandescent reads cream. Always test a 2×2 ft sample on the actual wall in both daylight and evening light before you commit.