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Saturday, November 8, 2008

November: Why is white the hardest "color" to choose in paint?


Whether it's choosing a trim color, a main wall color or exterior color, white can frustrate and confuse even those who consider themselves having a good eye for color. There are cool whites, warm whites, whites with a number of undertones such as green or blue and whites that shift in different lights or times of day. Often it is recommended to use cooler whites with cooler colors or more bright colors while applying warmer whites with warmer or more muted colors. In spaces with low natural light, white can often look gray or yellowish. But my biggest rule is that there is always room to break color rules when it is your space you are choosing colors for. Your preferrence and comfort with color should always prevail.

So what are some tried and true whites that designers and color experts often turn to? Many color consultants prefer a slightly warmer white without veering off into the cream palates. Benjamin Moore's biggest selling paint color happens to be Linen White. Experts often swear by this color for almost any situation. It is a very warm white that tends to work well with other colors. Ivory White is also a favorite as well as Bavarian White. For cooler whites, Benjamin Moore's Montgomery White, Decorator White and Super White are popular for their crispness and trueness. Pratt and Lambert's Silver White is also hard to go wrong with as well as Behr's Moon White. Benjamin Moore's Atrium white is a well loved white but can have a blue undertone to it in some light. Acadia White from Benjamin Moore is a lovely white with a green cast to it.

Whether you are using white to bring out the wood accents in a room or to help tie the rooms in your home together with a white trim, give it a respectful amount of consideration and your other colors will thank you!




Image source: Blinds.ca.com
Photo by Tammy Manet