After our recent post on Best White Paints, we received an email from a friend who has a background in decorative painting. Jump below for her notes on white paints...
• Benjamin Moore Super White (cool white, pretty modern/stark)
• Benjamin Moore Linen White (yellowy-peach tone) I love this color, but depending on lighting situation, can look a bit dingey. Has a bit of the Martha Stewart-ness about it
• Benjamin Moore China White (pink undertone, not my favorite)
• Benjamin Moore Ballet White (a bit taupey, I like it, but may look "navajo white" dpending on lighting)
• Benjamin Moore Mayonnaise (hint of lemon white tone)
• Benjamin Moore Decorators White (decorators swear by it, but reminds me of China White)
• Benjamin Moore White Dove (modern cool white, slightly taupe)
I also like:
• Philips Perfect color BUTTERFLY WHITE (from G&R paint in SF) - LOVE THIS ONE SO MUCH. slightly lighter in color and fresher feeling than linen white. a creamy aioli-esque white) also very Martha-esque
• Ben Moore 925 - clean, fresh and slightly vintage-y
• Ben Moore AF-40 LYCHEE creamy yellow white
• Ben Moore AF-20 MARSCAPONE slightly pink cast
• Ben Moore AF-15 STEAM slightly greeny-taupe
Rules of thumb:
• if there is green light cast in the space: use something pinky to offset
• if there is blue, use peachy
• if there is yellow, user cooler tone.
Thanks, R.!
Image: LivingEtc
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Those stairs look great - is that just an unpainted center section?
It appears off-center, though. That would drive me nuts.
great post for those of us that LOVE white, like me!
Benjamin Moore Super White all the way!
scmtngirl - it's centered from the outside of the step but you are right it looks wrong because of the handrail. It would drive me mad too!
BM Super white was just too stark for me, but their plain ol White was perfect. How come nobody ever mentions that one?
Decorator's white is a very lux white. Flat looks best. I see pink but only in electric light. In daylight, through silvery blinds, it is rich and dramatic.
I have big windows that face north and I want to make the room feel warmer and brighter. I was thinking BM's China White, but I don't want it to look dingey - thoughts?
I do not understand that staircase- why would you want t make a staircase seem more narrow?
I just painted the trim in my living room with the old Martha Stewart for Sherwin-Williams color Glass of Milk and really love it.
After trying what felt like an endless trial of most-recommended BM white paints, everything looked muddled on my walls. Cloud white, linen white, white dove, acadia white, floral white, moonlight white, Spanish white, white sand, and even F&B's slipper satin. None of these looked right. I was reluctant to try BM's Mascarpone because it has a touch of yellow in it and I'm not a yellow person, but am so glad I painted my whole living room/dining room this color. It looks like a white with a hint of warmth, and can change with the lighting - warmer in the evenings with my chandelier on and more gray in the candlelight. It's really a beautiful white. Check out this kitchen painted mascarpone on Design Sponge's website:
http://www.designspongeonline.com/2009/03/sneak-peek-portland-four-square.html