apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Someone (with an apartment in amazing colors) once told me to paint my apartment Benjamin Moore's Linen White and live with it for a year before deciding what other colors to use.

I really love Linen White. It looks like white but with the sun shining on it.

China White always looks greyish and dirty to me.

Margaret, so true, China White can look like that if poorly lit because it is subdued, but that greyish quality easily transforms with good lighting. It is much more of a "modern" white than the Linens - which is also very nice.

I also like China White, but opted for a similar tone, one shade darker or so, called Ballet White (Benjamin Moore). It achieves a clean, modern feel, while being somewhat warm. We left the ceilings white, and it achieves just enough separation to define the architectural elements in our loft.

When I renovated my apartment, I wanted a "warm white" instead of the gray white that was on the walls when I bought it, but nothing beige or rosy.

I put paint swatches on the walls, and decided that I liked Ralph Lauren's Riviera something best. My plasterer, who swears by Benjamin Moore, said she could match it & she did -- with a color call Mayonnaise. (Note ot Benjamine Moore: fire the guy who names your colors.) On the color wheel, it turns out that it was white shading into brown-green-yellow, which blew my mind. Every color on the strip darker than the whitest was just unbelievably ugly. Who'd have guessed?

Anyhow, I heartily recomment Mayonnaise to anyone looking for a warm white.

Uhh... "Flat White Semi-gloss"??? An oxymoron... Paint can be flat, or it can be semi-gloss, but not both.

I do agree that having lived in "landlord white" apartments for many years, now that I own, white is the last color that comes to mind for my home.

My place was BM's Navajo White when I moved in! Which is tan. Awful awful light tan.

I wonder what people's experiences are with higher end whites - Farrow and Ball etc. As a Moore loyalist, I always wondered if it was worth it.

I moved into a new rental apartment 2 months ago. The apartment is amazing, with tall loft like ceilings, but the painters did a shoty job (drips on the nice wood floor, paint on the wood beams, half covering old paint in some locations, grease stains peaking through stove area in kitchen because wall was never cleaned before painting....) and the color is a beige-y white. Because of the height, once I paint it, that's it. The thought of painting again whenever I move out is a huge deterent. Maybe painting with a less beige white would really help!!!!! (and mean no repainting later). oh yeah, and the trim is a nasty yellowed brown. why why why would you do that?

I like Super White. It goes anywhere, with anything, in any light, and doesn't have an undertone which can make it look odd.

Originally, I wanted to paint my apartment a subtle yellow, but after trying a zillion shades for months (my wall looked like a bad patchwork quilt), I finally threw in the towel and went for Super White. You can't make a mistake with this color.

So it's run-of-the-mill... Yes, it is. It's also crisp and neat.

i think super white is great, buy whites like china white can soften a room and keep it from looking too clinical at night when lamps are on. also white appliances, and white furniture and accessories look fresh in contrast to these walls. white items can look dirty or bland next to plain white walls.

Having lived in rentals for many many years, the only choice I had was "which white paint do you want?". So I always chose Benjamin Moore's Linen White and have been very pleased with it. My present landlord allowed me to paint one wall (I live in a studio) a sage green, which works great with my black/white photograph collection. And then my color is provided by my accessories.

China White. That's kind of an unfortunate name choice.

[From the internets: China White - White powder heroin from Asia--usually referring to heroin funneled through France. Not all white powder heroin is China White.]

My fave is atrium white. Love the look of it w/my Bukhara and wood floors. I painted another place I lived Navajo White and thought it was warm and creamy.

Enrique--
Maxwell DID say this paint had "something more going on"...

Cool. . . what a very helpful, interesting post. Glad I'm not the only one puzzling over all these white paint chips.

I am looking for a new white for my living room. My living room has 3 windows, but gets almost no natural light. It has a very dark brick wall running down one side.

Currently, I have Ben Moore's Cancun Sand in the living room and I hate it. It is very yellow-y but in a wan weird way. It just looks dirty and dull in my place and it doesn't offer enough contrast with the plain white trim. I think I was duped by the name -- thinking the "sand" would look good with the grout in my brick wall. It never worked.

I am looking for a warm white for the walls and then a contrasting plainer bright white for the trim and celling.

I was thinknig China White, but it looks like it won't look good in low light.

This room opens up on to my kitchen which is largely light oak cabinets with some Ben Moore blue called "Polar Sky." I love Polar Sky more and more the longer I live with it. It might be dark for a whole wall, but as a trim around the edges it's great. Very vintage cool meets homey meets modern to me.

I can't wait to impress someone with my white paint knowledge.

I moved into a new rental building this summer, and the "landlord white" IS China White - nice, but nothing beats beautiful, bright color! Loving the contest this month BTW.

I have China White in my hallway and it doesn't look dirty or gray at all. It also looks fine in low light. I did trim in Super White and the contrast is a nice one.

I painted my bedroom in Navaho White, which is not tan in that light. In fact, it's very yellowy. I can't say I love it, but it was a rushed decision. The walls AND ceiling were--get this--navy blue semi-gloss, my husband (who is normally very calm) said he thought he would go over the edge if he had to live with it like that for literally another minute. So, in comparison, it's far better, but it's not my ideal.

I am contemplating Farrow and Ball's Stony Ground or one of their blues, but I'll broach that with him in the spring. :)

I find that in some light conditions in my space China White can look very grey, and has a tendency to be cold. Navajo has a much warmer look, more yellow and less blue.

I'm looking for a very bright white for my new home office, which is very small. I want something that reflects light like crazy. Super white looks (BM) brightest so far. I have never been able to find "Photographer's White". Who makes it? I do't like Navajo, cameo, atrium, they are too dull, peach, etc. I want reflective brightness...any suggestions? Thanks. Beryl

I'M LOOKING FOR A VERY BRIGHT WHITE FOR MY NEW SMALL HOME OFFICE. I DON' WANT ANYTHING THAT LOOKS GRAY ON DIM DAYS. I DON'T CARE FOR NAVAJO, CAMEO, ATRIUM WHITES, THEY ARE TOO DULL, COLD, PEACHY, ETC. SUPER WHITE LOOKS BRIGHT, WHERE CAN I SEE PHOTOGRAPHER'S WHITE? I HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO FIND IT. LOVE THIS WEBSITE. BERYL.

We just finished the last of our paint selections for our redo and selected BM's Super White for our hall and kids' bathroom. We have White Dove on all of the trim in our house and love it. It's warm without any weird undertones. I am not a big fan of China White - it looks too light to be beige but too dark to look clean. Olympic Mountain is in the same color family, but dark enough to be an actual "color."

BTW - the Ralph Lauren color mentioned above is "Riviera Terrace." We used that in our old house - it's a warm, creamy color and very nice - but not modern enough for our new place.

I have decided on benjamin moore's Quincy Tan for my walls. Any suggestions on which ceiling color i should use?

Does anyone know the Benjamin Moore product code number for "Linen White"?

What exactly did you mean when you said Ben Moore mayonnaise goes towards brown, green and yellow? Does that mean it would be a bad choice for trim in a room that's blueish/greenish/greyish? I tried a bit and it looked ok, but the Ben Moore website said something about the paint getting to its real finish a week after its applied, so I guess I better wait and see. Also, does anyone know how much Farrow and Ball runs per gallon? Thanks.

I just bought a new town house and have to choose the white paint from a Benjamin Moore paint chart. I paid over $2,000 for wide mouldings which are painted white 01 (no choice). I orginally chose atrium white for the walls, however, now I'm wondering if that white moulding will have enough of a contrast. I have dark cherry wood floors throughout the whole downstairs and cherry cabinets in the kitchen and bathroom and I also have a few antiques . Now I'm thinking that atrium white is too modern.
Has anyone tried antique white? I'm going from one extreme to the other and am very confused at this point. Any suggestions? I never liked pure white and cream together, however, I think that now it's very acceptable. My other choices are Linen White, Navajo White, Cameo White, China White, Bone White and Antique White.

Jack:

On my Benjamin moore chart it states Linen
White 70. It does seem very popular.

DeeDee

Color names should not be taken so seriously. They are, afterall, only a guide.

Any suggestions for a white that would look crisp near a blue-grey white carrera marble backsplash? I have painted this kitchen 8 times and friends have commented on my mental health!

I just need to get it right. Help! Thankyou!

Michele:

It's funny that you should say that because I originally chose a blue grey marble bathroom and actually changed the color to edgefield beige because I couldn't seem to get the right color white for the walls. Now I'm going with cream and white tiles and am painting my walls antique white which is pretty dark. How about going into the blues for your paint. This way the white marble would stand out. The marble sounds beautiful but the white next to it might be kind of blah.

DeeDee

Any suggestions for a bright white with a cool blue or aqua undertone? I once used & loved Benjamin Moore's Bright White Star (7-B-2) but it has been discontinued and my local store can't secure the formula. Thanks!

Any suggestions for a bright white with a cool blue or aqua undertone? I once used & loved Dutch Boy's Bright White Star (7-B-2) but it has been discontinued and my local store can't secure the formula. Thanks!

Benjamin Moore China White is OK, but I actually think it is a bit boring. I guess I feel that way about off white colors in general but my favorite for trim, ceilings and doors is the Benjamin Moore Mayonnaise. It is soft, light, has a bit of color. Very nice.

Top Selling Off Whites

Benjamin Moore China White is OK, but I actually think it is a bit boring. I guess I feel that way about off white colors in general but my favorite for trim, ceilings and doors is the Benjamin Moore Mayonnaise. It is soft, light, has a bit of color. Very nice.

www.myperfectcolor.com also has Top Selling Off Whites

Thanks Kellloof for the heads up on the top selling off whites. I love Myperfectcolor.com I use it all the time

My favorite off white
http://www.myperfectcolor.com/Benjamin-Moore-OC-65-Chantilly-Lace-p/mpc_bm_oc-65.htm