If you are considering painting your walls, have you considered painting them white?
I am not referring to off white, light gray, or light beige. I am referring to pure white.
Pure white walls have become very popular over the past few years, however not everyone has been overly excited about white walls.
I believe that the main concern people have about white walls is that their basic builder home started with light beige walls and they do not want their home's walls to look like that again.
First, there is a big difference between light beige and white. There might not be a huge difference in color when looking at a small paint sample, but there is a big difference in color when that color is over the huge expanse of many walls.
Second, if your home was built by a production builder (a builder who builds many homes using his own floor plans, typically in the same subdivision), then your wall paint is probably poor quality since builders typically go for the cheapest option to make the most profit. Any quality paint job using quality paint (even in the same color) would be an upgrade from basic builder paint that is usually watered down and sprayed on.
Here are a few things to consider when considering painting your walls white.
The Benefits of White Walls
White walls in a home makes it feel more light, bright, crisp, and clean.
Wall colors with a brown or gray undertone (a tiny hint of brown or gray mixed with white paint) can feel murky, muddy, and even a little dirty sometimes compared to pure white.
White walls are excellent for showcasing artwork since the white walls do not reflect a color onto the artwork and distort the art's true colors.
If you have a small space, pure white walls can give the illusion of a larger space compared to darker colored walls.
The go-to neutral color for home interiors tends to bounce between beige and gray every 5-10 years, but white never goes out of style.
Pure white walls will not clash with any color you put beside it. A gray sofa might not look so good in a beige room, but every color goes with white.
For an open plan home, white is a great option because it will complement the different design styles in every room without having to start and stop paint colors at odd locations.
Many people find the color white relaxing.
Why You Shouldn't Choose White
If you have a large room with plenty of light and you want to make it feel more cozy and intimate, then pure white walls might not be the best option for you.
In a room with poor lighting, white walls might feel cold and institutional, especially during winter months, so you might want to consider using colored walls to brighten up that space.
If the majority of your accessories are white or neutral and you love color and pattern, then consider painting your walls a fun color or using an eye catching wallpaper.
How to Choose the Best White Paint
If you are repainting your home and do not plan on changing the color of your white baseboards, crown molding, or other millwork, then use the exact same color of your millwork on your walls, but make sure to use a low sheen paint on the walls (not a glossy paint like what is on your millwork). The white wall color might not be exactly pure white, but your walls will look best if they match your millwork. Keep in mind that if your millwork was painted with oil based paint, then the millwork might have yellowed a bit over the years.
If you are selecting a white color to paint your walls and millwork, then select a pure white with very little undertone (barely any hint of yellow, brown, gray, blue, or other color).
You can easily tell if a wall color has an undertone by looking at a place where walls meet baseboards or crown molding - if you can see a difference in color, then the wall paint has an undertone.
Another way to see if a white paint color has an undertone is to put a piece of printer paper next to it to compare it against the bright white printer paper.
Using a paint color fan deck, you can see that a strip of color might start at a bold color, then end in a nearly white. For example, the bright blue on the strip will end in a white with a blue undertone. You do not want that color. You will want a color without an obvious undertone.
Find a strip on the paint fan deck that is only whites and pick a color from there.
If you are shopping for paint colors at a paint store, then selecting a pure white paint will be very difficult since the overhead lighting at stores is much different than the overhead lighting in your home.
Some paint stores have a light box with different lighting options so you can see how the paint colors change with different types of light.
You will need to look at the paint color in your home during different times of day with different light fixtures on and off to see the true color of your white paint.
Here are a few white paint colors for you to consider using in your home:
Sherwin Williams Pure White
Sherwin Williams Extra White
Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace
Benjamin Moore Super White
Benjamin Moore Decorator's White
Valspar Du Jour
Valspar White Whisper
Behr Polar Bear
Behr Bit of Sugar
Behr Ultra Pure White
The Best Paint Sheen for White Walls
The shininess of paint is referred to as paint sheen. Paint sheen should be considered both for function and aesthetics.
If you want your walls to hide the texture and not be shiny at all, then select paint with a flat sheen. Flat paint tends to have a suede-like appearance that many people like. Be aware that flat paint is not easily cleaned (the paint often wipes off when scrubbed), so you should probably not use flat paint on walls if you have kids or pets. Flat paint is also not suggested for bathrooms, however most ceilings are painted with flat paint. Flat paint is the least expensive paint sheen, however I highly suggest that you purchase very high quality paint when painting with flat paint for the best durability.
For a tiny bit of sheen and more protection for your walls, then select a matte or eggshell sheen for your paint. Matte and eggshell paint is more durable to being cleaned and is a good option for areas that could get dirty, such as a bathroom, laundry room, or kitchen. This is the sheen that most of our clients with kids and/or pets prefer.
If you are painting millwork or a room that needs walls that can be wiped clean regularly, then select a semigloss paint. This paint will create shine and shadows that emphasize wall texture, so it is not suggested if your wall texture was applied poorly.
For a sleek contemporary or modern look on glass smooth surfaces, then consider using paint with a gloss sheen. Gloss sheen takes a lot of preparation and I suggest having it professionally applied.
Still Unsure?
If you are still unsure about the best paint color for your home, where to start and stop paint colors, or any other paint or design related issue, then please contact us - we would love to help!
