Hi tomato/a!

You might want to look at Jockewing's thread, which is the same basic issue.

There is no right answer. Have you chosen a color for the walls?

I personally like to use slightly off-white for my trim.

I like Sherwin Williams Dover Cream where the colors are predominately warm. It's a "warm" white.

In my current home, I used Sherwin Williams Alabaster. It's a "cooler" white but still works with warm wall colors.

In the pictures below, there doesn't seem to be much difference, but if you put samples side by side, you can tell. Like the PP said, it really depends on what you like and the colors are pretty interchangeable. I find that wall colors will reflect onto the white trim and affect how the white looks (for example, the alabaster looks cooler in my daughter's blue/grey bathroom but looks warm in my sage bathroom)

SW Dover White (all trim, desk)
{{!gwi}}

SW Alabaster (all trim, including windows)
{{!gwi}}

Thanks so much for your suggestions; I've written down all the names (and checked Jockewing's thread), but forgive me: what is a "warm" white?

No problem - I use term loosely, but a warm white to me is one that has "warm" undertones (yellow, red, orange...) and a cool white is one with "cool" undertones (blue, green...)

These labels are when you're looking at the whites in isolation. In context of the room, other paint colors, lighting, etc., will affect how the white is perceived, and a cool white can look warm. I'd choose a few colors you like, get some samples, and paint a sample board that you can move from room to room. That's what I did when I chose Alabaster for my current house. I painted a length of extra baseboard (one end Dover White and one end Alabaster) and went from room to room where I had paint samples already on the walls. Alabaster fit best with all the wall colors I had chosen.

My husband would tell you to just get Ultra Bright White and be done with it. I generally poo-poo his design/decorating advice, but really, you wouldn't go wrong if you went that route, either.

I guess it is time to go out & get some samples!

Benjamin Moore Cloud White is hugely popular here (in Canada...maybe called different name in US?)

It's also a warmer white (slight, off-white, great creamy colour. I've used it on furniture...see kitchen chairs/stools in pic below. (sorry-might be hard to tell in pics now that I see them...but cloud white really is a great colour)

Personally, I've also used BM Decorators White-very pure, crisp white.

The staff at the BM store I visit also say that Chantilly Lace is a great 'neutral' white and one of their favorites for trim.

Good Luck! (I can relate to the painful search for the perfect white!)

We call it Cloud Wite here in the states as well...and I've used it several times.

Also...check out Ben Moore's aura shade "Mascarpone". Very nice warm white...my new favorite.

Honestly though...just pick one. You won't remember the others once you've got everything painted.

Hi MJSEE:

Mascarpone...heard good things about that one too!

Any idea what it might be like on walls? I'm desperately looking for a great white wall colour and have gone through @ 20 testers. (everything goes too pink, too peach, too green, too gray and so on)

Mmmm...maybe Mascarpone??? (sorry for butting in on thread!)

lisamocha...

haven't seen it on a wall. But I used it as trim paint...very nice. By a quart and paint it on the wall...preferably in a corner.

You'll know then!

melanie