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HELP please - Which white paint should I use in my living room?

John Battle
2 years ago

Hello! We are renovating a house that we bought a few months ago. We installed oak floors (which we love). However, we believe the color of the walls makes everything look too yellow (especially during the day). We were thinking of painting the walls white and brought three samples to try: one cool, one warm, and one neutral:


1) BM Decorator's White

2) BM Simply White

3) BM Chantilly Lace


After reading about it online, we were leaning towards Simply White; however, on the wall, I really see its yellow undertone and feel like we'll end up with the same problem we have now. I believe Decorator's White looks too cool and clashes with the floor and furniture, instead of balancing it. And Chantilly Lace looks nice but we are concerned it may look "too" white if we use it to paint the whole area.


BTW, we LOVE the contrast of the floor and the trim (which is a very strong white, Ultra Pure White by Behr I believe). So we definitely want to keep trims the same color (or similar). Therefore, we are leaning towards using both Chantilly Lace for walls and trims...


Two questions:

1) What would be your recommendation for the living room? Do you think we should try a different white paint?

2) As you see, we have an open-ish living and kitchen area, which has very a cool-white backsplash and countertops. Do you think we can get away with painting the walls next to the kitchen Decorator's White (or other cool white) and use a neutral or warm white in the living room? Or would it be better to paint both living room and kitchen the same color to tie the spaces together?







Comments (18)

  • Juliet
    2 years ago

    We recently bought a house and repainted the entire main floor with SW Pure White. it’s wonderful. And we will be painting the newly reno’d basement the same color after considering several others. I think with the warm and cool tones youve got in both living room and kitchen to stick with a neutral white.

    John Battle thanked Juliet
  • rockyroad33
    2 years ago

    Of your samples, I like Chantilly lace the best.

    What about more of an off-white? BM Intense White, BM Paper White, SW Shoji White are all good, neutral off-whites that won't be stark or yellowy.

    John Battle thanked rockyroad33
  • rockyroad33
    2 years ago

    BM Oxford White is a good true white that is more neutral than simply white but has a bit more dimension than Chantilly lace.

    John Battle thanked rockyroad33
  • Marylee H
    2 years ago

    When pairing two white colours together you need a minimum contrast in Chroma (colourfulness) of at least 0.2 to keep one from looking dingy or dirtied next to the other.


    Neither Oxford White or Chantilly Lace provides that when teamed with Behr’s Ultra Pure White.






    John Battle thanked Marylee H
  • cat_ky
    2 years ago

    I would paint the walls same color as the trim, except in either eggshell or matte finish paint.

    John Battle thanked cat_ky
  • PRO
    BeverlyFLADeziner
    2 years ago



    John Battle thanked BeverlyFLADeziner
  • houssaon
    2 years ago

    I really like Simply White. It will be a lot brighter than what you have now. I think you should only use one white. But you could paint the kitchen wall adjacent to the tiles Balboa Mist a pale gray.

    It is better to sample paint on foam core boards so you can move it around and not negatively impact other samples. I use satin on trim, matte on walls and flat on the ceiling.

    I love your space and furniture. You could move the sofa away from the wall a few inches and bring the other two chairs closer to form more of a conversation area,.



    John Battle thanked houssaon
  • Marylee H
    2 years ago

    These whites have enough difference in Chroma with Ultra Pure White.





  • Marylee H
    2 years ago




  • Marylee H
    2 years ago




  • tsjmjh
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    I also just had a whole condo painted SW Pure White, including the ceilings (which had orange/gold/brown marbling in the trays, and every room was a different color - green, pink, blue, tan, etc). We had less than an hour to look around the condo so I had no idea how things looked in the day vs the night, winter/summer, etc. My go-to paint has always been a Devoe which no one seems able to duplicate now so I took a leap of faith and picked Pure White without seeing it on a wall. I told the painters to have it done by the time we got there (from 1000 miles away). I love it; not yellow, not cold, just right; very close to my beloved Devoe.

    John Battle thanked tsjmjh
  • J D
    2 years ago

    I definitely prefer the Decorators white. One of the others is way too bright and the other too creamy. DW is bright but not stark and it seems any undertones it does have go with your space

    John Battle thanked J D
  • yelloguy
    2 years ago

    My vote would be to use the Ultra Pure White by Behr. Get it in Flat if you can.

  • John Battle
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    Thank you ALL for your comments and advice! I will get a sample of SW Pure White to compare it with the other options. Among the initial colors, I am now actually leaning towards Decorator's White for the walls - it definitely works in the kitchen and it actually may balance our (mostly) warm furniture in the living room. Using this paint in both rooms would tie the two spaces together.


    For the trims, I am leaning towards Behr Ultra Pure White or BM Chantilly Lace.


    Considering this is a room that gets A LOT of natural light (particularly in the morning, windows facing east and south), would there be any particular recommendation for the sheen? I was thinking eggshell for walls and satin for trims. We have a small daughter, so we value durability and ease to clean...

  • houssaon
    2 years ago

    Please go matte for the walls. Matte is scrubbable. No problem. I made the mistake one time to use eggshell on the walls and I could see every imperfection. I use Satin for my trim.

    Decorator's White is very popular. I think you'll be happy with it. Good luck!

    John Battle thanked houssaon
  • Juliet
    2 years ago

    For trim, do the same color as walls but use a different sheen. We have SW Pure White on walls, ceiling and trim, but all different sheens.

    John Battle thanked Juliet
  • J D
    2 years ago

    Completely agree w Juliet. Mixing the two whites will be strange...

    John Battle thanked J D