Painting

Reply to: I'm painting my house on alabaster by sherwin williams. I need a trim that goes well with it! There's a trick to creating harmonious color schemes out of just whites and off-whites. Two rules: 1. You can not use two whites that are too close together in terms of hue family. 2. However, the two colors of white can't be too far apart in terms of hue family either. Which means you have to first correctly identify what hue family a color of white belongs to. This is where people get stuck. This is why I'm always insisting that the whole "undertones" thing is not just unfortunate, it's wrong. And this is a good opportunity to demonstrate why and how that is so if you're interested. First, we have to acknowledge that the number of whites from Sherwin-Williams is limited so the pool of not too close yet not too far apart colors of white to choose from to go with Alabaster is going to be small. Next issue is Alabaster belongs to the yellow hue family. It's smack dab in the middle of the yellow hue family. Which means most of the SW whites that look "just white" are not options because they also belong to the yellow hue family and they are too close to Alabaster. For example, SW 7005 Pure White is not a good option with Alabaster because each makes the other look gray and dirty - the result of being too close in hue angle and too close in chroma. (see color wheel) SW 7007 Ceiling Bright White, on the other hand, is too far away from Alabaster. so the color harmony is off and clumsy - it's too green in comparison. Yes, it's green-yellow, not blue. All that means your best choices for a white trim color with Alabaster walls are High Reflective White or Extra White. HRW is the more neutral, or most "just white" looking of the two and will look brighter and crisper. Extra White next to Alabaster will have less contrast and have a softer look.

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Reply to: If you use the same color on the ceiling and on the walls, the ceiling will look DARKER than the walls. I suggest you use SW Ceiling Paint that you see below for your ceilings. It is specially formulated to hide imperfections on the ceiling.

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Reply to: Flat paint on the ceiling, eggshell finish on the walls, especially if you have children, and satin finish on trim. I don't like semi on trim, too shiny. Use the same white for trim and ceiling, just the finish changes. Pick a wall color. : )

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Reply to: SW Alabaster all the way. It is truly lovely. There's a reason why it won Color of the Year and is also Joanna Gaines's favorite!

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Reply to: Yes, I certainly think that 2 can be used, and it's much less complicated than three. I would recommend SW7103 Whitetail for your cabinets and trim in semi-gloss finish. For your walls and ceiling I would use SW6140 Moderate White in a flat finish. I like walls and ceilings to be the same color. Or she could do Creamy and Antique White. Or Dover White with Natural Choice. I would continue to use the same trim color throughout the house.

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Reply to: My go to is Pure White #7005. It's not stark white, a soft white.

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Reply to: I can see a house all white…whatever white you love. Do the ceilings in flat finish and wall in matte, or if they are in great shape, eggshell and the trim in semi-gloss. I think this house is all Dover White and it is gorgeous.

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Reply to: It's usually best to choose the right color of white for interior trim and doors based on existing window casing color, plantation shutters (if there are any), existing white cabinetry, toilet, tub, counter top color. Those elements inform which color of white is the right one. There isn't a color of white that just magically goes with everything. With that said, Sherwin Williams Extra White is a nice, clean but not too stark color of white. Just be careful it doesn't make the color of any fixed element look dingy.

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Reply to: How about SW Pure White? It is their bright white paint with just a touch of black pigment. I used it for my basement trim for wall which are Repose Gray. It is a really nice white with no undertones. My foyer and stairwell are painted Mindful Grey and I am using Snowbound with it. Snowbound is a softer white which reads more yellow or creamy but still very white (black, maroon and gold pigment). Thought the Pure White just a bit too jarring.

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