Selecting a white interior paint color for your home can be more difficult than you image. There are many options to choose from and many elements can affect the color resulting in warmer or cooler hues. This blog will cover some tips on selecting paint colors (specifically whites/neutrals), common white paints, and other complementary elements.
Common Interior White Paints
Recently white paint colors have been rising in popularity due to their optics and the ability they have to lighten a room and “play well” with other color design choices.
Who knew that there could be so much variation between white paint colors? Here is a list of some common choices and where we use them the most:
Millwork –
Interior –
Exterior –
Light Grays That Look White –
While on the topic of white paint colors, off-whites are actually not white but do not have enough color saturation to categorize as such. Aside from white, there’s a variety of other neutrals that can be used strategically throughout the home. Following Sherwin Williams’ 50 Most Popular Colors tells an interesting color story as well as hints at what choices other homeowners are making within their homes.
Complimentary Elements
Paint is one of the last items selected in a house because other fixed elements can accentuate undertones (to compare with flooring/cabinets and tile/slab). Whites can have different undertones such as yellow, pink, blue, greige, cream, and more. As a general note, it’s safer to choose neutral whites, but there are instances where these undertones can be used strategically to pull out complementary tones in surrounding elements. Here are examples of this in action:
This rendering depicts a kitchen design with “Lattice” and “Stamped concrete” cabinets and “Eider White” walls, ceiling, and millwork. The gray-green of the cabinets paired with the off-white with pink undertones paint color of the walls complements each other in a way that brings out their color even more.
This rendering depicts a kitchen design with “Sea Serpent” and Rift White Oak cabinets paired with “Alabaster” walls and millwork, highlighting the high contrast in colors while adding warmth with natural materials like wood and brass.
This rendering depicts a kitchen design with “Simply White” walls, millwork, ceiling, and cabinets that are accented with a Rift White Oak kitchen island. The cohesion of the same paint color for the millwork, cabinets, walls, and ceiling ties the space together distinctively.
Paint Tips From The Pros
The choice of paint color can highlight less permanent interior design choices like artwork and decor. When a calm and tranquil white is the backdrop for energized artwork with pops of color, it gives your eye a place to rest and allows it to truly become a statement piece.
Additionally, you can paint the trim and ceiling the same color as the walls for a more modern look. This draws the eye upward, creating the illusion of a bigger space. This effect is best executed when using neutral colors.
Avoid whites that have blue undertones as this can make your home feel cold and unwelcoming.
Conclusion
Choosing a white paint color isn’t as simple as it seems. Get creative when selecting your next paint color and look into how it interacts within your space. MN Custom Homes has a number of Interior Design Professionals available to assist in these when choosing a presales home. Contact us today to learn more.