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How to Choose White Paint
There is no such thing as just white.
Choosing a white is harder than choosing a colour, because every white carries a hint of something: yellow, red, green, blue or grey. That undertone is what makes a white look creamy, crisp or chalky on your wall. Light is the place to start: north-facing rooms have weaker, cooler light, so a warm white compensates, while south-facing rooms can take a cooler white that balances strong sunshine.
At a glance
- Every white has an undertone; it decides how the white reads.
- North-facing rooms: warm whites with yellow, red or pink in them.
- South-facing rooms: cooler whites balance strong, warm light.
- A brilliant white can make neighbouring colours look darker.
- Compare whites against each other and against a sheet of paper.
Warm whites
Creamy whites that hold their warmth in cool light.
Warm whites carry yellow, red or brown in their base. They feel soft and welcoming and are the safest choice for north-facing rooms, where cool light can make cooler whites look grey.
Cool and crisp whites
Clean whites that balance strong sunny rooms.
Cool whites lean towards blue, green or grey. They look crisp and modern in bright, south-facing rooms and beside cool stone, chrome and white sanitaryware.
Soft, chalky whites and true neutrals
Muted whites with character for older homes.
Softer whites are slightly knocked back with grey or earth tones, so they feel calm and less stark. They suit period homes, woodwork beside coloured walls and anyone who finds bright white too clinical.
Why does my white look yellow, grey or blue?
Undertone, light and neighbours change every white.
A white that looks yellow is usually a warm white in strong warm light, or beside a cooler white that exaggerates it. A white that looks grey is often a cool white in north light, or in a room where little light reaches the walls. A white that looks blue is reflecting cool daylight or a cool-white bulb.
Because whites are so sensitive, compare them on the wall, not on a screen, and look at them under your evening lamps as well as in daylight.
Sample it the way we would
Step 1
Paint your peel-and-sticks
Each £5.99 sample comes with three paintable peel-and-sticks. Give them two coats and let them dry fully.
Step 2
Stick them around the room
Put them on two or three walls, including the wall opposite the window, at eye level and lower down.
Step 3
Live with them for a day or two
Look in the morning, the afternoon and under your evening lamps. Move them around until you are sure.
Your questions, answered
What white paint suits a north-facing room?
A warm white with a yellow, red or pink undertone, which compensates for cool north light.
Should woodwork be the same white as the walls?
It can be. Many designers use a white that shares the wall colour’s undertone rather than a brilliant white.
Woodwork & furniture coloursWhy does brilliant white look stark?
It has a very high LRV and little undertone, so it contrasts sharply with everything around it.
LRV explained