Painting a room white can make it feel open, clean, spacious, quiet, or simple, and it’s always the go-to when it comes time for us to paint our interiors. But there’s more to white paint than you think. For example: tiny variations between white paints can give a vastly different effect on your space. Here are 10 things to know before you paint a room white.
1. Only a few white paints are actually pure white.
Many people mistakenly believe that all white paints are pretty much the same—and that are all devoid of color. Not the case: “White paints can come with bluish, reddish, yellowish, and even greenish undertones,” says architect Amy Alper in Remodeling 101: How to Choose the Perfect White Paint. To see the differences, follow the suggestion of interior designer Ellen Hamilton and hold the samples against a sheet of white paper. Suddenly you’ll notice the many differences and complexities in what, at first glance, seems like plain white.
Most white paints fall into three categories: warm-toned (not too bright or sterile), cool-toned (which add dimension), and “gallery” whites (which are the purest white paints, used often in art galleries). To get a sense of which is which, we surveyed architects for their favorites in each category; see:
2. All paints start out as white.
Notes California-based designer Michaela Scherrer—whose whole Pasadena house is dressed in shades of white (and who dresses herself in only white): “All paint starts out as white,” she points out, “and then has tints added to it.” Scherrer mixes her own white paints, starting with a base paint—like Benjamin Moore Regal’s pastel base, Decorator’s White, Paper White, or the white base from Fine Paints of Europe—and adding universal tints, drop by drop, to add subtle hues. Read more about her methods (and how to mix your own custom white paints) in DIY: How to Mix the Perfect White Paint with LA Designer Michaela Scherrer.
3. A fresh coat of white paint is the cheapest way to make over a room.
Can’t take on a full renovation? “Paint is well-known as the cheapest and quickest way to make over a room,” says veteran remodeler—and actress—Amanda Pays in 11 Money-Saving Remodeling Strategies from a Hollywood House Flipper. At an average of $30 per gallon of flat paint, plus primer (which runs $7-$15 per gallon) and supplies, a DIY paint job, done right, can transform a room on the cheap.
5. What looks good to you now might look yellow to you later.
In her latest column for The Wall Street Journal, Michelle reveals that our perception of color changes over time: “Our physical sense of color, smell and touch changes as we get older, which means things that looked and felt good to us when we were younger may not anymore,” she writes. Says expert Sally Augustin: “’The lenses in our eyes yellow as we age, so colors in spaces actually take on a tinge. When you paint the walls white and you’re age 50, the color might look lovely and crisp. But to an 85-year-old, those same walls might look icky.’” Keep longevity in mind (and maybe opt for a white that skews cooler, not yellower).
6. A white bedroom can help you sleep better.
“If you’re sleep-challenged—isn’t everyone these days?—consider creating your own cloud chamber,” writes Margot in The White Album: 27 Sleep-Inducing Bedrooms in Shades of Pale. “Fans of all-white bedrooms use words like ‘tranquil,’ ‘blank slate,’ ‘no distractions,’ and ‘Zen’ to describe the appeal.” The Better Sleep Council agrees: painting a bedroom a soft white can help you relax and wind down for bed.
7. Add dimension by using one shade of white in multiple finishes.
To transform her small house in Connecticut, stylist Kate McCann simply gave the interiors a fresh coat of white paint. The secret? She used the same shade—Benjamin Moore White OC-151—in various finishes throughout the house: matte on the walls; pearl on the doors, trim, wainscoting, and mantel; and flat on the ceiling.
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