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When it comes to choosing the best white paint color for trim work (and doors) in your home, there are a handful of colors that designers use all the time. Why? Because they are the best, and tend to work well with a wide range of colors. Regardless of your wall color, one of these whites will work perfectly for you, and these are the white trim colors I recommend all the time to my clients.
No. 1 – Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace
This is a really popular choice amongst designers because it is such a bright, crisp, clean-looking white. Chantilly Lace will work with pretty much any color you use on your walls, which makes it a very versatile choice. If you’re planning to paint your walls an off-white, and want a trim that looks brighter and whiter for a subtle contrast, Chantilly Lace is a great choice. The only complaint you’ll ever hear about Chantilly Lace is that is can sometimes look a little stark or icy.
Take a look at Chantilly Lace on full display in this fantastic entry from Gowler Homes. It’s painted on the walls, ceiling, and all trim. You can get a peel-and-stick sample sheet of BM Chantilly Lace to try in your home HERE.
No. 2 – Benjamin Moore White Dove
White Dove is one of my all-time favorite whites. It works for exteriors, interior walls, doors, cabinetry, ceilings, and trim…a jack of all trades! White Dove has softness and warmth to it, due to its greige base, but it looks pretty neutral and gorgeous in a wide range of applications. If you are thinking of painting anything white in your home, put White Dove on your list of colors to try. It’s just that good!
You can order a sample sheet of BM White Dove HERE. I love this hallway pic from Studio McGee for a lot of reasons, but one of them is that the walls, ceiling, and trim are all painted BM White Dove.
No. 3 – Benjamin Moore Simply White
Simply White is a beautiful, bright white with a slight yellow undertone, which gives it a lovely softness. Simply White is not only great for trim, but a fabulous color for kitchen cabinets and walls, too. For rooms with a lot of natural light, Simply White will look like a bright white. However, if your room is a little darker, or your wall color is very light, Simply White may not be ‘white’ enough for you.
Here’s a picture of a beautiful space with all of the wall panels and trim painted BM Simply White. Think Simply White is for you? Order your peel-and-stick sample sheet of BM Simply White HERE.
No. 4 – Sherwin-Williams Pure White
SW Pure White is a neutral white with subtle gray undertones. Because it has just a hint of warmth to it, Pure White can work really well with both cooler and warmer wall colors. It’s also the “darkest” of the whites on my list, which makes it a good option to pair up with darker wall shades.
Here’s a great example of Sherwin Williams Pure White on the walls and ceiling of this gorgeous kitchen by Emily Henderson. Give SW Pure White a try in your home by clicking HERE.
No. 5 – Benjamin Moore Decorator’s White
BM Decorator’s White has been considered a classic color for trim for many years. It is on the cooler side, with just the slightest blue-gray undertone to it, yet still comes across as soft, and not overly harsh. It tends to work best with cooler paint colors, and can give you the nice crisp white you’re looking for.
Take a look at this cute dining space, with the walls, ceiling, and trim all painted BM Decorator’s White. If you like the look of BM Decorator’s White, you can order the peel-and-stick sample sheet to test in your home HERE.
No. 6 – Sherwin-Williams High Reflective White
High Reflective White is a true, bright white. It’s very neutral and light, and will work with pretty much any color you put on the wall. A word of caution, however…it is the brightest of the whites on my list, so it could be overpowering in a room that gets a ton of natural light.
Check out the bright, crisp, clean look of SW High Reflective White in this laundry room below, and then order a peel-and-stick sample sheet HERE.
No. 7 – Benjamin Moore Cloud White
Benjamin Moore Cloud White is a lovely, soft, warm white paint color. It sits somewhere in between BM White Dove and BM Simply White, with beautiful creamy undertones. Cloud White is one of my favorite white paint colors to pair with darker earth tones, but it’s a flexible option that will work with a wide range of paint colors. Get a peel-and-stick sample of BM Cloud White HERE.
Here’s an example of a beautiful living room with BM Cloud White painted on the ceilings and fireplace surround.
Other White Paint Trim Colors
There are a few other popular white paint colors that are often considered for trim. Here’s a few notes about each color, and why they didn’t make my top list of the best white trim colors. They might work for you, however, so keep them in mind for sampling.
- Sherwin Williams Alabaster – a lovely warmer white with subtle yellow undertones. Better suited to walls than trim, because of it’s creamy nature, but it can be used as a trim color with other warm wall colors.
- Sherwin Williams Extra White – a bright, cool white. Extra White can look a little chalky and cold in some lighting. Works well with cool colors, like grays and blues.
- Benjamin Moore Super White – a bright, cooler shade of white. This white paint color can sometimes come across a little too stark and cold, so it’s not one of my top picks.
Should you paint your ceilings the same color as your trim?
I’m a big fan of white ceilings, so my answer is yes! Having your trim color match your ceiling color creates a very cohesive look. Just be sure to use a flat sheen for your ceilings, and a different sheen for your trim (see below)
Should you match your trim color and white kitchen cabinet color?
Yes…most of the time. You don’t have to match your white cabinets and trim color, but it can definitely make your life easier, and create a more polished look.
However, matching your trim color to your cabinet color, and then using it throughout the house might not be the best choice, as it will influence your paint color selections in all other rooms. For example, if your kitchen cabinets will be an off-white, and you decide to paint all of your trim and doors throughout the house the same off-white, then whatever paint color you choose for your bedroom needs to work with the off-white trim color, and this might limit your choices!
Let’s just say that if your white kitchen cabinets are painted the same color as one of the trim colors recommended in this post, I think you’re pretty safe using the same trim color throughout the home.
What paint sheen should I use for trim?
You should use a satin or semi-gloss finish for your trim and doors. Today, satin sheens are very popular for trim, cabinetry, and doors. That’s because a satin paint sheen looks more contemporary, and gives just enough of a shine without looking too shiny. Semi-gloss has a bit more shine to it than satin, and is more durable and easier to clean. So, it’s a great option for spaces that will need to be cleaned often (high traffic areas), or for those of you that prefer a little more shine. Avoid high gloss…it’s just too shiny and looks dated.
If I want to paint my walls white, should the walls and trim match?
Ideally, yes! For white walls, it’s best to match your trim color and wall color. Use a flat sheen for the walls and ceilings, and a satin or semi-gloss for your trim and doors. The difference in paint sheen will create a nice visual separation between the walls and trim, and help them stand apart from each other, even though they are the same color.
How do I choose the right white paint color for the trim in my house?
The best answer I can give you is that you need to sample the trim colors in your home, and together with your wall color, in order to choose the best white paint color for your space. But, I do have a few tips and guidelines that might help you narrow things down.
In general, use softer, warmer whites for darker wall colors. This will help soften the contrast between the dark walls and light trim.
Most of the time, cooler wall colors work best with cooler, crisper whites, and warmer wall colors work best with warmer or neutral whites.
For very light colored walls (off-whites and light grays/greiges), choose a bright, crisp white to create some contrast, and help differentiate between the trim and the walls.
I hope you enjoyed this round-up of the best white paint colors for trim (and doors)! Now, be sure to sample the colors in your home and with your wall color to choose the right white for your home.
I’ve read your posts on whites & im just looking for a little advice. I just bought a condo that I want painted all white. It said to use the same color in semi gloss for ceiling as with trim being the ceiling is flat sheen in same color with the trim & doors semi gloss. I had my trim in my current house white dove & like it but what advice can you share on whites. What do you know as beautiful whites that would look nice in the new condo?
If you want to paint walls, ceiling, and trim all the same white, I would recommend BM Simply White, BM White Dove, or SW Pure White.
My newly renovated kitchen cabinets are white sand, walls are revere pewter, what trim colour would you suggest with these shades.
I just purchased a home and the kitchen cabinets are a blonde color. They have what I believe to be a yellow/orange color to them. I am wanting to paint all my trim and walls white. What color would you recommend that goes with my cabinets. My floors are also lighter wood close the the cabinet color and I have great natural lighting thought most of the house. Thank you
Best to work with the fixed colors you already have, so choose a warm or neutral white for your walls and trim…nothing too cool. I would get samples of Simply White and White Dove first, and see how they look, then adjust accordingly.
Hi,
I am going to use Edgecomb gray on my walls upstairs which is an open room to my kitchen and living room and was using Balboa mist downstairs in family room not as much light. I would like to use the same color for trim, and closet doors. I keep reading that Dove white looks the best with EG and I bought a sampilize sheet and when I put it next to it it looks so close. It’s hard for me to imagine it looking bright. I also bought simply white. I do not want it to look yellow and a lot of reviews say theirs does not look yellow and its brighter than DW. Or should I just go with white OC-151? I am so confused. I don’t want it to look icy cold either. Please help!
White Dove will work well with Edgecomb Gray. It will look white and give enough contrast, but have a softer look. If you want something brighter, Simply White is a great choice. Simply White will also give a little better contrast with Balboa Mist. I recommend sampling Simply White, and if it looks too yellow at all, you can try a different white.
Love your article!
I’m doing a sunroom on the north side of the house, in Michigan. I don’t want my walls to look lemony, red, or cool.
I like the white Dove hallway you show in this article.
I’m wondering what paint is in this photo.
https://welshdesignstudio.com/wp-content/uploads/studiomcgee-swisscoffee.jpeg
Thank you.
According to Studio McGee, the paint color used in that kitchen is Swiss Coffee at 75%
Hi. Great article. We are going to try to brighten our 20 yr home by repainting the trim, doors, and ceilings (for now we are keeping the wall colors). What color white would you suggest? We will use either Valspar or SW. thank you.
Hi there – we are painting the inside walls of our cabin white. Some of our walls are cedar planks – we like general paint and I’m wondering which white to choose – we are going to leave the cedar walls, just going to paint the walls that aren’t cedar. I really don’t want a “yellow” tone to the white. Suggestions??? Thanks!
My family completed a similar cabin update. We’re all in agreement that the crisp, bright Chantilly Lace walls are the perfect partner to offset the intense warmth of the cedar planks. Really refreshed and brightened up the place.
Hi,
Thanks for sharing your insights!
I have Benjamin Mascarpone trim. What white or light grey would you suggest for the walls to go with the trim?
Thx!
Lori
Try BM Gray Mist…very pretty with Mascarpone.
I love your article!
So I had my kitchen cabinets painted SW alabaster semi-gloss and want to paint the rest of my house too. Do you recommend painting the trim, ceiling and doors all SW alabaster semigloss and walls SW pure white (satin)? I’m afraid I’ll have regrets with what I’m suggesting.
You can definitely paint your trim, ceilings and doors Alabaster, but I wouldn’t pair that with Pure White on the walls. The reason is that Pure White on the walls will make Alabaster look more dingy and yellow that it should. I’d recommend doing the walls in Alabaster also, and letting the difference in sheen help them stand apart. If you want a brighter white on the walls, you might want to go with something very bright and neutral, like High Reflective White. Otherwise, choose a wall color that is slightly darker than Alabaster, like SW Limewash or SW Agreeable Gray.
I love your articles! I’m thinking of painting kitchen cabinets high reflective white to match my bright white backsplash. What color would you recommend for the walls? I would love to do a white but afraid high reflective white might be too bright. I’m also open to other light greige/gray colors. Thank you!
You might try something like BM Pale Oak or BM Classic Gray for a light greige look. SW Agreeable Gray is very popular, as well.
Hi! I love your article. I’m so overwhelmed with picking a white trim. I am painting our banister white and black. I’m going to use Tricorn black for the railings. The white will also be the trim color that will replace the current orange oak (I know warm woods are coming back, but it’s just not me). My question is we have cool tone grey carpeted. What color white would be best with the black railings and grey carpet. I’m thinking walls maybe Repose gray lightened 50%… not decided on that yet. I know I want them light, but I have to do the trim first next week! Would high reflective white be too bright against the black? Or is that okay? White dove looks too yellow next to the carpet. What about SW Extra White… would it be too cold or work since everything else is cool tones? Thank you for any help you can give!
I am in desperate need of white paint color. I recently painted my ceilings SW Pure White. I have crown mounding in there as well. Do I paint it the same color different sheen or a completely different color white. Now the rest of my home needs the trim painted as well. My walls are agreeable grey and kitchen cabinets are SW Snowbound. Can you suggest a trim color that would work nicely with these colors. Your suggestions are so greatly appreciated!
SW Pure White is a great trim color, and works with both Agreeable Gray and Snowbound, so that’s what I’d recommend. Use a semi-gloss sheen for your trim. Satin is another sheen option, if you prefer a little less shine.
Thanks so much for your article. We are going to paint all our walls BM Linen White. What would you suggest as a good white color for the ceilings and trim?
BM Simply White is a nice trim color with Linen White.
I’m wondering what a good paint color would be for trim to go with BM linen white. Thank you so much!
BM Simply White is a great trim color with Linen White
Hi Melissa!
Love your website, so many great ideas! Painting the office, media room and one bedroom Balboa Mist and was wondering what trim to use? We are repainting the entire home and have chosen Edgecomb gray along with revere pewter for the color palette downstairs, along with white dove trim. Will the white dove trim work for Balboa Mist?? Also painting our master bedroom Navajo white, what would you suggest for the trim for that room? Thanks for your time!!
It’s always nice to be able to use a single trim color throughout, but in your case that might not be the best option. White Dove should work fine as a trim color with Balboa Mist. I think Simply White will be a better pairing with Navajo White (it will also look great with Balboa Mist). You could also try White Dove at 50% or 75% with the lighter colors, but you’d need to have some custom samples made up to see what you think of them next to those paint colors.
Can you use the same white paint for the walls, ceiling, trim, and doors?
Yes, absolutely! Using a different sheen for the trim will and walls will also help them stand apart from each other.
I want to paint my downstairs a bright creamy beige/white color. My living room and kitchen all connect. Would painting my trim, doors and ceiling Chantilly Lace, walls a Dover White or BM Niveous be ok and then do my kitchen cabinets in a Kelly Green or shade of bright green be too many colors? What do you recommend for kitchen cabinet colors? Or do I have it all wrong with these color combos? I love a creamy wall color with bright white trim, but don’t love bright white kitchen cabinets.
Definitely not too many colors, and that color scheme will look great together. You might need to play with the creamy beige/white and green shades a bit to find the best combination. I list some of my favorite green kitchen cabinet colors in this post.
Hello! I love and appreciate your post. My cabinets are being painted BM Simply White, and I am painting the walls of the adjacent open concept rooms (dining and living) Simply White as well. Some of the other colors in my house are on the cooler side (blue greys, sea salt, revere pewter). Right now my trim is SW Extra White. What trim color do you recommend with Simply White, that will still give the house versatility and a cohesive look? (I intend on changing all of the trim color, but not every room’s wall color). Thank you!
BM Simply White is a great choice for trim, ceilings, and doors, as well! It is nice and bright, with a hint of warmth that makes it very flexible as a trim color. It will look fantastic with blue-grays, greiges, etc. So, I recommend you use Simply White as your trim color.
Hello, love your web-site!
A quick question, I will have a White-Smoke (soft off-white -https://www.uniboard.com/en/panels/tfl-panels/whitesmoke ) kitchen cabinets, the island will be sage – https://www.uniboard.com/en/panels/tfl-panels/sage.
The walls will be Silver Satin (egg shell). I was thinking about Super White OC-152 trim and door colour. Is that a good idea?
Thank you so much
Totally love your site and all your advice! I was hoping I could ask a quick question about whites for trim. I’m about to paint my bedroom Mellow Mauve from Valspar, conservative gray from sherwin in the rest of the house and willow tree from sherwin for the kid’s room. I need one single trim white for the doors and trim in the whole house. I’m considering alabaster white from Sherwin but I’m worried about how it will play all the colors? Is there a better white or is this the perfect white for all these colors?
Alabaster isn’t my favorite color for trim, because it can look a little too creamy and drive your paint color selections. You might try BM Simply White instead.
Going through a renovation now. My kitchen cabinets are SW Alabaster. I like the warmth on the cabinets but I would love to keep my trim throughout the house a bit crisper white. What SW color would you recommend?
Other walls are SW Agreeable Gray
What color trim did you use for your kitchen?
Hi – I have a challenge to tackle with a newly purchased home. We are redoing the walls to remove a very yellow white and smoothing the drywall. For budget reasons, we cannot change the trim, kitchen cabinets and doors, which are painted SW Ivory Lace throughout the whole house. The house has tons of natural light, from all directions. Any suggestions for a whole house ceiling and wall colors? I am not a huge fan of Ivory Lace but want to make it work!
I am painting our lower level in 75% SW Oyster Bay. I am looking for a lively white trim color because the room gets little natural light. Would SW Extra White be good? Thank you
Hi there
I’m painting my north-facing room (with some southern light coming from the other end) BM Maritime White. This room has built-ins so I want to be sure to paint them and the trim the right color white. Would Chantilly Lace go with Maritime White and also look good in a North facing room?
Chantilly Lace is very neutral, and works well with Maritime White. While Chantilly Lace tends to stay neutral-looking in most lighting conditions, it’s possible it could look a little stark in your north-facing room (sampling will tell for sure). Alternatively, you could try Simply White, which has a touch more creaminess to it.
Hi. I’m in desperate need of help! I live in a small home in Newfoundland, Canada. It is not very open concept and has a lot of beautiful trim around all the windows and doors. We painted our bedrooms first. BM Collingwood. Then we got hooked on BM Cloud Cover. So living room, bathroom, hallway, stairwell. Them we thought to go crazy and paint doors, trim and baseboards BM Smoke Embers. Did 2nd level and stopped. We have dark grey flooring. Two issues have me stumped on how to proceed.. 1. Smoked Embers doesn’t work with Collingwood. So halls are okay but bedrooms…it clashes! 2. We did our kitchen and ended up with a greyish backsplash. Cloud White looked yellow so we repainted in Decorators White…same as cabinets. It’s so boring. We did one window trim in BM Wrought Iron to see…it’s nice but too much contrast and just too much going on. What do I do? I need to get this house done!!!! Cloud Cover trim, Wrought Iron doors? Cloud Cover in bedrooms and keep Smoked Embers? Just keep kitchen Decorator’s White and find a way to transition trim? Help!!
I would suggest introducing a bridge color into the kitchen on the walls. You could go a couple of shades lighter than Smoke Embers, which would be Nimbus or Light Pewter. Those colors will work OK with Decorator’s White as the trim color, and also tie in with Smoke Embers and Cloud Cover used elsewhere in the home. Cloud Cover happens to work beautifully with both Nimbus and Light Pewter, so the wall colors would transition nicely. Probably best to shift to white trim in the bedrooms. If you’d like more help, I think I could better serve you with an interior paint consultation, but hopefully this helps a bit.
First, I need to say thank you because your responses to other people’s questions and advice you give is so friendly and kind! That isn’t always the case as I’m scouring the web 🙂
This one’s a bit tricky (at least in my mind). I have a great room painted SW Alabaster. We will be renovating the adjoining room which will be our new kitchen. I’m wondering if I should change to SW Pure White as my cabinets and island in the kitchen will be SW Sleepy Blue. Either Alabaster or the Pure White will be the entire house except the bedrooms (I think).
We are also continuing our flooring (Karndean Twilight Oak) throughout the house. I chose this 4 years ago before I knew we were going to remodel. Tearing out the newish flooring is not an option. I do like it still (even though the internet tells me I’ve committed a design crime…it’s called a mid-gray…it’s not a gray gray that people were using and in some lights it picks up more browns other times gray…is what it is…I digress).
So to make a long question longer, I’m trying to have these three combos go together: white, sleepy blue and the flooring. Right now I think Alabaster goes well (my trim is a brighter white as it was left from the precious owner and I never got around to the base boards which are now being replaced), but wondering if I should make the change to Pure White? Especially since Pure White can look good with either cool or warm colors.
Sorry, I know it’s confusing and so long, but this is how much I’m going crazy trying to figure this out! 🙂
I don’t think you need to switch over to Pure White. Your floors (which are a lovely choice), combined with Sleepy Blue and Alabaster work really well together, color-wise. If you feel like Alabaster is too creamy, you could consider switching to Pure White. But, if you like Alabaster already in your home, I think you’re good.
Thank you so very much, greatly appreciated more than you know! 💗
Oops! And I meant previous owner, not precious 😆
Thanks for your article. I am building a new house Scandinavian style. The cabinets are a warm wood and uppers are Chantilly lace. What colour whites would you recommend for the walls and trim? Thanks!
Chantilly Lace is a great choice for your trim (in a satin or semi-gloss finish). It would work well for your walls, too, if you want to go all white. If you’d like to add some subtle, neutral color to the walls, that would tie in with your warmer wood tones, you could try something like SW Drift of Mist or BM Classic Gray (which has warmth to it), or even SW Natural Choice.
Thank you, this is so helpful. My husband and bought a new home and they painted trim and ceilings snowbound. I’m looking for a white to paint the walls. I like something warm> the house gets southern exposure and is pretty light. The cabinets are white. I’m not sure if snow bound would be good for walls or if I could use simply white or white dove. Ty!
Hello,
I am hoping you can offer some suggestions. I have Wheat Sheaf on my walls in the living room. I really like the colour which in my room has a pale yellow sort of look to it. Problem is, people seem to think it is too dark in the room. It only gets morning sun and limited at that. Two foot thick walls and a wrap around porch. I originally selected the colour based on the occasional yellow brick in the fire place.
I was wondering if you could suggest a similar colour that be a little brighter in the room and a trim colour to go with it
So appreciated
Aileen
Looking to paint the main floor SW White Snow. Debating about just painting the trim, doors and ceiling all the same as white snow.
Or do you think I should add some contrast with a brighter white like SW extra white for the trim and doors? Floors are a walnut stain.
SW White Snow is a beautiful color for walls, as well as trim, doors and ceilings. I’d stick with White Snow, rather than trying to bring in another white for the trim and doors. If you do want to go with a brighter white, try SW High Reflective White over Extra White.
What color trim did you use for your kitchen?
I have Edgecomb gray kitchen cabinets and I would like to use White Dove on walls. I don’t want to use White Dove on the ceiling and trims. I don’t want White Dove to look yellow. Can you suggest a color for the ceiling and trims?
If you want the ceiling and trim to be a brighter white than White Dove, try BM Chantilly Lace.