Have you been searching for the perfect white paint color for your home? Whites can be quite tricky because they all have unique undertones to them, but there are certain whites that designers swear by. Let’s talk about one of them today…Sherwin Williams Alabaster!  This dreamy white paint color was named Sherwin Williams color of the year in 2016, and it’s remained a popular color ever since.  Order a peel-and-stick sample sheet of SW Alabaster HERE

sherwin williams alabaster

Sherwin Williams Alabaster

What Undertones Does Alabaster Have?

There are tons of different shades of white out there, and each one has its own subtle undertones. This makes finding the right one feel downright overwhelming! Let’s talk about the undertones in SW Alabaster, and see what makes it so special.

Alabaster is a warm white, with light yellow undertones. It has a nice creaminess to it, but it’s muted by gray which keeps it from ever looking too yellow. It typically won’t end up looking cold or gray in a room either, even if your room is north or east facing.

Alabaster can look more like a bright white or more like a creamy white, depending on your lighting conditions. It has enough color to use with bright white trim, if you want just a subtle contrast. Or, you can paint both your walls and trim Alabaster for a cohesive look.

Light Reflectance Value

Light Reflectance Value is a measure of how light or dark a paint color is, on a scale of 0 (darkest) to 100 (brightest). The LRV of Alabaster is 82, which means it’s bright enough to be classified as a white, versus an off-white.

Where to Use SW Alabaster

Sherwin Williams Alabaster is a beautiful, soft white that you can use anywhere in your home. If you want the all-white look, Alabaster is great as a whole-house color, and will never look too stark. It’s also a very popular option for kitchen cabinets!

If you’re going to use Alabaster on your walls, then I typically recommend using it on your trim and ceilings, as well, for a seamless look. However, you can also use Alabaster with a brighter white trim color for a subtle contrast. In other words, if you already have a neutral white trim throughout your home, there’s no need to change the trim color.

Is Alabaster a good white paint color for trim on its own? It’s not one of my recommended white trim colors because its creamy nature will influence (or limit) your other paint color choices. However, as I mentioned earlier, it can be the perfect choice if you’re already using Alabaster as your wall color or on kitchen cabinets. 

Alabaster is also one on my top picks for that dreamy exterior white farmhouse look, and can also work well as an exterior trim choice, paired with a different body color. 

Examples of Sherwin-Williams Alabaster

Time for some inspiration pictures! Let’s take a look at a few rooms to see the beauty of Sherwin Williams Alabaster.

This warm and sophisticated home office is a great example of Alabaster paired with a brighter white trim and ceiling color. You can see the warm undertones of Alabaster shining through, but it still reads as a white color

I love how Alabaster is used everywhere in this living room, but the paint sheen is different for the white walls and trim, helping them to stand apart. Can you see how nicely Alabaster acts as a bridge between the brighter whites of the lamp and artwork, and the creamy whites of the pillows and side table?

sherwin williams alabaster living room

Source: H2H Design Co

Here are some lovely kitchen cabinets painted with Alabaster. It has a nice hint of creaminess, without being too much, and looks beautiful with wood accents.

Ever since Joanna Gaines (HGTV’s Fixer Upper) used SW Alabaster for her farmhouse living room, it has been a go-to paint color for shiplap. Check out this beautiful farmhouse bedroom with Alabaster on the walls and shiplap. Alabaster really delivers as a warm cream color on the walls. 

In this next bedroom, you can see just how bright Alabaster can look in a well-lit space. The overall feeling is light and bright, without looking too harsh.

sw alabaster bedroom

Source: Kelly Nan

Here’s another great example of SW Alabaster used as a whole-house color on both the walls and trim. Alabaster looks inviting and relaxing in this light and airy entry.

I mentioned previously that Alabaster is a beautiful white for exteriors, and here’s a perfect example. I often recommend Alabaster for my exterior paint consultation clients, especially for north and east-facing homes that need a little extra warmth to overcome cooler light.

Colors to Pair with Sherwin Williams Alabaster

Since Alabaster is a brighter white with nicely balanced greige undertones, it will coordinate beautifully with a wide range of neutral paint colors and more vibrant hues.  Here are a few of my favorite Sherwin Williams colors to pair with Alabaster:

Now that you’ve learned more about Sherwin Williams Alabaster, and seen some beautiful inspiration pictures, you can probably understand why it is such a popular white paint color and a great choice for any room in your home. Alabaster has a nice soft, subtle creamy quality to it that makes it a great option for any room in your home! 

Just be sure to thoroughly test all paint colors in your home before committing to one. When it comes to paint samples, I highly recommend Samplize peel and stick paint samples. They are large, inexpensive, and super easy to move around the room. Plus, you can order samples today, and get them delivered to your doorstep tomorrow. Get your peel-and-stick sample of Sherwin Williams Alabaster from Samplize HERE.

paint sample sheets from samplize 

Alternatives to SW Alabaster

Alabaster is fantastic neutral paint color, but that doesn’t mean it will be the right paint color for your home, and its unique lighting conditions. There are a couple of great alternatives to try, if you like the look of Alabaster in pictures, but you need to make a slight adjustment for your space.

Sherwin Williams Pure White is an excellent choice if the beige undertones of Alabaster are coming on too strong. It has more gray in it, but it is still considered a warm white paint color. 

Another good choice is Benjamin Moore White Dove, which is one of my all-time favorite colors. It’s a slightly warmer white than SW Pure White, but it also has a very neutral base, so it doesn’t look quite as creamy as SW Alabaster. 

On the flip side, if you want something that is slightly more creamy than Alabaster, take a look at Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee. It has a touch more creamy yellow to it than Alabaster, which can work well in north-facing rooms.

Want more paint color recommendations?

For more paint color ideas, check out my Favorite Paint Colors eBook! It’s filled with all of the best paint colors in every color family from Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams, plus my exclusive list of the best colors for primary bedrooms and kitchen cabinets. Never again will you have to waste time searching the internet for the best colors…just imagine the time (and stress) you will save yourself! Get your copy HERE. You can also check out my post on the Best White Paint Colors for Interiors for more white paint color recommendations.

best paint colors