Almost daily, I am asked ‘How to choose the right white paint'. In terms of paint selection it is definitely the current question of the moment and I know is one that you will be struggling with.
Serene, calm and crisp are just some of the many adjectives that you can use to describe the colour white so it is no wonder that it is a perennial favourite amongst home decorators. White paint works equally well in a clean cut contemporary interior or in a country style setting.
The question is – How to find the Right White.
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Do not be fooled into thinking that this is an easy option as it is one of the hardest colours to get right.
Finding the right white can be tricky as white for interiors is never just that. There is a minefield of underlying hues waiting for you out there and it can be a challenge to choose exactly the right one for your environment.
How to choose the right white paint – look for the underlying colour
The main point to remember when trying to find the right white is that all white paints have an underlying colour.
This can be most successfully recognised when the sample is on its own against a pure white background, for example a piece of paper. This is probably one of the most important steps to take when selecting your colour palette.
Once you establish what this underlying colour is, then you need to follow general colour rules which I have listed below.
How to select a cool white
A cool white paint will have either a blue or green undertone.
Those which have a blue base can be particularly difficult to work with as they are quite unforgiving and can bring an almost clinical feel to some rooms, particularly if they do not receive much natural sunlight. However for a room that is flooded with natural sunlight it can work really well as a foil to the heat. The image below is a room with Dulux Lexicon Quarter which is a classic cool crisp blue white.
Crisp cool whites are also great to use for kitchen and bathroom joinery – just ensure you select a quarter strength so that you take out as much of the underlying blue as possible.
The room above is painted in Dulux White on White which is an even cooler blue white. This can be a good white for kitchen joinery and is great for contemporary interiors but should be used in a room with lots of natural daylight so that it doesn't make the room too cold.
Green based white paints are relatively easy to work with as they complement so many other colours and are fairly neutral.
These tend to be my go to whites.
As these whites get darker, they become the beautiful stone colours that are brilliant for exteriors. Clients often describe them as a nothing colour – this is a true neutral. Working with these neutrals in either their darkest of lightest form, creates a very classic and timeless look for your home.
How to select a warm white
Yellow based whites are obviously warm. These can sometimes lean towards being too creamy which is not always so successful for a contemporary palette.
Often the whites that work well in decorating are the ‘dirty’ whites that can appear a bit grey and grubby when viewing a sample but on the wall create a successful modern look. So if you think your home needs a warmer white then consider one with a creamy base but one that also has a touch of grey.
The image above is with Dulux Whisper White on the walls. I love this white because it is a touch creamy but also has a touch of grey. A very approachable white that seems to work well for many homes.
Before you write off the creamy whites completely though I want you to consider the style of your home.
Creamy whites can look fantastic in a country style setting so don't be put off by their creaminess. Although these are not necessarily the current trend, they can look perfect in certain homes and really are a great saviour in a cold and gloomy space where they will not look warm, just welcoming and right for that space.
Pink based whites are very soft and can work well with the addition of some grey. These whites are great to use when you are using a lot of pink, for example in a child's bedroom.
A pink based white can also work really well with brown tones and is a good option where you require a warm white but want to avoid any yellow tones. You can be put off by the thought of pink, however these can be very effective for a cold and dark area of your home where you won't necessarily see the underlying colour just the warmth that it brings to the scheme.
Just remember not to mix the whites – so don't use a creamy yellow on the wall and then a cool blue tinged white for the trim – keep it simple!
White on White colour palettes
You can see when you test your chosen white against a pure white background what an effect this has on the colour and the same occurs when you partner other whites with your choice. So in addition to considering the type of white you would like to use for your wall colour, you also need to think about which one you will use for architraves, internal doors, skirting boards and ceilings.
Sometimes, a grey white will look a little grubby but when you place a lovely fresh white next to it, its appearance is greatly enhanced. So rather than take the easy route and just paint everything in one type of white, consider using a lighter trim to give everything a lift.
My Fail Safe Formula for selecting the right white paint
Many paint companies now market their whites and neutrals in varying degrees of strength. A great rule to follow is a full strength of your chosen white on the wall, half strength on the trim and internal doors and quarter strength on the ceiling and cornice.
Sometimes you can knock out the middle man or if you feel your choice is too dark in full strength then just use half strength with quarter on the trim, internal doors and ceiling. Kitchen cabinetry can also be treated the same way as internal trim and doors.
Whilst talking about ceilings, don't be tempted to use a paint company's ceiling white. These often completely throw a wonderful white palette and all your planning goes out of the window!
Colours appear twice as dark when they are horizontal so ceilings also need to be treated carefully. Definitely opt for a quarter strength here or even an eighth strength if you are using a quarter on the walls. Your cornice, if you have one, should also be painted the same as the ceiling.
Another great way to use a white in varying strengths is throughout different areas in your home.
If you have a room that faces north or west with lots of doors and windows then you can confidently use a full strength white but if your room is darker and faces south then you may benefit from just a half strength of the same white.
This way, you achieve a wonderful flow throughout the house, particularly if you ensure the trim and ceiling is the same throughout.
I have a more in depth post about how you should paint your trim here:
Related: What do I paint my skirting boards and architraves
The right white paint is the perfect backdrop
Let’s face it, white is often the fall back colour for people who really don’t know what to put on their walls and then they add interest and colour with books, soft furnishings, artworks and rugs.
I hear this a lot and there is certainly nothing wrong with this at all. It provides a lovely crisp, clean blank canvas for all the other wonderful items that you have at home.
But what if you are really a true lover of white and you want to use it throughout the space including furnishings and accessories? If this is you then to make the room successful you will need to consider some other design elements for the room.
The colours shown in this palette are below and I have given examples for Australia, New Zealand, the UK and the US:
- Vivid White—Dulux Australia, White—Resene, White Handkerchief—Dulux UK, Picket Fence White—Ralph Lauren
- Stowe White—Dulux Australia, Spring Wood—Resene, Labrador Sands—Dulux UK, Resort White—Ralph Lauren
- White Valance—Dulux Australia, Quarter Biscotti—Resene, Natural Hessian—Dulux UK, Cameo Pink—Ralph Lauren
- Pristine Sand—Dulux Australia, Doe Skin—Resene, Labrador Sands—Dulux UK, Tea and Sweets—Ralph Lauren
- Abbot—Dulux Australia, Clinker—Resene, Rich Praline—Dulux UK, Rust—Ralph Lauren
The most important design element to remember if you are using a white theme is to employ varying textures so that you create a layering effect.
Mix up accessories in different finishes, for example cool, slightly rough linen with fresh crisp cotton and heavy knit throws.
Remember too that if you use any colour at all in this kind of environment then your eye will be drawn straight towards that object and it becomes a main feature in the room, so unless this is the point, you need to ensure that your accessories and furnishings are all white or a soft natural timber or stone. This creates a gentle flow and increases the feeling of serenity.
My go-to white paints
I have to say that this changes regularly and is definitely affected by many different factors including client preference, room orientation and current trends. You need to ensure that rather than selecting something that I have discussed, a friend has used or another publication has talked about, that the choice is right for your space.
At the moment many of my clients really love Dulux White Cloak as it is a lovely warm choice. This is one of those ‘dirty' whites that is warm but without any obvious creamy, yellow undertones. It looks terrific with Dulux Vivid White which I absolutely love for trims and ceilings.
Another favourite is Dulux Snowy Mountains which is a cooler crisper white and I find the quarter strength of this is really great for joinery and internal doors. Don't forget to consider how much of a tonal variation that you would like to see as this will impact the difference that you leave between the tones.
Resene are well known for their whites and neutrals and they are very obliging in providing these in varying strengths. Resene Blanc is a fabulous pink white that works really well for a soft country look or Resene Sisal in half, quarter and eighth strengths are one of those great green based neutrals that just seems to work everywhere!
Don't forget if you are confused about strengths of your chosen colour to go back to my fail safe formula – then you can't go wrong.
Let me know about your dilemmas with choosing the right white for your house and follow me on Pinterest for lots of inspiration. Good luck with your decorating plans and I hope to hear from you. If you are currently undertaking a building or renovation project or are simply giving the interior of your house a re-fresh then you should get access to my Free Resource Library. It has checklists and e-books that are free to download. I add to this monthly so there is always something new and invaluable to help you with your project. You can get access to it here.
If you are still stuck and need help with your project I offer an e-consultation service. You can send me photos and/or plans with your questions and I will review and talk it all through with you. I have packages from just one question through to a full colour scheme service – click here for more details.
Do you also need to find the right white for your exterior project? If so you must read this article too:
Finding the right grey can be just as fraught as finding the right white. If you are looking for a neutral grey, you might like to read this article too:
Like to read even more about this subject? Then you may enjoy my colour feature article in Country Home Ideas magazine:
Want to find out the 5 mistakes to avoid when selecting white? Then you should also read this:
This is a great article thank you. I made a mistake by selecting antique white USA as a single colour in a light filled house with black butt floor boards. I am so disappointed as it picks up far too much yellow and looks cream. I know it is had but can you suggest a different Duluth white that has the warmth but not the yellow?
Hi Julie great to hear from you and glad that you found the article useful. I suspect that the blackbutt floor is throwing up yellow onto the Antique White which has a touch of creaminess to it in the first place. Dulux White Cloak Half is very close to Dulux Antique White but has a touch more grey making it duller but still a nice warm colour. You could give this a try or if you really want to knock out the yellow altogether then try something like Dulux White Exchange Half which is much greyer again. Always try a sample on a large piece of card and try not to look at it against your current wall colour as it is better to see it in isolation with your flooring. Good Luck! Sam
Hi Sam, just a bit of feedback. We went with quarter strength white cloak and vivid white (satin poly for joinery and satin enamel for trim) and we are super happy with the results. Thanks for your help.
Thanks for getting back in touch Julie – that has made my day!
Hi Sam,
I am looking at Dulux natural white & also just came across Haymes organic 1. I want a soft, organic and calming feel. The problem I’m having is that I have surfmist windows.. I feel my love for creamy whites may not complement the grey in the surfmist….
Thanks for your time
Hi Toni you need to consider whether you are looking at these whites for the walls or the trim. You could use a fresher white as the trim which may work better next to Surfmist. Don’t get too hung up with the window frame – it is minor in the scheme of things and can also be slightly camouflaged with curtains/sheers/blinds etc. The most important thing is to get the feel of the room right. A warm white which you love will give you a good feeling but if you opt for a grey white for the sake of matching the window frame, you will get another feel altogether that you won’t be happy with. Hope this helps Samantha
Oh thank you, you’re so clever- great advice! X
I just realised we don’t have architraves, we will have skirts though. What are your thoughts on either of the two whites? I have heard if people using the same white on walls and ceilings? Do you think this works better than alternatively having a traditional ceiling white on the ceiling? Thanks
Hi Samantha.
Really enjoyed reading this post and thread! Who knew choosing a white could be so stressful! My partner and I are building a new home in Australia and are trying to select our paint colours. A lot of our first storey won’t get too much natural light so I wanted something slightly warm. I have been looking at Casper white quarter which seems quite popular for the walls (I will do as your recommend and take painted cardboard out to the build). I do like a seamless look and so am unsure about painting the trims a very bright white colour. I’m thinking of painting the trims the same as the walls. The ceiling will be builders ceiling white. Any thoughts or tips? Much appreciated 🙂
Hi Hayley There is a house in the October edition of Home Beautiful that has an exterior painted in Dulux Casper White Quarter which may be useful for you to see if you can grab a copy. This gives you a very light white house and is slightly warm so it sounds as though it may work for you. I don’t think you need the contrast on the trims – the walls will already be very white so I would paint the trims the same. Hope you love your new home Samantha
I just realised we don’t have architraves, we will have skirts though. What are your thoughts on either of the two whites? I have heard if people using the same white on walls and ceilings? Do you think this works better than alternatively having a traditional ceiling white on the ceiling? Thanks
Hi i was wondering what i can use in terms of whites or neutrals fir my internal paint.My floors are spotted gum all over.I like a light grey look however not sure if i should choose neutrals.
Hi Alex I love Spotted Gum floors and you can use a wide range with them – it really depends on the mood you want to create. If you want a more contemporary look then you should go for a white that has some grey in it but consider how much light the room receives. Dulux Caspar White Half is a good grey/white. However if you want more of a classic look with a deeper neutral then you might like to try something like Dulux Ghosting half strength or even full strength and this will give you a nice grey neutral with more depth. When used with a crisp white, like Dulux Vivid White, you get a very classic look so before you think about colours, consider the style and mood you want to create. And do paint a sample board before you commit as colours vary so much in different locations so these musings are really just a guide! Hope this helps Sam
Hi Sam,
Happy New Year!
Not sure if I’m a bit too late on the conversation, but I have a smallish apartment with newly laid spotted gum floors.
There is great sunlight in the living /TV area, but does drop off by half at least as we head to the kitchen dining area – all of which is open plan.
Aiming to have a feeling of space and freshness to counteract an older style floor board, as the space is much darker now since we replaced the white tiles.
What would be your suggestions?
Many thanks!
Hi Nat Happy 2018 to you too – you are certainly not too late to join the conversation! If you are planning a white for the walls you need to double check the colour of your kitchen cabinets and take your lead from here. If they are a white you need to use a white that will tie in with these cupboards or the whole scheme could be thrown. Great whites at the moment are Dulux Snowy Mountains Quarter or Dulux Vivid White – both will work with Spotted Gum – in fact I find Spotted Gum a very user friendly timber floor to work with as it goes with so many things. The Snowy Mountains Quarter has a touch of grey so will stand up well to your living area sunlight while Vivid White is a touch warmer but it really will depend on your kitchen colours so try a couple of sample pots in that area in particular and view them during the day and evening to check you like the effect. Remember too that if your apartment seems darker you could get some white or neutral rugs to give it a lift. See my post on how to choose a rug for some ideas. Good luck! Samantha
Hi Samantha,
I find your posts really helpful. Great job! Thank you!
Are you able to advise a good white with green and with grey undertones. I have just used Vivid White for the ceiling and the trims. The room is very bright and is furnished with greys and linens.
Thanks
Hi Eva Dulux Livingstone half or quarter will give you a green/grey/linen look – however if you wanted something more grey you should look at Dulux Lyttleton Half or quarter. It really depends how much green you want to see or if you just prefer a neutral grey white – Hope this gives you a starting point Samantha
Hello,
Great article. We are currently relocating from the US to a home in France. The main floor is white and gray veined marble, the floor trim along the wall is matching marble. The floor flows in an open design through the foyer, dining room and living room area.
Currently, the wall color is a light gray/white, which I find to be too cool. I like a Nordic Palette with soft whites, our furniture is dark wood and grays, with splashes of accent color throughout. All windows have french doors throughout the home that are currently beige, which I would like to paint white as well.
What would be the best Dulux white colors for the walls, windows and the trim?
We also have to have the rooms to be painted sight unseen, so I am unable to paint swatches and put up against the wall to test lighting effects.
Suggestions?
Hi Rebecca This is a really interesting one! The Dulux colours vary throughout the world and have different names and formulas in different countries so I am unable to give you a definite Dulux France colour name. However, I have looked at the Dulux Australia colours and I believe that Dulux Snowy Mountains Half will be a good choice as it is a cool white but without having blue or grey in it. The creamier tones are lovely but I am worried they will not go with the marble floor. It might not be what I would use if we could see the apartment but sight unseen it should be relatively safe to give you a light, fresh, clean Scandinavian feel. Hex codes are the universal way to specify colour around the world so if I give you the Hex code for this colour your painters in France should be able to match this. You could also use this to get a sample of the colour from a store local to you which may help you to see if you like it or not. The Hex code is EDEDE5. As this is a light white I would recommend that you use it for the walls and trim which really again gives you that simple Scandinavian look and will be a lovely backdrop for the timber furniture. I hope that this works out for you and that you enjoy your new life in France. Sam
Hello , I got white dilemmas. Recently i need to choose a white neutral colour for my house which has Carrara Marble floor throughout and we use cafe oak polytec joinery . My dilemma is should I go with natural white half or Snowy Mountains half or Snowy Mountains quarter. Could you please help me any suggestion? Thanks Olivia.
Hi Olivia I think a white with a touch of grey would probably suit your marble floor the best but you need to decide how white you want the walls to be – quarter strength of Snowy Mountains is a lovely fresh white while the half strength shows more grey so you will also need to check a large sample against your joinery too. Hope this helps Samantha
Hi Samantha, Great article and comments. I am renovating a federation semi, and am leaving the front traditional (which does not get much natural light) with a modern addition (lots of natural light). My preference is to carry the same white scheme throught out, using varying strengths, dependent on the light. The kitchen will be the driver for my decision, it’s north facing, with high ceilings, blackbutt timber floor, and large black aluminium framed sliding doors and windows. It will have new white kitchen cabinetry (2 pac matte) and carrerra marble benchtop and splashback.
I prefer cool whites, but dont want it to be too stark, and ideally have a more natural finish, which also ties into my Scandinavian heritage. What are your thoughts on Summer cloud, and snowy mountain? Do any other whites come to mind? Anna
Hi Anna Dulux Summer Cloud is a lovely lavender white which will work well for a Federation home. There are other warm lavender whites like Dulux White Calm and White Touch and of course Summer Cloud comes in half and quarter strength if you want less colour. Dulux Snowy Mountains is a grey white with not much underlying colour at all so you need to get large samples and really look at the colours side by side and see which you prefer as they are quite different. The Dulux Casper White range is a warm grey white and could be a compromise between the two? Good luck Samantha
Hi, we’re about to renovate a house and put down oak floorboards, going for a kind of ‘hamptons’ feel. The majority of rooms face east (morning sun) so it’s not an overly sun filled /light space. I’ve looked at dulux natural white but it appears quite creamy, as we want a soft but quite crisp white. I’m now looking at dulux snowy mountains half but concerned about comments that it’s a cool white… I understand warm whites look best in rooms that aren’t flooded with natural white. I’m nervous as well also be getting all our cabinets in the same colour (2 pac gloss). Do you have any other suggestions of whites?
Hi Deb I think you are on the right track with Dulux Snowy Mountains Half. I have had clients who have used this throughout their house, including kitchen cabinetry, and they have been very happy with it. Why don’t you paint a large board with two coats and put it in your house and look at it throughout the day? Either use this for your trim too and quarter strength for the ceiling as the problems come when you put different whites together. It really is a lovely crisp white and although in the cool range, it doesn’t have an obvious blue base like Lexicon or White on White. I like it but I would double check first – good luck with the reno! Sam
Hi Samantha
Great article! We’re buying a house that’s about 7 years old. And I want to repaint it white.
The current scheme is cream with a light chocolate carpet and reddish toned timber floor boards. The kitchen cabinets and aluminium window frames are cream too.
After reading your article I’m leaning towards a green based white, would this be your recommendation? We were thinking white with a dash of black originally.
I’m in Australia and would love to hear your colour name suggestions and strengths.
Cheers, Dianne.
Hi Dianne Lovely to hear from you! Yes, I think a neutral leaning towards a green rather than a very yellow base will work well if you want to move away from the cream. The problem will be however how it reads with your kitchen cabinets. I suspect your windows are White Birch if the house is 7 years old?? Therefore you don’t want to go too green. You might like to try Dulux Grand Piano quarter strength as a trim and then go either full or half strength on the walls depending upon the mood you want to create and the amount of light in the room. Try it with a small sample against your cabinets – it will work with the timber and carpet – it’s just the cabinets that may throw it all. I hope this is helpful Cheers Samantha
Hi Rebecca,
We are currently building our home and I was hoping you could help us with some white paint choices.
Our home faces East and has 3.1m ceilings, big windows so hoping it will be very light we also have raked ceiling and exposed beams in the living area. Spotted gum flooring in living areas but will have a grey carpet in bedrooms(this hasn’t been picked yet). We have picked Vivid white for the kitchen hoping that I have choose. right as it looks like a nice white. I’m really not sure what white to paint the walls and trims. Really hoping you can help?
Also exterior will be Dulux white duck and we are thinking Dulux white on white. Do you think the white on white is fine? We love the white duck.
Many Thanks
Summah
Hi Summah your new house sounds lovely. Dulux Vivid White is a great kitchen cabinet colour choice and you can use this then as your trim and ceiling throughout the house. A lot of whites will go with this – my clients love Dulux Snowy Mountains half with this but it really depends on whether you want something that has a touch of warmth in which case you might try Whisper White. You need to consider the depth that you want too. Outside whites sound good – Dulux Lexicon Quarter would give you an even crisper trim which you might need against White Duck as it will come out quite light in the sunlight and White on White has a touch of blue. Hope this helps – remember try sample pots first!!
Hi Samantha, Thank you for your post, it’s so helpful! I was wondering if you could suggest a white to complement jarrah floorboards. Currently, we have a light cream but the Jarrah seems to reflect a dirty yellow hue. Any suggestions would be much appreciated!
Hi Hannah With a beautiful rich Jarrah floor you need a white that is more neutral. You could try a sample of Dulux White Verdict Quarter. Paint a large board with two coats first though and move it around the rooms as it will depend on how much natural light you receive and also what else you need it to work with. This is a fairly crisp white which I would certainly try with Jarrah but you must double check! Good luck Samantha
Hi Samantha
I also have a vivid white kitchen and then surfmist colourbond windows and sliding doors in the matt finish. I’m looking for a white to paint the walls with?
Also have Quickstep dessert oak natural laminate floors, bit of a yellow beach colour..
Any ideas would be so helpful, many many sample pots in my garage…….
Hi Sue I wouldn’t match your white to the Surfmist doors and windows as you will end up with quite a grey on the walls which won’t work with your oak floors. Dulux White Verdict is much lighter than Surfmist but it should work with it and will provide quite a contrast to your Vivid White kitchen. Perhaps try a sample of this to see how it works. It will really depend on how much light your room receives – you may even need a half strength of it. Good luck Samantha
Hi Samantha
Great article, l could really do with your help. I am renovating a 100 yr old federation home in rural country town in Oz. I have high Ceilings with ornate cornice and roses in each bedroom. I started painting the new ceilings and cornice with Australian Dulux Lexicon Half which has been quite a workout and to be honest not fun 🙂 It seems okay, not throwing blue, more like a chalky light grey. I want to achieve an elegant Parisienne chic feel, white that doesnt show yellow or reds but not stark either. Sooooo what are ur thoughts on Walls , go with Lexicon half on walls too and add a true white to trims and french doors. My concerns are what colour white goes with lexicon half. I didnt realise it was a cool white and am grateful its not blueish. I just hope the ceilings dont need to be changed cause l dont think l could manage it. Look forward to your advice on what to do with walls.
Great to hear from you – I hate painting ceilings too! I think the key is to steer clear of any of the warm whites and then it really depends on how white you want the walls to be. Anything darker in the blue range really does start to read blue but if you go with a white that has a touch of grey it will give you a lovely elegant feel. Something from the Dulux Caspar White range – quarter through to full depending on how dark you want to go – might work. It really does depend on so many other factors so you will need to paint a sample board and see how it reads in the light of the room. Don’t worry though, Lexicon Half is a nice crisp white and you will be able to find something that works so you won’t have to re-paint the ceilings! If you want a really crisp white trim you could try Lexicon quarter and then stick with Lexicon half on the walls – it really depends on how light and bright you want the walls to be or whether you like the idea of having a touch of grey. Hope this helps! Samantha
My builder on the East Coast of Delaware in the US will use Benjamin Moore paints. I cannot find Dulux in the area anyway. What whites and perhaps light grays would you use for a coastal feel? The home will be beach front, I like the Natural Scandinavian feel, maybe a touch of boathouse and cottage. Thanks
Caren
Hi Caren lovely to hear from you. I really like Benjamin Moore Simply White as it is soft and warm but not too creamy. I think you need to be careful about using whites that are too cool as they sometimes read too blue and also can be quite cold. Benjamin Moore Stonington Gray is a nice grey to accompany this. Homebunch.com has some great inspiration for Benjamin Moore Paint colours and lots of visuals for you to see. I would also recommend that you buy sample pots and paint large boards before you commit to any colour to ensure that you like it. All whites, greys and other neutrals have a different base so if you find one that you like it can work well to use varying strengths and that way you do not put a white that has a blue base with another darker one that may have a green base. I hope this is helpful and that you are happy in your new home. Samantha
Thank-you this was really helpful! I’m a little stuck on my colours, we’re building a beach house with American oak smoked limed floorboards and Caesar stone raw concrete bench top with stark white matte cabinets (as I thought this suited the grey better)and light grey blinds. I was originally going to go with natural white on walls but it looked a little creamy against the grey. Do you have any suggestions?
Hi Lynda Great to hear from you. Yes, I agree, Dulux Natural White would be too creamy for you. It really depends how grey you want to go on the walls as this will also change the overall mood and feel of the house. Dulux White Cloak Half or Quarter still gives you warmth but contains a touch of grey – a modern version of Natural White really. Or you could go for a fresher cooler white like the Dulux Snowy Mountains range. Dulux Caspar White is greyer again and is a great white to use but your room will start to look a lot greyer and it will really depend on how much sunlight that you receive in the space. I think I would start by looking at White Cloak Half and then if still too warm, Snowy Mountains Half – remember to look at it against your floor in particular as this will really make a big impact. I hope this helps and that you enjoy your lovely new beach house. Samantha
Hi Samantha.. I am renovating a double story home and had thought Lexicon 1/4 as it is quite dark inside in hallway… someone has just suggested Snowy Mountains 1/4 .. she said Lexicon too clinical.. floors quick step merbau.. wanted spotted gum but none available.. now I am confused.. went to buy a sample of Snowy Mountain and only available in litre tin..
Hi Sally Lexicon Quarter is quite stark as it has a blue base. It does give you a nice crisp white finish though. Snowy Mountains Quarter is a warmer white and does come up well with the red/brown tones of your flooring. I would invest in a large sample area of it though to ensure you like it. Samantha
Thank you so much for your generous advice. I have been on the HomeBunch website and like the Benjamin Moore Simply White and Stonington Gray. I also saw, on the site, a pretty kitchen with a Seafoam Tile backsplash and white marble on the counters, however I love the blue island base I saw on your website, as well as the white kitchen you have pictured above, with the wood and white barstools. Which of these three looks would go best together with the white and gray? I have made the mistake before of mixing too many styles by simply picking paints tiles, furniture and lighting that I liked, but did not fit one theme or style.
I want to mention also that the idea of mixing the strength of a paint is intriguing as I had never read this concept before. That way all the shades go together- brilliant!
Thankss again,
Caren
Hi Caren I speak to so many people who make the same mistake of choosing things they really love but then realising they do not necessarily work together and I was guilty of this before I trained as a designer. Personally, I love the dark blue cabinetry for a kitchen with a white and grey house theme. However to help you decide for yourself you really need to consider all the other elements for your decorating plan. Get together the fabrics that you love, furniture and accessories you already own and plan to keep, artworks and any other inspiration you have. Put it all together and then make a decision to go in one direction. The trouble now is that there is so much to choose from and so many things around – you may need a local designer to help you. I often work with people who have a very good idea about what they want but just need a coach almost to keep them on track! Good luck Samantha
Thanks so much for getting me started with your generous advice. I wish you were here in the US as I love your style. I have not yet found a local ” coach” designer as you advise but will keep looking!
Thanks for your kind words Caren – I hope that you enjoy your new home.
Hi we are putting in a new kitchen in Australia and have choose lexicon quarter cabinets, caesarstone pure white benches and are now having trouble picking a wall colour. We have natural white currently and its too creamy & not white and bright enough & we think lexicon half looks too blue. Our trims are lexicon quarter and flooring is blonde oak. We want something modern and bright that wont throw too much colour against the kitchen. Leaning towards snowy mountains quarter but are worried it will be too light in the adjoining living area. Also then worried that the half strength might throw colour against the kitchen. Was hoping you might have some feedback and advice?
Hi Stacey Your scheme sounds great but what you really need to decide is whether you like the idea of an adjustment in the wall colour because unless you go with Lexicon Quarter you will obviously see some difference. I agree that Natural White with this scheme is wrong and you need to steer clear of all of the warm whites. You are on the right track with Snowy Mountains – the half strength will appear darker against the kitchen but the change is negligible and it won’t throw colour onto the kitchen, you will just notice a slight difference in the wall colour. Is there a natural break between the kitchen and living where you could switch strengths? This would be ideal and I would recommend Quarter for the kitchen walls and half for the living. If not I would recommend you paint a large sample board with half and prop it up next to the kitchen to see whether you like the effect. I think it will work but you need to love it too. Good luck Samantha
Hi there!
My I ask a similar question.
We have pretty well decided on Dulux Grand Piano right through our large east/west apartment on the sixth level. The walls are full glass at each end so its quite bright especially towards each end, as the light comes in from both directions with living rooms at each end and the kitchen inbetween. Would love an opinion on strength? I don’t think full would be too dark but hubby’s concerned. So I though maybe half strength but now reading it can be yellowish, which I don’t want.
Our colours are earthy/African, and we have wildlife photos, warm timber furniture etc.
Definitely want green base, had this before and it worked really well, just worried about the half GP losing the greenish tint.
Also thinking maybe a combo of both?
We have virtually no trims, square cut ceiling, no architraves/door frames.
Thanks so much in advance, so confused right now!
Vicki
Hi Vicki My feeling is to go full strength with the Grand Piano. If you don’t have trims in a lighter colour then this will appear quite light. I also think you need a little depth on your walls to complement the earthy African palette. I tend to feel that unless you want a really crisp white then you should go for a white with more depth – I’m not a fan of the in between as it can just look washed out and is neither one look or another. I hope this helps and leaves you less confused! Samantha
Wow thank you so much Samantha
Just what I needed to hear as full strength has been my gut feeling all along and being as light and bright as any normal house it should not be a problem. I really do want a bit of depth and color on the walls, far from whitish, and what a fabulous tip about the trims!
Will stick to my original plan
Thanks again, Vicki
I have an 1880 villa. I am beach front. Not a lot of natural light. Lots of natural timber features. I would like to repainted the kitchen and hallway walks first. I like the scandanavian look but have no idea what colour to choose for walls, I have been researching for a long time and feel more confused.
Hi Anne There are a few points you need to consider to start the process. If you like the idea of a Scandinavian look you may want to paint just some of the timber but clearly you need to be careful as once painted it is hard to undo and being a beautiful old house you may not want to do this. You need to consider the colour of your floor – is it timber or are there tiles or carpet. I always advise to work from the floor upwards when putting together a colour scheme and then carefully consider what needs to be painted. You should also consider the other elements – the kitchen cabinet colours and furniture that you have. The kitchen is particularly important. If you have white cabinetry it is very important to tie in the white for the walls with this element. Perhaps look at something like a warm white – Taubmans Secret White is a lovely creamy white that is light and will work with timber but you absolutely must check any sample that you try with your kitchen cupboards and your timber and remember to consider the colour of your floor. I hope that this gets you started. Samantha
Thank you so much for this amazing article! We’ve just bought our first home, a duplex in Montreal. Sadly, it is attached and receives close to no light at all, we don’t have many windows and there are a lot of small rooms. I adore the more modern/nordic/scandinavian home styles and I am getting lost about the “half strenght” etc. (possibly because I am French speaking) amd I wanted to clarify with you if possible? What would be the best option to make the rooms look bigger, brighter, more crisp and airy? Is a matt finish still okay and painting around windows and trims with same color too? Everything is wood and sooo dark and dingy haha… The 50s right?! Thank you so very much!!
Great to hear that you have your first home! Some paint companies offer their whites in varying strengths from full to quarter. Basically it sounds as though you need a very light crisp white but as you don’t receive a lot of natural sunlight you should definitely opt for a nice warm white. You must be careful not to select anything that has a blue undertone and you can usually see this when you place the sample next to a white sheet of paper as this really helps you to see the underlying colour in the white. You will find that just by painting the interior timber you will lighten the place enormously and start to get your Scandinavian feel. Remember that this is why Scandinavian people paint their houses in white as they need to reflect as much light as possible through the long winter months – much the same as Montreal! You might like to get a sample of Benjamin Moore’s Simply White as this is a white that will give you a fresh feel without being too cold – it is creamy without being yellow – if that makes sense! Do get sample pots first though and just bear in mind that you should paint the majority of the timber and steer clear of the really cool blue based whites as you want a fresh feel rather than a cold sterile one. Also consider that some timber accents can really work well with a look like this so you might like to consider how much of the timber you paint over as it is almost impossible to get it back once painted! Good luck Samantha
Great site Samantha! Thanks!
We’re painting a well aspected three bedroom north-facing to the back garden upside down L shaped house that has sliding floor to near the ceiling glass-doors across the livingroom, kitchen/dining room and master bedroom. The other bedrooms face east and the bathrooms, toilet and laundry face west. The tiles in the kitchen/dining room are grey/pink/warm white whilst they’re a cooler grey with marbly/pinkish trim in the bathrooms. Kitchen cupboards are warm white/ivory and window and sliding door trim are are colourbond primrose. The living room also has windows on the south side. Presently walls are like a dulux seed pearl colour with pinkish hued carpet. It has clean lines despite being a brick veneered house and we wanted to modernise the feel but a plaster board painted in lexicon quarter seems too stark, although it may work fine in the bathrooms with the harsher afternoon sun. We’re not sure what hue of carpet to choose and any ideas for the walls (we’ll keep the trim the same colour as the walls). Snowy mountain quarter? Or something warmer like dulux natural white? (although we felt a cooler white might lift it). Rooms interconnect as it’s a clever floorplan so there’s flow/connection between rooms.
Stuck on white,
Mark
Hi Mark great to hear from you. As you have pink coloured tiles I think it is safest to stick with a warm taupe colour for your carpet. Warm brown taupe tones work well with pinkish hues but if you bring samples home from the showroom you will get a better idea. In terms of the white, if you are keeping walls and trim the same and want a nice contemporary feel then I think you should look at something like Dulux White Cloak Quarter. This is a warm off white that has a touch of grey but I think you need to be warm due to the Primrose windows. It certainly isn’t a yellow colour – I think it is a modern version of Dulux Antique White USA. I agree that Lexicon quarter will be too harsh and I think with the warm tones in the tiles you need to stay away from the blue based whites. If you paint a large board with your chosen white and then put it next to the large carpet samples you will get an idea of how it will all come together. I hope this points you in the right direction. Cheers Samantha
Samantha,
Further to my last comment, we live in Australia so north-facing is a good thing!
Cheers,
Mark
Hi
I am tossing up between natural white Dulux or wattyl chalk dust for kitchen cabinetry.
I like warm colours and have tallow wood floors and white birch windows and paperbark covered area. What warm colour works best for cabinetry?? Thanks
Hi Virginia I think Wattyl Chalkdust may work better as it is slightly fresher and you are certainly on the right track to complement White Birch and Paperbark. Dulux Natural White will work too as they are really very similar so you should probably consider what you are going to use for the walls and also the paint company that your kitchen supplier likes to work with. Good luck with your project! Samantha
Hi Samantha – this stream is so helpful!
We are currently building and I’m struggling to match the right white for walls. Our house has Taubman’s Abstract render with basalt roof, is north facing with large windows and lots of light into the living areas/kitchen.
We have quite a simple kitchen – classic white cupboards and caesarstone frosty carina benches, plus a char blue (very navy/grey appearing kickboard on one side of the central bench. Our floors are marri though, which is very warm. I wanted a 1/2 or 1/4 strength grey based white but from above maybe green based would be better?
Would you have any suggestions?
Hi Faye Thanks for your note. For your white I would take the lead from your classic white cupboards – do you mean they are a ‘classic white’ or Polytec Classic White? If the latter then this is a warmer white and so you must avoid anything blue based. As to half or quarter strength you also need to consider the cupboards – do you want the walls to just tie in with the cupboard doors or be slightly darker. Dulux Snowy Mountains half is a great white that doesn’t have an obvious base and looks great with Caesarstone Frosty Carina as it makes the warm grey vein stand out. However, you really do need to consider the wall white in relation to the kitchen cupboards so ideally hold up larger samples next to that. You can afford to have a little more depth in the lovely north facing sunny position. I hope this helps Samantha
Hi Samantha
This thread has come as a saving grace for me at the moment. Thanks so much for your excellent advice.
I have to decide on both external and internal colours for a new north-facing home in lovely Gold Coast.
I chose a Hamptons beach style throughout in terms of furnishings and would love a bright, cheerful environment.
Our proposed external colour scheme is Shale Grey roof and walls, vivid white gutters and fascias and bondi blue (interpon matched) pillars for the portico, front door and flower pots.
Internal colours are Lexicon full strength for walls and Vivid white for skirtings, doors and architraves. I have polar white matt kitchen cabinets, a mosaic tiled splashback in mother of pearl Dulux Sea Note colour, and splashes of the same blue and sea green on white leather couches. I also have two feature walls, one in Sea Note and one Swift.
Do you think the whites will work together or did I get this totally wrong – which is absolutely possible since I cannot imagine how all these whites will come together :(. The floor is oak floorboards and there are many earthy furnishings, baskets and light wood to complement the white.
Your advice would be much appreciated!
Hi Nicky Great to hear from you! I think this all sounds like you are on the right track. I just have a couple of points: Are you painting your gutters and fascias? Usually for a new home these are in a colorbond finish and people usually opt for Surfmist. However if you are painting then this is fine but do remember that Vivid White will get dirty quickly. Vivid White does give you a lovely tonal difference to your Shale Grey walls though so is definitely a good idea for shutters etc if you want that crisp finish. For the interior, Vivid White is a lovely trim but you might consider Lexicon Quarter strength to go with your full strength Lexicon walls? You are on the right track with Polar white kitchen as this is the cool white and Lexicon with its blue base is also very cool. Vivid White is not wrong – it will soften the look as it is warmer but I just wanted to check that you had also considered Lexicon Quarter? Oak floorboards are gorgeous and natural accessories sound great to finish this look so I am sure this will give you the lovely cheerful environment that you are seeking. Good luck! Samantha
Hi Samantha! We’re in the southern highlands of nsw and are currently in the process of building a weatherboard shed and house. Galvanised iron roof, surfmist colourbond garage doors. We have great natural light. We’re thinking of keeping it simple with dulux natural white on the walls (interior and exterior) with dulux vivid white all trim. Do these two whites work together or are they too similar?
Hi Nicole Lovely to get your message. Certainly Dulux Vivid White and Natural White go well together for your interior. They both have a warm base and there will be enough difference. However you may want to re-consider the outside as the colours will be too similar there, particularly in good natural light. As you have Surfmist on the garage doors you could probably use this on the weatherboards and then introduce the Dulux Vivid White as a trim around windows, garage doors, etc to provide the difference that you will need for the exterior. Do try out large samples in situ first though before committing. Good luck! Samantha
Thanks Samantha! Ordering the paint today… very excited!!
Hi Samantha
HELP needed. My house is 20 years old and have white birch aluminium trim and full cream brick inside – the only plaster is on the ceiling. I am planning to paint the whole house in the first instance to remove the full effect of full on brick and want a white that a)goes with white birch and b) provides a lot of brightness and looks clean. I was leaning toward natural white but feel after reading your column that this may be too creamy as I want to open up the space. My aspect is Western Sun but most living is Eastward. I live in beautiful Brisbane. No floor colour picked yet, but the colour in your blog is where i am leaning. The whole house is getting a face lift but the walls will cost too much to fully plaster so am going the easier option (for now anyway), thanks in advance Tina
Hi Tina I have white birch windows too! However I don’t have full cream bricks inside!! I do actually like some walls just painted for brick as you get a lovely textural look so when you do come to re-plaster you should consider leaving some as they are – painted of course. In terms of a colour I think that you are probably on the right track with Dulux Natural White. It is a touch creamy and this is an issue for people with very white windows – Pearl White or Surfmist – but you should work with what you have rather than try to fight against it and you will see that it will just appear as an off white that will be clean and bright without being sterile and exacerbating your window colour. A blackbutt or light oak floor would look great with this and you will need a touch of warmth as the living areas are facing East. Enjoy beautiful Brisbane Samantha
Hi Samantha, I just wanted to say that out of the dozen or so “how to choose a white” posts I’ve read in recent days, yours is by far the best – largely because of your clear grasp of the Dulux whites and the thoughtfulness you have put into all your comment responses. I hope your readers appreciate the effort that goes into giving away so much professional advice for free!
I’m having a really hard time looking for a warm grey-brown white, with a natural earthy clay / Mediterranean feel. The way you’ve described it I think White Cloak Half might hit the mark (China White is a bit too green, Stowe a bit too creamy, Whisper not quite grey enough).
If you know of any other whites I should try out, I’d love to hear it! The house is rustic and hand rendered, but lacks direct natural light due to small windows and large verandahs.
Thanks again for a great post!
Hi Neil Thank you for your kind words – it’s good to hear that you have found the information useful! White Cloak Half is a great off white that is warm yet grey and I am finding people love this at the moment so this would certainly be worth a try. You certainly seem to have Dulux worked out so if you have time you might also look at Haymes paints for an alternative. Their Whitewash range is a warm grey white which is similar and could be what you are looking for. The benefit to this is that they have the system whereby they have varying strengths so you can go from Whitewash 1 all they way to Whitewash 7 which is a dark grey. This can be really useful if you do want to introduce any darker colour anywhere in the house and it ensures that all your whites and greys naturally work together. Or their Minimalist range is a touch warmer. I hope this is helpful – your house sounds very interesting Samantha
Hi Samantha,
I am building a modern, Hamptons inspired house in Brisbane and have chosen Casper White Half for all the internal walls. We have decorative cornices, skirts and architraves which I’d like to accentuate. I’m currently thinking of using Dulux Vivid White for all of these trims as well as the ceiling. Our two pack kitchen will also be in this colour.
Will Vivid white on the ceiling work? Will dirt be more obvious on Vivid white skirting boards?
Unfortunately I have chosen windows which are in Dulux Architectural White (already installed) which is quite different to Vivid white. Do you think this is an issue if the architraves are a different white to the aluminum white windows?
Thank you
Hi Alexandra Dulux Vivid White is an excellent choice as it will match your kitchen so you are not introducing another white and it will provide a great contrast to the Casper White Half. It is a great ceiling colour too. This white though will accentuate the grey in the Casper White Half which I think will suit your Hamptons look but you need to be sure you will be happy with this. If you are worried about this and the dust you may want to consider Casper White Quarter!! Good luck Samantha
Hi Samantha,
We are currently extending / renovating and I am trying to work through the dulux whites. I was quite naive to the process till I read this informative article and comments!
We are installing solid spotted gum floors throughout and our windows are cedar. Our living area is quite long and narrow and consists of kitchen (off white), dining, living and rumpus (2700 high). This area is east facing and does not get much natural light.
In the existing part of the house, we have used Antique White USA (this will be repainted) and I find it too creamy. Our painter has recommended Natural White for walls and trims but I would prefer the trims to pop.
I was thinking White Exchange Half for the walls (or Snowy Mountains Half) and White on White for the trims but am concerned that this will be too dark in the living area due to the lack of natural light. I would prefer a grey tinge opposed to a cream base but still crisp enough to create a bright feel.
I would really appreciate your help!
Thanks,
Ana
HI Ana Lovely to hear from you. Dulux White Exchange Half is a nice fresh white – in some lights it has a touch of green. Be careful with Dulux White on White as it has a definite cool blue undertone. If you like a contemporary white with just a touch of grey, Dulux Snowy Mountains may be the most suitable. Any white that you select should be tried next to your kitchen as although you say it is off white it may have an undertone of colour and you need to ensure that whichever one you choose, goes with your cabinetry. If you want a trim colour that will make the walls pop, Dulux Lexicon Quarter is a fresher, less blue alternative to Dulux White on White. If you paint large samples and place them next to each other and your kitchen cabinets, you will gain a better idea. Good luck! Samantha
Thank you Samantha! Snowy Mountain ordered after sample review yesterday. Much excitement now to see it painted. Thanks again 🙂
Hi there.. I read a comment and was confident in my choice but as I kept reading I’m more confused..
We have blackbutt floors and antique white walls but during winter I find the antique white too dark and dirty creamy looking. I’d like similar tone but lighter and was thinking white cloak quarter. Am I on the right track. Will this go with ceiling white ceiling and straight up aquaenamel semi gloss white. Cabinetary is more a natural white or maybe a lighter antique white (they aren’t white but Remt a cream either) help please.
Hi Sofi – great to hear from you, Dulux Nautural White may work as it will be similar to your cabinetry however you may like Dulux White Cloak Quarter as it is an updated version of Antique White but in quarter strength should be light enough. A lot of my clients love this colour with crisp ceiling white. If you do want something fresher then you should definitely look at Snowy Mountains Quarter but you need to ensure it will look OK with the cabinetry. Make sure you paint a large sample board and carry it around the room, including next to the cabinetry and ceiling to ensure you like it before committing!
Other options were natural white and snowy mountain quarter.
Hi Samantha,
What a fantastic site!
We are repainting our house after re sheeting our ceilings and replacing cornicing with square set. We live on the Gold Coast, and are looking to modernise a 1970s property. The front half of the house receives lots of sun, the back is darker, even with large picture windows, due to a covered veranda. We have two different tiles, one that is quite rustic looking, mottled, that throws orangey tan in one light and pink at other times! The tiles in the bedrooms are closer to taupe.
We have chosen Dulux casper white quarter, as we wanted a clean white, and are now trying to decide on trim. In hindsight, I am not sure the the paint is a great combination with the floor tiles , so I was considering Dulux vivid white as a good ‘dividing’ colour between floor and wall? That said, we have a corridor with five flat pane doors leading off it, and I am concerned that so much white may lead to a broken effect. Would it be better to go for Casper quarter on the trim, or am I worrying too much!
Thanks Eleanor
Hi Eleanor The effect you will achieve with Dulux Vivid White and Casper White Quarter will look good but will accentuate the grey in the Casper White Quarter. This isn’t too strong though so you should be OK. It probably is just a case of trial and error. I would use a small pot of each paint and paint the trim and walls in both options. Sorry not to be more definite but both will work – it just depends which effect you prefer. Good luck Samantha
Hi Samantha,
I have read your comments from varying people and your insight has really enlightened me, as I am new to picking whites and was a little overwhelmed with the selection available.
We have built a new home (in Austraila) with large windows facing north, the kitchen cupboards are a cool white with Caesartone (Nordic Loft) bench top and antique oak floors. I originally chose Dulux White Exchange quarter for the walls and Lexicon half for the trim and ceiling. This was painted in the garage and straight away I noticed a blue tinge and was concerned, as I like a slight grey or warm tone but not a blue colour. After reading your comments I was thinking of White Cloak or Snowy Mountain half and either a Lexicon half or Vivid White for the ceiling and trim. The fail safe formula also came to mind. The windows are colourbond black and I have not chosen the blind colour as yet. Also, we sold our furnishing with our last house so have virtually a clean slate to work on.
Would really appreciate your advice.
Paula
Hi Paula your new house sounds great – it’s a nice position to be in with a clean slate! If you don’t like a blue tinge then you should avoid Lexicon Half strength. It doesn’t really come through however in the quarter strength and this is a nice fresh white. Dulux Vivid White has a slightly warmer, creamier base. Do you know which white your kitchen cupboards are? If so, this can be a good starting point for your trim white. You also can’t go wrong with using Snowy Mountains Half and the quarter in the same colour for the trim but do check it all against the kitchen cabinetry. Hope this makes things clearer for you! Good luck Samantha
Hi! We just bought a home in the North Carolina mountains and I’m looking for a white to paint the inside. It actually rains a lot so I would like to keep it as light as possible. I have a cream sofa, blue/cream chairs, and navy, gold, and rose rug. The living room, dining room open into the kitchen. I want to paint the kitchen cabinets white and after reading your article on navy blue kitchen cabinets, I would like to paint the island navy blue. It’s in a rural area and sherwin williams is the only paint available.
What are your suggestions for wall, trim, upper cabinets and island paint colors?
Thanks in advance for all your help!
Hi Marcia Lovely to hear from you and my apologies for not getting to your note sooner – I have been in the UK with my family for Christmas and have just arrived home, rather jetlagged and tired! I have looked at the Sherwin Williams range and as you have creamy colours in the house, I would opt for something like Pure White which is light but soft warm white for your kitchen cupboards and I would also use this for the trim so that you are not introducing another off white into the scheme. Sherwin Williams Dress Blues is a lovely dark navy which has a touch of grey and then for the walls you could use something like Origami White which is a bit darker but not so dark that it will be gloomy. The key is to get samples of everything and to look at them with your sofa, chairs and rug – it might even help to take a cushion along to your local paint store to view the various whites. To really get an appreciation of the colours together it is also a good idea to get paint samples and paint two coats on a board and place them in situ at nighttime and during the day to be sure you will like the end result. Would love to here how it all goes. Good luck Samantha
Hi Sam,
We have all warm colours in our house such as brushbox timber flooring and sisal carpet called Paritea by Cavalier Bremworth (clay bank).Our walls are all Dulux Hogs bristle with white walls in bathrooms. The ceilings and trims and skirtings are currently Taubmans Sienna frost but we are considering ordering white shutters for our bathrooms/laundry and eventually the front of the house.We would like the fresh whitecontrast now against the Hogs Bristle rather than an off white. We are wondering if Lexicon 1/4 is suitable with the Hogs bristle and white shutters or do you have other suggestions?
Thanks M
Hi Megan I love the sound of the warm colours in your home and a crisp white trim will certainly give this palette a lovely lift. Rather than Dulux Lexicon Quarter, I think you should look at Dulux Vivid White. This is very similar but just a touch creamier – this is almost impossible to see but I just feel that it knocks out the cool blue of the Lexicon and will go better with your warm palette – grab a sample to see what you think and also ensure that your shutters can be made in this – I assume you are having them painted? If not, check the range of whites that they come in and use the paint trim that best matches. Hope it goes well!
Hi, very grateful to find this feed as currently agonizing over wall colours for a rental property. It gets lots of natural light, has wood stained trim. Putting down a floor with greys and beige coloring. Carpet in bedrooms light grey, lounge area will be dark grey. I liked white exchange half but told it would be too dark and I’m worried going lighter in that may look dirty. Snowy Mountain (half or quarter?) is now what I’m thinking as I would mind it throwing grey but just don’t want tvit to look dirty. Would love any advise anyone might have.
Hi Jenny If your property gets a lot of natural white you can afford to go with Dulux White Exchange Half and this may complement the timber trim nicely. Snowy Mountains Half is much fresher and lighter but will be very white. Either will work but you need to consider the look and mood that you want. Do you want a softer white that is more of a pale neutral? If so then White Exchange Half should work. However if you want a crisper, more contemporary feel, then you would be safer going with the Dulux Snowy Mountains Half. I feel that the quarter strength of this will be really too white and dazzling in a house with lots of natural light. Whichever way you go, you should double check larger samples, if possible, with the carpet and tiles. Good luck!
Hi Samantha,
Your site is so helpful!
We’re trying to freshen up and modernise our home and are repainting. The living/dining areas don’t get a lot of natural light and so parts can be quite dark at times. To give a lighter appearance we’ve been thinking about choosing colours from the Dulux whites and neutrals. Due to the low level of natural light, we assume that we should be looking at colours that are more neutral or warm. However, we want to avoid anything too yellow or creamy. We don’t mind colours with some greyish or beige but also don’t want the naturally darker areas to look too dark. We don’t have natural breaks between the living and dining areas so using different colour strengths probably won’t work. Our floors are fairly light tiles with marbled neutrals. Can you give us any tips or advise which colours might be a good starting point to try?
Also, do you know of any sites that give a quick and simple run down of which dulux colours in the white and neutrals are are cool/warm and what their base tones are, to aid in selecting sample pots? Thanks again for the great information on the site!
Dee
Hi Dee I am so glad that you find my blog helpful. The best way to put a colour scheme together is to work from the ground up so you really need to look closely at the marbled neutrals in your tiles and take your cue from there. Off the top of my head, a colour like Dulux White Cloak Half or quarter might work well as it is warm and light but has a touch of grey to prevent it from being too creamy or yellow however you will need to consider the low level of natural light. Dulux has a great colour card called Whites & Neutrals Collection which is readily available at all their stockists – Dulux paint stores, Bunnings etc. One side has their warm whites and the other side has the cool ones so you can see the difference between them at a glance. I would suggest you grab one of these and then place it next to the tiled floor to see which ones tie in the best. Hope this has set you on the right course – cheers Samantha
Hi Samantha,
We are in the process of renovating a californian bungalow in Geelong. We have painted the interior vivid white skirts etc and white exchange half on the walls. Really happy with it. I’m finding choosing exterior colors a little harder!! Was originally thinking natural white trims with grand piano weatherboards but am now leaning towards a ‘whiter’ look, maybe vivid white/ white cloak half. Not sure if i will get contrast without it looking mismatched?? Wanting it to have warmth. What do you think would be the best to give me the look im after.
Many thanks
Erin
Hi Erin You really need to be careful with exterior whites as they look so different outside. Most people find that Colorbond Surfmist is light enough and that appears quite grey inside. However people do use Dulux Vivid White for trims and it gives a very fresh, clean look. However you will need to be careful with the weatherboards if you want to see a difference and the effect that is achieved will depend upon the amount of light that the house receives – for example is it North facing, surrounded by trees and south facing or on top of a hill and facing the harsh westerly sun? All of these will make a huge difference to the outcome. I suggest that you paint a large sample board in Dulux Vivid White and look at White Cloak full strength to see the difference and then go from there. Don’t forget the practicalities too of painting your house a fresh white!! Good luck! Samantha
Hi Samantha,
I would really appreciate some help!! I have just bought my first home and it’s in desperate need of a complete interior paint. I’ve been reading article after article on choosing the right white but can’t really find one that speaks to my interior design style. I don’t have any furniture yet so can’t really trial whites to complement my style.
My home is a small 3×1 with big windows in the lounge and kitchen so it does get quite a lot of sun but isn’t particularly bright. It has had little work done to it since being built in the 60’s and is a sand coloured brick. I have dark jarrah floorboards and white window frames. My home is in the hills so I would love to have an earthy feel but also want a crisp freshness. I like the fresh bright feeling of white walls that create a clean, calm atmosphere. I love bright colours (pink, teal, yellow, green, orange and purples) and the boho theme so hope to collect distinctive upcycled bright coloured pieces of timber furniture, rugs, artwork and morrocan type chandelier lighting. I hope this is all making sense!!
I have trialled the dulux natural white (best so far), white starlight quarter (too yellow) & the antique white (too pink). Just wondering if you have any other suggestions? Will warm or cool whites complement the brighter colours better?
Thanks so much in advance for any advice you can offer!!
Claire 🙂
Hi Claire I am so sorry that I have not got back to you before now – your question was missed by me and I feel I am probably too late. My feeling is to go with a cooler white to knock out the creamy tones and something like Dulux Snowy Mountains Half would give you a lovely fresh, crisp backdrop for all the lovely bright colours and will also help to make the house a bit brighter. I hope I’m not too late!!! Samantha
Hi Samantha,
Your article is SO helpful. I was confused about all the different kinds of white, but you explained it so well, thank you!
We are renovating a 1970s house we have just bough – our first home, yay! – and we stripped the yucky old yellowish wallpaper and are now ready to paint. I would like everything white (I didn’t know about all the different whites one can chose from!), but my husband wants a splash of tone. So we have chosen Dulux White Exchange Half after reading your article. However, I now think that the warm tone of the paint might not match the blue carpet. We will change the carpet in a couple of years for a dark grey colour (but it’s not a priority as of yet). Should I try to exchange the paint for a cooler white or should I go ahead and paint the walls anyway with the White Exchange Half colour?
If we keep the paint, could you think of a modern white / greyish palette to go with the White Exchange Half? Or would grey not go with it at all? I wanted to paint the kitchen and hallway a different tone of a very light neutral colour but I am stuck out of ideas…
Thanks so much and I love reading your blog!!!!
Patricia.
Hi Patricia Thanks so much for your kind words – I’m glad you are enjoying my blog! You should be OK with Dulux White Exchange Half as it is a cool white. It doesn’t contain blue like some but is definitely not a creamy, warm white. You really need to paint a large piece of card with a couple of coats and place it next to your carpet – cool neutrals will go with blue and you don’t have to have everything matching – ie, all with a blue undertone as it could get a bit cold. I can’t say for sure but I think it will be fine but I would recommend a trial first as it is time and money saved. Once you change to a dark grey carpet, it should still work as it is pretty neutral and you can then add other greys for your kitchen – as with whites, greys also have an undertone so think about finding a neutral grey rather than one with a definite undertone of colour – ie Charcoal Blue etc. Dulux Stepney is a nice warm, fairly neutral grey as a place to start. I am also just about to post a new article on neutral greys that you might also find helpful. Good Luck! Samantha
Hi! We are trying to decide on a white for our joinery in our kitchen!
It is a east facing but we will be putting a couple velux windows in to increase the light!
We are using vivid white with one drop of black for trims and dieskau for the walls. Caesarstone is frosty carrina and floors are a rustic
Oak board.
There will be some black butt feature floating shelves and the back of the island will also be in blackbutt.
What do you recommend?!
Ps the joinery has no handles, just finger pulls and will be in a satin finish.
Hi Kylie When I specify a white for kitchen cabinetry, I try to use the same white that has been specified for internal doors and trim as this way you are not introducing another white. If you are having painted cabinetry, I would recommend you follow this process, otherwise if you are using a melamine or laminate product, I would find the one that matches your trim the best – I suspect it will be a cool white if you are using Vivid White with a touch of black. Good luck Samantha PS: I love Dulux Dieskau – I am sure it will all look great.
Hi Samantha,
Thank you for your article! I’ve started to get a handle on whites and want to throw in some darker walls to make it interesting.
I’ve got a cottage in Australia, which has a external mixture of brown bricks offset with cream/traditional red exterior gutters/eaves/window frames. Inside there’s terracotta floor tiles throughout with a medium grey grout and the bathroom tiles are really hard to describe – light tones of brown/taupe (in the era where people put in features tiles with dark brown patterns).
I’ve installed a white kitchen with taupe tiled splashback, medium grey laminate benchtop and grey timber floating floor. The house gets good light in the front lounge, bedrooms and side dining room.
I’ve already committed to hog bristle half for the walls. I was thinking of lexicon half for the trim but your previous comments make me think vivid white might be better. I was thinking of dulux barnfloor full strength to feature in the light filled lounge room.
Does this sound ok?
Happy regards,
Serena
Hi Serena Glad your coming to terms with all the whites! For your trim colour, I would grab a sample of Dulux Lexicon Quarter and a sample of Dulux Vivid White and see which one matches the white of your kitchen the best. It’s a good idea not to introduce too many different whites so it makes sense to match this. Off the top of my head, I would say Vivid White as it is a little softer and will go well with the warmth of Dulux Hog Bristle Half but it would be great if it also matched your kitchen cabinetry. Dulux Barnfloor is a lovely neutral which I think should work well with the terracotta – a large sample of this would confirm it but as it is just a feature you can probably play around with it. Hope it works well. Samantha
Hi!
Thank you so much for your kindness with writing this blog!! And all your replies. You’re so helpful and I’d really appreciate your advice.
We’re building a house in Queensland, Australia. It’s a big rectangle which has the front facing North and all the bedrooms down the West side. The main kitchen, dining and living area faces East and has big sliding doors on the East facing wall and at the end of the house, facing the South. There should be quite a lot of light in this main room, but it’s only from the East and South.
We have kitchen cabinets which are polar white, very light grey tiles and a grey stone bench top (cloudy bay). A lot of our furniture is Oak and we have a bit of Navy and grey colour scattered around in terms of pillows and rugs.
We’re finding it hard, as is everyone, to choose a white! We’d like a cool colour rather than a warm white, but definitely don’t want it to be too flat, clinical or blue.
So far from reading this blog, I’m thinking of a ceiling white and either a lexicon half, White exchange half, Snowy Mountain half or Natural White. I have no idea of the trim! Any advice would be wonderful!! And do you think the halfs of quarters??
Thank you SO much!
Best wishes
Hi Sonia The house sounds great – I love soft greys, whites and navy. For your trim, you could take the lead from your Polar White Kitchen cabinets and match this – paint companies will actually colour match to laminate colours if you bring it to the paint store. I would then stick with the cool whites – Dulux Snowy Mountains Half is the most neutral – White Exchange Half is cool but with a touch of green in some lights and Dulux Lexicon Half has a definite blue undertone – they will all work – it just depends which is your favourite. Perhaps get samples of all three and hold them up in different lights and different parts of the house with the Polar White to see which one you like the best! Good luck with the building process! Samantha
Hi Samantha!
Thank you for your reply!! Dulux told me that vivd white would go well with polar white cabinets, so that’s one decision made!
I’ve got big samples of all the colours on a board (Great idea btw!) and I’m a bit worried that if the Exchange half looks a bit green in some lights, it will clash with the grey bench top and navy. Does the green come out that much? And I think the Lexicon may be a bit too blue in the afternoons but the snowy Mountains half will look a bit ‘flat’ and boring. Do you think an East and South facing house could take the Snowy Mountains full, or will it look a bit dirty? Should I stick to the half?
I’m English too and was also back there for Christmas… how different is Christmas there??
Thanks again!
Sonia
Hi Sonia I think you will be safe with the Dulux Exchange Half – it is a great neutral and sounds like it is a good compromise between your other two choices. It is not really green in the traditional sense but just a great neutral and I find that these whites are the best to work with. It also looks great with Vivid White. It is actually tonally similar to Snowy Mountains full strength but is a bit softer. Christmas is so different in England – the London lights were beautiful and I love the way they decorate the shops with natural greenery – so much prettier than the artificial but it would probably last 10 minutes in the Queensland sun! Loved it but prefer Summer there so all my Christmases now will probably be Aussie ones, by the beach with a cocktail in hand! Hope you had a great holiday and that you love your new home x
Thanks so much Samantha! You’re so kind! And your blog is just fantastic!
Enjoy the Ozzie winters and English Summers, best of both worlds 🙂
All the best.
Sonia.
Hi, I have Dulux Stowe White on my walls and am wanting a lighter trim and frames. What white do you suggest to match the Stowe White? Timber floors with a reddish jarrah look.
Hi Shona I think that something like Dulux Natural White might work for you. This is nice and fresh but with the same creamy undertone as Dulux Stowe White – grab a sample of it and test it first though to ensure you like the tonal difference between the two – good luck Samantha
Hi Samantha,
I am about to renovate my unit that has hardly any natural light and ceilings are only 2.4m high. I have brushed timber oak floors (light but more yellow than white) Was thinking of Dulux Snowy Mountain Half for walls and vivid white for ceiling and trims. However, after reading your blog was wondering if I should do trims and ceilings in Snowy Mountain quarter?
I would really appreciate you thoughts on how to make my apartment look more spacious.
Hi Saskia You can go either way with your trim colour, it really depends on how much of a difference you want to see between the ceiling/trim and walls. Dulux Vivid White would be good on the ceilings as it may make them appear higher or if you use Dulux Snowy Mountains Quarter, it will look like you have continued the wall colour onto the ceilings. So it really does just depend on whether you want to see a transition between the two – both are very light whites – it’s really splitting hairs! Perhaps be guided by the white of your kitchen cabinets? Good luck with the reno Samantha
Hi Samantha
Wonderful & generous blog – thank you so much.
I chose Surfmist aluminium window frames for our soft grey exterior but now find it difficult to choose an interior white as the frames appear grey inside.
I would usually choose a warm white to complement country style furniture,rugs & blackbutt floor.
I would love to hear if you could suggest a solution to this warm cool conundrum.
Hi Robin This is often a problem as whites for exteriors need the grey but then you really see that undertone coming through inside. I find that Dulux Whisper White works quite well with Surfmist – it is a warm white but without being creamy and it also has just a touch of grey – it doesn’t match Surfmist, by any means, but it sits quite happily with it. I also find that Surfmist has a touch of green so a more neutral white like Dulux White Duck Quarter could also work. Whichever way you go, you will still see the frames but in time you will forget about it – remember that a common frame colour is silver and of course you never match the architrave to this but it just works. If you are concerned you could think about dressing the windows with roller blinds that will cut out a lot of the frame and perhaps some simple sheers to disguise them even more. I hope this helps you with your conundrum! Samantha
Thank you Samantha, Your description of the suggested paints explains a solution that I can easily understand. So I will hunt for a white duck but quietly!
Hi Samantha,
Like many previous people have commented, I have found your article and thoughtful comments so helpful! By far yours has been the best and most insightful blog I have come across with your thoughtful responses to readers questions 🙂
My husband and I have entered the ‘white haze’! We live in an 80’s west facing home with lots of natural light 🙂 We have a light carpet in a neutral tone which we will replace after the painting & white tiles in the kitchen/dining area. We also have plastered cathedral ceilings.
My dear husband has begun to paint our ceilings with Dulux Ceiling White (an easy choice) but the wall choice has been quite confusing. So far we have tried:
Natural White, White Beach-Too Yellow/Creamy
White Duck 1/4, Whisper White, White Exchange Half-Looked ‘dirty’
Snowy Mountain 1/2 & 1/4-Seem to be ok but I’m not sure if I see a yellow?
We will paint our trims in Vivid White.
We live in a green, leafy part of Melbourne town and and without using yellows and creams (with all our natural light is just screams cream) I do want a warm, happy home. I like a crisp clean bright white but my husband detests his parents home which is painted in Lexicon and (he feels) looks sterile, cold and blue! (Personally, I quite like it!!). I do not want a color that throws blues or looks a bit ‘dirty’ (grey?). He would like a contrast between the ceiling white and trims.
We are just so confused, but after reading all your careful considerations feel like I am on a possibly correct track with Snowy Mountain?
Any suggestions as a compromise would be ever so greatly appreciated!
Thanking you so very much in advance,
Sophie B
Hi Sophie Great to hear from you and I’m so glad that you have found my blog helpful. It sounds to me that with all your deductions you are on the right track. Lexicon is definitely quite sterile and blue but Dulux Snowy Mountain Half is a lovely cool white – I don’t see any creaminess in it – which doesn’t have the grey in it like White Exchange does so will not look dirty and doesn’t have the blue in it like Lexicon. To see a variation between the walls and trim you really need to go half strength with Vivid White as Quarter strength of Snowy Mountains is a bit too close. Remember that your flooring will throw some colour too so consider this in the overall scheme too and ensure you try large samples on a board in situ before committing to a costly painting exercise! Good Luck Samantha
Thank you so much Samantha!
How sweet you are to respond. My husband is quite proud of himself as he feels he ‘chose’ Snowy Mountain half! I had already painted some large plasterboard (on your recommendation) and we are currently ‘living with it’ in different parts of our home. I’ll be sure to place these at ground level to see the impact of the flooring. We both love a relaxed earthy, coastal vignette and I think more and more that the Snowy Mountain colors lend themselves to this beautifully.
Lovely to of received your advice! It is greatly appreciated.
Kind regards,
Sophie B
Hi there.
Thanks so much for writing this blog, it’s so helpful.
Our builder has told my partner and I that we need to have chosen two white colours in two days time!
For our walls, we’re going to choose the dulux White Exchange Half. However, we’re not sure what to choose for the ceilings. We’ve seen above that white exchange half seems to work well with vivid white for the trims, but can you use vivid white for the ceiling also? Is that a ceiling white? And does it come in a half that we should also consider?
Lastly, What’s the difference between that and Dulux Ceiling white?
Thanks for your help!
James
Hi James Great to hear that the blog has been useful and yes you are right in thinking that Vivid White will go well as a trim. I recommend it as a ceiling colour too. Sometimes painters don’t like to use it as they prefer a ceiling white that has a touch of black which makes coverage better and this is why ceiling white is often very bright and a touch grey. No big deal breaker but you might just want to check with your builder about what he would like to use as I think Vivid White is better but he may charge extra for it. Hope this helps and that you love your new home! Samantha
Hi Samantha,
Thanks for that. Much appreciated. Can I ask what you think of White Exchange Quarter on the walls? Is it too light? We really like the idea of a wall being a bit grey, but worried it’s a bit dark and others on this blog think it’s a bit ‘grubby’. Am I being paranoid? Should we stick to the half?
Thanks again – you’re a star.
Hi James how dark or grey the white appears on your wall really depends on so many factors and the only way to get a handle on it is to try it out. Perhaps a sample pot on a large board. The Vivid White will also have an impact and prevent it from looking grubby. You need to consider the amount of natural light and the other furnishings you are using too. Quarter strength will be light on the wall so if you have a lot of natural light you might want to consider half but the only way to get piece of mind before you commit is to try them out – so it’s off to the paint store in the morning! Good luck
Hi Samantha
We are just about to sign the dotted line for our first build eeeek!
I’ve loved both articles about whites for exterior and interior and you have helped me narrow it down
I’m looking at using Dulux White Duck 1/4 for interior walls. What would be a good White to use on trims doors and ceiling?
We want to go all White on exterior, Scillion Surfmist Roof and it’s been suggested to go Surfmist 200% (double strength) on cladding (Stria) and render
Your thoughts please 🙂
Hi Sheridan How exciting to be taking on your first build, although I know that it is very daunting too as there are so many selections to make and so many different choices! I like Dulux Snowy Mountains Quarter with White Duck Quarter as it is nice and fresh but cool and doesn’t have the slightly creamier undertone that Dulux Vivid White has. I think it complements the slight cool neutral green of the White Duck. The exterior scheme sounds good – just get a sample pot of Surfmist 200% and paint a large board to make sure you like it – the house will be very white! Not a problem but it is a look that you have to love. Good luck with everything! Samantha
Hi Samantha
Thank you for the blog. It is so helpful. We have just painted our internal walls in lexicon & all the trims in half lexicon & white ceilings. We have natural American oak floorboards. We are disappointed with the lexicon as it looks very blue. Trying to work out what to do. Do you think it would work if we repainted the walls in half lexicon & kept the trims etc in half lexicon. We have colonial timber windows which have been painted in lexicon half as well. I look forward to hearing from you.
Hi Tina yes, Lexicon is indeed quite blue which can look great but it is a definite cool colour which I don’t think is working with your lovely American oak floorboards. Lexicon half strength certainly knocks out quite a bit of the blue and as you have this for your trim, I would recommend you give this a try first on one wall to see how it looks. I think you will find this will be OK. Hope it works out well for you Samantha
Many thanks for replying so promptly I really appreciate it.
Do you think if everything is done in half lexicon it will work with the American oak floorboards?
Hi Tina Dulux Half Lexicon will definitely knock out a lot of the blue undertone but it just a case of trying a small wall with the floorboards to test I’m afraid – I think it will work but it all depends on natural light etc. hope it works out well for you Samantha
Hi Samantha
Love your article!
We are adding a small rumpus room to our home and the natural light won’t be great. I Wondered if you have a dulux white that is your “go to” for a dark area, and one that will suit a fairly well lit area also?
Our house is painted in dulux white swan on the ceilings, walls and trims, and although it is a pleasant colour it is a very creamy white.
Thanks any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!
Hi Janine You do need to consider when you add a new area that it links with your original house so you will need to use a white that is at least similar to Dulux White Swan or you will get a big jump between rooms and this impacts on things like internal doors etc. but of course it does depend on how the new rumpus room will link with the rest of the house. Something like Dulux Stowe White will keep the warm theme going but is less creamy yellow and lighter and brighter than White Swan. Perhaps grab a sample pot of this and see how you like it next to your existing colour – good luck! Samantha
Thanks so much for replying,! I shall purchase a sample pot and may also consider repainting the rest of the house also. ? Thanks again
Such a great article thanks. I am looking for a coastal feel to my home which has dark wooden floors in the living area, beige carpets in the bedroom and white kitchen cabinets. I have been recommended Snowy Mountain Half and it does look good on a board. Just wanted to check if you think this is the only white option to go with the flooring or we maybe able to get a more grey white? The rooms do not have that much natural light. If we did go with that for the walls what would you recommend for the doors and ceiling?
Hi Alana You can go lots of different ways with your white sample but the beauty with Dulux Snowy Mountain Half is that it is a lovely neutral – cool but not too blue and it should work with the dark floor and beige carpets. If you go towards grey too much this will not work with the beige. For a trim, it really depends on how much of a difference you want to see – you may find that just a quarter strength of this is sufficient but you may like to follow through with the white from your kitchen cupboards which may be a fresher white. Hope this helps! Samantha
Hi Janine,
Fantastic blog. I wonder if you could assist me in recommending some appropriate colours please. We are starting to build a new house in Sydney and our builder is using Taubman paints. I am about to choose my kitchen colours and am thinking of using either Polytec Polar white or Polytec Classic white in in low sheen/half gloss. I have not decided on the quartz stone bench tops yet (any suggestions welcome). Can you please recommend a colour for the wall of our kitchen/family room (quite a large space) that is warm and reflects light. We will be installing either Brush Box wood floors or Sydney Blue Gum. The sofa’s are brown leather with white dining table, chairs and side tables (gloss not matt). In the past I have used yellow colour schemes as I like warm and bright homes but my daughter insists that I update my colour scheme and I think she is right. I am also not a fan of greys. Any advise would be much appreciated. Thank you
Hi Velda have you checked with your builder which range of Taubmans paints? Many builders ask you to select from a custom colour chart that Taubmans have as they guarantee coverage in a couple of coats and this does restrict your options. Classic White is a warm white so you need to bear this in mind with your wall choice but it sounds as though a nice warm neutral that isn’t too yellow will work with the dark timber and brown leather. Perhaps check the range you can select from and I will give you a couple of pointers thanks Samantha PS: don’t worry about calling me Janine – I have been called a lot worse in my time and it’s good to see that other people have bad days – thought it was just me!!
Hi Samantha,
Thank you for your advise. We have been advised that we can select from the Taubmans Endure range, with no restrictions. Any suggestions would be really helpful for the walls and ceiling. Many thanks again.
Hi Velda I really like Taubmans China Doll, and Abstract in full, half and quarter strengths – these are nice neutrals – China Doll is an off white – which are warm but contemporary so they have knocked out the yellow – it really depends on how dark you want to go but I would highly recommend you look at samples and perhaps get sample pots before committing! Hope it works out well Samantha
Thank you Samantha. I will definitely get some sample pots.
Hi Samantha, thank you for this great article! It really helpful in narrowing down the vast selection of white neutrals out there. We are renovating our kitchen/living area. We will have a stainless bench top with Rimu flooring and accents and white tiles as splash back but I’m a little lost with what sort of white for the walls. I want to pick out the warmth of the wood but am also conscious of the grey from the stainless and then there are the white tiles! The room has windows to the north, east and south so it is bright and mostly sunny. I would like it to feel warm. Would you be able to offer a few suggestions? We’re in Nelson, NZ and I tend to use Resene colours. Many Thanks
Hi Chloe Great to hear from you in New Zealand! To find the right white I think you need to work from your floor up and take your cues from this and the lovely sunny and light aspect that your kitchen and living area has. Stainless steel tends to go with everything so you wouldn’t want to base your whole colour scheme around this and it will sit quite happily with a warmer white. With regard to exactly which white you opt for it will depend on how much depth of colour you want in your walls and whether you want to see some variation with your trim. Perhaps if you match your kitchen cabinetry as a starting point? I like the Resene Spanish White range – eighth strength in this colour is a lovely warm white or for a fresher look Resene Villa White in full, half and quarter. Make sure you try samples first though of anything you select – I think these will work with your floor but you also need to consider the depth you want, your kitchen cabinetry and any other furniture in the room. I hope this helps! Samantha
Hi Samantha,
I am bamboozled with my whites also, even after reading your very thoughtful advice to all other sin the same predicament! Could you bear to make some more suggestions on this perplexing topic please?
Our house runs east west. It has quite wide verandahs on both the north and the south sides. Surprisingly the south side gets more light – We’re almost at the top of a hill, in the country, and there is a lot of ‘bounce’ from the south side paddocks and hills, I think.
We’re renovating a 70s house which has a pine timber ceiling which has turned quite orange and is very heavy feeling, so we’d like to paint it white.
Because we’ve been living with this heavy ceiling we have a hankering for white walls as well, but my husband is worried it will be too white. I have tried grand piano which turned out really dark and grey on all walls, although the half strength is much lighter and more creamy brown on walls where there is good natural light (but still pretty cold and grey on the south walls). I have tried natural white which tome looks quite flat and dirty on most walls, and Stowe White which I thought was nice (quite similar to Grand Piano quarter on walls with good light) but someone said it will be too creamy. I’ve also tried White Starlight Quarter and thought this was looking good , but now I’m worried that it will be too yellow – but at least it seemed fresh and light yet warm. Should I be worried about too much cream ? Antique white was too pink and Chalk USA too yellow. Lexicon was too blue but I realise now that the quarter strength won’t have this problem. Tried Seed Pearl but it looks too old fashioned brown/beige on some walls but nice on others. Tried pale tendril but this too green. Tried light rice – too pink.
We will have a blackbutt floor in the main living area, and carpet in the bedrooms which I haven’t yet chosen. The living, kitchen and dining area are all connected. There is a rendered fireplace in the centre of the lounge/dining area, and I’m not sure if we should paint that a feature colour or make it the same as the walls. If a feature I can’t imagine what colour it should be. Any advice would be very greatly appreciated.
Hi Antonia Wow – it seems as though you have tried almost the full range! It sounds like Dulux Stowe White was the best option for you and I would agree with this. It is a creamy white but there’s nothing wrong with this and it sounds as though it would suit your aspect. I recently put a room on my facebook page which was painted in a warm white – ceiling and walls – and it received an enormous amount of likes. It doesn’t seem trendy at the moment to like warm whites but in fact they are very appealing. If you paint the ceiling and walls the same white you won’t notice the difference and underlying colour so much. I like the idea of the rendered fire place being different – perhaps a very dark grey or off black? You could however keep it in the same white and bring your colour and texture in with furnishings. The room will be transformed once you paint the ceiling – I think you will love it! Samantha
Hi Samantha,
Love reading your article and advice.
We are building on Central Coast, NSW. Near the beach.
Our house is beach style with Scyon Linea weather boards. The roof gutters etc are Surfmist colour bond.
I am thinking Antique white USA for exterior walls. We have white windows and would like to have the arcitraves a bright gloss white?
We also have timber decking on big front verandah and back verandah, with timber posts.
The southern walls have vertical cladding, thinking Monument as colour. Also one wall on front verandah in verticle cladding same colour Monument?
Please help, will this work. If so which white for window trims?
Thank you so much,
Di
Hi Di – glad you are enjoying the articles. This all sounds great – love the idea of the vertical boards in Monument. When you say your windows are white – are they Pearl White rather than Surfmist? I presume this is the case. You can ask the paint company to colour match to the Pearl White or you could go with something like Dulux Lexicon Quarter strength which is a very cool crisp white that works with Pearl White. You will need something like this to see the difference between the Antique White walls but the trouble is that it can also make the Antique White look a bit pink. There is a good photo of a house with Antique White boards and Vivid White trim in the Dulux Whites and Neutrals brochure – have you seen that? You might be better with something like full strength White Cloak which will still look white but provide a little bit more constrast with slightly less warmth. Let me know Samantha
Hi Sam,
Thank you so much for the advice, however I was too late to change and they started painting Antique White USA on exterior. I do like it though. Also the Monument walls look marvellous.
Next problem is the ceiling white on the back and front verandah. The
Eaves are also Antique White. What would be a suitable white to highlight the ceiling, please.
Thanks again,
Di ?
Hi Di I always treat outdoor ceilings the same as the eaves as at some point they usually run into each other – remember that eaves are actually just your outdoor ceiling so you will probably need to stick with Antique White USA to have a seamless look. Cheers Samantha
Hi Samantha,
Thanks again for your help
I really love this series of articles, and the pictures.
Di
Hi Samantha,
Great article! We loved reading it. Thanks for the advice. We’re an older British couple building in Australia. After reading the comments here and trying out the colours on a large piece of card, we’ll be having Dulux White Exchange Half on the walls (we also loved the photo at the top of your article) and Vivid White for the ceiling.
Our problem, however, is with the trims and the internal doors. We don’t know what to do with these at all. Are they usually in a different type of paint? And what colours will go with them? We have skirtings, covings and internal doors to paint. We would appreciate any comments or advice.
Many thanks
Amy.
Hi Amy There are a couple of ways to approach the trims and internal doors. You can either paint them the same as the wall colour but in a different more durable paint finish – for example a semi-gloss or a low sheen enamel if you want less of a shine. Or if you want to see a colour difference you could either look at Dulux White Exchange Quarter strength which will just be a touch lighter than your walls or you can opt for Dulux Vivid White which you already are going to use in the scheme. This will give you more of a difference to your wall colour and make this stand out more and make it appear darker. For your coving, I assume this is your ceiling cornice? I’m a Brit and always called this coving too! This is considered part of the ceiling so should definitely be painted Dulux Vivid White. Hope you are happy with your new home. Samantha
Hi Samantha,
Thank you for a very informative article on selecting the right white colour. I am very glad that I came across your article as I am in the process of renovating my investment property. It is a small 2BR semi-detached Victorian Terrace in Richmond, Victoria. The house has an east west orientation. So the main living areas face the east. The main entrance is on the west of the house.
I am thinking of painting the internal walls Dulux Antique White USA, with the ceilings a Dulux Ceiling White and the trims/doors/windows/skirting board Dulux Vivid White. The floorboards in most of the house is Tasmanian Oak with a natural varnish, except in the bedrooms which have Godfrey Hirst 730 Urban Gray carpets.
For the external walls of the property, I am thinking of Dulux Snow Season with the windows, doors, frames, trims, in a Dulux Colourbond Monument.
I would appreciate it if you can please give me some feedback on whether the above is a suitable combination of colours, thank you!
Regards,
Amelia
Hi Amelia I certainly think that Dulux Antique White USA will work well for an East facing Melbourne terrace and Vivid White will be a lovely trim colour and Dulux Snow Season has enough grey in it to withstand the sunlight and so is a good exterior white. It is a very cool white as it contains blue so just ensure that this is the effect that you want to create. I hope it works well for you – I love Richmond – lovely properties there so I’m sure it will look great! Samantha
Dear Samantha
Thank you so much for this amazing website – you really are doing us all a massive kindness by taking such care in sharing your knowledge and insights.
We have recently renovated our north facing Sydney apartment which gets a fair bit of natural light. However the master bedroom is east facing and is quite a bit darker. Our kitchen cabinetry is in vivid white with caesarstone calacutta nuovo bench and splashback.
I asked our builder to please paint the walls vivid white to match the cabinets but he refused, saying that without an added tint, it gives very translucent coverage and is difficult to work with. He suggested something with a drop of black to provide a nice contrast. We selected lexicon quarter as this seemed to be the closest colour to vivid white.
The resulting effect is quite blue. I have asked the painter if he accidentally used lexicon half as the rooms look quite cool and dull. The bedroom especially. He can’t quite answer definitively and didn’t leave behind a paint tin to confirm.
I am struggling to accept this colour – it is quite jarring with our warm wooden floorboards and generally warmer relaxed palette. I love love love the vivid white cabinetry and keep wishing I had just stood my ground and insisted on that colour as it seems to me the perfect bright friendly white. I am nervous to repainted now in case I get it wrong.
Do you think it would be excessive to have all walls painted the same colour? Do you think snowy mountains quarter would be a better choice? What do you suggest for internal doors and trims?
We recently knocked ou some walls and I was hoping for ablovely cheerful sunny and bright white feeling to capture all the additional sunshine (previously our flat was dark and very dingy).
Apologies for the long winded question. I’d be very grateful to hear your thoughts.
Kind regards
Zrinka
Hi Zrinka I am so sorry that you are unhappy with your newly decorated apartment – I feel for you as I believe it would have all been better in Vivid White. Painters often don’t like using this colour due to the coverage issue as it would probably require a third coat but I am sure you would have been happy to pay for this to get the effect you wanted. It is certainly not excessive to have all walls painted the same and this gives a very contemporary look which sounds just right for your Sydney apartment. Contrast is good too but you have to ensure that the whites complement each other or the effect is jarring. If you are opting for such a bright white for your walls then I would continue this on the doors and trims but just in a different more durable finish – perhaps a semi gloss. Perhaps you should ask another painter his advice about re-painting in Vivid White or look at something like Snowy Mountains Quarter but make sure you paint a large sample board first and hold it up to your kitchen cupboards to see whether you like the effect. I hope this helps! Samantha
Hi .
I have vivid white ceiling.
I.m looking at white exchange half on the walls, not sure of the tint color in that , and lexicon half on the skirting boards .
I.m unsure if i use lexicon half on the doors to … i have a japan brown wood feature wall in my lounge room and have jumbuck furniture. Should i change the ceiling ? Amd unsure of what color wood floors to get ?
If you have a Vivid White ceiling you might like to consider using this for your trim as it goes better with White Exchange Half than Lexicon half which has a definite blue tinge. It sounds to me as though you need slightly warmer whites with the timber floor and furniture so perhaps rather than change the ceiling see if you like the partnership of Dulux Vivid White with Dulux White Exchange half – I think it will be preferable but try it out on large pieces of card to ensure you like it. For your timber floors, take your lead from your furniture and other timber features Good luck!
Thank you so much Samantha for your help. I agree – I would have much rather paid for a third coat than a brand new paint job.
I have spent a lot of time looking at the dulux color samples and am a bit bamboozled by the options. Like a number of other posters on this forum, I am keen for a bright white scandi effect – do you think that vivid white or snowy mountains half/quarter would be better to achieve this?
Given the warmth of my timber floorboards, do I just think either colour will be too cool when painted directly on the walls? I love the vivid white on my cabinetry but have been informed that 2pac doors will yellow a bit and aren’t a true reflection of the colour – so the walls may not be the exact same shade even if I go for vivid white walls.
I get a lot of light in the main living area but the master bedroom is quite dark by comparison. Given this, do you think that snowy mountains would be better in half or quarter strength? Do you think that vivid white works better in rooms with different levels of natural sunlight?
I have also been looking at casper white quarter/half. I have seen some doors painted darker than the walls and like the idea of using full strength (or double strength) casper white to make them stand out as a feature. However, I am concerned that maybe the grey undertone would not complement the warm wooden floorboards or would replicate the problem I currently have with lexicon: making the walls too cool. Do you have any thoughts on this? Also, do you think that I would be better off going for quarter or full strength?
Thank you again for your time and for sharing your knowledge. As I said before, I am overthinking this because I was talked out of my original preference. I have now lost some confidence in my judgment and I really want to avoid being disappointed a second time.
Kind regards
Zrinka
Hi Zrinka I think you need to paint some large sample boards with your options and place them in the room next to the kitchen cabinetry and then look at having a contrast for the doors. I love Dulux Casper White and specify this as an exterior option but it does contain quite a bit of grey and I’m not sure will give you the look you are after. A Scandi look would really have just one white throughout with layers of textures in your furnishings and accessories. I would look at your choices, paint some boards and live with it for a week or so and this will help you to come to the right decision for your apartment and if you are really struggling then maybe a local colour consultant could help? Good luck Samantha
HI Samantha,
Love your blog and appreciate the time you give to answering queries.
We are about to paint the rendered exterior of our 18 year old home. Would love to paint a different white -currently Dulux Regency White which was selected to go with White Birch windows and gutters/facias.
We have a slate grey tiled roof and deep charcoal/navy front door.
Is there another exterior white to work with the existing white birch trims?
I would prefer a colour that is not too white with more of a stone undertone as we live in a very dusty environment in country NSW.
The style of the house is best described as a modern provincial -ie quite plain.
Kind regards
Jane
Hi Jane You might like to look at Dulux Russian Toffee – this will go really well with your White Birch windows and Charcoal Blue door. Once on the exterior this will appear off white but does have some depth and will show more of this on a south facing side so experiment with a sample pot on a large board to make sure it isn’t too dark for you and/or it has the tonal contrast that you want to windows/gutters etc. and also hide the dusty elements. I hope this helps Samantha
Hi Samantha – many thanks for your helpful response. I will do as you suggest and see how I go.
Best wishes
Zrinka
Hi Samantha
Thank you so much for this excellent post!
Our house has smaller rooms, with not a lot of natural light, except one room with the morning sun.
I had chosen Snowy mountains quarter for our walls, and vivid white for trims. Our painter feels the snowy mountains looks too “dirty” and is encouraging us to use white polar quarter to brighten up the house. Do you have any thoughts on white polar? I want to avoid anything that can throw yellow, especially With Blackbutt flooring going in soon.
Any help would be so appreciated!
Thanks, Katherine
Hi Katherine White Polar quarter is a warm white but your painter may be right if you don’t have much natural light and your rooms are small then you may benefit from this touch of warmth – I don’t think at this strength that it will read creamy yellow. I have clients who have been very happy with Snowy Mountains quarter but it does have a touch of grey and is one of the cooler and fresher whites. Perhaps ask your painter to just do one room for you so you can get an idea? Good luck Samantha
Hi Samantha! Thanks for a great article- I find white difficult to choose! I’d love your advice. I am painting my kitchen cupboards ‘white’- the big question- which white?!
I have Antique White USA on the walls, the bench and floor tiles are cream, the room doesn’t get much natural light. I want something crisp but not clinical. I’m considering Natural white, or Lexicon half (but concerned this could be too cool against the colour scheme). Any suggestions?
Hi Vanessa It looks to me as though Dulux Natural White will be a better white than Lexicon Half with your Antique White walls – Lexicon Half has a blue undertone which will definitely clash with the Antique White USA but do paint a board first to double check! Good luck Samantha
Thanks Samantha!
HI Samantha!
Thanks for an excellent article. My husband and I have really benefitted from it throughout our build, thank you!
We really wanted our ceilings to be a vivid white, but the painter ignored us and, disappointingly, painted a ceiling white. He’s now refusing the change it.
We decided to paint the walls White Exchange half and the trims a White Exchange quarter. The walls do look a bit ‘dirty’ unfortunately, but i’m hoping that it’ll all brighten up once we put all our furniture in. Do you think we’d be better off asking the painter to paint all the trims a brighter white? Perhaps the vivid white? Will this brighten up the walls?
Secondly, my other questions is a rather strange one, relating to your advice on pallets above. We’re going to make our furniture from pallets and other reclaimed wood. We’ve stripped all the wood back and want to paint it, or ‘shabby chic’ it – we’re not sure yet. We’re wondering what colours would you recommend that we paint our coffee tables, side tables etc. We don’t want it to clash with the wall colour.
Any help at all would be helpful!
Thanks in advance.
All the best, Jo.
Hi Jo glad you enjoyed the article and have benefitted from the advice – that’s what my blog is all about! The Vivid White on the ceiling story is a common one – some painters are happy to do it while others will only use ceiling white. Your walls will certainly appear fresher with a Vivid White trim rather than the quarter strength of your wall colour so this may be worth a try. I find that clients often don’t like a grey but once you put fresh white next to it, the look is quite different. Your furniture idea is an excellent one – you could use a chalk paint and then experiment with rubbing it back – there are lots of tutorials online and you may find that browsing a website like Annie Sloan’s one from the UK, will give you lots of advice and ideas for colours. With the shabby style you can use two colours which softens the look. Alternatively, you can use one colour and the chalk paint gives you a lovely soft matt finish which will keep the laid back look. In terms of colour, I think you need to see some inspiration and it will depend on your rugs, sofas etc too but just in terms of White Exchange Half an off black would look great or a smart charcoal? Would love to see some photos when you’re finished – good luck! Samantha
Hi Samantha, love your article and have learnt so much from your advice. I’m building a new house and have decided on nsw spotted gum flooring. The house is modern and the palette I’m going for is greys and crisp whites with pops of matt black (fixtures). I want a crisp white for the walls and I want the trims (skirting and alcatraves) to pop. Kitchen, living and dining are all north facing. Kitchen joinery will be matt black with concrete look benchtop. I was thinking of using dulux lexicon quarter for walls and vivid white for trims? Not sure which white I’m supposed to put on the doors and ceiling . I’m just not sure how these whites will work with the warmth of the timber. I also am keen to use a pale grey but am unsure which grey will work with the spotted gum – I was considering grey pail or do you think I need a warmer grey? The house is not built, so I can’t test the samples which makes it tricky. Thanks!
Hi Maria I’m not sure that you will like Lexicon quarter and vivid white together as tonally they are the same – Vivid White is a warm fresh white – in fact it hardly has anything in it all and Lexicon Quarter is a crisp blue white. If you want your trim to pop then you really need a different tonal level for the walls. To find the right white you need to think about the grey that you want to introduce. Dulux Grey Pail is very cool and blue. Consider the overall look – your furniture, sofas, chairs etc. So to re-cap, either Dulux Vivid white or Dulux Lexicon Quarter will work as the trim but you will need to go with a white that has a touch more depth for the walls to ensure you get the tonal difference and the pop that you want. Generally I would say to use the same white for your doors and ceiling as you would for your architraves and skirting boards. Then when considering the grey to introduce, look at what you already have – I suspect with a Spotted Gum floor you will need a warmer grey or even a neutral one like Tranquil Retreat. A mood board with samples of all your colours, viewed in different lights, may help you to pull it all together? Good luck with your new home. Samantha
Thanks so much Samantha – much appreciated!
Hi there.
We have a kitchen that has polar white base cupboards, black overheards, timber look flooring and a sleek concrete bench top. I am absolutely petrified of making the wrong colour choice with our paint!! As we have cool lighting, I have been leaning towards a lexicon half on the walls with lexicon quarter on the ceiling and trimmings, however now I have been told that its going to look quite blue. I’m trying to avoid whites with pink or creamy bases as they don’t seem to work too well with the polar white. Do you think we would be better off with a lexicon quarter colour on our walls? If so, what is a complimentary colour for the ceiling and trimmings (something that would be a tiny shade lighter and work well with it!!).
Thank yooouuuu!
Kayleigh
Hi Kayleigh thanks for getting in touch! There really isn’t anything lighter than Dulux Lexicon Quarter so if you have this on the walls you will also need to carry it through with trim and ceiling etc. This does work as your timber will be in a different finish – probably a semi-gloss so it will appear a little different. Half strength Lexicon looks great – really contemporary and cool however you will start to see a touch of blue but not a big problem. I think you will just need to test the colour – paint a large board with two coats and look at it at different times of the day and particularly at night. If you want to knock out any blue at all, you could look at Snowy Mountains Quarter and Snowy Mountains Half as an alternative. Hope this helps! Samantha
Hi Samantha
This is an extremely helpful thread. You must be very busy replying to everyone so diligently.
We are renovating a 1920s double brick home in central west NSW.
The space gets good natural light being north facing.
We need to pick a kitchen cabinet colour and wall colour.
Our bench top is caesarstone Snow. Splash back tile is a white gloss subway tile.
Floors are spotted gum matte finish.
Going for a fresh, warm but bright, modern feel but keeping the integrity of the older style with decorative cornice and ceiling roses etc. ceilings are 3.1m.
We were thinking antique white USA half strength on the walls and quarter strength on the cabinets. Will that be too creamy?
Contemplating natural white as a better option for both the walls and cabinets… don’t want it to look too cream and dated.
I would really appreciate your thoughts.
Thank you
Fiona
Hi Fiona Glad you have found this useful! It takes a while but one of the reasons that I decided to write a blog was because I wanted to reach out to people so I do enjoy it! I don’t think either Dulux Antique White USA in half strength or Natural White will look dated. What you have to remember is that you need to consider the mood that you want to create for a 1920s home. Both of these whites will be very light and with a north facing aspect you will have plenty of natural daylight. Natural White I think will suit the house well and as you are in a very cool climate for a reasonable part of the year you don’t want to have a white that is too stark or blue. With ceilings that are 3.1m Dulux Natural White will really just appear very fresh and white but if you have time and energy, possibly paint a large board to double check? Good luck Samantha
Hi Samantha. Your article and responses are so detailed and extermely useful – thank you so much! Certainly helps with what seems to be the trickiest colour of all!
I’ve read your comments and would be grateful for your thoughts – we are about to do a large scale renovation in Queensland. Raising the small house up and building under/out with the new lower level living and dining area having 4.5mceilings, a large 7m living room void and a north easterly aspect. We have decided on spotted gum flooring throughout, dark grey carpets to the bedrooms upstairs, charcoal kitchen cabinetry (with glass window splashback), frosty carrina caesarstone, and are throwing in a VJ feature wall in the void living area (which we’ll do in a grey like Dulux Disekau, tranquil retreat etc). So I guess it’s a blend of scandinavian style and some traditional features. Upstairs is all the bedrooms and bathrooms which wont have as much natural light.
Just trying to decide whether to opt for a cool grey like Lexicon Half/Quarter for all the internal walls or to opt for a more neutral white like Snowy Mountains Half/Quarter that seems to be very popular amongst readers? I’m just worried that the Lexicon will look too clinical but am conscious that there will be a lot of natural light too.
Really appreciate your thoughts! Cheers, Clare
Sorry Samantha, thought I would also mentioned that in addition to the Dulux range I thought one of the Haymes series may also do the job? Greyology, Whitewash or Pale Mushroom. ARghh, not sure which one! The thing I like about the Haymes is the different strength spectrum for each of their colours which will assist with changing up the ceilings, skirts, and bedrooms vs living areas.
Cheers,
Clare
Hi Clare I think you are on the right track with opting for the Haymes paints – as in your second note to me. All three of the ranges you mention are lovely and will work really well for the various whites and greys that you want throughout the house. Haymes Greyology range is a beautiful set of whites and greys that suit a Scandi look perfectly and I love the fact that they are made here in Australia by a family owned business. This range will look lovely with Caesarstone Frosty Carina. Your project sounds really interesting – hope you love the end result Samantha
What wonderful advice- I just wish I’d read your article and advice before we locked in the colours for our house (project home currently being built ). We selected Dulux Antique White USA for the walls and the ceiling is being painted in ceiling white which I was told is the same as quarter strength of the wall colour? Floors will be NSW spotted gum.
We were thinking of kitchen cabinets also being done in the same as the wall colour. Is this the best option? I’m unsure what to put on the kitchen bench tops. I’ve seen a natural quartzite that mimics a blue grey Carrara that I like but am unsure if this may conflict with warm tones of Antique White USA – if so is there any way to make it work with current colour palette or should I be looking at a warmer toned stone or engineered stone top? Would love your advice. Thanks
Hi Lucy Glad you are enjoying the blog. Dulux Antique White USA is a great wall colour and goes very well with Spotted Gum which is a gorgeous warm floor – I have it in my own house and although trends come and go, it always seems to look good. You are right thought in thinking that the blue grey benchtop may clash. I think you need to stick with warmer greys, off whites or brown tones. There are natural and engineered stones that have warmer grey veins rather than the blue, grey of Carrara. Some Carrara is OK if it is a pale grey version but you need to lean away from the blues. Blue will be fine in upholstery etc. But I think you really need to tie in your wall colour with your bench top. I hope you love and are happy in your new home Samantha
Hi Samantha, I love reading all of your recommendations. We have a granny flat that will have white gloss cupboards and the flooring is Grey Driftwood vinyl timber planking but it throughs both browns and greys. We don’t want the walls to be grey but more probably leading towards the browns. We were thinking White Beach Quarter but I have seen you recommend White Cloak Quarter in your posts. We were also thinking Beige Royal quarter, sandy day in a quarter strength or grand piano quarter. There seems to be a lot of natural light as we are facing north. The place is not that big though as it is a granny flat. We are going to use Vivid White for the ceilings and trims. Your feedback is appreciated as to the best colour.
Thanks
Hi Belinda The whites you are looking at are similar and are all lovely but you will need to decide on the feel that you want for the granny flat and it may also depend on the furnishings that you have – for example sofas/rugs etc. White Beach Quarter has creamier warm tones, White Cloak Quarter is warm but with a touch of grey, Beige Royal Quarter is similar but with a little more depth, Grand Piano Quarter is lighter and slightly more yellow than Beige Royal quarter and Sandy Day quarter has a pinkish hue. I think that as you have a grey driftwood floor and lots of natural light you may be best with White cloak Quarter however it does depend on the look that you want and any furniture so you really should paint a large board with two coats and move it around the room – in particular view it next to the Vivid White. I hope this helps! Samantha
Thanks Samantha ?
Hi there, have been undecided on paints for so long. This thread has been great. House built by Clarendon in 2001, has cream tiles throughout. My biggest concern is choosing the wrong white on the walls and it will make the cream tiles look a dirty cream. Currently all walls, trim and ceiling are in a creamy ivory so the floor tiles seem to blend. Kitchen has brown cupboards with cream stone benchtop. I did some sample pots with antique white and natural white but they look so stark against the floor tiles and I think they make them look dirty. Not sure if Dulux China white or Stowe white may work with my foor tiles or against. Any feedback would be gratefully received.
Hi Grace Sometimes people really want to use fresh white paint on their walls but just can’t because of their floor tiles. A scheme should always be put together from the flooring up and it clearly worked before as you had creamy tones that went with the tiles rather than fought it. Drastic options are to cover tiles with carpet and/or a vinyl, or use lots of large area rugs to cut down on the amount of cream. Otherwise you have to adjust your wall colour – particularly with the cream and brown kitchen. Rather than use an off white, perhaps consider a modern neutral like Dulux Feather Soft – one of their brand new colours. This is a bit darker but may work better with your kitchen. My feedback really is to think outside the square and perhaps move away from the whites unless you want a really creamy, yellow one and go with your scheme rather than fight it! Hope this makes sense Samantha
Thank you Samantha – appreciate your time and feedback.
Hi Samantha. Like most people iam totally confused with whites. Painting whole 25 yr old house. kitchen has parchment 2 PAC cupboards, latte ceaserstone bench tops, light beige coloured tiles. Walls currently seed pearl and soft brown carpets in bedrooms, lounge. Have tried, Stowe white,natural white, antique white USA, white beach, whisper white and dune and all seem to throw the wrong colours. Presently contemplating Hogs bristle 1/4Or antique white. House if north facing and has lots of natural light. Would appreciate your advise about this colour and also what colour to do ceiling and trims. Was wanting to lighten and modernise the house.
Thank you for your help. Marion
Hi Marion The beige colours in your benchtop and floor will be impacting upon the white you choose for the walls. If you want a really modern look then you could try just a Dulux Vivid White which if anything is slightly cream but really doesn’t have much of anything in it at all. Everything you have tried so far is very warm and Hog Bristle quarter is too and quite yellow. Another thought is Dulux White Cloak Quarter – this goes well with Parchment and I find that as it has a touch of grey it is a modern version of Antique White. Hopefully one of these will work??? good luck Samantha
Thanks Samantha will try white cloak quarter did think about that one before although thought it might throw to much grey.
Hi Samantha, I have loved reading all of your recommendations, so informative & helpful. My husband & I are building a home & would love some advice. We are having a stained oak timber floor(a light color called macadamia) which will be in our entry, kitchen, living & dining area. The bedrooms & family room will have a medium grey color carpet & wet areas a light grey/concrete look tile. The cabinetry throughout the house is polytec classic white matte. Kitchen benchtop is caesarstone raw concrete & splashback is a white matt subway tile. Our open living area faces west & will get the afternoon sun. We are after a white that will give the house a light feel but not clinical. Any advice would be great.
Thankyou kindly
Hi Hayley lovely to hear from you – your house sounds lovely and I feel that you need a coolish white with the colours you have selected so far. Raw Concrete is a lovely warm grey though so you don’t want to make it too clinical and you should certainly avoid the whites that contain blue. My clients recently have been choosing Snowy Mountains Half or Quarter for their walls with this kind of scheme – it is a cool white but without blue. You will need to get a large board and paint two coats of it to see if you like it with all your other samples – get them all together – carpet, timber, benchtop etc to see how it goes. I hope you love living in your new home. Samantha
Thankyou very much for your advice Samantha. We will give this color a try. Have also got a query in regard to exterior colors. We are after a light color scheme, have chosen a lighter grey brick called industrial steel & surfmist windows, front door, garage door, facia & linea board feature. Do you think a shale grey gutter & roof would work with this?
Thankyou
Hayley
Hi Samantha
Such a great article and recommendations!
We are renovating a block home (not rendered on the inside or the outside). It is only a standard height ceiling 2400mm which is fine for the bedrooms but the larger living areas it feels like the roof is very low. I also feel there is not enough natural light coming in. We have a limed oak vinyl plank flooring. We are going for a modern country feel.
I want to make the space feel big, warm and inviting and feel “natural” but I find a lot of warm whites too warm. I am trying to choose a white for wall, trims, doors, ceiling and also trying to pick a white in a good satin finish for kitchen cabinetry (I find warm whites too dated for cabinetry and then maybe vivid white too bright).
A bit lost, help eek
Dominie
Oh and I also have my heart set on dulux dew point half for my daughters bedroom
Hi Dominie Glad you enjoyed the article! Limed oak is usually a little pinkish so you have your warmth there and possibly some pink tones. I think a white like Dulux White Cloak Quarter could work for you. This is warm but with a touch of grey and works well in a 2 pack poly finish for kitchens and then just extend it through the walls and trim in your house. The key is to look at it with your flooring in a large sample. When you put different whites together you see the underlying colour more but if you use one that you like for everything, including your ceiling, you just see it as a pure white so the key is if you like this with your flooring or find another one that you like, just use it for everything. Then you can introduce colours in furnishings, artworks, cushions etc to give you the warm cosy feel. And of course you can inject lovely colour like Dulux Dewpoint half for your daughter’s room. Hope this helps Samantha
Hi. Hoping you can help me out. I’m from Canada and trying to match up some paint colours from the UK that I saw on a decorating website. Would you have any suggestions for matches for the following UK Colors:
Caspar White
Whitebox
Lexicon
Salt Spray
Any help would be so appreciated!!
Thanks?
Hi Cathy All colours will have a HEX code and you can usually find this out from the company’s website. You can then take this HEX code to your local paint store – a good traditional paint mixer is better than a really large hardware store – and they should be able to mix the colour for you from this code. I hope this works for you! Samantha
Hello!!
Oh my, I am in a confusing haze of whites and am so grateful I have stumbled across your blog! I hope you can help!
We have to make cabinetry colour selections for our kitchen and it is literally doing my head in! ?
So…. we live in the foothills in south Australia. A fair bit of natural light and surrounded by trees (so the light definitely throws different hues).
Our walls and ceilings and trims are antique white USA through the entire house. I’m happy enough with it (perhaps don’t have the energy to change it all??
I am after a light, inviting, classic yet simple kitchen.
We have Tasmanian oak floors , and I am looking at white gloss subway tile and silestone lagoon (ceaserstone frosty carrina is another option ) for the bench tops. So with my white subways and grey in my bench I don’t want anything too creamy, but not too stark either. So the million dollar question is “what colour do I have my cabinets painted? ” ..
From looking online I have found natural white, vivid white, white on white, lexicon quarter, or antique USA quarter are possible options but would love your expertise! THANKS!!! Ali
Hi Ali I think you will find that Dulux Natural White will be the best partner with Antique White or you can go with Vivid White if you want a really crisp white – avoid White on White or Lexicon Quarter as they have a blue base. Good luck Samantha
Hi Samantha, thanks so much for such a great article about whites!
I’m currently doing a new build in a coastal weatherboard style with Shale Grey roof. After seeing a gorgeous house down the street I thought I’d mimic their colours, Vivid White for the weatherboard and Lexicon quarter for the eaves. The other house is East facing and we’re West facing, do you think these colours will work on our house? And which of these colours should I use for the trim?
Internally I thought I’d go for Caspar White Quarter for the walls with Vivid White for ceilings and trim (joinery is Vivid White). Do you think this will marry well with the exterior? Should I be considering the Caspar White Quarter for the exterior weatherboard too?
Thank you!
HI Elizabeth Your west facing aspect will be quite different to your neighbour’s east aspect and I suspect that you could do with the Caspar White Quarter for the weatherboards as it has a touch of grey – I would even go a touch more with half strength but you should try it out on a large board. Vivid White really doesn’t have anything in it and therefore coverage can be an issue too. Good luck Samantha
Hi Samantha,
Thank you for your great article on whites.
We are renovating our semi rural house in an french country style as it is an older style house with big beautiful french windows and doors throughout. I like warm,cosy and natural colouring and don’t like stark white or modern. The Kitchen & living area is open plan and we are having a Shitake Caeserstone bench top with spotted gum floors. The kitchen Designer recommended Dulux Snowy Mountains for the 2 pac kitchen cabinets but I changed it to Half strength as i thought it would be too grey. Now I have made up sample boards I regret changing Snowy mountains to half strength as the full strength looks warmer and deeper. The half strength is very white! I have to have the cupboards in half strength but if it would look ok would like to paint all the walls including the kitchen in full strength??
I am also confused about ceiling and trim. I was planning to do the ceiling trim and windows in vivid white but reading through your blog I wasn’t sure if you were advising only using quarter strength for these when using snowy mountains?
I do like a strong contrast between the walls and the trim on the windows so want to use a gloss finish for the windows trim as well. Really appreciate your expert advice. Kind regards and thank you Kate.
Hi Kate I think if you stick with the full strength of Snowy Mountains on walls, half strength on architraves and skirting boards and quarter strength on ceilings and cornice, you will be happy. This is a standard formula and will give you the contrast and also work with everything else. Hope this helps! Samantha
Hi Samantha,
Thank you so much for your reply. That makes perfect sense to use Snowy mountains Half on the architraves and Skirting boards to tie in with the kitchen cabinets! I will also follow the formula and use 1/4 strength for the ceiling and cornice.
I am afraid the Snowy mountains colour will come across too cold and light in my walls still. I was wondering if i could use a slightly warmer and darker colour on the walls instead that would still work with the snowy mountains half? I was looking at something like white beach quarter? ( or anything you can recommend)
There is a lot of confusion about snowy mountains being warm or cool possibly because it has both in it. I have spent countless hours agonising over this and really appreciate your help!!! The Snowy mountains does match with the Shitake bench and the Vinyl spotted gum floor but i don’t want to end up with a cold looking home.
Kind regards
Kate.
Hi Samantha, we are wanting to paint our house. At the moment the walls are Stowe white with much darker gloss trims (not sure of the colour paint used) which is how it was when we bought it. Our issue is the primrose window and door frames. How light a white can we go? I would like lighter than what we have now if possible. I was thinking Natural white but would it be too light and make the frames stand out too much? I would like to do 1/2 strength on the trims and 1/4 on the roof of whichever colour we use. Do you have any other recommendations? Thank you 🙂
Hi Amy Natural White sounds as though it will work – you may also find though that if you paint the trims a half strength of Stowe White that you would actually like the Stowe White on the walls again. The darker trim will definitely have an impact on what it currently looks like. You are on the right track as with your window frames you need to stick with a warmer white. Consider what you can do with your primrose windows to disguise them in terms of window dressings – some simple ready made light sheers from somewhere like Pottery Barn or Freedom would work to hide the frames or roller/roman blinds to at least hide the top third of the window. Plantation shutters of course completely hide the frame which can work well for dominate windows – you don’t have to put them on every window as this gets very expensive but the odd one can help to cut down the amount of Primrose you see in the room. Hope this helps! Samantha
Hi Samantha,
What an amazing site. Thank you for generously sharing your knowledge. I’m currently renovating our little weatherboard farm cottage and want to paint the external and pergola white. I’m wary of the colour being at all warm or buttery (it gets lots of natural sun), but I’m also scared of blue undertones 🙂 I want a traditional, minimal, chalky farmhouse feel with a hint of mediterranean vibe. I’ve been looking at Dulux Casper White Quarter, Dulux Natural White and Snowy Mountains Half. What would you choose? Would you go with Vivid White for the trims (all older style timber windows etc)? And also, do I paint the pergola in a semi-gloss or just low sheen like the walls?
Thank you in advance xx Abby
Hi Abby All of the whites you mention will look very similar out in the bright sunlight and the one you select will really depend upon any other colours on the house. If you want to paint the walls and the trim white but see a difference then possibly look at the Casper White range – quarter for the trims and full strength for the walls – you will won’t see an enormous difference in tone though once you are outside so I would recommend painting sample boards of both and looking at them on a sunny day. I generally like my trim to be painted in a low sheen as I am not fond on glossy surfaces but sometimes you do need an extra bit of toughness – particularly for painted windows. The pergola though I would definitely do in a low sheen finish to match the walls of the house. good luck Samantha
Hi Samantha,
I can probably live with the snowy mountains in the living area /kitchen if it seems to match every thing else there.
I would still love a matching but warmer alternative for the bedroom which has burgundy curtains and red-ish wood architraves and looks so wrong with SM.
thanks again
Kate
Hi Kate yes I think the Snowy Mountains in one are will work well particularly if you add a couple of statement artworks to detract from the very white wall. There is a new Dulux white called Modern White that I think will tie in with Snowy Mountains and will be slightly softer for your bedroom – make sure you try a sample pot though! You could also think of something richer all together for the bedroom rather than another white? Hope this works Samantha
Thank you for taking the time to reply ?
Hi Samantha
I admire your patience n dealing with all these questions. I am renovating and have kitchen cabinets polytec classic white, which white paint would match for trims. Using Quatum Quartz Dolce for benches. Want to repainting house light neutral/ white that ties n with kitchen . Any ideas? Did try Haymes minimalist to but looked pink/ then bluey. Do have grey wooden laminate in kitchen Aksum. Plan to recarpet in taupe tones. Thankyou for you time .
Diane
Hi Diane A good paint supplier will be able to mix a paint to match Polytec Classic White if you want an exact match. Haymes Minimalist can read a little pink but I love using their Whitewas range which goes to a lovely grey as it gets darker or their Organic range of colours which goes to a nice taupe when it is darker so should work with your taupe carpet idea. Get all your samples together – bench top, carpet etc and then paint some samples onto some A4 boards to get a good idea of how it will all work together. Good luck Samantha
Hi Samantha,
Love your Blog! It’s very helpful – thank you. We are currently building and would love your opinion on our selections. We have chosen Caesarstone Frosty Carrina for Kitchen benchtops and Organic White for WIP, Laundry and Vanity benchtops. I really like Dulux Snowy Mountains Half so I’m leaning towards this for all cabinetry and walls. I have very small samples of the Caesarstone so it’s hard to tell whether these will look ok. Do you think this colour would go with both Frosty Carrina and Organic White? We have selected a light oak flooring.
Hi Nadine I have specified Dulux Snowy Mountains half with these stones and it looks great but if you want to double check, paint an A4 board with the colour and then go to your local kitchen store who will have large samples of the stone – this way you can really get an idea of whether or not you will like it. Samantha
Hi Samantha, We’re going to have jarrah floorboards installed, and already have grey carpets in the bedrooms . I’m trying to find the right white for the walls throughout and the kitchen cupboards. Can you recommend which white to use on both?
Hi Lauren the white will really depend on the feel that you want for the house. Do you want a crisp contemporary look or a softer, warmer feel? Your Jarrah boards will throw some warmth too. Perhaps look at something neutral like the Snowy Mountains range – in full strength it has a touch of grey which would work with your carpets. Remember the rule – quarter for ceiling, half for trim (kitchen) and either half or full for walls. Bear in mind too your benchtop colours and other colour from sofas etc. and always try large, minimum size A4 samples in situ before making a decision and think about the feel that you want for your home. Hope this helps Samantha
Thanks Samantha – probably more cool and crisp. We have beige royal half and quarter and oak-like floors as part of the colour palette now. But we need to change it all as the flooring scratches all the time. As luck would have it we havent started the cabinetry yet so thinking white cupboards and counter is the best option, we thought the jarrah would be quite dominant. Originally we were going to use concrete-y colour. But dont think that will work with the jarrah?
I think you are right in thinking that the Jarrah will be dominant – it is such a beautiful timber that you need it to be the focal point. I think that if you stick to the crisp white and use artworks etc that this will complement the floor well. I agree that the concrete is not the right choice with the richness of the Jarrah. Good luck! Samantha
Hi Samantha. We have extended out late 1800’s victorian home.. We have added on an open plan kitchen, living dining room with 3 metre ceilings.
. Windows are double hung, timber and French doors, we have also put in Victorian cornice which is a decent size profile! I have to choose a paint colour for walls, ceiling, skirts etc but also for kitchen cabinetry (2pac). Floors will be spotted gum hardwood but are not down yet.
I have no idea where to start with whites. ! I don’t want it to feel too cold in there, so maybe slightly off white. Would love to hear your thoughts!
Hi Belinda I agree that with a house like this a warmer white will be nice. A neutral like Dulux Beige Royal in various strengths from quarter to full with a Dulux Vivid White trim could work – a warm base but not too creamy and with a touch of grey to make it modern. Perhaps use this as a starting point to see what you think – it really depends how white you want the walls to be – bearing in mind the height of the ceiling I think you can get away with a little more depth – and you also need to consider benchtops, carpets etc. Good luck! Samantha
Hi Samantha.
I am wanting to paint my walls with Dulux Hakataramea but am unsure what white to use for ceilings and doors . I dont want a creamy white. I have looked at Haunui half and Aoraki Quarter but still not sure. Do you have any suggestions please
Thanks Christine
Hi Christine These NZ colours – Hakataramea and Haunui Half are the same as the Australian Dulux White on White and Lexicon Quarter – these will work together for wall and ceiling. The White on White (Hakataramea) does throw a fair bit of blue/grey and is very cool so you definitely won’t have a creamy white but you may find it too cold – just make sure your house is facing north and gets lots of sun or it may be a bit stark. I hope this helps Samantha
Hi Samantha,
Thank you for the great blog.
We have jarrah floor boards, and a creamy limestone feature wall in the lounge room. Do you think natural white would work for the walls and ceiling white for the ceiling? Also would vivid white work for the trims?
Hi Rach – the key here is your limestone feature – place a large sample board painted with Natural White next to it to get the best idea – it sounds like it will work and will look good with Vivid White but take the time to paint the sample just to be sure! Glad you are enjoying the blog Samantha
Hi Samantha,
Thank you for so generously sharing your wealth of knowledge on you fantastic Blog. I have enjoyed working my way through all your articles -and all the comments and learnt a lot, but would really appreciate your advice so that I don’t make a mistake.
We are building a new 5 bedroom family home northwest of Melbourne. We have designed the house with a courtyard to access North light into the living areas. I am having trouble choosing the right white to go with the surfmist aluminium windows – as surfmist can look dirty and dull next to some whites. We will have polytec classic white matt cabintry (casino profile) . Essastone Crystalite bench tops, marble look subway tiles layed in a herringbone pattern for kitchen splashback and spotted gum floors in living areas. Bathrooms will have a carrara marble look wall tile and a medium grey floor tile, classic white cabinetry again with Nataio walnut polytec tops. Carpet for bedrooms has not been chosen – maybe a greyish brown? I would like a bright, relaxed feel to the house – I admire hamptons style houses.
Our builder will use any colour dulux paint, and the paint shop that mixes his paints is happy to mix other brands colours in a dulux paint. Lexicon I feel is too clinical and I am concerned natural white is too yellow in some lights and I don’t want a paint that looks dirty – although with young children that will only be a matter of time! I read you suggested whisper white to go with surfmist in another comment which I am considering. I was also wondering if snowy mountain would be ok on the walls or if in full strength it appears too dark? Then half on trims and quarter on ceiling like your formula suggests? I also read that you recommend doing trims in the colour of cabinetry – would colour matching to classic white work work as a trim, what would I do the ceiling then? I was also wondering if you have ever seen a 1/2, 1/4 or 1/8 strength surfmist on interior walls. Any other suggestions are very welcome.
Thank you so much for your help -very much appreciated as scared of making a mistake and repainting wont be an option.
Hi Klara thanks for your note and I am so glad that you are enjoying the blog and finding it useful. Rather than get too hung up on matching your trim paint to the Surfmist windows, you really need to consider the overall look and feel that you want for the house. Getting too fixated on working with the window colour could mean that you get a match for that but then don’t like the overall look of the house. Saying that, with Surfmist you do need to avoid some of the warmer whites but you might find that a white like White Exchange half or quarter that has just a touch of grey could work. I also really like Dulux Snowy Mountains quarter for a crisp clean white without blue and the half strength for a touch more depth. You certainly can ask for the trims to match Classic White and then I would also use this on the ceilings and cornice but you have to remember that it is the trim (architrave) that will be right next to the window frame so you may prefer to use the same paint colour that you use on the walls so that you don’t draw attention to the trim and thus the surfmist frame. If you do opt for a half strength white then you can either have quarter strength of it on the ceiling or go back to matching the classic white – this can work well if your kitchen cabinets reach right to the ceiling so that you don’t see a different white. I hope all of this makes sense – I can’t give you an absolute conclusive answer as it is a case of trialing some of these too – paint large samples and move them around the house to see which works with your aspect. Good luck! Samantha
Hi Samantha
I have just found your blog and have done a lot of reading 🙂
We are building in South Australia, in the middle of a paddock with big north facing windows. The house will be built out of colorbond monument corrugated iron and inside will have grey/aggregate polished concrete floors. The kitchen will be white with blackbutt feature cabinets and frosty carina waterfall island and off white splashback subway tile with dark grout (I think :-)). In the kitchen, living, dining will be square set cornicing with a skillion roof line.
So, after reading your suggestions to others and your blog does this sound alright?
Walls – 1/2 Snowy Mountain
Ceiling, skirts, internal doors and kitchen cupboards – 1/4 Snowy Mountain
Will this be too white for such a big light filled space? Will the tone of Snowy Mountain go with concrete/frosty carina/blackbutt for the kitchen?
We will be painting the 3 bedrooms in tranquil retreat with grey carpet and the bathroom/ensuite/laundry will be all grey/white based.
I would appreciate any help you can give. We have used natural white in the past and loved it but feel its wrong for this house.
Meagan
Hi Meagan Dulux Snowy Mountains in any strength is a lovely white to work with but it is very white and what you need to consider is subway tile – you say this is an off white and you really need to use this as a guide for your other whites as you may find the splashback could throw the entire scheme. I think it all sounds great – it will be crisp but I get the idea from your description that it will suit the house really well. The key to making it work will be the finishing touches – rugs, sofas, accent chairs and cushions, artworks etc. Until you have these in place it may seem cold but with these it will just be a lovely contemporary background. The house sounds great – I hope you are happy with it Samantha
Or we might go Victoria Ash for the kitchen feature cabinets
Meagan 🙂
Hi Meagan the timber would soften the whole look and make it more of a country style look so it really depends on the overall outcome you want and the type of furniture etc. that you have. Samantha
Hi Samantha, I have enjoyed your blog , I am thinking of getting my house painted in grand piano half , some of the rooms are dark and some are quite light , the kitchen is an olive green that I don’t want to clash with
My concerns are is grand piano greyish yellow in half strength and I was also getting all joinery painted in a gloss including doors and wanted to know which shade of white would go with grand piano half we have black aluminium windows so will need to go with these as well
Hi Rhiannon Dulux Grand Piano Half does have a yellow base but it is a great neutral. I would paint a large piece of board with two coats and place it next to your kitchen cabinets and view in all lights, including the evening, to ensure you like the effect. This is also a good way to experiment with the colour in different rooms without painting it all over the walls. You may prefer something like Dulux White Duck Half which is a touch greyer but also is in a grouping that is leaning towards the olive hues. I like Dulux Whisper White with these neutrals as it is a warmish white without being too creamy and it has a touch of grey. On its own it looks like pure white. Good luck! Samantha
Hi Samanatha
We are renovating a queenslander with timber floorboards that we will sand and polish (pine & hardwood)
I was thinking either snowy mountains half, casper white half or white exchange quarter for the walls and vivid white for ceiling, trims, doors etc?
With vivid white 2 pac satin shaker style doors and calacatta Nuvo stone bench top for kitchen and vanity. Bathroom a light grey or charcoal tile and subway tiles in both?
I would appreciate any advice you can give me 🙂
Oh and the outside will be painted surfmist colourbond roof, shale grey weather boards and vivid white trims (I think)
Thank you 🙂
Hi Sonya As you are using Dulux Vivid White for your kitchen then you should definitely use this for trim and ceilings and really any of the three whites you are looking at will work – it just depends on the light that your house receives so you will need to try out some samples in a large format and put them next to the white in situ – remembering that parts of the house will receive more light, particularly as you have a Queenslander which I suspect has a beautiful deep verandah. Bathrooms and exterior scheme also sound great – a very simple colour scheme that you can then introduce any colour to. Lucky you having a Queenslander – it is a dream of mine! Good luck Samantha
Thank you so much for your reply Samantha 🙂
So lovely of you to give such informative and encouraging advice.
Hi, I was told at Bunnings that the Snowy Mountain shades are a “stone” white. Is this right?
And could you tell me is the new shade “Modern white” you spoke about earlier a warm or cool shade and how it differs to Snowy Mountain?
Thanks , I couldn’t find much about this colour online.
I have grey polished concrete and pure white caesarstone kitchen and a west facing living room with the other large windows all facing south in my townhouse so no sun until the afternoon. Found whisper white too dark and throwing too much green. And don’t want anything throwing blue , brown or pink.
Hi Kristy yes Snowy Mountain could be described as a stone white – these are the ones that are neither really warm or cool so not too much yellow or blue. They sit in the middle which makes them really neutral and easy to use so I think this range could work in your house but although nice and neutral they won’t offer much warmth and with grey concrete and not much sun in some parts of the house you may struggle with the feel of the space. Whisper White can throw a little yellow so if it is throwing green in your house then this is a message. I would try a sample board of Snowy Mountains – probably the half strength and move it around the house at different times of the day to see what you think – remember that Caesarstone Pure White is a clean crisp blue white so test out your whites against this. Samantha
Hi Samantha,
I was wondering if I could please have you expert opinion of your thought of my colour scheme. We are up to painting the internal walls of our house. I have to choose the colours before the kitchen goes in due to the extremely high void we have and the scaffolding needs to go back asap. This means the painters need to paint our void. ASAP.
My kitchen cupboards are polar white silk with Iced snow bench tops. The side cupboard and the breakfast bar (stool side) moose laminex silk finish. All other cupboards over heads and draws are in the polar white. Finger pull draws. Flooring is spotted gum and concrete looking tiles in the wet areas.
The paint I think will suit is full strength white exchange with WA white door trims, doors and skirting boards. Also a feature paint will be used around the stairs that is diplomatic grey??. It seems to link into the moose colour too. (I think)
The theatre room will have one wall behind the TV charcoal fusion. This colour will also be used in the entry behind the recessed wall that have white framed beach pictures. The main wall will be the full strength white exchange with the WA white trims. All ceilings vivid white.
I want a fairly neutral house. My concern is that the full strength white exchange may darken the house too much. What are your thoughts with these colours? I know it is hard to comment due to you not seeing our house. Any help is appreciated.
Kind regards,
Tracey
Hi Tracey I think it all sounds as though you are on the right track. Full Strength White Exchange is a lovely grey white which will be easy to work with. I like to use different tones of a white or grey throughout a house so if there are areas that you feel will be darker you could switch to half strength White Exchange but it will be a case of painting a couple of large sample boards and walking them around the house! Samantha
Hi Samantha ,
Your blog is so informative and helpful thank you . I am hoping you can spare some time and advice for me . I am currently renovating a Queenslander . The walls inside are all antique white USA with stowe white trim and to be honest it looks dirty yellow. The floors are a light pine throughout .
I am installing a kitchen currently which is 2 pac love note (British Paints ) with a quantum quartz michaelangelo benchtop (a grey and white marble look ) . My kitchen faces the western sun but the interior of the open living space is a little darker with these walls not getting much direct sunlight. It is a fairly big open space.
I have tried a whole heap of samples and cant seem to get it right . Initially I had looked at diamond white which I think is british paint but it seems too blue on my walls . I wanted a white with a hint of grey that wasn’t too cool overall . For the outside I wanted a light white grey which was still warm with contrasting dark and white trims and again have painted so many samples the neighbours are putting in bets as to which I will pick !I am close to giving up – as you say it is not an easy decision at all .I would be so grateful for your thoughts .
many thanks
Lynne
Hi Lynne Sometimes the more samples you paint, the less obvious it all seems, particularly if you paint them close to each other. It might just be worth getting in a colour consultant who can just spend an hour with you to sort through the options. My advice is to avoid anything with too much blue or yellow. I’m not familiar with British Paints Love Note but this really is a good starting point to help you select a white as whatever you choose has to go with this this. My recommendation for a white that is contemporary, not too blue or yellow and with just a hint of grey to stand up to the sunlight is Dulux Snowy Mountains Quarter or half strength. However it must go with your kitchen. Dulux Tranquil Retreat is a lovely grey exterior colour that is soft and light but really I do think that some professional help would be a good idea – Queenslanders are probably amongst the most expensive to paint with all their weatherboards and a colour consultant will be a drop in the ocean! Good luck Samantha
Hi Samantha! I’ve recently discovered your blog and my head is almost foggy with new knowledge!
We are renovating a weatherboard home and it’s quite traditional. I’ve been using Dulux Whisper White as a sample for interior walls, however I’m feeling like it’s a bit too cold against our grey ironbark timber floorboards. If I wanted to go with a slightly warmer white, but not too creamy/yellow, would white cloak half or quarter be better in your opinion?
We have grey tiles (mix of cement and marble looks) and polar white 2pac cabinetry in the bathrooms. Vanity bench tops are silky oak and ironbark.
Further, we are considering painting our ceilings and walls in semi-gloss and the trims in gloss, purely because we live on a cattle property that is quite dusty for most of the year and (unfortunately) ceiling cleaning is an annual necessity. The ceilings are all new so shouldn’t show up too many imperfections. Would it be safe to use, for example, white cloak quarter semi-gloss on ceilings and walls, and vivid white gloss on arc and skirting? Would you do the doors in vivid white too, or in a darker grey, such as colorbond shale grey or Dulux grey pail?
Thanks so much for your help.
Hi Amanda it certainly sounds like you live in a challenging area as far as choosing whites is concerned! Dulux White Cloak Quarter is certainly a very nice white to use inside as it is slightly warm but with a touch of grey and although a little grey it is warmer than Whisper White. Dulux Vivid White works very well with it and in fact I have had a couple of clients recently who have used this and have been very happy with the combination. When colours are horizontal they appear darker so I usually say to do the ceiling in a lighter version of the wall and would recommend Dulux Vivid White for the architraves, skirting boards, internal doors and ceilings however as you are in a very dusty area you may want to look at using White Cloak Quarter but just be aware that it will look slightly darker. I do love introducing dark doors and this may be an option for you that will also be very practical but just ensure that this will fit into your overall decorating plan. People do use semi-gloss for walls and ceilings but you might be able to get away with low sheen wash and wear – I recommend that you speak to the paint supplier to get some good technical advice to see whether the low sheen washable paints will stand up to your environment. I hope this helps! Samantha
Hi Samantha,
Your blog is so informative and helpful. We are currently looking for an interior white for our new house. The open plan area has 3 to 3.5m high ceilings and a good amount of natural light. We have concrete floors, a darker charcoal colour similar to basalt honed. There are mid-brown oak rafters, concrete waterfall benchtop, back wall cupboards – a white row on bottom and wood row on top with Bowral blue bricks and window splashback in between, brown leather couch. We will have white skirtings throughout. The house has concrete floors throughout. We can match white cupboards to walls or ceiling/trim.
I am trying to find a white to tie it all together, without looking too clinical. At this point was considering vivid white or lexicon quarter. I like whites that feel softer, as I want a lived-in, textured feel, but have leaned towards the above two, because of the concrete and not wanting a cream.
Could you suggest any others? Also if we went vivid white on the walls, would lexicon quarter work for the ceiling? Or vice versa?
Thank you,
Anne
Hi Anne Thanks for your kind words re my blog – I’m glad it is useful! I love the sound of your new house – Bowral blue bricks are my favourite. I also like the way you have mixed in some brown tones which will make the room more comfortable and cosy. I would explore using Dulux Snowy Mountains Quarter or half – half for the walls, quarter for kitchen, trim and ceiling. This is a lovely crisp white without being too clinical (ie blue) and it doesn’t have any creaminess. It is also not too grey which is important too to ensure that you have a contemporary but comfortable home. Just try out large samples in the space with the other elements to see what you think and remember that some layers – rugs, throws, etc. will really work well in this environment. I hope you are happy with the end result and love your new home. Samantha
Thank you so much Samantha for your advice. We picked up a sample pot and think it will be great. Would there ever be an instance where you would chose the same strength as the wall for kitchen cupboards and/or trim. Or is it generally advisable to go slightly lighter? We don’t have ceiling cornices – square set and shadowline instead.
Hi. My husband and I have to choose our internal wall colours and we are stuck. We are having ivory/white floor tiles and the kitchen cabinetry is Polytec Tasmanian Oak (front of island bench and top kitchen cabinets and Classic White (inside of the kitchen). The bench top is Urban Caesarstone. We want to choose a lighter wall colour for the open kitchen/living areas and then a darker colour for the media room and bedrooms. We are leaning towards cool white/grey tones. Perhaps a lighter colour or the main living areas and then a darker grey for the bedrooms/media room. We don’t want anything that will throw too much blue/purple. We are to use Dulux paints and looking at Terrace White, Snow Season, ½ Tranquil Retreat, Casper White , Snowy Mountains… Any suggestions would be welcome.
Hi Kirsty Terrace White and Snow Season both throw blue so I would discount these. Classic White is a warmish white too and would look wrong against these blue based whites. Your safest bet amongst the whites you are looking at is Snowy Mountains in varying strengths and Tranquil Retreat is a lovely neutral grey that has a touch of warmth. However depending upon the light you have you may also like the effect of Caspar White here. Remember that your kitchen cabinets must go with the white you select for the walls. Hope this helps you to narrow your choices Samantha
Hi Samantha. Thanks for getting back to me so quickly with such helpful advice. My husband said, “just pick a white/grey – easy”. I was trying to point out it just wasn’t that simple. Your advice has certainly helped us narrow our choice. This is our forever home and wanting it just right. Thanks again, Kirsty.
Hi Samantha,
I am renovating my home at the moment. My newly installed kitchen has Casper White Quarter cabinets in 60% gloss. The island cabinets are Malay Grey 60% also.
My plan was for all the internal walls to be Casper White Quarter, but I am unsure what colour white to have for the skirting, cornice, architraves, doors & ceiling. My new floors are Spotted Gum.
I would really appreciate your help as I am at a loss here.
Many Thanks,
Mary
Hi Mary Love the idea of Dulux Malay Grey for the island – I love introducing a secondary colour/tone here. The trim you use really depends upon the effect that you want. Many of my clients will just continue with Casper White Quarter but in a different finish – so semi-gloss/low sheen for the timberwork and matt for the ceiling. However if you want a contrast, which will define the grey tones more in the Casper White Quarter, you could try Dulux Lexicon Quarter for a crisp cool white or for a touch more warmth, Dulux Vivid White. Try out all the options first to see which effect you like the best good luck Samantha
Hi Samantha, so pleased I came across your site!! We’re wanting to repaint our small 1990’s brick house. The wall colour is currently China White and we have Paperbark windows. We were thinking of going lighter, are you able to recommend a colour that would compliment the frames.
Thanks, Mel
Hi Mel glad you’re enjoying the blog. Dulux Whisper White is a lighter white that has a touch of grey but is still a little creamy. This will give you a more contemporary, lighter feel but still retains some warmth to work with the Paperbark windows. Try out a sample first though to make sure you like it and that it works with the other elements in your room. Hope you like it Samantha
Hi Samantha, I am looking for some advice for skirtings and trims. Our home has currently been painted throughout with Casper White Quarter. Just about to start the trims and we have purchased White on White. I am concerned now it might be a little ‘blue’… I pondered just getting the Vivid White but wanted to bring out more of the grey I guess from the Casper White Quarter. Haven’t started yet so just wondered your thoughts on the combination. The floors are cypress pine with a slight limewash and satin finish. I appreciate your feeback.
Anne-Maree
Hi Anne-Maree As you have purchased the White on White is seems a shame not to use it – perhaps try out one room and see what you think as it will all depend on the amount of light that the space receives. White on White certainly does have a very cool base and as a crisp trim to Casper White Quarter I would usually recommend Dulux Lexicon Quarter as although it is a touch blue in its quarter strength it just reads as a very crisp cool white. You will also need to consider it against your limewash floors too as often limewashing reads a little pink. My advice would be to try it out because in the scheme of things you probably won’t even notice it but if it doesn’t work speak to the paint supplier – a good mixer might be able to do something about this for you. Good luck! Samantha
Thank you for your advice.
Hi Samantha,
My house is a country home. It was built 8 years ago and has paperbark aluminium windows surrounded by painted wooden trim the same colour. I had a colour specialist come as I love white and want to lighten the colour.
She recommended Dulux Natural White for the timber trim frame inside and out and on the skirting and doors. The walls seem to be a mutch lighter version of paperbark or stone beige so I need a white that will work with this.
What are your thoughts?
Thanks so much. It’s a tricky one!
Janine
Hi Janine The consultant has given you good advice as Natural White is a great warm off white and so will work with the Paperbark but bring in a contemporary touch and lighten the overall look. This white will work inside and outside although clearly outside it will appear a lot brighter in the sunshine. Re your interior wall colour – do you mean Dulux Pebbles? This is still reasonably dark – She may have meant Grey Pebble? This is a lovely neutral that is more grey but would look great with fresh white trim. You will need to consider your flooring, kitchen joinery, bench top and splashback etc as well as your current furniture when looking at a new wall colour and you should always paint a large sample board first to ensure you like it. Good luck! Samantha
P.S. The skirts and doors are currently full paperbark (or stone beige) like the window frames.
I would’t mind lightening up the wall colour too or choosing something else that is not as beige, creamy (as a much lighter paperbark/stone beige) the consultant suggested Pebble??
Thanks so much Janine
Hello Samantha,
I’ve used Dulux Whisper White on the walls throughout my house. The ceilings are painted in white Dulux ceiling paint – no special tint.
Because I got a bit overwhelmed with the choice of whites I bought Dulux Aquanamel/semi gloss in Whisper White for the doors and trims as well. However, the tiles in the bathroom are leaning to a greyish white, bathtub and basin are white. I’m now unsure whether that combination would clash.
Could I use half strength Whisper White on the doors and trims or what would you suggest?
Looking forward to your feedback.
Thanks so much, Stef
Hi Stef Lots of people use the same white on walls and doors/trims etc as the different sheen level gives a different appearance and a nice even look to the scheme so it’s actually a very useful way to approach whites. However I often find that it is difficult when it comes to bathrooms as with wall tiles, you are often introducing a completely different white. People buy white bathroom tiles but are disappointed when they arrive as some white wall tiles are creamy while others are a definite grey and this can throw your whole scheme. It’s difficult to dilute Whisper White anymore than it is so you might be better off looking at Dulux Vivid White or something like Casper White Quarter that has a touch of grey – I would grab a Dulux White colour card with all the samples on and hold it up next to the tile to see which one is the closest or at least complements it better than the Whisper White will. I hope this makes sense! Samantha
Hi Samantha, this is Belinda Rodriguez. You helped me with the colour selections for our exterior cladding and trim on our extension a year ago. It is very close to being completed so I hope to send you a pic of the finished product soon.
I was hoping you could help me with another colour choice. I am painting our upstairs bedrooms all that have very high raked ceilings that are lined in a pine panelling. The rooms tend to be a little on the dark side so I chose Dulux Natural White but after painting one wall I notice that colour is looking a little too cream , probably from all the timber on the ceiling being reflected. Could you advice me on another colour that would not bring out the cream colour and without the room feeling too cool.
Many thanks
Belinda
Hi Belinda Lovely to hear from you! Dulux Natural White is certainly one of the creamy whites and in some situations this shows up more than others and you are right in thinking that the timber could be reflecting a touch but it definitely is a creamy warm white. I like to use Dulux Whisper White as it still has some warmth but is a touch lighter and greyer but without being grey if that makes sense. I have used it in my house and I find it is a really user friendly white to use. Perhaps just try a sample of that – on a board might be more useful so that you can move it around rather than directly onto the pine. Good luck! Samantha
Thanks Samantha. what is the difference between Whisper White and Snowy Mountains Half? I have a sample pot of SMH and painted that on some cardboard and put that up in the room today. I could still see some cream coming out of that too. There seems to be so much yellow being reflected from the ceiling, I am wondering if I should look at a cool white instead? I appreciate your thoughts.
Belinda
Hi Samantha, we are nearing the end of our new hampton style house build. I am really struggling with paint choices and would love your help please. The ground floor is completely open plan with hallway leading into kitchen, dining and living and also alfresco area. This floor will have wainscoting panels (picture frame style) throughout. The colour I am after is a pale grey for the upper walls and the bottom panel section to be white. I have narrowed the grey down to Dulux White Exchange Half or Snowy Mountains Half on the upper walls and am not sure about the white. Maybe Vivid White? I am after a distinct contrast between the two. Also, would I use the same white for the trims and ceiling? So confused. Please help. Thank you, Cathy
Hi Cathy You might find that there isn’t enough of a contrast between Vivid White and the two that you mention – both will work, it just depends on which suits your house the best. You might find that going full strength gives you more of a contrast. Definitely use the same white (Vivid White?) for trims and ceiling – just play around with that main grey to ensure you get the right depth. By painting a large piece of board in two coats (timely but worth it) you can move it around and see what you think as it will depend on the amount of natural daylight. I love the Hamptons style and wainscoting is beautiful – I hope you love it! Samantha
Thank you Samantha. I had already chosen Snowy Mountains Half for the wall colour and Vivid White for everything else. The painters are there and the cut off is tomorrow morning believe it or not! I am now thinking that there will not be enough of a contrast and should have gone full strength Snowy Mountains. Anyway, I don’t think I can change now. I will hope for the best. Thanks for your time. Cathy
Hi Samantha, we are renovating lounge/dining room from 1990s. we live in Australia. we currently have stained timber skirtings and sills. We are laying spotted gum timber laminate in dining and a taupey grey carpet in lounge.. We also have a mantel and built-in bookcase in mahogoney which I really want to paint. My question is shade of white/neutral? we have primrose windows so probably need a warm white. after reading all your fabulous answers, I am on board with quarter for sills and deeper for walls.. I guess my most important question is the bookcase and mantel.. should I stay with the same tone as walls or can I/should I change it up completely? I really would like to choose a colour that doesn’t date too quickly. I am keen to update to a little more modern look.
thanks so much for your advice…
Dee
Hi Deirdre By painting the bookcase and mantel white you will bring a new lease of life to your house. As you have primrose windows you don need a white with some warmth. I have found that Hog Bristle Quarter is a lovely warm white but when away from any other crisper whites just looks white. Half strength on the walls will work well with spotted gum flooring but you will just need to paint a sample card and place it next to your taupe carpet to make sure this works. These colours are not the most modern but will work beautifully with what you have and will provide a far more updated and contemporary feel to your house – do try samples first though! Good luck Samantha
Hi Samantha ! What a great article and I have learnt a lot from your answers to readers’ questions too.
I am just repainting our whole house interior and am using Snowy Mountains full strength – I absolutely love it ! Previously we had Antique White USA which was looking a little dated.
I plan to use Vivid White on all the trim – do you think this will look OK ? Is there any advantage to using Snowy Mountain 1/4 instead and will the slight tint in it help reduce yellowing, if I use oil- based paint ?
Hi Jo Glad you have found the article useful! You can use either white for your trim – it just depends which you prefer as the Vivid White will give slightly more definition. What you need to consider are the other whites in the room – joinery etc – otherwise you can go with either and I find now with the modern oil based paints that they don’t yellow like they used to so this shouldn’t affect your decision. Good luck! Samantha
Hi Sam,
I was wondering if you could please help me out?! I wanted Natural White for the walls but I just found out that the builder’s used Natural White for doors and trim. My fault entirely, I should’ve double checked! What white would you use for the walls?! I’ve looked at so many charts and swatches and now I’m just confused!
The flooring I’m getting is a laminate white washed woody look.
Many thanks!!
Hi Jenna I fear that I have missed your deadline if the builder is on site. You can use the same white on the walls as it will look different with the different finish. Alternatively something like Dulux White Cloak Half could work to give you just a touch of variation. Sorry it is late…..Samantha
Hi Samantha, thanks for your great article. I didn’t know green was an undertone but you described it perfectly. I have Duluth beige royal quarter walls (I think) and want to update the skirting boards. We have caramel/honey colours bamboo floorboards. Can you advise on a white? Vivid white looks a bit stark. I am considering Casper white quarter or lexicon quarter (which I’m worried might be too grey??). I would like something fresh. Semi gloss or satin?? Or should I get beige royal 1/8th to keep it simple!!
Thank you so much
Hi Kath Dulux Vivid White will freshen up your Beige Royal Quarter walls if this is what you want but failing that you could try Dulux Snowy Mountains Quarter as this just slightly knocks the brightness out. A semi-gloss finish will also inject some life into the scheme too. Good Luck Samantha
Hi Samantha
Trying to find a colour for walls/doors and trims. kitchen Cabinetry is very white which I’m still not 100% on but alternative colour kept giving me blue/grey tones which I didn’t want. Tiling neutral. Have white gloss tiles at back of essastone bench in calcite (limited builders choice). Have swatches for white cloak quarter, natural white and snowy mountain half but am getting more confused than ever over what looks right.
Hi Helen it sounds as though you need a touch of warmth to offset the bright white tones in the kitchen – my pick of the three that you have is White cloak Quarter – this is very popular with my clients and I haven’t had one yet that doesn’t like it – test it on a large piece of card to ensure you like the look of it next to your cabinets. Hope it helps to soften the look for you Samantha
Hello Samantha,
I love your blog, it’s been so helpful to me as we are about to begin an entire home renovation! I just wanted to ask for your opinion about some warm white paint options. I have been looking at Pale Mushroom 1 from the Haymes Natural Series colour range. The reason I like this is because it seems to work with a lot of other colours and appears quite bright without being too cool.
The look I am trying to achieve is a welcoming relaxed feel that is still bright. I grew up in the UK and the country cottage style still has a special place in my heart. I don’t discount wallpaper making an appearance somewhere in my home as well 🙂
I live in a single story brick home. We are having slate coloured tiles in our bathroom and laundry and Oak flooring everywhere else.
Thank you in advance for any ideas, Chloe.
Hi Chloe I am so glad you love the blog and that it has been useful for you. I really like the Pale Mushroom group of colours from Haymes – I have used number 1 in a house scheme and it was lovely. It will look great with the oak flooring and is a lovely warm white but it also goes with grey as you can see when Pale Mushroom gets darker. The country cottage has a place in my heart too – I grew up in the UK in a small house dating from the early 18th century that used to belong to the Bailiff on a country estate – a far cry from my house north of Sydney but I can’t help but want to decorate in that style too! I hope you enjoy and survive the renovation! Samantha
Hi Sam
We have an old settlers block house in country South Australia. It is currently white with a very old tin roof (just tin roof colour). We are about to have it Rendered and need to pick a colour and be re-roofed. When we renovated the kitchen the windows came in with White Birch… grr. not quite what I’d hoped for.
What would be the best colour to match the exterior, surrounds and roof. I’d like to make the it blend with the window colour or at least tone it down instead of making them stand out.
What would be the best way to go.
Heather
Hi Heather you really need a warm neutral to go with White Birch – something like Dulux Gnu Tan or for a touch greyer Prairie Dust. These are nice neutrals that are not too dark or too light and that have a warm yellow base. Even greyer would be Dulux Mud Pack – look at samples of these to see what you think – particularly in your light as I am not sure how dark or light you had envisaged the house being. White Birch is a tricky one but I am sure these colours will disguise it!
HI
I have just stumbled onto this site….very informative! I am in the process of painting a very large open plan area. There is lots of filtered natural light coming in through windows and some areas with less light. Our kitchen has vivid white cabinets with frosty carrina caesarstone bench top. Our floors are a grey concrete tile. We have tried to bring in some metal and wood features to give a modern industrial feel. I am struggling to choose a wall paint now, despite paying a fortune to a colour consultant. She chose Grey Pebble quarter for the walls, which is nice but seems to throw pink. It also doesnt seem modern and fresh enough for our style. I like that it is warm as it is a massive open planned area and has the potential to look clinical if I choose a paint that is too cool.
I was wondering what you thought of Snowy Mountains full strength or Casper White 1/2 to go with what I have described. Im thinking they would both work well with the grey vein in the Frosty Carrina but I have so much wall away from the kitchen area I need to factor in how that would look as well. Which would be the warmer of the two and do you think I am on the right track? Otherwise welcome to any suggestion you have.
Regarding ceiling, doors and trims, would you use vivid white? Thanks for your time and Im looking forward to hearing from you.
Hi Lainie You really need to consider the look and feel you want for the room and if you are after a modern industrial feel it is probably best to go with a white for the walls – either Snowy Mountains or Casper White half will work but you will need to try out samples to see how it looks with your flooring. These colours are cool though so you need to consider that but you could warm them up with feature artworks to suit your industrial feel. You can certainly use Vivid White as your trim colour and ceiling etc as this is the white you have chosen for the kitchen. Good luck Samantha
Thanks Samantha, We have sampled Snowy Mountains, Casper White 1/2 and Grey Pebble Quarter. I really love Snowy Mountains and Casper but they are very cool as you said. Given the large size of our downstairs area and the fact one section has very high pitched ceiling I’m thinking we will be best to stick with the warmer Grey Pebble Quarter. Even with artwork on the walls and furniture there would be lots of space which could feel cold. As much as I want a modern industrial feel, I want the house to be inviting and homely. So I think I’ll bring in some modern industrial elements with the grey pebble 1/4…….fingers crossed I don’t regret it ?
Hi Lainie It is a definitely a process and one that has taken you back to the original selection. Your colour consultant would know her stuff so hopefully this if the right one for you Samantha
Hi Samantha, I am building a Hampton style home in New Zealand. The main living areas/kitchen will have high cathedral ceiling & lots of natural light and sun. Not sure what whites to use but want it to be warm & inviting. I would love your recommendations on which whites you would think best to use for the kitchen cabinets, walls, trims, ceilings and panelling. I haven’t selected my counter top yet but thinking of white marble affect engineered stone. Many thanks, Julieanne
Hi Julieanne You can’t go past Resene whites and they are so easy to use as they come in varying strengths. My recommendation would be to use one strength for the kitchen cabinets, architraves, skirting boards and panelling – a lighter strength for ceiling and a darker strength for walls. The Resene Parchment range is a beautiful white, neutral range which is warm and will suit the classic Hamptons look. Eighth for ceiling, quarter for trims etc. and then full for walls. I really am a big fan of Resene paints and as you are in New Zealand they should definitely be your choice. Have a look at their ranges – Parchment is just one idea. Good luck Samantha
Forgot to mention the flooring will be a warm medium colour oak floor. Thanks, Julieanne
Hi Samantha
I was hoping for some advice. I live in a light filled north facing beachside unit that I am renovating (Queensland). It is nine years old and a little ‘tired’. The previous wall colour was similar to Antique White USA so after nine years of sun it is looking rather yellowish. I am very keen for a fresh white look so I had it painted in Lexicon Half on the recommendation of my painter.
Big mistake! I am so disappointed. The colour looks blue most of the time and my kitchen and bathroom tiles which used to look white now look a dirty off white. I have not painted the trims as I was so disappointed with the colour. My plan is to repaint (can’t afford the painter again so will do it myself) and was wondering if something like Snowy Mountains Half might have been a better choice? I am having a white washed timber-look vinyl plank laid in the kitchen and living areas and a light sand coloured carpet in the two bedrooms and I hope to leave the white/off white gloss tiles in the wet areas.
Looking at the paint chart the SMH looks a softer white without the yellow tinge. I guess I need a white that will blend all the whites together without being too stark or too creamy. Such a tricky task. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Kind regards
Sarndra
Hi Sarndra I don’t know why painters are obsessed with using Lexicon Half – many recommend it and in some instances it looks great but it definitely has a blue undertone which makes it a very cold colour. Great for some situations and ultra contemporary homes with lots of light but I hear this comment about it so often. Yes, you definitely would be better off with Snowy Mountains Half – it still has a touch of grey which makes it contemporary but without the blue. Check a sample of it against your tiles and kitchen cupboards etc. as you really see how it will look when it is placed next to another white. Poor you having to repaint yourself – hope this has helped Samantha
Thanks for your prompt reply Samantha I really appreciate your advice. I am certainly very frustrated at the large amount of money I have wasted and the time I will now need to invest in fixing the problem!
If I go with the Snowy Mountains Half would you suggest the same colour on the trims in an enamel or should I go to another colour?
Thanks
Sarndra
Thanks for your prompt reply Samantha I really appreciate your advice. I am certainly very frustrated at the large amount of money I have wasted and the time I will now need to invest in fixing the problem!
If I go with the Snowy Mountains Half would you suggest the same colour on the trims in an enamel or do you think I should I go to another colour?
Thanks
Sarndra
It depends whether you want to see a contrast – quarter strength could work but equally you can do them the same, just in a different finish, probably a semi-gloss which will still provide a slight contrast due to the different finish. Good luck!
Hi Samantha,
I love your blog and have read every comment on this excellent post to help me choose a white. I was originally going to use Antique White USA but your advice led me to White Cloak Quarter and I absolutely love it. My painter wants to use it in his house now too!
He has concerns with coverage using Vivid White for the trims (it is a massive paint job). We’ve tested Wattyl Builder’s White that has a touch of brown rather than black in it, but there isn’t much contrast. Do you think Builder’s White with black in it would be a cold colour that would clash with White Cloak Quarter? I think it is similar to Lexicon Quarter but with fractionally less tint in it. Can you suggest any other trim colours?
Many thanks for your wonderful advice.
Rita
Hi Rita I am so glad you love White Cloak Quarter – it is a great off white but I think it does need that contrast to come alive. I know what your painter means with Vivid White – it can be a little tricky on coverage. Dulux Lexicon Quarter would be fine – any darker and it shows too much blue. You need to go as white as you can with just a touch of grey/black to keep your painter happy! Samantha
Thank you so much Samantha. Your advice has been invaluable and has truly changed the feel of my home – that touch of grey makes it feel so much more modern. I love it! Thank you again 🙂
Thanks Rita – lovely to have the feedback!
Hi Samantha,
Thanks so much for this fantastic information. It is so great that someone is helping us all through the mine field of choosing paint.
We have just painted a room with white duck quarter Australian dulux and I am wondering what colour to do the doors? We are very happy with the with the white duck quarter and would go a lighter shade of it if we could. I am wondering if the base on the snowy mountains is similar? We don’t want anything too yellow or too blue, but want it to be lighter. Our tiles are a stone colour.
Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Taryn
Hi Taryn glad to hear you are finding the information useful. I love White Duck Quarter – I’m looking at using this range on the outside of my house – it’s timeless. You could certainly look at using Snowy Mountains quarter for your trim. This should work but you need to consider things like your kitchen cabinetry – is this white? Often this is a good starting point for your trim white. Try a sample of Snowy Mountains quarter – I think it should work. Good luck Samantha
Hi Samantha,
I’m currently in the process of selecting internal colours for my new home and would like your opinion. We have chosen a hamptons style theme and are looking to decorate with cool/ neutral whites and greys. We are considering using Dulux Vivid White for the ceiling, cornices, trims and architraves along with our kitchen and bathroom cabinetry and Dulux Highgate for the walls. Do you think these colours would work well together and if so, what strengths would you suggest. I appreciate your time and I’m keen to hear your advice.
Hi Desiree Dulux Vivid White is a great choice for the Hamptons style. Dulux Highgate is a lovely grey but it is a warm grey so in some lights you will see a slight lavender hue, in others more blue – you need to bear this in mind and check how it works with carpet, sofas, bedding etc. I would recommend that you paint a very large board with 2 coats and try it out in different rooms around the house. Good luck samantha
Hi Samantha,
I love your column and the fabulous advice you impart on us all. Wondered if you could assist me in choosing paint colours. I am completing a new home build and have chosen Polytec Classic White (Oberon profile) for the kitchen cabinetry. We have chosen medium-light oak floors and I am struggling with the choice of wall and trim colours. I like the look of modern coastal homes but I just dont know which white would suit best.
Any help would be very much appreciated.
Thanks
Simone
Hi Simone Polytec Classic White is a warm white but I have found that it is a very user friendly white and most seem to work with it. Have a look at the Minimalist range from Haymes – as it gets darker it goes to a modern grey but the whitest is a lovely modern white which will work with classic white. It really depends on the contrast you want to see but you can ask to have the trim colour mixed to match Polytec’s Classic White and then use a slightly deeper white on the walls or you can use one white and keep it simple and then use the darker ones in the range for feature walls/areas/rooms. Minimalist 1 is a lovely white or you can go to numbers 2 or even 3 depending upon how much light the rooms receive. This is just one idea from the Haymes range – you will need to check it out and see how the samples look against your flooring. Good luck! Samantha
Hi Samantha, Love reading your blogs! We are building a two storey house and I am after a white that maybe has a touch of grey in it? Each side of the lower level is charcoal brick, james hardie stria board is whole top storey and runs down middle section of the house including the middle of the lower level in between brick sections. Didn’t want stark white as will be too much contrast against the charcoal bricks. Our windows are monument and I was leaning towards shale grey or surf mist roof. We have a timber decking entry with a rendered feature over the entrance which I want to paint in Domino or Klavier etc. Just don’t want too many greys!! The James hardie makes up at least half of the front exterior so want to get it right to go with the bricks.
Would surf mist be ok or lexicon might break up the greys?
Hi Jacqui Yes something like Surfmist will stand up to the grey and will appear white but have enough grey in it to be practical. You might like to consider the white you select once you choose the roof, gutters and fascia. Lexicon has a blue base and is very contemporary – much lighter than Surfmist though. Dulux Terrace White is a pale grey but in the bright sun it will appear white and may take the edge of the contrast. Perhaps settle on your roof and trim colour and this may help with your selection. Good luck! Samantha
Hi Samantha,
Really enjoying reading your blog and all the comments herein. I’m having second thoughts over the white I chose for our property and painting starts tomorrow! I’m going for “Hamptons meets Aussie beach house” style as it’s on the water in Western Australia. There is a smooth light to medium oak floor and lots of natural light throughout the property as it’s north and east facing. I had chosen Natural White for walls because of all the natural light and vivid white for trim. I’m deliberating though, over whether I should be putting a more crisp white on the walls. It’s even more difficult because I am currently based in New South Wales so I’m having to arrange it all remotely and can’t be there with colour swatches to look at it! I would love to hear your thoughts please. Many thanks.
Hi Louisa It’s awful when you have second thoughts but it is so difficult to say as it depends on so many aspects. Natural White is a warm white with just a touch of creaminess and sometimes not considered so modern but it is a very user friendly white in that it goes with so many other things and as you have lots of light in a sunny aspect it will get washed out. You also need to consider everything else that you have to go with it in terms of rugs, sofas etc. Often when the white is on the wall it will look completely different to the smaller swatch and the overall effect is very pleasing. Perhaps get your painter to send you a photo or skype him when he has completed a room? So ask him not to commit to all the paint until you have had a chance to take a look? Good luck Samantha
Thanks for your prompt reply Samantha. Would you mind elaborating a little please on this comment?:
“as you have lots of light in a sunny aspect it will get washed out”
I’m not sure what you mean there. Thanks again!
Hi Samantha,
We are having trouble deciding on a colour for a glass kitchen splashback and holding up progress.
So far we have bought 10 sample pots but are not completely happy with any.
The kitchen cabinetry is Lexicon Quarter and the Caesar stone bench is Alpine Mist which is close to the dulux tranquil retreat colour with white “marble like” streaks. The floor is terracotta.
The kitchen is north facing with all day bright light.
Some of the colours rejected are Timeless Grey, Snow Season and Teahouse.
I have been reading about Snowy Mountains and would like your opinion on whether it may be a good choice before I purchase yet another sample pot.
Thanks in advance!
Hi Peter Remember that the glass on the splashback will change the colour a little – it will bring it more to life. You need to consider the look that you want too – are you endeavouring to tie it in with the bench top? Alpine Mist is a lovely stone which has lots of variation so if you are pulling out a colour to match because it is solid, it won’t go with it absolutely so I think you need to look at the colour that seems to match in your setting and then just go about two tones lighter. Dulux Snowy Mountains may appear more like a dirty white, particularly next to your crisp Lexicon Quarter. This is a tricky one and very difficult to advise on – remember that a glass splashback is a big investment – perhaps get a local colour consultant to help? Samantha
Thanks Samantha,
I did enquire into booking a colour consultant, however, the waiting period didn’t work in well with the installer.
I purchased a sample pot of “Snowy Mountains” and as you said it wouldn’t quite work, although I think it’s a great colour and would like to use it elsewhere, .
We then revisited the initially rejected “Snow Season” colour and after painting the whole area where the splashback will be with it, we’ve now decided to use it.
Cheers, Peter
Hope it works out well for you Peter!
Hi Samantha
love the article and thank you for shearing with us. we jut bought a house (30 years old) and we are trying to get a modern country look to go with the surrounded trees and green. our floor is porcelain tiles mix of dark and light green cloud style pattern. we got french province style furniture. ceiling, trims, doors all we have painted dulux vivid white. can you pls give me some suggestions that i can go for the wall paint colors in white to get the country look. thank you.
chathu
Hi Chathu I would probably opt for a soft neutral but anything you use is going to need to work with your tiled floor so you will need to test samples. You also need to consider your furniture – sofas, chairs and rugs etc and ensure that a wall colour works with these. Dulux White Duck in either quarter, half or full could work – these read slightly green but are definitely nice off white neutrals that seem to work with lots of interiors and will suit a French Provincial style. Grab a sample of this – the strength will depend on how much depth you want in the walls and you will need to consider how much light the house receives. Even with the quarter strength you will see a nice contrast next to the Vivid White. I hope this points you in the right direction Samantha
Hi Samantha, l have found your blog amazing. I am needing help with a beach house renovation we are doing on the Surfcoast in Victoria. The kitchen living room is flooded with light, we have ocean and tree views. Our aluminium doors/ Windows are pearl white, floors Australian wormy chestnut and planning on classic white polytec kitchen joinery, still deciding on Ceaserston bench top, maybe Calcutta Nuvo. We have a terracotta brick fire place with grey/beige grout in the living room. I am needing help with white paint colours for the walls, skirting boards, ceiling etc. that will work in this space and the rest of the house. We have not ordered the joinery for the kitchen yet, so could change if need be. Thank you Julie
Hi Julie You really need to take your lead from your Caesarstone bench top as this is a good starting point and you need to consider whether you want or need a cool or warm white. The cool whites are more contemporary but with a south facing room you may want something with a little more warmth. You also need to think about the window frames and whether you want to see a contrast between the frame and the architrave or whether you want it to match. Dulux Snowy Mountains is popular in varying strengths – quarter for ceiling and trim and half for walls but you may need something warmer. You really need to finalise the benchtop that you like and get everything together and look at in during the day and the evening. Often the white for the walls isn’t about what is popular but what works in your home. Sorry I can’t be more definitive! Samantha
Hi Samantha,
I found your website most interesting and am hoping you are able to help with my wall colour selection/headache. We are having trouble deciding on colours for our walls and skirts. I had spent quite a fair bit purchasing sample pots and come to realization that none of them are suitable and would like your opinion before I purchase yet another sample pot:
Here are my findings:
Lexicon quarter: looks silver blue
White on white: looks very blue
Casper white: has a tinge of yellow
Whisper white: looks yellow
Terrace white: too dark for my 2.4m floor to ceiling space
Current state:
– 2.4m floor to ceiling space.
– Blackbutt timber floor in hallway, lounge, dining and kitchen. One open space connecting lounge (window facing west), dining (sliding door facing east) and kitchen (window facing east).
– 3 Bedrooms (one facing north, one facing east and one facing south) will be carpeted with https://www.godfreyhirst.com/au/carpet/product/pacific-view?carpet=silverhaze&room=lounge
– Kitchen in white high gloss laminate cabinetry with black handles, Ceasarstone Intense White kitchen bench and kitchen splashback is Quantum Quartz Porcelain sheet in polished Statuario marble look (http://www.wk.com.au/details/QuantumSix-Plus/STATUARIO-SIX-VEIN-MATCHED/304?cats=58,59)
– All ceiling painted in basic Dulux Ceiling White
We are definitely aiming for contemporary/scandi look and feel. Something fresh and modern.
Bedroom paint: we are thinking of painting the East bedroom and South bedroom walls in Vivid White. Skirts and arch in Vivid White too. Simply because those rooms can get quite dark. What are your thoughts? Are there better ways to brighten/freshen the rooms with other paint colour?
Lounge, Kitchen, Dining: since the bedrooms are in Vivid White, we are thinking of extending the skirts and arch in Vivid White for the entire house. Since the kitchen is so white and grey, we need the walls in a grey tone to complement. From reading your comments, Snowy Mountain seems like the wall colour we are looking for, not yellow and not blue. Since the space is facing east and west, should we go with Snowy Mountain in 1/2 strength or quarter strength? If not Snowy Mountain, are there other alternatives you would recommend?
Thanks in advance!
Max
Hi Samantha
We’ve almost finished our exterior in Dulux Powered Rock with Quarter Snowy Mnt trims and Black Caviar door. We’re really pleased and I’d like some continuity inside.
Interiors I was thinking Resene Eighth Truffle with Vivid White trims. I’d love to know if you’ve come across this white before and if it’s a good Neutral to work with. We currently have Antique White USA but it’s peachy with our strong brushbox floors.
Thank you for any advice.
Vanessa
Hi Sam,
Just to add that since I posted above we’ve tried a whole wall in the Eighth Truffle and it’s lovely but looking a little pinky/purple with sunlight. I guess mushroomy. Agh! In shadowed light I like it. I’m considering trying Resene Merino as I have a small sample of it on the wall and I like that it has a green undertone coming through and that it’s not a cool neutral for our older style semi. It would also work in the darker hallway area as it has a yellow base rather than grey base. I’ve tried SeaFog but it looked rather dank and dull in darker areas of the house. Dulux White Duck is a little too on the Beige side when I look at it coming out of our soft grey/green bathroom tiles. I have Snowy Mountains up on the wall too and like it (looks really fresh with Vivid white) but keen to know if you’ve used any of the two Resene Paints I mentioned and would recommend.
I should mention that we have two south facing bedrooms that I’ve painted half a wall with 1/8 Resene Foggy Grey and I love it for some depth in those rooms. It has that touch of green in a warm grey which I love but it’s too dark to take throughout the house.
Thanks so much in advance. Hopefully the New Year will bring a great new colour scheme to our home. 🙂
Vanessa
Hi Vanessa It sounds to me as though you like the whites and neutrals with a green base and I think it is going to be a case of trying them out in your environment. Dulux Snowy Mountains is a great neutral white if all else fails. It sounds too as if you will need to adapt the paint colour and use different ones for different rooms. I do this in my own home as there is rarely one option that suits all spaces. I have used Resene Merino before – it worked really well and is quite neutral but you will have to play with it in samples to double check! Thanks Samantha
Hi Samantha,
First off, awesome site! I’m so glad I found this. I was hoping you could answer a few questions. We are currently renovating a 100+ year old sand stone villa. The home is going through a major renovation/extension with 2 added bedrooms, a new bathroom and an open plan living + kitchen. So the renovation is quite modern. The house does retain its features like cornices and ceiling roses, skirting…etc in the front part of the house. In the new part of the house we still intend to use cornices and skirting to have a traditional look.
For the internal wall paint we are thinking of using lexicon quarter, which we believe is a crisp white with a slight blue undertone. Do you think we can use this same colour for the walls, skirting, cornices and ceiling? Or should the wall, trims and ceiling be a different colour?
We are using blackbutt timber flooring throughout the home. So we would like a white to match that. We like crisp whites but really don’t like yellow/cream to come through. We’d prefer a cooler white if we had to choose between a warm (yellow) or a cool (blue). Vivid white is another option, but I think there is a touch of yellow? Would vivid white be okay to use for all the walls, trims and ceiling?
For the exterior of the house, the front, do you have any suggestions that would match a sand stone front? For the roof and gutter we’re thinking Shale Grey (Colorbond). For the Fascia, external walls and downpipes we’re thinking a white, maybe lexicon (full)? Or do you think that would look too blue? For the window trim and front door we’re thinking a dark navy blue. So the colour combination with be mostly white with dark navy blue features.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!
Thanks,
Andrew.
Hi Andrew Glad you are enjoying the blog. Your house sounds amazing. Firstly I think you are on the right track with Lexicon quarter if you want something crisp with just a touch of blue. I wouldn’t use Dulux Vivid White as a trim – just stick to the Lexicon quarter and you will see a slight difference because the sheen levels will vary – I like a washable low sheen for walls, matt for ceiling and then a semi-gloss for trim and doors to withstand wear and tear. Outside the Dulux Lexicon full strength will just look very white. You will see the blue inside but not outside – love the idea of a dark navy door as this is the opposite (complementary) colour to the sandstone walls. Sounds as though you are right on track but do double check colours with samples – conditions, particularly natural light – do play a big role. I hope you are very happy with the end result Samantha
Thanks for the reply Samantha! Much appreciated 🙂
Just a few more questions if you don’t mind. Do you think Lexicon Quarter all round will be too stark inside? My sister recently did a large open plan living house and I believe they used Lexicon Half. It doesn’t look too stark or blue, perhaps because there’s plenty of natural sunlight? I’m tossing up between Lexicon Half or Quarter for the interior.
Do you have another suggestion for a white for the exterior? If not Lexicon full strength? Maybe a white that’s not so stark but will still suit the sandstone colour.
Thanks again! Keep up the great work.
Andrew.
Love your website! I’m looking for a white to paint inside that’s not too creamy, but still on the warmer side. We have quite a lot of natural timber finishes and timber furniture as well as ocean blue couches and very light grey curtains. We get a bit of light in, but not heaps. I’m wondering if either whisper white, snowy mountains 1/2 or white duck 1/4 would work best? Thanks for any suggestions.
Hi Marion Whisper White although has a touch of modern grey is quite creamy – I have used it in my own house and love it and a lot of people like it as it is softer than some of the crisper whites but you would need to be happy with the creaminess – you may not even notice this until you put another white next to it and this would certainly work with the ocean blue couches and natural timber. Snowy Mountains half is the most neutral – very crisp and cool with a touch of grey and I think White Duck Quarter may read too green – it is a great neutral but you need to understand that the green may show through. Hope this helps – choose one and paint a large sample board with two coats and view during the daylight and evening – good luck! Samantha
Thanks Samantha! What would you then recommend for the window frames? I’m wondering maybe vivid white or natural white.
Vivid White is a good standby and works with any of these whites.
Hi Sam,
I came across your fantastic article searching for help on choosing interior whites. We are building a Hamptons style home and after testing several sample pots we’ve finally chosen Dulux Dieskau in half strength for the walls. This is a light warm grey that goes nicely with our French grey oak floors.
What whites would you recommend for the internal doors, architraves and skirtings to go with this? Also, you mentioned to avoid using the builders white that they use for ceilings and cornices. What would you recommend instead? Thanks so much!
Hi Danielle I’m glad you have enjoyed the article. The white you use will really depend on how much contrast you want to see. Dulux Vivid White will go with this as it is a slightly warm white but still very bright – this will give a lovely contrast but you might find it too much. More subtle would be Snowy Mountains Quarter as it has a touch of grey. I have used Whisper White recently with a warm taupe grey and this worked really well but it can be a touch creamy which you notice when it is next to other whites – by itself it just looks white of course. And this is where the ceiling white can throw everything which is why you should use the same white on your ceilings and cornice – if you opt for a white that is half strength then go quarter on the ceilings – otherwise, Vivid White, Whisper White etc. will work. I think it will be a case of seeing how much contrast you want to see and also consider things like kitchen cabinets etc. If these are white you need to also take that into account. Good luck! Samantha
Hello!
Im hoping you can help us! We have vivid white kitchen cabinetry and opted for snowy mountain half. The painter didn’t even ask us about ceilings and just did ceiling white. We wanted a nice fresh even look (previously had hogs bristle and wanted a change). However the walls against the cabinetry and ceiling/cornices look creamy which we didn’t expect?! What can we do to change this? Do we change the ceilings or the walls? How do we create a more even flow, don’t want ceilings to stand out so much.
Our house has a mix of older style features like cornices and square edge in the kitchen and lounge. We will darker timber floors but they haven’t been stained yet. It’s a west facing house so not a hugely light house.
Thanks! Hope to hear from you soon! It’s very disappointing. Painter has only done one coat and hasn’t start trims yet so we have a small window to change things before it gets crazy expensive.
Kate
Hi Kate Snowy Mountains Half should look a touch grey next to the cabinets – certainly not creamy so I think maybe the ceiling white is throwing it all as this often has quite a bit of grey and sometimes blue. Try using Dulux Vivid white for the ceilings – painters sometimes don’t like this as it doesn’t have the grey in it which helps with coverage. If he is not happy with this then try Snowy Mountains Quarter – using just those two whites together in my experience works but make sure there isn’t another element in the room that could be throwing it all. Good luck! Samantha
Hi , we are building a new house and we are having charcoal grey tile floor, grey kitchen cabinets with timber bench tops, white splash back. It is all one big open plan dinning, kitchen, lounge lots of north facing light. I have blue as my color to bring in with accessories. I want warmth, but I didn’t know what paint color for walls, I was thinking a white or very light grey. If you could please help with this it would be much appreciated. Thanks
Hi Deborah if you are using grey kitchen cabinets and want to use grey on the walls then you need to take your lead from the kitchen as this will all need to tie in together so look at the grey for the kitchen and find a much lighter tone of it for the walls. This may be a cool grey though and if this is the case and you feel it is all getting too cold then you should opt for a white. This will all depend so much though on the kitchen colour that it is hard for me to say. Remember though that with these grey tones you can add splashes of warmth with artworks and upholstery, cushions etc. Beautiful rust tones are back in fashion and these partner really well with charcoal grey as a feature. Hope this helps Samantha
Hi Samantha, you gave me advice to use Woodland Grey as an accent colour on an exterior wall when I was hesitant and it turned out brilliantly , so thankyou so much.
This is a new build and my next problem is that I had asked the painter to use Vivid White on ceilings and trims as I thought it was a neutral white ….. he convinced my husband to use Lexicon Quarter as it had a better cover and so changed the scheme to a bluish undertone! I now have built in shelving in the large entrance hallway all in Lexicon Quarter.
We won’t be painting the main body of the house for a little while but needed to get the built in shelving installed.
We have spotted gum floors, extensive use of classic travertine and I had also thought of using something along the lines of Dulux Beige Calm to contrast with the white trims in the living areas – so I had hoped to have a warmer colour scheme.
I have wallpapers to go in three bedrooms which have very lightish ivory background. As it seems logical that you would use the same trim colours throughout is there any wall colour I could use in the bedrooms that won’t look wrong with the Lexicon Quarter.
Or should I forget that the built in shelving is Lexicon Quarter and chose another white for the doors, skirtings and architraves …. I am so confused now!
Many thanks in advance
Angela
PS Sorry just a little addition – the ceilings haven’t been painted yet either and the kitchen will have a granite benchtop in Universe Black which is a magnificent black with browns, gold and white quartz feature in it, doors etc will be Tesrol white.
Thanks Angela
PPS I had wanted to use oil based enamel on doors, skirtings and architraves but have been advised to use Dulux Aquanamel instead – this looks a bit plasticy to me – what would your advice be?
Many thanks
Hi Angela some painters really don’t like Vivid White as they have to use more coats. Unfortunately Lexicon Quarter although a great white is a blue white and this can throw everything. I think cut your losses and just have the Lexicon Quarter for the shelving – your house palette with travertine and ivory wallpapers is really crying out for a warmer softer white. Either White Polar Quarter or for less warmth but no blue Dulux Snowy Mountains Quarter for internal doors, trim and ceiling. Both of these should keep your painter happy. Try samples of both to see what works best in your house. Glad the Woodland Grey worked outside! Samantha
Thanks so much Samantha.
PPS I had wanted to use oil based enamel on doors, skirtings and architraves but have been advised to use Dulux Aquanamel instead – this looks a bit plasticy to me – what would your advice be?
Many thanks
Hi Sam,
I need some help in choosing the right white for the whole of my house. Currently the walls are lexicon 1/4 and I can’t stand the colour. It is too white. Too cold in the winter and too glarey in the summer.
My trims and internal doors are whisper white. I do not want to repaint these so I need a wall colour to match the whisper white.
I have a feature wall in rainmaker ( a dark blue colour)
We have tried so many sample pots and we just can’t seem to get the colour right.
Our floors are spotted gum and we live in the tropics.
I would really appreciate your help.
May thanks.
Hi Stephanie I know exactly where you are coming from with the Lexicon Quarter – Whisper White is a lovely trim colour so there is no need to change that – perhaps look at it with another warm white like Dulux White Cloak Half or White Verdict? These are softer and may work for you? Samantha
Hi sam loving all of your ideas,i am currently doing my kitchen cabinets in 2 pac and i am not sure what white will go with my ceaserstone snow benchtop and ceaserstone calcutta nuvo splash back i would like a satin finish, my kitchen gets morning sunlight as its east facing,i dont want anything too yellow or creamy,my walls are painted in white seersucker, looking forward to hearing your ideas. Carolyn
Hi Carolyn I think a soft white like Dulux Vivid White could work with this scheme – try a large sample to check whether you like it. Cheers Samantha
Hi Sam,
As others have said thank you for your incredible generosity in providing your advice to those of us who have fallen down the white rabbit hole!
I haven’t seen a question about polished concrete, so thought I would ask. We are renovating an 1880’s terrace and have used a light grey polished concrete in the modern extension that houses the kitchen. The benchtops are caesarstone pure white and the splash back a statuario marble porcelain tile (by Maximum Australia). The room is east facing. I was thinking lexicon quarter for the poly wall cabinets, trims and ceiling, and then something like whitsunday island or snowy mountain quarter for the walls. The kitchen island base will be black. May I ask what you think of that scheme, and if you can recommend a good true black for the island? (I know domino is popular).
Thank you so much in advance Sam xo
Hi Kitty thanks for your kind words! Dulux Lexicon Quarter is an excellent white for kitchen cabinetry as it is very bright and clean looking and will go with Caesarstone Pure White which tends to be a very crisp white too. Some more depth for the walls would be good but I think I would lean towards Snowy Mountain Quarter or half – Whitsunday Island is a lovely grey but I am worried that against the crisp white in a room without much natural light it may look grubby. Domino is popular but it has a touch of blue – although you really only see this outside – try a sample of Black Caviar which is a soft black which knocks out the blue – hope this helps! Samantha
Hi Samantha,
You are wonderfully generous with your knowledge and advice, and I enjoy reading your blog.
Wondering if you can help me?
We are about to paint the outside of a rendered house that is around 20 years old. Roof is dark grey tile, windows are white birch, existing render colour – not sure, but maybe Regency White or similar – render, gutters and rendered fencing are the all same colour ( with dark charcoal/black ironwork inserts in fencing between pillars)
Problem- New house next door – a lovely Hamptons style home, painted Natural White. Our home used to look soft white. Now it looks yellow, tired and grubby.
Can you suggest a modern white- and/ or other colour for the exterior that will not scream at , and hopefully match the white birch windows. Something that would look more modern, and not make us look like our house is dirty next to the beautiful Natural White house next door.
Was wondering about Grand Piano 1/4. I understand we will need to keep to a warmer white and that exterior paint looks much lighter than the colour chart.
My feeling is the windows are aluminium, not timber, so not amazing to be made a feature of with a big contrast, and I like a white house. However, I am open to suggestions to colour.
The style of the home is modern, classic, slightly provincial, but plain with no embellishments typical of elaborate french provincial homes built by developers. We have a wide frontage, so the contrast between the two house is striking and has made our house look very dated.
Hoping you can help
Hi Olivia I feel your pain as I have White Birch windows too!! Looked great when they went in but I can’t have all the lovely fresh whites and greys either. Grand Piano Quarter is very light and still a little yellow – and is so light that the White Birch windows will stand out. You really need something more tonally similar – Dulux White Duck half, White Duck and Apparition are very neutral stone off whites – you won’t be competing with next door but will have a very classic stone neutral look which will not scream at the windows. Do try large samples though of them all as it depends on how white you want your house – it’s better to have a little more depth and work with what you have. Hope this works for you Samantha
Hi Samantha,
My partner and I have just bought our first home and are looking to repaint. The house is east facing so main bedroom and lounge don’t get a lot of sun, while the kitchen, dining and study get the afternoon sun. We are redoing the floors as Tasmanian oak floorboards with a clear coat. We are wanting a white that doesn’t have a noticeable yellow or blue tinge but don’t want a clinical feel either. Following some sample on two different walls on the house and online research we are leaning towards snowy mountain half and it’s variations (1/4 and 1/8). I’m wondering if a) this would be an appropriate colour choice given the lack of natural light in the rooms, b) what colour strength would you recommend for the walls, trim and ceilings and c) would you recommend painting SMH on the rooms that get more sun and then dropping to SMQ for the rooms with less natural light?
Thanks for your help!
Hi Rhianna a lot of people are leaning towards Snowy Mountains at the moment – it is a nice neutral white with no strong undertone and you are absolutely right in thinking that you can adjust the strengths according to the light the rooms receive. The best way to get an idea about it is to paint a large board with two coats – laborious but worth it – and then place them in the rooms – particularly those ones that don’t get enough natural light. Snowy Mountains is neutral but is also a touch grey which you may notice in a dark room. Dulux White Verdict half and quarter has some warmth if this doesn’t work. Good luck Samantha
Hi Samantha,
Great article! Choosing the right white is a lot harder than what I thought and your article has been helping a lot.
We are currently renovating our kitchen and have chosen the Caesarstone Statuario Maximus for island and bentchtop (creamy but grey veins), shaker style cabinet in satin Lexicon quarter to go with our splash back which will be white gloss subway tiles with white grout. Know for the dilemma of choosing our wall colour… because of the grey veins in our Caesarstone and the cool white used for our cabinetry, we are thinking about using a cool white with a grey tint in it. We were thinking about using lexicon half but worried about the blue tint it can throw as our open plan doesn’t have a lot of natural light. I would love to hear your thoughts about what other cool white colour could work. Currently on our list are Casper White Quarter, White Exchange Quarter and Summer Cloud Quarter…
Our floors are American Oak if that helps.
Thank you ?
Hi Candice Summer Cloud Quarter has a lavender look so I think it should be between the other two and my money would be on Dulux White Exchange quarter as it is a touch softer – Using Dulux Lexicon Quarter as a trim colour would give the walls nice definition and link in your kitchen cabinet colour. Hope this helps Samantha
Thanks Sam for sharing your wealth of knowledge! I’m soooo glad I found your blog. I’m a bit clearer after reading your blog and everyone’s questions and your replies. I know we need a warm white.
We have a large 2 storey house in Tasmania, weatherboard, built in 1920, with a number of additions/modifications over time. We’re renovating now and will be re-painting throughout. Dulux painter recommended half snowy mountains with lexicon trims (1/4 maybe?). He has started with painting the stairwell (retaining wooden skirtings and banister) and front foyer (one length of house is very large double hung windows). I feel the snowy mountains is too stark and cold so I know we need to change before he goes any further!
We are also painting a new small sunroom which is bathed in natural light and surrounded by large magnolias and other trees outside the windows. This adjoins a large ‘pool room’ (snooker/eightball) which has a magnificent large open unused fireplace, library wall with dark timber, high ceilings and picture rails throughout. This is a dark room and, interestingly, is painted a dark green (not sure what it’s called, but it’s a deep federation green) on every surface, including ceilings and fireplace. We are hoping to strip the fireplace back to natural bricks and want to lighten up this room but retain the warm, billiard room feel to it.
Because the foyer, billiard room and sunroom link to each other I’d prefer to use the same pallet. I’ve looked at Dulux Stowe White, Handmade Linen Quarter, Hogbristle Quarter, and Fair Bianca. Reading your blog and responses above I’m thinking maybe I should get sample pots of White Coat and Beige Royal. We would vary strengths dependent on amount of light and height if ceilings?
Any help would be very gratefully received as I’m so confused! Thank you so much!
Hi Alex yes it sounds like you need a warm white if Dulux Snowy Mountains half was too stark. If you still want a white then you may find Dulux Stowe White is the best as it has some lovely warmth – it would be good though to find something that comes in various strengths so that you can adapt this through the house and Dulux Beige Royal may work well as it is a lovely neutral and looks good in quarter, half or full strength. Hope this helps! Samantha
Thanks Samantha – very much appreciate your time and expertise. We went with quarter strength White Coat on the walls in the sunroom, with vivid white trims and love it – it is just perfect! We’ll take White Coat half through the larger spaces in the house I think. I mentioned the ‘pool room’ in my original post above – we have definitely decided to change the green, strip back French doors to wood, strip the paint from the fireplace which will expose old red bricks with white pointed grouting. I want to retain the billiard room/library ambiance so want to have a warm colour. I appreciate it’s not necessarily a ‘white paint’ question, but if you have any suggestions of a deeper colour that could go in this room that will work with white cloak, I’d be grateful. It has 10 foot ceiling, with picture rails around the room. I was wondering whether to do vivid white ceiling and trims, with white cloak full strength to picture rails then some deeper colour below…..or is this outdated and too disjointed? Thank you again 🙂
Hi Samantha, I’ve really enjoyed your blog, and am struggling to select a pale grey for our home interior. It is very spacious and open plan with terracotta coloured tiles. I want something light, airy and welcoming. I prefer the cool whites.
We used lexicon in our previous home, a post war home, which was beautiful , fresh and crisp against lovely floorboards, but we had now have less natural light than in old house. Will do vivid white skirtings and ceilings. Would love your advice.
Hi Brenda Perhaps something like Dulux White Exchange Quarter could work – still cool but without too much grey or blue which you will need in a place with less natural light. Remember that your terracotta tiles will reflect onto the wall so ensure that you take this into account and paint a sample board. Good luck Samantha
Thanks for your advice Samantha, we have ended up with Snow Season Quarter, after I spent more time reading through your blog and trying a few sample colours. It’s looking great so far! One room almost finished!
All the best,
Brenda
Hi there 🙂
Thank you so much for help s blog, it has been very informative!
I have a traditional home with timber fretwork. There is cream carpets in the formal areas and spotted gum in the kitchen/ family rooms. We have verandahs all around so the kitchen doesn’t get a lot of natural light. Our windows are white birch to 🙂 We are completely redoing the kitchen and have quantum quartz michaelangelo stone benches which are white with black/ grey veining. My dilemma is what colour white to paint the cabinet doors? I had decided in dulux natural white but am now scared that it will be too cream/ pink especially with the satin white backsplash tiles I have chosen. I don’t want the kitchen to look sterile and cold and I really don’t like the lexicon ranges but I also don’t want it to look too cream against the benchtop. I’m going for a relaxed and comfortable look. I am now thinking snowy mountains half but it sounds like that is cool as well… I am stressed now as our doors are ready to be painted and I’m still stuck trying to figure out a white!!! any suggestions as to what might work would be awesome. Thanks 🙂
Hi Kate have you considered Dulux Vivid White – this is a crisp white but doesn’t have the grey or blue of some and I think is just a touch creamy. I use it a lot as a trim and kitchen colour but it will all come down to your white splashback. Perhaps if you have a good paint store close by you could take in one of your satin white tiles and ask them to colour match it for you as at the end of the day, this is going to need to be your guide. Hope this helps Samantha
Hi Samantha,
Thank you for your help with deciding on the external colours of our new house – not finished yet but coming up nicely so far!
Time for inside – The main living area is large and open plan with a lot of glass. The kitchen cupboards are charcoal with Caeserstone Oyster benchtops and mirror splashback.
We came across a display house with the walls done in Dulux White Exchange which we liked a lot. There seems to be lot of feedback here about White Exchange Half but not the full strength version – will it look “dirty” in some lights? Will it be OK with a lighter grey tile? Is it too cold as we don’t want to end up looking too clinical?
Which ceiling white would you recommend with it? (Paint shop recommended Illusive White but I am having some trouble tracking it down).
Thanks in advance
Jo
Hi Samantha,
Am also now looking at Taubmans Ice princess and Dulux Casper White.
Thanks so much.
Jo
Hi Jo I had to laugh at you not being able to track down Illusive White!! I’ve never heard of it but my advice would be to use a quarter strength of what you use on the walls. This would work well with White Exchange half on the walls but you should check out the full strength – it is greyer but with a trim in quarter strength you might get away with it. I like a little depth on the walls and it would balance the grey cabinets nicely. Glad to hear the outside is looking good Samantha
Hi Samantha,
Thanks for the reassurance with using White Exchange Full. I did want to blend in the trims and doors a bit. Maybe full on the walls, half on the doors and trims and quarter on the ceiling?? Or do we really need the definition of quarter on the trim too as you suggested?
Never thought that chasing the right white could be so damned illusive!!
Cheers Jo
Hi there,
I am also having an awful time trying to pick white Dulux paint for renovation! Looking to keep things fairly simple, neutral and something that will suit the whole house. The new lighting being installed throughout is at 4000 (neutral) temperature. I’d like it to look modern but homey – definitely don’t want Lexicon or something that throws blue or makes it hospital-like! But don’t want it to throw yellow or pink either!
We are putting spotted gum flooring throughout and will be getting kitchen cabinets re-painted a satin white with a new white fleck stone benchtop. I am getting to choose the colour they are being painted though….should they be the same as the walls (they do not go up to ceiling height) or would it look better if they were slightly different?
Also architrave/skirting is very plain D/bullnose, is it worth ‘featuring’ this in a different colour like Vivid White? Or better to blend it in? Will be doing the lighter/ceiling white on ceilings.
Would appreciate any advice/ideas! Thanks.
Hi Tricia The white you choose for your skirtings will also be on your architraves and internal doors so you need to consider this. You certainly don’t need to have a contrast white – the sheen will probably be a little different so will look slightly different anyway. A good rule of thumb is the kitchen cabinets the same as your trim/internal door colour and then slightly more depth on the broad wall space. Dulux Vivid White is nice and bright but has a touch of warmth and is nice with something like Dulux White Verdict Quarter for a touch of warmth but you need to look at it with your new benchtop, the amount of natural light and other furnishings and of course your own preference so ensure you try out large samples. Good luck Samantha
Hi Samantha,
We are owner builders and getting close to painting! I have just made kitchen selections and have gone with laminex Polar White Matt kitchen cabinets and laminex pewter also with a white stone bench top with subtle veiny look. I was just wondering if you have any suggestions as to what white would work on the walls/ceiling etc. I was thinking lexicon or or snowy mountain. Could I do the same colour for walls, ceiling, skirting and door architraves and cornice? We have lots of natural light with 3metre bifold glass doors front and back. Thanks, lexie
Hi Lexie Either of those whites will work but bear in mind Dulux Lexicon has quite a blue undertone so you might be better off with Dulux Snowy Mountains which is a lot more neutral. Full or half strengths on walls with Quarter strength on trim, internal doors and ceiling is a good formula to remember for whites. Good luck Samantha
Hi Samantha,
I am renovating an old Fremantle cottage and the open plan living/kitchen does not receive much natural light, the house has Jarrah floorboards and the interior walls have pine paneling as well as the kitchen cabinets which I also want to paint. I was thinking painting interior walls, panelling and kitchen cabinets in Dulux natural white variating in full to half strengths. Do you think this will work or all look too matchy and creamy? I want the house to look more fresh with natural light furnishing, but the current white looks too grey. Also not sure whether to match walls, pine panel and kitchen cabinets? Thank you in advance for your help.
Hi Lani I really like whites to flow and think that from your description that Dulux Natural White could work as it has some warmth – the pine panelling will certainly be transformed by this look. My feeling with the beautiful feature floorboards is to keep it simple and just work with the one white but you could play around with strengths too – just try samples boards first. Remember that panelling gives you a natural shadowline so whites will appear different on this to a flat surface and that may be all the variation you need. Good luck – the Fremantle cottage sounds interesting Samantha
Oh gosh do i need your help! We bought out house last year in november, a 1997 built house. The house is still very original 90’s. It has cream aluminum window frames, the tiles cream (yellow cream) running through the kitchen, hallways and living & meals area. We also have some floor boards which seem to be newish in the lounge and formal dining area. Which are a bit american oak looking. The kitchen is also classic cream. Originally the house was painted cream also but the previous owners had painting (not very well) in a light grey with white skirtings and doors (only half painted in the house). Now our plan is to update the house in the future – Floors and kitchen eventuality but currently we want to build a bunch of new storage in the laundry and we need to paint that room along with the rest of the house. I am wanting to upgrade more with the kitchen, floors etc in the future but we dont have the $$$ to do that yet. So what paint colours can we pick that will currently work with what we have but also work if we want to do more elements of grey and white with the future upgrades? So far i have played with a few samples for walls with white exchange half and quater, natural white, lexicon etc but i just dont know what to do. Help!!
Hi Rebecca my feeling with the samples you have looked at so far is go with Natural White as it will work the best with your creamy tones – it’s difficult when you are working with colours you may change in the future but at the moment I think this could work for you. Good luck Samantha
Samantha, great article!
I am driving myself insane at present trying to work out paint colours. Slight problem is I am slightly colourblind and my husband is colourblind too…. so choosing white paint with correct undertones is hard.
We are extending/renovating a Single Fronted Victorian in Melbourne.
We will have a large open plan kitchen/living/dining. Windows are 6m floor to ceiling at the East (going to garden) with some high (above kitchen cupboards) windows on the north side. Kitchen will be a white with Caeserstone Organic White benchtop and the kitchen island will be a Navy ( Dulux Anchorman). Flooring is a yellowish European Oak.
Bedrooms (North facing windows- but narrow space to next house of only 1.5m so shadowing) will have a mid grey carpet.
Hallway is long on the southern side so dark.
What white do you suggest? I plan on using Vivid white for Skirting. I wanted something with a slight grey base so the yellow of the flooring is not really picked up, but also don’t want something that will clash.
Many thanks Lou
Hi Lou you could look at Dulux White Exchange Quarter – this is a nice grey that doesn’t have blue and quite a few of my clients have liked it recently with Vivid White trim. You might want to get a friend involved though to look at it with your flooring if you are colour blind or you could engage a local Dulux consultant to give you a hand. Hope this helps Samantha
Many thanks for your input Samantha.
I painted out an A3 board and really like the White Exchange Quarter and Half. We will definitely be using one of these inside the house.
A quick question as the the exterior. Front is Single Fronted Weatherboard Victorian cottage. Rear is modern block (with downstairs being Colourbond Windspray and Upstairs Colourbond Surf Mist. Upstairs will also have a small accent which is Colourbond Monument, windows at the rear to be Colourbond Basalt).
We had been thinking Antique White USA and Vivid White for the cottage section (next door have use these colours and it looks good) but then comparing this to the colours (which I can’t change) for the rear of the house it looks a bit clashing to us.
What do you think about using the White Exchange Quarter (or even Eighth) for the exterior too (when considering the colours for the back half of the house)?
In the bright sunight would this be more white with a slight hint of grey or what colour would you suggest when trying to get a White on White for the front cottage (Using Vivid White as the accent colour for architraves and ironwork lace)?
The cottage has a corrugated iron bullnose, but the roof (unfortunately) is terracotta tiles which we have to keep (heritage). We may put a front triangle of corrugated iron on the front of the tiles at the front later (neighbours did this when selling) but will need to wait until after council have done inspections approving the final build.
Thanks
Lou
Hi Lou I’ve reviewed your project – sounds really interesting – and I think that it is the Surfmist which is throwing the look of the soft whites. On its own, Surfmist looks white but once you start putting other whites with it, particularly nice soft whites like Antique White USA, you start to see the grey in Surfmist and the warmth in your white. You therefore need to stick with some cooler greyer whites to keep to the Surfmist/Windspray base. Dulux White Exchange could be the answer but I wouldn’t go even as light as quarter as in the sunlight this will be very bright and again, may jar against the Surfmist. Perhaps look at the half strength outside with some Vivid White trim. I hope this makes sense? Samantha
Just popping in to say a very big THANK YOU. We have loved your advice. They have just done the first two undercoats in White Exchange Half with Half Lexicon trim inside and it looks perfect…. enough of a colour on the walls, but not too much and no bad colours being thrown off.
Thanks so much for letting me know Lou – hope you love the end result Samantha
Hi Samantha
What a great read! We have moved into a new home and we are looking to paint our home white throughout. We have dark grey floor tiles and hoping to paint the interior of the house using a white that will soften it a bit. I have recently painted over a chocolate brown wall feature wall in the loungeroom with lexicon half but it looks blue! We painted our last house Natural White and was happy with it but that was with timber floors. I would love your opinion. Thanks in advance 🙂
Hi Rochelle yes Lexicon Half has a definite blue undertone which you can see when you hold it against other whites. Great for contemporary spaces but difficult to live with. Don’t feel that just because you have a dark grey floor you have to go with a cool white. Depending on the aspect of your house and how much natural light it receives you may find that something like Dulux Natural white that you have used before will work well. Also consider any other whites in the house – your kitchen for example and ensure that your chosen white works with this. Perhaps try a sample of Natural White against the flooring to see what you think. Remember that the flooring will reflect up onto the wall so possibly a warmer white may counteract that coolness? Good luck Samantha
Great advice. I will give Natural White a try.
Thankyou very much.
HI i am after your advice regarding interior paint colour i have carrara tiles all throughout the house and i have always wanted white walls but not sure if i should go white with a grey etc. What are your thoughts and do you have any colours you could recommend
Hi Tony It depends how white you want the walls to be – you can opt for a nice crisp white like Dulux Vivid White and this will give a nice crisp contrast to the floor or you could look at the white/grey that is the base of the Carrara and go for a shade lighter. You need to be careful not to make it all too grey – sometimes some contrast can be good to make the beautiful tiles stand out rather than find something that completely blends. But you will also need to consider the amount of natural light and other furnishings etc so make sure you test samples! Samantha
Hi Rochelle,
I’m hoping that you will be able to help…. the more research I do the more confused I get!!
I have a 30 year old home in Australia which has lots of large windows. It has cathedral ceilings with wood panelling which our painted painted half strength builders white – that’s the only details I got our of him???
There are some plastered walls though the house but most of the walls are timber panelling. I want to paint the walls a very light inconspicuous grey colour. I was thinking the Dulux lexicon half but unsure if that is going to look too white or maybe even blue?? We tried the Dulux lexicon but that seems too blue)
Any help would be great – I think I’m driving me poor husband insane
Hi Katie With your white for the walls you need to consider whether you want a warm feel or a cool crisp feel. Dulux Lexicon half will give you a very crisp ultra contemporary look or something like Dulux Casper White half will give you a grey/white without the blue. Don’t dismiss some of the warmer whites though if you want a slightly cosier feel – the ceiling may throw a lot of whites though so you will need to double check samples in relation to that – I suspect a builder’s white will have a good touch of grey as they like this for the extra coverage. Good luck Samantha
Hi Rochelle,
You dont realise how hard colours can be until you go to paint a house!!! After reading all your suggestion, it seems like you really know your colours!!! What would be nice white with inconspicuous grey undertones (a lot of colours seem to have purple or blue undertones)
(I’m from Melbourne, Australia)
Many thanks ?
Hi Alice I like Dulux White Exchange Quarter strength as it has a touch of grey, and no blue/purple undertones. It looks good when contrasted with a Vivid White but less grey if used by itself. Make sure you try out large samples first as the overall effect will depend on the aspect of your room and the amount of natural light it receives. Good luck Samantha
Hi Sam
Thank you for such an interesting read. I’d love some advice. We just ripped out our kitchen and we need it painted before the new one goes in. We have chosen polytec polar white sheen for the cabinetry and polytec Buller stone Matt (white with grey speckles). We have spotted gum floors throughout the apartment and the rest of the apartment will need to be painted too. It’s not a big space but it does get some nice light. What whites would you advise on? Thanks!
Hi Carly As your apartment gets lots of nice light you could look at something cooler like Snowy Mountains Quarter. This is a lovely fresh but slightly grey white which will work with your kitchen choices and then you still have the lovely rich Spotted Gum floor for warmth – test out a large sample first though to check that you like the effect. Good luck Samantha
Hello,
I have only just recently come across your article – which has been really easy to conceptualise.
We have a 70’s brick 4 bedder in Toowoomba, QLD, Australia. We have installed:
– Country Oak Blonde Vinyl Planks
– White and Grey bathroom (will add colour through accessories) and
– Already existing was a Black Granite benchtop & Pearl white 2pac Kitchen.
Overall we’re going for a Grey, White, Different Raw (medium to light) wood furnishings and Black and Midnight blue accents.
The house is a rectangle so 3 bedrooms, media room and master are all at the front getting the morning sun. The kitchen, Dining and 4th bedroom get little to none 🙁 and our rumpus at the back has 4 x 1.8m bay windows and gets the afternoon light.
I’m wanting something contemporary but not cold. I did like Lexion but am worried about markings on the walls – I heard go a grey undertone to help hide marks. So I’m digging Tranquil Retreat, or Snowy Mountain (1/4 or 1/8 strength) for the walls – thoughts?
Many thanks for your help with this one. Appreciate it.
Hi Tellie I think that with the aspect of your house you may need a white with a little more warmth than Dulux Lexicon which with its blue base might not work well in those areas that don’t get much light – the rumpus at the back could get away with it but the rooms that only get morning sun might need something with less blue/grey. The Snowy Mountains or White Exchange range of whites from Dulux are still cool and will work with all your other colours but they knock out the blue. Taubmans Cradle White is a lovely fresh white that also isn’t too cool. Try samples in all the different rooms to check. With regard to hiding marks, I believe the best thing is to buy a good quality washable paint. I like Dulux wash n wear low sheen as it is a durable paint that you can wipe down. Taubmans Endure is also very good for resisting marks and their low sheen finish has just a 5-10% gloss level so you get the washability but still have a relatively matt finish. They are also introducing a matt finish but it isn’t available yet. I would consider using one of these as I don’t think just the grey undertone will make a different. Good luck! Samantha
Hi, im another person trying to pick a white for our new build house and finding it so hard! North facing but with most windows east and west but close to the fences on a small block.
We are going with a weathered oak mid grey with some beiges wood floor for most of the house. The front door and window frames are paperbark. White natural finish laminate cupboards. Pure mineralstone laminate white benchtops which has some grey/beige tones. White subway tiles in bathrms and kitchen splashback. With beige havana grout in the kitchen and white in the bathrms. Ceiling white ceilings. Floor tiles in the wet areas are beige. We also have alot of mochas, browns and different wood furniture.
I like a bright house so im thinking a cool colour. I dont want a yellow cream. would like a colour that contrasts the white subway tiles but doesnt clash with everything! At the moment the ones that im liking are White Duck Quarter, white exchange half/quarter, whisper white, or white cloak quarter. I dont want a green or blue to show but a grey or beige is ok. Do u have a idea which one would suit?
Hi Beth In my experience Dulux White Cloak Quarter works the best with your colour palette – make sure you try a sample first though! Good luck Samantha
Hi Samantha, I would really appreciate your advice in picking a Dulux White for a low set, 80’s brick veneer home. The ceilings are standard height but it feels low, cramped, and cold, perhaps due to the limited sunlight it gets. I will lay new vinyl planks on the floors in the Karndean Korlok Canadian Urban Oak shade.
As the property will be tenanted up until renovations, I won’t get the chance to paint sample swatches so I was wondering which warm white you would recommend? I was originally going to use Vivid White on ceiling and trims, with Natural White on walls, however I read that in order to create the illusion of higher ceilings, the walls and ceiling should appear to be the same colour. Is this correct? And if so, would Natural White in full strength for walls, and quarter strength for the ceilings and trims be suitable? I am cautious not to go too yellow as I want to achieve a fresh yet cosy feel. Thank you!
Hi Jan a change in ceiling colour – even between two whites – does define the ceiling so if you are feeling that it is too cramped and low you may not want to draw too much attention to the top of the wall where it meets the cornice and ceiling. Dulux Natural White is a good standby to create a warm and cosy effect with a soft white that isn’t too dark and you could do a quarter strength of this on the ceiling and it will work with your floor choice. If you did want to have some definition to the space you could still use your Dulux Vivid White for the internal doors, architraves and skirting boards if you want to. Hope this helps Samantha
Thanks Samantha! I just need to decide on cornice colour. Can you please also advise whether in my situation it’s better to paint the cornice same as walls (Natural White Full) or same as ceiling (Natural White Quarter)?
And would Natural White Half be even better for the ceiling to avoid that line as you mentioned above? Many, many thanks!
Hi Jan I always paint cornice the same as ceiling – you will see a slight difference with either quarter or half but you could start with half to see what it looks like and go lighter if necessary. Good luck Samantha
Thank you Samantha! Your advice and article has been immensely helpful to me during a really stressful time – cannot thank you enough!
Hi Samantha,
Like many others, reading your blog and the comments has been a huge help but is also making us more confused with the number of choices!
We are building a new house – the main kitchen/family room is quite large 10mx6m with 3.2m high ceilings. Floorboards will be Blackbutt timber. The kitchen island will Dulux Oolong 2pac with the remainder of the cabinets matched to the ceiling in Vivid White.
Would Casper White Half (walls), Casper White Quarter (trim) and vivid white (ceiling) be too cold considering the size of the room?
Hopefully this paints a picture of our plans and thank you in advance for your help!
Bek
Hi Bek If your kitchen is Dulux Vivid White you might like to consider trims in this white too – I find this a good rule of thumb so that your kitchen cabinetry is the same white as window architraves, skirting boards etc and any other internal doors that are close by. The Dulux Casper White range is a lovely off white grey which will go nicely with the other colours you have selected and it doesn’t have the underlying blue that some whites have which tends to make the room cold and as you have such high ceilings you can get away with a little depth on the walls. My advice would be to paint a very large sample board and view it during the day and night to see what you think – you need to consider the aspect of the room – if it faces north or west and gets a lot of lovely natural light then the Casper White will definitely be OK but you might want to double check and adjust it if the aspect is south or east and doesn’t get so much sunlight. As you are building you may need to find a room that has the same aspect and try out the sample there. Hope you love your new home Samantha
Hi Samantha, we are putting a new kitchen and would really appreciate your help in picking Dulux White for walls, ceilings and trims. We have chosen White Satin cabinets (2 pac shaker style cabinets), Calacatta Euro benchtop and blackbutt timber floor. The kitchen is open to the dining area and medium level of natural light.
Currently the wall is Dulux Antique White USA but it looks too creamy (yellow) for us. After reading your article I am thinking of Snowy Mountains Half (or quarter) on the walls and Dulux Vivid White ceiling and trims. Do these two whites work together or are they too white for the white satin kitchen? We want something modern and bright. Would love to hear your suggestions and many thanks for your advise. Brent
Hi Brent Dulux Snowy Mountains half with Vivid White works well together – another grey white is Dulux White Exchange half or quarter which also looks good with Vivid White. You need to look at large samples of the chosen wall white next to your kitchen white as this may also have a slight undertone so bear this in mind too when making your final choice. Good luck Samantha
Hi Samantha, we are currently in process of sampling whites for our 2 storey weatherboard house on the Gold Coast. Have just sampled Dulux Snowy Mountain Half & doesn’t give us the crisp white look as main part of house being viewed is east facing & comes into shade quite early in the day. We are now looking at Vivid White for our boards to get that crisp white look but not sure what to do on the window trims & doors as we want to keep the white on white theme – could you go either a quarter strength or a double strength of Vivid White to try add some depth or layering from the boards? Gutter & fascia will be a light grey tone. Look forward to your thoughts. Thanks, Shannon
Hi Shannon – you can’t go Vivid White half strength as Vivid White is the lightest you can go. What I would say is that weatherboards have a natural shadow line which breaks up the colour whereas your architraves will be solid so they should appear a little different but really in the harsh QLD sun you are really splitting hairs. Perhaps try the light grey for your window architraves to tie in with the fascia trim and this will make your weatherboards stand out even more. Hope this helps Samantha
Hi Samantha, would love some feedback from you as I am CONFUSED :-). Who knew that white would be so difficult to chose :-). We are renovating our kitchen, which I am very excited about and I am trying to chose the white for our cabinetry. Smallish space but kitchen will be a bit more open as knocking adjoining wall to dining room out and putting in an island. Not a huge amount of natural light, but some…. so want to lighten it up and have white cupboards and have decided on Oyster, Caesarstone benchtop. Was considering Cotton Ball or Crisp White – Taubmans but after test pots not sure they will be too white. Emailed Dulux who have suggested Snowy Mountain Half which I do really quite like I think. Lexicon is definitely too blue for our space. I just wanted white and fresh but probably do prefer warmer tones to cold, although I don’t want creamy. Argghhhhhh :-). I have only seen feedback for Snowy Mountain used on walls though, not in cabinetry. We will be painting walls after the kitchen is complete and that is yet to be decided and I may want a warmer colour. So I guess my question is, do you think Snowy Mountain is white enough and would it go with a warmer white colour down the track or can you recommend another white to be used for cabinetry? Haven’t had much experience with renovating and have definitely not allowed myself enough time in chosing white, haa haa :-). Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Cheers Tracy
Also, will be white subway tiles as splash back and mean’t to say that when looking at the colour cards my initial thoughts were a lot were too dark but after trying Snowy Mountain Half realised they aren’t as dark as you first think, hence my confusion :-). Thanks Tracy
Hi Tracy I have used Dulux Snowy Mountains quarter on kitchen cabinetry and it looked as white as white can be. You really only see the grey/darkness in it when you put it against a really crisp white. And as you say in your second comment – even in half strength it really isn’t that dark when you see it away from a small colour chip! You can certainly get away with half strength but just ensure that you put the white subway tile that you want to use next to it. These also come in different whites so it may be that the quarter strength will suit the tile better. As this is a lovely neutral white you won’t have trouble finding something with a bit of depth in it for the walls – I use this white a lot and it is very user friendly! Good luck Samantha
Hi Samantha
Thank you so much for your response. I re-read your article and realised you mentioned Snowy Mountain Qtr for cabinets which I had missed. Great blog and you are awesome for taking the tame to respond to us all. Thanks again, much appreciated, Tracy
Amazing blog! Love your work 🙂 we are renovating a house at the moment and going for a coastal look with blonde oak floorboards. The open dining and kitchen area is flooded with natural light and we found the natural white looks too cream and the lexicon quarter too stark. We finally made a decision on organic white caeserstone for the kitchen bench tops but think we need a slightly cool white with a bit of grey for the cabinets so it doesn’t contrast too much. Any advice for the cabinets and walls would be much appreciated. We would like it white but not too sterile.
Hi Lisa glad you love the blog! I think you should look at the Dulux Snowy Mountains range which is very popular as it knocks out the blue of Lexicon but still has a touch of grey and works well with blonde oak. The beauty of it too is that it comes in different strength levels from quarter to full so you can play about to see which you prefer – possibly quarter or half on cabinets trim and ceiling and full on walls? Hope this helps Samantha
Hi Samantha – I’m repainting a Gold Coast townhouse which has all the original cream based tones (Walls, balllustrades on stairs etc.) Main living areas get a lot of natural light being N/NE facing.
Am going to use vivid white for all trims, stair balustrade and doors. Have read hundreds of your blogs. Now have to decide on wall colour which I want to show a definite contracts with the trims. Originally had half lexicon in mind but now realise blue undertone is not what I want. Floors will be carpeted in darkish grey / charcoal colour. As I want a grey undertone (if any) I have decided best options may be Snowy Mountains half or White Exchange half/quarter. I DON”T want a dirty grubby looking wall – other bloggers have mentioned this with White Exchange. I want fresh, cool look.
Your thoughts / advice would be much appreciated.
Thank you – Warren
Hi Warren I tend to find that the grey whites can look a bit grubby in south facing or darker rooms but in a sunny aspect and with the fresh white trim, it should be OK. I have clients who have been very happy with this combination. Dulux Snowy Mountains half will give you a fresher look but White Exchange half or quarter will also look really smart with your charcoal carpet. The room and aspect has so much to do with the outcome that you will probably just need to try samples of both. Good luck Samantha
Hi Samantha, I am renovating an old workers cottage in Sydney. We have 3m pressed ceilings and grey ironbark hardwood flooring throughout. The rear of the house is the open living space, facing east with 2x3m doors. Two of the walls are sand stock brick (5x3m each)and we are installing an ikea ‘savedal’ kitchen which looks from the colour swatches the match Snowy Mountains Half. I’m keen to get your opinion on what white in a well lit room already with significant orange/red/brown walls and hardwood floors to use. Opposite the kitchen are 4 doors for pantry/bathroom/cupboard. Should these match the kitchen cupboards? What white for trim (skirting / architraves) and ceiling? I read somewhere that cool whites suit exposed brick, I’d appreciate your view… Thanks
Hi Peter I think the white you use will need to be dictated by your kitchen cabinetry. Ikea will sell you just a small drawer front, which you are able to return (I think you may have to be an Ikea club member which is free anyway and which you should have for insurance anyway for transporting your kitchen). Take this drawer front into the house and you will really get a good appreciation of the white that you will end up with. The lighting in Ikea can be off-putting so I don’t like to compare whites in their showroom. My feelings would be to match the kitchen joinery white for your trim and any other joinery, a quarter strength for the ceiling and then a slightly darker strength of the white for the walls. As you have an east facing kitchen with bricks I wouldn’t go too grey or too dark with your wall white. If you want a lighter trim to bring some definition to the wall colour you can use the quarter strength as you would for the ceiling and then use the same white as the joinery for the walls. Hope this makes sense – but definitely start with the actual Ikea white in your house and everything should flow from there. Good luck Samantha
Hi Samantha what a great post. I am competely lost looking a white or grey for my home. I have many other influences in the home that will be renovated over time. I have a slate floor with a multitude of colours. North facing,
Big windows and beautiful view. I will eventually put jarrah flooring the the rest if the home with are quite dark spaces. The closest colour i like at the moment is beige royal half. Which i think is too dark and just a hint to pink. I havent tried the green bases as i thought when i eventually do the jarrah floor it might not sit right.
Im just wondering if i should keep going lighter to white or find a good grey.
Hi Natasha you could look at Beige Royal quarter but if not then probably look at choosing a white and as you are north facing consider one with a touch of grey like Dulux Snowy Mountains half. I wouldn’t go too grey though as this won’t necessarily work with either the jarrah or the slate. Consider too the feel you want for the room – clean and crisp or slightly darker and moodier? Good luck Samantha
Hi Samantha
We are in the process of selecting new colours to paint over our weatherboard home, which currently has Colorbond Smooth Cream walls and Colorbond Windspray Roof. We also have large rural sheds around the house with the same colours.
I should have chosen a white window at the time (like many I am sure), but we went for Birch white windows. I had selected a Wattyl Magnolia Bloom (White colour) for the timber feature window frame. Looks okay with these colour combinations, but now I am wanting to move away from the Cream walls and go towards either Dulux Linseed or Dulux Mangaweka. I cant go too grey as it will clash with the sheds.
What white colour would you suggest to paint the window frames so that the Birch white windows don’t clash with the new wall colours? I greatly appreciate your help.
Hi Christine Both Dulux Mangaweka and Dulux Linseed will go with the White Birch windows – probably Linseed more so – and then I would just go a couple of tones lighter of whatever you choose for the trims. It won’t be a perfect match but the colour will have a yellow base so I think it should work outside. If you visit a Dulux trade centre they will have an Atlas and can show you these colours as they get lighter. Hope this helps Samantha
Hi Samantha
Amazing how long this blog is going, wow! Love all the quality recommendations. Question i have is for a house that will have loads of light from noon till end of the day, the back is facing west on a high plateau with view on water. Rooms mainly big patio doors and windows. When moving into it we think of having dulux vivid white for ceiling, windows and doors. To connect the windows and doors to the color of the ceiling (242 cm high).
The walls will be lexicon quarter.
I’m not sure about the floor skirting and ceiling moulding. Also vivid white or Lexicon quarter?Think choosing the lexicon quarter it might make the ceiling higher because of the same color as the walls.
There isn’t much difference between Dulux Lexicon Quarter and Dulux Vivid White – I would opt for one or the other because with so much light and high ceilings it will all just blend and be one crisp white. If you do adjust the Lexicon to half strength you need to take account of the underlying blue in it which will start to come through at that strength. If you are unsure, paint large samples of both and put them in situ with the light. Good luck Samantha
Hi Samantha,
I am renovating and extending an old brick cottage by the sea, and have decided on Dulux Rottnest Island for the exterior brick walls. The roof and guttering will be Colorbond Windspray.
I want a nice crisp white for the verandah fretwork, and a light grey for the verandah posts and frame. I was thinking of Dulux Shale Grey for the posts, but am not sure about the white. I don’t want a cream or bluish look.
Hi Samanatha,
Wow this is an amazing post!
We are repainting and very confused with colours. Our kitchen has prairie beige formica cabinets, cream splashback and a pecan creme essastone bench top – so quite beige/creamy colours (sadly).
Our floor is blackbutt and most of the house gets lots of sunlight.
We originally had sandy day quarter but this is a little too warm.
I’m considering pebble grey quarter or casper white quarter but not sure if these would go with the beige kitchen. Any suggestions would be totally appreciated!
Hi Suzanne Dulux Grey Pebble Half is a greyer and slightly darker version of Dulux Sandy Day quarter – less obviously warm and more grey. Dulux Casper White quarter is quite a crisp grey white which may look too stark against your kitchen and the contrast may draw even more attention to the creamy beige colours. I think Dulux Grey Pebble is probably the answer out of your two – it’s difficult to say without seeing it but I have used this colour a bit in the past and it has always been popular. Possibly paint a large board with a sample of the colour and look at it around the room and during the day and night to see what you think. Good luck Samantha
Hi Samanatha,
I have made the mistake of picking the wrong whites, the first that looks very clotted cream on the walls, then one that is more a very light grey!
I live in Oz in an open plan maisonette house with a gable ceiling. Upstairs we have the main bedroom and lounge room, its very bright with big windows. Downstairs we have the kitchen and living area which is smaller and darker with Jarrah floorboards throughout. I want to create a bright summery feel using whites and greens along the lines of modern colonial. Can you help me to avoid making another mistake please?!
Hi Sue you may have more luck with the green based whites – something like Dulux White Verdict Half and Quarter gives you a fresh summery look without being grey or creamy but also without being blue and cold – perhaps look at that. It comes in full strength too and would complement greens well. Hope this helps Samantha
Hi Samantha,
I also have a white paint dilemma. We are renovating a late 1970’s relatively narrow farm house. The kitchen is on the north side of the house, however the wrap around verandah shades the room. The orientation of the kitchen will change to look out over red gums and a narrow river with clay banks. The stone bench we have chosen is caesarstone wild rocks and I have decided to go with a 2 pac satin finish shaker style cupboards. The timber floors are yet to be decided. A few whites we have looked are are too stark and I am leaning towards Dulux Natural White for the walls. I am stuck choosing a white for the cabinetry…could I go with the same colour for both? For the laundry, which faces south, we have chosen Polytec Melamine Riga Sage finegrain for the cabinets and Laminex Stipple Seal Natural finish for the benchtop. The floor is a NCIA 450 x 450 Jakata Grey Matt finish tile.
I would like the feel of the white to be soft and welcoming, yet fresh and clean and flow with the outdoors. I would really appreciate your thoughts.
Hi Brenda many people find that Dulux Natural White is a great choice for houses that are challenged with a lack of light due to wrap around verandahs. I think this would also be a good choice for the kitchen cabinetry. You see the underlying colour and/or warmth/coolness in a white when it is next to another one but if you just find one that suits the space and gives you the look and feel (the mood) that you want, there is no need to change it. It should be soft and welcoming for you – hope you like the end result and remember that maybe painting just one wall first will give you a good idea of whether it is right or not. Good luck Samantha
Hi Samantha,
In addition to above, I should have mentioned that the appliances in the kitchen are stainless steel. Also the Jakata Grey Matt tiles in the laundry have a taupe tone to them. The appliances in the laundry are white and the lighting is cool white. Which white should I go with for the walls/ceiling in the Laundry?
Thanking you in advance
Hi Brenda I generally suggest that you stick to one white for your ceiling throughout the house – perhaps a half strength of the Natural White if you opt for that one on the walls? Good luck Samantha
Hi Samantha. I have recently found you blog and you have such a knowledge on paint colours！It is a pleasure reading you blog and so many useful tips~
Currently i am building a brand new house in NZ and is able to use Dulux Aus colour from their atlus. The space seems to receive a relatively good amount of sunlight. So can you please advice if the following colour scheme will work well ?
Much appreciated.
Wall ：Dulux White Exchange Half
Ceiling,Door and Trims：Dulux Lexion Half
Kitchen Cabinetry：I am thinking of using Dulux Celtic Sky for my cabinets above the gas cooktop and drawers below it.
For the Tall cabinets on the other side, i am going to use Lexion Half.
Cabinetry is going to be laquer painted.
Benchtop： Will be using a quartz manufacturer called Uniquartz. The colour is called White Snow, essentially a sort of white with speckle pattern embedded in it
Floor：Looking to use Nevada Oak or Khaki Oak from Krono. Its a light oak-ish colour laminated flooring.
Hi Michael This all sounds good – Dulux White Exchange Half is one of my favourite whites and seems to work well in many locations and looks good with oak flooring – kitchen is a soft blue grey sounds good which Lexicon Half will work with – hope you love the end result Samantha
Hi Samantha,
Further to my last message, I’ll add a little detail:
-we have a cream/primrose window frames
-we are planning on putting in bamboo floating flooring in some rooms
-the tiles in the living/kitchen are a reddish/brown colour
-we will be repainting the kitchen cupboards (not sure which colour)
-we will be replacing the kitchen bench with a polished concrete top (probably)
Currently, the only room we’ve painted is the lounge, in the full Lexicon. I think it looks very blue, and seems to clash with the window frames. My wife is not so sure. Is there any white that will not clash with the yellow frames? Also, what colour would you suggest the trim, doors and roof be painted?
Thanks so much!
Nic
Hi Nic Yes Lexicon Blue will clash with those windows and tiles. To tie in with the windows you need a warm white – Dulux White Polar is nice and fresh but with a warmer base – still contemporary and certainly not a creamy yellow. You could try a sample of this and then you a half or quarter strength for the trim and ceiling if you like it. Hope this helps Samantha
Thanks for your help, very much appreciated.
We’ll grab a sample pot :).
Any thoughts on what colours we could paint the kitchen cabinets? The same white as the trim?
Hi Samantha,
I was wondering if you would be able to share some of your amazing paint knowledge. We are painting the exterior of our old weatherboard cottage. We were looking at Duck White, but there is no verandah and it’s quite boxy and Im wondering if it might be too white in the sunlight? It looks nice in the shade but Im wondering how it would look once the whole house is painted rather than just a small patch. Do you have another suggestion? I want something warm, but contemporary. And do you have a suggestion for the trim? We want white, but not too white (vivid white stands out too much). The door will be black and the roof is dark grey.
Thanks so much! 🙂
Hi Dearna Dulux White Duck will be just an off white outside – particularly in the sunlight. Dulux Oyster Linen is a couple of tones darker and then you can partner with White Duck in a quarter or half strength for your white. These colours will certainly suit a weatherboard cottage – they are great neutrals with just a hint of green. Try out large samples first! Samantha
Great, thanks Samantha, I’ll grab a pot of Oyster Linen to compare 🙂
Hi Samantha,
I have chosen classic white cabinets for our kitchen (new build) and Taubmans crisp white as our wall colour, will the cabinets look cream or off white agains the crisp white at all? This is my biggest worry so I’m contemplating changing if required. I chose classic white cabinets as the polar white looked too stark against the white shimmer benchtops.
Hi Nicole I have samples of both now and prefer Classic White with the Taubmans Crisp White rather than Polar White which with its blue base makes the Crisp White look creamy! The Classic white cabinets also have a touch of grey so I think work fine with the crisp white – hope you love your new house Samantha
Hi Samantha,
I want to paint my open plan kitchen and lounge. The kitchen cabinets are very cream. Currently the walls are very creamy. I want something on the walls that will brighten up the area. The area gets a reasonable amount of light.
I’ve recently painted the hallway in dulux white dune half. I was thinking of this in the the kitchen, lounge area or perhaps something like white verdict.
I don’t want the kitchen cabinets to stand out too much or look dirty but I really love white walls, what colour do you suggest? I’ve also painted all of the doors iand skirtings in vivid white. My house is about 12 years old.
Hi Anne I like Dulux White Dune half as it has some warmth and is a nice soft white. With creamy cabinets you kind of have to meet them half way otherwise the white on the wall can make them look even creamier. If you like this colour in the hallway it makes sense to continue this through – perhaps paint the wall right next to the cabinets to see if you like the effect. Dulux White Verdict is a bit greyer and could end up looking dirty next to the cream. Hope this helps Samantha
Hi Samantha,
Amazing thread you have here. Very useful.
I am currently redecorating a very dated home and am interested to hear about colour combinations. I want to paint all white walls to match a very light grey/almost silver carpet in the rooms of the house.
I have done swatches of Dulux Antique USA, Whisper White and White Duck quarter and the Vivid white. Vivid is too stark for me but I’m having trouble choosing between Antique USA and Whisper White or other. These two are warmer white colours – can these can be paired with a cool grey coloured carpet? And if I went instead with a cool white colour, would this be too sterile with grey carpet?
I love a bright space that’s cosy! Any suggestions what to pick?
Thanks Harriet 🙂
Hi Harriet I find that Dulux Whisper White is a very good white as it is warm but has a touch of grey and isn’t too creamy yellow. Away from any other whites it just looks like pure white and it partners well with grey. Consider too all the other colour you will have in the room – sofas, furniture – if this is timber it is certainly warm – accessories, etc. The Dulux Whisper White should just give you a plain white wall that will be welcoming because of its warmth. If you use the same white on the trim and internal doors you don’t see the underlying cream colour. Do try a large sample first though just so that you are sure it is right with everything else that you have. Good luck Samantha
Hi Sam, we are currently choosing paint for our house renovations. The house with have a contemporary feel and have spotted gum through and rugged concrete bench tops.
I was think of using Casper white half or quarter on the walls, as I think the greys would work well. My dilemma is.. The ceilings and window trips. The house has large loft style windows and I’m wondering if I do a vivid white for them and the ceiling to get a nice contrast against the Casper whites on the walls? Or if I just stick with the tried and tested formula you stated above. Any five would be great! Thanks
Hi Daniel Often with a contemporary feel I like to use one white throughout. The stark white trims are more at home in a classical Hamptons style look. However if you do feel that a contrast will be nice to give the scheme a lift then you can use a Vivid White or you could have half on the walls and quarter on the ceilings and trim to have a subtle contrast. Hope this helps Samantha
Hello Samantha!
We are currently deciding exterior paint colour for our weatherboard house which is mostly in shade. I was looking at snowy mountains half but am worried it may look a little creamy and not a crisp contrast with our black window frames.
Should we do SMQ or would that look too stark?
Thanks for your help!
Hi Jos I think you will find that Snowy Mountains Quarter will be too bright and difficult to keep looking good too – I have never found Snowy Mountains in any form to be creamy – perhaps just buy a litre and test out a patch? Good luck Samantha
Hi Samantha
Amazing info- thank you.
We are about to redo our external colour scheme. We have gone with a Basalt roof, gutter and fascia and I am thinking Milton Moon as the main house colour. Our house is South West facing.
I would like some nice contrasting white window/ door trims and verandah railing so am thinking Lexicon Quarter? Do you think that will work?
The roller door and eves are also going white so would it be suitable to use the Lexicon Quarter here as well?
Thanks so much for your advice!
Tania
Such a great article! So helpful.
We’re doing some small reno’s at our home. It’s an old brick house with a bit of a balinese feel. It has dark cork flooring, white kitchen with stone top. Originally it had lots of purple feature walls which we painted over with the main wall colour all through. Now that we’ve lived here for two years we want to lighten the colour up.
Trims and doors are currently darker than the walls. I was think surf mist over the walls. Would you suggest half strength then for doors and trims? Ceiling I think is just ceiling white. We have lots of natural light with exception of hallway so after reading your article I wondered maybe a lighter shade up the hall.
Thanks so much.
Hi Kelly You can paint full strength on the wall, half on the doors and trim and then a quarter on the ceiling. Bear in mind that Surfmist inside is a creamy grey though and not a white but there is no reason that it couldn’t work and it will certainly be much lighter than what you are used to. If you use ceiling white it will highlight the grey in the Surfmist more. Perhaps try a large sample board of the Surfmist and take it around the house to check you like the effect. Good luck Samantha
Hi Samantha,
We are building in QLD hinterland on a large block with views of the Glasshouse Mountains.
Using a large timbercrete classic limestone block.
Have chosen paperbark roofing and gutters with surfmist gables and eaves and windows.
The verandah posts and decking will match the external New Guinea rosewood doors.
Have chosen verandah tiles which seem to blend it all.
.? Taubmans fawn beige around the rendered plinth at base of home.
Internally will have brush box flooring.
Have had advise on internal colours.
Dulux whisper white for kitchen cabinetry vanities skirtings and architraves
? Taubmans white wisp for walls and cradle white for ceilings.
Maybe quantum quartz Crema quartz for the kitchen bench tops.
Not quite sure on all this . Don’t want it too creamy or grey and not sure if enough contrast with these colours
Needing dulux colours for the cabinetry but favouring taubmans paints for the rest.
Would really appreciate your opinion
Am getting rather confused with it all.
Warm regards
Kathryn
Hi Kathryn Your new house sounds amazing – exterior looks good but I am just a bit concerned with the interior – Dulux Whisper White reads a little green next to the Taubmans White Wisp – you could look at Dulux White Polar Quarter – still a warm white like Whisper White but I think reads better with your wall colour. The benchtop you have selected is very creamy/yellow – I like it and it goes with your exterior choices but I am only concerned because you said that you didn’t want it too creamy so you may want to review that choice. Good luck Samantha
Really appreciate your comments
Our builder is suggesting Resene paints so have been checking what will complement the internal surfmist windows and brush box floors.
Picked out quarter thorndon cream for walls and would use the variation of strengths for trims walls and cabinetry but need to choose a dulux colour for the kitchen cupboards.
Wondering if snowy mountain quarter or half be suitable?.
I think the painters may be able to do some matching for trimmings in the Resene paints.
Thinking caesarstone frosty carina may be a better choice for the kitchen bench tops.
Any comments on theses choices would be most welcomed.
Thanking you kindly
Hi Samantha,
I am thrilled to have found your site – what an amazing resource. And since you are clearly the expert on white paints (!), I am hoping you can help me as well.
Our home is very light and faces west and the living spaces are currently painted in BM Swiss Coffee. However, the color reads creamy, almost yellowish at times, which we are not fond of. We would like to re-paint the walls, ceiling and trim in Simply White, as well as the kitchen cabinets (open floor plan).
Do you think with all the natural light/reflection, this will look too bright? We love the all-white look but don’t want it to feel too cold or glaring but rather clean and fresh with a little warmth.
We also considered Dulux Natural White but that sounds very creamy. Do you know if it is similar to Swiss Coffee or how it differs? It looks very white in certain photos on-line but maybe those are distorted by lights and editing.
Thanks so much for your help! 🙂
Hi Allison lovely to hear from you. Although I am not a specialist in BM paints, my feeling from what I know of them is that Simply White will work well if you want a clean white background rather than a soft neutral or off white on your walls. Dulux Natural White is creamy so wouldn’t suit if you don’t like the creaminess of Swiss coffee. The trick to making a white like Simply White work is to bring in warmth and texture in other elements of your room. Perhaps with your counter top or in soft furnishings and rugs. Natural Sisal rugs with natural wall hangings or artwork will prevent the look from being plain and stark. Simply White is a good option if you want to knock out any creaminess but you just have to think of other ways to incorporate some soft layers into the room. Perhaps try painting a large sample board – A1 size if possible – with two coats of the Simply White and move it around the room at different times of the day. This should help you to understand the overall effect. Good luck Samantha
Hi Samantha,
We are having a lot of trouble trying to find a fresher colour that goes with Primrose windows, white ceiling and white tiles with marble grey flecks through. Currently we have quite a yellow colour on the walls and are wanting to brighten the whole house up. (Preferably not a dirty looking colour – something clean looking.
We are also replacing carpets and curtains at some stage so was looking at possibly Charcoal or Chocolate, do you think either of those would work?
Would really appreciate your thoughts to help us out as we have had so many sample pots that we still cannot find the right one.
Thanking you so much for your time, it is really appreciated.
Regards Deb and Tony
Hi Deb and Tony with Primrose windows you are best keeping to a white that has a subtle creamy undertone. Dulux White Polar Quarter for a fresh look or Dulux Fair Bianca Half which is slightly creamier but still a very nice white, should probably work if you wanted to try samples of those (if you haven’t already!!) In terms of the carpet you really need to take your lead from the grey fleck in the marble – is it more of a grey or a brown? Always view carpet samples in situ so ask the carpet shop to lend them to you and view them next to the tiles. Remember that many charcoal colours can be quite blue. Hope this is helpful Samantha
Hi Samantha,
Thank you for your article. We are having a bit of trouble trying to work out how to balance more traditional wall colour selections with a more modern kitchen.
Can you please tell me if the Dulux 1/4 snowy mountain white can be used on kitchen cupboards with antique white USA trims and 1/4 grand piano walls?
North facing, light room in Adelaide Hills. Looking for a crisper, not creamy White that will tie in with Baltic pine floorboards. I am planning on painting the wall cabinetry but leaving the pine island.. later we will select a bench top that will be white , probably marble looking, like caeserstone Statuario Nuevo.
The kitchen cabinets have a deep ‘country style’ profile , but can be replaced with flat doors if they are unsuitable.
Also looking for ideas for the colour of the glass splashback. Was looking at at grey to match some of the stainless appliances but after reading your article maybe full strength grand piano to pick up the green will work better?
Regards
Alan
Hi Alan I think you may be mixing too many whites. Dulux Snowy Mountains Quarter goes well with Grand Piano Quarter so this would work well for the kitchen and for your future marble look bench top but I would also change the trim and paint over the Antique White USA. Once you use a crisper white like Dulux Snowy Mountains Quarter with your wall colour you will start to see the underlying colour in the Antique White. For your splashback, a subtle deeper version of the wall colour could work but just get a large sample of it and try it next to the benchtop that you are considering – ideally the colour should tie in with the vein running through the benchtop. If you are painting the kitchen cabinets I see no reason to change to a flat profile – the crisp white will make it more modern. Good luck Samantha
Thank you Samantha
I think I knew that I was running in to that problem….will get a sample pot and paint the kitchen and then think about re-attacking the skirts and windows.
There are eiggt double sash windows and two French doors in the room so to repain the antique white will be no small job! I’m not sure what strength it is, maybe it’s already 1/4 so potentially less of a conflict. I guess I should also try 1/8 antique white on the cabinetry?
Thanks again
Hi Alan Yes double check the white as it might not be full strength -once you do a couple of kitchen doors you will get the idea – I do appreciate it is a big job! good luck Samantha
Wow this blog is amazing!
I have just bought a townhouse with 2.7m high ceilings painted white, Sydney Blue Gum floors, creamy brown tiles in the bathroom, colourbond cream windows, silvery pewter laminate kitchen doors and dark green Cesarstone benchtops.
I would like to paint the walls in a neutral white which helps to reduce the clash and bring together all the existing colours. I’m thinking of Dulux Stowe White for the walls and wondering if I do the trims and skirting in the same or a slightly different colour?
Hi Simone Glad you are enjoying the blog! You are on the right track with Dulux Stowe White as it has a lovely creamy undertone which will work with your windows. I would keep the trim the same though because if you use anything lighter or whiter then you will see the underlying creaminess and it may add to the clash of colours you are dealing with. So keep the walls, doors and trim the same and then you have a lovely warm off white to go with your beautiful Sydney Blue Gum floors. I hope you are happy in your new home Samantha
Hi Samantha,
Really enjoy reading your articles.
Our builder is suggesting Resene paints but a dulux paint colour needs to be chosen for kitchen cabinetry.
Will have surfmist aluminium windows and brush box wooden floors.
Was thinking of Resene quarter Thorndon Cream for walls and ideally would use varying strengths of this colour for kitchen cabinetry trims and ceilings.
My concern is what dulux colour can l use for cabinetry.??
Think the painter will be able to match skirtings etc. to the dulux cabinetry colour in Resene paints
Was thinking snowy mountain quarter and wondering if this could work.
? Also caesarstone frosty carina for the benchtops
Any comments on these choices would be welcomed
Thanks again
Kathryn
We are moving into an old farmhouse on the NSW coast, surrounds are leafy, with a large 3/4 verandah, so the house is quite shaded and cool, most glazing is North and East which is where the verandah is also. The varnished floorboards are a dark Karri or Ironbark colour. I am thinking about what colour white for the walls as I want more light but still want keep the cooler respite feeling of the house, I will probably include a dark blue art wall as well?
Hi Jade you might look at Dulux Snowy Mountains Quarter or half as a white – it’s a lovely neutral white so not too blue but will keep the cool feel of the house. If you opt for a blue white it may not work so well with your floorboards. Perhaps try a small sample wall to see the effect? Good luck – the house sounds lovely Samantha
Hi Samantha,
Really enjoy reading your blog!
Our kitchen cupboards will be Poytec Classic White Sheen laminate with Arcadia smartstone benchtops and blackbutt matt laminate flooring throughout the living area.
It is an open plan kitchen/dining/living area approx 5m wide x 9m long in a new home. There are windows and a large 3.6m wide sliding door leading out to the backyard (South facing) however I expect there will not be a lot of natural light especially as there will be a pergola at the back.
We are looking for a fresh modern look with a hint of warmth so the home feels inviting without being clinical.
For the trims & doors we are looking at Dulux Vivid White/Solver Designer White however a bit stuck on the wall colour. We thought it may be best to have a slight contrast between the kitchen cabinetry and the walls and Dulux Natural White or Dulux Caspar White Quarter seem to give that effect with a hint of warmth. How do you think these will go without a lot of natural light and with the blackbutt timber flooring or do you have any other suggestions?
Also FYI we are considering warm LED downlights throughout.
Many thanks,
Peter
Hi,
Please help me I’m painting my cottage style home with my dad.
The tiles are terracotta and carpet is a sandy colour.
I’m considering Antique White USA with Vivid White skirting, I’ve been told ceiling white.
Please can you make recommendations.
Many thanks
Belinda
Hi Belinda this is a classic timeless look that will work well with your flooring. Good luck Samantha
Hi Samantha
A couple of years ago I had a Dulux colour consultant come to my house and recommend a colour scheme for home renovations (kitchen cabinets/walls/architrave/skirting). I was interstate staying with relatives (with young children) when my husband started the renovations and I came home to a very mismatched house. We currently have Rottnest Island walls throughout the entire house next to white birch aluminium window and door frames. The kitchen cabinets are shaker snowy mountain half with a whiteish/light grey granite bench called colonial white – there are black veins with hints of olive green and very few deep pink/maroon flecks (unfortunately the bench matches the Rottnest Island walls and does not have a warm feel or look nice against the white birch window frames or the kitchen cabinets!). We have lovely solid blackbutt timber floors. The Rottnest Island wall colour makes the windows look extremely yellow and appears very cold and blue/grey in much of the house. Our house was a display home and not much thought was put into the design for functional living, the living room was so dingy we needed to have a solar tube installed to make it more inviting. Renovations have been a huge disappointment as nothing matches, same goes for our exterior which the same consultant made recommendations for. Part of our house is floor to ceiling white birch sliding doors and windows which look out to a classic cream patio. It is going to be an expensive fix and I don’t want to get it wrong twice. We have sampled white birch half for architraves and skirting which looks acceptable with the white birch window and door frames. I am thinking of having every wall in the house repainted to remove the Rottnest Island colour. Can you recommend something that will match the blackbutt floors, white birch frames and snowy mountain half kitchen cabinetry? I don’t think anything can be done about the kitchen bench or the white tiled splash back that sometimes looks blueish. I am so scared of getting it wrong twice that I am thinking of painting the walls white birch half also (but not sure if it will look terrible against my snowy mountains half kitchen). Repainting the window and door frames isn’t feasible so we have to work with the current mess. Any help would be appreciated!!!
Thanks, Mel
Hi Mel I was so sorry to hear your story. I have White Birch windows in my house and I used Dulux Hog Bristle quarter strength for my trim and internal doors. It doesn’t look dated at all – it just looks like a nice white. It isn’t until you put a pure white near it that you see the underlying warmth. I still love it and painted the house 13 years ago! It doesn’t match the window but does tie in with it and it has a touch of grey. This could be worth looking at with possibly a half strength on the walls. If you use any white with a creamier base you should be fine – the Rottnest Island is a definite grey – very popular but very cold. I have lots of greys through my house too but they are warm or with a green base. Do test out samples though because it really depends a lot on your kitchen bench top. Perhaps too you could get some simple sheers to disguise the windows a bit – they can be kept drawn or pushed back and the added layers could help to bring some warmth and texture to the house. Hope this helps! Samantha
Hi Samantha – Thank you so much for taking the time to reply. Rottnest Island was a definite error but this time I will have the opportunity to do so many paint samples! I will be getting a pot of the Hog Bristle Qtr for skirting & architraves to see how it looks in my house, and also the half for the walls. If it works well at your house with the same white birch frames that is excellent news. This post on how to find the right white is so helpful btw.
Thanks Melissa would be interested to hear how you go Samantha
Sorry I forgot to mention we are in Buderim, QLD
Hi Samantha,
Great info. Just finished preparing for painting. Low ceilings, fair amount of light. Kitchen doors being re done in gloss café dream. Stained timber behind splashback. Bare red brick of shell walls. Light walnut vic ash benchtops ( tbd ) Black fridge, microwave and oven. So that is the color scheme so far. I was thinking semi gloss and a very light pink undertone for everything and maybe café dream for trims where needed or a lighter pink undertone, then again if the walls n ceiling are the same … hummm . I asked a painter mate of mine and he says lexicon quarter for everything in matte, tried a sample, bit too cold for me and small space, makes it hard to go white trim … Without getting tons of sample pots, of which they say can’t do in quarter, best theory wins. What are you thoughts.
Thanks
Phil
Hi Phil A lot of painters just recommend Lexicon quarter as it gives good coverage and is an excellent white trim however I think it would really jar with the look that you have gone for as you need a much more understated warm white. Dulux Casper White quarter is a warm white and is nice and bright, Dulux White Calm is slightly darker and Dulux White touch slightly darker again – all have a pink undertone though it is not obvious. Difficult to say for sure but these will give you more of the warm white look that you are hoping for. Good luck Samantha
Thank Samantha
I’ve gone with Haymes sweet thing quarter. One drop of red. So far looks good and casper trim. Thanks again your a gem .
Hi there, thanks for the excellent read! I’m looking for bright white walls but need a colour that goes with our hogs breath quarter cabinetry, primrose (I think) aluminium sliding doors and spotted gum floors. Do you think snowy mountains quarter would work? Snowy mountains half is too grey for us. Thank you.
Hi Chantelle I find that Dulux Whisper White goes better with Hogs Bristle Quarter as it is a warmer white but still has a touch of grey. Dulux SMQ is definitely a more modern white and I find it a very user friendly white to recommend as it suits a lot of aspects being neither blue or yellow. It will show up the underlying yellow/warmth though in your cabinetry and doors/windows and this is probably why you don’t like the effect on your trims. Perhaps just paint one wall with two coats to test it out. You can disguise windows and doors with sheers or even shutters on some prominent windows if the budget will stretch and you like the look. Good luck Samantha
Hi Samantha, I forgot to add to above that we have painted our trims SMQ which I don’t exactly think goes but hubby won’t change it now… and I’m worried having a different colour for walls there will be too many colours going on!!!!
Greetings from NZ. I wanted to thank you for the best summary of interior whites that I’ve come across. We had a room with very high ceilings painted in Resene Black White that I referred to as ‘fire damage white’ 🙂 It’s currently undercoated and I was getting ready to go with plain old Resene White, but after reading your article I realise that we needed a little pink to assist – so 1/8th Resene Blanc it is!! So grateful to you.
Thanks Susie for the great feedback. Good luck with the repaint! Samantha
Hi Samantha
We chose to paint our internal walls below pic rail Dulux vanilla quake half strength, Dulux casper white quarter for pic rails, and vanilla quake 1/4 strength above pic rails. The doors, skirtings and all pic rails casper white quarter. The house is a 1920s bungalow with decent light and original cyprus pine floors.
Now when our painter saw that we had chosen casper white quater he asked us if we were sure because it’s more of a light grey, and can even look cream in some houses. That raised concerns for me because we wanted that Hamptons grey/white contrast.
I purchased A4 sample sheets and placed them around the house. The casper white definitely did look like a white/grey and did not provide the contrast we wanted with the vanilla quake. I held the vanilla quake up against an A4 Dulux vivid white sample board and the combo gives the contrast I like.
My question is, is Vivid white too stark on doors and trims and pic rails or would it do the trick?
Many thanks!
Adria
Hi Adria You certainly will get more of a contrast with Vivid White and it will make the Dulux Vanilla Quake quarter and half pop more. You won’t get a lot of contrast between the 2 Vanilla quakes though so double check that and perhaps look at full strength and quarter samples too? Good luck Samantha
THanks for your response. I definitely think Vivid white is the way to go, will let you know how we go with the greys!
Hi I am building a new home and struggling with colours for the interior walls. I was hoping you could give me your opinion. I will have dark timber flooring, wainscoting half way up the walls painted in vivid white, all frames vivid white. I was told by my builder to select Dulux colours and it’s just confusing me. I am looking for a greige colour but don’t want blue,green or cream undertones. I was thinking of Casper white. Do you think this would stand out next to the vivid white timber?? Don’t want my house to look to clinical either. It will be a large home approx 60squares. I need help please 🙂
Hi Jody Dulux Casper White will provide a contrast to the Dulux Vivid White trim. It is quite grey though so ensure that you are happy with this and that you will get enough natural light in the rooms. If anything I find it has a slightly pink undertone although it is a very long way from being pink! This should work with your aversion to blue, green or yellow undertones. If you paint large sample boards of both colours and view them in different lights – perhaps in your current home in a similar aspect – it is so tricky to view colours when houses are being built with all the framework and dark walls you can’t easily get an idea of how the colours will work. Hope this helps Samantha
Just finished a weekend project painting teenage daughter’s room. It is south facing in Australia, so we wanted a warm non-yellow white, and went with White Cloak quarter on walls, with a contrast feature wall of Winter Fog. The colours go very well together and everyone is happy.
Thanks for contributing Jane – I really like White Cloak Quarter – it is a great user friendly white and I love how you put it together with Winter Fog. Isn’t it nice when teenagers are happy!!
Hi,
Thank you for your help in advance. We are renovating and doing a new kitchen. We have spotted gum floors throughout and i am thinking about snowy mountains quarter strength for the kitchen cupboards with Caesarstone Alpine Mist benchtops and then snowy mountains half on the walls and trim.
Do you think that would work?
Hi Melina This sounds good to me. If you are unsure at all then paint large samples and put them up in the room to ensure you like them with the amount of light the room receives but on paper it all looks good. Caesarstone Alpine Mist is a nice classic benchtop which I’ve used before and clients have always loved it. Good luck Samantha
Hello Samantha, Love reading the posts and comments but I am still confused about wall colours and would love your advice! Building a new home in Melbourne with north facing bedrooms and south facing open plan living, I am using a combination of charcol and white laminex. I would love to keep the feel contemporary and inviting without having creamy/yellow or stark white tomes – do you think white exchange half would work well on the walls? I have heard that it can it can throw yellow in rooms with lots of natural light, so I am concerned… I am also considering whisper white and snowy mountain half.
Thanks for your help!
Hi Meg I have only heard good feedback on Dulux White Exchange half. I like it because it is a warmer white/grey so you may need to consider something like Dulux Mt Aspiring if you want something cooler. As your living areas will face south and you have oak flooring I think the WEH will work and you will benefit from the warmth but you should try out a large sample first. I hope you love your new home Samantha
Hi Sam,
This is an incredibly helpful article. We are currently renovating a brick veneer home, we have opted for Blackbutt flooring and I was looking at a warm grey like ghosting for the walls and vivid white for the skirting and arcs. I’m worried this won’t go with our dark charcoal tiles that run the wall of our fireplace and are the flooring for the wet areas. The roof and aluminium window frames are monument. I need to lock in colours for our kitchen cabinetry, they are Tupac and I have advised I can have any colour, could you please recommend a colour for the kitchen cabinets, and perhaps suggest an alternate to ghosting to match dark charcoal?
Hi Liz Dulux Ghosting is a classic warm grey neutral that will work with charcoal. As you have Vivid White on your trims you could consider this for your kitchen joinery too and that way you are not introducing another white. Dulux Narrow Neck Half is another good warm grey – slightly more grey than Ghosting if you wanted to try a sample of that? Good luck Samantha
Hi Samantha,
It’s Adria here again. You generously helped advise me on our Dulux Vanilla Quake walls and Vivid white trims, and doors back in May. We actually stalled the reno of our 100 year old Californian bungalow , and haven’t painted anything internal yet, but we have recommenced the reno again (hence why I’m back here!)
We had our wardrobes quoted and were asked what Dulux white we wanted them painted. A first I thought, ‘that’s easy, ‘Vivid white’ to match the internal doors and trim BUT our wardrobes have a shaker profile and I’m concerned Vivid white wardrobes may look incredibly stark and odd. However I like the idea of Vivid white on our internal doors, and trim so I obviously like the starky colour!
I guess I need another ‘white’ to consider for the wardrobes, keeping in mind the walls will be grey, trims vivid white and I don’t want the wardrobes to clash or look too creamy.
I have seen shaker wardrobes in Dulux Natural white and thought the colour was lovely, warm and elegant so i am considering it for the wardrobes. However I am unsure how Natural white would work with Vanilla quake walls and Vivid white trim. Would it throw everything off and look too creamy? Any other whites I should consider with our palette? To confuse me even more some rooms get enormous natural light and others don’t. We will be installing loads of downlights if that makes a difference in choosing a white?
Thanks for your time . I look forward to your words of wisdom!
Regards,
Adria
Hi Samantha,
The house we are painting is smallish (3×1), mid tones floorboards, verandas all around and not a huge amount of light. I’d like a light warm colour and am considering Dulux White Cloak. I’ve just painted some sample boards with this and am now going to try the same with White Cloak Half. What are your thoughts please on these colours and their “vibes”?
For the ceilings, skirting etc maybe Dulux Vivid White – would that work? – or do you recommend a quarter/eighth of the wall colour? I’m thinking one colour for them all as it’s not a very big house.
I’m also wondering about the colour of the doors. The house has a hallway with 3 doors opening into it. Instead of painting the doors the same colour as the architraves/skirting would it work to paint the doors the same colour as the walls, only using a higher sheen? Or would that look too “patchy” with white door frames and White Cloak (or half) doors? White architrave and white doors?? White architrave and W Cloak doors?? W Cloak architrave and doors?? There are so many things to consider aren’t there? I am definitely following your advice and using sample boards.
I do enjoy reading your newsletters and your comments on your various sites. Thank you for your generosity in sharing your ideas and expertise with others.
Cheers
Hi Lorraine Dulux Vivid White certainly works well as a nice crisp trim with either White Cloak or White Cloak half. My feeling though for the doors, particularly those in the hallway, is to paint them all Vivid White as it may look stripy with the doors in quick succession to each other. You could get away with it if you painted the doors quite a deeper colour but I think in a small house and small area I would keep it simple. Good luck Samantha
Great article. We recently renovated our kitchen/dining/living area which has Dulux Antique White USA full strength on the walls, ceiling, trims, etc. We had selected Casper White Quarter for our new new kitchen cabinetry to give a sense of warmth but also crispness matching in with Calcutta Euro (island) and Snow (wall benches) stone. The kitchen was unfortunately installed with Casper White Full (yes a big stuff up by our supplier) but due to a range of logistical issues we decided not to have cabinetry removed and re-painted. Not good timing and plenty of tears at the time with compensation coming in the form of discount on the kitchen and revised bench top (Calcutta Euro) options on all benches and not just the island to further balance the grey undertones. There is a distinctive cool v warm tussle going on which is identifiable but not completely over the top. What options would you suggest regarding the walls, trims, etc.. (e.g. Antique White USA strength or other whites) that would more harmonise the grey undertone of the FS Casper White and retain an element of warmth which we sought with the 1/4 Casper on the cabinetry. It is a room that gets plenty of light with an east / north aspect for windows. A cathartic post and we welcome your suggestions. Thanks. Michael
Hi Michael what a shame for you – your joinery is now quite grey with Casper White so I think you need to follow this through on the walls. Dulux White Exchange Quarter is a pale grey white which does have some warmth – perhaps try a sample of that on the walls to see what you think? Hope this helps Samantha
Hi Samantha, I’m am absolutely loving all your blogs and very informative information on the paints especially white.
Can you Please help me with my ceiling & skirting white colour.
I am currently building our dream home. I have decided on Dulux royal beige 1/2 for the walls with some other walls royal beige. My downstairs ceilings are 3m. My floor tile is champagne semi gloss porcelain & my kitchen cupboards are going to be Dulux torere or ghostgum. The house is full of light with mainly all bifold doors. What would be the best ceiling & skirting colour to set a nice welcoming/ homely feel yet still airy ?
Kind regards, Natasha
Hi Natasha You could consider Dulux Beige Royal Quarter for the ceilings. This is quite common to have half or full strength on the walls and then quarter on the trim and ceilings. It will depend on how much contrast you want to see though. As you are having a nice greige kitchen rather than a white I would be hesitant about bringing in any whites that are too much of a contrast but if you wanted a bit more than the quarter strength you could look at a sample of Whisper White. Do think carefully though about the effect that a white with more contrast will give next to all your soft greige and champagne colours. Hope this helps Samantha
Hi Samantha
Have just spent the last 4 hours reading every post and have loved reading all your replies and insight, so hoping on some assistance on repainting my internal walls and ceiling.
My current wall colour of Bristol ‘Creme Torte’ and ceiling in 1/2 strength was chosen about 18 years ago and with each ‘freshen up’ every 5 years or so we’ve just repainted in the same colour as I dreaded choosing a new colour, it was just too hard. But, the time has come modernise the colour scheme so I would appreciate your advise on what would go with my existing flooring and kitchen cabinets (not fond of either but cannot afford to replace).
The house faces east and all the rooms have good natural lighting apart from the hallway which has a skylight.
The kitchen is Tasmanian Oak and the kitchen floors and hallway are slate. The colourings in the slate are earthy tones of light browns and greens. The ceiling in the combined lounge / dining has 4 dark timber exposed beams.
The carpet in the bedrooms, dining and loungeroom is a fawny colour which works with the earthy slate.
I’m thinking a creamy / warm white may go with the timber kitchen, earthy slate and carpet colourings, so I’ve been looking at either Antique White USA or Natural White for walls, with trims in the same wall colour but in low sheen (not fussed on semi gloss). With the ceiling in 1/4 strength of chosen wall colour or possibly Vivid White. Not sure if Vivid White would be too stark against exposed dark timber beams.
Your advise on above colours or other recommendations you think would suit would be greatly appreciated.
I’ve looked at Whisper White which throws grey, and also looked at Snowy Mountains Half but it looks too white so would love your recommendations.
Many thanks
HI Karen I’m so glad that you have the blog useful and interesting. As I was reading through your comment and considering your colour scheme I was thinking that Antique White USA could work and then I got to the bit where you were considering that so I think you are on the money with this. Trim in the same colour would work well as you have a timber kitchen and then ceilings in a quarter strength of this should work too. Perhaps try a large sample board with the colour to check you like it but from what you tell me and the look that you are after, it sounds about right. Good luck! Samantha
Thanks Samantha for your insight.
Guess I was hoping you would recommend Natural White out of my choices as it’s a popular colour at the moment & from what I’ve read Antique White USA has been around for ages.
However, rather than using a current on trend colour, I realise I should choose a colour that works best with my existing kitchen and flooring. Guess I don’t want to daten the rooms if you know what I mean.
I’ve just done up sample boards of both colours, so will check both out in different lighting situations and rooms.
Thanks for your reply, greatly appreciated especially on a weekend.
Hi Samantha! Great site 🙂
I would like some advice on an interior white for my beach house which is north facing and gets lots of natural light during the day. It’s an open plan kitchen/dining/lounge long room I’m working on at the moment and is completely wood panelled including the ceiling.
In the back rooms which got painted first and get much less light, I used a half strength Antique White USA on the walls and trim and 1/8 strength on the ceiling (from a recommendation of a friend). When I came to use this in the long front room it appeared quite yellow to me (especially over the undercoat white which after many weeks of looking at began to love the freshness of! I am putting in a new kitchen which has white cabinetry so I don’t want a too warm white that might look a bit dirty/old fashioned next to it. So I got a few sample pots and also asked for some recommendations from my sister who does a lot of renovating. She suggested Lexicon quarter.
I have tried a sample pot over my white undercoat (which I actually liked the crispness of and the Lexicon Quarter looks almosts the same. Vivid White sample looked very similar and White on White looked very cold. So I’m almost ready to choose Lexicon Quarter for the walls, trim and ceiling to make things easy. I can’t believe choosing a white can be so stressful! Do you think this is a good choice?
I am also toying with the idea of using a washable matt or silk finish (which is slightly less shiny than a low sheen) as I do find the matt look on timber panelling quite appealing. I would use a low sheen enamel for the trims then.
Your advice would be most grateful.
Hi Naomi it sounds as though your white colour journey is close to an end! I think you are on the right track with Lexicon quarter. It is a very nice crisp white and just has a bit more pigment in it than Vivid White so tends to give better coverage I find. I love matt finishes too so the least sheen that is still washable is the most desirable with low sheen enamel on trims. All sounds good! Good luck Samantha
Hi again Samantha
I’ve done my samples on board & I’ve decided to go with Natural White on the walls as Antique White USA looked to much like the current wall colour.
For ceilings, I’m undecided on whether to go Natural White 1/4 strength or Lexicon Quarter so needing your advice.
As I don’t want to do a sample on the ceiling and there’s no sample swatch of Nature White 1/4 strength to compare it with Lexicon Quarter, what colour do you think for the ceiling, presuming that Dulux Ceiling paint can be tinted to either colour ?
Thanks again
Hi again Samantha
I’ve done my samples on board & I’ve decided to go with Natural White on the walls as Antique White USA looked to much like the current wall colour.
For ceilings, I’m undecided on whether to go Natural White 1/4 strength or Lexicon Quarter so needing your advice.
As I don’t want to do a sample on the ceiling and there’s no sample swatch of Nature White 1/4 strength to compare it with Lexicon Quarter, what colour do you think for the ceiling, presuming that Dulux Ceiling paint can be tinted to either colour ?
Thanks again
Hi Karena a quarter strength of Natural White will be very white indeed as you are taking so much pigment out of it. You might be safer with Lexicon Quarter as it is a sample that you can actually see before committing to the paint. Good luck Samantha
Hi Samantha,
Your site is great with lots of amazing ideas 🙂
We have recently bought a property in Melbourne. It is a beautiful home built in 1970’s and has Ochre toned floorboards. We are planning to paint the living area, hallway and the kitchen areas. The living area has windows facing west and north and the kitchen faces south. I have done some samples with hog bristle 1/4. ecru 1/4 and antique white USA on the walls, after reading information on warm whites but not very happy with the result as the hog bristle and ecru throws bit of yellow. I want to achieve a warm and inviting look for the living area. Can you please advise some colour combinations that I can try out. I am thinking of sampling grand piano 1/4 and stowe white next.
With the kitchen we have decided to go with a darker benchtop (probably charcoal grey) and white gloss cabinets. The floorboards are lighter than the living area. What colours would work in the kitchen?
Any advise is greatly appreciated.
Thanks!!!
Hi Ria Remember if you are having crisp white cabinets that any wall colour next to it will look darker. You often don’t notice undertones or depth of tone so much until you place the colour next to a very crisp fresh white and you will need to consider your trim and internal doors too. Sometimes choosing a white with a touch of grey can help to offset too much of the yellow when you choose a warm white. Dulux Modern White is warm but with some grey. Could be worth a sample? Good luck Samantha
Thank you Samantha for your valuable advise. I am now looking into doing the kitchen cabinets in warm white like antique white USA 1/2 or 1/4, so the cabinets do not turn out too stark. I am planning to keep the ceiling n walls in natural white as there will be very little wall space left after all the cabinets have been installed.
So colour scheme is turning out to be natural white for walls, off white cabinets and piatra grey benchtop. Floorboards are light brown in colour.
I am still however indecisive on the splashback. Will a marble look white groutless tile suit the colour scheme? I would love to add some subtle colours to the kitchen.
Thank you again. Appreciate it 🙂
Hi Ria I’m glad it is all working out well. I think you will need to be careful with a marble look splashback with your benchtop which will be quite a statement. Perhaps once it is installed borrow one tile from the tile shop and prop it up to see what you think. I think though that I would probably be looking at something simpler and bring in some colour with accessories? Good luck Samantha
We have a 1940s Postwar weatherboard house in Melbourne Australia. The Interior has 2700mm high ceilings with what are really ornament rails rather than picture rails. (They are like a narrow shelf running around the room at about 2 meters height). When we moved in 30 years ago, a Bristol colour consultant gave us a different colour scheme for each room with all trim throughout the house (skirting, rails, doors and frames and cornices) in Spumante. We are looking to sell and the agent has recommended that we repaint the whole house in a neutral white or cream. Can you suggest some whites that are modern enough but still go with Spumante? At the moment, the area above the rail is painted in lighter hues to the area below. We also have Art Deco ceiling lozenges that have been picked out in Spumante, with ceilings painted in the same colour as above the wall rail. (I hesitate to call it a “picture rail” as you cannot hang anything from it – but you can place adornments on the shelf area). We aren’t keen to have to repaint all the trim in a new white. Plus we have buckets of spare Spumante in the garage. But we’ll do it if absolutely necessary. The problem is that Spumante is a yellow white that can look rather dingy against the wrong shade of another white or cream. The other problem is that the two front rooms face NE and NW, while the entrance and hallways get less light and the other bedroom is small , dark and faces E. The Spumante looks different in each room. The room that faces NW has a verandah in front of it with a large Jacaranda tree in the garden. The room facing NE has a deciduous fruit tree in front of it. The room facing E has a small side garden and fence with mid-height green shrubbery. Advice would be very much appreciated. Thanks!!
Hi Kristin I tracked down Spumante in an old Bristol fan deck that I had in the cupboard! I think that you will only see the yellow in the colour when you put it next to another white so I’m wondering if you could get away with just painting everything Spumante? I think this will certainly work in the rooms that don’t get much light. A modern crisp white will look wrong next to it but I would do a test of one room to see how it comes up. Your agent basically wants everything neutral and I think that the house painted through in this with your lovely high ceilings will keep him happy. Hope this works out for you – I think it is worth a try! Good luck with the move Samantha
Apologies Samantha, I forgot to say how much I appreciate your blog and how helpful it’s been to me in trying to make my home more beautiful!!
Thanks Kristin – I appreciate it!
Hi Samantha, love your site. I’m hoping you will pick up my questions: we have bought a traditional weatherboard as we head into retirement. We intend to replace old windows with Trend double hung wideline windows in Surfmist. There is a white gloss but it is too glossy. We are considering Dulux Vivid White throughout, ceilings, walls trims etc with a Vivid White Shaker style kitchen. Do you think the Surfmist is going to clash with the Vivid White, will it look too Grey. Floor tiles in kitchen area ‘Picasso Shadow Grey’ with a grey subway tile. Also, considering external paintwork in Surfmist. Neutral furnishings and accessories with a bit of blue and white. I would so appreciate your advice. Thank you so much.
Esther
Hi Esther the Surfmist windows will stand out a little bit next to the Vivid White but they won’t clash as such. Obviously the pure white is preferable inside but being glossy isn’t always right either and then you end up with a very bright white outside so you need to compromise somewhere. I find that by the time you add blinds, sheers, curtains or possibly even some shutters on smaller windows, that you don’t end up noticing the windows too much. It’s certainly not a stand out window colour and it will work perfectly for your outside. Hope this helps Samantha
Thanks so much for your advice, Samantha. It’s a great idea!!!! We also have lots of both acrylic and oil based paint in the garage in Spumante that we can put to good use and save money. Kristin
The sheer number of comments on this post – enough to prove you right in saying selecting a white is daunting! I would’ve never thought so, but it took 7 swatches of various whites for the wall + 3 other whites for the moldings to get the interiors of our 1920s Colonial painted just the right shade… The next most daunting task: indeed what color to paint the interior of our front door. Couldn’t believe it to see a post dedicated to that as well! Great blog.
Thanks Helena – glad you are finding the blog useful! Samantha
Hi Samantha
You helped me with your advise earlier and I have decided to go with ‘Natural White’, however I have one more question.
I want a true indication of what the colour will look like on the walls when they are painted using ‘Natural White’
So, when painting a sample of ‘Natural White’ on my existing painted walls (Bristol – Cream Torte) ,do I do an undercoat of plain white first, then paint 2 coats of ‘Natural White’, which is what the paint shop advised me to do.
However, the painters are not undercoating prior to painting 2 coats ‘Natural White’ over existing colour (Bristol – Cream Torte) . When doing a sample on the wall should I just do 2 coats of Natural White ?
So confused, as I really want to see what the finished colour will look like, so unsure which is the best way to do a sample on the existing walls in order to see what the true finished colour of ‘Natural White’ will look like when painted over my existing wall colour.
Hi Karen – don’t paint your sample straight onto the wall – paint it on to a large piece of cardboard – this gives you a much better indication of what you will end up. It is up to your painters to ensure that the coverage is right over your existing walls. Hope this helps Samantha
Many thanks Samantha.
The advice you freely provide is invaluable.
Hi there, great article! Hoping you can give some advice! We are wanting to paint our living area to help lighten it up. It faces north but due to the lack of windows on the other sides it still doesn’t get a whole lot of natural light. The floors are currently polished concrete in quite a creamy colour with specks of brown, white and grey (may replace with floorboards at some stage). I was thinking Snowy Mountain Quarter for the walls with Vivid White trims and doors (and ceiling white), but now I’m worried this will be too cool after reading your post.
Hi Karen don’t be frightened about using a warm white. Often these are the right choice, particularly as you have polished concrete with warm tones. Perhaps a classic like Dulux Natural White could work but you will also need to consider any other whites in the room. Good luck Samantha
Far and away the best article I’ve read on ‘whites’, thank you.
I’m so worried I’m going to get it wrong. Any advice would be much appreciated.
I’m trying to pick a dulux white for kitchen cabinetry (to go with a caesarstone calacutta nuvo island bench and caesartone oyster bench tops)
Then a complimentary white for the walls. The rooms receive a lot of natural light and have 3 metre ceilings. Happy to go the same white for walls/doors/ceiling/ trims (if that’s not mental)
Going for a minimalist, contemporary look, with black aluminium framed windows (if that helps)
Thanks again Samantha – so happy to have come across this article / blog
All the best
Thanks Sharon – glad you have found it useful. No problem at all with a contemporary, minimalist style to select one white for everything. Something like Dulux White Exchange Quarter is a nice grey white that could work on everything or Dulux Snowy Mountains Quarter for a grey white that is less warm. Perhaps try samples of those? Good luck Samantha
Hi Samantha,
Thanks for your article – VERY HELFUL!
We are building/renovating and the house is a mix of contemporary with a Mid Century vibe to it. I want it all neutral and just have pops of colour with soft furnishings and some feature wallpaper in stairwells etc which is some of my designs in a few places throughout house.
We have chosen Spotted Gum flooring and we have floor to ceiling black window frames throughout most of house, The kitchen has a little Spotted Gum cabinetry but the Island bench and a bank of wall cabinets will be in white poly. I’ve gone with Dulux ‘White Exchange Half’ for this as it seemed so perfect with the bench top which will be Calcutta Gold. .I’m not sure I like this colour as much as ‘Natural White’ with the small sample of Spotted gum we have. The flooring will go throughout house. I’m thinking what ever colour we go with for walls I will use a 1/2 or 1/4 strength of the same colour for ceiling. We have no cornices, but will have architraves, so I could use the White Exchange here perhaps. Our house faces west so these room are going to get a LOT of sun in afternoons so not sure how this will effect choice. Do you think Nautral White will go with the White Exchange well enough and will it work with the orientation of the rooms.
Then there is the outside of the house which is going to be white too…. for another day.
Thank you so much
Hi Danielle as you have used Dulux White Exchange Half for the cabinetry I think that I would opt for a quarter strength of it for the walls rather than Dulux Natural White which may start to highlight the grey in the cabinetry. As your room receives a lot of sun you can get away with paints that do have a touch of grey like the White Exchange range. Perhaps try a sample of that on the wall? Good luck Samantha
Hi there Sam
We are renovating an old farmhouse. The floors are covered atm and it will be a long time before they will be polished. So I am unsure what colour they will be. I am thinking that they are hardwood , as the chamfer boards are. The front of the house is north facing. The hall and the lounge do not have a lot of natural light. I am so confused about whites. I have tried many, but haven’t found the perfect one. i like a warm feel, but not cream. I dont like the cool feels. could you suggest any whites you think might help?
Hi Samantha,
Love your site, fabulous articles, have incorporated lots of your knowledge and suggestions to help make our choices so far. We’re renovating and extending what used to be my Mum’s old 60’s hardiplank and terracotta tile house in Sydney on the upper north shore and we were keen to use an earthy palette to echo the bushland environs. The old cottage at the front is being re-clad with Benex concrete panels and we’ve used a mix of Benex blocks and panels and raw Exotec concrete look board for the new contemporary north facing pavilion behind it. New build has Evening Haze roof, fascias and gutters, Dulux Pebbles on the rendered blocks and panels and all through the property we’ve got uPVC double glazed windows – in white (wasn’t sure about white, but also not wanting black as I feel they could date quickly or the timber look, so… we have white and they look pretty good against the Exotec raw board, and think they’ll be fresh against the earthy green-grey-brown of the Dulux Pebbles render) And we’ll have half strength White Duck for the eaves all around the house and full strength White Duck for the pergola in the north behind the new build. Have had an original metal verandah railing from the house powder coated Woodland Grey for a little back balcony and wondering about using Woodland Grey for the old weathered barge boards, fascias, original metal veranda railing and garage door around at the front of the house though these two areas are discrete so considering what else could work well with the aged lichen-covered terracotta tiles, the Dulux Pebbles render, white uPVC windows… I have a strong desire for a rich red front door and considering Dulux Very Cherry which seems to sit beautifully on my A4 sample card of Pebbles and initially thought of a dark door frame like Dulux Tea Chest as I love that whole Dulux row from White Duck through to Tea Chest.. and considered using Tea Chest as a trim colour elsewhere out the front though now wondering about Woodland Grey or maybe a black… and online images show lots of red doors with white door surrounds which I’m now also not sure about.. so any feedback on these final exterior colour decisions would be greatly appreciated.
However I was meaning to ask about interior whites after re-reading the above article for the nnth time. Most of the new build at the back is a large bright, north-facing raked ceiling living dining kitchen area with Grey Ironbark floors – mix of reds, browns, green-grey boards (bit more red than I had pictured though we might tone that down/darken them a little with a touch of black/charcoal tint in the solid oil), have rich coloured rugs, some teak mid century type furniture, a green 50’s club lounge suite, strong artworks, matt black track lights and ceiling fans, mostly matt black kitchen with a band of Sepia Oak overhead cabinets and feature of Sensa Orinoco granite on the island bench, the uPVC double glazed windows have a ‘crystal white’ foil finish on the inside which has a bit of grain but am not sure exactly what the white tone is.. there’s a connecting walkway from the front cottage which has all the south-facing bedrooms and smaller rooms though a study and laundry-kitchenette are small but north-facing and bright.. So wondering if there’s a white which will work throughout, am thinking it needs to slightly cool the north area but not wanting the bedrooms to seem cold. Not keen on blue tones. I like green undertones better. Or maybe we could have about a pinkish undertoned white for the bedrooms? though not sure which ones have pink tones. So far am considering that Dulux Snowy Mountains might work throughout, in various strengths for walls, trim and ceiling as you suggest in your article. Also looked at White Exchange, not sure what the primary difference is between these, or what else to consider. We’re not able to just go onsite, we have scheduled meetings there, however can’t go and take large samples and see in different lights in the location as you suggest and the builder has requested the paint colours ASAP as I’ve been indecisive for weeks now. Could you offer any feedback or suggestions for other whites? Also am I right in thinking that if we specify a Dulux colour it is best to use Dulux paint as the builder mentioned that the painter was using Taubmans on another project of theirs however we can specify what we want. Very appreciative of any ideas and again thanks for your great website and blog posts… I am really loving this whole creative process even while it is a bit stressful, cheers Jo 🙂
Hi Jo I like the idea of incorporating Woodland Grey on the exterior as this works so well with your range of chosen colours and with a red front door I think I would prefer a dark trim as the white will really stand out. Inside you can’t go wrong with Snowy Mountains range but White Exchange is lovely too – it is a warmer grey/white but still very neutral. Neither has blue tones but White Exchange Quarter is warmer than Snowy Mountains Quarter but also slightly deeper in tone. Hope this helps! Samantha
Hi Samantha. Your site provides a wealth of information and guidance. Could you please provide me with a little help choosing a ceiling and trim colour. I have selected White polar quarter for the kitchen (north facing) and adjoining lounge (south facing with patio so no direct sunlight). It will be one big open plan room and I am wanting to create a bright, fresh and relaxed feel (without being too yellow or blue based). I am not sure about the ceiling, architraves and skirting. I was thinking either Lexicon quarter or vivid white for ceiling? Though if you have another suggestion I would greatly appreciate it. I have read your article on skirting and architraves. As white polar quarter is already “quarter strength” do I use the same colour or could I go lighter if it’s possible? Thank you in advance for any advice you can provide and share so generously.
Hi Natalie If you use another white with Dulux White Polar Quarter, you will see the underlying warmth in the colour. By using just the same white everywhere it will just look like a pure white. Hope this helps Samantha
Hi Samantha,
Great article! I really enjoyed the information you provided. I am hoping you may be able to assist in suggesting some sample pots worth considering in order to give me a starting point with colour selection testing please.
I have a north facing Australian (Melbourne) property with good light. Living areas are north and east. Bedrooms are west and south. I currently have a warm white that looks dull and ageing. I would prefer a fresher look that works well with my charcoal carpet in the bedrooms and lounge. Hoping to avoid throwing off yellow.
I have a charcoal kitchen and blackbutt vinyl flooring. The living/meals area is attached to the kitchen.
I am indecisive by nature so want to minimise how many sample colours I test on my wall. If you could assist I would be so appreciative.
Thanks.
Hi Nicole it sounds to me as though you need a grey white – you might like to look at Snowy Mountains Quarter or half. If this is still too creamy then you may need to look at Dulux Lexicon quarter – any higher in strength and you start to see the blue undertone which may work well for the north and west facing areas and your charcoal kitchen but might be too cool for the other areas. Think about the strength of white that you want too – do you want a very crisp look or more depth? Hope this helps Samantha
Hi Samantha, your site is so amazing and your answers to peoples Qs are very generous. Do you mind if I seek your advice? I am in SA and added an extension to my 1980s bluestone cottage.. it has concrete floors (warm grey colour with primarily white stones) and 3.3m ceilings with large windows, square-set cornice and shadow line skirtings. The cabinetry is primarily two pack finish with large Aquila marble splash back and bench-tops – its grey and white with a fairly strong pattern. I am thinking of adding some wood cabinetry on the island and shelf across the marble splash back in an oak or walnut. I need to pick the white for the cabinetry and was thinking of lexicon quarter and matching this with the walls too.. A Dulux consultant that came out suggested the walls be painted Grey Pebble Half but I am unsure on this suggestion. They said it will shade the area? The cabinets go to 2.7 meters and then there is a bulkhead above.. I am confused if that should stay the same colour as the cabinetry or the walls? Particularly if I go with the Grey Pebble colour – the other Q with that colour is around if I should take it down to a quarter strength rather than half? I am primarily unsure if this ‘grey’ will read as ‘white’ in the space or blend with the floor and then the whole space ends up looking grey.. Any advice would be appreciated. Many thanks Virginia
Hi Virginia I love the sound of your cottage. Firstly the bulkhead is treated like the walls when it comes to paint and paint colour. I feel that if you have had some advice from a Dulux consultant then this is probably the right way to go however you do need to consider the overall look, mood and feel of the room. Painting it all white the same as the cabinets will be very stark and gives you a very contemporary, clean look while the Grey Pebble will give you a softer look that may be in keeping with the style of the house. You really need to paint large sample boards with 2 coats of the half and the quarter and the white and look at them at different times of the day to see which you prefer, bearing in mind the all-important mood that you want to create. Good luck Samantha
Hi Samantha, thank you so much for your advice. I really appreciate it.. its so tricky choosing whites.. I will go any paint some bigger boards of the whites that are making it into the final selection. All the best, Virginia
Thank you for your insight, I have a dilemma we have a relatively new hone and have painted Stonebridge (grey) on the walls and Gemini silver ( light, cool grey) on the trim. I would love to change my wall colours to white without having to paint the entire trim but am worried it will look odd with a grey trim? Is this achievable?
Hi Kristel you will need to select a white that is also a cool, greyish one to work with Gemini Silver and it should work well – I like a darker trim for a change. Good luck Samantha
Hi Samantha we are renovating our kitchen and have just painted the walls in light rice quarter which come out creamier than I thought it would our Kitchen bench top is granite Black and I wanted to go with light colour on the cupboards an off white as our floors are timber and we need to add something light. What colour would you recommend for the cupboards all these whites are so confusing.
Hi Kathryn if you opt for a bright white this will make the Light Rice Quarter look even creamier so you need to look at a warm white, possibly something like Natural White. Good luck Samantha
Hello Samantha, We are about to renovate our small kitchen, I have chosen the Calacatta Crema smartstone for bench top & splash back, we have plain off white tiles on the floor. What Dulux paint colour would you recommend for the polyurethane cupboard doors & drawers? wanting to keep it plain white/off white with gold handles & tap. Thank you.
Hi Rowena You need to consider the wall and trim colour in the area too but you could try a sample of Dulux Snowy Mountains Quarter which is a great white with this benchtop. Try a sample and ensure you consider the other elements in the space. Good luck Samantha
Thanks Samantha, great confirmation! I had just about decided on Snowy mountain half then I noticed your reply. I will check quarter strength. Thank you Rowena
Hi Samantha! Have you ever had a moment of despair, when the strangest series of events leads you to a solution? At 1am, drowning in little dulux colour cards I found this post, and there you were bathed in a halo of vivid white! Or Casper white? Not sure, whatever ethereal white an angel would be!! Haha! Since reading every post, I have lost confidence in my decision and would be forever grateful for your advice. We have an extremely large north facing space, 15x6m, with lots of huge charcoal framed windows. We have a hard wax finished versailles parquetry floor (not glossy) in a mahogany-wenge (dark chocolate brown looking). The doors are also same stained timber. I felt a lighter trim was jarring, and I’m now sure I completely botched my choice! We went with snowy mountains for walls, and whisper white trim, and kitchen cupboards, lexicon quarter for ceiling. The room is bookended by travertine walls. There is calacatta gold silestone bench/monolith in the kitchen, and French kitchen canopy for rangehood in a natural white (I think). So it seems I chose the opposite of your wisdom, and have gone for a darker trim&cupboards in a yellow tone, with blue toned walls? I wanted to balance the yellow in the room (travertine), so the house looked fresh and not dated. The decor is modern spanish. I have lots of brass, reds and terracotta in cushions and furnishings, big linen white couch, and wrought iron lighting. I note your advice was not to mix blue and yellow undertones! Also to go lighter in trim! I have done the opposite! So aside from the general plea for help, I guess my question is what colour is best to avoid the room looking dated (I.e a sepia look), but in keeping with the warm travertine and dark floor?
Forever grateful,
Emra
Hi Emra I’m sorry you’re drowning in despair over white paint! As your kitchen cabinetry is Whisper White I suspect you don’t want to change that? But it is actually a lovely warm white and you only notice the yellow undertones and depth of the colour when you put it with a different white. Perhaps try a section of wall in Whisper White to match the architraves and kitchen and then see how it feels? Hope this helps Samantha
Hi! I shoukd havr mentioned it was snowy mountain half for the walls! (Sleep deprivation got me)
Hey Samantha,
Do you reckon if I paint the walls white on white, would the ceiling be nice in Lexicon Quarter? Really lost here!
Thank you
Hi Vanessa Yes this would work – both have a cool crisp blue undertone which is far more evident in White on White. Once you put a crisper white with it then you will see more of the blue undertone so you could also consider just using the White on White everywhere. Hope this makes sense. Samantha
HI Samantha,
Can I please get your expert opinion on matching Dulux White paints? We are looking for cool white combinations.
1. currently thinking of Vivid White (matte) for ceiling and choosing between Lexicon quarter or Snowy Mountains Half for the walls (low sheen). Which one will you recommend?
2. For architraves, regardless of the combo mentioned above, would you suggest if we use vivid white (semi gloss)?
Our kitchen cabinets are glossy white and flooring is dark brown spotted gum. We do have quite a lot of natural light throughout our place.
Many thanks!!!
Hi Amy When I use Dulux Lexicon Quarter on the walls, I use it on the trim and ceiling too otherwise the whites can fight with each other as they are so close in tone. Lexicon Quarter is a very crisp white which is cool with a blue undertone – you don’t really see this in the quarter strength unless you put it next to another white like Vivid White – however you do get a crisp cooler feel to the room. Dulux Snowy Mountains Half is more neutral and has a touch of grey. You need to put the colour samples next to your kitchen cabinets too to see the underlying colour and then assess which you prefer. Hope this helps Samantha
Hi Samantha
I’m undecided on which white to use in my small ensuite bathroom. Floor tiles and vanity top are both black. Vanity cabinet, shower walls and toilet are bright white. Not much natural light in bathroom. Going for fresh , bright look. I do like the lexicon half and qtr but not sure if will work and don’t want it to give off a clinical vibe and have it looking too white. May I ask what you’d suggest? Many thanks!
Hi Lizzy the best thing to do is to either have quite a contrast from the white tiles to a different wall colour or match the white tiles exactly. Wall tiles will just look a bright white but they vary as much as the paint colours do. Some will be quite blue, others slightly warmer and some have a grey tinge which you don’t always see until you put the paint colour next to the tile. Therefore you should grab some samples of the whites – Bunnings has some slightly larger samples rather than the small colour chips and place them on the tiles. To prevent the room from being too clinical add an inexpensive print/poster etc. to bring some personality to the room. Nothing too expensive though that could be ruined by the steam. Hope this helps Samantha
Thank you for explaining that the shade of white is not as simple as it seems. My mother is planning to have her house painted white. Because she is looking for a robin’s eggshell white, I will encourage her to hire professional painters.
Hi Samantha,
I never in million years thought i would be reaching out regarding interior design in my previous life but since me and my wife built our first home in Melbourne i’m obsessed with trying to get all these details right. Loved your article and would love some advice about what colour to paint our house. We currently have Dulux Whitsunday Island throughout on all walls and trim. the ceiling is Lexicon Quarter. I really don’t like the the doors and trim as it seems to be darker then the walls and looks warmer almost. We have a black and white theme through the open plan kitchen dining and living area with black blinds and wooden laminate flooring. in the bedrooms we have dark grey carpet and white blinds. Im unsure what other colour to paint the trim as we have lexicon quarter already on the ceiling and thinking a third colour could just look wrong. Should we paint the ceiling a different colour as well as the trim or even lexicon quarter for the trim? Any advice would be amazing!
I was even going to ask if you thought Lexicon quarter would be better for the whole thing as we have the dark grey/charcoal carpet?
Hi Tony I think your problem is that Whitsunday Island is tending towards a warmer off white grey which has quite a bit of depth, while Dulux Lexicon Quarter is a cool crisp white that has an undertone of blue. You need to decide on the mood you want for the home. Dulux Lexicon Quarter throughout will be very crisp and clean and cool and will certainly work with the dark grey carpet but it gives you a different feel to a softer white on the walls. Hope this helps Samantha
Thanks Samantha appreciate you taking the time to respond. Could i ask if we wanted to brighten the bedrooms that don’t receive much natural light could we do this with a snowy mountains quarter? it seems that the snowy mountain colour is quite close to whitsunday island and do you think that would still work with the charcoal carpet?
Hi Tony Dulux Snowy Mountains Quarter is a lovely light white – lighter than Whitsunday Island and much fresher. It will work well with charcoal carpet but will just give you more of a contrast. Samantha
Hi Sam, extremely interesting reading all your expert feedback & using diff strengths of one white throughout. My city apartment.has open plan south-east facing living, dining & kitchen – light from floor to ceiling windows on 2 walls but no direct sun. My kitchen cupboards will be mottled concrete color as I’m aiming for a contemporary-industrial look.
I painted big sample swatches on my living room wall & found:
natural white – very dull w. cool grey tinge
irish linen – same as natural white
whisper white – very beige
lexicon half: cold blue tinge
lexicon ¼: very bright white no blue tinge but no warmth
I’d love a warmer white that is still contemporary & will contrast with skirting in vivid white or lexicon ¼? Very grateful for yr kind thoughts if I should try samples of Antique white, White exchange quarter, White cloak half, Snowy Mountains Half ?
Hi Daizy You might like to try Dulux Snowy Mountains Quarter. It has a touch of warmth but is certainly not creamy. As it gets darker in Snowy Mountains Half I think it will be too grey for your apartment’s south east facing aspect but in quarter strength, most people seem to really like it. I think a purer white like this will work with your contemporary Industrial aesthetic too. Good luck – let us know if it works Samantha
Will do! Many thx yr feedback. Best Daizy
Hello Samantha
What dulux colour would you recommend using for cupboard doors and drawers with the Quantum Quartz Carrara quartz as a benchtop?
Thank you
Rowena
Hi Samantha,
What paint colour (Dulux or Haymes) would you recommend for Polytec Class White cupboards and Cosmopolitan White Caesarstone benchtop?
Thank you so much,
Kristen
Hi Kristen I find that Polytec Classic White goes well with Dulux Snowy Mountains Quarter – this will be a close match which will make the Caesarstone Cosmopolitan White stand out beautifully. Hope this helps Samantha
Hi Samantha,
I’m so glad I found your wonderful advice just in time.
We are building a new coastal home. We have been advised to go with Dulux whisper white same full strength walls, ceiling, and trims. Open living facing mainly east, bedrooms southwest. Have opted for warm grey base cupboards and winter white stone bench tops. I am a little concerned with overhead cupboard choice of polytec classic white sheen. This appears very stark white in comparison to stone and whisper white. Floors will be greyish oak with large black aluminium window frames.
I would welcome your advice with kitchen overheads and if keeping same strength of paint might be uninteresting.
Suzy
Hi Suzy It’s OK to use the same strength of white for walls, trim and ceilings as this way you don’t see any underlying colour. You’re right though that you do once you put it against the Classic White Sheen. I find that Polytec’s Blossom White is a much closer match to Dulux Whisper White. Hope you love your new home Samantha
Hi Samantha, I am building a new home and the designer suggested a cotton ball white (Taubmans- Australia) for walls, cornices, ceiling. Our style is a modern/classic Hampton. I am concern that it is going to look like a hospital instead of a home. Any suggestions?
Hi Sara is extremely white and you’re right it will be very sterile when used on absolutely every surface. You need to consider whether you want a warm or a cool white. I like Taubmans Alpine Snow – still a very crisp white but not quite as bright or for a softer, greyer look you could use Taubmans Aspen Snow with a crisp white trim. You really need to consider your kitchen colours too to get the overall look right. Good luck Samantha
Hi Samantha, thank you so much for your answer. This website is a great inspiration. Your opinion is really helpful and encouraging as I didn’t feel comfortable with the initial idea. Our kitchen is a classic white style, cabinets are shaker style and made of polytechnic thermo classic white Matt, with white subway style splashback and the stone bench is Caesarstone Bianca drift. Floors are engineered floor colour breeze.
Do you think the taubmans alpine snow or aspen snow will work with the kitchen? Also, do you think the brilliant white or crisp white will work for the ceiling and cornices?
Hi Sara Taubmans Alpine Snow will probably be better as it is less grey and I prefer Crisp White to go with this as Brilliant White has hardly any pigment and therefore terrible coverage for ceilings. Hope this helps Samantha
Hi Samantha
Great information here. i would really appreciate any advice if possible thanks.
We are looking at painting the interior of a 2 storey house facing south at the front and north at the back. We have minimal light coming in from the west due to shading on this side of the house. The house is a 20 years old brick veneer, has large rooms and 9 foot ceilings downstairs.
The biggest challenge we have is Primrose (creamy yellow) coloured aluminium windows and sliding doors and as such have been unsure of what to do in terms of paint choices that are complementary with these. The walls and trims are currently Taubmans Village Cream with white ceilings. We are toying with the option of Dulux Whisper White for the architraves, doors and trims with a possible wall colour of Dulux grey reflection. That said i am very open to any suggestions to work well with the Primrose that make sense
Hi Chris as far as the Primrose windows are concerned it is a good idea to camouflage them a little if you can with window dressings, perhaps some inexpensive sheers, roller blinds will cover to a certain degree or some plantation shutters. By minimising some of the Primrose in the room, you are able to get away with some different whites. Dulux Grey Reflection is a great wall colour but it doesn’t suit all rooms as it is quite grey. You should paint up two large boards of both colours and look at them in all the rooms of the house and try wherever possible to camouflage some of the windows! Hope this helps Samantha
Hi Samantha,
Another fan here, full of gratitude for your fabulous blog posts and generosity in replying to all these comments! Hoping you can also steer me in the right direction with an interior wall colour for our extended/renovated post war home in Brisbane. We have mixed hardwood floors and our kitchen will be (mostly) polytec classic white sheen (with Tasmanian oak overheads & black cabinets for the island) with smartstone Arcadia benchtops. Living/kitchen/dining is a long open plan space with a few windows facing north on the long wall and bifold doors opening out on the short wall to a large, covered east-facing deck. So a fair bit of natural light in the mornings but less as the day goes by (no west facing windows, just the front door, which will often be closed to keep the western sun/heat out!). There are 4 beds all on the southern side, master also east facing, one totally south facing & quite dark, two are west facing. Tossing up between Snowy Mountains Qtr or Half for wall colour (if half, maybe quarter for trim, vs vivid white?) or is it safest going for something darker (eg white duck, white exchange or even surfmist, which we’re using externally) to completely contrast with the classic white cabinets and avoid any potential clash trying to match them up? I like the idea of the brighter white as a blank canvas for decor etc (we’ll be updating what we have and all I can say is my style is ‘eclectic’ and probably a bit piecemeal!), just worried about getting the right white for the cabinets and also if cooler whites like Snowy Mtns, Casper White etc will be too cold for our darker bedrooms. Have you had any recent updates as to what paint colour you’d recommend to suit Polytec classic white cabinetry, or is Snowy Mountains still our best bet to avoid the cabinets looking ‘creamy‘ (& would half or quarter strength be preferable given the lighting, or lack thereof, in the rest of the house)? Any advice greatly appreciated, thanks!
Hi Tanya glad you’re enjoying the posts! Dulux Snowy Mountains Quarter is still a favourite to go with Polytec Classic White and this will give you a crisp white blank canvas that should work through the house. I would avoid going too grey as you don’t have a lot of light and I certainly wouldn’t use Surfmist. If you do want a slight grey, Dulux White Exchange Quarter is a lovely warm off white grey. Hope this helps Samantha
Thanks Samantha! Our painter is going to do a section of wall near the kitchen in Snowy Mtns Half, do you think that would work as well as the quarter? The painter feels we have more natural light than I thought (we probably do, post extension/renovation!), If the half looks too dark I’ll ask him to switch to quarter strength. Will also grab a sample of White exchange qtr to compare. Leaning towards using the same colour for walls and trim. Thanks so much for your reply and valuable opinion!
Hi Samantha,
Thank you for another great article!
I’m planning on painting an extensive part of my house with an all white interior scheme using one colour for paneling, doors and window frames. Some areas have lots of natural light whilst other areas don’t. I was planning on painting with antique white USA or natural white but after reading this I’m not so sure. I love warm whites. My window frames are Surfmist. I would like a warm white that can tie well with Surfmist as there is an extensive glass area overlooking a pool so the window frames will always be in view without curtains etc. could you kindly recommend a warm white ( or a white which doesn’t make my walls baby blue)?
Would love your opinion on colours I have chosen after reading your helpful post. We have surfmist roof, gutters, fascia & garage door, pearl white windows. Linea hardiplank around windows & render around garage. I was thinking Tahira white on hardiplank and aspen snow on render to blend with roller door. Not sure if these colours will look the same outside but & not sure what colour to do eaves. Alternatively would I be better to go with something like platonic on all walls then do quarter strength on the eaves. I’m trying to pick colours that will avoid the surfmist throwing the creamy colour that it can sometimes. Thanks so much for your time.
Hi Samantha, hope you are doing well…
I need some advise… i have East facing house which has 2 room and a lounge followed by another big lounge at the rear end of the house. The light is good at the start of the day in those rooms followed by the rear end having full day light. The rear end has 8 large windows with combined kitched. I am confused between White on White low sheen for walls and vivid white high gloss for door and trims….
Hi Tarun Dulux White on White is a very cool blue white and it sounds like the areas as the back of the house will definitely be ok with this. Vivid White has hardly any pigment but does read a little warm and I think you might be better looking at Dulux Lexicon Quarter for the doors and trim – perhaps try some samples and see if you like the effect. You may also prefer a semi-gloss for the woodwork so that there is not so much reflection but this is a personal choice. Hope this helps Samantha
Hi Samantha,
I am going in ‘white paint selection’ circles. Help!
We have reached the exterior upgrade portion of our renovation. We will have a black tile/slate roof. Our garage, front door and fencing are timber and painted in Monument. Windows are timber and currently vivid white, but could re-paint. I’m stuck on which white to go for the exterior walls. I’m after a white that isn’t too stark (I find some just look like an undercoat), but also doesn’t throw too much yellow or grey. We are located in Sydney Australia, so the sun is bright. But the majority of the walls are at the front of the house, which only gets the morning sun. Back of the house is mostly windows.
I was looking at White Exchange Half…but would love some advice!
Many thanks in advance,
Jenny
Hi Jenny Dulux White Exchange Half is a nice external white – as the house faces north you could even consider full strength of White Exchange. You should paint up a large board with a sample pot if you can as this will give you the best indication of how the white will get washed out. Hope this helps Samantha
I am so happy I found your blog and I absolutely love your information about find the right white and the tips you have shared are awesome. I liked and it is wonderful to know about so many things that are useful for all of us! Thanks a lot for this amazing blog!!
Hi Samantha,
Lovely of you to address this!
I am building a house and struggling with my external colours.
Roof, gutters, fascia – surfmist
Pearl white (bright white) – windows
Perisher white (bright white) – garage door
If I use snowy mountains quarter for the external cladding, will this clash with the bright white garage door and windows? Do you think it would blend okay?
I don’t want any grey tones, however I don’t want yellows either.
I would appreciate your advice please.
Thank you.
Hi Lisa Dulux Snowy Mountains Quarter is very bright on exterior weatherboards. The Three Birds Renovation team has used it on the exterior of one of their homes – if you google it you will see it. It is pretty close to Pearl White and outside you won’t see any difference – it will all be crisp white. Hope this helps Samantha
Hi Samantha
We’re going bonkers with all the types of white paint out there. The white colour sample cards that we have don’t even look like white…help please !!
We’re building an open plan house facing the beach (north facing). The colour of our windows and sliding doors are Surfmist. We would like to have a bright crisp interior with white wash walls that will give a “pop” against the Surfmist windows and sliding doors. We can’t decide if we should go with Dulux Lexicon Quarter for all walls, trims and ceilings, or Dulux Vivid White. If both these colours are not a good choice, please suggest. We really appreciate your help and advice. Thank you.
Hi Lorraine The small white colour sample cards make the whites look quite different as you are looking at them next to pure white and therefore you see the undertone which Vivid White and Lexicon Quarter don’t have much of, which is why I suspect you are leaning towards them. However when you just look at the white on the wall without any other whites next to it, you don’t always see a strong undertone. I think if you want a bright crisp interior you are on the right track with Dulux Lexicon Quarter but it is very bright once you have it everywhere, particularly in a north facing aspect so I would paint a large sample board in two coats to double check that you like the effect before committing to it. It may be that you might prefer a white that is a little softer. Hope this helps Samantha
Thanks Samantha…appreciate it !!
Hi Samantha,
I have used Dulux Natural white on my walls and plan on painting all the trims/skirts/doors Dulux Vivid white). My dilemma is what white to use on the 3m wide polyurethane doors in a bedroom? Dulux Vivid white? The floors are kauri pine and it is a dark room in a Victorian house. Please help as I am sooooo confused like my life depended on it! Thank you, Nicole
Hi Nicole I think that I would use Dulux Natural White for the doors as they are as wide as a wall and will be just too blindingly white and obvious in Vivid White – you can still have trims and skirts in Vivid White and any other smaller doors. Hope this helps! Samantha
Hi Samantha, wow I am so impressed you’ve been running this blog for so many years. I am finding the choice of white quite perplexing and struggling to choose the right colour for my colonial style skirts and trims.
I have painted all of my walls Dulux natural white full strength. My skirts and trims are vivid white, however I am finding that I am not enjoying the contrasting whites. The walls now look much creamier than I had desired. Can you suggest an alternate skirting board/ trim colour that will emphasise the white and not the cream? My rooms don’t have a great deal of natural light.
Additionally do you have a suggestion for the colour of the ceilings? I wasn’t sure if I would be in a similar predicament if I went with a ceiling white for the ceiling and cornice?
Also my floors are Kauri Pine and have been recently sanded and polished so was hoping for a fresh look
Hi Katherine you could grab a sample of Dulux Snowy Mountains Quarter – this has more depth than Vivid White and is a warm white and may give you the look you want – whichever white you use on the trims can be used on the ceiling too. Hope this helps Samantha
Hi Samantha. Thankyou for this blog. Looking to repaint walls from a horrid salmon colour to a clean white, possibly lexicon qtr/half. My home is trimmed throughout with tasmanian oak (baseboards, door and window frames). Is there a better white for this syle of trim. Other option is paint trim white, but if i can make it look better with crisp white walls i may decide to leave the oak trim as is. Is there a complimentary white i could use for the interior doors if go with lexicon for the walls? Many thanks.
Hi Samantha,
I have an open plan space to paint. My kitchen is bright, north and east facing), the west facing living room section is smaller, a bit darker during the day and is west facing and the hallway is darker again. The flooring is red toned – Sydney blue gum, and the metal window frames are Primrose/Classic Cream (which I don’t love), with an untinted Dulux white ceiling and vivid white trims which are too stark against the window frames. I have charcoal grey sofas and a lot of indoor plants. I want to find one slightly dirty off-white shade to use on all the walls, trims and ceilings in different gloss levels, but a number of test pots later I’m still a bit lost. What can you suggest?
Hi Mira as you have cream coloured windows, you need to find a warm off white that you like. Have you looked at Dulux Natural White? You also need to consider your kitchen colour – if these cabinets are white, they will need to be taken into account too. Natural white has wide appeal with some warmth. I know you like the idea of a slightly dirty off white but it must go with your windows. You could also consider White Exchange Quarter. Good luck Samantha
Hi Samantha, wow, what a minefield it is in determining suitable whites! Some exc guidance above on colour considerations but would still appreciate your guidance. I am painting the interior of my 1940s rural wood cottage with fairly low ceilings. Ceilings are Dulux Natural White, walls are Handmade Linen full. I had thought to go with Natural White also on all the interior trim (wooden windows, doors, architraves and skirtings), plus two rooms, lounge and dining have dado surrounds. Problem is that although many comments above state that Natural White is warm, I am fearing that it looks too stark a white for the cottage for use as the trim and dado colour. As this is a small old cottage, I am after a white that is warm and inviting without being too creamy yellow (like White Swan). You mention quite often in your response recommendations above that Dulux White Coat and Dulux Stowe White are warm whites with touch of grey. Would either of these, or another white you might suggest, be suitable to use as the trim and dado colour with Handmade Linen walls, while retaining Natural White ceilings? I intend to use same colour scheme throughout house as it is a small cottage. Thank you.
Hi Beth you will need a white that has a green undertone to work with the Handmade Linen walls. You could try Dulux White Verdict but it is difficult to say for sure without seeing images of the house and assessing the light available etc. I hope this helps Samantha
Oops, on re-reading my comment above I noticed incorrect spelling of paint colour … I meant White Cloak not Coat. Dulux Handmade Linen on the walls suits the cottage. House is not modern, so a bit of colour creates a welcoming and comfortable atmosphere, which is important as I live in a cold climate. As I live rural, I am doing the painting myself, so would like to get the colour choices right the first time. Have previously hired a couple of colour consultants but they only seemed to confuse the situation as their colour recommendations did not suit the house. Extra info that may help your colour suggestion… Kitchen is Blackwood. Floors are timber that on my completing painting will be sanded and stained, possibly light oak colouring but that still to be determined.
Hi Samantha,
Me and my partner are doing renos to our old house and we are stuck on what white paint we should use for the whole house. We are thinking Snowy Mountains Half. We have oak flooring (not to light, a little bit of a rustic colour to it). We will have warm/rustic furniture and a cream/white-ish couch. I dont want a blue tone to the walls but i dont want yellow/pink to over power. We have white shaker doors in our kitchen and lien cupboards so i also dont want the walls to look odd with white doors. What would you recommend?
Thanks 🙂
Jade
Hi Jade Dulux Snowy Mountains Half is a very good interior white which doesn’t have any blue undertones. In terms of the kitchen cabinets you will need to paint a sample of Snowy Mountains Half on the wall next to the cabinets – 2 coats, to see what you think. Hope this helps Samantha
Hi Samantha,
Thank you for giving us abundant information through your blog. All the articles I read are very informative.
We are renovating our home where we have a coastal Blackbutt floorboards in living areas, dining & hallway. Greyish look tiles in kitchen, laundry & bathroom. And grey coloured carpets in rooms. All windows are large, aluminium & brown coloured. Enough natural light throughout except little shaded hallway.
1) Kitchen cabinets matches dulux natural white. So, I am thinking of going with natural white for walls and half strength natural white/vivid white for trims. Please suggest if that works. I am open to all your suggestions?
2) I am planning to paint aluminium windows exterior with charcoal grey same as my gutter & downpipes and interior windows with white/black. Appreciate your inputs here please.
Thanks,
Mohan
Hi Mohan I’m glad you’re enjoying the blog. You are absolutely on the right track with Dulux Natural White to match the kitchen cupboards. Vivid White will give you a lovely crisp trim but half strength Natural White would work well too if you wanted a more subtle contrast. Yes, definitely paint the windows grey on the exterior to match your other trim. It may be easier to paint the interior windows the same colour as you would normally just have one colours inside and outside and a smart grey usually looks good. Hope this helps Samantha
Hi Samantha 🙂 Do hope you don’t receive this post in triplicate! I’ve done it twice and it’s just disappeared for the second time! Waahhh! Not sure what I do wrong. So sorry if you’ve received them all!! I promise I won’t send another one if this one disappears too. We’ve been in the white dilemma for months and when I google I always seem to end up on this page! It’s been very helpful and put snowy mountains on our radar. We’re building a house in Qld with a south-east facing living area. We have painted up boards in snowy mountains 1/4, 1/2 and also lexicon 1/4. The snowy mountains 1/4 looks darker than the 1/2 and quite cream in both Wattyl and Dulux paints. Would this be a mixing error? Or is it meant to be darker? My husband loves the white of the lexicon but I think it’s a bit cold and he agrees with me that the snowy mountains looks a better colour with our furniture etc. We have surfmist windows, smartstone davinci blanco benchtops, white subway tiles in a herringbone pattern as a splashback, momo florencia handles in european pewter and frontier design timber look vinyl floor planks in rye. At this point in time we have put down lexicon quarter as our cupboards as this was what was suggested to us. We’re hoping to change it in time. If we were to change it to snowy mountains we aren’t sure exactly what to do the walls and trims in. If we are too late to change it… I really don’t want a different shade of lexicon on the walls. It would be so cold. Would love and value your input. Thanks so much.
Hi Heidi not sure what happened but I have your post now! Dulux Lexicon Quarter is a very common kitchen door colour as it just gives you a lovely crisp, bright white. It looks lovely with Dulux White Exchange Quarter which is a bit softer and than Snowy Mountains. SM Quarter should definitely be lighter than SM Half so I’m not sure what has happened with your samples. Hope this helps Samantha
Hi Samantha, loving all your articles and blogs. What a wealth of insight, creativity and passion. I had a consultant tell me White Duck 1/4 would look good on walls with White Dune 1/4 on doors, trims and white verdict 1/4 ceiling and kitchen cabinetry. We weren’t left with samples, so purchased our own.
We are painting whole internal house and doing kitchen renovation. I think we have settled on Blue Oar for island with white sparse diamond speckled look counters.
The duck and dune look very dirty with our house lighting. The white verdict looks quite yellow.
I’ve read through articles and your blogs and I’m wondering if perhaps White Cloak 1/4 on walls would look better with Vivid White on Walls, ceiling and kitchen cabinetry.
Due to our patio roof some areas inside are not so bright. Why I think duck and dune look dirty.
If you think White Cloak 1/4 would work with with Vivid White ceiling, would we just do doors and trims in White Cloak 1/4 too?
And we have narrowed our Hamptons looking blue to Blue Oar, but very similar is Blue Plate and Blue Boater. Do you think one would be better than the other with the vivid white.
Although hidden behind off white plantation shutters, we have primrose window and smooth cream crimsafe doors and screens.
Can handle repainting walls, but not 2pac kitchen.
Thank you for any guidance. Love pouring endless time over your info.
Sorry made a couple of typos. Meaning Vivid White ceilings and kitchen cabinets not walls.
Hi Samantha, What are your thoughts on snowy mountains half on the walls, snowy mountains quarter on trim and doors and vivid white on the celling? This is nearly following your general rule except the celling, but don’t think we can get a snowy mountains 8th. Would be interested to hear any other opinions. Thanks for a great article!
Hi Will This combination will work but you need to remember that Vivid White doesn’t have any pigment so it is hard to get coverage with it and this can particularly be a problem for ceilings. Sometimes a painter will just add a touch of black to give some pigment and this is what they do with Ceiling white paint. If you go to a good paint shop they can help you with this. Hope this helps Samantha