The quintessential guide to classic interior design, elegant entertaining & a genteel lifestyle.
(formerly Mummy's Monday Manners)
Timeless "white" paint colors and other paint tips!
Choosing the appropriate white paint color for your wood trim is worthy of your time and consideration. The white trim on the pediment and the surrounding trim that frames the original c.1803 front foyer mahogany door at Fox Hall is my secret, and most trusted, white paint color from Benjamin Moore paints!
There are a myriad of “white” paint color options. It can be a daunting task to choose the appropriate “white” for various interior applications, wouldn’t you agree?!
“White” paints can have hidden undertones, which tend to be either cold or warm. I believe that the best way to accurately see the complexity of the white color you have chosen is to place your color swatch on a piece of white paper. It will reveal its true color right before your eyes.
Over and over, I am asked to divulge my “go-to” white paint color for wood trim, walls, and ceilings. Today, I am delighted to share my favorite, tried and true white colors with you!
But first, let me share with you why I specify Benjamin Moore (BM) paint. Their paint has a depth of color and a richness in pigment which is stellar. It is durable and fade-resistant. Their color swatches and paint fan deck colors are exceptionally accurate… now, that’s an alleluia unto itself!
Pure white, as in BM Super White 02, has a coolness that works well for modern interiors on both the walls and the trim. Personally, I am attracted to warmer, softer whites:
BM Atrium White OC-145 is creamy with peachy undertones.
BM Linen White 92 is a warm beige. The walls in the baby’s room at Fox Hall are Linen White because it is neutral and complements the celadon and peach floral chintz for both the curtains and bed hangings very well.
BM China White OC-141 has a grey tonality and works with grey and black accents.
BM Opal White OC-73 is a VERY pastel peachy-pink, which enhances anyone’s complexion… hence, it is on my office and dressing room walls!
My office at Fox Hall has semi-gloss Dove White trim and flat Opal White on the walls.
But, my MOST trusted and favorite white, especially for wood trim, is:
BM White Dove OC-17.
It works exceptionally well in historic houses, but also in new homes. I have specified White Dove, in a semi-gloss finish, for all of the white wood trim in the several houses we have owned! It brings a soft warmth to an interior while still looking white.
Even the furniture that I had lacquered in Palm Beach was in a glossy White Dove.
I have also used White Dove in a flat finish on walls when the wood trim is in a contrasting color. Our living room at Fox Hall is an example of this combination: flat White Dove on the walls and a bespoke blue, semi-gloss on the trim.
The living room at Fox Hall has a bespoke blue trim. Mummy gets credit for this unique blue trim color! Twenty-three years ago, when we first purchased Fox Hall, we immediately commenced the renovation, as most of the house was either painted brown or black! I had the walls painted flat Dove White, and tried a historic blue color for the living room trim. When Mummy observed the sample of blue that the artist painted on the mantelpiece, she suggested adding a hint of black to the paint- and voila, the handsome blue color is what remains today!
Grandmillennial Tips:
When painting your house, try to use the same color for all of the trim, throughout the house. This makes it effortless to touch up the trim, at any time. Between vacuum cleaner bumps, dog scratches, and shoe knicks on the stair risers, there are never-ending touchups at Fox Hall, because it is a family house which is happily “lived in!” That brings to mind a dear friend. She has a stunning house which exudes the perfect balance between elegance and European sophistication. She calls her house, “The Ding House.” When I inquired why, she responded, “I have four boys, hence, constant dings around the house!” Don’t you just love that?!
Per your requests, I will reveal my “secret pink” color on the living room walls in our Palm Beach abode, Petite Fox, in next week's letter!
XX Holly
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