Choosing the appropriate white paint color for your wood trim is worth your time and consideration. The color shown on the pediment and trim around the c.1803 mahogany door at Fox Hall is my secret “white” paint color!
Dear Ones,
May I ask you a BIG favor? I have been given a challenge, and I need your assistance to accomplish it! Could you please help me double my 20K subscribers for “Secrets to Lovely Living” by inviting one or two friends and family to subscribe? I know I can meet this challenge with your help… pretty please.
Xx Holly
Now, let’s talk white paint!
There are a myriad of “white” paint color options. I am frequently asked what my favorite white paint color is for walls, ceilings, and wood trim. Because “white” paints can have hidden undertones that tend to be cold or warm, it can be challenging to decipher which white to choose.
So, what is my secret, tried-and-true white paint color for trim?
It is Benjamin Moore: White Dove OC-17.
Why do I specify White Dove?
White Dove’s tonality brings softness and warmth to an interior while still looking white. It works exceptionally well in historic houses. I have it on the trim in ALL of our houses and specify it for my client's newer houses, too.
What trim paint finish do I prefer?
A semi-gloss finish on the wood trim in most rooms and a high-gloss finish for the trim and cabinetry in kitchens, children’s rooms, sunrooms, and bathrooms.
Why do I specify Benjamin Moore's paint?
It is durable and fade-resistant, has superior coverage, expands and contracts with weather fluctuations, and is rich in pigment. From experience, I think their color swatches and paint fan-deck colors are exceptionally accurate, making my job easier.
Here are a few other “Holly” options for Benjamin Moore (BM) whites for trim and walls:
BM White Dove OC-17 When I want white walls, I use this in a flat finish and on the ceiling to match the walls.
BM Opal White OC-73 is a soft, pastel peachy-pink that enhances anyone’s complexion!
I like it on walls in a flat finish, with White Dove semi-gloss on the trim. This very becoming color is on my office and dressing room walls!
BM Linen White 92 is a warm beige.
Linen White is on the walls in the baby’s room at Fox Hall in a flat finish, with a semi-gloss White Dove on the trim, which complements the celadon floral chintz on the curtains and bed hangings. Our carriage house, Little Fox, also has Linen White on most walls, with White Dove on the trim, keeping it all neutral for the Airbnb tenants.
BM Super White 02 has a cool tonality and works well for more modern interiors, both on the walls and the trim.
BM Atrium White OC-145 is creamy with peachy undertones.
BM China White OC-141 has a grey tonality. It works with grey and black accents.
My office at Fox Hall has flat Opal White on the walls and ceiling, with semi-gloss White Dove trim.
I had the furniture lacquered in Palm Beach in glossy White Dove, which blends in with the bedroom's White Dove trim.
White Dove, in a flat finish, is lovely on walls and ceilings, especially when the wood trim color contrasts, as exemplified in our Living Room at Fox Hall.
GrandMillennial Tips:
The best way to accurately see the complexity and true tonality of any white color you choose is to place your “white” color swatch, or the actual paint, on white printer paper. It will reveal its true color right before your eyes.
When painting your house, try to use the same color for ALL of the trim! This makes it effortless to touch it up at any time. Between vacuum cleaner bumps and shoe knicks on the stair risers, there are never-ending touchups at Fox Hall. This family house is happily “lived in” with eight grandchildren, a dog, a gardening husband, and constant entertaining!
If your trim is in White Dove, paint your ceiling in a flat White Dove to blend in with the White Dove on the trim.
So, what is your go-to “white” for trim and walls? I’d love to know!
What is my “secret pink” for the Living Room walls at Petite Fox in Palm Beach?
BM 2078-80 Pink Peony, cut 50% with white! I use a flat finish on the walls, with White Dove semi-gloss on the trim. Then, I have the BM 2078-80 made in an even softer shade for the ceiling, so it is cut with 75% white, which gives the ceiling just a hint of pink!
It has been an honor to share my “secrets” with you. Thank you again for helping me to meet my challenge to double my subscriber numbers. I know we can do it!
Xx
Holly