Searching for the perfect shade of white? Benjamin Moore Simply White OC-117 might be just the ticket! This is a warm, pretty off-white color you’re going to love.
If you’ve started researching white paint colors, you know that it’s not as easy as it initially sounds. Every shade looks different in varying lighting situations and it can be difficult to choose.
I’m here to help! Simply White is a crisp, clean, warm off-white. It’s not a true cream and it’s barely antiqued at all… reading as more of a white in most rooms. Come see what the love for Benjamin Moore Simply White is all about!
I received so many questions and such great feedback about this gorgeous White Brick House we recently shared! Luckily, the homeowner was kind enough to share the details of her pretty white paint color with me.
I’ve been sharing my favorite whites, creams, and soft neutral paint colors for years, and I love saving you time and money with the details about your options. Don’t miss my favorite Warm Whites!
Simply White was Benjamin Moore’s Color of the Year in 2016, and with good reason. It’s bright, it’s fresh, and it’s crisp and beautiful, without feeling too cold, as some whites can tend to read.
Simply White
As you know, I tend to be drawn to more warm cream colors (read all about my favorite Cream Paint here). However, there are lighting situations where a true cream might just read too yellow.
In those cases, a less creamy off-white is a particularly good fit. Simply White BM paint to the rescue! In fact, I have grown to love this pretty, warm white so much that I just used it in the living room at the lake cottage.
Throughout this post, you’ll see photos of the Simply White exterior of this white brick house, as well as a few of our freshly painted coastal modern living room.
Keep reading for all the details about this pretty white paint color, and find all my favorite Living Room Paint Colors here.
Benjamin Moore Simply White Details
There’s so much to love about this bright, warm white!
Works Well For
- exteriors
- trim
- cabinetry
- ceilings
- walls
- open concept spaces
- traditional floor plans
- rooms with natural lighting
- rooms without natural lighting
Feels
- light and airy
- fresh
- crisp
Undertones
- very slightly yellow
- touch of green
- touch of blue
Benjamin Moore Simply White LRV 91.7
The LRV for Benjamin Moore Simply White is 91.7, which is considered very high.
To clarify, LRV (Light Reflectance Value) measures the percentage of light that is reflected from a surface. It’s commonly used by design professionals and helps to show the light and bright level of a color.
In fact, light reflective values can range from 0-100… with 100 a true white and 0 the truest black.
Styles it Fits
- traditional
- transitional
- country
- modern
The Benjamin Moore website notes that this color is very similar to their Mountain Peak White, which looks like another excellent option to explore! It’s also close to Cloud White, Chantilly Lace and Benjamin Moore White Dove if you’re looking for more paint color sample choices.
Pairs Well With
- This is a beautiful warm white that can be paired with a wide variety of colors, from deep greens and blues like Hale Navy.
- Pair it with one of our favorite Coastal Blues. The Dutch door at our lake house is painted in Benjamin Moore Silver Gray, for example.
- It works well with warmer beige and greige tones a slightly deeper neutral like Sherwin Williams Accessible Beige.
- If you’re using Benjamin Moore Simply White for Painting Trim White, consider pairing it with Soft Chamois wall paint for a slight, but warm difference between trim and walls.
Trim and Ceiling Paint to Pair it With
This color is an excellent choice for painting walls and trim the same color in a room. The simple difference in sheens will make all the difference, allowing this color to really stand out.
You can also use a traditional un-tinted white Ceiling Paint to ensure that this color reads as a slight off white in your space. When it’s paired with a truer, clear white on the ceiling, it will help to show that Simply White is indeed more of an off-white color.
Because this color is a great trim color itself, it can be very difficult to pair it with another white trim color without clashing and mismatching. My suggestion? Try it with an un-tinted white or something like Pure White paint color SW 7005.
Benjamin Moore Simply White Kitchen
This is a great color for both kitchen cabinets and walls.
Simply White Benjamin Moore Living Room
Simply White Benjamin Moore Exterior
As you can see in these photos, in a situation of exterior full natural light, this color reads as a pretty true, clear white!
For more photos of this painted brick house, be sure to go check out my White Brick House post. The homeowner kindly shared her home with us, and her Simply White paint color too!
The black shutters she used were stock from Home Depot, so I don’t have more specifics on the black color she paired the white with.
BM Simply White Woodwork
Benjamin Moore Simply White Bathroom
Both bathrooms below are painted in Simply White for both cabinetry and walls.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Benjamin Moore Simply White is an excellent color for kitchen cabinets, laundry room cabinets, or even furniture! It’s a warm, soft off-white that works beautifully in most lighting situations.
Alabaster is very similar, but has a bit more depth to it. It is best to have paint colors made in the formula they were intended for (ie: Sherwin Williams color in a Sherwin Williams Paint).
Simply White is a warm, crisp white. It’s not too antiqued, too creamy or too yellow, though… making it an excellent multi-purpose white.
Well, this is a subjective question and of course a subjective answer. In my opinion, Benjamin Moore OC 117 is just right, with slightly warm undertones and not too much cool blue.
This color can read just a touch yellow when paired next to a pure white on the ceiling or trim. Be sure to use a test sample and check it in varying light situations throughout the day.
White Dove has more of a slight greige or beige undertone, while Simply White’s undertone is a minimal touch of yellow.
So, what are your thoughts on Simply White? Are you ready to repaint your house in this fresh classic color? I’d love to hear from you.
Hello, I just came across your site while researching BM “Simply White.” Thank you for all of the detailed information. One question I can’t seem to find an answer to is what actual BM paint formula to use for Simply White on cabinets? The one they have called “Advanced” was made into a sample for me and after a month the sample had noticably yellowed–I then read this is known issue with that paint. They say not to color match it to another brand as it tends to come out green. Can I ask what product you would recommend that I will get the true Simply White color but not have to worry it will yellow over time? Thanks for your help. Michele
Hi Michele,
The most important thing when you’re painting cabinets is to use a high quality primer. Specifically, skip the latex-based/low-VOC primers and use something like B-I-N. After that is applied, it’s usually best to use the store’s own paint vs. matching it to another brand, so I’d try that first, to get the true Simply White color.
However, if you want to try matching to another brand, we’ve had great luck with the Sherwin Williams Emerald paint.
I hope that helps – good luck!
Julie
Hi Julie, I currently have venetian gold countertops, red cabinets and travertine flooring in light creamy white .
I am looking to change my cabinets to a white. What color would you suggest?
Is Simply White appropriate? I had a sample door made using Chantilly Lace with a very light glaze but I’m not sure if it is still too white?
Hi Dina,
Chantilly Lace is quite a bright white. You might be happier with Simply White, as it has just a hint more creamy undertones.
While I can’t give custom paint consultations, we do have some wonderful paint guides. Read about our favorite Warm Whites here. You might benefit from Paint Samples, too – they are so helpful to move them around next to flooring, cabinets, walls etc.
Good luck!
Julie
I love your Dutch door. What brand is it? What gorgeous gold hardware is that? What paint color is the interior side?
Hi Maribeth,
Sorry we are just now seeing your comment! Our door is painted Benjamin Moore Silver Gray!
For more details on our Dutch door, see our guide: Dutch Door
Read here for Dutch Door Hardware.
Enjoy!
Julie
I can’t tell you how helpful your post is, thank you! I’ve been drowning in reading about whites, and trying to pick one for 3 walls of my northeastern exposure bedroom (one wall is accented with Ben Moore’s dark teal Adriatic Sea). Simply White is a clear winner!
I considered White Dove (too dark), Chantilly (too cold in this light), Sherwin Williams’s Pure White (almost, but a little too cold), and White Opulence (I like it, but a little too pink). BM’s Swiss Coffee was also too dark for me, and tamed my Adriatic Sea too much for my taste.
Simply White really does look lovely in bright and dark corners! It’s crisp enough to make Adriatic Sea (dark real) pop, and doesn’t have too much yellow (I worried about dingy yellow undertones.)
My only hesitation — I read it looks too yellow with pinks around, and my bedspread is a blush pink (that looks great with the teal at its head). But I think this is ok?
It’s so nice that I think I’ll change my bedspread if it isn’t!
Also — I’m getting a pax ikea closet in white. I was worried about clashing whites, but I read that Simply White is a good match, and if it isn’t, I decided I’ll just repaint the closet! (Rather than pick a white for my walls based on the closet.)
Thank you!
Hi Leili, so happy you enjoyed the post, and thrilled you found the perfect white paint! Simply White is my go to when I need a less creamy off-white, and found it works perfectly with so many colors. I hope you love it as much in your bedroom as I do in my home!
Hi Julie,
I’m painting my walls Edge comb Gray, trim and doors Simply White and I’m wondering what color to paint the ceiling? This is going to be through out the whole house, with a couple of accent walls. I was also wondering about a blue gray color with no green in it. I have a wall when you walk in the front door that starts out normal then curves around. Would blue gray would go with Edgecomb Gray?
Thank you for your help,
Toni