Benjamin Moore White Dove is a paint color that is tried and true. Beloved by homeowners and interior designers alike, this is a warm white paint that you can use with confidence – read on to find out why!
We’ve all been there… standing in the paint aisle at the hardware store, debating. How can there be so many different white paint colors? Painting the walls in your home shouldn’t be this hard, right?
When I first began transitioning to a home filled with lighter and brighter soft neutral and creamy paint colors, I realized that this dilemma is a real one. Every color looks different in different homes, lighting situations, and rooms.
In fact, I’ve spent a lot of time researching paint colors and all of their details so you don’t have to, and shared extensively since these are some of my most commonly-asked questions!
I love chatting paint with you – don’t miss my favorite Warm Whites!
White Dove OC-17
Did you know that this color is also called PM-19? That’s a reference to the fact that this color was once a pre-mixed paint! It’s been popular for a long time, and with good reason. It has all the qualities you need for a versatile and neutral nearly white paint color.
This color works beautifully on both the walls and trim of any home. I’ve also seen it used on kitchen cabinets with great results!
This is an incredibly flexible white color with more of a greige undertone, vs the yellow undertone in so many creamy whites, and it transitions beautifully in a variety of lighting situations.
Whichever way you look at this paint color, White Dove paint color is a total winner!
This post shares our spa bath that we recently re-painted in this color, as well as some of my favorite Instagram images from designers who feature this color often! I hope sharing a variety of images of this color will inspire you to feel confident in taking the leap!
The room above features White Dove on the walls and Chantilly Lace on the trim.
White Dove Paint
Works Well For
- kitchen and bathroom cabinets
- board and batten
- beadboard
- furniture – learn about the best furniture paint here
- open concept spaces
- traditional floor plans
- rooms with natural lighting
Feels
- light and airy
- warm
- soft
Benjamin Moore White Dove LRV 85
I’ve chatted about LRV at length, because it’s such a fascinating subject and one that is hugely beneficial to homeowners as they choose their paint colors.
LRV is light reflectance value. It’s a number that is generally found on paint websites or the back of fan decks or paint chips.
It’s simply a system that measures the percentage of light reflected from a surface. It’s a scale commonly used by designers and helps to show the lightness and brightness of colors.
The higher the LRV number, the more light the color reflects. So the more “white” a paint color is, the higher the number on a scale of 0-100. For example, White Dove has an LRV of 85 and Simply White is 91.7. Hale Navy has a very low LRV because it’s so dark, almost black!
The kitchen featured above has White Dove on the walls and exterior cabinetry.
Undertones
- This color has a hint of greige undertones.
- If your light is north-facing, this color can balance that cooler light very well, thanks to its touch of warmth.
- If your windows are south-facing, White Dove can show a hint of yellow during the golden hour.
Styles it Fits
- traditional
- transitional
- country
Pairs Well With
- Classic White Ceiling Paint
- Soft Chamois pairs well with this color, along with a variety of gray and greige colors.
- This color is perfect with Revere Pewter (use Revere Pewter on the walls with White Dove trim, or do the opposite!)
- Pairs well with Natural Cream for some contrast, too
What to Avoid
- If you’re concerned about this warm white shade pulling a little yellow, avoid pairing it with marble (white is cooler whites, often with a more gray vein).
- Similarly, if you pair this color with stark white appliances, it can make it appear more creamy in comparison.
Best Trim Colors for White Dove
- Try this color on the walls and trim! This is one of those instances where it’s a great idea to paint walls and trim the same color.
- Or, go for a deeper trim for contrast. Use Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee, Benjamin Moore Pale Oak, or any of my favorite greige paint colors.
The primary bedroom featured above has White Dove on the wainscoting and trim, and a warm Benjamin Moore paint color called Spring in Aspen on the upper walls.
Similar Colors: Compare and Contrast
Remember, White Dove has an LRV of 83.16. That’s a helpful number when it comes to comparing it to other popular shades of warm whites!
Benjamin Moore White Dove vs Benjamin Moore Simply White
Simply White is a little lighter, brighter, and slightly warmer than White Dove. I adore Simply White and have used it often, but even though it’s brighter overall, I think it shows just a touch more yellow than White Dove overall.
Simply White has an LRV of 91.7, compared to White Dove’s 83.16!
Benjamin Moore White Dove vs Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee
Swiss coffee can occasionally pick up just a slight hint of green in the background (much like my longtime favorite, Soft Chamois). Swiss Coffee has an LRV of 83.93, which makes it a great color to sample along with White Dove!
Benjamin Moore White Dove vs Sherwin Williams Extra White
It’s not all about the name, because Extra White isn’t actually the brightest white around. It has an LRV of 86, so it definitely reflects a lot of light and falls in line with White Dove.
Tips
- Learn about what a difference paint sheens will make when it comes to choosing colors.
- Learn about Light Reflectance Value in my comprehensive guide: What is LRV?
- Samples – Use paint samples! As you try different shades, you’ll begin to recognize a pattern in the colors that feel good in your home. In fact, you should check samples on different walls throughout the day.
- Keep all light sources in mind, as this can also change the way the color feels- read up on light bulbs, too.
The landing featured above has White Dove on both the walls and trim, which is one of my favorite tricks. Read more about Painting Trim and Walls the Same Color!
Frequently Asked Questions
While this color does have a hint of gray or greige undertones, it’s certainly not a gray color. The slight tint of gray in the background prevents this warm white from appearing too yellow.
Of course, your lighting and furnishings will determine how the color reads in your own home.
While this warm white color does have some warm undertones, it’s not nearly as creamy yellow as many of the paint options in this category.
Hi Julie, we just moved into our new home and we want to paint white dove on the walls in the open concept living area. We have a huge great room with a large floor to ceiling rock fireplace. It is black and makes the room feel dark. We’d like to paint this also. Would you recommend another shade of white? I’m worried that choosing another shade of white may make the white Dove walls appear slightly yellow. Also should we paint the trim white dove in another sheen? We thought of Chantilly lace but we think that the room will appear too stark.
Julie, I have a large horizontal shaped living room with a window on each end(if you can picture that)? It really doesn’t light up well, because of how the windows are, Could you recommend a paint paint color that would lighten up the room? I’m thinking in the Chantilly Lace color scheme. I need your help/advise. Thank you.
Chantilly Lace works well in our dining room in our primary home (North Facing) but I didn’t love it in our East and West facing home. I highly recommend reading my detailed paint color guides and testing your favorites.
We also have white dove for trim and vanity in our bathroom. I’m having trouble finding a quartz or marble for vanity top. What did you use in your spa bathroom? I like several marbles but am wondering if the undertone would be too cool for the white dove. It’s existing color, can’t change that. Thanks for any suggestions!!
Hi Debi,
Our vanity in that bathroom came with that countertop as a stock option, so I’m actually not sure what that marble is!
Good luck in your search, and enjoy!
Julie
West facing kitchen. Black granite countertop, picking Simply White for walls and cabinets. Too much yellow undertones?
Hi Kathy,
While I can’t give customized paint consultations at this time, I can tell you that Simply White isn’t too yellow on our walls at the lake cottage.
We love it, it’s the perfect slight hint of cream.
Good luck!
Julie
Thanks for this post! Considering this for our main floor, which has mostly Northern and Southern exposure. We have dark wood trim and lighter cherry wood cabinets and built ins. Our house is surrounded by a lot of greenery in the summer – how does White Dove work with this? (Will the walls look green?). Looking to brighten the spaces. Thanks!