Finding the Perfect White Paint Colour for Your Walls
Image credit: Dulux
A neutral white colour is an incredibly popular option when it comes to interior paint. When chosen correctly, whites can evoke a feeling of refinement or relaxation, and can provide the ideal backdrop to specialty décor. However, there’s a fine line between stylish whites, and whites that make you feel like you’re sitting inside a science lab.
Here’s our guide to the types of white colours, and how to choose which is perfect for your home.
Cool White Paint vs. Warm White Paint
There are two basic groups of white colours: cool whites and warm whites.
Cool whites have a blue or black base. They work well in rooms that get a lot of sun, as cool colours have the tendency to neutralise bright light. Cool whites also look crisper than warm whites, so work well in hyper-modern, minimalist or Scandinavian inspired homes.
Warm whites have a yellow, red, or brown base. They work well in rooms that get less sun. Soft warm whites create a cosy atmosphere, and work particularly well with warm-toned, neutral furniture and décor.
Take a look at this room, which we had the pleasure to paint recently. After patching the cracks in the walls, we repainted the warm white with a cool white – and what a difference it made.
The cool white helped open up the room, and give it a more contemporary feel.
Before: warm white
After: cool white in the colour
Crisp White by Taubman
Neutrals Beyond White
As well as cool and warm toned whites, it’s worth considering biscuits and greys.
- Biscuits can be either cool or warmed toned, and are closer to natural stone colours than stark whites. Biscuits add depth and interest to a neutral palette, without being overwhelming. If you’re interested in opting for a biscuit colour, avoid those with a pink or yellow base, as these tend to look dated.
- Greys can also be cool or warm toned, and can create either a relaxed and casual, or a bold and elegant atmosphere. Be aware that overly pale greys can look like dirty white walls, so go for mid-toned greys.
What to Consider when Choosing a White Paint for Your Walls
Here’s what you should consider before deciding on a white paint:
- Whether your home gets a lot of sun or not. Rooms that do get a lot of sun may be better suited to cool whites, where as rooms that don’t get much sun may be better suited to warm whites.
- Whether your home is minimalist and modern or cosy and traditional. If it’s modern, opt for a cool white, and if it’s traditional, opt for a warm white.
- The colour of your furniture, décor, and flooring. Bright furniture and décor goes best with cool toned colours, where as neutral décor goes best with warm-toned colours.
- Whether you want a straight up white, or a biscuit or grey colour. Biscuits and greys put a unique spin on the classic neutral white palette.
Decided on a White Paint Colour?
If you’re ready to have your walls painted the perfect shade of white, give us a call on 07 3829 5735 or fill out the form at the top right of this page. We’d be more than happy to give you a fast, accurate quote.
Really helpful article