Nuances & New Trends in Shades of White

First image: Closeup of double bathroom vanity with white walls, taupe cabinets, and large bouquet of flowers on a white countertop. Second image: Bedroom with high ceiling, built-in shelves, framed art on the wall and bed with yellow headboard and pastel yellow ruffled coverlet.

Sometimes a statement-making space isn’t purely about color. An absence of color—and the presence of the perfect shade of white—can dramatically impact the atmosphere of a room. With this in mind, we developed our finest paint formula, Emerald® Designer Edition™, with an UltraWhite base to bring the brightest, most beautiful qualities of this eternal favorite paint choice into stunning relief.

From tonal, warm whites that introduce softness and subtlety to cleaner, cooler whites that bring brightness and energy, we’ll discuss the finer points of different whites and their undertones, and examine how today’s trends are evolving in the highly nuanced world of white paint.

Modern living room and dining area with high ceilings, white walls, abstract artwork and modern fireplace and TV as focal point.
Modern living room and dining area with high ceilings, white walls, abstract artwork and modern fireplace and TV as focal point.

Designer John McClain used Emerald® Designer Edition™ throughout his home, including Cotton SW 9581 (Warm + Welcoming palette) walls and Pure White SW 7005 (255-C1) trim for the perfect neutral backdrop. Photo by Zeke Ruelas Photography.

Now Trending: Serene & Soulful Shades of White

White has historical associations with clarity and healing, and the recent rise in wellness movements worldwide has ushered in an era where white is widely used as a calming choice for interiors. Natural, undyed fibers, curved and fluid forms, and layered textures are being favored for adding dimensionality to otherwise colorless or muted spaces.

Sue Wadden, Director of Color Marketing at Sherwin-Williams, has found that “layering white décor creates a subtle and textural canvas that is very soothing and restive.” Starker white-on-white designs can skew hyper-modern and sleek, while a mix of cool and creamy tones create coziness.

First image: Monochromatic white living room with vaulted ceilings and two white sofas facing each other in front of a fireplace. Second image: White dining room with fabric-covered chairs and beaded chandelier.
First image: Monochromatic white living room with vaulted ceilings and two white sofas facing each other in front of a fireplace. Second image: White dining room with fabric-covered chairs and beaded chandelier.
First image: Monochromatic white living room with vaulted ceilings and two white sofas facing each other in front of a fireplace. Second image: White dining room with fabric-covered chairs and beaded chandelier.

Cheviot SW 9503 (living room) and Frost Bite SW 9505 (dining room) are two of Ally Maloney Winzer’s favorite versatile whites, both from the Emerald® Designer Edition™ Form + Function palette. Photos by Cate Brown Photography.

The wonder of white is in its inherent versatility. It establishes a crisp and timeless background for so many different looks, and it’s a neutral base to build upon that can adapt and change as tastes and styles evolve and new pieces and keepsakes come into the picture. Few color choices are quite as long-lived and adaptable as the perfect wash of white.

Meredith Huck, House of Huck said, “Often clients want to avoid white because ‘we have kids,’ and that doesn't need to be the case. Picking the right paint and sheen can make all the difference! Emerald® Designer Edition™ in an Eg-Shel finish should do the trick and stand the test of time.”
Meredith Huck, House of Huck said, “Often clients want to avoid white because ‘we have kids,’ and that doesn't need to be the case. Picking the right paint and sheen can make all the difference! Emerald® Designer Edition™ in an Eg-Shel finish should do the trick and stand the test of time.”

Light Reflectance Values (LRVs) & the Color White

When comparing samples or small swatches of paint, a color’s true brightness and reflectivity aren’t always clear at a glance. It can be helpful to refer to a paint color’s listed light reflectance value, or LRV, for a better sense of how much light one might reflect over another. This especially comes into play when considering changes in the tones of natural or artificial light throughout the space. 

Until the introduction of our Emerald® Designer Edition™ line, made with an UltraWhite Base, the kind of whites that could boast an ultra-pure, dazzlingly bright LRV of 90 hadn’t been seen. But now, many of the most beautiful whites in this collection—whether warm- or cool-toned—are truly our brightest yet.

Illustration of two rows of five dollops of white paint colors from the Emerald Designer Edition Color Collection.
Illustration of two rows of five dollops of white paint colors from the Emerald Designer Edition Color Collection.

The 10 brightest whites from the Emerald® Designer Edition™ Color Collection.

Choosing the Right White

Consider your complete design vision when selecting the perfect white. “Warm whites are creamy with buttery or beige undertones, and they work well with other warm colors and neutrals, and with traditional styles,” Wadden says. “Cool whites, a beautiful complement to modern and minimalist styles, have blue or gray undertones and pair perfectly with colors like blue, gray, violet, and aqua, as well as other neutrals in the gray family.” 

As a popular choice for doors and trim, built-ins or other architectural elements, pure whites play well with all colors, since they have little-to-no undertones.

Modern kitchen with white upper cabinets and pale blue lower cabinets, pastel blue variegated backsplash, light wood floors and can lighting.
Modern kitchen with white upper cabinets and pale blue lower cabinets, pastel blue variegated backsplash, light wood floors and can lighting.

Jaime Galapo and Kathy Leone turned to the Emerald® Designer Edition™ Minimal + Modern palette for the upper cabinet color, Natural White SW 9542, and Niebla Azul SW 9137 (221-C2) adorns the lower cabinets. Photos by Dream Focus Photo.

“Timeless whites such as Sanctuary SW 9583 (Warm + Welcoming palette), Snowbelt SW 9623 (Rustic + Refined palette), or Natural White SW 9542 (Minimal + Modern palette), can be used anywhere and with any color, finish, or decorative element because of their neutral undertones,” Wadden says.

Meredith Huck of House of Huck offers up this reminder when steering clients in the right direction with white: “Often clients want to avoid white because ‘we have kids,’ and that doesn't need to be the case. Picking the right paint and sheen can make all the difference! Emerald® Designer Edition™ in an Eg-Shel finish should do the trick and stand the test of time.”

The Brightest, Purest Whites of Emerald® Designer Edition™

With the introduction of Emerald® Designer Edition™, we brought an expansive selection of 200 designer-influenced colors available exclusively in both our finest interior latex and Emerald® Urethane Trim Enamel paints.

First image: Interior shots of modern traditional home with crown molding, gallery wall, white walls and trim with natural wood flooring. Second image: Dining room with white walls, modern light fixture, black rectangular table with white runner, wooden bowl centerpiece, banquette and wood chairs.
First image: Interior shots of modern traditional home with crown molding, gallery wall, white walls and trim with natural wood flooring. Second image: Dining room with white walls, modern light fixture, black rectangular table with white runner, wooden bowl centerpiece, banquette and wood chairs.

These stunning whites are also available in our Emerald® Urethane Trim Enamel formula, used here by designer Priscilla Ventura Vasconcellos in Natural White SW 9542 (Minimal + Modern palette), with Limewash SW 9589 (Warm + Welcoming palette) interior latex on the walls.

“The Emerald® Designer Edition™ Color Collection features an excellent curation of practical whites for any space in your home,” says Jaime Galapo of Galapo Group Design and Kathy Leone of Leone Interior Designs. “They’re narrowed down from a plethora of colors to only the best choices. It’s an excellent tool for any designer!”

First image: Closeup of double bathroom vanity with white walls, taupe cabinets, and large bouquet of flowers on a white countertop. Second image: Bedroom with high ceiling, built-in shelves, framed art on the wall and bed with yellow headboard and pastel yellow ruffled coverlet.
First image: Closeup of double bathroom vanity with white walls, taupe cabinets, and large bouquet of flowers on a white countertop. Second image: Bedroom with high ceiling, built-in shelves, framed art on the wall and bed with yellow headboard and pastel yellow ruffled coverlet.

Designed by Sarah Batholomew, the 2021 Southern Living Idea House featured the beautiful Cotton SW 9581 from the Warm + Welcoming palette. Photos by Marta Xochilt Perez.

To explore the stunning, highly versatile whites and all the other luxe colors at the heart of this collection, click here. And contact your Designer Account Executive to get Emerald® Designer Edition™ color tools today.

Top image: White Snow SW 9541 (Emerald® Designer Edition™ Minimal + Modern Palette)

Discover More

Person Typing on a laptop at a desk.

Earn Continuing Education Units

Sherwin Williams Colormix 2024 Anthology Volume one logo, large white circle with watercolor looking background.

Colormix® Forecast 2024: Anthology

Image of 2 hands with three peel and stick samples.

Get Color Samples