Making the decision to paint your walls white is easy enough: you really can’t go wrong with the timeless neutral. But actually selecting the color is another story. With so many shades to choose from, all with unique undertones, tints and finishes, the choice can be overwhelming. From a crisp true white, like Fresh Kicks, to a creamy off-white, like Timeless, the world of white paint is more nuanced than what meets the eye. 

Just ask interior designers who have spent hours sampling, swatching and comparing the best white paint colors in search of that perfect classic off-white or the flawless cool white fit for a light-filled penthouse. 

For their shortlist of favorites, we tapped nine interior designers for the best white paint colors. Ahead, find the warm, cool and clean white hues that design pros have actually used in their own projects. 

How to Choose The Right White Paint Colors 

Finding the perfect white paint color starts with understanding your space. While white may seem straightforward, undertones can dramatically affect how a color looks once it's on your walls. Some whites lean warm with creamy, beige or yellow undertones, while others feel cooler thanks to hints of gray, blue or green. 

When choosing a white paint color, consider the amount of natural light your room receives, the direction your windows face and the colors of your furniture, flooring and finishes. South-facing rooms tend to bring out warm undertones, while north-facing rooms can make whites appear cooler and slightly grayer. 

The best approach is always to sample a few options in your space before committing. Paint swatches can look completely different from morning to evening, making it easier to find the white that feels just right for your home. 

The Best Warm White: Whipped

With a wonderfully warm, delicate feel, it’s not hard to see why Whipped is our best-selling white. For designer Hema Persad of Sagrada Studios, it’s a go-to for nearly every surface in the home. “I think Whipped is the perfect white to freshen up. Doors, trim, walls—everything looks better with a new coat of fresh white paint,” she says. 

Lauren Ashley, who runs the Texas-based LA Weddings & Interiors, turned to Whipped to create a clean slate in an entryway next to stairs painted in our deep green Current Mood color. “The walls were originally a yellow-ish color, and I wanted to brighten them up,” she says. “It really makes the space look better.” 

The Brownstone Boys, Whipped also proved to be the perfect complementary grounding color, this time to our Goodnight Moon in their bedroom. Its subtle warm undertones strike just the right contrasting note next to the cool deep blue, creating a space that feels perfectly in balance.

The Best Cool White: Snow Day

On the cooler side of the white paint color spectrum, Snow Day has proven to be a go-to for many interior designers. Alicia Hassen, founder behind the firm Brooklinteriors, used it to refresh the walls of a Park Slope, Brooklyn condo for a young family with two kids. 

“Snow Day single-handedly transformed this drab living-slash-dining room into a bright and airy grand room,” Alicia says. “The cool ton zres paired perfectly with the design's playful blue color palette, while the touch of warmth added depth and helped create an inviting, comfortable space.”

Celebrity designer Tali Roth has used Clare whites in multiple projects and turned to Snow Day to refresh a children’s bathroom inside a Chelsea, NYC project. The cool color creates a clean, chic backdrop to the light shades, modern finishes and rich textures in the space.

The Best Off-White: Timeless

When it comes to our creamy off-white, designer and author Orlando Soria said it best: “I love Timeless, which is a little more subtle but feels soft like cashmere. It's just a really comforting color.” 

He played up this sense of comfort in his Los Angeles guest room, using Timeless on the walls and bringing color in with our pale pink Wing It on the ceiling. It’s an unconventional (and totally stylish!) approach that feels perfectly balanced, in part because of Timeless’s approachable, grounding appeal. 

For Fariha Nasir, the DIY expert and designer behind Pennies for a Fortune, Timeless is a go-to white paint color for adding warmth to modern, neutral spaces. “I chose Timeless for this bedroom for its creamy undertones,” she says. “Using a warm white is a great way to make a minimalist room feel cozy.”

The Best Gray-White: Penthouse

"Penthouse is a lovely neutral, soft greige that can serve as the perfect backdrop for any design. I used Penthouse in my bathroom to beautifully complement the brass fixtures and darker shower tile. It added the perfect touch of color to my walls that I was looking for without being too overpowering." —Sachi Lord, founder of Sachi Lord Design 

The Best Beige-White: Classic

 

“Classic is truly one of my favorite white paint colors. It’s bright enough to lighten up a space, but warm enough to add depth. It’s timeless and works well with cooler and warmer palettes and accents. I’ve actually used Classic in two more rooms in our new house after painting the walls and trim in this guest bedroom!” —Emily Starr Alfano, founder of MStarr Design

The Best True White: Fresh Kicks

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When it comes to a true white with no undertones, Fresh Kicks is as good as it gets. According to Tricia Hassenfeld of Hell Yes Interiors, who used the modern shade to brighten up the walls and trim of a 1949 bungalow, “Fresh Kicks was a no-brainer,” she says. “It's incredible how this true white freshened up the architectural details, baseboards and walls. Especially in an older, smaller space, this paint is like taking a really deep breath.” 

Fresh Kicks further provided a blank canvas for the living area she used it in, which is filled with bright colors and patterns and opens up into multiple other spaces within the home. “Our goal was to wake everything up and let the decor do the talking. I've learned as a designer that even if you love and crave a colorful environment, sometimes you need white walls,” Tricia says. “It helps bridge the way between textures and patterns and gives the eye a place to rest.” 

Warm Whites Vs Cool Whites: What's The Difference? 

One of the biggest decisions you'll make when choosing a white paint color is whether to go warm or cool. Warm whites contain undertones of yellow, beige, cream, or even subtle pink, creating a cozy, inviting atmosphere. Colors like Whipped, Timeless and Classic are excellent examples of warm whites that make spaces feel comfortable and lived-in. 

Cool whites, on the other hand, feature undertones of gray, blue, or green. They tend to feel crisp, modern and airy, making them a popular choice for contemporary interiors. Snow Day and Penthouse fall into this category, offering a fresh, clean look that pairs beautifully with cool color palettes and sleek finishes. 

Neither is better than the other—it simply depends on the mood you're trying to create and the lighting in your space. 

How Lighting Changes White Interior Paint Colors 

Lighting can dramatically change how white paint appears throughout the day. A white that looks creamy and warm in the morning may appear brighter or cooler by afternoon, while artificial lighting can introduce entirely new undertones once the sun goes down. 

Natural light, room orientation, light bulb temperature and even surrounding furnishings all influence how a white paint color reads on the wall. North-facing rooms often emphasize cooler undertones, while south-facing spaces can bring out warmth. LED bulbs can also shift a white paint color depending on whether they're warm or daylight-toned. 

That's why sampling paint in your actual space is so important. Viewing a color at different times of day can help you avoid surprises and ensure you choose a white that looks beautiful in every light. 

Related: 

• The Best Paint Colors For Every Decor Style 
• Meet the Paint Colors Turning “Neutral” Into a Whole New Thing 
• The #1 Secret to Choosing a Paint Color