Let me take you back to the days when I had no idea about Benjamin Moore Simply White or any of my favorite no-fail neutral paint colors….
I would dutifully go to the paint store and get twenty paint samples. Once they were up on the wall I could not envision a single in the finished space. I stressed, couldn't decide, headed back to the paint store and added more samples to the walls. Then we'd start to paint and I'd change my mind. This is how I chose paint for my house.
Can you relate?
I tell you this, to let you know two things. First, I was terrified to recommend painting when I started my staging business because I really had verrrrry limited experience choosing paint and somehow I doubted my clients would be interested in this painful process I put myself through. I'm very intuitive that way–haha!
But also to let you know that there is hope. Choosing paint can totally be demystified and I have been so lucky to learn from so many amazing teachers like Maria Killam. If you don't follow her blog, it's a must!
As a stager, we live in the land of neutral walls and trim and as it turns out, those are some of the hardest colors to specify so seriously, don't feel bad if you struggle–neutrals are kind of like the divas of the paint deck–a little fussy and prone to switching things up without telling you.
Neutral and white paint colors have undertones that can really impact what you see on the walls so let's chat about those…
Here’s What to Consider When Choosing a Neutral Paint Color
Undertones
Maria Killam is my go-to source for all things color and undertone related and she has created these amazing color wheels to demonstrate her system. There are 9 Neutral Undertones we need to keep track of: Pink Beige, Orange Beige, Gold Beige, Yellow Beige, Green Beige, Green Gray, Blue Gray, Violet Gray, and Taupe.
There are also 4 (yes–4! who knew?!) undertones in white: Blue-White, True White, Off White, and Cream as you can see in this image below:
Fixed Elements
Next up as we need to understand the undertones of our fixed elements such as counters, backsplashes, flooring, etc. especially when we are updating paint to sell a house because we aren't likely to be changing a lot of these fixed elements. So, best to work with them when selecting a fresh new paint color.
It's Ok To Play The Comparison Game
Unlike our own path in life, with paint, we want to compare them to each other and to the fixed elements in the space. This is where having large color samples to compare can come in super, super helpful. You can order individual large 12 x 12″ paint samples through Samplize. Or, if you are a professional who specifies a lot of paint colors, you can order one of Maria's set of large paint samples.
Ok now that we have all of that out of the way let's move on to Simply White!
Everything you wanted to know about Simply White
Is Simply White Cool Or Warm?
Benjamin Moore Simply White is a beautiful, warm off-white with a slight yellow undertone that will appear in South and West facing rooms. It is so versatile and can be used for walls, trim and cabinetry.
We updated orange oak cabinetry to work with the existing terracotta tiles. Simply White is a fabulous way to update wood-toned cabinets in a Tuscan orange kitchen like this one used to be.
The Best Colors that Compliment Benjamin Moore Simply White
Simply White sings when it is paired with saturated colors or a true pure white like Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace or Sherwin Williams High Reflective White. Here are some of my favorite companions to Simply White
Sherwin williams pewter tankard
BENJAMIN MOORE CHEATING HEART
FARROW AND BALL DOWNPIPE
BENJAMIN MOORE KENDALL CHARCOAL
How Simply White Stacks Up
If you are looking for an equivalent to Simply White at your local Sherwin Williams store, you may be disappointed. Simply White is a very difficult color to match. But, what I recommend to my clients whose painters prefer Sherwin Williams is to have the color matched at the store. All paint stores can plug in the formulas for other vendor's paint colors and is often the best way to get the closest match.
And, if you find that Simply White is just too warm and need a true white for your trim or cabinetry, Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace is a great option.
Ok…I'm on a roll so I'd love to share some images of rooms including some of our favorite No-Fail Neutral Paint Colors.,,,
A Few Of Our Favorite Neutral Paint Color?
COOL NEUTRALS
SHERWIN WILLIAMS AGREEABLE GRAY
BENJAMIN MOORE STONINGTON GRAY
BENJAMIN MOORE WICKHAM GRAY
WARM NEUTRALS
EDGECOMB GRAY
REVERE PEWTER
MINDFUL GRAY
So that's it–there you have it! Everything you ever wanted to know about Simply White and some of our favorite no-fail neutrals whether you are selling or dwelling. Get even more of our favorites by downloading your own FREE copy of the No-Fail Neutral Paint Colors below!
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