Sherwin Williams White Sesame is a warm, soft paint color that is neutral and inviting.
It is a part of the Designer Color Collection, which is Sherwin Williams newer paint collection that features beautiful colors that are designer favorites in the SW world.
Sherwin Williams calls it a “warm white with neutral undertones,” but I think this is a bit misleading.
Let’s dive into all the details on Sherwin Williams White Sesame, and find out whether it is the right paint color for your home. But first…
A Cautionary Tale About White Sesame
Recently, I painted my master bedroom, living room, and son’s bedroom in White Sesame. I was on the hunt for the perfect neutral for my new home, and went back and forth between White Duck and White Sesame. I knew that White Sesame had a purple undertone, but it also had a little bit more visual interest than White Duck (a hint of purple can do that).
When I painted the rooms, the master bedroom had dark blue carpet (that has since been replaced with a white oak LVP). In that room, the White Sesame looked like a cool gray.
My living room and son’s bedroom had a creamy tile. In those spaces, White Sesame presented as mostly neutral, but you could definitely see the purple.
After changing all the flooring to a light oak LVP, the walls look warm, soft, inviting and neutral. Not purple, and not gray.
I say all of this to show you how important the finishes around your paint color are and how they can affect how the paint color looks on your wall.
Okay, on to the color details on White Sesame, which will help explain why it looked the way it looked in these different rooms originally).
Sherwin Williams White Sesame Details
White Sesame (SW 9586) is a warm white paint color that blends a lot of beige with a hint of gray and a touch of purple.
When you look at it on its own, it looks perfectly neutral. But when you compare it to other light neutrals, and particularly ones with yellow undertones, you begin to see the hint of purple come out.
The purple isn’t overwhelming, but it’s definitely present. Yellow or blues in your space will push white sesame towards its purple undertone.
But, in a space that is neutral, or has other neutrals with taupe undertones, it’s an unbelievably gorgeous paint color. It looks warm, inviting, slightly interesting, and perfectly neutral.
Sherwin Williams White Sesame has an LRV of 71. This high LRV means that it reflects a lot of light back into the space. This is why it so easily picked up the blue and yellow tones in the flooring and reflected them from the paint itself.
A high LRV is good though because it means that the paint color is so saturated that it overpowers a space.
Where Can I Use White Sesame
White Sesame works great as an all-over-the-house paint color, in individual rooms, or as an open floor plan shade.
To begin with, it works with most lighting. In cooler, northern facing light it will lean a bit more purple and gray, but will still give a warm, neutral look. In warmer, southern facing light, White Sesame will look like a warm, light beige that holds its warmth without looking like too much warmth.
With an LRV of 71, White Sesame sits right in the depth of paint colors that work in mostly any space as well. While you should have enough lighting for a paint color to really look its best, White Sesame will also work in spaces with less lighting like hallways, basements, or bathrooms.
So, White Sesame is great in bedrooms, living rooms, dining rooms, kitchens, bathrooms, offices, and anywhere else that you want a soft, creamy, almost beige shade.
On a home exterior, White Sesame is warm and soft, but will look lighter than it does inside a home. Because the sun is much brighter outside, White Sesame may appear more washed out than you expect, so remember to test it before painting your whole home.
Colors that Go with SW White Sesame
Sherwin Williams has several paint colors that they recommend as shades that go well with White Sesame.
First, Sherwin Williams recommends White Sand. White Sand is a cool off-white paint color that has gray undertones. This cool white balances out the warmth in White Sesame.
For a pairing with a bit more depth, Sherwin Williams recommends Studio Beige. Studio Beige is a warm mid-tone paint color that has undertones that are similar to White Sesame. It looks great in adjacent rooms or as an accent color in the same room as White Sesame.
Last, Sherwin Williams recommends Mineral. Mineral is a grayish blue paint color that, like White Sand, provides a bit of balance next to the warmth of White Sesame. It is also a mid-tone paint color.
For a really dark paint color, Roycroft Bronze Green is another shade that goes well with White Sesame. This dark green has a good bit of brown and gray in it, making it an interesting neutral for cabinets, trim or other accents areas.
If you are interested in a whole home color palette for Sherwin Williams White Sesame, check out my Etsy store. Here, I have a palette of whites, lights, and neutrals that work together to create a cohesive, curated look in any more.
Other Paint Colors to Consider if you like White Sesame
If you like White Sesame, you should also consider Neutral Ground and White Duck.
Sherwin Williams Neutral Ground is very similar in depth and color to White Sesame, but while White Sesame leans towards a taupe undertone, Neutral Ground is more neutral in its undertone. If you hate the idea of a purple undertone peaking through, Neutral Ground is a better pick.
Sherwin Williams White Duck is another option to consider. White Duck is super similar to White Sesame as well, but a bit more traditional in its approach. With creamy undertones that favor green, White Duck may be better than White Sesame if you want a more classic off-white that goes well with browns, greens and other earthy colors.
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