Ballet White, by Benjamin Moore, is a popular off-white paint color that is very versatile. It is a pretty, light shade that works in a number of spaces and coordinates nicely with many other shades.
If you are looking for a light, off-white paint color that is flexible and just generally agreeable, Ballet White is a great option. Keep reading for all the details!
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Benjamin Moore Ballet White Paint Color Characteristics
Ballet White is best classified as a cream paint color. It is an elegant and refined shade that can go about anywhere in the house.
Ballet White Undertones
Ballet White isn’t a true cream though. True cream paint colors have a good bit of yellow in them. While Ballet White does have yellow in it, it also has a bit of gray in it that helps calm down the yellow.
Ballet White trends a bit towards those ever-popular greige paint colors. Together, the cream and gray tones in Ballet White keeping it looking very neutral.
In the morning light, you may find that Ballet White looks a bit more muted and soft, highlighting the gray in Ballet White. But, the warmth of the afternoon light will show Ballet White’s warm, creamy tones.
In fact, Ballet White is a more neutral cream paint color than most cream paint colors. It is a great shade if you like the idea of a cream-colored paint, but don’t want to primarily see yellow.
Is Benjamin Moore Ballet White Warm or Cool?
With its creamy undertones, Ballet White is a warm paint color. It will give a space a soft, inviting feeling.
Ballet White LRV
Ballet White has an LRV of 72.
LRV stands for Light Reflectance Value. It is a measure of how light or dark a paint color is. An LRV of 0 means that a color is completely black, and an LRV of 100 means it is completely white.
So, as you can see, an LRV of 72 is fairly high up on the scale. It basically means that Ballet White will reflect a good amount of light into a room. An LRV of 72 works in just about any space. It isn’t so dark that you can’t use it in a dimly lit space, but it isn’t so light that it will look too washed out in bright sunlight.
An LRV of 72 also tells us that Ballet White has a bit of color to it. It puts it firmly in the off-white category of paint color.
Where Can I Use Benjamin Moore Ballet White?
Ballet White is a great color anywhere! This is one of the things that makes Ballet White so popular.
Ballet White works as an all-over-the-house color, or can work separately in living rooms, dining rooms, kitchens, bedrooms, bathrooms, hallways, entryways, basements and more.
Ballet White is also a good exterior paint color. But, be aware that Ballet White will look a bit brighter outside, appearing more like a soft white than a true off-white.
A Little History on Benjamin Moore Ballet White
Ballet White, or OC-9, is a part of Benjamin Moore’s Off-White collection. The formula for Ballet White is the same as the one for Muskoka Trail (974) and Plaster of Paris (CSP-185).
So, if you ask for any of these paint names, you will get the same paint color in the can.
Basically, this tells us that Ballet White has been around for a long time.
It was originally included in Benjamin Moore’s first collection, Classics, as Muskoka Trail.
Later, it was renamed and included in both the Off-White Collection, which is basically a grouping of Benjamin Moore’s most popular white and off-white shades.
Finally, it was also renamed Plaster of Paris and included in Benjamin Moore’s Aura Color Stories collection.
Trim Paint Colors for Benjamin Moore Ballet White
One of the things that I love about Ballet White is that it is light and airy, but still provides a bit of contrast when paired with a clean, white trim.
While some off-whites sort of blend into the trim (which can be a beautiful option as well), Ballet White has enough color in it that it can still make your trim stand out.
If you like a bright, clean white trim, Ballet White goes nicely with Chantilly Lace. Chantily Lace is a go-to trim color for many because it goes with almost every paint color. It is almost undertone-free, and leans slightly warm, making it a perfect match for Ballet White.
Learn more about Chantilly Lace here.
If you like a softer white trim, Cloud White is a creamy sort of trim paint color that coordinates nicely with Ballet White. It is a great trim color for someone who likes their trim to be a bit more muted of a white paint color.
Learn more about Cloud White here.
Coordinating Paint Colors for Benjamin Moore Ballet White
Ballet White is a very flexible paint color. It goes nicely with lighter whites and off-white paint colors with creamy undertones, blues, greens, grays, browns, blacks, and more.
For a neutral color scheme, Ballet White pairs nicely with White Dove, a soft, creamy white paint color, and Pashmina, a greige sort of neutral paint color.
If you prefer a more balanced color scheme, Ballet White coordinates with Puritan Gray, a blue-green-gray blend, and Kendall Charcoal, a dark gray paint color.
Benjamin Moore Ballet White Compared
When I do a paint color review, I always like to discuss other popular paint colors that are in the same color family. This discussion can be helpful in determining which paint color is going to be best in your space.
Since Ballet White is a popular neutral, people tend to have a lot of questions about it. Let’s take a few minutes to compare Ballet White to a few other popular neutral paint colors: Shoji White, White Dove, Pale Oak, Swiss Coffee and Edgecomb Gray.
Benjamin Moore Ballet White vs. Shoji White
Shoji White is a popular neutral paint color by Sherwin Williams. It is the closest match to Ballet White that Sherwin WIlliams has, but it is not exactly the same paint color.
Shoji White is also a creamy sort of neutral that has gray undertones. But, it has a bit more gray in it than Ballet White.
Practically speaking, this means that Shoji White won’t show up with quite as much creamy warmth as Ballet White. It just leans a little more gray.
If you like Ballet White, but are nervous about the yellow in it, check out Shoji White.
Click here for more information about Shoji White.
Benjamin Moore Ballet White vs. White Dove
White Dove is a popular off-white paint color by Benjamin Moore. It has yellow and gray undertones as well. But White Dove is a brighter shade than Ballet White, with a higher LRV.
While both these shades are off-whites, Ballet White has more depth to it. It will make your trim stand out and will show up as a color on your walls. White Dove is much whiter, and will look like a creamy white on your walls.
Additionally, White Dove has a bit more yellow in it. In some lights, White Dove can look yellow. If you want more of a neutral paint color, go with Ballet White. But, if you like a creamy, almost-white paint shade, White Dove is the better pick here.
Click here to learn more about White Dove.
Benjamin Moore Ballet White vs. Pale Oak
Pale Oak is a greige or taupe paint color by Benjamin Moore. It is a gray/beige blend with pink/purple undertones. Sounds like a lot of colors, right?
Basically, all that just means that Pale Oak is a warm neutral that gets its warmth more from a purple or pink tone than from a yellow tone, like Ballet White does.
So, while these paint colors are similar intentions, they have fairly different approaches.
Pale Oak is going to be better in a space that has other pink/purple tones. Ballet White is a bit more versatile in what it can be paired with.
Click here to learn more about Pale Oak.
Benjamin Moore Ballet White vs. Swiss Coffee
Swiss Coffee is yet another popular off-white paint color by Benjamin Moore. It is a cream shade with gray and yellow undertones, but also sometimes leans a little towards green.
Swiss Coffee is a little bit lighter than Ballet White, but also isn’t a true white. It is a soft, pretty neutral that is versatile.
If you want a brighter, lighter neutral shade, Swiss Coffee is a great option. But, for a color with a bit more depth, Ballet White wins here.
Click here to learn more about Swiss Coffee.
Benjamin Moore Ballet White vs. Edgecomb Gray
Edgecomb Gray is a greige paint color by Benjamin Moore. It leans a bit more towards beige than gray. Like Ballet White, it will take on more of a gray look in dim or moring light, and more will look more beige with warm light.
Edgecomb Gray is a darker paint color than Ballet White. It has a lower LRV, and is a bit more saturated on your walls. Edgecomb Gray also has less yellow in it. It doesn’t come across as quite as light and airy as Ballet White does.
Both Edgecomb Gray and Ballet White are gorgeous neutrals, but which one works in your space will depend on how much light you have and how much depth you want your neutral paint shade to have.
Click here to learn more about Edgecomb Gray.
Wondering How To Pick the Perfect Paint Color?
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Final Thoughts on Benjamin Moore Ballet White
Benjamin Moore Ballet White is a beautiful, creamy, neutral paint color that looks refined and sophisticated on your walls. Ballet White works in a lot of different types of rooms, with many decor styles, and even looks great on a home exterior.
If you are looking for a versatile, light and airy, off-white paint color, Ballet White should definitely be on your shortlist!
Have a question? Leave me a comment! Remember to check back for a response – it may take me up to a week or two depending on how busy I am, but I’ll be sure to get back to you!
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