Cool white paint colors bring a fresh look to a space. They are bright and clean.
Whether you are looking for a new wall color or a cool trim paint color to go with a wall color, this list has a cool white paint shade for you.
There are cool whites from both Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore.
But first, let’s talk a little bit about when you would use a cool white paint color.
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Cool White Paint Colors Explained
Cool white paint colors are white paint shades that have cool undertones.
Cool undertones are blue, green and some purples (purples that lean more towards blue than red).
They tend to make a space feel fresh and expansive.
When you add a cool undertone to a white paint color, you end up with a shade that looks clean and bright.
Cool whites work well with other cool shades. For example, if you have blue or green walls, a cool white trim color is going to be your best coordinating trim shade.
Other uses for a cool white paint color may be as a wall paint color in a room with a more minimalistic or modern feel.
Can I Mix Cool Whites and Warm Whites?
If you would put a cool white next to a warm white, the differences between the two would be highlighted.
For example, if you used a cool white trim shade with blue undertones next to warm white wall shade with yellow undertones, you would end up seeing a lot of blue in the trim and a lot of yellow in the wall.
Instead of having a coordinated, layered look, you would end up with a mismatch of white paint shades.
So it is important to choose cool whites to coordinate with other cool shades and warm whites to coordinate with other warm shades.
Best Cool White Paint Colors from Sherwin Williams
Now that you have a bit of a background on cool white paint colors and when to use them, lets look at some of the best cool white paint colors from Sherwin Williams.
Spare White
Spare White is a cool white paint color with green undertones.
It also has a bit of gray in it. With the gray and green, it has a bit more color than some of the other whites on this list.
While white paint colors with blue undertones tend to look more fresh, Spare White has a slightly more moody look to it with its green undertones.
Spare White is a good paint color for walls.
It can even be paired with some of the other whites on this list, such as High Reflective White, if you want a really light and bright wall paint color but still want a little bit of variation between the wall and trim.
Ceiling Bright White
Ceiling Bright White is a cool white paint color with clean, blue undertones.
It has a bit more color in it than Extra White, but still will look very white on your walls or ceiling.
Ceiling Bright White is actually a really great color for a ceiling.
Because it has those blue undertones, it is reminiscent of the sky. It sort of recedes into the background making the ceiling height appear just a bit higher.
Ceiling Bright White can also be used on trim and walls though. But, if you’re considering Ceiling Bright White for either of these uses, I would recommend taking a look at Extra White first.
Extra White
Extra White is a cool white paint color with blue and gray undertones.
The gray in Extra White brings about a bit of softness to Extra White.
It still comes across as a bright, clean white, but if you compare it to a pure white shade, you will see the hint of blue and gray in Extra White.
Extra White is a very popular trim paint color. You can also use it on walls, but since it is so white, it tends to be more popular on trim.
In fact, Extra White is the go-to cool white paint color for trim from Sherwin Williams because it just looks very bright and white on trim.
Click here for more details on Sherwin Williams Extra White.
High Reflective White
High Reflective White isn’t exactly a cool white in my book. It is more of a neutral white that is almost devoid of undertones.
Because of its lack of undertones, High Reflective White goes with just about any paint color, including cool ones.
High Reflective White is clean and bright. It looks perfectly white without any other color showing through.
This makes High Reflective White a great trim color if you want a light, cool white wall but still need a little variation between the wall and the trim.
That being said, you can find that High Reflective White will look like another color depending on what is around it.
This is because it has a very high LRV (Light Reflectance Value). It ends up reflecting the colors of what is around it back into the room. In effect, it ends up looking like it has some of that color in it, when really it is just a reflection.
So, if you have an orange wood floor, High Reflective White may look a bit orange. If you have a lot of green trees outside a large window facing a wall painted in High Reflective White, your wall may take on a green look.
This is true for any paint color with a really high LRV, but since High Reflective White has the highest LRV of any of the paint colors on this list, you are most likely to see this occur with this shade.
But, if you are looking for a white paint color that works as a trim color with any paint color, High Reflective White is a great choice.
Read here for more details on Sherwin Williams High Reflective White.
Other White Paint Colors by Sherwin Williams
If you didn’t find the right Sherwin Williams paint color on this list, check out this article on the best white paint colors by Sherwin Williams.
It has another set of some of the most popular Sherwin Williams white shades.
Best Cool White Paint Colors from Benjamin Moore
Super White
Super White is cool white paint color by Benjamin Moore. It has subtle blue and gray undertones.
And when I say subtle, I mean it. It leans cool, but it really doesn’t have too blue of a look to it.
In fact, when you compare Super White to Extra White or Ceiling Bright White, you see Super White looking pretty white in comparison to the blue that shows up in the other shades.
Super White is a great trim color for someone who wants a cool trim shade but doesn’t want to commit to a really blue undertone.
It tends to just look clean and bright, and not terribly cool.
Click here for more information on Super White.
Decorator’s White
Decorator’s White is a white paint color that has a purple undertones.
Decorator’s White is a great cool paint color to use with purple paint shades because it is one of the few popular whites that will coordinate with them.
Decorator’s White can also be used on walls, since it has a bit of color to it.
Click here for more details on Benjamin Moore Decorator’s White.
White
White is a cool white paint color name by Benjamin Moore. Surprisingly, White isn’t the most white or brightest white that Benjamin Moore sells.
Instead, Benjamin Moore White has gray and purple undertones, with a hint of blue.
Altogether, White has more depth to it than Super White or High Reflective White, but about the same amount as Decorator’s White.
White can be used on walls or trim, though it wouldn’t be my go-to pick for a trim paint color.
Benjamin Moore White is a fairly non-descript shade that tends to work well as a backdrop.
Distant Gray
Distant Gray is a cool white paint color by Benjamin Moore that has blue and gray undertones.
Super White and Distant Gray are fairly similar paint colors, but Distant Gray has just a bit more color in it.
Distant Gray will look like a bright white if there are no other brighter white shades in the room.
It can work on trim or walls, and looks great when paired with other blues or grays.
Other Cool White Paint Colors by Benjamin Moore
If you love Benjamin Moore what paint colors but didn’t find one that was exactly what you need on this list, check out this article on the top Benjamin Moore white paint colors.
Trying Out Cool White Paint Colors
Before you go and paint a whole room, your home exterior, or your trim in a cool white paint color, it is important to try the paint color first.
Cool white paint colors can come across as pretty blue (or green, or purple) if you have a north-facing room or cool lightbulbs in your space.
Wondering How To Pick the Perfect Paint Color?
I have the best solution for you!
Samplize sells peel and stick paint samples in almost every paint color.
These no-mess, peel and stick sheets are made from real paint, so they will show you exactly what the paint color will look like.
Simply place them on your walls next to your trim, furnishings or fixed elements, and easily see which paint color works best in your space and with your lighting.
Then, peel the sheet off your wall and reapply it somewhere else if you like. You can try several different paint colors with no mess, no fuss and no cleaning paint brushes.
Oh, and you can have them in your home by tomorrow with OVERNIGHT shipping!
As a bonus, be sure to use the code LoveRemodeled10 at check out to get an extra 10% off! Samplize sheets are cheaper than a sample can of paint, and way less work.
They are the easiest (and fastest!) way to try a paint color in your home, with no hassle.
Final Thoughts on Cool White Paint Colors
Cool white paint colors are just what a room needs if you want to give your space a fresh, clean feeling.
The trick with selecting a cool white paint color is to pick one that has undertones similar to the other cool tones in the room that you are pairing it with.
This list has some of the most popular and best cool white shades, and is a great starting point for finding the right cool white for your space.
If you would like to try out all the paint colors on this list, pick up the cool whites bundle from Samplize.
Their cool whites bundle includes all the shades listed here except Spare White. Instead it includes Natural White.
Even if you add Spare White on, getting the bundle is still cheaper than buying all the paint colors separately!
Want to see all your paint options in one convenient place? Click here to get everything you need to start painting, including Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore paint color decks!
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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