If you are looking for a warm paint color that doesn’t have yellow undertones, a white paint color with a pink or purple undertone is the way to go.
In fact, a white paint with either pink or purple undertones is the ONLY way to go if you are looking for a warm white paint.
This is because warm white paint colors have to have warm undertones. So, you’re limited in your options to whites with either yellow, orange, pink or purple undertones.
Sure, you could pick out a white paint with orange undertones, but so frequently, there is a lot of yellow in those paint shades. So I lumped those into the yellow undertones category for the purpose of this article.
This post may contain affiliate links. If you have any questions, please see my disclaimer page.
Whites Paint Colors with Pink and Purple Undertones vs. Yellow Undertones
Warm white paint colors with pink and purple undertones feel a little bit different than warm whites with yellow undertones.
A white paint with yellow undertones feels creamy, while a white paint with pink or purple undertones feels more cozy.
Why Paint Undertones are So Important
White paint colors with pink and purple undertones work better in spaces with warm, reddish wood tones. White paint colors with yellow undertones work better in spaces with more yellow tones. Makes sense, right? You’re just coordinating with the undertones that you already have in the space.
The first time I used a white paint color with a purple undertone, I used it all wrong. I paired with with a green accent wall and orange toned wood floors. You don’t need to be a color expert to know that I made a huge mistake.
At the time, I didn’t really put much thought into the white paint color that I was choosing. I just picked one that looked a little grayish and moved on with my painting project.
The next day, once the paint was dried, I was more than a little disappointed. On the whole, it wasn’t HORRIBLE. But, when I looked in this corner or where the light hit a certain way, the white walls looked purple. Which looked horrible with the green accent wall. And even worse with the orange floors.
This was my introduction into really paying attention to the undertones in white paint.
So in this example, the white with the pink/purple undertone was a terrible choice. But, you could easily come up with a situation where a white paint with a yellow undertone is the worst choice possible.
So, if you’ve assessed the undertones in your space and you know that a white paint with a pink or purple undertone is the way to go, here are my top choices.
Best White Paint Colors with Pink or Purple Undertones
Sherwin Williams Eider White
Sherwin Williams Eider White is a soft white paint color with gray, pink and purple undertones. It isn’t a pure or a stark white. Instead, it has a bit of color on your wall.
Eider White leans a little more purple than pink, and the overarching color you get from it is gray. But, when a warm southern light hits, or you pair it with a yellow tone, you will see that purple come out.
Eider White isn’t a good color for trim because it has too much chroma (or color). It has an LRV, or Light Reflectance Value, of 73, putting it in the off-white range of paint colors. But its great on walls.
Benjamin Moore Pale Oak
Benjamin Moore Pale Oak was a soft off-white paint color that was hugely popular in the modern farmhouse trend. That doesn’t mean its not still a great paint color though.
Pale Oak is very light and white looking, but has some color to it. It has warm undertones that can vary from pink to purple depending on the lighting. It also has a gray undertone and a touch of beige.
Pale Oak has an LRV of 68, which means that it has a bit more color to it than Eider White, or looks a little darker.
Sherwin Williams Kestrel White
Sherwin Williams Kestrel White is an off-white paint color that leans more towards beige. Like the other paint colors on this list, Kestrel White has pink and purple undertones. I have found that Kestrel White more easily shifts to a pink undertone.
Kestrel White also has a gray undertone, but overall, the overarching color you will see in it is more of a cozy light beige.
Kestrel White looks great with reddish toned wood and with other warm pink, purple or red tones. It is a modern sort of light beige.
Kestrel White has an LRV of 68, so it has a very similar depth as Pale Oak. Both will look like a color on your walls, but they will be light and soft.
Benjamin Moore Balboa Mist
Benjamin Moore Balboa Mist is a warm off-white paint color with gray, beige, and purple undertones.
Balboa Mist has an LRV of 67, so it has a bit more chroma to it than some of the other shades on this list. Instead of looking white, it will look like a gray on your walls.
But, Balboa Mist can definitely take on its purple undertone. It won’t look truly purple, but you can see hints of purple peeking through in various places.
Balboa Mist is great on walls. It looks amazing with crisp white trim and lends a soft, subtle warmth to any space.
Sherwin Williams Snowbound
Sherwin Williams Snowbound is the lightest white paint color with pink and/or purple undertones on this list. It has an LRV of 83, which puts it a little closer to a true white paint color.
Because or this, you can use Snowbound on trim or woodwork if you are looking for a warm white trim.
Again though, I would only use Snowbound on your trim if you’re going to use paint colors and furnishings that also have warm pink/purple undertones, and you know that you’ll never want to shift to shades with green, orange or yellow tones or undertones.
This doesn’t mean that you need to only put Snowbound with pink. You can use it marble countertops with the right undertones, grays with warm undertones, and even blues.
Snowbound has gray and beige undertones as well, but looks a little more gray than beige usually.
Of course, if you have warmer light in the space, such as from a southern facing window or warm lightbulbs, you’ll see the beige (and pink and purple) more prominently.
Sherwin Williams Incredible White
Sherwin Williams Incredible White is an off-white paint color that blends gray, beige and purple. It has a bit more gray in it, and looks like a grayish white on your walls.
Incredible White has an LRV of 74. This means that it a bit too much color in it to be a good trim color, but that it looks good on walls when paired with very light white trim.
Incredible White leans a little more purple than pink, but the purple in it isn’t too pronounced. Incredible White is similar to Eider White, but is a little warmer.
Final Thoughts on White Paint Colors with Pink or Purple Undertones
Overall, white paint colors with pink and purple undertones are soft, cozy, warm and lovely. They feel very comfortable.
They are great options for someone who wants to give a bit of warmth to a space without going with a true pink or purple, and who don’t want a yellow undertone.
Be aware though, white paint colors with pink or purple undertones are a little less forgiving and versatile than white paints with yellow undertones. They don’t go with as many coordinating shade. But that doesn’t mean that you should count them out.
My favorite white paints with pink or purple undertones on this list are Snowbound and Kestrel White. They both have a bit more beige in them, and this makes them on-trend with the current movement towards taupe shades.
The right paint color for you is going to depend on your specific space. Remember that warm lighting will bring out the pink or purple, and that cool lighting may make the shade look a bit flat and gray.
To ensure you’re getting the right color, I would recommend trying the color in your space. Before you head off to pick up some sample cans of paint, check out my favorite way to sample paint colors.
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.
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!
Want to show off your project? Join the discussion in Love Remodeled’s Facebook group!
