Picking a White paint

A white room, done right, reflects our Southern California light, resulting in bright, fresh spaces. White is a great backdrop to interior furnishings, as it allows the flexibility to play with color without overwhelming a space. However, white paint is a lot more complex than it may seem. There are a million to choose from, (warm, cool, neutral whites) and white paint can really morph, depending on shadows, light, and time of day.

Make sure to Swatch…always

I hear tons of people falling into the trap of something along the lines of, “I’m using Chantilly Lace! My friend told me that’s what she used and its gorgeous in her home.” While Chantilly Lace is beautiful in tons of spaces, I have yet to find a white paint that looks good in every space.

My recommendation is to swatch your paint colors in every single room before making a decision for your painter. However, I don’t recommend painting a swatch on every single wall in your house, as that will require extra prep for your painters. *Pro tip: Paint large poster board or foam core samples and move the large samples around from wall to wall. This way you can check your colors from every angel in the appropriate rooms.

Looking for white paint suggestions and some more tips?

Download our White Paint Guide with my favorite white paint colors, pro tips on sheen, and some information regarding VOCs in your paint products.