I just just read a really interesting post regarding picking whites, from Lori A Sawaya. I don’t know how to link to it directly but, you should have a look. The background is also interesting reading, or you can just look for the chart she included to find the actual post.

https://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/4741889/kitchen-cabinet-painting-color-advice

Thank you!

The natural light plays a HUGE role in the white you choose? You do not say from where the light comes. Simply White is perfect for North facing room.

Judy,

My LR is north facing which which runs into the Dining and Family rooms which get their sun from the sliders facing south. Issue is that these walls kind of run into another because is it one big open space so there is not too much room to use different colors.

I used BM Capitol White throughout my cottage. It is a soft creamy white that doesn’t have undertones, looks great in any room, any lighting and any time of day. I was recommended it here on GardenWeb. I couldn’t be happier with that recommendation.

It is an expensive mistake…it is a tough call because whites are really affected by natural light. I don’t use white in a south facing room.

Have you tried B.M. Ballet White? It is the only one I can think of which MIGHT work north/south.

White also reflects what it around it so you may have to pick something with an undertone that counteracts whatever the walls are reflecting. It can be the tone of the floors. We had a light colored room turn greenish because it had lots of windows that looked out at huge trees.

Ballet white is a bit yellowish/creamy to me. Definitely do a sample on wall before choosing.

https://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/color-overview/find-your-color/color/OC-9/ballet-white?color=OC-9

https://www.kylieminteriors.ca/the-best-chameleon-paint-colour-ballet-white-benjamin-moore/

Here is a nice little clip on a few different whites.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=20&v=xBhUEf7bJOQ

Thank you to everyone who have come to my assistance. I experienced the bit about white picking up the tones of everything around it. My kids' room painted in BM cloud9 definitely picked up on the green trees outside. I don't think a pink or too much yellow would go with my place so I based on these suggestions, I will get samples for BM capitol white, distant gray and classic gray and pray I make the right choice! Thanks again.

Definitely consider that gray on walls with North light is going to be cold. North light casts blue and gray. That is why I recommend not to do Dove White on the walls.

Classic gray has a brown hue..

Distant gray has a blue hue, great for the south part of the room, but not for the North.

Capitol white isn’t its own chip. You’ll have to look for the booklet that has the sample in it. Good luck!

Don't use anything with a cool undertone in North rooms it will be depressing. That's why I always think North facing rooms need wood floors as a starting point.

I had a long angst ridden dilemma 2 years ago about choosing a white for most of my house. I finally went with Farrow and Ball All White. Its quite undertone free I think, and very fresh. I obsessed +++ before and after painting, but I'm very happy with the results.

I'm trying to figure this out right now as well (with an open 1970s east/west facing house). The current front runners for me are Dunn Edwards Whisper and DE Swan White, but they might both be too stark.

(edited because I forgot these were DE, not SW colors. I go back and forth a lot.)

I played the white game for my living/dining room with cathedral ceilings and East/West exposure windows and lots of trees. I ended up picking Valspar Betsy's Linen as the perfect warm white. But- pay attention to sheen too. I thought I would want eggshell finish because I thought the slight sheen would help to bounce the light around. I had painted my entryway eggshell and liked it there. After one coat on one wall I hated the eggshell finish. I bought matte finish and finished the rest of the room and the second coat in matte finish and love it still- 8ish years later.

I have a SW Cameo Cream in my home. Had it for 19 years. Not yellow, grey, pink or blue...just off white. You would say it is white until you put in next to a white towel...then you say wow it's off white.

I primed and painted swatches on my knock down walls and eliminated distant white because it seemed too stark and bright. Though not confident, I think I will try BM Oxford white for my south facing room but debating between Cloud and Simply white in the north/south living room/kitchen space. I did have a question about BM matte finish. Does anyone has experience with cleaning BM matte finish? I really don't like any sheen but am moving from flat to Matte for ease of cleaning. I don't have pets but I do have kids around 10 years though they dont rough house around. Will BM Regal select matte work?

Thank you so much!!!