I would need to know more about your furniture and see the space and understand your style. I also would suggest staying with one white in a different sheen for the trim I like matte for walls ans semigloss for trim usually

I love Simply White! It is a clean white with subtle yellow undertones, just enough that it doesn't come off stark. Cleaner than many of the other popular whites (Oxford White, Cloud White, White Dove). It works well with most colors except cooler whites and light pastels (marble, appliance white). It can look yellow next to a cool blue gray undertone.

It is also a bright white with a very high LRV. This means it will reflect the colors that are bounced off of it more than a darker less reflective white.

For the investment of painting a 2 story foyer I would pick up a piece of drywall and paint it with Simply White. Prime and 2 coats just like you would paint a wall. Once it is dry move it around your room - each wall, and the corners to make sure there aren't any surprises. Test it in the morning, afternoon and evening. Live with it for a few days. This is true for any white I use on walls. The undertones can really change and the only way to really see it is if you have a large enough sample

With a bright white on the walls I use the same white on the trim and ceiling. The different sheens will give you the contrast you are looking for and you are guaranteed that the undertones won't fight each other.

Below is an explanation of how pure white works and why you need to test whites all over a room to know what it may do in different areas of the room.

@Jennifer Hogan thanks so much for this info! It is very helpful. I will definitely try a larger space on the wall of the simply white. Right now it is a little too yellow but I truly believe the paint underneath the sample is interfering. I used simply white to paint my daughter’s vanity ( was mine as a child) and my grandfather’s dresser and I love the color on both, and although warm, I don’t see much yellow. I was hoping for the same result on the walls.

I have also read Oxford White is a good option if you like simply white, as it was said to have the same saturation but less yellow (and even a little hint of gray). Have you ever used or seen Oxford White on walls in a a large space? And we are definitely sticking to the same color on the trim as the walls (different sheens).

I have used both Oxford White and Simply White when helping friends and family select a white.

My personal preference always leans a bit toward whites with a very clean, slightly warm whites and for my own space I would pick Simply White over Oxford White, but I actually picked a white that is even cleaner than Simply White. (The color I used in my house is a color match by Benjamin Moore of Devine Color Icing). (They have the formula in their computer) .

If you walked into two homes, each with identically furnished with identical lighting and one was painted Simply White and the other was painted Oxford White you probably wouldn't be able to pinpoint the difference. . . unless the flooring and furnishings had a lot of blues and blue grays. and the Simply White appeared yellow or if the home was filled with creamy yellows and the Oxford white appeared gray. But you may get a better feeling from one than the other - for me - that feeling would lean toward the Simply White, but every person is an individual and has different experiences, likes and dislikes. I like cream and taupe and blue green gray or purple grays, but am not a great fan of yellow green greys or greige or blue grays / true grays. My one sister in law is really white blond and has light blue eyes and loves blues and blue grays - I am betting she would choose Oxford white over Simply White in a hot second.

I look at finding the perfect white very much the same way I search for a perfect white shirt to go with an outfit. The white you choose has to look good with your flooring and your cabinets and counter tops, furnishing, artwork and the things you love. The perfect white is the one that works best with your flooring, cabinets . . .

The perfect white can also be illusive as lighting changes throughout the day and it may be perfect in the morning and less perfect in the evening or may be perfect in your living room and less perfect in your bedroom.

The truth is that unless you have a super challenging room with a big color issue no one else will ever notice the slight changes that you will be focused on. Your over sensitized from looking at 400 whites and trying to get that one perfect color. Most people never notice that sprayed paint is lighter than rolled paint or that paint applied on a hot day will be slightly lighter than paint applied on a cooler day. Dry time and humidity levels alter paint colors, but not enough that anyone ever notices unless they try to touch up mistakes after the paint has dried.

If I were you, I would get a sample of Simply White, paint a large piece of drywall (primer + 2 coats) and move it around the space and live with it for a week. Every time you walk in the room look at your sample. Don't study it, just look and note does this bring me joy or give me a feeling of angst. Trust those first reactions. If your seeing yellow or feeling that uncomfortable, something is off feeling, get a sample of Oxford white. Paint the other side of the Drywall and do the exercise again.

@Jennifer Hogan wow, thank

you for that! I have the samples and will

definitely try the dry wall sampling approach. The current paint color on the wall and the natural wood trim is not helping gauge how the color will appear in the space once the trim is painted white too. Do you think it is worth getting a sample of Devine White Icing? It sounds like that could be a really good option. I do like warm and inviting feels but I Don’t want too much of a yellow cast to it.

This is my space if you’re interested. Don’t mind the carpeted steps and that light. This is all a work in progress right now!

@Jennifer Hogan the second pic is looking into the dining room which will be Hale Navy above the chair rail and white below the chair rail as well as additional trim/boxes added to the bottom.

I just posted some pics from the listing in my last home with Devine Icing trim. I mixed it with Deep Red, Taupe and blue/green grays.

Also used on the outside of the house

And another house that has Devine Icing

I just re-read your original post. I don't recommend using a different white on the trim than the walls - I like to use two different sheens of the same color. Reason is that each white has it's own undertone and you just asked for an unnecessary fight of the undertones.

The last pic I posted also has Devine Icing on the ceiling.