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Paint Design Dilemma

Trim Color for Useful Gray

3 years ago

Our open concept downstairs is painted in SW Useful Gray, with the dining room, very open in the middle, painted in PPG Regatta Bay.

I currently have SW Extra White for trim, as well as on a lot of board and batten, but realized that it just looks off with the colors. I was thinking about the SW Pura Vida line and Alabaster and would welcome any other suggestions for trim colors.

Featured Answer

simplechoices

3 years ago

last modified: 3 years ago

@Grace Dane Using different whites in a space can be done successfully. There are a few parameters to follow to help make it successful. The two most important are: Is there a difference of at minimum 0.2 chromatically, and are they spaced far enough apart on the color wheel to look nice together. This last does take personal taste into account. If you look at the infograph above, Alabaster and Extra White have a 0.34 chromatic (colorfulness) difference, which is nice because that difference will ensure that one color, Extra White, will look more neutral. They sit apart on the color wheel and visually, I think the pairing works. Only you can decide if you like it. Paint a leftover piece of trim or poster board with Alabaster and put it next to the cabinets and move it around your rooms for a few days, before painting everything. Test, Test, Test! Keep in mind that the colors will be seen with distance between then, from room to room, and that will also help create a layering effect of white. One trick to use if you want to add more connection, is to try to find a off-white and white throw pillows for the family room, or off-white canasters for the kitchen. By moving the different whites into each space, it looks planned and intentional. You might already have this working for you with the white matts in your pictures, but you can add more.

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Comments (7)

PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
3 years ago
Have you checked your lighting IMO choosing whites is hard and harder if you don’t have the same lighting everywhere. Change all the bulbs to LED 4000K (daylight) then try whites , SW suggests greek Villa my thought would be wht you already have,
Grace Dane
3 years ago
Thank you! One follow up, if you don’t mind- if after changing out the light bulbs, it looks like it needs a diff white trim (like Greek villa or alabaster) would it matter if the kitchen cabs match the current white trim? All of these rooms are very open to one another. Thanks in advance!
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simplechoices
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
@Grace Dane Take a look at the chart below, created by the brilliant Lori Sawaya of Camp Chroma. All color has its unique DNA. In your case, SW Useful Gray is part of the Yellow Hue Family,

3.81Y 8.06/0.98 (near 85 degrees, if it makes it easier to find).

Take a look at the whites that sit close to it, and which are higher chromatically (so closer in nature to Useful Gray):

Alabaster

Greek Villa

Other whites will work, from the Yellow hue family, but only you can see what you like best in your light. My favorite pairing visually is Alabaster. But that is my light and my preference.

The reason that Extra White looks off is that it is part of the Green-Yellow Hue Family and it is one of the lower chroma whites, which actually makes it too white with your other colors. In my light, the pairing also looks a little dull and dingy. It's easier to pair wall color and trim when they sit close together in the same hue family.

I do not have a PPG fandeck, to visually verify, but both, Alabaster and Greek Villa are higher chromatic whites. You will have to see what you like.
Grace Dane
3 years ago
Thank you so very much!! This is amazing! If you don’t mind, I have a follow-up question! Convinced now that Alabaster is the way to go. However I have one little glitch- my living room and kitchen are completely open to one another. Kitchen cabs are more of a crisp white (like extra white-ish). They aren’t solid wood, so painting them, just not an option.
Would it matter to have the large built ins in the living room and trim everywhere alabaster and the cabs more crisp white?
Would love to hear your thoughts on that!
PRO
Celery. Visualization, Rendering images
3 years ago
SW painting site suggested Greek Villa to go with Useful Gray
Grace Dane
3 years ago
Brilliant! I’ll paint slabs of Greek villa and alabaster and see which one prevails!

Thank you all so much.

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