When we finally received our keys for our first home (yay!), panick started to sink in. It wasn’t because of the new grownup commitment we took on, rather it was the commitment we had to make with a paint colour we’d have to stare at every S I N G L E day. Choosing a white for our entire home was the hardest decision I’ve made in a very long time. It had me staring at a wall for days! Today, I’m sharing tips on choosing the right white for your own space and what we ended up choosing ourselves.
Whites are difficult to choose because of sneaky undertones that show up in different lighting situations. What may look like a nice white on a paint chip card may actually look quite different under artificial and natural lighting. The easiest thing to do is to purchase small test cans of paint in whites that have different undertones – a little yellow/creamy, a little green/gray, and a little red. With the three different shades of white I purchased, I painted swatches of all three colours on different walls throughout the house. I did this because each of these walls were hit by natural light in different ways. Then, I observed the walls for days (maybe even a week)! I looked for what the whites looked like in daylight as well as in artificial lighting in the evenings and took notes.
We finally ended up with Benjamin Moore’s Chantilly Lace in Aura Interior Paint with an Eggshell sheen. It’s the perfect pure and bright white colour that gives off a nice crisp and modern feel to our space without feeling too stark and cold. We painted two rooms, a living room, a kitchen and all the hallways with Chantilly Lace.
We then tackled the washroom and powder room with Benjamin Moore’s Tundra in Aura Bath and Spa line specifically designed for bathrooms and spas. We approached choosing the colours the same way as as we did for the house by painting swatches. We opted for a colour in the washrooms because as great as white looked in our entire space, we felt that a nice and neutral gray in the washroom would add some colour without overwhelming it.
Overall, choosing a white can be a commitment, however, using a few tricks and tips will help find the perfect white (or any paint colour) for your own space!
