There is a color for walls that seems to be growing in popularity and as I talked with a woman in Hobby Lobby recently, it was a color that I just had to share with her. She had mentioned, while on the phone with her friend, that she had used Sherwin Williams Natural White in her home, and her friend was looking for a “warm white.” So, I suggested Swiss Coffee Benjamin Moore.
Swiss Coffee by Benjamin Moore is a soft creamy white that so many are interested in trying in wanting to not have too stark of a pure white on their walls, but there are some undertones to Swiss Coffee that makes it where it’s not a “favorite” of mine for all houses. The warm and soft beauty of Swiss Coffee white all depends on one thing – lighting – because it can tend to look yellow, and then there are moments when there’s a hint of green. So, it is a white that works great on cabinets and on trim, but before anyone paints an entire house … I would place Swiss Coffee as samples on the walls. The walls showcase the color more accurately, other than placing it on a sample board.
Before we look at Swiss Coffee, I want to give you some “swiss coffee” inspired colors that also are gorgeous and may be more of what would work best for your home, or simply for your consideration.
Greek Villa – This is the color we chose for our kitchen cabinets, as you can see in the photo above and below.
It is a nice soft white without being yellow or buttery. It pairs well with Snowbound as a trim color. I knew we would go with Greek Villa when the countertops were installed because we both wanted a subtle contrast. The bead board backsplash is actually an addition to our entire kitchen walls (3/4 of the way up) and it is all painted Snowbound.
It may appear as a light gray in this photo, but it is a clean soft bright white without being as white as Pure White.
The walls in this room have been painted Snowbound. If you want a very clean bright white, (no blue undertones and no yellow undertones and no pink undertones) this is your white. It is so pure and works with grays and with beiges.
White Dove is another “swiss coffee” inspired color. And it is a true soft white that works great on walls.
This blogger mom, Amelia Lawrence, shares her daughter’s room that is painted White Dove.
She also explains:
Why is Benjamin Moore white Dove so popular?
It is a white paint that reads equally warm and cool together making this color so versatile! It doesn’t read yellow, and while it does have a soft, creamy undertone, it never feels dingy.
What is the difference between BM Chantilly Lace and BM White Dove?
Chantilly Lace is a brighter white, whereas White Dove is a considerably a softer shade of white. While BM Chantilly Lace does have a fraction of warmth, it is their brightest white. BM White Dove is a softer, more muted white with a noticeable warmth.
Go to her blog post if you’d like to find out more about White Dove. She has provided such a thorough explanation of this white and why it also works great as a trim color.
Lastly …
Swiss Coffee is growing in popularity primarily because it is not a strong griege white. It is so soft that it can ever so subtly appear to have more creamy undertones.
I returned to my office today after having been away for several days, and it was painted Swiss Coffee. The ceiling mounts are LED ‘warm’ or ‘sunlight’ so there is not blue hue casting on the walls. That helps the white be the clean soft white that I was hoping it would be. Because there is no natural light in my office, it will keep Swiss Coffee more on the warm side, so keep that in mind when you are selecting a white – where there is no natural light, the white will be darker, not as reflective and bright since there is no light to reflect…other than the sources of light (light bulbs) in the space. The shelving and the file cabinet are both pure white.
Julie Blanner has the most thorough blog post, sharing Studio McGee photos, that show Swiss Coffee paired with several different trim and ceiling colors. You will definitely see in her post why Swiss Coffee is so popular … it just with the vintage traditional cottage style decor’ that is also becoming more relevant in homes these days.
If you decide to paint with whites, the best thing to do is always sample on the walls, on the trim and even the ceilings in each room. Lighting is everything!
Happy homemaking,
lisa
