Benjamin Moore White Dove OC-17: Warm White Paint Color Review

Benjamin Moore White Dove Paint Color Overview

Benjamin Moore White Dove is a soft, warm white without a strong yellow undertone that can create a warm and inviting ambiance in your home without looking like a stark white. However, please be careful as this warm white can look creamy when not paired correctly.

One common mistake many people make with Benjamin Moore White Dove is choosing this paint color because it's popular, assuming all the beautiful homes painted with BM White Dove will look the same in their own home, and not pairing it correctly with what they have in their home.

I will help you better understand the complexity of BM White Dove from a professional point of view, which might help you make a better decision about the right paint color for your home. Watch the video below for an in-depth analysis of BM White. 

Benjamin Moore White Dove OC-17 Undertone and Light Reflective Value

The undertone of BM White Dove is yellow. This is what makes it a warm white. 
The LRV of BM White Dove is 83.16. As a professional international color consultant, I rarely consider the LRV a factor when choosing a paint color for any space. Environmental factors, interior or exterior fixed elements, artificial or natural lighting, and the room's relationship to other colors are key, not LRV.

Benjamin Moore White Dove Tips for Lighting

Suppose you're seriously considering painting the main interior walls throughout your home with BM White Dove. In that case, it's important to analyze how much natural lighting you receive and the spacing of your artificial lighting. For example, if you have many rooms or areas of your home that are north-facing, not many windows, or angled ceilings, then be mindful that BM White Dove can look dingy.

The temperature of your artificial lighting will influence how BM White Dove will look in a space or room. If you have artificial lighting in the range of 4,000K and higher, expect BM White Dove to cast a slight greige glow, especially if you don't have the proper spacing of artificial lighting. The sweet spot for artificial lighting is 3,000K to 3,800K, as it will enhance the beautiful color of the BM White Dove.

Benjamin Moore White Dove Tips for Pairing with Flooring

Did you know the type of flooring you have will influence how BM White Dove can look in a room? You must be careful when pairing many types of flooring with BM White Dove.

For example, if you have dark brown flooring with red undertones, think of cherry wood as an example, and then expect BM White Dove to look creamier than you expect. If you are someone who doesn't want the white to have a pronounced yellow undertone, then BM White Dove will not be a good choice.

If replacing your flooring, consider neutral brown beige flooring like Cortec. Blonde Oak is a good tip to help lead you in the right direction.

Benjamin Moore White Dove Tips for Pairing Kitchen Countertops

Are you thinking of painting your kitchen cabinets with BM White Dove? Please make sure your kitchen countertops will match correctly. Selecting the wrong countertop can be a costly mistake.

BM White Dove is not perfect for any kitchen, as no paint color is ideal unless paired correctly.
If you have a white kitchen countertop like Cambria, Swanbridge with cool blue-gray veins, expect BM White Dove to look dingy.

Instead, use a warmer kitchen countertop like Cambria Ridgegate with gold beige and soft, cool gray undertones.

Benjamin Moore White Dove Tips for Pairing with Other White Paint Colors

Pairing other whites with BM White Dove will influence how this paint color will look in your home, depending on whether it's paired with a cool or warm white. I help thousands of clients yearly; no color palette will work in every home. Every home has different fixed elements, lighting, interior decor, and interior or exterior designs that require detailed analysis before choosing which white will pair best with BM White Dove. Be careful when pairing cool or true whites with BM White Dove.

There are hundreds of scenarios to consider, but here is a good tip. Let's say you want to paint the main interior walls in your bedroom with BM White Dove; you want to contrast with the trims and interior doors. It's important not to go too light, such as BM Chantilly Lace, which will enhance the yellow undertones in BM White Dove.

Instead, go with a warmer white like BM Snowfall White that has the right warmth and contrast when paired with BM White Dove, assuming you have the correct fixed elements and lighting in your bedroom.

Benjamin Moore White Dove vs Sherwin-Williams Alabaster

Thousands of clients have asked me what the difference is between BM White Dove and Sherwin-Williams Alabaster. The short answer is BM White Dove is muted, softer and the yellow undertone is not as pronounced as SW Alabaster.

SW Alabaster has a more pronounced yellow undertone than BM White Dove. However, the difference is more technical than that, depending on how and where you apply these two beautiful white paint colors to your home.

Many scenarios can influence how BM White Dove and SW Alabaster will look, depending on a home's lighting, fixed elements, interior, exterior, and design layout. For example, suppose you're thinking of painting the main interior walls of a room that doesn't receive a lot of natural lighting, a north-facing room. In that case, chances are BM White Dove may look dingy, but the opposite will happen with SW Alabaster as it will look more creamy. Please evaluate the best white for your home; I don't want you to make a costly mistake.

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