When it comes to paint, white seems like the easiest choice—until you’re faced with a wall of swatches that somehow all look different. That’s because they are. White paint has undertones, levels of warmth or coolness, and subtle shifts that can either elevate your space or make it feel just… off.

As architects and interior designers, we’re often tasked with finding the perfect white to serve as a backdrop to more dominant materials—whether it’s harmonizing creamy limestones with cooler marbles, or balancing wood cabinetry with bright trim. Over the years, we’ve developed a go-to process for selecting the right white, and we’re sharing our tips with you below.

1. Start with the Paper Test

Not sure if a white paint is warm or cool? Hold it up to a plain sheet of white printer paper. The paper acts as a neutral baseline and can immediately expose the undertones in the sample. A cool white will start to look bluish or gray; a warm white may appear creamy or even pink-toned by comparison.

Pro tip: Always view your sample on a vertical surface—like a wall or propped-up board—rather than flat on a table. You want to mimic how it will actually read in your space.

2. View It in Natural and Artificial Light

White paint is incredibly sensitive to light. What looks soft and creamy in morning daylight can turn yellow under incandescent bulbs or appear stark under LEDs. Always test your samples in both the brightest and dimmest parts of the room, during day and night.

Try placing large swatches or painted sample boards in a few corners of the room and watch how the light changes them throughout the day.

3. Determine Your Desired Undertone:

Warm, Neutral, or Cool

Think of whites as existing on a spectrum:

The right undertone depends on your goals. Are you softening a space with warm wood or stone? Go warmer. Want a clean, gallery-like look? A cool white may be your best friend.

4. Always Compare with Other Materials

Never select a white paint in isolation. Lay it next to your countertops, flooring, cabinetry, tile, and upholstery samples. Whites are relational—they shift depending on what’s next to them.

In a recent project, we needed a white that could bridge creamy limestone and cooler painted elements. Testing the paint next to both materials helped us find a perfect in-between tone that unified the space.

5. Use Multiple Brands to Widen Your Options

No one paint brand has a monopoly on good whites. That’s why we keep a curated collection of swatches from several go-to manufacturers in our materials library. Each line has its strengths:

Our team rarely picks a white without testing options from all three.

Bonus Tips from Our Materials Library

Final Thoughts: There’s No One Perfect White

White paint may look simple, but it’s actually a complex, beautiful balancing act between color, context, and light. With a little testing and the right strategy, you can confidently choose the white that works best for your space—and love it for years to come.