The right white is the one whose undertone suits your light. In a cool, north-facing room choose a warm white with a touch of yellow, red or ochre, such as Farrow & Ball Pointing (2003) or Little Greene Haye White (346). In a bright, south-facing room you can use a cleaner or cooler white, such as All White (2005) or Wevet (273), without it turning cold.
White looks like the safe choice, which is exactly why it catches people out. Every white in a considered palette has an undertone, and that undertone decides whether a room feels soft and enclosing or crisp and bright. As Farrow & Ball put it, there is no single best white: only the right one for your room, your light and the colours around it.
Photo Credit: Farrow & Ball; Colour Used: Wimborne White (239)
Warm vs cool whites
Little Greene explain it simply: a blue-based white will make a room feel brighter and cooler, while a brown-based white brings warmth and cosiness. Green-based whites sit in between and feel fresh and natural.
- Warm. Farrow & Ball Wimborne White (239) has the smallest amount of warm yellow pigment, and Slipper Satin (2004) is a soft, warm off-white. Little Greene White Lead (74) is yellow-based, and Paint & Paper Library Fuji (102) is a softly broken warm white.
- Balanced. Farrow & Ball School House White (291) is a light putty white with soft grey and cream undertones. Little Greene Slaked Lime (105) is a mineral off-white with a muted, subtle finish.
- Clean and cool. Farrow & Ball All White (2005) contains no pigment other than white, while Wevet (273) is a clean, cool white with grey undertones. Little Greene point to Loft White (222) as one of their purest whites, and Paint & Paper Library Clean White (101) is crisp and uncomplicated.
If you are unsure which way your room leans, our guide to choosing colours by room orientation explains how each direction changes colour.
Best whites for ceilings
Ceilings receive less direct light than walls, so they nearly always look a little darker than the same paint on a wall. A ceiling white should be clean enough to lift the room, but share an undertone with the walls so the two do not argue.
For warmer schemes, Little Greene Haye White (346) is a clean, softly warm white that holds its brightness, and Paint & Paper Library Fuji (102) is a gentle ceiling white. For cooler or more contemporary rooms, All White (2005) is a softer choice than brilliant white. Use a flat matt such as Estate Emulsion, Absolute Matt Emulsion or Architects’ Matt, which hides surface imperfections.
Photo Credit: Farrow & Ball; Colour Used: Pointing (2003)
Best whites for woodwork
White woodwork works best when it relates to the wall colour rather than fighting it. Every Farrow & Ball colour has a complementary white chosen for its undertone, which we list on each colour's page: Hague Blue (30) is paired with Wevet (273), for example, and Calke Green (34) with Slipper Satin (2004). Little Greene suggest choosing a complementary white for woodwork and ceilings for harmony and balance.
- Finish. Use an eggshell for skirtings, doors and window frames: Intelligent Eggshell (10 to 15% sheen), Farrow & Ball Flat Eggshell (20%) or Architects’ Eggshell (10 to 20%).
- Brightness. A white in eggshell reads a touch brighter than the same white in matt, so a softer white often looks right on woodwork.
Pairing whites with deeper colours
Next to a strong colour, a stark white can look harsh and draw a hard line around the room. A softer white keeps the contrast gentle. Farrow & Ball Pointing (2003) is a warm white that suits schemes with strong, traditional colours, and Little Greene White Lead (74) reads as a balanced white beside stronger shades.
If you want the contrast to be graphic and deliberate, go the other way. Farrow & Ball suggest pairing All White with fresh, strong tones such as Pitch Black (256), and Little Greene Loft White (222) is crisp against Lamp Black (228).
Paint & Paper Library's Architectural Colours offer a third route: whites and neutrals made in families of graded strengths, such as Stone I (201), so the white and the deeper colour are related by pigment.
Photo Credit: Little Greene; Colour Used: Loft White (222)
Our most popular whites
These are the whites our customers have ordered most over the past year, across all three brands.
- Farrow & Ball. School House White (291), Wimborne White (239), All White (2005), Pointing (2003) and Slipper Satin (2004).
- Little Greene. Slaked Lime (105) and Loft White (222).
- Paint & Paper Library. Stone I (201) and Chaste (103).
Popular is a good place to start a shortlist, but not to finish it. Order two or three as sample pots and look at them in your own room before deciding. For more on how a white can carry a whole scheme, read Can White Be a Colour of the Year?
Photo Credit: Paint & Paper Library; Colour Used: Clean White (101)
Questions we are often asked
Should walls, ceiling and woodwork all be the same white?
They can be, and it is a calm, simple look. Changing only the finish, matt on walls and eggshell on woodwork, still gives a little definition.
Why does my white look grey?
Usually because the room is north-facing or the white has a grey or green undertone. Try a warmer white with a touch of yellow or red.
Is brilliant white a good choice?
Standard brilliant whites often include blue pigment, which can look cold. A considered white such as All White or Loft White is softer and easier to live with.
