Benjamin Moore’s White Dove (Oc-17) is a very popular white paint color that has been favored by homeowners and designers alike year after year.
In fact, many people would say that White Dove is Benjamin Moore’s most versatile white paint color.
What Color is White Dove?
White Dove is a soft, off-white beige color. It feels warm and creamy thanks to its slightly green undertone, but never comes across as yellow.
It never feels super warm but definitely leans into the warmer side more than cooler whites like Benjamin Moore’s Decorator’s White or Sherwin Williams Pure White which have a stronger gray undertones.
It does not look like a pure, clean white, as some white paint colors, but comes pretty close in a room with good natural light.
What is The LRV?
Light Reflectance Value (LRV) is an indicator of the amount of light that is reflected by a color when it is illuminated by a light source. A higher value (closer to 100) means that a color will reflect more light back at you and a lower value (closer to 0) means that a color will appear darker, or absorb more light.
White Dove has a Light Reflective Value of (LRV) of 85, which means its fairly bright light white. In case you don’t already know, LRV shows how bright a color is on a scale of 0 to 100, with 0 being black and 100 being pure white.
For comparison sake, Benjamin Moore Simply White has an LRV 91.7 and Decorator’s White 84.6., while Sherwin Williams Extra White has an LRV of 86.
Sherwin Williams Alabaster vs. Dove White
When it comes to SW Alabaster I would say it is a little warmer than Dove White. Dove White’s LRV is 85 which is slightly more bright than the Alabaster LRV of 83. It also has more gray undertones than Alabaster.
Is it a Warm or Cool Color?
Benjamin Moore’s White Dove OC-17 is a warm soft white with creamy greige paint with yellow undertones. With the yellow undertones, this is definitely off-white and not a true bright white paint.
What Are The Undertones?
Every paint color has some sort of undertone, and these undertones greatly influence how a paint color will look on your walls.
White paint colors can be particularly tricky, especially when you pair them with other warm or cool finishes.
White Dove doesn’t have a strong undertone, but it does have a tiny touch of green as well as a drop of gray. The green warms it up but the gray cools it back down just a touch to help it come across with just the perfect amount of warmth for your walls.
Real Room Examples
White Dover is a very versatile color, that can look good in rooms with lots of natural light to darker rooms with artificial light. Use it on your living room and bathroom walls, on kitchen cabinets, even ceilings.
Kitchen
Using White Dove on your kitchen cabinets is a great idea. House of Jade design professionals did an amazing job in this space.
There is a lot of natural light in this kitchen, which ties in the cabinets, countertop, and tile beautifully.
You will want to make sure this color is the right white for your kitchen space. Flooring, countertop type, backsplash, and appliance color can all be a factor affecting your paint color choice.
Living Room
This is why I love to pair White Dove in darker rooms and as the perfect whole-house white if you’re planning on painting walls and trim. It’s also a great shade of white if you have a lot of warm woods like honey oak in your house.
Bathroom
White Dove paint looks amazing on ceilings, walls, or on cabinets in a bathroom. This is the perfect color to elevate your current outdated bathroom.
Look how gorgeous these shiplap walls are, what a good wall color.
Should You Use White Dove on The Exterior of a Home?
When it comes to painting the exterior of your home Benjamin Moore paint colors are a great option. This is a great off-white paint choice that will work on any style of home. It is also a great choice for windows, doors, and trims.
I would recommend using stick paint samples, it can be a fast way to see a color in your space and help you make a decision on what color to commit to.
If I’m using this paint color on my walls, what white trim color will look best?
SW pure white is a safe bet. It’s a bright white with just a smidge of warmth so it never looks cold. It looks great with all wall colors, but it’s especially the correct choice if the color is warm.
What Colors Go With White Dove?
It pairs really well with warmer greige paint colors. White Dove pairs well with coordinating colors like Revere Pewter, BM Swiss Coffee, and Classic Gray colors like Agreeable Gray and Repose Gray.
White Dove vs. Chantilly Lace
When compared next to each other you can see that White Dove is not a true white paint color. If you are looking for a warm white paint color BM White Dove is for you.
Chantilly Lace has very few undertones, so it would be considered a true white.
Other Things to Consider
White Dove will look warmer in southern facing rooms, where the warm light will bring out the warmth in the paint. Conversely, in northern facing rooms the gray is more obvious.
It’s a lovely choice for cabinets, but if you have white quartz or marble, it can look dingy in comparison.
If you’re using it for trim, you’ll want all the trim to be the same shade as it won’t match with off-the-shelf white trim paint.
Final Thoughts
White Dove is a beautiful creamy shade of white that is my go-to for darker rooms and spaces with lots of warm elements or wood. If you have a lot of cool grays or bright whites, it may not be the right color for you.
Don’t Forget To Always Use Real Paint Samples!
Don’t forget – no matter what you’ve read or photos you’ve seen online, it’s really important to sample paint colors in your home before committing!
Samplize provides real paint samples that are easy to move around your home, and cheaper than buying a gazillion paint pots! It’s the only way I buy paint samples.
