Sherwin Williams Alabaster (SW 7008) is a lovely soft, creamy white. It verges almost on the territory of being off-white, but is just light enough to still be considered white.
If you are looking for a warmer white that doesn't have any of the starkness or coldness or other whites, this may be the perfect choice for you!
Alabaster is a Popular Choice
Alabaster has been a popular shade of white for several years, and shows no signs that it's going anywhere. It's a great choice for walls because it doesn't feel cold, but also an excellent choice for kitchen cabinets.
I love how the Sherwin Williams Director of Color Marketing describes it, "Alabaster is neither stark nor overly warm, but rather an understated and alluring hue of white.”
I actually chose Alabaster as the white for new kitchen cabinets in our upcoming remodel, because the color worked so well with both the warmer elements (brass and wood) that I'm incorporating as well as the grays and blues that I love to work with.
Alabaster's Undertones
Alabaster is a lovely, warm white paint color. If you want actual white walls, it's less white than perhaps what you may think of as "white" (if that makes sense!). That’s because Alabaster has an LRV of 82, so it has more depth to its color (100 being the brightest, pure white). It also has a cream base, which means it has some yellow in it to warm it up but also a touch of neutral to stop it being too warm.
Unless you pair it next to a bright white like Sherwin Williams Extra White, it will probably just look like a soft white to you.
Alabaster vs Benjamin White Dove and Simply White
It has a bit more warmth to it than Benjamin Moore White Dove (another popular choice for a warmer white), but doesn't come across as yellow as Benjamin Moore Simply White can, thanks to that neutral base.
What Trim Color To Choose?
If you have no intentions of painting your walls white and instead just want to paint your trim with Alabaster, go ahead! I think it looks amazing, modern and just so lovely and soft on trim and doors. Just make sure it's a whole house trim color and that it doesn't meet a "truer" white anywhere along the way!
If you are planning on using it on your walls, the easiest way to pick a trim color that will match is to use the same paint color but in a different sheen. For example, eggshell on the walls and satin or semi-gloss on the trim.
The higher sheen will reflect more light, making the color appear lighter, but you don't have to worry about any weird undertones coming out. This is my personal preference.
If you really want to highlight the creamy side of Alabaster and not focus on it being a white, you could try pairing it with SW Pure White or SW Extra White. In this case, Alabaster will look like a cream color on your wall and your trim will be bright white.
Final Thoughts on Alabaster as a Paint Color
Choosing a white paint color for your trim or walls can be challenging, but Alabaster is a great choice for anyone who thinks they want white but also wants to keep a cozy, warm feeling in their space. It feel fresh and modern, without being too bright or stark and works particularly well alongside greige paint colors and lighter toned woods.
