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How To Choose the ‘Right’ White

June 28, 2023

Choosing the right white paint for your interior design can be a daunting task. With so many shades and undertones to choose from, it can be overwhelming to know where to start and unfortunately there is not ‘one white fits all.

However, as we just recently went through the process of finding the ‘right’ white for our new showroom, we jotted down our process to share with you, adding easy tips and tricks so you can easily find the perfect white paint for your space.

Consider the Lighting

The first thing to consider when choosing a white paint is the lighting in your space. Natural light and artificial light can affect the way a paint colour looks. If your room has a lot of natural light, you may want to choose a warmer white with yellow or pink undertones. If your room has less natural light, you may want to choose a cooler white with blue or grey undertones.

Undertones

White paint may seem like a simple colour, but it actually comes in a variety of undertones. Undertones are the subtle hues that are present in a paint colour. Some common undertones in white paint include yellow, pink, blue, and grey. It’s important to choose a white paint with undertones that complement the other colours in your space. We recommended considering all undertones in your search to start and comparing how they compliment the other elements in your room. 

Test Samples

Before committing to a white paint, it’s important to test samples in your space. We begin this process by collecting multiple swatches from our local paint place. Swatches are great to bring into your space and stick to your wall, helping to quickly eliminate shades that don’t work (it’s amazing how your perspective of the right white changes when the swatches are brought into different settings). Once you have eliminated the shades down to your final contenders it’s time to order sample pots to test on your walls. Paint a large swatches onto your wall, applying at least two coats of each and ensuring to label each along the way and observe how it looks in different lighting. This will give you a better idea of how the paint will look in your space throughout the day. Now the fun begins, don’t rush your selection, get second opinions from friends, family, whoever you please. It’s great to see and hear what a different set of eyes enjoy and why. It certainly has helped us finalise our decision in the past.

Consider the Finish & Choose a Quality Paint

When you have found your winning shade it is time to decide on your finish! Paint comes in a variety of finishes, including matte, eggshell, satin, and gloss. The finish you choose will depend on the look and feel you want to achieve in your space. Matte finishes are great for creating a cozy, relaxed atmosphere, while gloss finishes are perfect for creating a modern, sleek look. Some great tips and recommendations we learnt from the wonderful ladies at three birds renovations is to keep the shade the same no matter the surface or finish eg. walls, trims, doors AND ceilings

The finishes they recommend for different surfaces that we have used and loved:

+ Interior Walls, including brick – Dulux 1 Step Prep

+ Interior Walls, including brick – Dulux Wash&Wear Low Sheen

+ Interior Woodwork – Dulux Super Enamel Semi Gloss

+ Ceiling – Dulux Ceiling White

+ Exterior Walls, including brick – Dulux Weathershield Low Sheen

+ Exterior Trims – Dulux Aquanamel Semi Gloss OR Dulux Super Enamel Semi Gloss

Noting these are all recommended for home interiors (not showrooms). It’s important to choose a quality paint for your interior design. A high-quality paint will not only look better, but it will also last longer and be easier to clean.

Now for those who have been following our showroom renovation journey and have been asking for details along the way.

We narrowed our choice down to three colours – All Dulux Paint

  1. Natural white 
  2. 1/8 Ecru 
  3. Snowy Mountains 1/2

When viewing swatches in different areas of the showroom we found, ‘Natural White’ became too yellow in some areas and ‘1/8 Ecru’ looked too muddy in certain areas. Landing us with our winning colour ‘Snowy Mountains 1/2’.
Having testing it in multiple areas we found it didn’t give off any yellow undertones and was the closest to a chalky white plaster finish that we were after.
We also chose a Matt finish for the walls, which although can be harder to keep clean, it does not give off a shine under showroom lighting that low sheen or gloss does especially when photographing products against.


We couldn’t be happier with the outcome and looking forward to opening our showroom doors again and share with you all. x

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