Sw high reflective white vs extra white

You can have White Flour tinted into Emerald Design Edition in the Ultrawhite base. It is the most expensive residential paint we have, but that's the only way to get the colour in two coats.

In one of your comments, you mentioned something a bit softer and warmer than Extra White....my go-to white is Greek Villa. It has a touch of warmth without looking yellow. The internet talks about Alabster, but if you compare Alabster to Greek Villa, Greek Villa is less yellow and slightly brighter. You might also want to take a look at Origami White and White Duck, however, they have a lower LRV, so not as bright, but still great colours.

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I love the color white and I am not afraid to use it. Say it with me! It is no secret what my favorite color is these days. White is a staple in my decorating and design. I think it is the perfect backdrop to any space. It can allow so many options for pairing other pieces. I love the crisp neutrality of a good white paint. My house is painted white inside and out. Everyone told me not to do it. Do I have any regrets? NOT ONE!

So you want to join me on the light side too? There are so many shades of white. I have tried and tested at least half a million. 🙂 I am going to spill the paint (see what I did there) on my favorites. All white paint is not the same and can give you very different looks.

First, let me tell you the best way to test a paint sample. Paint it directly on the wall. No really, just paint a huge 2′ by 2′ square or blob on the wall of the room. This will give the most accurate color of the paint in the lighting of the room. Maybe you can’t bring yourself to do this for some reason. The next best thing is to buy paint sample paper. I don’t waste my money on fancy sample paper. You can pretty much get the same result on poster board. The poster board will get a little warped from absorbing the paint. That is okay because you can use painters tape to hold it down on the wall. Just use a regular paint brush and put a coat or two of paint on the poster board. Tape it to the wall of the room where you are wanting to paint. I did this same method when we finished the basement in our previous home. It worked like a charm!

The exterior of our home is painted with Sherwin Williams Pure White. I can’t say enough good things about this color. It is just the right amount of bright and warmth. It really is my go-to for white paint. It is great for people who are trying to go white but do not want it to be too stark or cold. This looks great on interior walls and trim as well as exteriors. So, why didn’t I paint my interior Pure White?

Don’t mind the grass. We just had sod installed. I will be sharing a full landscape reveal soon!

I chose to paint my interior walls and trim High Reflective White by Sherwin Williams. This white is not for everyone. It is a not as warm as Pure White. However, It is not stark or cold either. It is a really bright white without any gray or yellow tones. A really crisp and bright white. I decided on this brighter white on the inside because I really liked the sharper tone for inside. I knew it would fade a bit in certain rooms over time. Also, when I added my furniture and decor, it really toned down.  I did a satin finish on the walls and semi-gloss on the trim. Now, I do have three little kids running around. I get a lot of fingerprints and footprints on the wall (along with a bunch of other stuff). I simply take wet wipes, Clorox wipes, or Simple Green wipes to clean off the walls, doors, and trim.

Benjamin Moore White Dove is also a favorite white paint of mine. I think it is similar to Pure White by Sherwin Williams. A nice rich and warm white. Perfect for those just easing into white paint. I am somewhat partial to Sherwin Williams because I just love their quality. However, I think Bejamine Moore is also a great option.

You really can not go wrong with any of these white paint colors. I am a really picky and have tried so many shades of white. These three have been the top favorites out of all of the many samples I have tested and used. Don’t be afraid to take the color out of your wall and use white! You can add the color back into the room with your decor and furniture. The possibilities are endless with a neutral and bright canvas like white.

I want my house to look like this picture. I know there's tons of factors that go into this but I'd like to know what color might better achieve this look. Sherwin Williams High Reflective White or Pure White? The painters are coming tomorrow and I'm still undecided. Please help.

Jumoke S

Original Author

I actually ended up going with Extra White at the recommendation of the person at SW. I can’t really say that I’m satisfied with this decision, but I think it’s because I did not have the best painters. They rushed and I don’t think they did enough coats. So I can’t say the fault is with the paint itself.

However, I will say that even though Extra White is just plain white it didn’t give me the stark Museum white I was looking for. But like others mentioned it’s likely due to my room itself. I think my floors may be too warm and it may be reflecting off that. Honestly not sure but don’t have any money to get it redone.

Comments (17)

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  PRO

  JAN MOYER

  5 years ago

  last modified: 5 years ago

  I would test one big wall with both. Yes...... there are too many factors, and YES that room already has an ABUNDANCE of natural light.

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  PRO

  JudyG Designs

  Your photo is not of your room. If you have this much natural light, from where the light comes is a very, very important factor in your choice of white.

  
  For instance: BM white dove is a very lovely popular white. Put that on the walls of a North facing room and it looks gray and dingy.

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  1. You always want to look at your samples on the same plane as they will be when installed, so the first picture is the way you need to look at the samples. Looking at them with the counter top held vertically does not show you what it will look like installed. (Angle of light as it is reflected changes your perception of color). 2. You really need larger samples to make a good decision on any white. 3. The sample has to be the same product that is going to be painted on the cabinets. Some cabinet makers "match" SW colors, some use SW paint. The matches are not always exact matches. 4. What color is your trim? Cabinets and trim have to either be the same or work well together. 5. Spraying paint vs rolling or brushing paint changes the dry time and that changes the color (You can't touch up sprayed paint with a roller - it always shows up darker and can look shinier). 6. Lighting makes a difference - Patricia is absolutely correct that your interior light quality makes a difference - so does the angle of the light coming in through the windows. Both the counter and the cabinets will be impacted by the quality of the light, but where I see huge issues is with under cabinet lighting that is too yellow - shines a yellow color on the counters that is not hitting the cabinets. Your best bet when getting cabinets in a white is to actually get a sample from the cabinet maker of the colors on a cabinet door or sample door. All of that said, if I had to select one of the whites you have sampled without seeing a sample painted by the cabinet maker I would go for Pure White over Extra White. Extra White has the slightest hint of blue and is riskier than Pure White. In my book, the cost of having kitchen cabinets painted is far too high to blindly select the color - I would insist on a painted sample from the cabinet maker.

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  Cindy C

  Did you complete your project? What did you choose?

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  Cindy C

  Lorece, thanks for your quick reply. What did you do with your floors? I'm doing a white white kitchen, dining, living area now. It's a new condo and I'm going for the look you were trying to achieve. There are windows on the north and south end of the floor space. I'm thinking I need to either bleach the red oak floors or stain them gray.

  Cindy

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  Jumoke S

  Original Author

  I haven’t done anything to the floors yet. They are the floors that came with it. They are a red oak also. I think if you can bleach yours or do the gray that would be excellent. Because even with the walls white if the floors have any type of warm tone it will warm up the space. I’d like to do something to mine one day.

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  PrimoVenzo

  High reflective white would have been perfect

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  Steph Madrigal

  Agree. Just used in bathroom and LOVE it...though SW tried to sway me away from it for some reason.

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  laurskowronski

  They are trying to sway me from HRW also. I read in another article that it is tricky to mix together (I forget the details of why), but Extra White is their base color. So it’s easier.

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  Tammy S

  SW also tried to talk me out of hrw

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  RedRyder

  Why would anyone at the SW paint store try to talk you out of a specific color? Is it very hard to paint onto normal dry wall?

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  HU-815435374

  Has anyone tried SW Pure White on walls and High Reflective white for trim. I want white walls, and my cabinets are a closer math to HRW so I have to stick with it for the trims. Any suggestions on what could go on walls and ceiling?

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  Jessica Duffy

  High reflective white is also a base color. There is no colorant mixed into the paint itself. The only reason to talk a customer out of it is availability (or unavailability 😉) of the paint itself. There has been a raw material shortage that makes certain products in shorter supply than others. High reflective white has been one of those products. (At least for my sherwin Williams store)
  I myself have high reflective white in a semi-gloss for my trim, and pure white in an eggshell for my walls. I love it. The colors are not super different (although pure white has a bit of warmth to it), but the difference in sheen is noticeable and adds a great contrast between two lovely whites.

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  margeypantsperretta

  Thanks Jessica!! Very informative. What colour did you use for your ceiling?

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  Jessica Duffy

  My ceilings are the very same pure white That I used for the walls. Same color and sheen. I saw no need to do yet another white in another sheen for the ceiling. The eggshell sheen is perfect for the ceiling as well as walls. Not too shiny. It’s simple and it works. If you DO want a different sheen for the ceiling, (many people prefer a flat sheen for ceilings), then flat extra white straight out of the can is a great simple option. good luck!!

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What undertones does SW High reflective white have?

Is Sherwin Williams High reflective white warm or cool?

Is SW extra white too white?

Is extra white too white for walls?