Unless I am working on a heritage house or with a very specific colour palette, 99% of the time I will likely spec an off-white for trim. Chances are it will be one of my go-to whites.
Not surprising is that Benjamin Moore Cloud White (CC-40, OC-130 or 967) is one of them. It is a classic off-white. I use Cloud White as my baseline because it sits in the middle of the Benjamin Moore off-whites. By starting with Cloud White I can determine if I need to go less yellow or more yellow, or if I want brighter or creamier.
If I want a brighter white, my favourite white is Benjamin Moore Simply White (OC-17 or 2143-70). Simply White is a clean bright white without being a stark white. It is the white I have throughout my house on all my trim and even my kitchen cabinets and built-ins. I think what I like the most is how with our dreary Vancouver weather Simply White never appears grey or dirty.
I love it in combination with the bright beachy colours throughout my house as well as the navy walls in my kitchen. Whenever I am using a bold navy like Farrow and Ball Hague Blue, I will pair it with the the crispness of Simply White.
If I want an off-white that is richer and creamier than Cloud White I will go with Benjamin Moore White Dove (OC-17). It is warm and rich and a lovely colour for trim and especially for kitchen cabinet repainting. White Dove pairs well with many of the most popular quartz countertops homeowners are installing.
White Dove is also a great colour when you are working with lots of wood. Here is a great example of it paired with beautiful hardwood fir floors. On the lower level of the home we also used it where the floors were stained dark walnut and the trim looked equally as lovely.
But I probably spec Benjamin Moore Cloud White (OC-130 / CC-40) the most. It is our work-horse off white. We use Cloud White a ton as do most designers and builders. For good reason too. It matches most textured ceilings, works well with most wall colours. That makes it especially good when you are dealing with multiple colours, new home construction or using whites in multiple finishes.
My favourite pairing of Cloud White is with Benjamin Moore Manchester Tan (HC-81). We used it below in this large repaint project and the results are stunning. This house was a huge transformation from all red trim and floors to painting the cabinets, trim and doors to Cloud White using Benjamin Moore Advance Waterborne Alkyd in a pearl finish.
So there you are. My three all time go-to Benjamin Moore off-whites. Which one would work best in your house?
