Sherwin Williams Pure White Review
This post is an in-depth Sherwin Williams Pure White review.
Pure White is one of Sherwin Williams’ most popular whites, and it’s easy to see why. This soft bright white paint color works well in just about every lighting condition and has minimal undertones.
Sherwin Williams Pure White review
Not only is Pure White super popular among designers, it’s one of my personal favorites as well.
We’ve used Pure White in our whole house color scheme and absolutely love it.
If you’re looking for a white paint color that isn’t too stark and can be used throughout your house, Pure White could be the best choice for you.
Our great room with Sherwin Williams Pure White walls, cabinets and trim. The ceiling and walls are in a flat paint sheen, and the trim and cabinets are in an eggshell finish.
Is Sherwin Williams Pure White too white?
If you’re concerned that Pure White is going to be blindingly white and feel like a sterile hospital…rest assured that is not the case! Pure White by Sherwin Williams is a bright white, but it has a lower LRV and certain undertones that help soften it.
Pure White Sherwin Williams LRV
Pure White has an LRV of 84. It’s not the brightest white, but it isn’t off-white either.
LRV is short for Light Reflectance Value. Every paint color is assigned an LRV score, with 100 being the highest and meaning the brightest, and 0 being the lowest/darkest.
So Pure White sits at the higher end of that spectrum. Bright whites have an LRV score of 90+ and off-whites score about 80 and below.
Pure White will look bright in most settings…until you put it beside another bright white like Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace (LRV of 90) or Sherwin Williams High Reflective Light (LRV of 93).
But Pure White still comes across as a bright white without looking too stark. And we have the undertones to thank for that…
In this reading nook you can see the difference between a stark white chair and the more subdued Pure White walls. A window of northern exposure light is also at play here, making the Pure White paint look cooler.
Pure White Sherwin Williams undertones
Pure White has just a touch of yellow undertones to it. That might sound scary, but it’s so minimal that nothing about it screams yellow or even creamy.
In fact, it’s this minimal yellow undertone that gives Pure White its slight warmth so that it doesn’t look too cold and sterile.
Pure White is not as creamy as other popular whites. When compared to other popular whites like White Dove by Benjamin Moore and Alabaster by Sherwin Williams, Pure White comes across as a whiter white
The most subtle wink of black also lays quietly in the undertones, and this is the secret color ingredient that really softens Pure White.
Is Sherwin Williams Pure White warm or cool?
Pure White is a soft warm white. Which makes it perfect for current trends where we’re seeing interior colors lean more warm and organic than they did in the past 10 years (looking at you, grey walls…)
Since Pure White is a soft warm white, it can be a bit affected by some lighting conditions. More on that below!
How room exposure impacts Pure White
Because of its undertones, Pure White can lean a bit more warm in some lighting.
That’s a good thing for northern exposure rooms which get cool natural light.
If you use Pure White in a room that gets western light exposure, you’ll see a bit more of that warmth come through in the late afternoon.
However, the soft black undertone also prevents it from going too creamy.
You could definitely use Pure White as a whole house wall color without having to worry about it going too yellow in any rooms with western-facing windows.
A Sherwin Williams Pure White bathroom. You can tell the difference in brightness between the wall on the left that has natural light, and the wall behind the tub. The upper walls are in a flat sheen finish, and the batten trim is in a semi-gloss finish.
Pros and cons of a Pure White Sherwin Williams interior
PROS:
- The soft warmth of Pure White gives it flexibility to be used in every room of the house.
- Pure White is a neutral, and neutral paint colors will never truly go out of style.
- You can – and probably should – use Pure White on trim as well as walls.
- Pure White works great on all surfaces from interior walls to cabinets, but there are some caveats. See Cons below.
CONS:
- The subtle yellow undertone in Pure White could make a western-facing room look warmer late in the day.
- Brighter whites will enhance the warmth of Pure White, so you’ll need to be cautious when pairing Pure White with another white paint color. This is why I’d recommend painting walls and trim both in Pure White – just use a different paint sheen on the trim.
- Bright white quartz countertops can make Pure White cabinets look creamy, so if you want bright white cabinets you’ll want to use a different paint color.
(Curious about paint sheens? I’ve put together a guide on how to pick the right paint sheen here!)
Pros and cons of a Sherwin Williams Pure White exterior
PROS:
- Pure White looks good with most architecture styles. While more stark whites tend to look better with modern architecture, the softness of Pure White will work with both traditional and modern style homes.
- The undertones of Pure White will work best on homes with northern and southern facing exposures.
- Other common materials like wood and metal coordinate well with Pure White.
CONS:
- Pure White may skew warmer with western-facing exposures.
- It’s not the brightest white, so if you’re looking for a white house with black trim high contrast, you might want to try a white color with a higher LRV.