Have You Ever Seen Fifty Shades?
Some designers will agree that white is a color too! There are many, many shades of white. Benjamin Moore offers 140 shades. Sherwin Williams has another 104 and Dunn Edwards, 100 for instance.
So how do you choose the right white for your room? In design we use a term called Color Temperature. It is measured in units called Kelvin. A higher temperature light produces blue (cool) color. Fluorescent tubes for instance, give off a blue light with a Kelvin rating of around 5,000. Incandescent lamps produce a yellow light (warm) and are usually around 2,500-3,000 Kelvin. Sunlight on the other hand, has a temperature of 5,780 Kelvin.
Here is a chart of these ratings.
While black is the absence of all light, white is actually a blending of all of the colors in the spectrum! How do you find the best whites for your room? Keep in mind the sources of light your room will contain. Every wall color, fabric, rug, and accessory you select will be affected by these sources. You’ll want to test the items you plan to use under the correct conditions so bring them home, turn on the table lamps or open the curtains to get a sense of what happens to them in your future setting.
Here are the best sellers from Benjamin Moore. Of course, my favorite is OC-45 Swiss Coffee. I’m even using that color in my own home renovation! These too should be tested before you commit to them.
Please download our e-guide called “Create Your Color Scheme” to learn how to sample paint color.
