Which White is The Right White?

A new paint job is an easy and inexpensive way to transform a room, adding a sense of space and depth. But how do you go about picking a colour? Anyone who’s wandered through the aisles of the paint swatches at Bunnings can attest to the overwhelming task of choosing the right one.

To start with. there are two types of whites: warm whites and cool whites. Warm and cool whites have different undertones and can help set a mood within a room. A cool white will have a blueish green subtle undertone, whilst a warmer white will have a yellow or red undertone. This is not to say you will necessary notice these undertones, but it is good to have an understanding of them.

As a guideline, I like bright, slightly blueish-toned whites in contemporary, open plan and industrial spaces. And warmer whites are better suited to older spaces with period character, such as Federation or Edwardian homes.

I cannot stress enough how important it is to always test the colour directly on the wall, to get a true sense of what it’ll look like. Leave it on the wall for a day or two and observe how the light plays with it, paint can look dramatically different with different lights on it.

As a starting point and to point you in the right direction I have popped a list together of the most popular colours in Australian homes:

Dulux’s most popular warm whites in Australia include:

• Dulux Natural White

• Dulux Antique White USA

• Dulux Whisper White

• Dulux Hog Bristle Quarter

Dulux’s top four cool whites in Australia include:

• Dulux Vivid White

• Dulux White on White

• Dulux Lexicon Quarter

• Dulux Lexicon

Happy painting!