The 10 Most Popular White Kitchen Cabinet Paint Colors (With Codes)

White has topped the list of kitchen cabinet colors for so long that it’s tempting to treat it as one decision. It’s really dozens. Line up five “white” cabinet doors under the same light and you’ll see cream, soft gray, a hint of green, a faint blush, and one that looks almost icy. Choose the wrong one and a brand-new kitchen can look dingy next to a bright quartz countertop, or sterile in a room that was meant to feel warm.

This guide narrows the field to ten white paints that designers and homeowners specify for cabinetry again and again, with the exact manufacturer codes, Light Reflectance Values (LRV), and hex values you need to compare them side by side. We’ll also cover what most lists of kitchen cabinet colors skip: how Southern California light shifts each white, how to pair your cabinets with countertops and floors, which sheen survives daily use, and how to test a sample properly before you commit.

At Q Kitchen & Bath, we design and build kitchens across Orange County from our Costa Mesa showroom, and cabinet color is one decision we always encourage homeowners to slow down on. Here’s what we’d want you to know before you pick.

White Kitchen Cabinet Colors at a Glance: Codes, LRV, and Hex Values

Use this quick-reference table to compare the ten most popular white kitchen cabinet colors before you read the detailed breakdowns below.

#	Color	Brand	Code	LRV	Hex	Undertone	Best For
1	White Dove	Benjamin Moore	OC-17	83.16	≈ #EFEEE5	Soft warm	Classic and transitional kitchens
2	Pure White	Sherwin-Williams	SW 7005	84	#EDECE6	Balanced	One white for the whole house
3	Chantilly Lace	Benjamin Moore	OC-65	90.04	≈ #F4F6F1	Near-neutral	Modern slab doors
4	Alabaster	Sherwin-Williams	SW 7008	82	#EDEAE0	Warm	Craftsman and Spanish Revival homes
5	Simply White	Benjamin Moore	OC-117	89.52	≈ #F6F6ED	Bright warm	Maximum brightness
6	Extra White	Sherwin-Williams	SW 7006	86	#EEEFEA	Crisp, neutral-cool	Contemporary kitchens
7	Swiss Coffee	Benjamin Moore	OC-45	81.91	≈ #EEECE1	Creamy warm	Coastal and organic styles
8	Greek Villa	Sherwin-Williams	SW 7551	84	#F0ECE2	Warm, sun-washed	Mediterranean kitchens
9	Snowbound	Sherwin-Williams	SW 7004	83	#EDEAE5	Soft, slight gray	Greige floors, mixed metals
10	Whisper	Dunn-Edwards	DEW340	87	#FDFAF1	Delicate warm	Warm-minimal kitchens

How to use this table: Codes and LRVs come from each manufacturer’s current color pages (checked October 2026) and are shown the way each brand publishes them. Sherwin-Williams and Dunn-Edwards publish hex values; Benjamin Moore doesn’t, so its hex values (marked ≈) are widely used screen approximations. Use hex codes for digital mood boards only, and always order paint by brand and code.

How to Read Paint Codes, LRV, and Undertones

Three numbers and one word tell you most of what you need to know about any white before you open a can. Learn to read them and comparing kitchen cabinet colors becomes far less of a guessing game.

Why the Paint Code Matters More Than the Name

Paint names are marketing; codes identify the formula. “Swiss Coffee” proves the point: Benjamin Moore, Behr, and Dunn-Edwards each sell a white by that name, and they are three different colors. When you hand a color to a painter, a paint store, or a cabinet maker, always give the brand and the code, such as “Benjamin Moore OC-45,” never just the name.

LRV: How Bright a White Cabinet Paint Reads

Light Reflectance Value runs from 0 (black) to 100 (a theoretical perfect white). Most popular white kitchen cabinet colors land between about 80 and 92. A higher LRV reads brighter and crisper; a lower one reads softer, with more depth. A few points make a bigger difference across a full run of cabinetry than they do on a chip, and bright whites are one reason white cabinets work so well in small kitchen remodels. Manufacturers also re-measure colors from time to time, so older articles may list LRVs that no longer match a brand’s current figures.

Undertones: Warm, Neutral, and Cool Whites

Every white carries a tint. Warm whites lean yellow, red, or orange and read creamy. Cool whites lean blue, green, or gray and read crisp. Neutral whites sit in between. Undertones are where most white kitchen cabinet colors succeed or fail, because they show up when a white sits next to other whites: your countertop, backsplash tile, ceiling, and appliance panels.

The 10 Most Popular White Kitchen Cabinet Paint Colors

There’s no public, industry-wide sales ranking for cabinet paint, so treat this as a list of the whites that appear most consistently in designer specifications and manufacturer best-seller collections. Each one earns its place among the most-requested kitchen cabinet colors for a different reason.

1. Benjamin Moore White Dove (OC-17)

Code: OC-17 · LRV: 83.16 · Hex: ≈ #EFEEE5 · Undertone: soft warm, with a touch of greige

If white kitchen cabinet colors have a default answer, White Dove is it. It’s warm enough to feel welcoming, yet it carries just enough gray softness that it won’t turn buttery under warm lighting. That balance is why it works on Shaker doors, inset cabinetry, and simple slab fronts alike.

• Best for: classic and transitional kitchens, oak or walnut floors, brass or polished nickel hardware
• Watch for: beside a stark bright-white quartz, it can read slightly off-white, so test it against the real slab

2. Sherwin-Williams Pure White (SW 7005)

Code: SW 7005 · LRV: 84 · Hex: #EDECE6 · Undertone: balanced, near-neutral

Pure White is one of the easiest whites to live with. It sits so close to the midpoint between warm and cool that it rarely fights with mixed finishes, which makes it a smart choice when you want cabinets, trim, and walls in a single white.

• Best for: open floor plans where the kitchen flows into living areas
• Watch for: in very bright rooms it can look a little flat next to crisper whites

3. Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace (OC-65)

Code: OC-65 (also listed as 2121-70) · LRV: 90.04 · Hex: ≈ #F4F6F1 · Undertone: near-neutral, very clean

Chantilly Lace is about as close to a true white as mainstream cabinet paints get. It’s crisp and gallery-clean, the white to choose when you want flat-panel doors and black hardware to look sharp and graphic.

• Best for: modern slab doors, matte black hardware, white quartz with cool gray veining
• Watch for: it’s unforgiving of poor prep, and in north-facing kitchens it can read slightly cool in shadow

4. Sherwin-Williams Alabaster (SW 7008)

Code: SW 7008 · LRV: 82 · Hex: #EDEAE0 · Undertone: warm, softly creamy

Sherwin-Williams’ 2016 Color of the Year never really left. Among the warm kitchen cabinet colors on this list, Alabaster is the softest crowd-pleaser: warm without tipping into yellow, which suits the Craftsman, Spanish Revival, and mid-century ranch homes found throughout Orange County.

• Best for: warm wood floors, beige or cream stone, unlacquered brass
• Watch for: next to cool-white tile or a blue-white quartz, it can look dingy rather than warm

5. Benjamin Moore Simply White (OC-117)

Code: OC-117 (also listed as 2143-70) · LRV: 89.52 · Hex: ≈ #F6F6ED · Undertone: bright, with gentle yellow warmth

Benjamin Moore’s 2016 Color of the Year is nearly as bright as Chantilly Lace but adds a sunny warmth that keeps a high-LRV white from feeling cold. It’s a favorite for kitchens that want maximum brightness without a clinical edge.

• Best for: bright kitchens, light oak, quartz with warm veining
• Watch for: strong late-afternoon west sun can push its yellow, so check it at 5 p.m., not just at noon

6. Sherwin-Williams Extra White (SW 7006)

Code: SW 7006 · LRV: 86 · Hex: #EEEFEA · Undertone: crisp, neutral-to-cool

Extra White is the brightest Sherwin-Williams white on this list and a long-time standard for trim. On cabinets it reads clean and contemporary, especially beside stainless steel appliances.

• Best for: contemporary kitchens, cool marble-look countertops, navy or charcoal islands in a two-tone kitchen
• Watch for: paired with strongly orange-toned wood floors, the contrast can feel stark

7. Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee (OC-45)

Code: OC-45 · LRV: 81.91 · Hex: ≈ #EEECE1 · Undertone: warm and creamy, with soft depth

Swiss Coffee has the lowest LRV here, and that’s the appeal. It’s a soft, slightly earthy white that feels relaxed rather than bright, ideal for coastal-casual and organic modern kitchens.

• Best for: travertine, limestone-look tile, natural wood, plaster or limewash walls
• Watch for: order it by code (OC-45), and avoid pairing it with bright white counters, which make it look tired

8. Sherwin-Williams Greek Villa (SW 7551)

Code: SW 7551 · LRV: 84 · Hex: #F0ECE2 · Undertone: warm, sun-washed

Greek Villa carries a little more warmth than Alabaster and reads like sunlit plaster. It’s right at home in the Mediterranean and Spanish-style architecture common along the Southern California coast.

• Best for: terracotta or Saltillo tile, wrought-iron accents, zellige backsplashes
• Watch for: in low evening light it can drift toward beige, so test it after sunset

9. Sherwin-Williams Snowbound (SW 7004)

Code: SW 7004 · LRV: 83 · Hex: #EDEAE5 · Undertone: soft, with a subtle gray cast

Snowbound threads the needle between clean and soft. A hint of gray keeps it from looking stark while it still reads clearly as white, which is useful when your floors or counters lean greige.

• Best for: gray-veined quartz, greige luxury vinyl plank, mixed metal finishes
• Watch for: under cool 4000K lighting, the gray can come forward

10. Dunn-Edwards Whisper (DEW340)

Code: DEW340 · LRV: 87 · Hex: #FDFAF1 · Undertone: delicate warm

Dunn-Edwards has deep Southern California roots and stores across the region, and Whisper is one of its go-to whites. It sits between Alabaster’s warmth and Chantilly Lace’s brightness: airy, but never cold.

• Best for: warm-minimal kitchens, light oak, linen and natural textures
• Watch for: Dunn-Edwards also sells Swiss Coffee (DEW341), a separate white often shown alongside it, so confirm the code on every order

Quick Picks: The Best White Paint for Your Kitchen Style

Short on time? Match your kitchen’s style to these shortlists of kitchen cabinet colors, then test your top two using the process later in this guide.

• Modern or minimalist: Chantilly Lace (OC-65) or Extra White (SW 7006) for crisp, graphic contrast
• Classic Shaker or transitional: White Dove (OC-17) or Pure White (SW 7005), the safest all-rounders
• Spanish Revival or Mediterranean: Greek Villa (SW 7551) or Alabaster (SW 7008) to echo warm plaster and terracotta
• Coastal or organic modern: Swiss Coffee (OC-45) or Whisper (DEW340) for a soft, relaxed white
• Modern farmhouse with greige floors: Snowbound (SW 7004) to bridge warm and gray tones
• Small or low-light kitchens: Simply White (OC-117) or Chantilly Lace (OC-65), the two highest-LRV whites on this list

How Southern California Light Changes Kitchen Cabinet Colors

The same white can look like three different colors in three Orange County kitchens. Light is the reason, and it affects kitchen cabinet colors more than any other variable.

• Coastal vs. inland: Near the coast in Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, and Huntington Beach, marine-layer mornings create soft, cool, diffused light that mutes warm whites. Farther inland, stronger direct sun intensifies warmth.
• Window orientation: North light is cool and steady, so cool whites can turn gray. South light is bright and can wash colors out. West light turns golden in the late afternoon and amplifies yellow and cream undertones.
• Bulb color temperature: Warm 2700K to 3000K LEDs flatter warm whites, while crisp whites look truest under 3000K to 3500K. Mixing color temperatures in one room, such as warm pendants with cool recessed lights, is one of the most common reasons kitchen cabinet colors look “off.”
• Under-cabinet lighting: It grazes the lower edge of your uppers and your backsplash, exaggerating both undertones and brush marks.

Pairing Kitchen Cabinet Colors With Countertops, Floors, and Hardware

Your white doesn’t live alone. The surfaces around it decide whether it reads fresh or flat, so choose kitchen cabinet colors with your fixed finishes in hand.

White Cabinets With Quartz, Marble, or Granite Countertops

Compare white to white. A bright white quartz will make creamy whites like Swiss Coffee or Alabaster look dull, so pair it with crisp options such as Chantilly Lace, Extra White, or Simply White. Countertops with warm or cream veining sit better beside White Dove, Alabaster, or Greek Villa. Dark granite, soapstone, or black quartz makes nearly any white read brighter.

White Cabinets and Flooring

Match the dominant undertone of the floor. Honey oak and warm-toned vinyl plank favor warm whites; gray or greige flooring works with Snowbound, Pure White, or Extra White; terracotta and Saltillo look best beside Greek Villa or Alabaster.

Hardware Finishes and Two-Tone Kitchens

Brass and bronze flatter warm whites, matte black sharpens crisp whites, and polished nickel works with either. In a two-tone kitchen, keep the white on the perimeter cabinets and let the island carry the deeper color, whether that’s navy, forest green, or natural wood. Two-tone layouts are one of the easiest ways to combine kitchen cabinet colors without the room feeling busy.

Sheen, Finish, and Durability for White Cabinets

Color gets the attention, but finish decides how your cabinets look in five years. The most beautiful kitchen cabinet colors still fail if the coating can’t handle daily use.

Satin vs. Semi-Gloss

Satin hides minor surface flaws and gives a softer, modern look. Semi-gloss wipes clean more easily and reflects more light, but it highlights dents and brush marks. Skip flat and matte wall finishes on cabinet doors; they mark easily and resist cleaning.

Cabinet-Grade Paint and Factory Finishes

Wall paint isn’t built for doors that open dozens of times a day. Choose a cabinet and trim enamel such as Benjamin Moore Advance or Sherwin-Williams Emerald Urethane Trim Enamel, or a factory-applied finish for new cabinetry. Many custom cabinet shops can match a Benjamin Moore or Sherwin-Williams code in their own finish, so ask for a sample door before production. Sheen and finishing method both change how the same code reads.

Low-VOC Paint and Indoor Air Quality

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency lists paints among the household sources of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and recommends plenty of ventilation while using them. In Orange County, coatings sold and used must meet the VOC limits in South Coast AQMD Rule 1113, so products on local shelves are already formulated to lower VOC content. Still, ventilate well and follow the label’s full cure time before cabinets get heavy use.

Painting Cabinets in Pre-1978 Homes

Many Orange County homes were built before 1978, the year lead-based paint was banned for residential use. If your existing cabinets carry original paint, don’t sand them before testing. Under the EPA’s Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) Rule, anyone paid to disturb painted surfaces in a pre-1978 home must be certified and trained in lead-safe work practices.

How to Test White Kitchen Cabinet Colors Before You Commit

Never pick a cabinet white from a two-inch chip. Testing kitchen cabinet colors properly takes a few days, and it’s the cheapest insurance in your entire remodel.

1. Shortlist three: one warm, one neutral, and one crisp white from the table above.
2. Go big: use large peel-and-stick samples or painted boards at least 12 by 12 inches.
3. Match the sheen: sample in the sheen you’ll actually use, because gloss changes perceived color.
4. Test in place: set samples vertically on uppers, lowers, and the wall near the range, not flat on a counter.
5. Add your fixed finishes: hold each sample against your actual countertop, backsplash tile, and flooring samples.
6. Watch the clock: check morning, midday, evening, and with your own lights on.
7. Write it down: record brand, code, product line, and sheen before anything is ordered.

Plan Your White Kitchen With Q Kitchen & Bath

Choosing between kitchen cabinet colors gets much easier when you can see them in context. At Q Kitchen & Bath, one designer stays with your project from the first in-home measurement through installation, and you’ll review your cabinet layout, countertop, and tile selections in a 3D design before anything is ordered. Our itemized estimates separate cabinetry, countertops, flooring, and labor, so you can see exactly where your budget sits.

Explore our kitchen remodeling services, browse finished kitchens in our project portfolio, or visit our showroom at 3135 Harbor Blvd, Suite C, Costa Mesa, CA 92626. Call (909) 552-9090, email info@q-kb.com, or book an appointment to start your design.

Frequently Asked Questions About White Kitchen Cabinet Colors