It can be rough picking paint colors, but people seem to have the hardest time picking white paint. Today I’m sharing my secret formula for the best white paint color EVER. If you are looking for white paint for your house, or your kitchen cabinets, or your furniture (see how to paint furniture here!) You will not be disappointed!
Which White Is White?
Have you ever picked a white color, only to have it turn pink, gray, or blue?
Check out the swatches below, on the wooden table they all look white, right?
Now check out those exact same colors on a white background.
Definitely not pure white. To me the perfect white is just white. Not yellowish, not bluish, not grayish, just white. Its not too bright or too dingy, its JUST WHITE.
The Formula for the Perfect White Paint
The formula is Sherwin-Williams Extra White Base + 3oz. of white pigment /gallon
(It has to be Sherwin-Williams, other white bases seem to make the color too bright.)
I have used this formula in every room that I’ve done since 2013. It looks good everywhere!
At my local store its called Mandi White (if you’re in St. George you can go into any of the stores and they’ll mix it up for you!) After 5 years of calling it Mandi White I asked Sam (the manager that answers all of my weird questions) if this was a real Sherwin-Williams color and they we’re just humoring me and calling it Mandi White (you know, like when someone calls you by the wrong name for so long that you can’t correct them and will eternally be Mindy when you’re around them?)
This is what he said. There is in fact NOT a color with the same formula.
YAY!! Who wants to start a petition to have Mandi White added to their official list of colors!?!
The closest “real color” is Pure White SW 7005. With Pure White they add a little bit of black to the extra white base to grey it out a teeny bit. With Mandi White the white pigment does sort of the same thing, its just a touch brighter.
If you use this color in your house upload a picture to instagram and hashtag it #mandiwhite
What are you painting?! I’ve got a tutorial for it!
I keep waiting for Mandi White to become an actual color on a color swatch! Whenever I order the white with white pigment at my local SW, they always look at me like I’m crazy, but it really is the best white!
Love this! I’m always looking for the right white. Here’s a question for you though – In our entire house we have our trim (and kitchen cabinets) painted “west highland white” from SW. We are building a mud room and want it to be white walls with (almost) black built-ins with a natural wood-stained bench l, aged brass hardware, grey concrete tile floor (maybe in hexagons).. our trim would be west highland white to match the rest of the house — but will it look yellow/dingy next to “mandi white”?? And if yes, what color white do we go with? The mud room will be dark with hardly any natural light. Thanks for your help! Love the merc ?
I love this mandi white. i have collonade gray walls with west highland white trim. the purple in the gray is driving me crazy so i’m painting the walls mandi white. i love it, but i can’t decide about the trim color. i’m afraid the west highland white will look like “sun-faded white plastic”. not sure what color trim to use…..
I can’t wait to try #MandiWhite! Do you use the same white on the trim? Or is that a different one?
Sign me up for the petition–you’ve EARNED it!!!
What is the white trim color in the Buttoned Up Boho Bedroom shot? It looks a tad bit whiter than the wall color. Is it just a difference in the paint sheen?I think I’m going to be using Mandi white in my new renovation!
I love it! It should definitely be made into a color! I’d ask for that custom mix at my Sherwin Williams and they’d spend forever trying to talk me into just a plain bucket of white – if I had a paint chip maybe they’d take me seriously. It was awful trying to get them to mix Tricorn Black for me when we redid our kitchen. They tried so hard to convince me to just pick their premixed black instead of mixing the Tricorn. My husband and I are both graphic designers and very perceptive to colors being just a tiny % off in the wrong hue. White is definitely one of those that are hard to get neutral in paint.
This is what I used when I completely repainted my interior!! The guys at SW kept questioning me..lol I love it! And I painted my interior doors the tuxedo black with matte black hardware! Yes, I totally copied you and It’s the perfect thing!! Thank you ?
I’m trying to find the perfect white for the interior of my tiny house but I’m a little confused (obviously, I’m the only one 🙂 You mention this: “The formula is Sherwin-Williams Extra White Base + 3oz. of white pigment /gallon.” But is this the same paint mentioned later in the post as “The closest “real color” is Pure White SW 7005?” Thank you!!
Great question! The formula is different, Pure White actually has a touch of black in it. But if people want a color swatch, Pure White is the closest!
I’m afraid I’m still confused. Could you tell us the actual specific name and/or catalog number of the “white pigment” that needs to be added to the SW Extra White Base? Thanks so much.
I have a go-to “decorator white” that I have used for years on all my walls. I think people (like you and me and your other loyal readers) who appreciate beautifully-painted walls and are always game for new decorating projects will always find the white that becomes their favorite. But I really like your Mandi White and may just have to try it on my next painting project–a small interior hallway. Thanks for the formula!
I have gone through the same pain trying to find a white paint color that is just white. My contractor laughed when I showed him my paint swatches, declaring, “they’re all white.” Geez! I think I have finally found my white, though, since I keep returning to it with each new project. I like color, so I don’t foresee my whole house undergoing a white transformation, but a good white or neutral really does offer some breathing room between colors. Love your blog, and love Mandi White!
How do you think this will work on kitchen cabinets? We are having ours repainted next week and I’m freaking out on picking the color because I don’t want it to be gross looking and non white… It would be a different base though I think from what our painter said.
Do you know what kind of paint they are using on the kitchen cabinets?
He just said he buys the paint from Sherwin Williams. He said it would be cabinet semigloss enamel…
We ended up going with Pure White – they get painted tomorrow! YIPPEE! Silverplate on the walls
mandi, do you paint the base boards in ‘Mandi White’ too?
Picking up 2 gallons of Mandi white today for my living/dining room. When I told my Sherwin Williams friend the formula she looked at me like I lost a few marbles ;-} So excited to start painting tomorrow!!!!!!
Mandi, I wanted your “Mande White” for my upstairs hallway. I went to Lowes as they carry SW paint. I asked for pure white base with 3 oz. of white pigment added. That blew their minds. “It’s already WHITE, why do you want to add more white?” She finally called her manager to ask if they could mix the paint that way. Finally, I got my paint and I love it!! Thank you!
Does it matter which SW type? I’m getting the SW Superpaint. Should I be going with the SW Emerald?
(Flat, for my master br)
Thx!
Hi Mandi,
I’m a white freak, as are my two daughters. We’re all obsessed with white decor. I need a non blue, non yellow white please.
My kitchen cabinets went from maple to SW Extra White Semi Gloss 2 years ago. I can see a slight blue tint. I’ve also painted SW Highly Reflective White on my bathroom ceiling, again a blue tint.
Does the 3 ozs. of “white pigment” in Mandi wash out the blue in the Extra White?
“White Pigment” is actually the term to ask for at the counter?
That is my question, as well. I have to repaint our bathroom for the THIRD time because both gray and white came out too blue! I hope this is the solution!
How is MANDIWHITE on exterior?