Nothing like kicking off the new year and chatting about the best white paint for your walls! What can I say – I’ve always got paint on the mind! There’s something about fresh white paint on your walls that says new house & clean house – and I think that’s something we all want.
This year, one of my goals is to continue what I started last year and paint more rooms in my home bright white.
Last year I painted my kitchen, front entry, and dining room bright white, and I’ve been obsessed with the wall color ever since.
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I actually get questions about the color in my dining room a lot, so today I want to chat about which white paint I use and all the reasons why I love this specific paint!
Favorite white paint
My absolute favorite white paint is Ultra Pure White by Behr. It is a clean and bright white paint with zero yellow, green, or blue tint to it. It is purely white.
Note: I typically use the Behr Premium Plus Ultra Pure White in whichever sheen I need, but I used the Behr Ultra in Ultra Pure White (photographed above) recently because the Premium Plus was sold out. The Ultra is just the more expensive version of the Premium Plus paint, that has scuff defense.
Here’s why I love this paint:
- I can use it on everything! I use this paint on my trim work, baseboards, crown molding, and walls. I love how easy it is to just use the SAME paint everywhere. There’s not much room for mess ups because everything is being painted the same color.
- It comes pre-mixed. You can walk into Home Depot and find it sitting on a shelf already mixed, which means you don’t have to wait in line for someone to mix the color for you. It comes in all the paint sheens so you can grab whichever sheen you need.
- It is as white as you can get. This paint is purely white, so there are no hues in it. Lots of other white paints that you have to get mixed has small tints of color to them – usually a cream or yellow tint. Ultra Pure White by Behr is purely white and bright.
Related: How to Paint Walls Like a Pro
How to choose the right paint sheen for your walls:
When you walk into Home Depot to grab Ultra Pure White by Behr off the shelf, there are lots of sheen options. If you don’t know which one to grab, consider which room you are painting.
Here’s the typical breakdown I use when considering paint for my walls:
- Matte – this has a non-reflective finish and is good for low traffic areas. I typically don’t use matte and tend to opt for eggshell for general living areas.
- Eggshell – good all around paint for general living spaces. I use eggshell for most dry rooms in my home, like bedrooms and living rooms, etc.
- Satin – good for slightly higher traffic areas. I used satin in my hallways and dry mudroom, though eggshell would work too. This is sheen could be used in wet areas like your kitchen and/or bath.
- Semi-gloss – pretty glossy. You can use on walls in wet rooms or on trim/cabinets.
- High-gloss – the glossiest sheen. You can use this sheen on your baseboards, interior doors, and trim. It makes it easy to wipe down hand prints/paw prints/dirt etc. You could use semi-gloss if you don’t like the look of super glossy.
Just remember, if you’re unsure which sheen to choose, you can always ask the person as the paint counter.
If you don’t have much experience painting, I suggest checking out my guide to painting, where I cover all the painting tools you need and how to paint!
