We have officially ushered summer in and although there’s a lot of talk about living outdoors for the next few months, painting is top of mind as well. The reason? We can paint our interior during the summer, fling open the windows and let the rooms breathe a little. That way we aren’t forced to live with the smell in the same way we are throughout the other seasons. I’m excited to share my favourite Sherwin Williams paint colours because I recently shared my favourites from the Benjamin Moore collection. I don’t pick favourites when it comes to these two manufacturers. They both offer outstanding quality in their paints as well as an immense selection of colours.
MY FAVOURITE WHITE - PURE WHITE 7005
If you want a white that rivals Benjamin Moore’s Chantilly Lace, you’ve found it here. Pure White is exactly what it claims to be, pure white. It’s not cold or stark but it also doesn’t have the creamy undertones that a warm white has. If you want a white that will truly look only white, you will never be disappointed with this.
MY FAVOURITE NETURALS
1/ INCREDIBLE WHITE 7028 - In spite of its name, this is a white but it’s also going to look a bit more taupe in certain rooms and at certain times of day. If you don’t have full natural light streaming in you’ll see a warmer, more beigey white as opposed to just pure white. This is an easy colour to pair with just about any other colour. If you’re a fan of Benjamin Moore’s Pale Oak you’ll love this alternative.
2/ EGRET WHITE 7570 - This is very close to Incredible White but you may be able to see that it has a very slight purple undertone to it. Don’t worry, that doesn’t mean the colour will look purple or lavender on the wall. It just means that you’ll see a tinge of that at certain times of day. It’s a very warm colour that’s easy to pair with crisp white kitchens or to create a backdrop of calm serenity.
3/ SHOJI WHITE 7042 - Hard to say but easy to love. Shoji White looks mostly white but will show up as beige in corners or dark rooms. If you want a really warm white that will never feel stark, give this a try.
4/ ACCESSIBLE BEIGE 7036 - This one definitely reads as a beige. It’s beautiful, soft and extremely warm. It pairs really well with stark white, black and deeply saturated colours. If you’re loving the trend towards dark blue and forest green kitchens, this would be a lovely companion to those colours.
MY FAVOURITE COLOURS
1/ AGREEABLE GRAY - If you’re still loving gray and want something that is mid-toned but definitely reads as gray, you’ll love this one. It’s got a slight green undertone but you won’t always see that. The light and the surrounding materials will be a significant factor in how this shows up.
2/ ANEW GRAY - Greige lovers, stop looking. This is your perfect pick with a perfect harmony of gray meets beige. It’s also really straddling the line between warm and cool. It’s really just the perfect greige.
3/ PASSIVE - This lovely gray is for those of you who prefer a cool toned gray. It’s blue undertones look great in a room that has a fair amount of light and it pairs perfectly with almost any other colour you’re looking to introduce.
Here are some of the things to consider when shopping for paint:
PRICE - Emerald is the most expensive interior paint in Sherwin Williams’ lineup and comes in at $75/gallon. Yes, it’s costly but please don’t ever consider colour matching at a less expensive paint manufacturer. It never works. The colour will never be accurate and if the paint is inferior you’ll end up needing twice as much paint to get the coverage. Consider this an investment in your home and buy the real deal.
COLOURS - Take a wild guess at how many colours are included in the Sherwin Williams collections. If you guessed 500, 600 or 700 I’d think you were making a reasonable estimate but not even close. There are more than 1700 colours to choose from. And yes, I do sometimes find myself wishing there were more.
COVERAGE - As I mentioned above, there’s no comparison (aside from Benjamin Moore) to the other paint manufacturers. Sherwin Williams’ coverage is superior. There’s no dripping or see-through areas that will drive you nuts after you’ve put everything away. One gallon of paint will cover 300-400 sq.ft. The deeper the colour, the more coats you’ll need but depending on the size of your space, one gallon could suffice.
In terms of the lifespan of your paint, most of Sherwin Williams paints will look great for 7-10 years. For most of us, we’ll never get that far since we change our minds, and our paint, more often than that.
DURABILITY - Sherwin Williams gets an A+ for durability. All of their paints wash up nicely without leaving a shine in the affected areas. And for those of you who love flat paint but avoid it because of its reputation for difficulty, your prayers have been answered. Sherwin Williams has Duration which is the only washable flat paint in the industry.
AVAILABILITY - Sherwin Williams has almost 4800 retail stores around the world although only 240 of them are in Canada. They are growing rapidly so if you don’t have one close to home, you just might see it coming soon. If you’re wondering where to find a retailer you can go to the website and it will direct you to your closest retail location.
PRO TIPS - you’ve probably heard this before but it can’t be stressed enough. ALWAYS test the paint before you commit to the colour. You might be thinking you can’t go wrong when it’s a neutral or a white but these are actually the trickiest colours.
Neutrals have undertones and those need to work harmoniously with the other fixed materials in your space. For example, if your beige countertops has a green undertone but you paint the walls and trim with a taupe that has yellow undertones it’s going to look off. It’s likely you won’t know why it’s wrong but your eye will tell you something is off.
Wouldn’t you rather make these mistakes with small sampler pots of paint or sample boards? Some paint stores off large format samples of their popular colours. It’s worth the investment to make sure you get this right. Just be sure to check on it at different times throughout the day and night because the colour will change. You want to love it all day, not just in the morning.
If you’re getting your current home painted because you’re about to sell and need some staging help, contact me to discuss my staging services.
And happy painting!
