6 Best Sherwin-Williams White Trim Colors

Learn how to pick the perfect white trim color for your home and explore the best Sherwin-Williams white trim colors.

Choosing a white paint color and painting your trim and ceiling may seem like a simple project, but it can be challenging! This is especially true when using Sherwin-Williams paints and realizing they have hundreds of “white” paint colors. 

Even if you just want to touch up your existing trim, it can be hard to know exactly what color and what paint sheen were originally used.

For consistency, I like to keep the same trim and ceiling colors throughout a home. It starts to look choppy if you pick different white trim colors for different rooms in a home.

When possible, the best time to paint your trim and ceilings is when your house is new. Another good time is when you’re already painting the walls and/or updating your finishes. This is the easiest way to ensure everything looks consistent and cohesive throughout your home.

Painting trim and ceilings is also expensive. Not only are you buying enough Sherwin-Williams trim paint to cover all your surfaces, there is a lot of labor involved with taping all of the edges. Even if you paint the same color on the walls, ceilings and trim, painters consider them different colors if the sheens are different.

With all this in mind, choosing the best Sherwin-Williams white trim color for your home is critical. After all, if you’re going to invest in painting your trim you want to get it right!

Today, we’re taking all our knowledge as paint color consultants and putting it together into a complete guide to choosing the best white trim and ceiling paint for your home – and we’re sharing our favorite Sherwin-Williams paint colors to help you find the one that’s right for you.  

Click the button below to skip right to the paint colors, or keep reading for our expert trim tips.

*This post contains affiliate links for products I use and love. If you click on some links and make a purchase, I will get a small commission at no cost to you. This helps pay for the costs of the blog, so I can continue to offer great content to our readers.

How to Choose Sherwin-Williams Interior Trim & Ceiling Paint

Before you explore the best Sherwin-Williams white trim colors, it’s important to understand what to look for in white trim and ceiling paint.

Use these tips to help you find the right Sherwin-Williams white trim paint:

Keep It Simple 

Pick the same white color for ceilings that you do for white trim. You can also pick a white for the ceiling that is cooler than the trim.

Paint Trim & Ceiling Lighter Than Walls

I like to pick darker and warmer wall colors than white ceiling or trim colors. Don’t pick a darker white color for the ceiling than the walls or trim. Otherwise, the ceiling will look dingy.

Examine Your Current Ceiling Color

If you decide to keep your existing ceiling color, make sure that it is actually white. In the last 20 years, a common practice has been painting ceilings 50% lighter than the wall color.  Since the colors were generally darker, the ceilings would end up looking like a lighter color beige, not white. This can look discordant if you want to paint your walls a whiter color and didn’t realize your ceilings were not white.

Match Cabinets to Trim (and other woodwork)

If you want white cabinets (color review article), it’s common practice to use the same white paint color for the trim and cabinets. If I feel the trim is too cool, I’ll sometimes pick a slightly warmer white for the cabinets.

Use the same white trim color for passage doors, wainscoting, base molding, crown molding, cabinets, and other woodwork (if you want them “white”).

Choose a High LRV

For ceilings and trim selection, keep the LRV at 80 or above. There are many colors that are darker with lower LRVs that still have “white” in their names.  Don’t use these colors as trim and ceiling colors.  Examples are:  BM Intense White (color review article), SW Pearly White (color review article), SW Oyster White (color review article). These “white” colors are way too dark, and better used as wall colors. If you use them as white trim, they will limit the wall colors you can pair with them.

Avoid Stock Ceiling Paint

I usually avoid the stocked “ceiling” paint because the undertones are blue, and they can be very limiting. They won’t flow nicely with creamier trim colors. An example is Sherwin-Williams Ceiling Bright White, which is the color for ceilings that painters usually reach for.

Understanding Sherwin-Williams Paint Sheen for Trim and Ceilings

Once you’ve decided on the best Sherwin-Williams white for trim and ceilings in your home, you still have to pick the sheen. 

Best Sheen for Ceiling Paint

I usually recommend picking the flattest sheen you can find for ceilings and using a shinier sheen on the trim. You can also get away with a matte sheen if needed.  

The reason we paint ceilings with the lowest sheen is that they often have many imperfections, which will be hidden by a flatter sheen. The highest sheen I would use on a ceiling is matte. 

Best Sheen for Trim Paint

I like to use satin or semi-gloss sheen for the trim and doors, wainscoting, base molding and crown molding. It is shinier than the walls, and similar to a cabinet finish.

The reason we use a shinier sheen on doors and moldings is that these sheens are easier to clean, which is key for doors and baseboards that tend to get lots of hands and feet on them.

Can you use the same paint sheen for walls and ceilings?

Walls are usually painted with eggshell or matte paint. If you’re painting your walls a “white” color, you can save money on labor by painting the walls and ceilings the same color and sheen. This will save money on labor because the painters don’t need to cut in the corners between the ceilings and walls.

If you do this, keep to a matte or flat sheen on both the walls and ceilings. Don’t use eggshell for this type of treatment because the ceilings will look too shiny. 

If you need more information on choosing the right paint sheen for trim, ceilings or other projects, check out our complete paint sheen guide (article).

Sample the Best Sherwin-Williams White Trim Paint

We always recommend that you test paint colors (article) in your home because lighting can completely change a color, both on interiors and exteriors.  

In the old days, this meant we painted a large poster board with sample pots and a huge mess. 

Now we have a better way to test paint, with Samplize Peel-and-Stick samples!  

• Samples pre-painted with 2 coats of real paint from the manufacturer.
• Large 9” x 14” samples to see the color better in the lighting.
• Delivered overnight
• Colors are accurate
• Less expensive than painting a large poster board with sample pots
• No mess, and no toxic paint to dispose of

I use these in my color consulting practice for exact results. Discover Samplize peel-and-stick paint samples via the link below.

6 Best Sherwin-Williams White Paint Colors for Interior Trim and Ceilings

Ready to find the best Sherwin-Williams white trim color for your home? Keep reading to explore our trim and ceiling picks, presented from coolest to creamiest.

Sherwin-Williams Extra White

This is an iconic white trim paint color for Sherwin-Williams. SW Extra White (color review article) is the color that most contractors, painters, and builders reach for when selecting a white trim and ceiling color.

It is seen as a bright, crisp paint color, but is actually a white with blue undertones, similar to Benjamin Moore Decorator’s White (color review article). (By the way, if you need to explore the best Benjamin Moore trim colors, check out our BM trim paint guide (article).)

Because we see Extra White trim so often, we’ve gotten really good at using it in a variety of spaces. Surprisingly, it works with most Sherwin-Williams paint colors, although some are less ideal than others.

Because of its cool undertones, Sherwin-Williams Extra White (sample) looks good with cool finishes such as Carrara marble.

Don’t use SW Extra White with:

• Earthy tile
• Granite countertops
• Warm browns and creams  

Pairing White Paint Colors with SW Extra White Trim

Use these tips to make Extra White work in your home.

• Best White Wall Colors: SW Extra White, SW Pure White, SW White Snow
• Best White Ceiling Colors: SW Extra White
• Worst White Wall Colors: SW Westhighland White, SW Shell White, other creamy colors

Sherwin-Williams Pure White

This is my favorite white paint color for trim and ceilings with today’s popular finishes. Sherwin-Williams Pure White (color review article) is a soft off-white, but still crisp.

It is becoming more prevalent with painters. It’s very similar to Benjamin Moore Oxford White, but warmer than BM Chantilly Lace (color review article). I believe that this is the most balanced white trim color on the market. It’s warm enough to be crisp, and goes with so many other colors.  

Pair Pure White (sample) trim with warm beiges, complex creams, crisp whites, grays and other whites. It looks okay with cool finishes such as Carrara marble, but I prefer it with Calacatta, warm quartz and some warmer quartzites.

Don’t use SW Pure White trim with:

• Earthy granite
• Tuscan tiles 

(These are not my favorite combinations but they can work in some cases.)

Pairing White Paint Colors with SW Pure White Trim

Use these guidelines for SW Pure White trim in your home.

• Best White Wall Colors: SW Greek Villa, SW Alabaster
• Best Ceiling Colors: SW Pure White, SW White Snow, SW High Reflective White
• Worst White Wall Colors: SW Extra White, SW High Reflective White,SW White Snow,

Sherwin-Williams High Reflective White or White Snow

I’ve grouped High Reflective White (sample) and White Snow (sample) together because they work in very similar ways.

High Reflective White is one of my favorite whites, but most painters absolutely hate it because the pigment level is low and it takes a lot of coats to get coverage. It’s actually one of the bases for Sherwin-Williams paint colors.  

SW White Snow is one of the new Designer collection colors, and does the same job as High Reflective White without so many coats. I’ve tested it as a white paint color in my house and it performs similarly to Chantilly Lace (color review article). I think you will see SW White Snow as an emerging favorite for Sherwin-Williams white trim colors. It filled a necessary slot in the Sherwin portfolio of white paint colors.

Pair High Reflective White or White Snow with clean whites and off-whites like SW Alabaster (color review article) and SW Greek Villa (color review article).

Don’t use High Reflective White or White Snow trim with: 

• Earthy tile
• Granite countertops

Pairing White Paint Colors with SW High Reflective White or White Snow Trim

Use the following tips for both High Reflective White and White Snow:

• Best White Wall Colors: SW White Snow, SW Greek Villa, SW Alabaster
• Best White Ceiling Colors: SW White Snow, SW Extra White
• Worst White Wall Colors: SW Shell White, SW Westhighland White

Sherwin-Williams Cheviot 

SW Cheviot (color review article) is warm off-white paint color that performs similarly to Benjamin Moore Simply White (color review article). 

It is clean, crisp and luminous on the wall and looks beautiful in many different spaces and with many different finishes. 

I love to pair SW Cheviot (sample) trim and and ceilings with SW Alabaster (color review article) or SW Cheviot walls.

Don’t use SW Cheviot with:

• Cool and lighter grays
• Most earthy tile and granite countertops (test carefully!)
• Tuscan-style earthy finishes with pink-beige undertones, such as travertine or tile. 
• Paints that have pink undertones, like Sherwin-Williams Snowbound

Pairing White Paint Colors with SW Cheviot Trim

Use these tips to explore the best (and worst) complementary white paint colors for SW Cheviot:

• Best White Wall Colors:  SW Cheviot
• Best White Ceiling Colors: SW White Snow, SW Extra White
• Worst White Wall Colors: SW Extra White, SW High Reflective White, SW Pure White

Sherwin-Williams Alabaster

Sherwin-Williams Alabaster (color review article) is one of the company’s most popular paint colors. This warm, creamy paint features yellow undertones. 

Alabaster is a gorgeous color for walls, trim and ceilings and performs similar to Benjamin Moore White Dove (color review article) and Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee (color review article). 

I love to use Alabaster (sample) for walls, trim and ceilings in the same space. It also works well if you have earthy, Tuscan finishes in your home.

Don’t use SW Alabaster with:

• Cool whites like BM Decorator’s White or SW Extra White
• Cool finishes such as Carrara marble counters
• Cool quartz or marble like Carrara
• Lighter white wall colors (it will look dingy)

Pairing White Paint Colors with SW Alabaster Trim

Explore how to pair white paint colors with SW Alabaster trim.

• Best White Wall Colors: SW Alabaster, other creamy whites
• Best White Ceiling Colors: SW White Snow, SW Pure White
• Worst White Wall Colors: SW Extra White, SW High Reflective White, SW Pure White

BONUS Sherwin-Williams Trim Color to Avoid: Sherwin-Williams Snowbound

SW Snowbound (sample) is a popular white paint color, but I STRONGLY recommend against using it for trim and ceilings. It has strong pink undertones that are hard to work with and can look discordant with other white paint colors and many other hues.

Sample All The Best Sherwin-Williams Whites for Trim & Ceilings

1. Sherwin-Williams Extra White
2. Sherwin-Williams Pure White
3. Sherwin-Williams High Reflective White
4. Sherwin-Williams White Snow
5. Sherwin-Williams Cheviot
6. Sherwin-Williams Alabaster

Key Learning Points

Choosing the best Sherwin-Williams white for trim and ceilings isn’t always easy, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Just remember a few key tips from our paint color consultants:

• To keep things simple, pick the same white paint color for both ceilings and trim. You can also pick a slightly cooler white for the ceiling.
• Use the same white trim color for passage doors, wainscoting, base molding, crown molding, cabinets, and other woodwork (if you want them “white”).
• Don’t pick a darker white paint color for the ceiling than you’re using on the walls or trim. Otherwise, your ceiling might look dingy.
• Choose white paint colors with an LRV at 80 or above for trim and ceilings. Don’t be fooled by paint colors with “white” in the name that are actually much darker!

Remember: NEVER, EVER use paint matches from a different brand than the one specified. Results are poor and there are no standards for the sheens.  Even though your painter may truly believe it can be done, don’t do it. See results in our paint matching guide (Post).

No matter what, always test your paint colors. It’s a standard best practice.  Whenever I test my paint colors, they are perfect, and when I don’t test they turn out wrong. Learn how to test your paint colors(Post).

Online Color Consulting

If you still need help with paint colors, check out our Online Color Consulting Packages.

Related Posts:

• Best Benjamin Moore White Trim Colors
• Best Sherwin-Williams White Paint Colors
• Best White Paint Colors for Dark Rooms

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About the Author

Hi, I’m Michelle Marceny, founder, owner, and Principal Color Designer at The Color Concierge. I believe a fresh coat of paint can completely transform a space. The Color Concierge was born out of my drive to help clients fall back in love with their homes. My clients trust me to help them find the perfect paint color for their home – whether it’s a whole-house paint color scheme or ideas for a single room. 

Since The Color Concierge was founded in 2017, we have completed over 3000 color consultations, both online and in-person.  I am a Certified Color Expert with 7 years of experience creating interior and exterior color palettes throughout North America.

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