Learn all about Sherwin-Williams Shoji White in this paint color review.
Sherwin-Williams Shoji White is a complex cream paint color that looks beautiful indoors and as exterior paint. If you want a warm, neutral paint color that is more saturated than a white or off-white but will still look light in shadowy areas, Shoji White could be the perfect fit.
Keep reading for our full review of SW Shoji White paint, including the best coordinating colors and how to use this hue indoors and outdoors.
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What Color is Sherwin-Williams Shoji White?
Shoji White (Sample) is a complex cream paint color, which means it’s a very, very light beige (Article) that borders on cream. It’s warm, friendly, and cozy.
I love this color because indoors it looks like a cream that has some heft to it, so it contrasts well with popular white trim and ceiling colors such as SW Extra White (Article) and SW Pure White (Article).
What is the Shoji White LRV?
Shoji White has an LRV of 74. LRV is short for Light Reflectance Value, which is a measurement of how light (LRV=100) or dark (LRV=0) a color is. A true white paint color would have an LRV of 100.
This darker LRV means that Shoji White is more saturated than a typical white or off-white, which is part of what makes it such a great interior paint color. It won’t look washed out in very bright light or dingy in darker spaces.
What are the SW Shoji White undertones?
SW Shoji White has green undertones and can sometimes flash taupe. These undertones keep the color looking warm without looking yellow in place.
Is Shoji White warm or cool?
Shoji White is absolutely a warm color! It offers a really lovely creaminess to any space it’s used in.
Does Sherwin-Williams Shoji White look yellow?
No! Because Shoji White has warm green undertones, it looks creamy without looking yellow – even in rooms with very warm light.
Sample SW Shoji White 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 and Sherwin-Williams Shoji White (Sample) via the link below.
Using Sherwin-Williams Shoji White Interior Paint
Shoji White is one of my favorite neutral paint colors (Article). It’s a great foundation for a whole-house color palette, works well in open-concept spaces and can be used in many different kinds of lighting.
Throughout this review, you’ll see photos of Shoji White in a real client’s home. This home is over 100 years old and is going through a renovation. It has lots of gorgeous arches throughout the house. This color was selected by my client before I visited her house for an exterior color consultation. I fell in love with her home and her palette.
Shoji White was a gorgeous choice for many of the main living areas for this home. It helped the architectural details stand out, such as the arch and original wooden front door below, and felt light and airy throughout rooms in shadows and rooms flooded with light.
Can I try Shoji White interior trim?
I would not recommend Shoji White as interior trim. It’s really too dark to be a white trim indoors. It can be used as an exterior “white” trim (Article), however, especially as part of a dark exterior color palette.
Should I paint a SW Shoji White kitchen?
I love SW Shoji White walls for a kitchen! In the client’s home pictured below, Shoji White walls and a warm white marble backsplash are paired with cabinets painted with Benjamin Moore Witching Hour, which is similar to Sherwin-Williams Cyberspace (Article).
This color combination gives this kitchen a warm, cozy spin on a classic black-and-white color palette.
Are Shoji White cabinets a good idea?
You could absolutely try Shoji White cabinets! This could be a great option if you want a light kitchen but want something slightly warmer and darker than traditional white cabinets (Article).
Would a Shoji White dining room look good?
Yes, Shoji White is a beautiful color for a dining room. It pairs really well with a warm wood table and other warm finishes. In our client’s open concept dining room below, for example, Shoji White is a gorgeous backdrop for the modern brass chandelier.
Shoji White looks equally beautiful with the cooler gray dining chairs and blue rug in this space, which really shows its versatility.
Should I paint a Shoji White living room?
Shoji White is one of my favorite options for a living room paint color. It’s light and bright but still feels warm and inviting. It looks beautiful with wood floors or warm tile. I especially love it paired with natural greenery, such as in my client’s sunroom below.
In their formal living room, Shoji White is a beautiful backdrop for the home’s original stone fireplace, natural wood floors and warm, neutral furniture.
Is Sherwin-Williams Shoji White color palette good for a whole house?
Shoji White is one of my favorite neutral paint colors to use as the foundation for a whole-house color palette (Article) because it’s so flexible and looks different (but still beautiful!) from room to room. In the photo of my client’s home below, for example, you can see how much brighter Shoji White looks on the left side of the image where there is more light.
Using Sherwin-Williams Exterior Paint
Shoji White is also one of our favorite exterior paint colors. Outdoors, it’s light and bright and works really well as a trim color or body color. It’s very similar to SW Pearly White (Article) and looks like a crisp, warm white body color without looking too yellow.
Shoji White is a great option if you need a white paint color that looks good with brick, such as on the home below. The home also features SW Urbane Bronze (Article) trim and I love the combination of Shoji White with Urbane Bronze.
We also like to use Shoji White as an exterior “white” trim color (Article), such as on the shed pictured below. It looks soft and bright outside and won’t look washed out in the bright sun.
Sherwin-Williams Shoji White Coordinating Colors
Shoji White is a warm, flexible color that goes with many different hues and hard finishes. Here are some of my favorite Shoji White coordinating colors:
Does SW Shoji White go with green paint?
Yes! Because of its warm, green undertones, Shoji White looks really lovely paired with green paint colors. I especially love to use it with muted sage greens, such as Sherwin-Williams Evergreen Fog.
We used Evergreen Fog as an accent color in our clients’ whole-house Shoji White color palette, color drenching (Article) the primary bedroom in the hue. It looks absolutely gorgeous! It’s one of our favorite green paint colors (Article)!
Does Shoji White go with blue?
Shoji White looks really lovely with blue paint colors and decor, especially blues that have warm green undertones. Our client’s living room is a great example of this. Shoji White looks beautiful paired with a warm blue area rug and a deep blue couch.
What are the Best Trim and Ceiling Colors with Shoji White?
Shoji White can work well with a lot of white trim colors since it is saturated enough to provide good contrast. I especially love it with SW Pure White (Article) trim and ceilings, which were used throughout our client’s home. It also works well with Sherwin-Williams Extra White trim (Article), which is one of the most common trim colors in the U.S.
I wouldn’t use a very creamy white as a trim for Shoji White walls because you’ll start losing contrast. SW Alabaster (Article) is as creamy as I would go and even that may be too dark.
The Best SW Shoji White Alternatives
Not sure if Shoji White is the right color for your next project? See how it compares to these other popular white paint colors.
Sherwin-Williams Shoji White vs Sherwin-Williams White Duck
Shoji White and White Duck (Article) are very similar. They both have LRVs of 74 and have warm, green undertones. Shoji White (Sample) looks a touch creamier on the wall and slightly less muted than White Duck.
Sherwin-Williams Shoji White vs Sherwin-Williams Alabaster
Sherwin-Williams Alabaster (Article) is much lighter than Shoji White (Sample), with an LRV of 82. It has warm yellow undertones, so while it is similarly creamy it is more likely to lean yellow in place.
Sherwin-Williams Shoji White vs Sherwin-Williams Accessible Beige
Accessible Beige (Article) is essentially a darker version of Shoji White. It has similar green undertones but is much darker, with an LRV of 58. Accessible Beige is also a bit cooler than Shoji White (Sample).
Sherwin-Williams Shoji White vs Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee
Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee (Article) is lighter and creamier than Shoji White (Sample), with an LRV of 82. While it has similar green undertones, Swiss Coffee looks a bit creamier on the wall.
Sherwin-Williams Shoji White vs Benjamin Moore Pale Oak
Benjamin Moore Pale Oak (Article) is a similar hue to Shoji White, but darker, with an LRV of 69. It has warm taupe undertones, and it looks a bit cooler on the wall than Shoji White (Sample).
What is the Best Benjamin Moore Shoji White Alternative?
The closest Benjamin Moore version of Shoji White (Sample) is BM White Down. White Down has an LRV of 77, so it’s a bit lighter than Shoji White. It’s also a bit creamier, with undertones that lean more toward yellow. Still, it can be used in similar ways and in similar spaces to Shoji White.
Sherwin-Williams Shoji White Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Looks beautiful with warm wood furniture and floors, as well as Tuscan-style finishes
- Works well in all different kinds of lighting, including outdoors, in very bright rooms and dark rooms
- Great color option if you want a creamy hue without yellow undertones
Cons:
- Not a good option for interior white trim
- Darker than you would expect based on its name, so not the best option if you truly want white walls
Key Learning Points
Sherwin-Williams Shoji White (Sample) is a complex cream paint color perfect for interior and exterior applications.
- Shoji White has warm green undertones that keep it looking cozy and welcoming on the wall, without skewing yellow.
- Shoji White works really well with common white trim colors like SW Extra White and SW Pure White.
- Outdoors, Shoji White can be used as a white body color or a white exterior trim color.
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 from paint matching here.
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 here.
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Related Posts
- Sherwin-Williams Alabaster Color Review
- Sherwin-Williams Pearly White Color Review
- Sherwin-Williams Urbane Bronze Color Review
- Best Sherwin-Williams White Paint Colors
- Best Green Paint Colors
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.
We love your comments! Please note that the blog is meant as general advice, and it is not possible to give out specific answers to your paint questions. If you want more specific advice, please consider purchasing a color consultation. Thank you for your understanding.
