Benjamin Moore White DovevsBenjamin Moore Cloud White
Why this comparison: BM’s two classic soft whites; Cloud White is a touch brighter and less gray. White Dove and Cloud White are visually nearly identical (ΔE 1.06). Most eyes can't tell them apart on a wall — pick whichever is easier to source.
Built from our full reviews of both colors — same measured data, same real-room photos. About the testing process →
The Numbers
LRV is essentially equal (83 vs 85) — both reflect light the same.
What Each Color Really Is
Off-white with a softly warm, slightly creamy character — but the yellow is grayed out, and that is the whole trick. Most creamy whites are built on a yellow oxide base that tips butter-yellow the moment afternoon sun hits it. White Dove carries the same warmth, then mutes it with a drop of grey, so the wall reads "calm and finished" instead of "cream." That balancing act is why it has been one of Benjamin Moore's best-selling colors for over two decades and the default answer designers give when a client says "just a nice white, nothing yellow, nothing cold."
At LRV 83 it reflects most of the light that hits it, but it is clearly not a bright white: put it next to Chantilly Lace (LRV 91) and White Dove suddenly shows its body. That gap is the useful part. On a wall it holds just enough color to soften shadows and flatter wood; on trim it reads as classic painted woodwork rather than plastic-bright. It is a white that behaves like a very quiet neutral.
This is a cream, not a neutral. Most off-whites hide their warmth behind a drop of gray so the wall reads simply calm; Cloud White does the opposite and lets the yellow sit right on the surface, over a very soft taupe base. That is why it built its reputation on millwork. On a narrow band of trim or a door panel, visible warmth is a feature — the woodwork looks painted and old-house correct instead of factory white. Spread the same paint across four big walls and that feature becomes the loudest thing in the room.
At LRV 85 it reflects most of the light that hits it, so brightness is never the problem. Brightness is also not the thing that separates it from its rivals: White Dove sits at the same LRV, so the two are equally light and the entire difference is temperature. The real gap is against the crisp whites — Chantilly Lace at 92 and Simply White at 91 are both a clear step cleaner, and next to either of them Cloud White stops looking white and starts looking ivory. Whites are only ever judged against their neighbors.
Specs Side by Side
| Spec | White Dove | Cloud White |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Benjamin Moore | Benjamin Moore |
| SKU | OC-17 | 967 |
| Hex | #EFEEE5 | #F2F1E6 |
| RGB | 239, 238, 229 | 242, 241, 230 |
| LRV | 83 | 85 |
| Undertone | yellow / warm | near-white |
| Family | White | White |
How Light Changes Them
The cream glows softly all day without tipping yellow. Whole-house safe.
Cool grey daylight exposes the grey base; the color goes flat. Test first.
Warm at the sun hours, quiet neutral after. It changes — most people love it.
2700K lamps: creamier, cozier. Cool LEDs: dull — swap bulbs, not paint.
Cool daylight trims the yellow back and leaves a soft warm white. Its best room.
Hours of warm sun push the cream forward. By afternoon the walls read ivory.
2700K bulbs turn it buttery. 3000K to 3500K holds it near its daytime color.
With no real daylight there is little pigment to catch. Warm lamps fix most of it.
Both Colors in Real Rooms
Photos from our full reviews — the same rooms and captions, so you can judge each color where it actually lives, not on a chip.
When to Pick Which
Whole-house walls + trim in decent daylight · kitchens with warm wood and brass · cabinets · anyone scared of picking the wrong white
Your room faces north and is dim · your trim stays a brighter white · you want a crisp gallery look · your counters are cool grey marble
Trim, doors and millwork in a warm-toned house · kitchen cabinets with brass and wood · ceilings over warm walls · north-facing rooms that need warmth without beige
Your counters are cool gray marble or bright white quartz · your trim will stay a brighter white · the room bakes in west sun all afternoon · you want a crisp gallery look
No comparison page can see your light. Upload one photo of your room and try both colors on the same walls, seconds apart.
White Dove vs Cloud White FAQ
Which is lighter, White Dove or Cloud White?
They are practically the same lightness — LRV 83 vs 85. Neither will make the room brighter than the other.
Which is warmer, White Dove or Cloud White?
White Dove is the warmer of the two (yellow / warm); Cloud White reads near-white.
How similar are White Dove and Cloud White?
White Dove and Cloud White are visually nearly identical (ΔE 1.06). Most eyes can't tell them apart on a wall — pick whichever is easier to source. The only reliable test is seeing both in your own room and light — a side-by-side on a screen or chip flattens the difference.
Can I use White Dove and Cloud White together in one house?
Not in the same room, and be careful in the same house. At ΔE 1.06 they are so close that two walls in each will read as a tinting mistake, not a design choice. Pick one, or keep them on different floors where they are never seen together.
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