Color spec
| Brand | PPG / Glidden |
| Name | Pure White |
| SKU | PPG1001-1 |
| Hex | #F1EFE5 |
| RGB | 241, 239, 229 |
| HSL | 50°, 30%, 92% |
| LRV | 88 |
| Undertone | near-white with a hint of color |
| Family | White |
What Color Is Pure White, Really?
PPG Pure White (PPG1001-1) is a soft, warm white with an LRV of 88, which puts it near the top of the brightness scale. Despite the name, it is not an icy, stark white. Its color reading sits at a yellow hue with a low but real amount of warmth, so on the wall it looks clean and light with a faint creamy softness rather than a blue-white glare.
People reach for it because it is PPG's flagship white and the default trim color across PPG-spec builds. That means it is a safe, repeatable choice that painters and builders already trust to look right next to almost any wall color.
It suits homes that want light, airy rooms without the coldness of a true bright white: traditional trim, modern-farmhouse interiors, and anyone painting a small or dim room they want to feel bigger.
Pure White leans gently warm. Its hue sits in the yellow range, and while its saturation is modest, it is not a dead-neutral white, so you will read a soft cream warmth rather than a gray or blue edge. Think of it as a white with the chill taken off, not a beige.
That warmth shows most against cooler references. Set it next to a bright, blue-based white or a crisp gray and Pure White will look faintly yellow and softer. Put it beside a true cream or a tan and it swings the other way, reading cleaner and more white.
Test it against a sheet of printer paper and against any existing white trim or cabinets in the room. If the paper looks blue-white next to it, that confirms the gentle warm lean. Always judge it painted large, since the cast is subtle and easy to miss on a chip.
Best Rooms and Uses for Pure White
At LRV 88 this is a whole-home light color, not a statement shade. Its original job is trim, and it still excels there: baseboards, casings, crown, and doors, where its brightness frames wall colors without going stark.
It also works as a wall color in rooms you want to feel larger and brighter, including small bedrooms, hallways, bathrooms, and low-light spaces. The gentle warmth keeps big white walls from feeling clinical.
On cabinets it gives a soft, warm-white kitchen or bath that pairs easily with wood and brass. On exteriors and front doors it functions as the body or trim white rather than the accent, since a color this light reads as background. If you want the door to stand out, pair Pure White trim with a deep accent instead. For ceilings, its high LRV keeps overhead surfaces feeling open.
How Lighting Changes Pure White
With an LRV of 88, Pure White bounces back most of the light that hits it, so it reads brightest of all and rarely looks dull. That high reflectance is what makes it good at opening up dim rooms, but it also means the light source sets the mood.
In north-facing rooms, which get cool, indirect light, the warm lean is an asset. It keeps the white from going gray and flat. East light early in the day and west light late in the day push it slightly warmer and cozier. South-facing rooms flood it with bright light, where it looks its cleanest and most neutral.
Bulb choice matters just as much. Warm 2700K bulbs bring out the cream side and can make it feel almost ivory at night. Cooler 3500K to 4000K bulbs neutralize the warmth and let it read as a crisper white.
Most complaints about Pure White are a light mismatch. Upload a photo of your actual room and see it on your walls — then ask for the same wall in north light or evening lamps before you buy a single sample.
TEST IT IN YOUR LIGHT →Pure White vs Similar Colors
Pure White (LRV 88) sits among several close PPG whites, and the differences are small but visible on a full wall.
Crumb Cookie (PPG18-01, LRV 87) is a near twin at almost the same brightness, but its balance is a hair greener and less creamy, so it reads a touch cooler side by side. If you want the cleaner of the two, Crumb Cookie edges that way; if you want the softer warmth, Pure White wins.
Mother Of Pearl (PPG1100-1, LRV 85) is slightly deeper and noticeably warmer, with more cream in it, making it better when you want a cozier off-white rather than a bright trim white. Atrium White (PPG1020-1, LRV 85) is similar in depth and also a soft warm white, a good option when you want a fraction less reflectance than Pure White. For the brightest, most trim-ready white of the group, Pure White stays the pick.
Colors That Go With Pure White
For a soft two-tone scheme, pair Pure White with Antique White (PPG1015-2, LRV 78) as a slightly deeper warm wall color. It keeps the room warm and light while giving trim in Pure White something to read against.
To add grounding, bring in Stone Beige (PPG1024-3, LRV 49), a mid-tone greige that works well on a lower wall, island, or a bank of lower cabinets. Sea Salt (PPG1136-2, LRV 62) is a quiet green-gray that makes a calm accent for a bath or bedroom.
For contrast, use a deep color as the accent or front door: Mariner Blue (PPG1162-7, LRV 8) for a classic navy, or Chinchilla (PPG1001-4, LRV 38), a soft gray drawn from the same color strip, for a subtler step-down. Warm woods and brass or matte black hardware all sit comfortably with the warm white base.
Need It From Another Brand?
Any paint counter can custom-tint PPG / Glidden PPG1001-1 directly — but if you would rather stay in one brand's own deck, these are the closest stock matches:
Similar PPG / Glidden colors
closest in the PPG / Glidden deckThe nearest shades to Pure White within PPG / Glidden's own range, ranked by perceptual color distance — useful when you want the same look a touch lighter, darker, or warmer.
Coordinated palette
Generated by hue-rotating #F1EFE5 in HSL space. Pair Pure White with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
Accessibility (WCAG contrast)
WCAG 2.1: AA = 4.5:1 normal text · AA Large = 3:1 large text · AAA = 7:1 normal text.
The Questions Everyone Asks
Is PPG Pure White warm or cool?
Pure White is a warm white. Its hue sits in the yellow range with a modest amount of warmth, so it reads soft and slightly creamy rather than icy or blue. The name suggests a stark white, but on the wall it has the chill taken off, which keeps rooms feeling clean without looking cold or clinical.
What trim white goes with Pure White?
Pure White is itself PPG's default trim color, so it is often the trim rather than the wall. If you want a matching bright white for ceilings or trim alongside a warmer wall, Glidden White on White (GLN-29, LRV 88) is a clean, equally bright option. Keep the trim white at or above the wall's LRV so it still frames the room.
Does Pure White work on cabinets and exteriors?
Yes. On cabinets it gives a soft warm-white kitchen or bath that pairs easily with wood tones and brass or black hardware. On exteriors it works as a body or trim white rather than an accent, since at LRV 88 it reads as a light background. For a front door that stands out, pair it with a deep color like Mariner Blue (PPG1162-7).
What does an LRV of 88 mean for Pure White?
LRV measures how much light a color reflects, from 0 for black to 100 for pure white. At 88, Pure White reflects most of the light in a room, so it reads as one of the brightest whites and helps small or dim spaces feel larger and more open. It rarely looks dull, but it will pick up the warmth or coolness of your bulbs.
How is Pure White different from Atrium White?
Both are soft warm PPG whites, but Atrium White (PPG1020-1) has an LRV of 85 versus Pure White's 88, so it is slightly deeper and reflects a little less light. Pure White stays the brighter, more trim-ready of the two, while Atrium White suits you when you want a fraction less glare and a touch more softness on a wall.
Should I sample Pure White before painting?
Yes, always. Its warm lean is subtle and shifts with light, so a chip is not enough. Paint a large sample, or two coats on poster board, and view it on different walls at different times of day under your actual bulbs. Compare it to plain printer paper to confirm the gentle warmth before committing the whole room.
Will It Work in YOUR Room?
No page can promise how Pure White behaves in your light. Upload a photo and see it on your own walls in seconds — before you spend a cent on samples.
TRY PURE WHITE ON YOUR ROOM →Ask a Question
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