Sherwin-Williams Pure WhitevsBenjamin Moore White Dove
Why this comparison: The two most-specified whites in America, one from each brand. Pure White and White Dove are visually nearly identical (ΔE 1.44). 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 (84 vs 83) — both reflect light the same.
What Each Color Really Is
A soft white with the smallest possible drop of warmth in it, and the reason it works is how little of that warmth there is. Most warm whites are built on a yellow oxide base you can see on the chip; Pure White carries a trace of yellow cut with a touch of gray, so on a wall it reads as white first and warm second. Painters describe it as the least warm of the warm whites, and that is exactly right. It is the white you pick when cream would be too much and a cool white would be too cold.
At LRV 84 it puts most of the light back into the room, but it is not a bright white and it does not pretend to be. Stand it next to High Reflective White (LRV 93) and Pure White suddenly shows its body: you can see the color sitting in it. Even Extra White, only two points higher on paper, looks noticeably cleaner and cooler beside it. That small gap is the useful part. On trim it reads as painted woodwork instead of plastic, and on a wall it softens shadows in a way a bright white cannot.
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.
Specs Side by Side
| Spec | Pure White | White Dove |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Sherwin-Williams | Benjamin Moore |
| SKU | SW 7005 | OC-17 |
| Hex | #EDECE6 | #EFEEE5 |
| RGB | 237, 236, 230 | 239, 238, 229 |
| LRV | 84 | 83 |
| Undertone | yellow / warm | yellow / warm |
| Family | White | White |
How Light Changes Them
Warm sun all day keeps it soft and glowing. It creams up slightly, never yellow.
Cool daylight cancels the small warm lean. It can go flat or faintly blue — sample first.
2700K lamps make it soft cream. 3500–4000K keeps it a true white. Swap bulbs, not paint.
LRV 84 does the work — a powder room or hall still reads bright and open.
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.
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
Trim, doors, and built-ins in a warm home · kitchen and bath cabinets · whole-house walls with decent daylight · warm-white exteriors with black windows
A brighter builder white is staying on trim or ceiling · the room is dim and faces north · your windows have blue-tinted low-E glass · you want a sharp gallery-white look
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
No comparison page can see your light. Upload one photo of your room and try both colors on the same walls, seconds apart.
Pure White vs White Dove FAQ
Which is lighter, Pure White or White Dove?
They are practically the same lightness — LRV 84 vs 83. Neither will make the room brighter than the other.
Which is warmer, Pure White or White Dove?
They share the same undertone family — both read yellow / warm. The difference between them is lightness and depth, not temperature.
How similar are Pure White and White Dove?
Pure White and White Dove are visually nearly identical (ΔE 1.44). 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 Pure White and White Dove together in one house?
Not in the same room, and be careful in the same house. At ΔE 1.44 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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