Sherwin-Williams SnowboundvsBenjamin Moore White Dove
Why this comparison: Cross-brand soft whites at nearly the same depth; White Dove warmer, Snowbound grayer. Snowbound and White Dove are very close (ΔE 2.48). The difference shows up most in side-by-side comparison and under specific light.
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 83) — both reflect light the same.
What Each Color Really Is
A soft off-white built on grayed warmth, not on cream. Most people meet it as "the cool white," and on the wall that is usually how it behaves — clean, quiet, modern. But the base underneath is a gentle greige with a pink-violet lean, and that is the whole story of this color. In a well-lit room the gray flattens the pink and you get a calm, expensive-looking white. In the wrong light the gray drops out and the pink walks forward. Neither reading is a mistake in the can; they are the same paint doing what it was mixed to do.
At LRV 83 it reflects most of the light in the room, but it is not a bright white. Put it beside Extra White (SW 7006) at LRV 86 and Snowbound suddenly shows its body — softer, grayer, slightly hazy. Put it beside Alabaster (SW 7008) at LRV 82 and it flips the other way, reading cleaner and less creamy. That middle position is why it works on walls and trim in the same house: it holds enough color to soften shadows, and enough brightness to still read as white.
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 | Snowbound | White Dove |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Sherwin-Williams | Benjamin Moore |
| SKU | SW 7004 | OC-17 |
| Hex | #EDEAE5 | #EFEEE5 |
| RGB | 237, 234, 229 | 239, 238, 229 |
| LRV | 83 | 83 |
| Undertone | red-orange / warm | yellow / warm |
| Family | White | White |
How Light Changes Them
Cool daylight kills the warmth and leaves the violet. Flat, mauve-gray. Test big.
Strong sun grays out the pink and it reads as a soft, clean white all day.
2700K bulbs pull the pink forward. 3000K and a lampshade change fix most of it.
Red oak, beige carpet and terracotta bounce color up the wall. Sample above the floor.
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
Rooms with real daylight · trim and doors under greige walls · kitchen cabinets with warm wood and brass · modern-farmhouse and transitional whole-house schemes
Your room is dim and faces north · your floor, tile or carpet leans pink or mauve · your cabinets are already a creamy white · you want a crisp gallery white
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.
Snowbound vs White Dove FAQ
Which is lighter, Snowbound or White Dove?
They are practically the same lightness — LRV 83 vs 83. Neither will make the room brighter than the other.
Which is warmer, Snowbound or White Dove?
They sit in the same temperature family: Snowbound reads red-orange / warm, White Dove reads yellow / warm. Side by side, undertone is not the deciding factor here.
How similar are Snowbound and White Dove?
Snowbound and White Dove are very close (ΔE 2.48). The difference shows up most in side-by-side comparison and under specific light. 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 Snowbound and White Dove together in one house?
Not in the same room, and be careful in the same house. At ΔE 2.48 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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