White Dove vs Swiss Coffee
Two of Benjamin Moore's best-known warm whites, a little more than one LRV point apart. The difference is less about brightness than about what sits underneath: both have a creamy warmth, and Swiss Coffee can pick up a touch of green.
The short answer
White Dove OC-17 (LRV 83.16) is the slightly brighter, more neutral-reading of the two. Swiss Coffee OC-45 (LRV 81.91) is creamier and a touch warmer. Benjamin Moore calls Swiss Coffee 'an essential white paint color with just the right amount of warmth.'
Kylie M Interiors has a clear preference for White Dove. Designer Trapped puts it simply: Swiss Coffee if you want off-white walls, White Dove if you want walls that read as true white.
Undertone and warmth
Kylie M Interiors puts it this way: 'Both of these popular shades of white have a cream-yellow undertone, but Swiss Coffee is a touch more likely to pick up green,' and 'Swiss Coffee can look a bit WARMER than White Dove.'
Love Remodeled describes Swiss Coffee as having 'yellow, gray and green undertones' and White Dove 'creamy yellow undertones and just a hint of gray.' Designer Trapped is blunter: 'Swiss Coffee is creamier and warmer than White Dove.'
The green is the thing to test for. Love Remodeled calls it 'a bit of a wild card at times,' so if your room has green-leaning stone, cabinets or a lot of foliage outside the window, sample Swiss Coffee next to it before you commit.
Which to choose, and can you use them together?
Designer Trapped: 'If you're looking for a white paint color that is more off-white than white, then Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee is probably the better choice. But if you want walls that read as true white, White Dove would be the better choice.'
Kylie M Interiors notes that both are popular choices for cool north-facing rooms, and is open about her own preference: she has suggested White Dove 'hundreds (possibly thousands) of times' and Swiss Coffee twice.
Love Remodeled advises against using them together: 'I wouldn't recommend using Swiss Coffee and White Dove together,' because they are 'fairly similar in depth' and 'run the risk of looking fairly similar.' If you want contrast between walls and trim, pick one of these and pair it with a cleaner white.
In the rooms we have photographed
We have White Dove in 29 real rooms and Swiss Coffee in 6, every one credited to the studio that painted it. Open either color's page to see both in rooms under real light, which shows the difference better than any chip.
In real rooms
Credited & tagged
White Dove
Swiss Coffee
Questions
More guides
Room guides
- Bedroom paint colors, in real bedrooms
Bedroom paint colors in 113 photographs of real bedrooms, credited to the designers who chose them, with what brands and sleep experts say about color.
- Living room paint colors, in real living rooms
Living room paint colors in 187 photographs of real living rooms, credited to the designers who chose them, with guidance on finish and flow.
- Kitchen paint colors, in real kitchens
Kitchen paint colors in 56 photographs of real kitchens, credited to the designers who chose them, with brand guidance on cabinet paint, finish and counters.
- Dining room paint colors, in real dining rooms
Dining room paint colors in 52 photographs of real dining rooms, credited to the designers who chose them, plus advice on dark walls and candlelight.
Color roundups
- The best white paint colors, in real rooms
The best white paint colors from Benjamin Moore, Sherwin-Williams and Farrow & Ball, shown in real credited rooms, with LRV, undertone and where each fails.
Comparisons
- White Dove vs Chantilly Lace
White Dove (LRV 83.16) vs Chantilly Lace (LRV 90.04): Benjamin Moore's soft warm white against its cleanest white, compared by designers and shown in real rooms.
- Pure White vs Extra White
Sherwin-Williams Pure White (LRV 84) vs Extra White (LRV 86): which is warmer, which reads icy in north light, and which designers prefer for walls and trim.
- Chantilly Lace vs Pure White
Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace (LRV 90.04) vs Sherwin-Williams Pure White (LRV 84): crisp vs softly warm, compared by designers and shown in real rooms.
