The Color Digest · Compare
Settled, side by side
Pure White
Sherwin-Williams · SW 7005
The white that stays out of the way
Simply White
Benjamin Moore · OC-117
The warm white that stays white
In real rooms
Every room, each colorThe difference
Read from the numbersSimply White is the lighter of the two at LRV 89.52, 5.5 points above Pure White at LRV 84. Pure White leans neutral where Simply White reads warm. Both belong to the whites family. For a whole room, Simply White is the safer, more forgiving choice thanks to its higher LRV, while Pure White is the bolder pick.
How they read
In their own wordsPure White is one of Sherwin-Williams' most-specified whites for a simple reason: it has almost no agenda. A trace of grey keeps it from glaring, a trace of warmth keeps it from turning blue, and at LRV 84 it is bright without being stark. It is the white you choose when the art, the furniture or the view is the point.
Simply White is one of Benjamin Moore's most-specified whites — bright, at LRV 90, and warm without being creamy. A touch of yellow keeps it friendly, but it is light enough that it reads as a true white in almost every room, which is why it works on walls, trim and ceilings together.