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taatjben

Ivory White, Linen White, White Dove BM Color Dilema

taatjben
15 years ago

I've been reading several posts on the white/off white cabinet color choices, but still want some more help.

The three we have been most interseted in are:

Ivory white - hint of yellow?

Linen white - hint of tan, yellow?

White dove - hint of grey maybe?

We are going with tropic brown granite, and flooring and backsplash have not been decided.

Any thoughts. We've been trying to decide this for a month now. Maybee (definetly) being too picky, but still would like help.

Thanks so much. In April, we will have gone one year from starting the project, With the last 2 months using a utility tub. With two kids, we need to get this done...

Comments (24)

  • auchmedden
    15 years ago

    Our cabinets are painted linen white and I love the color. It is creamy without being too yellow. My painter picked it, so I never had to struggle with an overwhelming choice. Good luck!

  • danielle00
    15 years ago

    A few people used Mayonnaise on here... that's a nice color as well. Hate to add another color to the mix, but I think it is a nice choice as well.

    I'm in kitchen-wall-color purgatory and we hope to get out soon.

  • Stacey Collins
    15 years ago

    I think it's going to totally depend on your actual cabinet color. Can't you get samples of all and watch them in the changing light?

    FWIW, our last LR had BM Linen White walls and the entire house had BM White Dove trim. Those two colors together were pretty fab, subtle and classy.

  • positano
    15 years ago

    Our cabinets are a close match to linen white. I think they're beautiful, but if I had to do it over I would have gone a little lighter. It is a very creamy color. My trim is going to be mayonnaise, same color family as Linen white just a lighter and brighter.

    What type of sunlight do you get? I would paint samples on boards and really live with them in all different parts of the kitchen.

    I am also in wall color purgatory now.....I think I have 30 swatches all over the place on every wall. DH thinks I'm losing it!!

    My kitchen isn't done yet, but here is a picture. I was freaking out(and posted here) when the cabinets were first installed. I thought I went too creamy. They were next to white primer and an old white fridge. Everyone assured me, once the other elements were put in it would be wonderful.

    They were right, but like I said before when the lights are off I feel like they should be lighter.

    Good luck with the decision, it was one of my tougher ones.

    From pendant lights

  • positano
    15 years ago

    This is a terrible picture, but it shows you the difference between the cabs and the stark white of the fridge and primer.

    From December 2008

  • pluckymama
    15 years ago

    We painted our cabinets BM Ivory White #925 after reading this article we found on the internet. We had narrowed our choices down to several creamy whites as you have and wanted to go with a white that would also make a good trim color. We have been pleased with the color. It is white with just a hint of yellow in it. Very close to BM Acadia white.

    "As a designer with almost 40 years in the business, Margaret Ayers has worked on numerous contemporary spaces around the East Coast, yet period houses have always exerted the strongest pull.

    Ayers uses her knowledge of antiques, expertise with color, and a love of classic architecture to bring old homes resplendently to life. She honed this talent to perfection starting with her own Greek Revival home in upstate New York.

    There's something about the clean, classical proportions of Greek Revival architecture that speaks to Margaret Ayers. "I think it's the relationship of width to height," she says. "It goes back to Palladian architecture, borrowing from the Greeks. It's very symmetrical, with an internal order I find appealing."

    Ayers enhances this architecture through the thoughtful use of color to unify a space stating, "I don't want to chop up the space by having a hall in one shade, a stairway in another, and an adjacent room in yet a third color. I try to pick a shade for the hall, and then use related colors, particularly if the rooms open into one another."

    That philosophy keeps an Ayers interior feeling coherent, unified, and serene. Trim is often kept to a single shade of warm white, tying together diverse spaces. Ayers also has a favorite white she often resorts to: Benjamin Moore Ivory White. She feels it is "very warm, but not a cream, and all colors go fabulously with it." Margaret Ayer's work is currently showcased in the book "Interior Style: How to Use Color Throughout your Home." You can pick up a copy at your local Benjamin Moore retailer."

    HTH

  • taatjben
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    I have to reply because you have all been so good at posting and helping. Thanks.

    We have good lighting, with a window open to the north over the sink and the kitchen opens into the dining room which has a large bay window to the north as well.

    A couple of final quesitons for you all:

    Does a creamier white (ivory or linen white) look better with tropic brown granite? Or just a plainer white like white dove. We definetly want the white to be a little warmer, but we had navajo white sample, it looked too tan/yellow for us.

    Thanks again for any help. We are close.

  • marybeth1
    15 years ago

    Are you looking for a creamy white or a crisper white white. I used SW Creamy on my island. It has a brown glaze so this pic won't give you an accurate picture of the color. My trim is BM atrium white. It is a true soft white kind of bright though,no grey, no yellow. I like White Dove also and although it looked a little grey (in my home) on the chip the nice thing about White dove is it seems to blend with any color you put next to it I guess that is why it is used so often. If you are looking for a soft white you can't go wrong with White Dove. If you are looking for a creamy look the BM Mayonaise is definitly a nice creamy. I had Linen White in my old house LR and DR pretty but more tan. I feel your pain. Picking out the island color was easy I knew I wanted a creamy white to compliment my cherry cabinets. I was nervous picking out trim color I did not want is to clash with the island.


  • pluckymama
    15 years ago

    I had Tropical Brown granite with Kraftmaid Cabs in Vanilla Bean Glaze and it looked great. I think White Dove would be too white for the tropical brown. SW Creamy is a great color and we painted our trim that color in our old house and it went well w/the vanilla bean cabs.

    I think the BM Ivory White would also go well w/tropical brown granite. My suggestion is take a sample piece of the tropical brown to your nearest Lowes/Home Depot and hold it up to the different white cabs to get an idea of which shading looks best. Take w/you BM and SW fandecks and try to match a white to the cab color you like the best.

    I had looked at Cabico cabs and the BM Ivory White matched their white cab called Dove almost spot on. With TB granite I would stick with creamier whites. Also, I would agree w/your assessment that Navajo White is too tan.

  • taatjben
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    I have narrowed it down to White Linen and Ivory White thanks to you all. We have chestnut/walnut stained woodwoork thoughout the house, and I think creamier white would be a better fit. Anyone have a strong opinion on these two whites? I really can't choose SW creamy, my painter uses BM colors. Thanks so much. At this point we are not adding a glaze, but may do that in the future.

  • janie-k
    15 years ago

    We went with Benjamin Moore White Dove for our cabinets and trim throughout the house. I picked it based on all the Garden Web recommendations. It's the perfect color in our house. The walls are painted BM China White to give a subtle amount of contrast. My best advice it purchase the little sample pots and try them in your kitchen.

    White Dove is a pretty soft white, but still definitely white (in our space). I was after a "white" kitchen, but if you are picturing creamy, this might not be the right one for you.

    Here is a pic... we're still missing the crown molding and finishing touches

  • labradoodlemom
    15 years ago

    We're making the same decision right now. Our top two choices are linen and acadia.
    One thing that frustrated us is many of the colors don't come in sample size jars and we didn't want to drop $18 on a gallon of paint, just for experimenting. But, what's really helped us is if you go to a BM store, or even go online, you can order 6"x6" color swabs of any color you're considering. We orded 4 of each color and then we had a really nice, large vision of what it would look like. Just a thought....

  • remodelfla
    15 years ago

    Just another one to throw into the mix. We did the outside of the home we're remodeling in SW Snowbound. We match it with a soft taupe trim (name escapes me) so I know it's a warm white. Beautiful color... sorry I don't have pics.

  • taatjben
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    labradoodlemom -

    I have seen a couple of posts here saying that Ivory WHite is the same as acadia white? Have you found the same to be true. I don't have the acadia white in the fan deck.

    What do you see is the main difference b/w acadia and the linen white? Judging by the fan deck, ivory white seems to be a bit lighter, less creamy.

    Thanks.

  • pluckymama
    15 years ago

    Ivory white is not Acadia white. Ivory white #925 is in the Classic colors fandeck and Acadia white #OC38 is in the Preview colors fandeck. They are very close in color. jbrodies' kitchen that was recently posted as finished has cabinets in Acadia White. Here's a pic of ours while being remodeled. We're not quite done yet, but you can get an idea of the Ivory White color. The wall next to the cabinet has been primed so it is white in color and you can see the Ivory white next to it has a bit of yellow creaminess to it. My hutch top is walnut so you can see it next to brown. Also, I have a lot of natural light in my kitchen, during the evening the cabs look even more creamy.


    I think either color would look great with Tropical Brown.

  • flicker2
    11 years ago

    Actually they are the same color. Ask any Benjamin Moore paint salesperson. They just give them different names in t
    Different collections. odd but true. same formula. Gets very confusing!

  • paarlberg
    10 years ago

    We used Classic Gray 1548. The kitchen is almost done, but the color is a soft white. Next to White Dove you can see it is not white white.

    The trim around the door is White Dove.

  • gr8daygw
    10 years ago

    I have a brown granite in our master bath, we used Aesthetic White 7035 Sherwin Williams. I believe we cut it with some ceiling white paint since it's definitely one of the off whites. I like the color on the cabinets but if you are looking for a light white, maybe not for you? It does look nice with the brown granite.

  • jellytoast
    10 years ago

    Old thread.

  • TB151
    10 years ago

    Here is our White Dove Cabinets. Notice the trim around the window hasn't been painted yet.

  • susanlynn2012
    10 years ago

    TB1551, I love the BM White Dove Cabinets which it looks like are beaded inset and beautiful! What are your counters as they look pretty also and I would love a close-up of them?

  • ocean122
    10 years ago

    White Dove. beautiful not creamy or tan. perfect warm white. White linen is too tan. my whole house is painted white linen and its too tan. imo::) my cabinets are white Dove and absolutely LOVE

  • apinksweater
    10 years ago

    I had the same issue between White Dove, and Cloud White. I went with Cloud, and it is perfect.

    I think you should pick White Dove- its such a popular color for a reason. I did cloud because I am going for a two tone kitchen.

    Good Luck!!!