There are dozens of threads on this topic so you might search around.

I struggled with this also. I ended up choosing Simply White. I needed a white that wasn't stark, but wasn't so warm that it looked odd near my very gray Carrara. Whites get their creamy warmth from the addition of yellow.

Cloud White and White Linen had too much yellow for me.

Decorators White is what Pottery Barn suggests you hold all whites up to to see the undertones of those other whites. To me, it was too stark.

White dove had a strange dingy, green-gray undertone for me.

I didn't try ballet.

I really like Cotton Balls, but it was also too yellow for me.

The best thing to do is buy samples and paint them in your light. A white that looks great in my light with my materials could be horribly wrong in your space.

Go to your local store and get several samples of white and mix your own custom color. The space you inhabit and it's lighting and adjacent colors make it virtually impossible for a color in person X's home to look the same in person Y's home. So, mix up something that looks good in your space and don't worry about using an already existing color. Use a blank piece of white paper to check out the undertones so you can see if it goes with your adjacent rooms.

Thanks! Great advice. One other question and a really BIG one! The cabinets are now redwood with a bead board oak insert so I am REALLY afraid so much red will really affect the white color. I was hoping to use a paint that already has a primer in it like BM to avoid having to paint 3,000 sq ft of cabinets twice! Maybe I could cover the cabinets with a few sheets! ?????

i love love love the "strange dingy, green-gray undertone" of dove white. i love the green undertones in it-- modern and vintage at the same time.

absolutely paint 2 huge boards with 2 choices and see which one feels best. it is all about the house and light. a different color will work with each house.

let us know what you choose!
kawh

You're painting existing cabs? Are you trying to fill the wood grain? You've got a LOT more work on your hands than selecting a color. I don't remember the names of the products folks here have suggested for that so I'll suggest searching "wood filler" here to look for previous threads. I know Beekeeperswife is one that had good success painting her old cabs.

Btw, I like White Dove as a color, just not with my marble for my kitchen.

you will def want to prime your cabs with zinsers primer to help keep your cabs from showing through before painting.

if you are painting your cabs, be sure to do some research so you do it correctly. for me, we chose to remove the clear coat before priming them, then painted...with sanding coats in between all that :) its a job, but well worth it!

we used BM satin impervo waterborne and so far it has held up well, but i am sure you can find lots of guidance on this forum. we painted our cabs before i stumbled across this site. otherwise, i would have looked here first for input :)

I just had to choose a white to repaint all the trim/doors in my house and I also went with BM Simply White. I also used it for the ceilings I repainted. A nice crisp white, not stark and no weird undertones.

Painting cabs is a LOT of work, and it's all of the prep and details that gives you a good job. You do NOT want to skip any of the steps or shortcut around using primer. You can hire it done, or DIY, but the way the job should be done is the same.

Here is how I would expect a pro to spray paint kitchen cabinets. A brush painted job would differ slightly in that you wouldn't hang the doors to paint. You'd place them on a work table or easel instead. It's time intensive work, and should take 7-14 days to accomplish completely and cost between 3K-7K depending on kitchen size and amount of detail in cabinets.

Remove doors and drawer fronts.
Remove hinges and hardware.
Clean with TSP (tri-sodium phosphate)
Rinse and let dry.
Scrape any loose finish.
Fill any damaged spots or hardware holes that won't be reused.
Sand fill smooth.
Scuff sand the rest.
Tack off dust.
Hang in dust free paint booth with wires through hardware points.
Tack off dust again.
Spray with alkyd based primer.
Scuff sand again.
Tack off dust.
Spray with second coat of primer.
Spray with first finish coat of latex enamel.
Spray with second coat of latex.
If glazing is to occur, that is next.
Spray with conversion varnish.
(If being brush painted, this step is typically skipped.)

Add more molding or decorative details to boxes, filling nail holes and sanding smooth.

Repeat prep process with face frames and exposed cabinet sides using plastic to create a spray booth on site. If interiors are to be done, they are done before face frames and sides. Interiors are difficult, and add both time and expense to the job.

Allow everything to fully cure.
Clean hinges and hardware and clear coat if you're keeping the old hardware.
Install new (or old) hinges and hardware.
Re-install doors and drawers and adjust for proper clearances.

If you are receiving a job without this amount of effort, then you are not receiving a quality professional job.

We went with Cloud White. It's a soft white that manages to look just fine alongside bright white counters and white tile in our light/situation.

I just went through this with all the trim in my house.

WE were deciding between the colors you mentioned and went with Simply White. It was between White Dove and Simply White - but we went with Simply White because White Dove does have some yellow to it. In my opinion Decorator's White is too white (if there is such a thing) and reminded me of people who have their teeth whitened to chalk color. Linen white was too yellow.

I would have been happy with White Dove, but my husband didn't like the yellow tones.

off the beaten path here and perhaps it is too dark, but i love BM deserted island. it seems to go with everything... not too "anything".

I am another one that agonized over which white to paint my kitchen cabinets. I got samples of all of the above colors you mentioned. The benjamin moore employee was real helpful. I ended up getting lambskin.(satin impervo) I've only painted a couple cabinet doors so far...but I love this white. I've only seen one other person on this site use it. Im in the process now of sanding, priming and painting my old golden oak cabinets. I highly recommend a primer called Styx. It was recommended to me by the bejamin moore guy. While at the store a professional painter told me it was the best primer and that he has used it to prime ceramic tiles for a client. It doesn't scrape off. He said a good quality paint job starts in the prepping of the cabinets. As Kawh said do samples first in your kitchen. Your lighting can make a color look completely different.
I drive my husband crazy with paint colors.
Good Luck
Diana

I just saw the October Southern Living Magazine and there is a beautiful kitchen featured - with redwood/cherry cabinets alongside grayish white cabs. I didn't buy the issue but I remember it said at the back credits that it was a custom BM mix of Fieldstone (?) and something else. Sorry I can't remember! Take a look - the warm tones of the wood and cool tones of the grayish white cabs look beautiful. I know you mentioned you were having trouble matching a white to your redwood elements - so take a look. Also, I just visited a beautiful home this week that had China White cabs and the rest of the trim throughout the house was Cotton ball. So soft. I don't know where you live but in the filtered light of the Northwest it looked beautiful and soft. You might also want to look at BM "Vanilla Milkshake" - it's kind of in btw Cotton Ball and China White. And it has gray tones that might work wonderfully with the red woods you have. Good luck :).

Oops - sorry - I just re-read your post and you said you were looking for a primer to cover the redwoods. So, I assume you probably won't need to match it! :)

marg42: I will definitely look into the magazine. Thanks for the suggestion! I was hoping to blend the redwood with white and gray. I am actually leaving a stairway and wall at the top of the stairs. Some of the wood is actually beautiful, and these colors go very well together. So thank you! All others, thank you as well. I am getting floors installed today and that has set the tone along with the stairs for the rest of the house so I will definitely be taking all of your suggestions into consideration! Thanks a bunch!!!!

Carters5_ Ok, I thought of you today when I was looking at Phoebe Howard's blog - it's awesome btw! Anyway, in her Oct. 7th posting she shows a re-do of a home with super warm woods and the whites/grays she uses are: BM Cedar Key and Farrow and Ball Pointing. You might want to check it out :).

http://www.mrshowardpersonalshopper.com/mrs_howard_personal_shopp/2011/10/march-of-dimes-2011-designer-showhouse-in-charlotte.html

Here is a link that might be useful: Phoebe Howard