Benjamin Moore White Dove: Paint Color Home Makeover

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In our latest project, we used Benjamin Moore White Dove to brighten up our 1950s Cape Cod house. This color added just the right amount of warmth without turning yellow, making the entire house feel fresh and modern. Let’s take a look at how White Dove transformed this small home and why we love it so much.

Benjamin Moore White Dove OC-17

When picking a paint color, especially from inspiration online, it’s important to consider if the images you are looking at are real homes.

I tried to get pictures of all the rooms during various times of the day so you could see the white dove walls in natural sunlight and artificial light.

White Dove is considered one of the best selling white paint colors and a popular choice for several reasons.

Whether you are painting a living room, bedroom or dining room, this color will give a fresh look to any space. 

Benjamin Moore White Dove Undertones

Benjamin Moore White Dove has slight warm undertones and a high light reflectance value of 83.16, making it super versatile. 

This means it can make any room feel cozy and bright at the same time! 

LRV stands for Light Reflectance Value, which is a measure of how much light a paint color reflects or absorbs. LRV is represented on a scale from 0 to 100. 

A higher LRV means the color reflects more light, making spaces appear brighter and larger. For example, white paint colors, known for their high LRV, can make rooms feel more open and airy. 

We chose Benjamin Moore’s White Dove for its light, bright white that made this small, older home feel bigger and cozier.

With under 1400 square feet and ceilings just below 8′, White Dove helped maximize the sense of space. 

Our plan was to remodel this home and sell it so we picked this neutral color for its wide appeal among buyers, making it the perfect choice for our home remodel.

Is Benjamin Moore White Dove Warm or Cool? 

​White dove has a slight warm undertone but is not yellow at all. In certain lighting, it does have a very faint gray tone. 

If you compare white dove to chantilly lace, you will see what I mean. 

If you visit this post, our lake house living room with Chantilly Lace, you will see how Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace is a cool white and more crisp. 

Below is a picture of our living room at our lake house featuring chantilly lace.

As you can see below, white dove clearly has a little more warmth than chantilly lace and while both beautiful white colors, this house needed a little warmth to keep it cozy and fresh.

Benjamin Moore White Dove Complimentary Colors

We did end up selling this home so I didn’t have the opportunity to stage it with complimentary colors through decor and textiles but below, are a few popular colors that I think would look great coordinated with white dove.

• ​Benjamin Moore October Mist
• Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter
• Benjamin Moore Kendal Charcoal
• Benjamin moore Palladian Blue
• Benjamin Moore Classic Gray
• Benjamin Moore Country Wood Red

Benjamin Moore White Dove in Home Renovations

We tend to like the look of a matte finish when remodeling older homes. 

Matte paint is more resistant to wear and ideal for high-touch areas due to its durability and ease of cleaning. 

Living Room

Its subtle sheen helps hide wall imperfections, ensuring a smooth, even finish.

We used Benjamin Moore Simply White for the trim in a satin finish to offer a subtle contrast between the walls and trim details. 

Bedroom

The simply white trim and door paint color offers a nice contrast with the white dove creating a seamless flow.

If you want a 100% cohesive flow, consider painting your trim and doors the same color as your walls like we did in our Mediterranean home with Westhighland White.

Calculating How Much Paint To Use

We used roughly 5 gallons of Benjamin Moore Regal Select paint in a matte finish for the interior walls of the home.

We applied 2 coats of paint to the walls, trim and doors creating a luxurious matte finish. 

Regal paint falls in the middle of the road as far as cost, with Benjamin Moore Aura being more expensive. 

We find that using a matte finish paint helps hide any less-than-perfect surfaces while providing excellent coverage.

How do you know the amount of wall paint to buy? 

Start by calculating the total wall area. If you are unsure, just measure the length of each wall and wall height and bring those measurements to the paint store. Ask a paint professional to help you, based on your measurements, they will determine the number of gallons you will need. 

Paint Sheen

Next, choose a paint sheen that fits your room’s needs. 

The slight sheen of eggshell and easy-to-clean surface is one of the most popular finishes for interior walls, while high-gloss might be chosen for areas needing more durability.