Sherwin Williams Greek Villa 7551 Paint Color Review

Greek Villa LRV

LRV, or Light Reflective Value, measures the percentage of light a paint color reflects.

It’s a really important factor in determining how light or dark a color will appear in your space.

This why all the paint experts will tell you to sample, sample and sample some more, before you buy a gallon or two of paint. Trust me, the LRV value of a paint color is a real thing!

The LRV of Greek Villa:

Sherwin Williams Greek Villa has an LRV of around 84, placing it in the higher range.

This means it’s a light-reflecting color, making spaces feel more open and airy.

Impact in Your Home: 

With its high LRV, Greek Villa SW 7551 is excellent for brightening up rooms, especially those that might lack natural light.

It’s particularly effective in creating a light, welcoming atmosphere in various settings.

If you have been following along over the last few months, you know that we purchased this home to renovate and sell AND wow, this was such a fun project!

We wanted the wall color in the common areas of the home to all be the same so picking a paint color that would look great in various lighting scenarios was key.

Sherwin Williams Greek Villa Undertones:

Greek Villa isn’t just any off-white paint color, it’s a great mix of subtlety and warmth. 

Its creamy undertones bring out a gentle, inviting ambiance, making it a great option for creating a cozy yet sophisticated space. 

One of the biggest reasons why we picked Greek Villa was because we decided to renovate the home but keep it’s 1950 charm.

The arched doorways give the home a classic and sophisticated look making the home feel more elevated than a traditional boxy ranch home.

Unlike some white colors that can feel stark or have beige undertones, Greek Villa’s light reflectance value (LRV) brings out a soft, luminous glow, perfect for any north-facing or east-facing room.

Is Sherwin Williams Greek Villa Warm or Cool?

This versatile color dances beautifully between warm and cool tones, depending on the lighting. 

In the ranch house, with its abundance of natural light, Greek Villa revealed its warm side, complementing the wood tone beams and white oak flooring elegantly. 

Even in areas with artificial light (like the hallway or basement) or a lack of natural light, Greek Villa maintained its charm, never turning too cool or distant.

Our basement above shows the warmth of Greek Villa but does not appear yellow.

Does Sherwin Williams Greek Villa Look Yellow?

A common concern with warm paint colors is their tendency to cast a yellow hue, but Greek Villa sidesteps this pitfall gracefully.

The fireplace is also painted Greek Villa but I added water to dilute the color a smidge.

Greek Villa SW 7551, even when diluted with 25% water for the fireplace, retained its integrity, staying true to its off-white essence without veering into yellow territory.

You can take a full tour of this house before we painted the walls and renovated here.

Real-Life Applications: 

While this is a warm paint color, it’s not yellow at all and is the perfect color to add throughout an entire home.

Living Room

In the living room, Greek Villa played off beautifully against the rustic charm of the wood beams, creating a space that was both welcoming and stylish.

Visit this post, “we gutted the interior of our ranch,” to see how dark and dated this living was before we painted the walls.

Hallway 

In the hallway, which doesn’t get much natural light, we needed a white that wouldn’t look too shadowy or dark.

We chose a bright, warm white which really helped make the hallway appear brighter.

Kitchen

In the kitchen, we used Sherwin Williams Greek Villa on the walls alongside the white kitchen cabinets with countertops, and the combination worked out great.

The Greek Villa’s warm tone blends smoothly with the cabinets, creating a cohesive and inviting look without any clashing.

Sherwin Williams Greek Villa Coordinating Colors

​Picking a color scheme for your home whether it be warm tones or cool, finding coordinating colors can be as simple as looking at the paint brochures at your local paint store. 

​The best way to find matching colors is to try then out on your wall!

Personally, I love Samplize Peel and Stick or buying a small sample size and testing out on my wall. 

Pure White Or Extra White

Pairing Greek Villa with Sherwin Williams SW Pure White or SW Extra White for a trim color and interior doors was a great choice. 

This combination brought out the best in both colors – the pure, clean lines of SW Pure White beautifully framing the soft warmth of Greek Villa. 

This color palette works wonders, whether it’s in south-facing rooms basking in light or in more subdued, west-facing rooms.

Muted Earth Tones: 

Think soft greens, subtle beiges, and warm grays that complement its creamy warmth without overpowering it.

Rich Neutrals: 

Darker shades like charcoal, navy blue, or even deep browns work wonderfully for creating a sophisticated contrast.

Soft Pastels: 

Light blues, gentle pinks, and pale lavenders can create a serene and inviting atmosphere alongside Greek Villa.

Sherwin Williams Greek Villa Vs Alabaster:

When comparing Greek Villa to Sherwin Williams Alabaster, a close cousin in the family of whites, Greek Villa stands out with its slightly brighter demeanor.

Both share warm undertones, but Greek Villa shines as a more neutral paint color, making it an ideal backdrop for various decor styles and color schemes.

Greek Villa Vs Westhighland White

​We used Sherwin Williams Westhighland White in our own home, which has a lower LRV level than Greek Villa.

While they are similar paint colors, we picked Westhighland White as it was a little darker and slightly more creamy than Greek Villa. 

Keep in mind, the paint color will look completely different in my home vs your home.

Keep in mind, our own home has very high ceilings and the rooms are large.

We found that the high LRV whites made our wall color looked washed out.

This is why finding the perfect paint color takes time and patience! 

Take a tour of our newly painted first floor in SW Westhighland White to see the color for yourself in a real life setting.

Light Exposure Affects

Understanding how different light exposures affect paint colors is crucial for making the right decision about your home’s color palette.

This is why you must always paint a color swatch on the wall and see how it looks during the morning, afternoon and evening. 

At the very least, get stick paint samples to bring home.

You will be amazed at how different off-white paints look in your home. Something as simple as turning on the lights at night will completely change the look of a wall color.

Yes,  light bulbs play a huge roll in wall color!

Let’s take a quick look at how each exposure may affect your paint color.

North-Facing Room

• Characteristics: North-facing rooms typically receive less direct sunlight and can have a cooler, more shadowy light. This light tends to be softer and more consistent throughout the day.
• Impact on Greek Villa: In these rooms, Greek Villa may appear more subdued and slightly cooler. The lack of strong, direct sunlight means it won’t reveal its warmer undertones as much, potentially leaning towards a more neutral or slightly grayish tone.

South-Facing Room

• Characteristics: South-facing rooms are bathed in abundant, warm light for most of the day. This sunlight is often intense and can bring out the true colors more vividly.
• Impact on Greek Villa: Here, Greek Villa truly shines. The warm, natural light enhances its creamy, warm undertones, making the space feel inviting and cozy. It’s likely to appear brighter and warmer in south-facing rooms.

East-Facing Room

• Characteristics: East-facing rooms get most of their sunlight in the morning. This light is typically warmer and brighter early in the day, becoming cooler as the day progresses.
• Impact on Greek Villa: In the mornings, Greek Villa will have a soft, warm glow in east-facing rooms, showcasing its creamy undertones. As the day moves on and the light becomes cooler, the color may appear more neutral and less warm.

West-Facing Room

• Characteristics: West-facing rooms receive the majority of their sunlight in the late afternoon and evening. The light tends to be warm and golden during these times, but the room may be cooler and dimmer in the morning.
• Impact on Greek Villa: During the afternoon and evening, when the light is at its warmest, Greek Villa will display its warmer, richer side in west-facing rooms. However, in the mornings, it may present a more muted, neutral appearance.

House Tour Before Painting Walls

Looking to see the what our ranch looked like before we renovated and painted the walls?

Visit this blog post, our cute ranch home remodel – the start, to see the entire home as it stood in 1950. It’s a drastic transformation and totally worth checking out!

In our ranch fixer upper house project, Greek Villa paint color was the hero that tied everything together – from the charming arched doorways to the cozy fireplace.

So, if you’re on the hunt for the best white paint color that brings warmth and elegance, look no further than Sherwin Williams Greek Villa.

Paint Color Review Posts

• Sherwin Williams Greek Villa (this was the perfect color for the entire inside of the ranch house)
• Best Grey kitchen cabinet paint colors (sharing the 7 paint grey cabinet colors with pictures)
• Sherwin Williams Westhighland White (a neutral white with a little warmth)
• Sherwin Williams Sea Salt (a beautiful blue green)
• Sherwin Williams Mindful Gray (the color we used in our kitchen renovation)
• Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace (a cool white we used at our lake house)
• Benjamin Moore White Dove (see how we used this color in our waterfront home and a small cape style house remodel from 1950.
• Behr Polar Bear (in our pool house with a coastal vibe)
• Behr Whipped Cream (perfect neutral for large open spaces or dark rooms with no windows)
• Benjamin Moore Advance Paint (best kitchen cabinet paint)