Which Benjamin Moore White? White Dove, Chantilly Lace or Simply White
Choosing a white paint color sounds simple — until you're standing in front of dozens of white swatches that all look nearly identical on the chip and completely different on the wall. They're all whites. But they're not all the same white.
At Color Store, Inc., we’re here to help you choose from all your options. Today, we share some of the leading white colors from Benjamin Moore, one of the most beloved names in the paint industry: Benjamin Moore White Dove OC-17, Chantilly Lace OC-65, and Simply White OC-117.
These three shades come up in repeated conversations with designers and homeowners. Here's how to tell them apart—and how to figure out which one belongs in your home.
Benjamin Moore White Dove OC-17: Warm, Soft, and Versatile
White Dove OC-17 is Benjamin Moore's best-selling white for a reason. It's a warm off-white with subtle creamy undertones that keeps a room feeling cozy rather than clinical. In most lighting conditions, White Dove OC-17 reads as a soft, classic white — bright enough to feel fresh and light, but warm enough that it doesn't feel stark or harsh.
It works especially well in rooms with warm-toned wood floors, wood cabinetry, or natural materials. If your home has a lot of warm beiges, tans, or honey tones already in play, White Dove OC-17 is a natural complement. It's also a popular choice for trim and millwork when you want the trim to feel warm and cohesive rather than bright white and crisp.
One thing to watch: in rooms with a lot of north-facing light, White Dove can pull a bit yellow or green. Sample it in your actual space before committing.
Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace OC-65: Crisp, Clean, and Bright
If White Dove OC-17 is the warm white, Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace OC-65 is the true white. It's clean, bright—with just the slightest cool undertone that keeps it from feeling blue or gray. Chantilly Lace OC-65 is the go-to choice when you want a white that really pops against dark cabinetry, as a contrast trim color, or in a space where you want maximum light reflection.
It's become particularly popular in modern farmhouse, transitional, and contemporary interiors where the design relies on clean lines and contrast. If you're painting white shaker cabinets, a bold exterior, or you want a trim color that truly reads as bright white next to a different off-white wall color, Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace OC-65 is hard to beat.
Just know that its brightness means it can feel cold in rooms with limited natural light or in spaces that already have a lot of cool gray tones. Like any white, see it in your specific light before making the call.
Benjamin Moore Simply White OC-117: The Middle Ground
Benjamin Moore Simply White OC-117 sits between the two — warmer than Chantilly Lace, but not as creamy as White Dove or another one of their top white shades, Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee OC-45. It has a slight yellow undertone, but it’s less soft and warm as White Dove or Swiss Coffee.
Simply White OC-117 is a popular choice for whole-home use — walls, trim, and ceilings — especially in open floor plans where you want a cohesive look from room to room. In many ways, it's the most forgiving of the three: it plays nicely with a wide range of existing finishes and tends to read consistently across different lighting conditions.
If you're overwhelmed by the decision and want a white that's unlikely to disappoint, Simply White OC-117 is a very safe neutral white. It was Benjamin Moore's Color of the Year back in 2016, which tells you something about how broadly it works.
Don't Overlook Paint Sheen
Once you've landed on a color, sheen is the next decision — and it matters more than most people expect, especially with whites. A flat and a semi-gloss formula of a color on the same wall and trim are technically the same color, but they'll read differently in the room. A higher sheen reflects more light, which means the same white can feel crisper and brighter in a satin or semi-gloss finish than it does in a flat or eggshell.
Find the Perfect Benjamin Moore White near Waukee & Des Moines, IA and Omaha, NE
Color Store, Inc. carries the full Benjamin Moore palette and can help you pull samples of White Dove OC-17, Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace OC-65, and Benjamin Moore Simply White OC-117 so you can compare them side by side.
Our team is happy to talk through your space, your light, and your existing finishes to help you find the paint shade that's right for your project. Stop in or contact us today to get started.
We're locally owned and operated, always happy to service Des Moines and Waukee, Iowa, Omaha, Nebraska, and the surrounding areas.
