You're standing in the middle of a half-finished living room, staring at fifty shades of "not quite right" taped to the wall. It’s frustrating. You just want a clean, crisp white. No yellow, no blue, no weird hospital-green undertones. For years, the secret weapon for West Coast designers and picky homeowners was kelly moore whitest white paint.
It was the "gold standard." But honestly? If you go looking for a fresh gallon at your local hardware store today, you’re going to run into a massive problem.
The Elephant in the Room: Can You Still Buy It?
Let's get the bad news out of the way first because it’s a big deal. In early 2024, Kelly-Moore Paints did something nobody really saw coming: they shut down. All of it.
After nearly 80 years of being the go-to brand for contractors in California, Texas, and Nevada, the company ceased operations. They were buried under decades of asbestos-related legal liabilities that finally drained the coffers. So, if you’re searching for a physical Kelly-Moore store to buy a can of KMW43-1, you’re basically chasing a ghost.
Does that mean the color is dead? Not quite. But you’ve gotta be smart about how you get it now.
What Made KMW43-1 "Whitest White" So Special?
People didn't just buy this paint because of the name. It was about the Light Reflectance Value (LRV).
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LRV is a scale from 0 to 100. Zero is absolute black; 100 is a theoretical perfect white. Kelly moore whitest white paint sat at a staggering 94.62. For context, most "bright whites" from other brands hover around 90 or 92. This stuff was basically a mirror for sunlight.
It was the ultimate "gallery white." If you had a dark hallway with zero windows, this was the paint you used to fake a sun-drenched vibe. It didn't have the "creamy" warmth of an off-white, but it also didn't feel like a cold, sterile laboratory. It was just... clean.
The Undertone Myth
Most people think "white is white." That's the biggest mistake you can make.
- Cool Whites: Have a drop of blue or black. They look crisp but can feel "blue-ish" in northern light.
- Warm Whites: Have a drop of yellow or pink. They feel cozy but can look "dirty" next to true white trim.
- Whitest White: It was famous for being exceptionally neutral. It didn't fight with your furniture. It just let the architecture speak for itself.
The Struggle of the Modern Match
Since you can't walk into a Kelly-Moore store anymore, you’re probably thinking, "I'll just take the code to another store and have them match it."
Be careful.
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Every paint brand uses a different "base" paint. Sherwin-Williams bases are different from Benjamin Moore bases. When a computer at a big-box store tries to replicate kelly moore whitest white paint, it’s calculating a formula based on a Kelly-Moore "Neutral Base" that no longer exists in their system.
If you're doing a touch-up? Forget it. You’ll see the patch every time the sun hits it. If you're painting a whole new room, though, you have options. You just need to know which "true whites" actually compete with that 94.6 LRV.
Top Alternatives That Actually Compare
If you loved the Kelly-Moore vibe, these are the heavy hitters you should look at instead:
- Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace (OC-65): This is the closest rival. It has an LRV of around 90-91. It’s widely considered the most "pure" white on the market today. It doesn't lean yellow or blue.
- Sherwin-Williams High Reflective White (SW 7757): This is their brightest base. It’s notoriously difficult to work with—sometimes requiring three or four coats because it’s so pigment-pure—but it hits that high-brightness note that Kelly-Moore fans crave.
- Behr Ultra Pure White: Believe it or not, this is one of the "whitest" whites out there with an LRV of 94. It’s very accessible, though some designers find it a bit "stark" compared to the nuanced finish of the old Kelly-Moore formulas.
Why Pro Painters Are Still Obsessed With the Formula
Back when the stores were open, contractors swore by the "DuraPoxy" line in Whitest White. It wasn't just the color; it was the "tooth" of the paint. It leveled out beautifully on trim and cabinets.
When you use a high-reflectance white, every imperfection shows. Every brush stroke, every bump in the drywall—it all gets highlighted. Kelly-Moore’s formula was thick enough to hide some of that "builder grade" mess while still reflecting all that light.
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That’s why people are still searching for it years after the company started struggling. It’s a bit of nostalgia mixed with genuine quality.
How to Get the Look in 2026
If you are dead-set on that exact Kelly-Moore look, you can't just wing it. You need the digital values.
The HEX code for kelly moore whitest white paint is #F9F9F4. The RGB values are (249, 249, 244). If you go to a high-end paint shop—one of those independent stores that sells brands like Pratt & Lambert or Benjamin Moore—give them those specific values.
Don't just say "make it white." Tell them you want to match a specific high-LRV target.
A Quick Warning on Lighting
Before you commit to a 94 LRV white, check your lightbulbs. Seriously.
If you use "Soft White" bulbs (2700K), your ultra-pure white walls are going to look yellow anyway. If you use "Daylight" bulbs (5000K), the room might end up looking like a dentist’s office. For a white this bright, aim for "Cool White" bulbs around 3000K to 3500K. It keeps the paint looking like the color you actually paid for.
Actionable Steps for Your Project
Since you can't get the original, don't waste time looking for "old stock" in a warehouse—it’s likely settled or spoiled by now. Instead, follow this path to get the same high-end, bright aesthetic:
- Order a Peel-and-Stick Sample: Use a service like Samplize for Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace and Sherwin-Williams Extra White. Put them next to each other on your North-facing and South-facing walls.
- Check the Base: If you’re matching at a local store, ask the tech to use their "High Reflective" or "Ultra White" base. Using a "Standard White" base will make it impossible to reach that 94 LRV brightness.
- The Ceiling Trick: If you want the room to feel infinite, paint the ceiling in the same Whitest White but in a flat finish, while keeping the walls in eggshell or satin. The lack of a "break" at the crown molding makes the walls feel ten feet tall.
The era of Kelly-Moore might be over, but the "gallery white" look isn't going anywhere. You just have to be a little more intentional with your substitutes to get that same crisp, clean finish.