You're standing in the paint aisle, staring at a wall of white chips that all look identical under the flickering fluorescent lights. It’s overwhelming. You’ve heard the name Simply White tossed around by every interior designer on Instagram, and it seems like the "safe" bet. But here’s the thing: white paint is never just white. Benjamin Moore’s Simply White (OC-117) is a shapeshifter. It’s the 2016 Color of the Year that refused to go away, and for good reason, but if you don't understand its yellow undertones, your living room might end up looking like a stick of softened butter instead of a crisp gallery space.
Choosing a white paint is honestly a high-stakes game. Pick one with too much blue, and your bedroom feels like a cold hospital wing. Pick one with too much pink, and it looks like a nursery. Simply White sits in that high-wire balancing act of being a "warm white" that still feels fresh. It’s bright. Really bright. With a Light Reflectance Value (LRV) of approximately 89.52, it’s one of the closest things to a "true" white you can find without it feeling sterile or blinding.
Why Simply White OC-117 Isn't Just Another Basic White
Most people think "warm" means "beige." That's a mistake. Simply White is basically a crisp, clean canvas that had a tiny drop of sunshine added to the mix. It belongs to the Yellow hue family, which gives it a glow rather than a muddy look. When you compare it to something like Benjamin Moore’s White Dove, you’ll notice the difference immediately. White Dove has a gray-olive undertone that makes it feel "dusty" and traditional. Simply White? It’s punchier. It’s the white you pick when you want the room to feel like it’s caffeinated.
Lighting changes everything. Seriously. In a south-facing room with massive windows, Simply White will look like the purest, most angelic white you’ve ever seen. The natural warmth of the sun complements the yellow undertone, neutralizing it into a perfect, balanced glow. But put that same paint in a north-facing room with that weak, bluish light? That's where things get tricky. Sometimes, that yellow can "pop" in a way you didn't intend, making the walls look slightly off-white or even a very pale cream.
Architectural digest-level homes often use this color for a specific reason: versatility. It’s one of the few colors that works just as well on trim as it does on walls. Designers like Shea McGee have famously utilized it to create spaces that feel lived-in but sophisticated. It's the "Goldilocks" of whites—not too cold, not too creamy.
The Science of the Glow: Understanding LRV and Undertones
Let's talk numbers for a second, but don't worry, I'm not going to bore you with a textbook. LRV stands for Light Reflectance Value. It’s measured on a scale of 0 to 100. A true, pure black is 0, and a perfect, mirror-like white would be 100. At nearly 90, Simply White is high up there. It reflects a massive amount of light back into the room. If you have a dark hallway with no windows, this is your secret weapon. It will grab whatever pathetic amount of light is available and bounce it around like a pinball machine.
But that high LRV comes with a warning.
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If you have very bright LED light bulbs—specifically those "Daylight" bulbs that have a 5000K color temperature—Simply White can start to look a bit harsh. It’s best paired with "Warm White" bulbs (around 2700K to 3000K) to lean into its cozy nature. Honestly, if you're going to spend $80 on a gallon of Aura paint, spend the extra $10 to get the right light bulbs. It matters.
The undertone is the real story here. Every white paint is a mix of pigments. Simply White contains a hint of yellow. This prevents it from looking "blue" or "stark" against wood floors. If you have oak or pine flooring, Simply White is a dream. It harmonizes with the natural wood grains. However, if you have a lot of cool gray marble or blue-toned slate, you might want to look at Chantilly Lace instead. Chantilly is flatter and cooler. Simply White has a soul.
Simply White vs. The Competition: A Quick Reality Check
People always ask me: "Should I just get Decorator's White?"
Maybe. But here is the breakdown of how Simply White actually stacks up against the "Big Three" of Benjamin Moore:
- Chantilly Lace (OC-65): This is the cleanest white Benjamin Moore makes. It has almost no visible undertone. It’s the color of a fresh sheet of printer paper. Next to it, Simply White looks distinctly yellow. Use Chantilly if you want a modern, high-contrast look with black accents.
- White Dove (OC-17): This is the "old reliable" for traditional homes. It’s softer and more "greige" than Simply White. If Simply White is a bright summer morning, White Dove is a cozy autumn afternoon. White Dove is better for hides imperfections on old, bumpy plaster walls because it reflects less light.
- Swiss Coffee (OC-45): This is much creamier. It’s a favorite of designers like Studio McGee when they want a "warm hug" feeling. It’s significantly darker and more "almond" than Simply White.
Simply White sits right in the middle of this pack. It’s the choice for someone who wants a "clean" look but is terrified of their house feeling like a refrigerator. It provides enough contrast against true white ceilings to show off crown molding, yet it’s bright enough to make a small apartment feel twice its size.
Why Your Trim Choice Can Ruin Everything
A common mistake is painting the walls Simply White and then using a different "stock white" for the trim. Don't do that. Because Simply White is so bright and has that slight yellow lean, putting it next to a "cool" white trim will make your walls look dirty. It’s a disaster.
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The pro move? Use Simply White for both.
Do the walls in a Suede or Eggshell finish and the trim/doors in a Semi-Gloss or Satin. This is called a "monochromatic" look. Because the light hits the different sheens differently, the trim will naturally look slightly lighter and crisper than the walls, even though it's the exact same color out of the same can. It creates a seamless, high-end look that makes the room feel taller.
Real-World Application: Kitchens and Cabinets
Simply White is arguably the king of kitchen cabinet colors. Why? Because it plays well with both stainless steel appliances and warm brass hardware. If you have those trendy unlacquered brass faucets, Simply White is your best friend. The yellow in the paint talks to the gold in the brass.
For kitchen cabinets, I always recommend the Benjamin Moore Advance line. It’s a water-borne alkyd that acts like an oil paint. It levels out beautifully, meaning you won't see brush marks. In Simply White, your cabinets will look like they came from a high-end custom shop. Just be prepared: white cabinets show every splash of tomato sauce. But you already knew that.
External Factors: What’s Outside Your Window?
This is something most "expert" blogs forget to mention. Paint is a mirror. If you have a lush green forest right outside your floor-to-ceiling windows, Simply White is going to pick up some of that green. It will reflect the grass. If you have a giant red brick wall of a neighbor's house three feet from your window, your white walls might take on a slight pinkish cast in the afternoon.
Before you commit to five gallons, buy a Samplize peel-and-stick sheet or a small sample pot. Paint it on a piece of foam board—not the wall itself. Move that board around the room at different times of the day. Check it at 8:00 AM, 2:00 PM, and 8:00 PM with the lights on. You might find that in your specific house, the "perfect" white looks completely different than it did in the store.
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Common Misconceptions About "Yellow" Whites
"I don't want my house to look yellow." I hear this every single day.
There is a massive difference between a yellow paint and a white paint with a yellow undertone. Simply White will never be mistaken for "banana" or "lemon." The yellow is there strictly to provide "heat." It’s the difference between an LED light bulb and a candle. Without that warmth, white paint can look "dead" or "flat."
The only time Simply White truly looks "yellow" is when it's placed directly next to a cool-toned white like Paper White or Big Chill. In a vacuum, or against wood and natural textures, it just looks like a very clean, very bright white. It’s the color of a gallery wall. It’s the color of fresh linen.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Project
If you're leaning toward Simply White, here is the roadmap to getting it right without losing your mind.
- Check your orientation. If your room faces North, expect more of the creaminess to show. If it faces South or West, expect a bright, glowing white.
- Commit to the "Double White" strategy. Use Simply White for walls and trim to avoid clashing undertones. Just vary the sheen (Eggshell for walls, Semi-Gloss for trim).
- Audit your lighting. Swap out those 5000K "Daylight" bulbs for 3000K "Soft White" bulbs. This will make the paint look expensive and intentional rather than surgical.
- Hardware Matters. Simply White looks incredible with matte black, polished nickel, or aged brass. It’s less successful with "brushed chrome," which can sometimes feel a bit dated against the warmth of the paint.
- Test against your "fixed" elements. Your flooring and countertops aren't changing. Hold your sample against the carpet or the granite. If the granite has a lot of cool gray/blue veins, you might find Simply White too "warm." If your floors are wood, it’s almost certainly a match made in heaven.
Simply White remains a staple because it solves the "starkness" problem of modern design. It allows you to have a bright, airy home that still feels like a home, not a laboratory. It’s forgiving, it’s classic, and despite the endless cycle of color trends, it’s a choice you won't regret three years from now when the "next big thing" fades away.