Benjamin Moore Simply White vs. White Dove: Which One's Best For Your Room?

White dining room antique table modern chairs rejuvenation light fixture — My dining room when we first moved into our house – the first thing I did was paint it Simply White.

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If you’re debating Benjamin Moore’s Simply White vs. White Dove, it may seem like splitting hairs, but I get it. These paint colors are two of Benjamin Moore’s most popular white paint colors for a reason: they’re both versatile off whites that work as well as a whole house color as they do for trim. But, there is a difference between them, and even if it’s subtle, the one you choose will impact the overall feel of your space.

I’ve used both Simply White and White Dove in my homes in the past, and the reasons I chose one over the other have been dependent on the space I used them in.

In my Benjamin Moore Simply White review, I note that the color is one of the brand’s brightest whites. It’s still an off-white, but it’s got subtle creamy undertone. It’s a great pick for giving a fresh feel to homes with traditional architecture.

White Dove is also an off white, but it’s the slightest bit deeper than Simply White, and it has more neutral undertones. The way these colors read in your home will be almost completely dependent on the lighting and style of your space.

Below, I’ll share the key differences between the two paint colors, plus how I’ve used them in my own homes.

One of the best ways to decide between two colors is to see them in your home. I love Samplize peel-and-stick paint samples because you can move them around your space to check colors in different lighting, and they can be shipped overnight! Try them here:

What’s the difference between Benjamin Moore Simply White vs White Dove?

Here’s a comparison of the two colors side-by-side. Note, they both look much brighter IRL and not on a screen.

I touched on the differences between the two shades, but let’s take a closer look.

Like I said, the first difference is how light each color is. To understand how these colors compare in terms of lightness, let’s look at each color’s LRV (or Light Reflectance Value, a measure of paint lightness on a scale of 0-100, where 0 is black and 100 is pure white). Basically, the higher the LRV is, the brighter the paint color, and the closer to a true white it is.

Simply White has an LRV of 89.52, while White Dove has an LRV of 83.16, meaning White Dove is ever-so-slightly darker than Simply White. It’s a subtle difference, but one that can be amplified depending on where each paint color is used.

You’ll notice in the swatch images, above, that White Dove looks noticeably deeper than Simply White. I will, say, though, that the way the swatch images look on a screen is a lot different than how they read in real life, on a wall. Both colors look much more bright white in person than they do above.

SImply White walls in the home of Shelby Girard

The second way that Simply White vs. White Dove differ is in terms of color profile. Simply White is a warm shade with yellow and subtle green undertones. It doesn’t look yellow or green to the naked eye, but if you place a Simply White paint swatch against a true white or cool white, like Decorator’s White, you’ll instantly see the cream tones.

The wall in our playroom painted Simply White, against a true-white trim.

White Dove is more of a neutral white than Simply White, color wise. It has greige undertones, which give it an off white feel without the yellow tint. Again, it’s a very subtle greige touch, and White Dove is still pretty close to a true white.

How this impacts the way each color looks in a room, honestly, depends on the room.

Simply White can look like a very bright white in a room with a ton of natural light. But otherwise, it tends to look more cream-toned than White Dove. Simply White is a good choice if your decorating tends to be on the traditional side, if you use a lot of cream colors and wood tones, or if you want to counteract cool-tone lighting in a north-facing room.

White Dove, on the other hand, can look a bit cool in rooms with low-light. Overall, it’s an incredibly versatile color that works better for organic-modern design, coastal homes (since it goes well with blues) and spaces with more gray.

Benjamin Moore Simply White vs White Dove In Pictures

It can also help to see each color painted in real rooms.

This is our sunroom. It’s bright, and gets a ton of natural light. In here, the color looks very bright, but the warmth adds enough depth so the room doesn’t feel washed out or cold.

This is our dining room, which is in the front of the house, with fewer windows than the sunroom. The color looks a bit deeper here, but still like a bright white.

And here’s a shot of it in a beach house on Nantucket by designer Katie Martinez.

Design by Katie Martinez, photo by @malcolmabrown

In this living room, below, you can really see the color’s warmth.

These rooms, from our old Michigan beach house, are all Benjamin Moore White Dove.

As you can see, White Dove is ever-so-slightly darker than Simply White, and Simply White appears to be just a bit brighter.

White Dove on the walls and trim in a room by @laineandlayne

White Dove cabinets, Image via Caroline on Design

Finally, in this home, the walls are painted White Dove, and the trim is Simply White. You can see how subtle the difference is, but you see how the walls look a touch more gray-toned than the trim?

Should you use Simply White or White Dove?

The paint color you choose for your space will be largely dependent on the room you’re painting and your decorating style. If you paint a bright, sun-drenched room, Simply White will look like a pure, bright white in the middle of the day, while White Dove will look a bit more subdued. If you’re painting a dimly lit room, on the other hand, White Dove can look a bit gray, while Simply White ends up looking more like a soft, warm white.

I’ve chosen one of the paint colors over the other based purely on the home and room I was decorating. I usually buy samples of each color (along with a few of the other best Benjamin Moore white paint colors), and test them on my walls. I paint big swatches, or order peel-and-stick paint samples, and look at them in the morning, afternoon, and evening light to see which one offers the look I most want.

Choosing whether to use Simply White or White Dove can also come down to what you’re painting. Simply White is one of Benjamin Moore’s most popular colors for trimwork and doors, since it’s close to a pure white without being stark. It’s a good alternative to just using white trim paint un-tinted, straight out of the can.

White Dove is more often used for walls, and actually makes a beautiful, subtle complement to Simply White trim. It’s also a top pick for home exteriors.

Finally, the choice will come down to your decorating style and the look you want to create at home. Simply White tends to play better with more traditional decor or farmhouse style. White Dove has a bit more depth and is the cooler of the two colors, so works well with modern, coastal and transitional styles.

Ultimately, the best way to make your decision will be to order paint samples and try them out in your home for yourself!

Order your paint samples here: