My Review of Shoji White by Sherwin Williams

If soft, creamy white walls make your heart go pitter patter, then you are going to want to continue scrolling this post, because today I am giving my honest, up close and personal review of Shoji White by Sherwin Williams (SW 7042)…

While things will be changing soon, as of now, every single wall of my new lake house (interior and exterior) is painted in Sherwin William’s Shoji White.

Before I had the time to truly observe this ever-changing paint color morph through out the day (depending on natural light variations), I would have sworn this hue was merely a warm white.

But as you can plainly see from the photo of my dining room above, Shoji White doesn’t only read as a soft white, in lower light scenarios, it can come off as a super light greige.

Notice where the board and batten ends, and you will see the difference between the white- white color used for the ceiling and trim, and the actual wall paint color.

Interestingly enough, when you move into my living room, this chameleon of a color comes off more as a creamy warm white as opposed to grey.

What is the LRV of Shoji White?

On the LRV (Light Reflectance Value) spectrum with zero being the lowest value and 100 being the highest, Shoji White is classified as a 74. (Just for reference, my previous home was painted in Chantilly Lace by Benjamin Moore which had an LRV of 90).

Because this particular shade of white does not reflect as much light as more of your pure or crisp whites, I would consider Shoji White to be best for a cozier vibe- the perfect blend of airy but homey.

If you are looking for a warm white with a higher LRV, than you many want to read my review of Swiss Coffee by Benjamin Moore.

What are the undertones in Shoji White?

While the pictures on the Sherwin Williams site would have you infer that Shoji White primarily consists of tan, cream and beige undertones, depending on the lighting situation, undertones of grey and even subtle greens may surface.

What I have personally noticed is that in rooms where an oil-based version of the paint was used (like over the original cedar board and batten), the paint color reads as more of a warm white- particularly when sunlight is abundant. Then, in overcast lighting, I notice more of the greige undertones (especially against the contrast of the white-white ceiling and trim) .

On the other hand, in rooms that were painted with latex finish (bedrooms and bathrooms with sheetrock), Shoji White reads more as a super soft, greige- coming off as a more saturated color.

Then again, the differences in how each of my rooms display this warm white paint may just be due to the fact that the rooms with sheetrock simply have less natural lighting than the main board and batten spaces.

Shoji White Exterior:

The board and batten exterior of my home was also painted in Shoji White. I love the warmth of this paint color paired with our brown architectural roof, brick accents and wood beams.

If you are longing for an exterior color that isn’t too stark of a white and can work well with terracotta elements, I think Shoji White is a great choice.

(For any of you interested, our exterior doors are painted in Sherwin Williams Coastal Plains.)

On the back of the exterior, our black windows and gutters (painted in Sherwin Williams Iron Ore) work beautifully with this soft white. In the bright sunlight, the grey and tan undertone of Shoji White are not as evident and display more as a bright white- perfect for a modern farmhouse vibe.

What trim and ceiling color should I use?

While our trim and ceilings were already painted in a white-white (no tint) , if you are looking for the best trim color to go with Shoji White, I would consider using a white with just a slight hint of warmth so that the actual wall color doesn’t clash or look dingy.

On the Sherwin Williams website, Pure White (SW 7005) is listed as a recommended coordinating color. Whatever you decide to go with for trim, baseboards or ceilings, I would steer clear of cool whites.

At the end of the day, paint is a very tricky beast.

Because this color can vary so much from room to room, I suggest going out to buy samples and swatches before committing!

You might have noticed where I mentioned that all the walls in my new pad are painted in Shoji White FOR NOW…..
Next week, I will elaborate a little more on the “for now” bit. At any rate, my plans are definitely not due to me not liking this paint color. I am just wanting to inject a little moody drama into a few spaces.

Thank you so much for stopping by this week! It would mean so much if you could share this post with a friend or on social media…

Now get out there and design some good vibes along with a fabulous life!