Six years ago when we moved to this house we nicknamed it the Peach Pit for obvious reasons…
All the walls and trim were either a varying shade of peach, or orangey oak. It was SO gratifying to paint everything and give the house a fresh new look with paint in that first year!!!
Since our existing kitchen appliances are off-white, I repainted the cabinets in there White Dove, which is a creamy white that worked well with the appliances but still reads as a white, and then I carried that color throughout all the trim in the house.
I wanted a neutral backdrop so I painted all the walls on the first floor Ben Moore’s Muslin (the background color below). I’ve used Muslin in our other houses and liked it, but something about the light in this house and maybe my wariness of paint colors over the years wore out it’s welcome pretty fast.
As my father-in-law likes to say, the square footage of our house has shrunk thanks to all the coats of paint I’ve put on the walls trying to find the perfect color. I’ve painted our living room 4 – okay maybe 5 times, and several other rooms have multiple coats of paint. I love “greige” tones as a backdrop and have used many over the years for myself and to help friends, family and clients find the perfect color, but I just could not find the right one for this house. Let’s just say I’m choosey, okay? That or insane. Or something.
Well I am oh so very happy to report that the search is over!
After sampling a few whites against the White Dove, I got a quart of Benjamin Moore Simply White for the foyer, just to see.
The board and batten in the foyer is all White Dove, and the upper portion of the walls is Simply White, which reads like a true white for me in this house. I’ve heard other people find it to have a tinge of grey or green, but I don’t get that undertone at all.
I loved it so much in the foyer, I just kept going – and going – and going!
Here it is in the living room….
The whole house feels so fresh and clean and NEW (even with old worn out wood floors and our sweet faux-wood linoleum).
These are the pantry doors that face that slider. What do you think about the black doors now that the walls are all white? I’m on the fence about them these days. Love them but am also loving LIGHT and BRIGHT.
This little hallway leading in from the garage is usually dark and dreary. I can’t believe this area in particular brightened up so much with a coat of white paint.
My boloney countertops aren’t even feeling so yucky anymore! 
(Here’s a closeup of their beauty – you’re welcome 🙂 )
The family room.
Last spring during the ORC, I painted the walls BM Tapestry Beige, and right from the start it felt soooooo blahhhhhhhh – especially in this room that only gets early morning light.
The time of day and natural light in a room when you take a picture makes a big difference to how photographs, but still, can you believe how much better and brighter in white it is?! And it *almost* blends the built in AC into the wall. Almost.
My grand plan is to add some major moulding to these rooms, starting with that half wall that I was so keen on removing. It’s not bothering me that much anymore and I’m thinking I could bling it out with trim, add crown moulding everywhere, maybe some more floor-to-ceiling board and batten action, are you seeing it?
I spent years and years painting all the walls of our houses anything but white, but I finally listened to this abode and figured out white is just right!
You may like Simply White too if you’re looking for a white paint that is doesn’t have any strong undertones, leaning toward the creamier side rather than stark white in my opinion. Sampling is truly the best way to determine if this white is right for you!
Save this color recommendation to Pinterest to try in the future!
Do you have a favorite white paint color? I’d love to hear what has worked for you!
Shelley @ Calypso in the Country says
Looks great, Lisa! You crack me up with those “peach pit” and “balony” references! I am impressed with how well Simply White goes with everything!
Shelley
Lisa says
How funny was the peach thing Shelley? Even the unfinished basement and the garage were painted peach! It must have been the former owner’s happy color 🙂
Cassie Bustamante says
WOW, lisa! your home looks so amazing! love the shots o f the living room with pops of blue, especially!
Lisa says
Thank you my sweet friend. I am loving the change!
Denise says
Ha! That’s so funny – our house was peach and hunter green when we moved in 15 years ago!! Just about all our walls are white now too and I LOVE it! Love yours too! So fresh and clean and bright!
Lisa says
Oh Denise I love how you can feel my pain. And by the way I totally had the hunter green and peach thing going on when I was first married! And loved it!
STACY CONNOLLY says
Looks great Lisa!
With Day Light Saving Time ending in a couple of weeks (yuck) it’ll be bright and cheery inside 🙂
Lisa says
Stacy yes – I hope it will make the long dark winter a little brighter! I’m loving it so far!
Carol @ CAD INTERIORS says
White used to get such a bad wrap as people associated it as being sterile or “hospital white”. Funny how perceptions evolve! I love white walls! It goes with everything, and it’s so much easier to switch things up when the mood strikes. The trimwork you have planned sounds perfect. Your home looks so fresh painted white! Beautiful, my friend! 🙂
Lisa says
Thanks Carol! I know you are a white fan too. It is funny how tastes change, isn’t it? I can’t believe how I used to think of white as a blank canvas…..now it is the finished work of art 🙂 What will be next!
lynda morris says
Perfection in every room – especially the black doors.
I may be running, not walking, to the paint store today! And all my Elmira white walls (with my White Dove doors and trim) may become Simply White very, very soon.
And while I am the only person in my family of 5 that is not a “sectional” devotee, yours may just sway me. Can you share the manufacturer? Thanks in advance!! lynda
Lisa says
Lynda, thank you for your kind comment! The White Dove is a bit “muddier” in some way than the Simply White but I like how it makes the trim pop a tiny bit. We bought our sectional at Boston Interiors – I will do some digging and see if I can find the manufacturer!
Jessica says
Lisa!!! It looks incredible!! That picture with the door and chandelier is magazine worthy! I am in love with your bright white. Isn’t it great when you find get it just right?
Lisa says
Jessica you are so sweet! Thank you for this kind comment, you made my day! And yes it’s great to finally get a color right. I did this with my bedroom too, had to try a few colors before I hit the jackpot and now I still love it three years later!
Shelley | Crazy Wonderful says
I am still giggling over the balony and peach pit names 😀 I can’t tell you how much I love this white in your home!!! It really is perfect! Isn’t it funny how we fight white? It’s like it was so ingrained in all of us that you had to paint your walls a “color”. Love this fresh look.
Lisa says
Do you remember the Peach Pit from Melrose Place years ago? That’s where the name came from. I still can’t get over how deep that love of peach went with the former owners……it was literally everywhere!!! And we were coming from a new house, it was pretty amusing 🙂 Thanks for your kind words as always my sweet friend!!!
Meredith says
Are your built ins and fireplace mantle/surround white dove also? Or simply white? Thank you!!
Lisa says
In this post the built ins and mantle were all done in White Dove and the walls were Simply White. Since then we’ve repainted with BM Chantilly Lace which is a brighter white that worked well with our kitchen remodel. Best wishes on your painting project!