Sherwin Williams Shoji White
Shoji White by Sherwin Williams is one of the most popular white paint colors! This color is a warm white with the perfect blend of grey and beige undertones, while still giving you all the brightness you need.
In case you haven’t noticed…not all white paint is created equal. There is what seems like an endless array of options, and it can make choosing white-colored paint for your home can be an extremely overwhelming task. Since white is often associated with feelings of newness and cleanliness, white paint has a way of brightening up any space and changing its entire vibe.
White paint is produced by combining all other colors in the visible light spectrum, therefore, there are many different subtle variations of this seemingly simple color.
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Shoji White by Sherwin Williams is a warm, creamy white. It’s the perfect bright blend of grey and beige, but it’s much lighter than the typical “greige.” Depending on the light, it can take on a clean white appearance or a light bottle green tone.
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PRO Tip
Any time you are choosing a new paint color, you need to try out the real paint color in your home first!
The easiest and quickest way to do that is with Samplize! I solely use them for paint samples now. There’s no mess, no leftover sample pots of paint. Plus, these no-mess, peel-and-stick rectangles made from real paint, are easy to move around the room and easy to save for future reference!
What Color is Shoji White SW-7042
Want a neutral-colored paint but don’t want gray? Neutral white or cream paint is a great choice. Due to not being too bright, it can be both warm and cool at the same time. Neutral whites are soft and quiet, giving your space a tranquil feel. Neutral whites also pair well with a variety of colors.
Shoji White by Sherwin Williams is a popular neutral color in the home decor world. In fact, its popularity comes from its diversity while still being a completely neutral color. This warm, creamy greige is incredibly cozy and bright. It also happens to work very well with different rooms and all kinds of lighting.
NOTE: If you’re painting the room yourself, these tools will help tremendously. And this post will give you my best tips for painting a room in 5 easy steps.
Where to Install Shoji White
- Open Floor Plan Living Space
- Bedroom
- Office
- Nursery
- Entry Way
- Kitchen
- Exterior
Truly, this color can be used anywhere and everywhere in your home!
What Home Style Works Best with Shoji White
It’s a truly versatile color, so it can be used with almost any style, including:
- Farmhouse
- Traditional
- Transitional
- Modern
- Maximalist
- Minimalist
- and more!
Shoji White Undertones
This hue is a gorgeous off-white greige (more beige than gray) that will once in a while pick up a slightly green tone. It is the perfect warm white and looks beautiful with wood or metal finishes.
The ever so slight green undertones can help Shoji White achieve a cozy, warmer feel look when paired with earth tones. Depending on lighting in the room, it can take on a clean white appearance or can even look slightly taupe.
Take the time to sample it and view it in all types of light that will exist in that room because the variations can be very pronounced.
How to Test a Paint Color
One method that I really like to use when testing out a paint color is using a real sample. You can do this one of two ways.
- Samplize offers mess-free, resuable, peel-and-stick real paint rectangles. I’ve ordered many of my favorite paoint colors from Samplize so that I can get a good look at the paint on different walls before I fully commit tot a color.
- The second method is to order a paint sample pot and paint it onto a piece of white poster board. Leave a white border around the edge of the paint. Then move it around within the space during different times of the day to see how the paint color changes in the different lighting.
Shoji White In My Office
I recently painted my new office Shoji White and I love that it’s more saturated than a true white, so that it looks like a color. It has a clean, crisp look without being stark, which I’m so happy with!
It was also the perfect wall color to marry my off-white built-in bookshelves with my true white trim.
Scrolling and click/tap to shop my office:
I’ve since painted the back wall of my office with this cool plaid painted wall treatment. But the light color is still Shoji White, as well as the rest of the walls. And I still love it!
Coordinating Colors with Shoji White
Shoji White goes with practically anything, though it does pair with some shades better than others. Since it’s in the orange family with beige undertones, it pairs well with other beige or greige colors. I have it in a room next to another room painted in Edgecomb Gray, and they pair beautifully together. Here are a few more recommendations:
- Pure White (SW 7005)
- Fawn Brindle (SW 7640)
- Perle Noir (SW 9154)
- Worldly Gray (SW 7043)
- Edgecomb Gray (BM HC-173)
- Amazing Gray (SW 7044)
- Intellectual Gray (SW 7045)
- Porpoise (SW 7047)
- Urbane Bronze (SW 7048)
- Iron Ore (SW 7069)
Shoji White vs. Other Off-White Paint Colors
Shoji White vs. BM Alabaster
Benjamin Moore’s Alabaster is a very popular paint colors, which falls in the white paint category while Shoji White is in the off-white category. When compared side-by-side, it’s obvious how Shoji White reads more beige than greige and Alabaster comes across lighter, but just as warm.
Shoji White vs. SW Accessible Beige
Accessible Beige has been a popular open concept paint color choice for years and Shoji White is a similar, yet lighter color. Shoji would be a wonderful choice if you love Accessible Beige, but wanted something a little more subtle.
Shoji White vs. BM Swiss Coffee
While Shoji White reads like a creamy white with beige undertones, Swiss Coffee reads creamy white with slight gray, green and yellow undertones. And Swiss Coffee can read slightly golden in certain lighting. Both are beautiful warm whites that work in most any room!
What is the LRV of Shoji White?
LRV refers to the light reflectance value of paint color on a scale of 0 (pure black) to 100 (pure white). Essentially, colors with an LRV rating close to 0 will be darker (aka absorb more light), while numbers closer to 100 will be lighter colors (reflect more light).
Shoji White LRV is 74.
This number puts it squarely in the off-white category.
So, it’s more like an off-white than a true gray color, which looks best in a room with a mid-range of natural light. If you put it in a room with a lot of natural light, it’ll probably look like a muted white. But if you pair it with stark white trim, you’ll be able to see the contrast.
How SW Shoji White Complements Different Rooms
Reading about undertones can be a bit confounding, so here some actual examples of this gorgeous Sherwin Williams light greige paint in some practical examples – real-life rooms.
Kitchens with Shoji White
The wood table, rustic chairs, and wood floors really bring out the warmth of this pretty color on the kitchen cabinets in this bright, cozy kitchen.
Shoji White, contrasted with light grey beam ceiling and much darker wood floors, brings warmth to this large open space.
What about kitchen cabinets? This gorgeous cabinetry shows off how Shoji White gives the right amount of warmth.
Bedrooms with Shoji White
This bedroom has bright lighting, showing the ever so slight contrast between Shoji White and a more pure white shade.
This bedroom highlights the beige side of Shoji White when pairing this wall color with darker grays and brighter whites.
Shoji White Bathroom
Elegant yet comfortable when paired with dark accent pieces, use this color to create a warm, cozy feel even in this spacious bathroom.
Living Rooms with Shoji White
This sitting area just off of the kitchen shows a nice, warm contrast between Shoji White walls and brighter white trim.
This formal living room reads more like a pure white than a bright greige thanks to the lighting.
Shoji White Exterior Paint
This pretty shade from Sherwin Williams not only looks amazing inside but as exterior paint really makes a home “pop”. Here are a couple of examples to show you what I mean.
Look how bright but comfortable! This house is gorgeous painted in Shoji White.
Shoji White makes the perfect complement when paired with these slightly darker greige stones on the exterior of this house.
Photo by Whittney Parkinson Design – Search exterior home design ideas
Now that you’ve had a chance to look at how well this gorgeous white shade looks in so many different settings, I highly recommend you find a space to paint (and enjoy) this warm, beautiful color.
Don’t forget to check out these other fantastic paint colors!
Tips for Painting a Room Yourself
I’ve gathered some of the best tools for painting a room yourself. First of all, you’ll want to check out this post I wrote: Painting a Room in 5 Easy Steps. These tools are the top tools I use when painting my own rooms, which is how they get painted 95% of the time!
- Paint Brush – These paint brushes are a little more expensive than your basic brush, but they’re worth it! I’ve used these brushes for more than a decade and if you wash them out well after each use, they will last for years.
- Painter’s Tape – a MUST have for taping off edges. You’ll need to tape off all edges if you don’t have a steady hand.
- Drop Cloths – a must have if you don’t have any laying around the house already.
- Paint Cup – Sure you could use any old cup, but I’ve come to swear by this one. The magnetic piece holds your brush cleanly in place when you need to take a break. And it fits my hand perfectly, keeping it from cramping.
- Roller Tray – I’ve found the only paint tray I’ll ever use again. The magnetic piece is great for holding the roller in place. And the liners are a luxury, but I won’t paint without them because it makes clean up a breeze!
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Hello. We are currently remodeling our 30 year old home, and expanding my kitchen, all new. We will have rift white oak cabinets, I would like to paint my uppers, was thinking of Shoji White. We are leaving the lowers natural wood. My large island I would like to paint it a green color, would Dried Thyme go with Shoji White? Or do you recommend another green color? Also is it best to paint the walls the same color as the uppers, or another color? Our floors will be a medium oak color, Hallmark Novella Twain Oak.
Thanks for your help. Robyn Featherston
Hi Laura
I the bathroom above, what color did you do the ceiling and trim? Was it shoji whites in a different shein? The trim looked darker. Thank you
Hi Mary, since it’s not my bathroom, I’m not sure of the trim color. But it does look darker than the Shoji White walls, not just Shoji White in a different sheen. Sorry I can’t be more help! xo, Laura
I chose Shoji White for my (restored) original cabinets in the kitchen. I paired it with SW Light French Grey for the walls and SW Slow Green for cab doors and drawer fronts. The house is a mid century (modest) ranch style and I wanted to stay very true to the era of the home with my approach. The flooring will be (hopefully by end of June!) Armstrong VCT tiles in Willow Green with a black border. I’ve waited for the new kitchen for so long, can’t wait for to finish it! But as to the cabinets—they’re back in and completed and I LOVE the Shoji White. It’s simply beautiful!
Your office looks beautiful! I have been thinking of painting my living room Shoji White. I have probably 30 different whites I have pinned on the wall! I would like navy accents so do you think shoji is the right white to go with?
Hi – we recently made a bold choice for the exterior siding with SW Inkwell. We are having a tough time settling on the exterior trim. How do you think Shoji would do up againist such a dark color on the exterior *(facing northeast). Thank you!
I’m a little late to the party but wondering what color did you paint your ceiling along with Shoji White walls?
Hi Laura,
What a great post ! Lovely color. 😊 . We are updating our house . I’m going for a classic, timeless refresh with lighter colors. But our travertine and Brazilian cherry floors must remain. What are your thoughts on Shoji onthe walls? What trim would you pair with it? Trying to neutralize the travertine. Thank you!
Hi Lou
What color did you end of with?
Hi Laura,
I am going to paint my guest bedroom Sea Salt. I have a dresser that I want to paint a “coastal” color. Would you recommend Shoji white or another color for the dresser. Thank you.
I’m falling in love more and more. I’m doing a new build and searching for the perfect warm white throughout. Shoji white fits the bill. I’m wondering, however, if it will work in my kitchen. I’m doing white uppers (possibly Pure White) with Comfort Gray bottoms. Will the blue-green-gray of Comfort Gray work with Shoji White walls? I’m having trouble picturing it.
This post left me with my mouth salivating for this entire post. I love it all! thanks for sharing.
I have Wordly gray and Shoji white in my home office. I really like the shoji white in all the rooms you shared. I may have to take my shoji white into more areas of my house! Great post. .
Hi Laura. This is a beautiful color, and one I had not considered before. Thank you! One question though: how does it work with trim in the kitchen? Is this color enough of a neutral that you could use it for the cabinets while using a more traditional – or a “whiter” white – for the trim that will run through the entire home? I’m not sure if I asked that correctly. And, I noticed the example of kitchen cabinets above. I just want to be careful with the kitchen. One shade of white on the cabinets and another on the trim might look weird – although Shoji White looks like it has enough beige in it to keep the cabinets more of a cream color. Jane.
I think it would be beautiful in the kitchen on the cabinets with a true white trim. That photo above with the kitchen cabinets in shoji white is one of my favorites. It’s enough of a color that it would look like a cream color, and not just a mis-matched white color.
How do you think shoji white would look as an exterior color with white trim?