Chantilly Lace by Benjamin Moore – Why It Might Be The Perfect White Paint Color
Find the best white paint for your home and why it just might be Chantilly Lace from Benjamin Moore.
Why is Chantilly Lace Such a Perfect White?
In September last year I took Maria Killam’s True Color Expert course so I now have a certificate in being a true color expert. It was quite different than my interior design program but very interesting to learn about all the different undertones in each paint color.
Undertones is what makes picking a white paint color so difficult! In certain lights a white or off-white paint color can have yellow, green, blue, pink, orange or gold undertones. How confusing is that?!
And you don’t know what paint color will look good until you’ve tried it in your particular space, even in different areas of your home. It depends on the way the natural light comes into your home, if you have large green trees outside your window, and what type of overhead lighting you have.
You can see how I pick white and grey paint colors here and here.
But what I learned in that class is one of the most truest whites with barely any undertone is Chantilly Lace OC-65 by Benjamin Moore.
My favorite paint colors are 1) Simply White OC-117 by Benjamin Moore and 2) White Dove OC-17 by Benjamin Moore.
My whole house including cabinets, trim, doors and walls are all Simply White.
But sometimes both of those paint colors can have a yellow undertones. If you are finding that’s the case for you when trying paint samples in your home, then Chantilly Lace might just be for you!
Real Life Examples with Chantilly Lace OC-65
The cabinets in this beautiful kitchen renovation by Studio McGee are painted in Chantilly Lace where the walls are painted in Simply White. Although most of what you see next to the cabinets is white subway tile, it does show you a slight difference in the two paint colors.
Kris from Driven by Decor renovated her beautiful ensuite bathroom and chose Chantilly Lace OC-65 for her walls. Beautiful choice, Kris!
Erika from Designing Vibes painted her living room with Chantilly Lace OC-65. So bright and airy!
Benjamin Moore uses Chantilly Lace against this gorgeous Gothic Green 637. You can really get a sense of the true white against the green here.
My friend Chelsea from Making Home Base does such an amazing job with her rental (you have to follow her for great DIY tips). Her home is cozy bright and airy and cozy using Chantilly Lace OC-65.
Such a stunning living room designed by Julie Rootes using Chantilly Lace OC-65. I love those light wood built-in cabinets.
My friend Lauren from Bless’er House has done some amazing transformations and turning this room into an office painted in Chantilly Lace OC-65 was the right thing to do!
This beauty of a kitchen is from Britt Design Studio and the Chantilly Lace OC-65 painted walls and cabinets go so good with all the stunning details in this kitchen.
My friend Krista from The Happy Housie (who lives only a short ferry ride away from me) painted her house in Chantilly Lace OC-65 which makes her whole house look clean and crisp.
I love the brightness of this stunner from Studio McGee using Chantilly Lace OC-65. Those black pendants and vintage rug compliment this kitchen so well.
Michelle from Making Home Pretty created this pretty wall and painted it in Chantilly Lace OC-65.
What do you think of Chantilly Lace? Make sure you check out my other favorite white paint colors and the easiest way to choose grey and white paint colors in your home!
Simply White by Benjamin Moore
How to Pick Grey and White Paint Colors
The Best Way to Pick White Paint
I’ve loved Chantilly Lace for years now. I used it when I painted all the custom trim work and fireplace we did in our remodel. It’s the best!
I just painted it in a client’s house and it’s gorgeous! Thanks for sharing!
Hugs, Jamie
What if my kitchen cabinets are more cream than white? Will it still work?
Hi Sarah,
The only way of really knowing if paints will go together is by painting a sample of it on your wall. Whites and greys are the hardest ones.
You can read more here: https://somuchbetterwithage.com/how-to-pick-white-and-grey-paints-colors/
Hugs, Jamie
I love this color. My older contemporary home has wide eaves and lots of trees. So, I don’t get a lot of direct sunlight and the rooms all seem so dark in spite of lots of big windows. I chose to repaint with Chantilly Lace after I’d read that it has a very high ‘reflective index’ so what little light I do get bounces around the room and everything looks so much brighter! Another reason to love love this color.
Hi Eileen,
It sounds perfect for your home! I’m so glad you’re happy with it!
Hugs, Jamie
What white interior color and lighting do you think makes people look the best?
As someone who sells Benjamin Moore paint. I can say for a fact that yes Chantilly lace is a nice off white. But it doesn’t cover at all. It is extremely close to stock white from the shelf but it lacks all of the tint necessary to be a well hiding color. You need 2x as many coats to cover.
Hi Tricia,
Thank you so much for sharing this information with my readers!! I’ve come across this recently at a client’s house too, that it needed an extra coat. Thank you!
Hugs, Jamie
Uh oh! Ihave the Chantilly Lace cans sitting here for a few walls in my living room (as well as the baseboards). I am covering dark grey. I’ll prime it first, maybe 2 times, then plan on at least 2 coats of paint. Fortunately, my other walls will be dark, dark olive color, so not such a challenge. Thank you for letting me know.
I’ve not used Chantilly Lace for myself (or for clients when I had my decorating business) but I did consider it as one of the forerunners in a former home when I wanted to do some painting. 😊
At that home, I found it didn’t work well with the carpet in the LR (which I couldn’t change at the time) or the existing white of the kitchen cabinets visible from the LR (color unknown..it was there when we moved in) or my LR furniture (also something I couldn’t change).
As for paint brands, as a decorator I had many companies paint fans so I never limited myself to just BM or SW or whatever when choosing colors. If I found a color that worked, regardless of the company, I’d get it color matched in a good quality paint.
There are many paints that are “almost” the perfect white, but IMO there’s not one that’s perfect for every installation.
I am looking for a paint that is white with a tint of gray
I have seen great reviews about Chantilly Lace in a lot of videos! However, unfortunately we don’t have Benjamin Moore in our local store 🙁 What do you think would be the equivalent of Chantilly Lace in other brands (e.g., dulux)? Thank you 🙂
HI Avissa,
You can take the sample and get it mixed at any other store.
Hugs, Jamie
I got mine mixed at Home Depot using Behr Marquee paint. I don’t have a BM store either. It’s beautiful paint.
Thank you for sharing, Jean!
Hugs, Jamie
What do you think of Chantilly Lace on the exterior?
Hi Jill,
I think it would look beautiful! Chantilly Lace does need an extra coat more than most white paints so it is something to consider if you are painting over a dark paint color.
Hope this helps!
Hugs, Jamie
My kitchen cabinets are Newburg Green. Will Chantilly Lace go well with them?
I’m considering painting my entire home including kitchen and bathroom in Chantilly White. What shade of white would you recommend for the trim, base boards, and closet doors?
Will chantilly lace work in a large home with lots of natural light? I want a crisp white but I don’t want it to look too sterile. This house has vaulted ceilings and huge windows. It is always west facing. I’m struggling to find a good white!
I am also looking for same advice. What did you end up doing? I have bright kitchen with large windows.
The only way to know what white will look good in your home is to test is on the wall. Everyone has different outside ‘things’ (like the color of dirt in Arizona for instance or green evergreen trees) that change the color on the walls. You can check out this post here: https://somuchbetterwithage.com/how-to-pick-white-and-grey-paints-colors/
Hugs, Jamie