Last Updated on January 15, 2025 by Vannessa Rhoades, Three Bears Home Staging
Sherwin-Williams Alabaster SW 7008 is a gorgeously soft, warm white. It has just a touch of creaminess that adds warmth without looking yellow. It’s an incredibly popular color, earning the prestigious designation of Sherwin-Williams 2016 Color of the Year. But is it the right white for your space?
What Is the LRV of Alabaster?
Light Reflectance Value (LRV) is a measure of how much light a paint reflects back into a room, with 100 being highly reflective and zero being not reflective at all. Alabaster’s LRV is 82, so it’s definitely a white but not the brightest, most reflective white on the market. This helps it feel a bit softer while still being bright. This could make it a better choice as a wall paint than, say, Sherwin-Williams High Reflective White (LRV 93 ), which may feel too stark or sterile on an entire wall. To see how these whites really work in your space, check out our ready-made paint color palettes. We’ll ship full-size paint swatches to your door so you can compare them in your own lighting before making a decision.
The walls in this gorgeous kitchen are painted Sherwin-Williams Alabaster 7008, paired with cabinets in Sherwin-Williams 7016 Mindful Gray.
What Color Paint Is Alabaster? Is Alabaster Gray, Beige, White, or Cream? Does Alabaster Have an “Undertone?”
When people talk about “undertones,” what they really want to know is what other hidden colors may be lurking in the paint and showing up unexpectedly on the wall. White paint is tricky to work with for several reasons.
For starters, white paint is highly reflective. In a room that has exterior light filtered through a lot of leafy trees, it may appear a bit green. A room with a lot of red furniture may cast a slight pink tint to white paint. Light also has a significant impact on white paint’s appearance. That’s why you must ensure you have the right light bulbs before you begin any painting project.
See Related: How to Choose the Right Light Bulb for Home Staging & Paint Color
Hue
Alabaster is a white paint, but all colors (even neutrals, like grays, blacks, and whites) occupy a specific space on the color wheel. That space is scientifically determined by measuring a paint color’s dominant hue angle. SW Alabaster has a CIE-LCh° hue angle of 99.953°, which makes it officially part of the Yellow hue family, as you can see on the color wheel below. Yellow is a warm color (which means Alabaster is also warm), but it’s creeping up to the edge of the cool colors. This gives Alabaster a pretty balanced feel in most situations.
Chroma
Let’s also talk about chroma, another measurable spectral data value. Chroma is a measure of how saturated, vibrant, or “dirty” a paint color is. The higher the chroma, the richer and more colorful the paint is. A lower chroma value indicates a paint color that is more neutral or “cleaner.” White paints tend to have very low chroma values. For example, Sherwin-Williams High Reflective White, a super clean white paint, has a chroma value of 2.259. Benjamin Moore’s Chantilly Lace, another crisp, colorless white paint, has a chroma value of 2.642.
By comparison, Alabaster has a chroma value of 5.636. That means it’s not as neutral and colorless as High Reflective White or Chantilly Lace. This makes Alabaster less flexible than some other whites if you’re looking for versatility. Because of that, it’s not one we often recommend as a trim color. In certain lighting situations, that bit of color can really show up to the party! However, if you’re looking for a clean-ish white paint that has a bit more body and doesn’t feel so stark or sterile, Alabaster may be a good choice for you.
How Does the Exposure of My Room Affect Alabaster?
Exposure refers to the direction of the natural light in a room and tends to vary in color and intensity depending on where it’s coming from. Alabaster will add a dose of warmth to the cool gray light in a north-facing room or a room that has morning east-facing light. In a room with southern exposure, Alabaster will look even warmer. Western exposure rooms will also see this warmth in the afternoon light.
Is Alabaster a Good Trim Color?
In many cases, yes! But it depends on what color you’re putting next to it. Because Alabaster is a higher chroma white (more colorful) than some other white paint colors, it has a bit less flexibility (although I’d say it’s still pretty darn flexible). Alabaster is especially beautiful on trim molding when paired with other warm paint colors (see below).
That said, if you’re looking for a clean (colorless) white trim paint that has lots of flexibility, Alabaster would not be my first recommendation. For a cleaner, yellow-less white paint color, take a look at Benjamin Moore Super White OC-152 or Behr Ultra Pure White. Sherwin-Williams Extra White SW7006 and Sherwin-Williams Pure White SW7005 are also cleaner, more flexible white trim paint options.
Can I Pair Sherwin-Williams Alabaster with Another White Paint Color? Will Alabaster Look Yellow?
It might. If you want white walls and are using Alabaster on the trim and cabinets, I recommend using Alabaster on the walls as well. Simply change the sheen or finish to give it some dimension (e.g., eggshell for the walls and satin for the cabinets and trim). When you start trying to mix and match white paints, their differences in hue and chroma become much more obvious. One will likely end up highlighting the hue family of the other, causing it to look grayer/yellower/dingier by comparison. (In my online course, Color By The Numbers™, I show you how easy it is to find hue and chroma values and how to use them to evaluate colors).
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Ready to take a peek?
What Colors Go With Sherwin-Williams Alabaster?
Alabaster looks cleaner and brighter when partnered with a paint color that has a significant difference in chroma (colorfulness or vividness) and/or value (lightness or darkness). Take a look at some of our favorite near-neutrals to pair with Alabaster:
Is Sherwin Williams Alabaster SW 7008 Warm or Cool?
Alabaster has a CIE-LCh° hue angle of 99.953°, which means it’s in the Yellow hue family. This makes it a warm color. One of the challenges with Alabaster is that many other popular near-neutral paint colors (many beiges and grays) also belong to the Yellow hue family. This means you’ll have to be careful when pairing Alabaster with other near-neutrals from the Yellow hue family.
What Paint Colors Are Similar to Sherwin-Williams Alabaster?
Benjamin Moore Dove Wing OC-18 and Benjamin Moore White Dove OC-17 have a very similar degree of warmth and brightness.
That being said, I never, ever recommend color matching between brands. Homeowners do this for any number of reasons (to save a little money, their contractor will only work with a specific brand, lack of access, etc.). But the bottom line is that you cannot color match between brands and expect to get identical results.
You may get really close. You may even get a color you can live with if you’re lucky. But with color matching, there are no guarantees because different brands use different formulas, bases, and proprietary pigments. Ultimately, it will be a different product.
Need Help Choosing a White Paint Color?
Need help finding the right paint color? Order a Virtual Color Consultation Report from the color professionals at Three Bears Home Staging! We’ll create a custom, curated palette and provide guidance for your next painting project.
Order Your Virtual Color Consultation Report Today!
Whether you’re looking for a complete refresh of your space, experimenting with a new style, or just need a little professional guidance to help narrow down your paint color choices, our online color consultations can help!
Vannessa Rhoades
Vannessa Rhoades is the author of Just Right! Easy DIY Home Staging and the founder of the award-winning firm, Three Bears Home Staging®. She specializes in providing positive, empowering virtual consultations that help homeowners and real estate agents all across the country sell more quickly and for more money.
