Matching White tile and paint in your bathroom or kitchen

I see it time and time again, whites in a bathroom or kitchen that are slightly…off. Why? Because the homeowner ordered everything that was titled “white” but didn’t realize there are actually 50 bazillion shades of white under the sun. Not matching whites carefully can result in a backsplash that looks old or dirty, or a toilet that you thought was white, but all of a sudden appears pink! This is why you always want to match your whites!

how to ensure your whites match properly

You see, whites are not all created equal. They are some of the trickiest shades in the book, because their undertones don’t really present themselves until they are in a real-life setting, against others colors:

Try this exercise: pick up an object in your house that appears white, and then hold it against a white sheet of computer paper. A-ha! See what happened? Now your object appears to have pink undertones, yellow undertones, blue undertones, black undertones, or green… You get the idea. This is why your white wall tile with a yellow undertone looks old if its up against white cabinets with a blue undertone.

Here are a few of my favorite white paint + tile pairings. Creamy whites, grayish whites and everything in between. I’m including some high-end, artisanal brands, as well as some budget-friendly, glazed ceramics. Please keep in mind, the product images on the manufacturers websites, may look slightly different. I’ve matched these up in person to ensure they are a good match.

White Tile + Paint Pairings

Bedrosian Costa Allegra White sand + Benjamin Moore OC-151 White

white tile sample with matching paint color

2. Bedrosian Reine Picket White Gloss + Benjamin Moore OC-149 Decorators White

3. Fireclay Tile Daisy + Benjamin Moore Pure White OC-64

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4. Tile Bar Up! Optic Blanco + Benjamin Moore Brilliant White OC-150

5. Cle Tile White encaustic + Sherwin Williams Pure White SW 7005

6. Tile Bar Lancaster Blanco + Benjamin Moore White Opulence OC-69

7. Fireclay Ultra Cream (This is under the new name “Magnolia”) + Sherwin Williams Reliable White SW 6091

8. TileBar Byzantine Bianco + Benjamin Moore Super White OC-152

Helpful Tips

If you are ordering handmade tiles (vs manufactured), expect color irregularities. This is why you always want to order all of the tiles needed for your project in one batch. If you are going the handmade route, start with the tile and match paint from there. The tiles you receive may be slightly different than what I’ve matched above. I can’t stress this enough: Always get a sample of the tile and paint beforehand to ensure they are a match!
If you are renovating around fixed pieces in a room, like an appliance, tub or toilet, make sure the whites you are putting next to them are also a match. Appliances usually come in a cool white (blue undertone) or a warm white (yellow undertone), so as long as you pick a white in the same ballpark, you will be gravy. Grab that computer paper again and hold it next to your toilet. Your family will think you have lost your mind but this will reveal whether it is warm or cool!
View your samples in the space you intend to use them. The reason being colors appear differently in north facing rooms versus south. It can appear one way in a sunny room, but then you might see an undertone you didn’t expect in the shadows of a dark room. You don’t want any surprises!
If you are struggling to find a paint match for your favorite tile, take it into your local paint shop and see if they can use their color-match technology to match up the paint precisely! It’s not a sure deal, as whites are harder for them to get exactly right since there is so little pigment used. I’ve asked them to redo a color-match a few times before they got it right (they are always happy to do this!), so some trial and error might be involved if you go this route. When it works, it works brilliantly and can save you a lot of time and trouble!