Sherwin Williams Nebulous White

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Sherwin Williams Nebulous White is a gorgeous white paint color and is really an underutilized color that should get much more attention than it does. Today I will go over the specifics of Nebulous White and why it’s such a great color.

Many people think about different shades of gray but white has just about as many shades if not more! Nebulous White is a white paint color but it doesn’t stop there. It’s a mysterious shade that can bring life to a room and keep it from feeling stark and institutional as some whites can do.

*This post contains affiliate links. For more details see my full disclosure.

Nebulous White Stats

Here are the stats on Nebulous White:

• Red – 222
• Green – 223
• Blue – 220
• Hex Value – #DEDFDC
• Color Collections: Color Mix Forecast 2019, Top Exterior Colors

What are the undertones of Sherwin Williams Nebulous White?

When I was a kid and someone used white in their home my Mother used to say it was too stark. Today using white has become so common and the colors that are available are anything but stark.

Nebulous white is a gorgeous color from the 2019 Enthusiast collection as well as part of the Living Well Collection from Sherwin Williams. It is a white color but has gray undertones which makes it the perfect color for the design styles of today.

Grays can lean toward blues and greens or yellows and greens. In this case, the undertones of gray have more of a blue tone.

Grays have been popular for a long time and whites have come into their own as well. So by using a paint color with gray undertones it just seems logical!

Is Nebulous White warm or cool?

Nebulous White is a cool white paint color. The gray with blue undertones are more of an icy gray without being too cold and stark.

What is the LRV of Nebulous White?

LRV stands for Light Reflective Value. It’s a scale from 0-100 that measures how much light a paint color reflects. Zero being the darkest black and 100 being the brightest white.

This color has an LRV of 74 which makes it a bright paint color. If you are looking to brighten up a space but still want a touch of color this could be the perfect match for you!

How Light Affects Nebulous White

Light affects colors immensely. Here are some facts about light:

• North-facing rooms have a light that tends to be a little cooler in nature and will come off slightly blue. Light colors will be a bit more muted or washed out while darker colors will be stunning.
• East-facing rooms will have brighter light in the morning and less in the evenings. The evening light will be a bit cooler. In the morning with sunrise, the bright sun will be warm. Warm color palettes are great for these spaces because they will help balance the cool feel of the evenings.
• South-facing rooms have consistent warm light throughout the day. The light really shows off the colors, dark will be very bright, and light colors will shine. Both warm and cool color palettes look good in a south-facing room.
• West-facing rooms have warm light in the evening and cooler light in the morning. Basically, it’s the opposite of east-facing.

Because Nebulous white tends to pull cool when you have it in a north-facing room those cool tones really come out. So it will be more gray.

In a south-facing room, the light is warm so this color will be more white and very bright.

How to know if a paint color is right for you?

The best way to judge if a color is good for you then you will want to put a swatch on the wall and look at it over a few days. Look at it in different lights and decide if you really like it.

You can do this by getting a sample from the paint store and using a brush put it up on the walls, but then you are left with a can that you can’t do anything with. Those samples are used with poor quality paint and aren’t meant for use on your walls permanently.

I recommend going with Samplize. They are a company that will send you a 12X12 peel and stick swatch of a paint color that you can stick to the wall. When you are done just peel it off and throw it away.

It’s easy and much less messy!

Sherwin Williams Nebulous White Whole Home Color Palette

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What room would look best with Sherwin Williams Nebulous White?

This is one of those paint colors that looks good anywhere. It’s so light and bright its good for just about any room.

Because of it’s cooling nature, I think that using it in bedrooms and bathrooms is a great idea. Blues and grays tend to be calming so using it in those rooms just makes sense.

If you have a room with a ton of natural light this color might become a little washed out. The depth of color will definitely show better in a room with less natural light.

Sherwin Williams Nebulous White in the family room

This family room is so relaxing with the touches of white paired with Nebulous White on the walls. You can also see how nicely it all goes with the warm tones in the hardwood floors!

Nebulous White in the Kitchen

Musso Design Group nailed this space! With the black accents paired with Nebulous White and of course who could resist such a cute puppy! This is a great space to wash your dog, treat stains in your laundry, or just to fold laundry and relax. What a calming space!

Nebulous White in the bedroom

Sweet Domicile created an amazing and calm bedroom using Sherwin Williams Nebulous White on the walls. I love how nicely she put together all the colors. I think my favorite part is the gold sconces on the walls over the nightstands!

Nebulous White on the exterior

Nebulous White is an extremely popular color for the exterior. This gorgeous painted brick is stunning with the slate front porch, dark gray (SW Granite) on the peak, and the stunning wood doors.

What is the best trim color for Nebulous White?

I love the look of Nebulous White with Pure White. It also looks great with Decorator’s White.

What are the best coordinating colors for Sherwin Williams Nebulous White?

Nebulous White looks fabulous with darker grays and blue-grays. Blue-greens would be a great choice.

Because Nebulous White is a cool color it also looks good with warm tones. All types of wood look great with it.

Similar colors to Nebulous White

All colors are different but here are a few that are pretty darn similar.

Nebulous White vs. Ice Cube

Ice Cube has an LRV of 77 where Nebulous White sits at 74. So Ice Cube is a tad brighter. Nebulous White also has a touch more gray in it, Ice Cube feels more icy.

Get a sample of Ice Cube from Samplize!

Nebulous White vs. Rhinestone

These two are so stinking similar! They both have the same LRV, 74. As you can see by them side by side Rhinestone has a bit more blue in it’s undertones than Nebulous White, and that is the only difference between them.

Get a sample of Rhinestone from Samplize!

Nebulous White vs. Pure White

Okay, these are both very popular colors but they are very different. Nebulous White is a cool white whereas Pure White is a warm white. Pure White has an LRV of 84 whereas Nebulous White sits at 74, so it’s much brighter.

These who are very different but both very beautiful colors!

Get a sample of Pure White from Samplize!

Nebulous White vs. Rock Candy

Rock Candy is a small touch brighter with an LRV of 75, remember Nebulous White is a 74. The big difference between these two colors are the undertones.

Nebulous White has a gray-blue undertone Rock Candy has a blue-gray undertone. The first color being the most dominate of the two.

Get a sample of Rock Candy from Samplize!

Nebulous White vs Passive

These two colors sit next to each other on the paint chip. They have the same undertones. The difference comes in the LRV.

Nebulous White is at 74 and Passive is at 60. So Passive is much darker. In fact Nebulous White is often recommended as a trim color to pair with Passive.

Get a sample of Passive from Samplize!

Recap

We went through a lot of information today so let’s do a quick recap:

• LRV of 74
• Light and bring paint color
• Cool-toned
• Gray and blue undertones
• Looks fabulous on the exterior

Other Paint Color Posts You Might Like:

• Is Sherwin Williams Passive the Best Cool-Toned Gray?
• 5 Tips on Choosing the Perfect Paint Color for your Home
• Benjamin Moore White Dove
• Benjamin Moore Cloud White
• The Best Cool-Toned or Blue Gray Paint Colors
• The Best White Paint Colors
• Benjamin Moore Simply White
• Benjamin Moore Decorator’s White

I hope you feel comfortable with this paint color and feel like you have a handle on whether it would work for you in your home. The best way is to test it, that way you don’t spend the time painting a room that you just want to paint over. Please let me know if you have any questions in the comments below!