Sherwin Williams Eider White Paint Color Review
Nothing beats a fresh coat of white interior paint when refreshing your home interior but before you grab that brush, you'll want to spend time researching your paint options. That's why I've been on a quest to help you know what to look for when choosing the right white paint for your home so you can spend less time stressing over paint and more time actually enjoying your living space.
Let's take a close look at Sherwin Williams Eider White.
Eider White SW 7014 is not the most popular Sherwin Williams white (that honor goes to Pure White SW 7005). But I'm including it in my collection of white paint reviews because its unique undertones make it a lovely choice in certain situations.
Catch Up On Other White Paint Reviews Here
What Color Is Eider White Sherwin Williams?
When is a white not a white? When it's Eider (pronounced "AYE-dr")White, which many designers consider a light gray rather than a true white.
In fact, if you're looking for a true white paint for trim, Extra White SW 7006 or High Reflective White SW 7757 would be the better choices.
Sherwin Williams Eider White undertones
Undertones can be tricky and will make or break a room color. SW Eider White has a mostly gray undertone with a light blush of pink... Maybe... Because some people see it as a tint of purple.
(If you're not sure how to determine color undertones, this trick to choosing neutral paint post will help you out.)
That "now you see it; now you don't" pink/purple is what some people shy away from. It can show up unexpectedly in certain lighting situations and also make it difficult to match. This is why getting a paint sample of SW Eider White and "trying before buying" is so vital to prevent paint mistakes.
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Is Eider White paint warm or cool?
It depends who you ask. According to Sherwin Williams, Eider White is a cool white; however many designers describe it as a warm gray. In fact, it falls just above its warm neighbor Repose Gray SW 7015 on the paint color strip, meaning it's just one shade lighter than Repose Gray.
What is Eider White LRV?
LRV (light reflective value) is a scale to tell how light or dark a color is. The scale goes from 1 (blackest black) to 100 (true white).
Eider White's LRV is 73, which barely lifts it into the off-white category (for comparison, Sherwin Williams' lightest gray shade White Sesame SW 9586 has an LRV of 71).
In north facing rooms or rooms without good lighting, Eider White paint color can come off looking flat and too gray.
In south facing rooms, Eider White SW 7014 may not be happy either, as it can look washed out under too much light.
Sherwin Williams Eider White color is on the fussy side, but it can definitely be a winner as you can see by the real life paint examples below.
SW Eider White Exterior And Interior Paint Examples
Eider White tends to work best on exterior and interior walls; it can be a gorgeous color if you're looking for that modern farmhouse or contemporary style vibe. Just be sure you test it first.
Eider White exterior
True white generally looks much too bright when painted on the outside, which is why Eider White works well in both of these exterior examples. It's pretty far down from the top on the paint strip and has enough hue to keep it looking softly white rather than stark under the bright sun.
Both these elegant Eider White Sherwin Williams exteriors pictured are modern farmhouse style. Eider White carries through on the trim as well as the siding and stucco. For the front door, the contrast of dark navy or black looks particularly striking with Eider White SW.
Eider White walls
Sherwin-Williams Eider White Entryway
This entryway's primarily cool tones (black metal pendant, neutral decor, and greige flooring) provide Eider White a lovely palette that enhances its gray undertones. Extra White SW 7006 on the wainscoting sets off the walls.
Extra White is also featured on the ceiling in this modern farmhouse entry by M House Development; Eider White walls with black hardware and doors help bring sophistication to the overall look.
Dining room
Eider White contributes to the minimalism in this exquisite dining room featuring matte finish accents, cool colors, and contemporary design elements.
Hello again, Extra White! It works beautifully as the trim in this formal traditional style dining room by offsetting the soft Eider White walls (Helen Piteo Interiors).
Sherwin Williams Eider White Kitchen walls
By now you should be noticing a pattern in the settings and styles in which Sherwin-Williams Eider White is happiest: muted color palette, metal decor, contemporary, traditional and modern styles, and clean lines. All these are reflected in this kitchen by Elements of Style.
Bonus points if you identified Extra White as the cabinet color 🙂
Bedroom and bathroom walls
Eider White was the neutral wall color choice for these homeowners in the bedrooms and bathroom. Notice Eider's pinkish undertone showing up in the master bedroom (trim is Grizzle Gray SW 7068).
Eider White cabinets
Eider White can work very well as a cabinet color in a well-lit spacious area like this kitchen and when the other elements in the room are primarily cool (greige flooring, black and chrome metals, gray backsplash).
SW 7014 Eider White VS Other Neutral Paint Colors
Eider White vs Repose Gray
Repose Gray sits next to Eider White on the color strip, meaning Eider is one shade lighter than Repose. Despite the closeness, Repose Gray manages to avoid that tricky pink undertone which plagues Eider White.
While Sherwin Williams Eider is barely gray, Repose is significantly deeper and less likely to look washed out under bright lighting conditions. If your room is small and on the dark side, though, the nod goes to Eider White for a light and airier look.
Eider White walls with Repose Gray trim could be a gorgeous pairing, too!
Eider White vs Alabaster
Alabaster SW 7008 is very popular among white paints, consistently scoring high marks in popularity for walls, cabinets, trim and exterior. Eider White is less versatile, seldom used as a trim color, and fussier about which paint shades it's willing to be matched with.
Not everyone loves the yellowish cast to Alabaster however, and Eider's cool sophistication looks particularly well under the right lighting conditions.
Eider White vs Snowbound
Snowbound SW 7004 is often used a trim with Sherwin Williams Eider White walls. It's significantly brighter on the LRV scale, and Eider White has just enough pigment to give it a gentle gray contrast.
Eider White vs Agreeable Gray
Clearly Agreeable Gray SW 7029 has a much deeper color hue and leans harder into the greige category. It's warmer with a brown undertone. Like Repose Gray, Agreeable is not a good choice for small or poorly lit rooms. If you're looking for a gray that's barely there as opposed to "in your face", Eider White could be your answer.
Find even more paint advice
What Are Sherwin Williams Eider White Coordinating Colors?
Eider White walls like being paired with a solid white trim like Snowbound and Extra White. For more contrast, choose shades in the dark charcoal, black, or dark navy range. Sherwin Williams recommends Morris Room Gray SW 0037 and Aqua Sphere SW 7613 for pops of intense color.
The bottom line with Eider White SW 7014 is this: because of the undertones, you will want to test, test and test again. Make absolutely sure it will work in your unique space under your unique lighting conditions before you commit.
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