Skip to content

Behr 2023 Color of the Year Blank Canvas Review (Better Than Swiss Coffee?)

    At first glance, Blank Canvas (Behr’s Color of the Year for 2023) is quite a nice white. At second glance, it seems almost unnecessary in a sea of Behr (and other) whites.

    Swatch of Blank Canvas beside a photo of a textured canvas painted in blank canvas.

    Luckily I will take you for a third glance, and you will see what Blank Canvas brings to the table, and perhaps most importantly, how it compares to the Behr OG: Swiss Coffee.

    This post may contain affiliate links. Should you choose to make a purchase through one of my links, I may receive a small commission at no cost to you. I only recommend products that I use.

    What Color is Behr Blank Canvas (DC-003)

    Blank Canvas is a creamy white with a natural feel:

    Blank Canvas color card on top of a blank Canvas

    I don’t know how else to describe it. It would fit right in with shoes, clothes, or home decor items that are the color “natural.”

    LRV of Behr Blank Canvas

    The LRV of a color indicates on a scale of 0 – 100 how much light a color reflects (or doesn’t reflect). True black has an LRV of 0 and pure white has an LRV of 100.

    In the paint world, we are working in a range of about 3 – 93 because no paint color is purely black or completely white.

    Blank Canvas has an LRV of 84.

    Light Reflectance Value of Blank Canvas marked at 84 on a scale of 0 (black) to 100 (white)

    What does that mean?

    Blank Canvas is on the mid to dark end of white paint colors. It’s approaching off-white territory, but it’s not quite there.

    What Are the Undertones of Blank Canvas?

    I would describe Blank Canvas as having beige undertones. You can see this particularly well when it is next to bright clean whites.

    Occasionally the undertones can veer into peach country.

    Does Blank Canvas Look Yellow?

    Blank Canvas is a creamy white, so it will not look like a clean bright white. I wouldn’t say that it looks particularly yellow, but in certain lights it may look that touch of peach.

    Is Blank Canvas Warm or Cool?

    Blank Canvas Color card with a paint style swipe of the color in the middle

    Blank Canvas is definitely a warm white.

    White paints are most easily chosen in comparison with one another. Blank Canvas will be more neutral than some reallly creamy options, and it is unmistakably creamy next to the whitest or coolest whites.

    How Does Blank Canvas Compare to Swiss Coffee?

    I’ll be totally honest and say that I kind of thought Behr was taking us for a ride with Blank Canvas at first. It is sooo close on paper to Swiss Coffee that I can’t even see the difference.

    Blank Canvas vs Behr Swiss Coffee on paper. Photo of living room

    The RGB of Swiss Coffee is R: 241 G: 237 B: 224

    For Blank Canvas it is R: 241 G: 237 B: 225

    That’s right, it’s a one digit difference.

    So do they just want to recreate their most popular white and promote it like it’s a new color? Not so fast, Behr!

    Then I actually picked up the chips, and I can confirm that there is a slight but visible difference between these two colors, and a welcome difference it is!

    Swiss Coffee and Blank Canvas swatches over a piece of marbled tile to show the difference

    That extra bit of blue does make Blank Canvas slightly more neutral than Swiss Coffee.

    That first pic is probably the best photo that I got of the difference, but I felt like doing the most today, so here are some others that I really fought for:

    Swiss Coffee and Blank Canvas color cards together held up over a white background to show the difference

    This next one is the Swiss Coffee color card with Blank Canvas swatched over it:

    Swiss coffee color card with blank canvas swatched over it

    I hope that helps!

    If you already have Swiss Coffee on your walls, do NOT paint them in Blank Canvas. I’m still not 100% convinced the difference is much at all once it’s painted, so that would be a waste of your money.

    Blank Canvas Color Strip

    Behr doesn’t have Blank Canvas in a light to dark color strip, instead it is in a white collection.

    BlanK canvas color strip by Behr featuring Whipped Cream, Statement White, Blank Canvas, Winter White, Natural White, First Snow, and Crushed Limestone

    The other colors on this strip are:

    • Whipped Cream (DC-001)
    • Statement White (DC-002)
    • Winter White (DC-004)
    • Natural White (DC-005)
    • First Snow (DC-006)

    Lighter Version of Blank Canvas

    Besides Whipped Cream, which isn’t much like Blank Canvas at all, these whites are all in the same LRV range.

    For a lighter alternative to Blank Canvas, try Behr Whisper White. It’s the same tone, just a little lighter.

    Graphic reads "Nail down your neutral color scheme in 60 minutes or less" with an image of the foolproof neutrals ebook. Button below reads "Show me how!"

    Darker Version of Blank Canvas

    For a darker alternative to Blank Canvas, try Behr Quarried Limestone. I put that one on the color strip, and you can see that it’s very similar to Blank Canvas, but it is an off-white.

    Behr Blank Canvas Color Palette

    Behr has a suggested color palette for Blank Canvas that is full of versatile neutrals:

    Behr's suggested Blank Canvas color palette featuring Blank Canvas with Gratifying Gray, Vintage Pewter, Vine Leaf, Midnight Blue, and Cracked Pepper

    Blank Canvas Coordinating Colors

    Vintage Pewter

    Vintage Pewter is a greige paint color that looks great with the warmth of Blank Canvas.

    Blank Canvas Coordinatin Colors Gratifying Gray and Vintage Pewter, with little drops of Blank Canvas on top.

    Gratifying Gray

    Gratifying Gray is a warm gray, but not quite a greige (in my opinion). It will look like a silvery gray with Blank Canvas.

    Vine Leaf

    Vine Leaf is a bold dark green. It’s great if you are looking for a rich emerald tone to go with your luxurious warm white (Blank Canvas of course!).

    Vine Leaf shiplap in a sunroom
    Photo Credit: @boomnerds

    For most people’s taste, Vine Leaf might be a bit too bold, so you may prefer Sherwin Williams Pewter Green or Rosemary better.

    Blank Canvas swatch under swatch of Vine Leaf with a drop of Blank Canvas on the vine leaf card.

    Midnight Blue

    Midnight Blue is what it sounds like, a deep navy. Navy blue with the creamy white of Blank Canvas is a pretty traditional combo. This would be perfect for a Victorian restoration.

    Midnight Blue and cracked pepper each with a drop of Blank Canvas on them.

    Cracked Pepper

    Blank Canvas and Cracked Pepper would be the perfect duo for any Modern Farmhouse color scheme.

    Complementary Color for Blank Canvas

    The “official” complementary color for Blank Canvas (the color directly across the wheel) is a powdery violet-blue.

    Behr Vaguely Violet is a very close match:

    Behr Blank Canvas dollop beside a dollop of Behr Vaguely Violet

    Don’t Forget Your Supplies!

    This little brush might look funny, but it’s my absolute ride or die!

    Rollers like these hold the most paint and make the job faster. Get a metal roller cage for easy on and off.

    DryDex is the fastest (and funnest!) way to make chips and dents disappear. (Make sure you get a small spackling tool that actually fits in the container, and a sanding sponge.)

    This tool will save your back and limit time on a ladder.

    What Trim Colors Go With Behr Blank Canvas?

    On Instagram, Behr offered a customer the following trim suggestions:

    • Palais White
    • Ultra Pure White
    • Spring Valley

    None of these would be my first choice, but let’s take a look:

    Palais White Trim with Blank Canvas

    Palais White is very similar to Blank Canvas. A little too similar, in my opinion, to be used for trim. You could achieve the same amount of contrast by using Blank Canvas in a different sheen. (Which would be my first choice!)

    Palais white swatch laid over Blank Canvas swatch to illustrate how trim would look

    Try instead:

    Blank Canvas with Whisper White Trim

    Whisper White is also very similar in tone to Blank Canvas, but it’s light enough to provide a bit more contrast.

    Whisper white swatch laid over Blank Canvas swatch to illustrate how trim would look

    Ultra Pure White with Blank Canvas

    Ultra Pure White is a nice crisp white, but it will accentuate the creaminess of Blank Canvas. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but I think Ultra Pure White is a touch too cool, and might emphasize any peach tones.

    Ultra Pure white swatch laid over Blank Canvas swatch to illustrate how trim would look

    Try instead:

    Night Blooming Jasmine Trim on Blank Canvas Walls

    Night Blooming Jasmine is a bright white, but it’s a little warmer than Ultra Pure White. That extra warmth keeps Blank Canvas looking more neutral.

    Night Blooming Jasmine swatch laid over Blank Canvas swatch to illustrate how trim would look

    Spring Valley Trim with Blank Canvas

    Spring Valley is a bit out of left field for me! I am intrigued by the idea of using a sage green trim, but I think Spring Valley is quite bright. (Greens almost always looks more green on the wall!)

    Spring Valley swatch laid over Blank Canvas swatch to illustrate how trim would look

    Try instead:

    Sherwin Williams Svelte Sage with Blank Canvas

    Svelte Sage is a toned down sage green that is perfect for trim with creamy white. Here it is with Shoji White.

    Shoji White with Svelte Sage on bedroom wall
    Photo credit: @highlohome

    A recap of your choices:

    Behr Blank Canvas Trim recomendations. Behr recs on left featuring Ultra Pure White, Spring Valley, and Palais White. Right side is mod and mood trim recommendations: Whisper White, and Night Blooming Jasmine.

    Bonus Trim Idea: Sherwin Williams Oyster White

    I spent way too much time fooling around with swatches for this post, so I also had to add Sherwin Williams Oyster White as an unexpected trim choice:

    Oyster White swatch on Blank Canvas swatch to illustrate how trim would look.

    Don’t these colors look amazing together?

    The soft off-white of Oyster White would be a sophisticated look.

    Blank Canvas with Oak or Dark Wood Trim

    Natural creamy whites always look good with wood tones!

    Here is an example photo using Benjamin Moore’s Cloud White:

    Cloud White is more yellow than Blank Canvas, but in that photo it looks more like Blank Canvas than itself!

    Regardless, you can see how nice the warm white looks with dark wood.

    Blank Canvas Dupes

    Not ready to dive into Behr paint? Here are some colors from other brands that will help you get the look:

    Blank Canvas and dupes Cold Foam, Polar White, and Swiss Coffee over a background of a cream and gray abstract oil painting.

    Benjamin Moore Blank Canvas Equivalent

    Behr’s own Swiss Coffee isn’t the only Swiss Coffee that matches Blank Canvas pretty closely! Swiss Coffee happens to be the name of Benjamin Moore’s closest alternative to Blank Canvas.

    Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee (OC-45)

    If Blank Canvas has an orangey-beige base, Benjamin Moore’s Swiss Coffee has a yellowy base.

    This Swiss Coffee is a less saturated color, so it looks closer to Blank Canvas than you might think.

    Benjamin Moore alternative to Blank Canvas: Swiss Coffee, on half of a wall in a living room with Blank Canvas on the other half

    I’m going to use this color in a few of my interior examples to help you picture Blank Canvas where pictures were hard to come by.

    Valspar (Lowe’s) Equivalent to Blank Canvas

    Valspar has a lot of really amazing creamy white options that tend to be pretty neutral. Definitely check out their color selection if you are stuck!

    The closest dupe for Blank Canvas that Valspar offers, is their shade Polar White.

    Valspar Polar White (7003-16)

    Polar White is just a little bit cooler than Blank Canvas.

    Valspar alternative to Blank Canvas: Polar White, on half of a wall in a living room with Blank Canvas on the other half

    Blank Canvas Sherwin Williams Equivalent

    The closest alternative to Blank Canvas that Sherwin Williams offers, is Cold Foam.

    Sherwin Williams Cold Foam (SW 9504)

    I had not looked at Cold Foam prior to working on this review, and I have to say it is a very promising white!

    Sherwin Williams alternative to Blank Canvas: Cold Foam, on half of a wall in a living room with Blank Canvas on the other half

    Cold Foam is just a little lighter than Blank Canvas.

    Honorable Mention: Sherwin Williams Alabaster

    Alabaster is probably Sherwin Williams most popular whites of all time, and it is very similar to Blank Canvas.

    Behr color of the year blank canvas vs Sherwin Williams Alabaster on a wall behind a floating desk and a round mirror

    Alabaster is a bit darker and more gray than Blank Canvas, but it’s still a rock solid alternative.

    Alabaster Swatch beside Blank Canvas swatch

    Of course I have a whole post for Alabaster! : Luxurious Alabaster: Sherwin Williams Classic White Review (and Dupes!)

    Behr Blank Canvas Home Interior

    Blank Canvas is still a bit hard to find real life photos of. Here is a combination of rooms featuring Blank Canvas dupes, and some that I put together myself with a real photo of Blank Canvas for the background.

    Behr Blank Canvas on Living Room Walls

    First up we have an example of Blank Canvas in an all-white living room:

    Blank Canvas on textured walls in a white living room with white sofa and white flooring

    You can see that it may occasionally flash a peachy undertone, but we are generally getting neutral vibes.

    Blank Canvas walls faded into the background behind a living room sofa in mustard

    Blank Canvas in a Dining Room

    In lower light, like in this dining room, Blank Canvas will look more off-white.

    Dining Room with textured Blank Canvas walls behind mid century oak furniture

    Behr Blank Canvas Inspired Bedroom

    This bedroom is actually Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee, but in softer light this is very much how Blank Canvas would look:

    Behr Blank Canvas inspired bedroom in Benjamin moore Swiss Coffee with a retro single iron bed
    Photo Credit: @la_chaffin

    Blank Canvas would probably look a touch more beige than this.

    Blank Canvas in a Bathroom

    This bathroom is SW Alabaster, but if you recall, Alabaster is darker, so I thought this was a great way to show how white Blank Canvas can look:

    Sherwin Williams shade Alabaster, similar to Behr blank canvas, in a bathroom with white vanity, fun tiled floor, and a black framed mirror above the white sink
    Photo Credit: @in_vest_homes

    Behr Blank Canvas on Kitchen Cabinets

    Here is how Blank Canvas would look in an all-white kitchen:

    Two toned Alabaster and Natural Wood Cabinets in a spectacular white kitchen with waterfall marble over the island.
    SW Alabaster – Photo Credit: @spacedesignokc

    Blank Canvas on Your Exterior

    I’m sure very soon I will have lots more Blank Canvas photos to share. In the meantime, here are a couple more “inspired by” photos to help you picture it.

    Blank Canvas similar shade Alabaster on front porch siding
    SW Alabaster – Photo Credit: @houseintheboro

    This next photo is a dead ringer for Blank Canvas. It is Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee, but it looks more beige than usual (therefore more like Blank Canvas!).

    Benjamin Moore Blank Canvas Dupe Swiss Coffee Exterior trim
    Ben Moore Swiss Coffee Trim – Photo Credit: @Word_of_mouth_painting

    Blank Canvas Compared to Other White Paint Colors

    We’ve seen the dupes, but how does Blank Canvas stack up against other popular whites?

    Behr Blank Canvas vs Behr Polar Bear (75)

    Polar Bear is one of Behr’s more popular whites. It looks like a lighter version of Blank Canvas, but it is actually a bit cooler too.

    Polar Bear Swatch over Blank Canvas swatch with a swipe of Blank Canvas on the Polar Bear swatch

    Still very much a soft white.

    Behr Blank Canvas vs Benjamin Moore White Dove (OC-17 )

    While White Dove is another warm creamy white, it is cooler and more gray than Blank Canvas, which makes it more neutral.

    Did I take 1001 photos to try and capture the contrast? Absolutely I did.

    Here is the best one:

    Blank Canvas swatch with a swipe of White Dove over top

    The difference was a bit more obvious in real life, but I did my best.

    Behr Blank Canvas vs Sherwin Williams Pure White (SW 7005)

    Pure White is a soft white, but it reads very much like a true white, where Blank Canvas does not.

    Alabaster and Pure White Swatches with Blank Canvas swatch

    Blank Canvas Pros & Cons

    Allow me to make a quick summary:

    Pros

    • A soft white that goes with a wide variety of other colors
    • Both light enough and colorful enough to use in your whole home
    • Great choice for a white exterior
    • A pretty good alternative to the infinitely popular Sherwin Williams Alabaster
    Behr Blank Canvas Swatch over a background of a white art room

    Cons

    • Not a white white
    • You will either love or hate the subtle peachy undertone
    • So classic that it’s potentially a bit boring

    Not sold? I have sooo much more:

    Paintbrush swipe swatch of Sherwin Williams Greek Villa
    Sherwin WIlliams white flour on a paint lid on a floured butcher block surface.
    Swiss Coffee paint color swatches with only their LRV's marked on them, over a background of a latte on a table surrounded by plants