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7 Kitchens that Wow with Sherwin Williams Dover White on Cabinets

    Sherwin Williams Dover White would best be described as an “antique white.” It has the yellow and amber undertones of aged lace or paper, and is a favorite for creamy white kitchen cabinets.

    Sherwin Williams Dover White swatch with a photo of the same color on cabinets
    Background photo by: @cozymountaincottage

    Here we will take a look at Dover White in real life kitchens, and see all the different looks and undertones that this color can have!

    When to Choose Dover White for Cabinets (LRV & Undertones)

    Dover White is technically a true white paint color because it has an LRV of 84. Here is a chart that shows the approximate line between white and off white colors:

    LRV Chart showing Dover White at 83 along with other white and off white paint colors. Lines indicate that colors above approximately 82 LRV are considered white, and colors between 70 and 82 are off white. Background photo is the white cliffs of Dover.

    HOWEVER! This color has a very strong undertone, so it shouldn’t be your choice if you want a color that reads “white.”

    In my opinion, Dover White most often reads like a creamy off white, rather than a true white, and it has yellow to peach undertones.

    Dover White swatched above the hex chart for the color, above a photo of Dover White on kitchen cabinets.
    Photo by: @jacquelines.fresh.coat

    I don’t personally find that Dover White ever looks gray or beige, which is very common in creamy whites. (One exception later in this post!) So if you want to avoid that look, Dover White might just be perfect!

    Here is a good look at the “standard” undertones in Dover White on kitchen cabinets:

    Dover White on kitchen cabinets showing a strong yellowy peach undertones.
    Photo Credit: @cozymountaincottage

    Here is a quick comparison of that undertone with those of other popular whites like Snowbound or Greek Villa:

    Snowbound, Alabaster, Pure White, and Greek Villa all swatched adjacent to Dover White in order to compare undertones of Sherwin Williams whites.

    You can see that Dover White appears darker because it’s so much more saturated.

    Dover White in Real Life Kitchens

    Now that we have covered the basics of Dover White, let’s see it in action!

    Swatch of Dover White in a Dover White kitchen with teal backsplash.
    Background photo by @Heather_homes

    Dover White Where it Looks White

    Let’s start with the absolute whitest that Dover White will ever look!

    I would say that this photo has definitely been brightened, so bear that in mind. You can kind of see that the top left corner is a little bit blown out:

    Dover White where it looks white on lower cabinets with open shelves above and neutral walls
    Photo Credit: @cozymountaincottage

    Cindy (@cozymountaincottage) chose Dover White for the cabinets in her kitchen, when she took on the big job of refinishing them herself! We will see more from her kitchen in just a moment, but this is the only picture where they look very white.

    Next we have a picture from JFC Walls (@jacquelines.fresh.coat):

    Dover White on kitchen cabinets with a dark island and warm wood floors
    Photo Credit: @jaquelines.fresh.coat

    Contrasted against the black of the island and hood vent, Dover White definitely looks its most white.

    Tips for making Dover White lean more white on your cabinets:

    • Use it as the only white. Don’t pair it with white countertops or a white apron sink, and don’t have it too close to any true white trim.
    • Pair it with warm colors. In the first photo you can see that the walls are also creamy, but darker. This will help Dover White look more white.
    • Contrast it with dark colors. Using Dover White as a white and mixing it with deep charcoals, browns, or black, will help it look more white.

    At the end of the day, I still say “lean more white” because this isn’t the right color for a truly white cabinet look. (But you probably know that if you’re still here!)

    Times Where Dover White Looks Creamy

    First let’s quantify creamy: These are all the times that Dover White looks warm, but not necessarily yellow or peach. Just creamy!

    Sherwin Williams Dover White on both upper and lower cabinets in a kitchen with country decor and stainless steel appliances.
    Photo Credit: @cozymountaincottage

    Back at Cindy’s cozy cottage, we get to see the rest of her cabinets! I think these photos are still brightened some, but the color is pretty accurate. The wall color is similar to Sherwin Williams Natural Choice or Benjamin Moore Dove Wing.

    This next one is right on the line between looking creamy and a bit yellow:

    Sherwin Williams Dover White on both upper and lower cabinets in a kitchen with country decor and stainless steel appliances. A white dog lays on a mat below the sink.
    Photo Credit: @cozymountaincottage

    Always match your cabinets to your pup!

    Moving on to this kitchen by @love.where.you.live.interiors, we see Dover White on the upper cabinets, and the dark charcoal of Sherwin Williams Iron Ore on the lowers:

    Dover White on upper cabinets with Iron Ore lowers.
    Photo Credit: @love.where.you.live.interiors

    This kitchen incorporates practically every tip for making Dover White more white (and it does look fairly white) but its still creamy.

    1. It is the only white,
    2. The counters and backsplash are warm
    3. The lower cabinets are a very dark color
    Sherwin Williams Dover White on upper cabinets around a very large kitchen with Iron Ore lowers and Island and very light floors.
    Photo Credit: @love.where.you.live.interiors

    In this final shot from this particular kitchen, the cabinets look a little more peach/yellow, but it’s pretty clear that is from the warm artificial lighting:

    Dover White on upper cabinets with Iron Ore lowers and a stainless steel fridge.
    Photo Credit: @love.where.you.live.interiors

    In this kitchen by Chameleon Painting (@chameleon_painting) Dover White again looks very close to white, but subtley creamy:

    Dover White on kitchen cabinets where it looks creamy white with warm neutral countertops, backsplash, and tile floors.
    Photo Credit: @chameleon_painting

    Stay tuned for a slightly different look in this kitchen!

    Times Where Dover White Looks Yellow or Peach

    I wanted to show the yellow and peach undertones of Dover White separate in this post, but the truth is that there is a very fine line between the two. So here we will look at all of the times that Dover White has a strong warm undertone (be it peach or yellow) :

    Sherwin Willams Dover White where it looks warm and creamy on all of the cabinets in a kitchen.
    Photo Credit: @chameleon_painting

    Here is that kitchen by Chameleon Painting again. The one we just looked at, where Dover White looked pretty white! I would say that this photo is a pretty typical look for Dover White.

    Next let’s see Dover White where it definitely leans more yellow:

    Dover White looking yellow in a kitchen with blue walls
    Photo Credit: @pennyhainer

    You may be able to guess the reason for this, here in Penny’s (@pennyhainer) kitchen, but I’ll give you a second… (And a second look!)

    Dover White looking more yellow and peach under a blue wall on upper cabinets in a kitchen.
    Photo Credit: @pennyhainer

    Blue/purple and orange/yellow are opposite on the color wheel, so the peri-leaning blue on the wall is emphasizing the undertones of Dover White.

    There is a similar effect in this kitchen by Heather (@heather_homes) but the photo definitely has the warmth cranked up a bit:

    Dover White on kitchen cabinets with teal tile backsplash and warm wood floors
    Photo Credit: @heather_homes

    The cool teal color of the backsplash emphasizes the warm undertones of Dover White.

    Here is looks a bit more standard creamy:

    Sherwin Williams Dover White on kitchen cabinets with a saturated teal backsplash and darker wood floors
    Photo Credit: @heather_homes
    Photo Credit: @heather_homes

    And again very warm here, but I do think the photo has been edited slightly:

    Swatch of Sherwin Williams Dover White below a photo of that color on kitchen cabinets with a creamy white archway opening into the kitchen
    Photo Credit: @heather_homes

    Times Where Dover White Looks Greige (?)

    Okay, okay, this is a very specific category, but I wanted to share this photo somehow, because I feel like Dover White looks quite different:

    Dover White on kitchen cabinets where it looks neutral greige with maybe a slight hint of peach undertone
    Photo Credit: @angiestithdesigns

    I’m not even sure what to call this. It’s not exactly cream, but it’s not any other color either. Maybe a beigey off-white? I am still peeping a slightly peach undertone here.

    Alternatives to Dover White for Kitchen Cabinets

    If Dover White isn’t quite doing it after all of that, you might like these alternatives:

    Dover White alternatives for kitchen cabinets includes swatches of Dover White, Behr Swiss Coffee, Dove White, Seapearl, and Alabaster.

    These aren’t dupes for Dover White, but rather similar colors that you could consider instead.

    Benjamin Moore Seapearl

    Seapearl is a creamy off white that is darker than Dover White, but more neutral:

    You will like this if you like Dover White but want less undertone.

    Behr Swiss Coffee

    Not to be confused with any of the other brands of Swiss Coffee, the Behr shade is pretty similar to Dover White, but a little lighter and a hair cooler:

    Behr Swiss Coffee in a games room with Behr Nightclub black on the ceiling and top 1/4 of the wall
    Photo Credit: @nest_on_nightingale

    This color would be great if you like the general color of Dover White, but would like it to appear just a little bit more white. This color does have slightly more yellow undertone, rather than yellow/peach.

    Valspar Dove White

    Dove White by Valspar is also a touch lighter than Dover White, but has a slightly closer undertone than Swiss Coffee does.

    Swatch of Valspar Dove White amongst a flat lay of other creamy white and neutral objects.

    This color usually leans a bit more peach than yellow.

    Sherwin Williams Alabaster

    Alabaster is technically a hair darker than Dover White, but it is a pinch more neutral, so it tends to read white just a bit more often.

    Alabaster on kitchen cabinets in a spacious kitchen with natural stone floors and countertops.
    Photo Credit: @grcabinetpainting

    All that being said, Alabaster is Sherwin Williams OG creamy white, and if you like Dover White, I would almost guarantee that you will like Alabaster.

    Thank you so much for reading until the end, that really helps my blog! Haven’t found the perfect white? Try these:

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