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.
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:
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.
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:
Here is a quick comparison of that undertone with those of other popular whites like Snowbound or Greek Villa:
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!
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:
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):
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!
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:
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:
This kitchen incorporates practically every tip for making Dover White more white (and it does look fairly white) but its still creamy.
- It is the only white,
- The counters and backsplash are warm
- The lower cabinets are a very dark color
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:
In this kitchen by Chameleon Painting (@chameleon_painting) Dover White again looks very close to white, but subtley creamy:
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) :
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:
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!)
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:
The cool teal color of the backsplash emphasizes the warm undertones of Dover White.
Here is looks a bit more standard creamy:
And again very warm here, but I do think the photo has been edited slightly:
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:
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:
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:
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.
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.
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: