Sherwin Williams Greek Villa (and Dupes!)

Sherwin Williams Greek Villa is a creamy but often overlooked white paint color. I personally love the subtle beige undertone, as well as it’s ability to read like a true white.

Here we will discuss all things Greek Villa, see it in real homes, and look at some dupes from other brands.

Colored dot of Greek villa over a background photo of a greek village

What Color is Greek Villa?

Sherwin Williams Greek Villa is a creamy white paint color that toes the line of white and off-white. It’s a great example of what people would call “farmhouse white.”

Paintbrush swipe swatch of Sherwin Williams Greek Villa

What is the LRV of Greek Villa?

The LRV of Greek Villa is 84.

Greek Villa plotted at 84 on an LRV chart over a background of a white Villa in Greece.

What does that even mean?

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.

For reference, the whitest white that Sherwin Williams makes is High Reflective White, and that has an LRV of 93. (Which might be the whitest on the market!)

Despite being creamy, Greek Villa is technically still a true white paint color. Most people consider an LRV of 82+ to be white and not off-white.

Greek Villa plotted at 84 on an LRV chart of only white and off whites. Alabaster is plotted at 82 and Shoji White at 72. Background photo is the blue sea.

I will say that in real life Greek Villa doesn’t always read “white.” On exteriors in particular, it appears creamy more often than not.

Greek Villa on the porch of a farmhouse with wood porch ceiling — Photo credit: @zebuhill

If you want a clean pure white, I wouldn’t choose Greek Villa. If you want a soft white, it’s definitely a contender!

What Are the Undertones of Greek Villa?

Greek Villa has fairly strong beige undertones. In a scenario where it is the only white (walls, ceilings, trim, etc.) it can look like a true white.

Large rectangular swatch of Greek Villa beside a small hex chart of the same, over a background of Santorini

More often it looks subtley creamy.

Here is an example where I find the undertones to be very typical of Greek Villa:

Sherwin Williams Greek Villa on bathroom walls above SW Jasper wainscoting, with a watercolor print hung on the wall. — Photo Credit: @livingthatlakelife

For the most part Greek Villa doesn’t look too yellow, but in straight natural lighting – especially on exteriors – it can look a touch yellow/cream.

Greek Villa color card with 7 other popular whites

Is Greek Villa Warm or Cool?

Greek Villa is a warm white paint color, but it generally comes off pretty neutral.

Is Greek Villa Too White?

Greek Villa would never be considered “too white” unless you are looking for a true off white. It’s nowhere near being a bright white, and is not stark at all.

Is Greek Villa a Greige?

Greek Villa isn’t greige because it really isn’t gray at all. It’s closer to being a very light shade of beige/tan.

Greek villa in a hallway with a black banister — Photo credit: @houseof.shaw

What White Paint Goes With Greek Villa?

Everybody has their opinion on what color is best for trim and doors, but I always favor a bright white. I don’t like my trim to be a “color.” For that reason, I always choose a color like High Reflective White.

Greek Villa is a little tricky, because a bright white will create more contrast and you will really notice that it’s an off-white.

If you are using Greek Villa and you want it to look white, your first choice should probably be…Greek Villa! If you want a subtle contrast, choose it in a different sheen.

Greek Villa in a light and airy living room with lots of windows — Photo credit: @verygoodpaintingllc

In this living room, the fellas from Very Good Painting used exclusively Greek Villa in different finishes. The wallls are eggshell, ceiling is flat, and the trim is satin.

you could also try Sherwin Williams Pure White. Pure White is actually far from a “pure white” and has the same LRV as Greek Villa, just in a different tone.

Because anything worth doing is worth overdoing, I tried out a few colors to see what works well.

Greek Villa on a living room wall with different trim colors superimposed on top.

Sherwin Williams White Snow could be the perfect white to contrast with Greek Villa while still allowing it to be white.

(Sorry for the potato quality photos! It’s a sacrifice we have to make to have a fast site, and I know you don’t have all day!)

For myself, I love the Benjamin Moore color Chantilly Lace. It has an LRV way up there at 92.2 and is a very neutral white. However, it will make Greek Villa look cream.

Greek Villa for Your Home’s Exterior

Allow me to take you on a journey to Zebu Hill Farmhouse, the place that will really sell you on Greek Villa.

First let’s take a look at Greek Villa on the exterior where it looks fairly white:

Zebu Hill Farmhouse in Greek Villa — Photo credit: @zebuhill

Beautiful!

Now to show how the color can shift, let’s look at a couple more of the same house and barn:

A barn painted in Greek Villa — Photo credit: @zebuhill

Greek Villa on the exterior of a farmhouse — Photo credit: @zebuhill

You can see how on an overcast day, the color looks significantly less “white.”

Greek Villa does the same thing in the winter when a house is surrounded by snow.

I still think it looks quite nice, but it’s by no means a bright white. If you want to trick the eye, consider using black trim.

Greek villa on a porch with a wood ceiling and hanging light — Photo credit: @zebuhill

Greek Villa in the Living Room

You already saw that gorgeous all-white, all-Greek-Villa, living room earlier, but the Zebu Hill Farmhouse did the same!

Here is their living room:

Greek Villa in living room with high vaulted ceiling — Photo credit: @zebuhill

Greek Villa Whole Home

Greek Villa is a great white choice for your whole home, and they really went for it! Exterior and interior.

Here is a gorgeous Greek Villa foyer:

A beautiful arched foyer painted in Greek Villa. — Photo credit: @zebuhill

I mean…DROOL!

Greek Villa Kitchen

Still up on Zebu Hill, here is their kitchen:

Greek Villa in a new kitchen with wood floors — Photo credit: @zebuhill

Greek Villa Bathroom

Moving away from Zebu Hill now, to the home of Emily from @sage_therapeutic_designs.

She used Greek Villa in her bathroom:

Greek Villa on Bathroom walls — Photo credit: @sage_therapeutic_designs

I love it with the green!

Greek Villa Color Palette

I had fun making a Greece inspired color palette for this shade!

Color palette for Greek Villa features Greek Villa with swatches of coordinating colors Venetian Portico, Salty Dog, Sea Salt, and Pale Smoke over a background of a small street on a Greek island.

Coordinating Colors for Greek Villa

Here are some dreamy Greece-inspired coordinating colors that you can use with Greek Villa:

Benjamin Moore Venetian Portico (AF-185)

Venetian Portico is a terracotta-leaning beige color that is super underrated. I feel like blushy beiges might be seeing a comeback soon, so this color would be perfect to pair with Greek Villa. It’s both neutral and trendy!

Swatch of Greek Villa beside a swatch of coordinating color Venetian Portico.

Benjamin Moore Pale Smoke (1584)

The soft dusty blue of Pale Smoke is a perfect complement to the warm undertone of Greek Villa.

Swatch of Greek Villa beside a swatch of coordinating color Pale Smoke.

Sherwin Williams Salty Dog (SW 9177)

For a bolder blue complement to Greek Villa, you might like the ultra-saturated navy of Salty Dog:

Swatch of Greek Villa beside a swatch of coordinating color Salty Dog

In the swatch it doesn’t read nearly as bright and bold as it does in real life! For a more subdued navy, try Benjamin Moore Hale Navy or Sherwin Williams Naval.

Sherwin Williams Sea Salt (SW 6204)

Sea Salt is the most neutral green that ever was! This whole home color is as beige as a beachy sea glass color can get!

Swatch of Greek Villa beside a swatch of coordinating color Sea Salt.

This one would work very well with the creamy natural vibe of Greek Villa.

Greek Villa vs Alabaster

Sherwin Williams Greek Villa and Sherwin Williams Alabaster are very similar colors.

I actually wrote a whole post comparing these two in all different scenarios: Greek Villa vs Alabaster (Sherwin Williams Favorite White Paints!)

Here is a real look of a side by side:

Greek Villa vs Alabaster vs Natural — Photo credit: @figandelmhome

How helpful is that comparison photo??

I was majorly geeking out when Seth and Carlyne from @figandelmhome posted it, and they very graciously allowed me to use it. Ultimately, they went with Alabaster for their home.

(“Natural” is SW Natural White)

It is actually easier to see the difference from further away, so shrink the photo or back up to get the best idea.

Is Greek Villa or Alabaster More White?

I would say that Greek Villa and Alabaster are the same “white” as each other.

Technically the LRV of Greek Villa is 2 points higher, so it should be lighter, but because Alabaster has less color to it, they read about the same.

In fact, people often choose Alabaster for trim, and I haven’t seen anybody using Greek Villa for that – except where they have also used it on the walls.

Alabaster vs Greek Villa on a color strip of other whites

I was curious and tried Greek Villa with Alabaster for trim, and there was really no contrast between the two. Especially when trim is on a different plane than the walls, the color difference would be lost.

For anyone trying to choose between the two, pick Alabaster for less “color” and Greek Villa for a touch more creaminess. For a whiter white, pick something else completely.

Greek Villa vs White Dove

Benjamin Moore’s White Dove is a popular warm white with an LRV of 83.2. It’s a little lighter than Greek Villa’s 82.

White Dove is also slightly more yellow (where Greek Villa is in the orange family) and it is a little more muted.

White Dove vs Greek Villa on a color strip of other whites

White Dove is a bit more similar to Snowbound than it is to Greek Villa.

Greek Villa vs Snowbound

Sherwin Williams Snowbound is one of my favorite white paint colors!

The contrast between Greek Villa and Snowbound is not enough to choose Snowbound as a trim color, but it’s enough for me to choose a fave!

Snowbound vs Greek Villa on a color strip of other whites

Snowbound has more red in it, but it comes off as more neutral than Greek Villa. The LRV of Snowbound is an 83, so it’s barely lighter than Greek Villa, but it is more gray.

Snowbound has a “je ne sais quois,” an ambiguous something special where it is most definitely white, but somehow soft.

Greek Villa vs Cloud White

Benjamin Moore’s Cloud White is a very popular color for trim. It has an LRV of 87.3, so it is lighter than Greek Villa. It is also a straight yellow white, and not really orange or gray at all.

Cloud White vs Greek Villa on a color strip of other whites

Cloud White has a lot of fans, but I’m not one of them.

While it is light and bright, Cloud White looks like a buttery white to me, and yellows are not my favorite. If you want something that is creamy with a pale yellow tone, then you will like Cloud White.

Don’t let me sway your opinion, Cloud White has a whole fan club! I just have different taste.

Greek Villa vs Pure White

I mentioned Sherwin Williams Pure White briefly under trim choices. It has the same LRV as Greek Villa, but looks more white because it is actually more gray. Meaning, it has less “color” in it.

If Greek Villa is just about perfect, but you’re worried about it looking yellow, give Pure White a shot!

Greek Villa vs Shoji White

Sherwin Williams Shoji White has an LRV of 74, compared to Greek Villa’s 82, so it is a fair bit darker. It is also more red-toned. Shoji White is a pale tan beige, and not really a white.

Shoji White vs Greek Villa on a color strip of other whites

Greek Villa vs Dover White

Sherwin Williams Dover White is slightly more orange and slightly darker than Greek Villa. It is also a little more saturated.

Dover White vs Greek Villa on a color strip of other whites

Side-by-side I’m surprised they contrast as much as they do. Dover White still has an LRV of 83.

I feel Dover White looks a LOT more yellow than Greek Villa, but it is still an orange white.

Dupes for Sherwin Williams Greek Villa

Can’t make it to a Sherwin Williams store? Here are dupes for Greek Villa that you can get at Lowe’s, Home Depot, or Benjamin Moore:

Swatches of Greek Villa and it's dupes Arcade White, Swiss Coffee, and Creme Fraiche, over a background of an alleyway with whitewashed buildings and creeping vines of pink flowers.

Benjamin Moore Greek Villa Equivalent

The closest match for Greek Villa from Benjamin Moore is their shade Swiss Coffee.

Swiss Coffee is a creamy white, and one of Benjamin Moore’s best sellers.

Greek Villa vs Swiss Coffee

Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee has an LRV of 83.93 compared to Greek Villa’s 84, so the lightness difference is negligible. The only real difference between these two is that Swiss Coffee is a teeny tiny bit more yellow.

This is not the only Swiss Coffee on the market, so if you’re confused check out my post: Swiss Coffee Paint Colors Compared (Are They All the Same?)

Greek Villa Valspar Equivalent

From Valspar, the best color match for SW Greek Villa is Creme Fraiche.

Valspar Creme Fraiche is a nearly perfect equivalent for Greek Villa.

Greek Villa vs Creme Fraiche

The only discernible difference between Greek Villa and Creme Fraiche is that Creme Fresh only has an LRV of 83.4 to Greek Villa’s 84. Other than that the colors are very much the same.

See what I mean? Dupe!

Behr Greek Villa Equivalent

The closest thing to a Behr version of Greek Villa is the color Arcade White:

So, what’s the difference?

Greek Villa vs Arcade White

Arcade White has an LRV of 83, so one point lower than Greek Villa. It is also more yellow, and less saturated. As a result, it looks a touch more gray than Greek Villa.

I was surprised with how yellow Arcade White technically is, but regardless, these two look pretty darn close!

Here are all of these dupes again:

Swatches of Greek Villa and it's dupes Arcade White, Swiss Coffee, and Creme Fraiche, over a background of Greek Villa with a sketch of an archway and flowers.

Greek Villa Final Thoughts

I think we should boycott colors with fun trip names just for now, because every time I hear “Greek Villa” I want to go on vacation!

To recap: You can use Greek Villa as a soft white for your exterior, interior, cabinets, and more.

Just remember:

Check out what it does in your lighting (because whites are sneaky)
It will probably look creamy outside

That’s all for my deep dive on Sherwin Williams Greek Villa!

Not the white for you? Try Valspar Cream in my Coffee, or one of these other whites:

Sherwin Williams whitetail swatched on a color card along with many whites from other brands, above a picture of a white panelled kitchen with wood dining furniture.

Link to Behr Diamonds Therapy post. Graphic Reads Diamond White, above the alternatives to Diamonds THerapy, under a picture of diamonds.

Sherwin Williams White Flour surrounded by baking items