I have reviewed quite a few creamy white paint colors lately, which inevitably leads me to discovering more of the same!
Sherwin Williams Shoji White isn’t exactly “white” but it is a creamy and versatile color that you could use in your whole home.
Here you will see Shoji White in real homes, discover some dupes, and see it in comparison to other popular white paint colors.
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What Color is Sherwin Williams Shoji White (SW 7042)
Shoji White is a creamy very pale shade of beige. It can sometimes look close to white, but it is not greige!
Should it bother me so much that people are saying it’s greige? Probably not.
I don’t actually care if Shoji White is technically a greige (it’s not), it doesn’t look greige EVER, and that’s what matters.
If you are looking for a soft greige, you would be upset if you tried Shoji White. There is nothing gray about it.
(More on that in just a moment.)
If you are wondering what “shoji” is, it is apparently Japanese paper screens. Like those room dividers that you see sometimes.
What Are the Undertones of SW Shoji White
Shoji White is in the orange color family, so it has creamy beige undertones.
I hate to say it, but I have seen it looking a little pinkish or peach on occasion, so you will definitely want to vet it thoroughly in your home, and in your lighting.
(I haven’t seen it often, I only noticed in a couple of photos, and you know how IG is with the filters!)
On exteriors, I wouldn’t say that it ever looks pink or even beige. It looks creamy white.
Shoji White almost never looks yellow, which I think makes it easier to use.
Is Shoji White Warm or Cool
Shoji White is definitely warm. Sherwin Williams even has it in their “Warm Whites” collection.
There might be situations where Shoji White looks pretty neutral, but I would say it typically looks warm.
LRV of Sherwin Williams Shoji White
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.
The LRV of Shoji White is 74.
True white paint colors usually have an LRV of about 84 or higher. Off-whites will have an LRV below 84.
At 74 Shoji White is in the darker off-white arena, bordering on beige/tan.
To put it fully into perspective, Accessible Beige is a popular whole home paint color that doesn’t seem very dark, and it has an LRV of 58. So Shoji White is still pretty light in comparison.
Sherwin Williams Shoji White Color Strip
I think where people get caught up and call Shoji White a greige, is because the rest of it’s color strip is pretty greige.
One shade darker than Shoji White on the same strip is Worldly Gray, followed by Amazing Gray. It would make sense to assume that Shoji White is a lighter version of Worldly Gray:
The problem with this, is that Worldly Gray and Amazing Gray are on the same plane, but Shoji White is not at all.
I feel like you can plainly see that Shoji White is warmer than those grays, but bear with me as I pretend to be a data scientist! :
You can see that Shoji White is in beige territory, and doesn’t carry on the trend of the next two colors on the swatch. It is well off the line of gray-beige.
I’m not sure why Sherwin Williams has Shoji White where it is. The colors definitely still work together, so maybe that’s why?
Even when you look at the Accessible Beige color strip beside the Shoji White color strip, you can see that Shoji White would fit better there:
Here are the color cards with Aesthetic White and Shoji White reversed:
Better right?
The point is, trust your eyes!
In a final compulsion, I plotted Shoji White, Accessible Beige, and Balanced Beige on an orange hex chart.
Here is the result:
They don’t line up perfectly, but it’s a heck of a lot better than with the greiges!
Shoji White One Shade Lighter – White Flour SW 7102
Sherwin Williams doesn’t go lighter than Shoji White on that color strip, which I probably wouldn’t trust anyways!
I manually tested a bunch of popular creamy whites, and I think that Sherwin Williams White Flour is pretty close to a lighter version of Shoji White.
Shoji White One Shade Darker – Taupe of the Morning SW
We talked a little bit about it already, but Accessible Beige should probably be the next color on the same card as Shoji White.
However, with Accessible Beige having an LRV of 58, there is still room for another option between Accessible Beige and Shoji White’s LRV of 74.
Sherwin Williams Taupe of the Morning has an LRV of 65, so it fits perfectly between Shoji White and Accessible Beige. It is also in the same general “orange” family.
Taupe of the Morning does look a touch cooler to me, but the other options were significantly more orange or more yellow, so this is the color I settled with.
Shoji White Coordinating Color Palette
Shoji White Coordinating Colors
Shoji White looks really great with Tricorn Black if you are going for a “modern farmhouse” color scheme.
Sherwin Williams Clary Sage is a nice complement to any creamy white, and Accessible Beige rounds out the palette with a monochromatic addition.
White paint colors are hard to build palettes for because a lot of colors would look good with them, so who am I to tell you what to do?
I haven’t really seen Shoji White in any colorful homes. It is almost always Shoji White everything with accents of black.
Here is a picture of Shoji White paired with Sherwin Williams Svelte Sage:
Shoji White Complementary Colors
Like all orangey-whites, the official complementary color is a soft blue. For Shoji White, it borders on periwinkle.
I chose Sherwin Williams Breathtaking, because that is bang on for being the “right” complementary color according to the color wheel. For a more subtle version, try Sherwin Williams Wishful Blue.
In this living room Shoji White has been complemented with lots of blue accents and dark brown tones:
What White Paint Goes With Sherwin Williams Shoji White?
The best white paint for trim and doors with Shoji White totally depends on your goal.
If you want Shoji White to look as white as possible, use it on everything, including the trim, ceilings, and doors.
This is the whitest that I have seen Shoji White looking, and Piper used it everywhere, including the ceilings:
Piper chose Sherwin Williams Black Magic for the black in her home.
If you are too nervous to put Shoji White everywhere, but you do want it to still look white, choose a creamy white like Greek Villa or Alabaster.
For a bit of a compromise, Snowbound could be a good option.
If you want your trim and doors to pop, choose something like Sherwin Williams High Reflective White, or Behr Ultra Pure White.
This will make Shoji White look like a soft tan or beige color though, and not cream or white. So be mindful of that!
Here is Shoji White on the walls, with Sherwin Williams Extra White for the trim:
It’s almost hard to believe that’s the same color as the photo above. Shoji White is such a chameleon!
You will probably want to experiment with a couple different trim colors before you commit, because the right white pairing will be crucial for getting Shoji White to look how you want it too.
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.
Sherwin Williams Shoji White Cabinets
Besides green, warm neutrals are super hot for cabinets right now. Shoji White does the job well!
Let me take you to a kitchen by our friends from @oakstorydesign. Look away if you don’t want to drool!
You can really see here how Shoji White looks cream with a hint of beige, but it isn’t yellow at all.
If you want Shoji White to look fairly white, like it does on these cabinets, your kitchen will need to have lots of natural light.
By using black handles and pulls, Oak Story Design kept the contrast as high as possible. The creamy white tiles tie in well with Shoji White, in a way that bright white tile would not.
The gray green of Sherwin Williams Retreat looks great with Shoji White!
Not to be an agent of chaos, but here is Shoji White where it does look a tiny bit peach or pink:
If instead of white, you want to bring out the warm beige color of Shoji White on your cabinets, try using brass or gold hardware, and paint your walls a brighter white.
Updating Existing Cabinets with Shoji White
It’s not super hard to make brand new cabinets look amazing, so I was delighted to find these dated oak cabinets refinished in Shoji White by @farmhouse.chic!
This kitchen makes me think English countryside.
Here is another shot:
I wouldn’t personally use Shoji White with stark white appliances, but it looks beautiful with the butcher block countertops.
Sherwin Williams Shoji White Exterior
Shoji White is a much better color for exteriors than I thought it would be!
Here I have collected several examples of different exteriors in this creamy color.
Shoji White Brick Exterior
Here is a brick home painted with Shoji White:
Definitely creamy, but it doesn’t look as beige as it can inside.
Shoji White Siding
Now to the beautiful home of Samantha (@samanthamaree.conner).
Samantha and her husband built their house, and chose Shoji White to finish off the cedar and brick exterior.
The door color is Sherwin Williams Black Magic.
Here is another angle:
I do think Samantha has a warm filter on her photos, so Shoji White should not have those areas that look a little orange in the pictures.
Here is one final look. I think the color is more accurate here, but none are super far off:
Shoji White on Vinyl Exterior Siding
Here is one last exterior in Shoji White.
Jeanette from @offthecuffhome used Shoji White on the Siding for her dormers, and Sherwin Williams Greenblack on the trim.
(You can read about Greenblack in my post about Dark Green Paint Colors)
This combination looks great in the curated jungle of her yard.
Shoji White Interior Paint Color
For the rest of the home, let’s take a look at a truly spectacular build by Brandi (@brandandie36).
I already shared a couple of Brandi’s photos near the beginning of this post, when we looked at what color Shoji White really is. Now there is plenty more where that came from!
Shoji White Living Room
Here is what we will call the great room, because I mean…it’s pretty great!
This is the kind of house that could sell me any color, to be honest.
You can see that Brandi did end up choosing a whiter white for her trim. I found it useful to scroll so the trim is cut off, and you can picture how Shoji would look as the only white, vs how it looks with the brighter trim.
Here is the same room from in the kitchen:
Beautiful!
Shoji White Bathroom
Don’t bother picking up your jaw, Brandi isn’t done.
Here is her hotel spa bathroom:
I mean…
Shoji White Walls
I want to say this is a hall? But it’s the size of my living room, so I can’t be certain!
Shoji White looks beautiful with that muted brick and herringbone floor.
Are corridors your thing?
Perfect. Here are some more Shoji White walls:
And back to this room, which I shared earlier, but from another angle:
See what I mean? If Shoji White would made my house look this good, I would be filling my trunk with 5 gallon pails of it!
Shoji White Bedroom
Moving on to an interior by Donna, here is Shoji White in a more typical home:
Here it is in another bedroom:
Very soft and clean. It reminds me of the warm light of summer.
Shoji White with Bright White
If you were wondering how Shoji White will work with existing true white fixtures and finishes, here it is in a bathroom:
You can see that it is a soft beige, but it doesn’t look white here. Go back and compare it to how it looks in the second bedroom without the contrast.
It’s crazy what a difference it makes!
Let’s take a look at Shoji White compared to some other popular whites.
Sherwin Williams Shoji White vs Alabaster
It’s fairly easy to see the difference between Shoji White and Alabaster. They are often compared because Alabaster is one of Sherwin Williams’ most popular warm whites, and not because they are all that similar.
The LRV of Alabaster is 82, which is significantly lighter than Shoji White’s 74.
Alabaster is also a fair bit more yellow than Shoji White’s orange. In small doses the contrast would be more subtle, which is why Alabaster may make a good choice for trim.
Sherwin Williams Shoji White vs Creamy
Sherwin Williams Creamy is a little bit lighter than Shoji White, with an LRV of 81. That still puts it firmly into the off-white category, and not true white.
Creamy is also a little bit more yellow than Shoji White, and less gray.
All-in-all though, SW Creamy could be a good choice if you are looking for a lighter option to Shoji White.
Sherwin Williams Shoji White vs Natural Choice
The difference between Sherwin Williams Natural Choice and Shoji White is subtle, but if you look from a little further away you can see it a bit better.
(Or on your phone vs computer!)
The LRV of both colors is 74, so the only difference is that Natural Choice is more yellow than Shoji White.
If you are interested in Shoji White, try both! Natural Choice could be the right choice if Shoji White is looking a little peach in your space.
Sherwin Williams Shoji White vs Marshmallow
I am loving Sherwin Williams Marshmallow! I will probably do a full review soon, because I haven’t seen a lot of info on it.
Marshmallow is again lighter and more yellow than Shoji White. It has an LRV of 82.
Marshmallow is not quite as yellow as Alabaster, but the same lightness.
Sherwin Williams Shoji White vs White Duck
The hex codes of Sherwin Williams White Duck and Shoji White are just one letter different. White Duck is a little more yellow than Shoji White, and that is the only difference.
To the naked eye, my brain says that White Duck is just a whiff more gray, and it doesn’t see the extra yellow.
White Duck is another one to sample if you like Shoji White!
Sherwin Williams Shoji White vs Aesthetic White
Speaking of twins, I feel like you could see the difference between Aesthetic White and Shoji White better in the color strips that I made.
Aesthetic White has an LRV of 73 vs Shoji White’s 74. Other than that, I would say that Aesthetic White is a tiny bit more gray (or less saturated).
Aesthetic White could be another option for you!
Sherwin Williams Shoji White vs Oyster White
The difference between Sherwin Willams Oyster White and Shoji White is a little easier to see than some of these others.
Oyster White has an LRV of 72, so it is a touch darker than Shoji White, but mostly it is more yellow.
Sherwin Williams Shoji White vs Snowbound
Sherwin Williams Snowbound is one of my favorite whites. It isn’t anything like Shoji White however!
Snowbound is a nice warm white that reads like a true white. It has an LRV of 83.
Shoji White Benjamin Moore Version – Fossil AF-65
The Benjamin Moore Equivalent of Shoji White is Fossil.
The LRV of Fossil is 72.69, so it is just a touch darker than Shoji White.
Shoji White is just the teensiest-weensiest bit more orange than Fossil.
Shoji White Behr Equivalent – Varnished Ivory MQ3-40
I have not had this happen before now, but the color that I selected from Behr as the closest dupe for Shoji White, ended up having the exact same hex code as Benjamin Moore Fossil. (E4DCCD)
So I guess either of these are equally good versions of Shoji White!
Valspar Equivalent to Shoji White
I ended up choosing two Shoji White Valspar color matches, because both were slightly off in different ways.
Valspar Totten’s Inlet 7006-9
Valspar Totten Inlet is pretty darn close to Shoji White. It has an LRV of 75, so it’s just a touch lighter, and it is a hint more yellow.
Valspar Oyster Pearl 7002-2
Valspar Oyster Pearl is a pretty perfect dupe for Shoji White! I did not think it was so close until I actually put them side by side.
Oyster Pearl is also a tiny bit more yellow than Shoji White, but would you ever know?
Shoji White Final Mood
I think I’m finally done rattling on and on about Shoji White! I just had too many amazing photos that I had to share!
Most important takeaways:
- Shoji White is a soft beige
- Be careful using Shoji White with actual white
- Shoji White loves black!
- Make sure Shoji White isn’t having a peachy keen moment in your setting
If you already know that Shoji white isn’t it, here are a few more farmhouse whites to look at:
