I have been engulfed in the world of creamy whites lately, and the more I look, the more I find!
Sherwin Williams Whitetail is a white that I really haven’t heard a whole lot about. I don’t know why that is, because it is similar to a lot of extremely popular whites, and it seems super versatile.
If you are looking for a color that isn’t already in every home, Whitetail may be the one!
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What Color is Sherwin Williams Whitetail SW 7103?
Well I already kind of gave this one away, SW Whitetail is a bright creamy white. It’s similar to the ever popular Alabaster, and I will compare the two (and many more) in just a minute.
Sherwin Williams Whitetail LRV
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.
True white paint colors range from about 82 – 93.
Sherwin Williams Whitetail has an LRV of 86, so it’s pretty white. Don’t forget that the bright white of a piece of paper or your computer screen is not possible in paint!
Sherwin Williams Whitetail Undertone
You can see from the sample that Whitetail has a yellowy-beige undertone.
All whites are in some color family, and Whitetail is an orange white.
On the wall, Whitetail can sometimes have a hint of yellow.
Sherwin Williams Whitetail: Is it Warm or Cool?
Whitetail is a warm white. Sometimes it can appear fairly true white, but it would never look cool. It also doesn’t ever look gray.
If you are looking for a whiter white, try Chantilly Lace.
Sherwin Williams Whitetail Complementary Colors
As a yellow white, Whitetail’s complementary colors would be a pale blue, almost periwinkle color.
Here are a couple of options from both Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams:
Sherwin Williams Wishful Blue
Wishful Blue is a super soft pastel blue with a sophisticated muted quality.
Benjamin Moore White Heaven
White Heaven is a brighter pastel that definitely runs into periwinkle territory. It is more subtle when paired with cool whites, or bolder and more purple with creamy whites like Whitetail. It’s a nice choice for a country cottage color scheme.
Sherwin Williams Whitetail Coordinating Colors
Of course people are out here doing whatever they want with creamy white paint colors!
Whitetail would look great in a black and cream color scheme, which is a more soothing take on the ever popular black and white theme.
Here I have made a palette of pastel colors that go with Whitetail:
Benjamin Moore Baby’s Breath
Baby’s Breath is a soft gray-green that works well as a neutral.
Sherwin Williams Snowdrop
Snowdrop is another pastel blue that is more subtle than wishful blue. It’s actually very close to white.
Sherwin Williams Eider White
Eider White is actually an off-white, or a very pale tan/sand color. It works so well with creamy white colors like Whitetail.
Sherwin Williams Whitetail vs Alabaster
Alabaster is probably one of Sherwin Williams most popular whites (if not the most popular!). It’s similar to Whitetail, but let’s look at the differences!
Alabaster is also an orange white, and if it goes any color on the wall, it will be slightly yellow.
The LRV of Alabaster is 82, compared to Whitetail’s 86. You can see from the comparison that Alabaster is that touch darker, and maybe a hint more gray – although Alabaster would never look gray in real life, just in comparison!
If you love Alabaster you might love Whitetail even more! Whitetail is the same basic color as Alabaster, but brighter.
Sherwin Williams Whitetail vs Greek Villa
Greek Villa is another orange white that is super popular. (I have actually written a whole post about it.)
Greek Villa is darker and more gray/muted that Whitetail. The LRV of Greek Villa is 84, so it is close to the same as Whitetail.
Greek Villa doesn’t usually lean yellow, and sometimes Whitetail does, so that’s the biggest difference between these colors.
Sherwin Williams Whitetail vs Dover White
Dover White is yet another orange white by Sherwin Williams. It is a tiny bit darker than Whitetail, at an LRV of 83, and that’s the major difference.
Now what doesn’t make a lot of sense to me, is that Dover White never really looks yellow. Maybe Whitetail can occasionally because it’s a little brighter?
Don’t get me wrong, Dover White is still warm, but it always looks white with just a hint of warmth that you can’t quite put your finger on. It doesn’t look “cream” ever, or at least not that I have seen.
Sherwin Williams Whitetail vs Westhighland White
The LRV of Westhighland White is the same as Whitetail: 86.
Westhighland White on closer inspection, makes me question why we have Westhighland White AND Whitetail.
Why?
Because they’re basically the same color.
You can see that the only true difference is that the lightness is a little higher for Whitetail. The RBG all changes by only one number:
Red: 244 > 243
Green: 239 > 238
Blue: 228 > 227
I did confirm this on the Sherwin Williams website too, it’s not just the color picker I used.
While Whitetail is the touchiest of touches lighter than Westhighland White, the LRV didn’t even change, so the difference is negligible at best, and imperceptible with the human eye at worst.
So, how to choose between Whitetail and Westhighland White? Throw a dart at the two swatches. Flip a coin. Ask someone who likes to give their opinion about anything and everything. Ask the paint mixer to surprise you.
Just a few suggestions to help you on your way!
Sherwin Williams Whitetail vs Creamy
I ran out of room on my super profesh color card and had to squeeze Sherwin Williams Creamy in someplace!
Again, this color is very similar to Whitetail, but maybe not as much as it looks here (and definitely not as similar as Weshighland White!).
Creamy is the “darkest” color on this list, with an LRV of 81. At 81, Creamy is venturing into off-white territory now, and isn’t a white-white, where Whitetail still is!
Creamy is a really nice color! It’s like a beige-white. Whitetail and Creamy are in the same orangey color family, but they look quite different because Creamy is so much darker.
If you like the idea of a creamy white, that doesn’t ever look bright white or cool white, but also doesn’t look yellow, Creamy may be your perfect color!
Benjamin Moore Whitetail Equivalent
There are a couple of Benjamin Moore Whitetail options. No surprise there! Paint manufacturers love their whites.
My two picks are also extremely popular colors: Swiss Coffee, and White Dove.
Whitetail vs Benjamin Moore White Dove
The LRV for White Dove is 85.4 compared to Whitetail’s 86. Very similar, but a touch darker.
White Dove is also slightly more yellow that Whitetail, but it is still an orange white. The final difference is that White Dove is less saturated, so it is a little closer to the grays than Whitetail.
Over all, pretty similar, but Whitetail does look a little more yellow than White Dove, and I think that is down to the saturation.
Whitetail vs Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee
Swiss Coffee has been a Benjamin Moore favorite for years and years!
Swiss Coffee has an LRV of 84, so it is a little darker than Whitetail. It also leans more into yellow-mustard territory than the orange of Whitetail.
Against Whitetail, Swiss Coffee looks a touch more gray, but on the wall in real life, I think they look pretty similar.
Swiss Coffee also has a tendency to look a little yellow in certain natural light, just like Whitetail. These are two colors that you would want to compare at home and see how they look in your space, because if you like one, you will like the other!
Valspar Whitetail Equivalent (Whitetail at Lowe’s)
Valspar actually has a pretty good dupe for Whitetail with their color Creme Fraiche.
Creme Fraiche is a bit darker than Whitetail, with an LRV of 82.4.
Whitetail is a little more orange, and a little less gray than Creme Fraiche.
Overall though, very similar colors:
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 Whitetail Final Thoughts
Whitetail is a great bright white for your home if you want a warm white that never looks cool or gray.
Whitetail may not be for you if you can’t stand yellow! Definitely give Whitetail a shot in your home and see how it reacts with your lighting, finishes, and other factors.
Overall it’s a super nice color, and for me would be a welcome change from the uber popular Alabaster. (I just like to be different!)
Not the white for you? Check out Snowbound for a whiter white, or see if any of these other creamy colors tickle your fancy:
