Your Guide to Using Sherwin Williams Snowbound (Undertones Explained!)

It’s not until you start choosing your paint colors that you realize white isn’t “just white.” There are green whites, red whites, warm whites, cool whites, and straight-out-of-the-can whites.

Geometric wood feature wall painted in Sherwin Williams Snowbound — SW Snowbound – Photo Credit: @wood_visions

Sherwin Williams Snowbound is a gorgeous white paint color that I think will appeal to just about anyone! Read on to see it in real homes, and to compare it to other popular whites.

What Color is Sherwin Williams Snowbound (7004)

Snowbound is a versatile white from Sherwin Williams, that most often looks like a true white with a hint of softness. If you are looking for a true white that is neither stark or yellow, Snowbound would be a great choice.

This color can have subtle pink undertones, but please don’t let that scare you! We will see it in action shortly.

Graphic of the paint color Snowbound by Sherwin Williams - SW 7004. A strip of warm white above a snowy cabin in the woods after sunset with warm porch light on. A drop of paint in the same color sits on top of the photo.

Snowbound RGB is 237, 234, 229.

Hex code is #edeae5.

Is Snowbound Warm or Cool?

Technically Snowbound is a warm white. It will not ever look cool, but it doesn’t generally read “creamy” either. I would say that it’s neutral.

Vaulted open plan living room painted in Snowbound — Photo Credit: @rockcreekfarmhouse

I was surprised to see that on an exterior it looks much creamier than it ever looks inside. (In my opinion.)

What is the LRV of Sherwin Williams Snowbound?

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 Snowbound is 83. That’s kind of a middle of the road white. Creamy whites start in that range, but Snowbound reads brighter because it’s more neutral.

Snowbound Undertones

Snowbound has the slightest pink and gray undertones. Its color family leans a touch more red than other creamy whites. This is good news if you hate yellow, and bad news if you hate pink.

Several swatches of whites from this article compared to snowbound

On the wall next to a creamy white, Snowbound would mostly appear more gray. I actually like this, because I prefer for a color to go more gray than yellow.

If you are very sensitive to pink, you may not like Snowbound.

I don’t even want to say that, because it really is a beautiful true white. There are plenty of real life photos here to help you decide for yourself, but there is one bathroom photo where I point it out for you.

Here on the clean green-based white of Chantilly Lace, you can see the undertones more clearly:

Chantilly Lace vs Snowbound. A selection of white paint swatches under a larger sample of Chantilly Lace.

Is Snowbound A Bright White?

Snowbound is a true white, but not a cool white. So it has a bright and airy feel but it isn’t stark.

It depends on your definition of “bright.” To me, bright white is anything that appears straight white and not creamy, and I think Snowbound does this.

White Snowbound cabinets in a kitchen with black appliances and beige tile — Photo Credit: @grcabinetpainting

If you are wondering if it is a blue white, then no.

What Color Trim Goes With Snowbound

If you love the color, there is no reason you couldn’t paint the trim in Snowbound as well. In an older home with beveled trim that may be your best option.

I painted our 1970’s bungalow enough times that it was hard to tell where the wall stopped and the trim began! A seamless finish in Snowbound would actually be quite nice.

Otherwise, I would keep it simple and go with a clean white for trim and doors. In Sherwin Williams that might be Extra White. That’s the combo that Liz from @building_up_toelle went with:

Snowbound walls with Extra White Trim and black interior doors in a hallway with medium wood floors — Photo Credit: @building_up_toelle

It’s a very subtle difference because the LRV of Extra White is almost the same! Keep your eyes peeled for more from Liz in just a minute when we look through some homes.

Using Snowbound on Trim

Of course there is always a chance that you are here because you want to use Snowbound for trim only. I’ve got you covered!

Aesthetic White Walls with Snowbound Trim in a dining room by a window — SW Aesthetic White with Snowbound – Photo Credit: @slpaintingsf

Snowbound is actually a great trim choice because it isn’t as creamy as something like Sherwin Williams Alabaster, but it’s softer than something like High Reflective White.

Here is a home with Sherwin Williams Aesthetic White on the walls, and Snowbound on the trim:

Aesthetic White Walls with Snowbound Trim — Photo Credit: @slpaintingsf

One more!

Aesthetic White Walls with Snowbound Trim in a vaulted livingroom with skylights — Photo Credit: @slpaintingsf

Want more white-on-white combos? Check out: White Walls with White Trim? (Alabaster with Pure White & More!)

Snowbound Complementary & Coordinating Colors

Honestly you can use Snowbound with pretty much anything. It’s a very flexible white.

Snowbound Complementary Colors

Complementary colors are those across the color wheel, and for Snowbound that is a smoky blue color.

You can also choose complements from those that would be further along the paint chip, so for Snowbound that is a tan color.

Here is the complementary color palette for Snowbound:

Graphic reads "Complementary Colors" with a picture of cozy folded blankets beside candles on the right. Colored dots of paint colors are on a white background to the left. Colors are Snowbound, Snowdrop, Briarwood, distance, and flower box.

Sherwin Williams Snowdrop (SW 6511)

Snowdrop is a pale blue color from Sherwin Williams with just a touch of purple undertones. It looks so cozy with the warmth of Snowbound.

You might also like Sherwin Williams Upward.

Benjamin Moore Flower Box (CSP-530)

Benjamin Moore’s Flower Box is a blue gray color with a hint of violet. It’s like a grown up version of Snowdrop.

You might also like Benjamin Moore Blue Nova.

Sherwin Williams Distance (6243)

Distance by Sherwin Williams is one of my favorite dark blue gray colors. I think it looks great with Snowbound!

Distance would be very at home in a farmhouse-chic color scheme. You might also like Indigo Batik.

If neither of these blue-gray colors suit you, check out my full list of warm blue gray paint colors.

Benjamin Moore Briarwood (HC-175)

Briarwood is a sophisticated tan-beige color by Benjamin Moore.

It’s actually a top pick for exteriors, so if that’s where you want to use Snowbound, Briarwood should definitely be in the running!

Sherwin Williams Recommended Coordinating Colors

Here are the colors that Sherwin Williams themselves recommend Snowbound with:

Sherwin Williams Autumn Orchid (9157)

Autumn Orchid is a smoky mauve color by Sherwin Williams. They also recommend it to go with Pewter Green.

I think Autumn Orchid is a nice color, but purple doesn’t have the widespread appeal that some other colors have.

For a smoky charcoal purple, try Sherwin Williams Perle Noir.

Sherwin Williams Collonade Gray (7641)

I can see why Sherwin Williams recommend Collonade Gray, because it’s similar to the color Briarwood, which is one of Snowbound’s complementary colors.

I like Collonade Gray a little better because it’s lighter and a little more cool toned than Briarwood. Benjamin Moore Smokey Taupe is a similar option.

Sherwin Williams Snowbound as an Interior Paint Color

Finally the moment we are all waiting for: More pictures of Snowbound in real homes!

Let’s dive in.

Snowbound on Living Room Walls

I showed this living room/dining room feature wall from another angle at the beginning of this post, but it’s worth a second look!

a geometric wood feature wall in a living room in Snowbound — Photo Credit: @wood_visions

Amazing work by @wood_visions!

You might have peeped some of Amy and Ryan’s (@rockcreekfarmhouse) home earlier in this post, but there is plenty more where that came from!

A warm leather sofa in front of a snowy living room window with Snowbound walls — Photo Credit: @rockcreekfarmhouse

They shared all phases of their construction over on Instagram, so we get to see it both empty, and then finished.

Snowbound walls with a wood barn door beside a black and glass door in a living room with wood beams overhead — Photo Credit: @rockcreeekfarmhouse

Their open plan living room, dining room, and kitchen in Snowbound are sure to be a crowd-pleaser at family gatherings.

Vaulted living room ceiling with pot lights in a room with Snowbound on walls and ceiling with a tricorn black front door — Photo Credit: @rockcreekfarmhouse

The big windows in the living room are amazing!

Snowbound on Kitchen Walls

Here is the finished product in the kitchen at Rock Creek Farmhouse.

Snowbound walls and trim in a home with Dorian Gray cabinets, wood beams overhead, black chairs at a white stone island, and beams overhead — Photo Credit: @rockcreekfarmhouse

Wow! So gorgeous!

These cabinets are in Sherwin Williams Dorian Gray, which is funny, because that’s actually what Liz from earlier chose for her cabinets as well.

So Snowbound walls in the kitchen? Yes please!

Snowbound on Kitchen Cabinets

Snowbound is actually a pretty popular choice for cabinets too.

Thanks to our friends at GR Fine Finishes (@grcabinetpainting) I have lots of Snowbound cabinets to show you.

Sherwin Williams Snowbound cabinets with gold hardware and white countertops and backsplash — Photo Credit: @grcabinetpainting

Unfortunately we don’t know the colors of the two different grays in the kitchen, because they were already there.

I can tell you however, if you like the color of the pantry door, you will like Sherwin Williams Cyberspace.

Here is another kitchen in Snowbound:

Snowbound cabinets with creamy white walls and overhead lighting — Photo Credit: @grcabinetpainting

We are lucky here, because GR Fine Finishes took photos both with and without artificial light:

Snowbound cabinets with creamy white walls in natural light — Photo Credit: @grcabinetpainting

I didn’t even realize the walls were cream until the lights were off!

And again the same Snowbound kitchen from another angle with natural light and then artificial:

Here is a kitchen with Snowbound on the perimeter cabinets and HGSW Bunglehouse Blue on the island.

Snowbound kitchen cabinets with navy blue island. — Photo Credit: @grcabinetpainting

You might catch a whiff of pink on those cabinets, but the hardware is rose gold, so it’s mostly reflection.

Believe it or not, I paired down the example photos! Here is one last kitchen that is a white extravaganza.

Sherwin WIlliams snowbound on kitchen cabinets with black countertops and white walls — Photo Credit: @grcabinetpainting

Snowbound on ornate cabinets with carved decorations — Photo Credit: @grcabinetpainting

Snowbound in a Bedroom

This bedroom by @built_frm_scratch features SW Snowbound on the walls around an accent wall in Sherwin Williams Ripe Olive.

Ripe Olive on a feature wall with Snowbound on the other walls. A wooden bed with striped linens is in the middle of the room. There are black curtains and black light fixture — Photo Credit: @built_frm_scratch

Ripe Olive on a feature wall with Snowbound on the other walls — Photo Credit: @built_frm_scratch

I do love me some Ripe Olive!

Ripe Olive on a feature wall with Snowbound on the other walls. An Overstuffed leather chair in front of a sign that says "be bold brave & beautiful." — Photo Credit: @built_frm_scratch

Think this kids room is stylish? Check out their kids’ bathroom in my post: Sherwin Williams Evergreen Fog: 2022 Color of the Year (Plus Dupes!)

Sherwin Williams Snowbound in the Bathroom

I had quite a few great examples of Snowbound in the bathroom, so I wrote another post with all of the nitty gritty considerations: See Sherwin Williams Snowbound in These Sophisticated Bathrooms

But you can find some details here too!

Liz’s bathroom (or rather her whole house) features Snowbound on the walls, with trim in Extra White:

Snowbound on Bathroom walls with Extra White Trim — Photo Credit: @building_up_toelle

I am loving that tub, but check out this shower:

Snowbound walls with extra white trim outside of a marble tile walk in shower with glass doors — Photo Credit: @building_up_toelle

You can probably see the contrast between Extra White and Snowbound best above the door. This is also the one photo where I catch the wink of pink in the same area.

Would I have noticed if I wasn’t looking for it? No.

Did you?

Back to Amy and Ryan’s we go!

Here is their bathroom, in Snowbound of course:

Snowbound walls in bathroom with wood vanity and black hardware, faucet and light fixture — Photo Credit: @rockcreekfarmhouse

To be honest, I almost have too many bathrooms to show you today! It’s funny how certain colors show up over and over in the same spaces!

Here is one that uses both board and batten AND shiplap very successfully:

Snowbound Board and Batten above Snowbound shiplap in a powder room — Photo Credit: @wood_visions

All in Snowbound of course!

Snowbound as an Exterior Paint Color

Amy and Ryan not only painted their whole interior with SW Snowbound, they used it on their exterior too!

Sherwin Williams Snowbound on an exterior of a modern farmhouse with wood beams and pillars — Photo Credit: @rockcreekfarmhouse

I love this classic black and white look! They were smart to plan ahead and choose black windows in the build.

We actually repainted the exterior of our home last summer, and as I started painting the window trim black, I changed my mind and went back to white. The bulky white vinyl windows with black trim were a no-go!

Snowbound on Exterior siding with black windows and door, and wood beams and pillars — Photo Credit: @rockcreekfarmhouse

I believe the front door and garage door are SW Tricorn Black, but I can’t remember where I read that.

Here’s your sign to paint your brick white with Snowbound!

One last one of this Snowbound exterior in a fitting setting:

Snowbound Exterior with black windows and doors in the snowy countryside in front of some mountains in the distance — Photo Credit: @rockcreekfarmhouse

Snowbound doesn’t look nearly as blinding outside as I would have expected!

Here is one more exterior, this time in a totally different style:

Peppercorn and Snowbound Townhome Stucco exterior — Photo Credit: @stoeckinteriors

Snowbound looks amazing against the charcoal of SW Peppercorn. The garage doors are Sherwin Williams Sea Serpent.

Snowbound Dupes by Benjamin Moore, Behr, and Valspar

6 dupes of sherwin williams snowbound over a photo of an open plan living room and kitchen in Snowbound

Benjamin Moore Snowbound Equivalent

With all the whites on the market, I didn’t think finding a Benjamin Moore version of Snowbound would be very difficult.

I was sort of wrong and sort of not. I didn’t find as close of a match as I wanted, but I found four equally good options!

Editing me here! I am working on an update for this post, but I wanted to let you know that currently Benjamin Moore Venetian Marble is the new closest match for SW Snowbound.

Snowbound vs Benjamin Moore Atrium White (OC-145)

Worth noting: Depending on where you look in Google search results, Atrium White and Alabaster sometimes come up as the same thing.

Benjamin Moore is clear, they have two different style numbers, therefore, two different colors. Be careful if you are color matching, to make sure that you pick the right hex code!

Compared to Snowbound, Atrium White is slightly lighter and ever so slightly more red.

Benjamin Moore dupes for Sherwin Williams Snowbound. Top to bottom: Atrium White, Alabaster, Gardenia, and White Dove. Stripes of each color on the wall above a bed, with a square of snowbound beside in comparison.

Snowbound vs Benjamin Moore Alabaster (OC-129)

Benjamin Moore Alabaster is very close to Snowbound, but lighter. This color is not to be confused with Sherwin Williams Alabaster, which is a creamier more yellow white.

Snowbound vs Benjamin Moore Gardenia (AF-10)

Gardenia is also a very close match to Snowbound. It is lighter and slightly more red like Atrium White, but a touch lighter still.

I know it might not be the most similar, but I actually think I would choose Gardenia for myself.

Snowbound vs Benjamin Moore White Dove (OC-17)

White Dove is often touted as the Benjamin Moore version of Snowbound, and it is quite close.

A strip of every white from the article underneath a bar of Snowbound by Sherwin Williams. White Dove is popped out larger than the rest.

White Dove is a little lighter and more yellow than Snowbound. To my eyes Atrium White is just as close (but on the red side vs yellow), however both are great choices!

I do actually have a post comparing these two colors in depth: Snowbound vs White Dove (The Same Thing?)

Valspar Snowbound Equivalent

Valspar doesn’t have as many whites as other brands do, so I couldn’t get quite as close. Pearly Violet was the best dupe that I found for Sherwin Williams Snowbound.

Valspar Pearly Violet on the wall beside Snowbound by Sherwin Williams

Snowbound vs Valspar Pearly Violet (7001-23)

At first glance, Valspar’s Pearly Violet looked more yellow to me than Snowbound, so I was surprised to find out in the side by side that it is actually more red! I can see it now, so maybe it depends on the screen.

Snowbound is less saturated than Pearly Violet, which is why it looks gray in comparison.

Behr Snowbound Equivalent

The absolute closest match to Snowbound from any brand is Diamonds Therapy by Behr. This is a true color dupe!

Snowbound vs Behr Diamonds Therapy (BWC-30)

The hex code for Diamonds Therapy by Behr is just one number different than Snowbound: #EDEAE3 vs #EDEAE4.

I created a graphic and had to add a line so you would know where the colors change.

Behr Diamonds Therapy on a wall above a strip of Snowbound in an all-white bedroom

Some might be able to spot the difference, but to me it isn’t discernible with the naked eye. You certainly wouldn’t know the difference from one house to another (or even from one wall to another!).

Snowbound Compared to Other Sherwin Williams Whites

The world of white really is mind boggling!

In case you didn’t have enough to chew on already, here is how Snowbound stacks up to a few other popular white paint colors by Sherwin Williams.

*There were way too many colors to compare here, so for a full list, see my post: Sherwin Williams Snowbound vs 50+ Other White and Light Paint Colors (Including Benjamin Moore!) *

Snowbound vs Sherwin Williams Greek Villa

A strip of every white from the article underneath a bar of Snowbound by Sherwin Williams. Greek Villa is popped out larger than the rest.

Greek Villa is actually quite similar to the Sherwin Williams color Alabaster. It is a slightly more beige version of white compared to Snowbound.

Where Snowbound reads true white, Greek Villa is slightly creamy.

Circle of Snowbound above a circle of Greek Villa over a photo of an all-white bedroom with rose gold lamp

Snowbound vs Sherwin Williams Pure White

I wrote an entire post dedicated to comparing these two! You can find lots of real life examples of both colors here: Sherwin Williams White Battle: Snowbound vs Pure White.

But I will give you a brief synopsis here:

A strip of every white from the article underneath a bar of Snowbound by Sherwin Williams. Pure White is popped out larger than the rest.

You can see that Pure White and Snowbound are very similar, but Pure White is a little bit lighter.

According to the hex color code, Pure White’s hue is slightly more yellow.

Here is a side by side comparison of the two:

Snowbound on half of a wall above white board and batten. Pure white on the other half.

It’s really difficult to spot any color difference on paper. In real life, Pure White has a warm undertone that leans traditionally creamy, where Snowbound can have that wink of pink. I would say that Snowbound reads completely white a little bit more often than Pure White.

I actually have a whole collection of posts about Pure White for you to browse.

Sherwin Williams Snowbound vs Sherwin Williams Eider White

A strip of every white from the article underneath a bar of Snowbound by Sherwin Williams. Eider White is popped out larger than the rest.

Eider White is another popular white by Sherwin Williams, but it is an off-white. Side by side you can really see that Eider White is darker and more gray, and not a true white like Snowbound.

Snowbound vs Sherwin Williams Alabaster

I’ve got a whole post dedicated to this conundrum! Snowbound vs Alabaster: Which is the Better Sherwin Williams White for Cabinets, Trim, & More

Not to be confused with the Benjamin Moore color of the same name, Sherwin Williams also makes an Alabaster that is similar to Snowbound.

A strip of every white from the article underneath a bar of Snowbound by Sherwin Williams. Alabaster is popped out larger than the rest.

Alabaster is even more popular than Snowbound!

When it comes to warm whites, the important distinction is that often Alabaster looks warm and creamy, whereas Snowbound just hints at it.

If you want a “farmhouse white” you might prefer Alabaster.

Snowbound on half of a wall. Alabaster on the other half.

Head over here to see my Alabaster collection.

Snowbound vs Sherwin Williams Extra White

Extra White is actually a green-based white and it comes across quite cool. It is more similar to my favorite Benjamin Moore white Chantilly Lace, than it is to Snowbound.

A strip of every white from the article underneath a bar of Snowbound by Sherwin Williams. Extra White is popped out larger than the rest.

Extra White is less saturated and a little lighter than Snowbound. It is a true white and doesn’t have the same softness that Snowbound does.

I don’t have any stats, but from what I’ve seen Extra White is one of the more popular Sherwin Williams white for trim.

Sherwin Williams Snowbound vs Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee

Not the Swiss Coffee you were looking for? Check out more here: Swiss Coffee Paint Colors Compared (Are They All the Same?)

A strip of every white from the article underneath a bar of Snowbound by Sherwin Williams. Swiss Coffee is popped out larger than the rest.

Swiss Coffee is the exact same lightness as Snowbound, but it is more yellow and more saturated. The result is that it looks like a very creamy white, where Snowbound is more neutral/gray.

Circle of Snowbound above a circle of Swiss coffee over a photo of an old door in a stone wall on a snowy day

I’m still clinging to the warmer grays, so Swiss Coffee is a bit too yellow for my taste, but it is definitely a favorite amongst designers.

The Snowbound Summary

That’s all I have for now about Snowbound!

Overall Snowbound is a versatile warm white that really goes with anything. If you want to see more, check out more of my Snowbound collection:

Graphic reads "Snowbound Bathroom Inspiration - see it in real homes" over a background of a Snowbound and Black Magic Bathroom

Ribbon of Sherwin Williams Snowbound over a photo of a snowed in cabin, vs ribbon of Sherwin Williams Pure White over a photo of a whitewashed seaside village

Swatches of Snowbound and White Dove, each over a photo of the corresponding color on bathroom walls