This is the second article of a special series all about whites which I hope will take the guesswork out of the process, and make paint selection easier, quicker, and stress-free.
I have previously shared 8 things you should absolutely avoid when choosing a white paint color for your home. Now, I want to dig a little into the science of color to explain without getting too technical, I promise!
First up is the importance of light, and a great little indicator that can guide you when choosing your white.
A Brief History Of White Paint
We know white paint existed as far back as Ancient Rome. Philosopher, author and naturalist Pliny the Elder (Fun fact: He is also the one to thank for the quote “home is where the heart is”) wrote about the complicated and meticulous process of mixing vinegar and cow manure to create a white lead compound that was then ground to a powder to produce paint. It was a smelly and dangerous, poisonous endeavor.
Lead was the only white paint available anywhere until the 19th century when people started to realize how toxic it was. And yet, it was still produced and widely used late into the 20th Century.
For a very long time, without lead, the closest things to white were creams and off-whites, made with calcite, gypsum, or lime. It is only in the 1940s that a pure white color (and non-toxic) could be achieved with the addition of titanium dioxide to the formula.
This chemical is found in sand is the strongest, brightest white pigment available, and it has twice the coverage of lead white. It also has the ability to scatter light, which surely contributed to its popularity. This was a turning point in interior design, and lots of new styles and schemes arose from this new development.
Fast forward a few years when in 2020, the whitest white was invented. Engineer Xiulin Ruan and his team at Purdue University had the goal to come up with a paint that would keep buildings cooler, prevent machinery from overheating, and, ultimately, combat global warming.
This ultra-white is said to reflect 98 percent of sunlight (source), and therefore it has a Light Reflectance Value of 98. And guess what: That neat little indicator isn’t reserved for scientists, and can help you find your perfect white!
Light Reflectance Value
When looking for the right white, it is very interesting to know about Light Reflectance Value.
LRV is a quantitative index that measures the ability of a paint color to reflect light and conversely to absorb it. With this precious information, you will know how light or dark your color is, on a scale of 0 to 100. The higher the LRV, the more it reflects light, and the lighter the color is. Anything with a LRV below 50 absorbs more light than it bounces it back. The lower the LRV, the darker the color is.
LRV should be used as a guideline when choosing a color, as to how dark or light it will look. For instance, if you are looking for a true white, aim for a value above 80. Off-whites usually have an LRV between 75 and 80, and soft greys, beiges, and other light colors will be above 60.
From experience, you will rarely find anything above 94… Well, nothing truly worthy of putting on your walls really; anything above and you will be blinded by the light (not literally, of course).
Interesting fact: Most best-selling paint colors have an LRV between 60 and 70 – So with these colors, a room that gets an average amount of light will reflect it in a fairly good way. They will look fine in most homes.
Common mistake: Choosing a color with a high LRV will not make a room lighter or brighter. Just think about it: If LRV (the name says it all: Light Reflectance Value) is the capacity to reflect light, but there is no light to reflect, the color will not meet expectations.
LRV is a key differentiator between colors, and this is particularly useful for whites – This is why some of them seem crisp and bright, or even washed out, while others appear dark, dull or “dirty”, as I sometimes call them. It’s all about how much natural and artificial light your room gets and choosing a paint color accordingly while keeping in mind the mood you want to create.
Where do you find a color’s LRV? Most paint manufacturers display their colors’ LRV on their websites. This is very useful information that helps you understand which color reflects the most light.
Example 1 – Dunn Edwards
Example 2 – Benjamin Moore
Example 3 – Sherwin-Williams
Many companies also add the LRV on the fan deck, and sometimes directly on the paint chips.
Light, abundance or lack thereof, is why…
– Some colors considerably darken and get more shadows as the natural light changes in a room throughout the day, while others can become overwhelming/washed out;
– A go-to color you’ve loved for years can surprisingly look lifeless in a new home or corner of the house;
– You cannot trust a paint chip to make your decision. Compared to walls, there isn’t enough space on that small square of color for light to reflect, giving you a skewed reading.
Remember: White only truly exists with light. It is what will make your color interesting and come alive, and expose its undertone. You have to strike a good balance between the quantity of light available in your room and the paint color’s LRV to get the right results.
Quantity of light is key when choosing a white, but so is its quality. And that’s what’s coming up shortly! In the next articles, I’ll break down a chunk of useful info into two sections: 1) exposures aka positioning of the room and 2) artificial light temperature. I’ll also eventually address undertones and present a few top picks. Stay tuned!
First photo: Mikkel Rahr Mortensen for New Works