Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace is one of the best white paint colors out there! I share why I love it and how it compares to other popular whites!
Choosing the right white paint color for our new master bathroom was a bit trickier than I expected but I couldn’t be happier with the color I ended up with – Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace. I get lots of questions about it so today I’m going to share why you might want to put it on your short list of white paint colors for your home (especially bathrooms!) and how it compares to other popular white paint colors.
I’ve also answered some of your most common questions including what sheen of Chantilly Lace I used and what color to use with on trim when you paint your walls white. Let’s get to it… (post includes commissionable links; for more information, see my full disclosure statement {here})
Chantilly Lace (OC-65): Why I Love It
The hardest thing about working with white paint colors is that they aren’t 100% pure white. Every white has subtle undertones. So what might look like a pure white in the can could have a yellow, blue, green, etc. cast once its up on the wall.
What I love about Chantilly Lace is that it’s close to looking like a pure white but with just a touch of blue that’s enough to give it a crisp, fresh feel (but not so much that it’s harsh or stark). Chantilly Lace feels soft and fresh & works beautifully with the whites of the shower tile, tub, toilet and Carrara marble vanity top I chose for our bathroom remodel:
Vanity Area Sources: Wood & rattan double vanity | Vanity knobs | Bathroom faucets (similar) | Vanity lights | Vanity mirrors (gold) | Woven seagrass tray on vanity (similar) | Marble stacking dishes | Soap & lotion sink set with tray | Gray & white striped towels | Robe hooks – golden champagne
Benjamin Moore describes Chantilly Lace as “as delicate and refined as the lace it was named after, this crisp, clean white evokes images of pure silk, soft linen and simpler times.” While totally corny, it’s actually a pretty spot-on description! Here’s another view of it on the other side of our bathroom – as is typical with any paint color it looks a little different depending on how much light it gets:
Shelf sources (from top to bottom): Bathroom floating shelves | White woven basket (medium) | Colorful moth art print | Glass canister (1 gallon size) | Bath bombs | Belly basket with tassel (similar) | Favorite bath towels | Kumquat tree, striped planter, & stacked boxes are no longer available
If you haven’t seen our master bathroom reveal already, you can see a bunch more pics of Chantilly Lace in our bathroom and get all sources for this space in my bathroom remodel before and after.
A Great Trim Color With Chantilly Lace Walls
Whenever I paint the walls of a room white, my choice for trim color couldn’t be easier – I use the same exact color as the walls but in a glossier sheen. People often look to use a different white color for trim because they want some contrast from the walls but you actually get that same contrast when you simply change the sheen.
Like all whites, Chantilly Lace in semigloss or satin appears whiter (since it’s more reflective) than Chantilly Lace in flat or matte. It’s enough of a difference to get the contract that you want while still having the two different finishes go beautifully together.
What Sheens of Chantilly Lace Paint I Used
For the walls and ceiling of our bathroom I used Aura Bath & Spa (which is made for spaces that get more moisture) in matte. Their matte paint has just a touch more sheen than flat but its more scrubbable. A lot of people use eggshell on bathroom walls which is a great choice too. I personally prefer matte because I’m just not a fan of much shine plus if you ever need to touch your paint up down the road, it’s more likely to blend in if you’re using a matte or flat paint.
The last reason I chose matte is that I wanted to use the same sheen on both the walls and ceiling so it’s one enveloping space and I wouldn’t recommend using paint with sheen on drywall ceiling because it shows too many imperfections.
For the trim in our bathroom, I used Benjamin Moore Advance in Satin (semi-gloss is also a great choice for trim – it’s just personal preference depending on how much sheen you like).
Chantilly Lace vs. Other Similar White Paint Colors
If you’re thinking about using Chantilly Lace in your home, you’re probably deciding between it and some similar whites so I thought it would be helpful to show you how Chantilly Lace compares to other popular whites to help you choose the white that’s the best fit. I bought samples of four of the closest whites from Samplize so I could show you. If you’re not familiar with Samplize, they sell 12″ x 12″ squares of paint finishes with adhesive backing so you can peel the backing off and stick them up on your wall:
Grab the Samplize sample of Chantilly Lace {HERE}
The adhesive is sticky enough to keep them up on the wall but not so sticky that they pull off paint or can’t easily be removed and repositioned in another part of the room (which I 100% recommend doing – paint colors can look quite different depending on the spot in your room and the light they receive). I’ll break down the comparison for all four of these paint colors but here’s a look at samples of all of them on my Chantilly Lace bathroom walls:
Some of them are so close that they almost blend right in…
Here’s how Chantilly Lace compares to each of these four:
Chantilly Lace vs. Simply White
Simply White (OC-117) is one of my favorite white paint colors and the one I’m using as a whole house paint color for our home in NC – so far we’ve painted our guest room:
Sources: Beadboard bed (weathered white) | Round mirror | Pinch pleat curtains in snow white | Curtain rods | Embroidered stripe duvet cover | Blue and white block print pillows (similar) | White tassel pillow | Cane bench | Nightstands | White Lamps (similar)
and our breakfast nook in Simply White:
Sources: Woven pendant | Round dining table (similar) | Bistro chairs | 7′ Round jute rug
While Chantilly Lace has a touch of blue, Simply White has a touch of yellow. It’s just enough yellow to give it a warm feel but not so much that it looks too creamy. With that touch of warmth, even large rooms painted in Simply White don’t have a sterile feel like many fear their room will have with a brighter white.
Comparing Chantilly Lace to Simply White, they are similar in that they are both in the lighter range of white paint colors and they both have a crisp, clean look. The main difference is that Simply White is a warmer color than Chantilly Lace due to the touch of yellow.
Want to save this post?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
So why didn’t I use Simply White in our bathroom? Actually that was my plan! But when I painted a large test sample in my bathroom, the yellow undertone of it was much more obvious than in any other room I’ve painted with Simply White. Why? Because it was up against the more cool toned blues of our marble tile, tub, and toilet.
I was convinced Simply White would work so my test resulted in a last minute run to the paint store for more samples which is when I decided Chantilly Lace would be best. The lesson learned is that while Simply White is a great versatile paint color for most spaces in your home, it’s probably not the best choice when being used right next to cooler toned tile or marble like Carrara because that’s when you’ll see the yellow in the paint color come out.
Grab the Samplize sample of Simply White {HERE}
Super White vs. Chantilly Lace
Benjamin Moore Super White (OC-152 or PM-1) is another great white paint color to consider and if you’re having a hard time seeing much of a difference between the two whites in the pics of the paint samples in my bathroom, you’re right! They’re very similar whites and honestly if you had two rooms painted these two colors side by side, you’d have a very hard time seeing a difference.
You’d think that based on the name, Super White would be the brightest white of the two but actually Chantilly Lace is just a tad bit brighter while Super White is slightly softer. Chantilly Lace also has just the slightest bit more color to it than Super White. But again, these two are very similar to each other.
Grab the Samplize sample of Super White {HERE}
Chantilly Lace vs. Decorators White
Decorator’s White is a long-time favorite of many for cabinets and trim but is a great option for walls too. When looking at Chantilly Lace vs. Decorator’s White (OC-149) you can probably see what the biggest difference is – Decorator’s White isn’t as bright of a white. Also, when they’re side by side you can see that Decorator’s White has a touch more of a gray appearance.
Grab the Samplize sample of Decorator’s White {HERE}
Oxford White vs. Chantilly Lace
Oxford White (CC-30) is a white paint color you don’t hear as much about as the other whites in this post but it’s another beautiful white that’s similar to Chantilly Lace. Comparing Oxford White vs. Chantilly Lace, these two colors are super close in hue (i.e. how yellow or blue they are) but Chantilly Lace is the brighter white of the two.
Grab the Samplize sample of Oxford White {HERE}
That wraps things up! I hope this post wasn’t TMI but I wanted to give you guys all the information I could so you could make the best white paint color choices and save yourself some time, agony, & money!
If you want details on other popular white paint colors, be sure you hop over to read my post on the best white paint for interior walls that has pics of each paint color in real spaces. The end of that post also has tips on how to figure out which white paint color is the best one for your space. Also, if you haven’t seen it already you might want to take a peek at our master bathoom reveal {here} with tons of pics of Chantilly Lace in this space.
Thanks as always for stopping by! Be sure to take a look at my Shop page {here} if you haven’t already since I just added a bunch of great new finds!
Sandy says
Amazing article . I painted my ceiling chantily lace flat. Will paint the walls same colour but egg shell . What will be a good colour for trim?
Bethany says
This is such a helpful breakdown of the BM whites! Thank you so much for sharing! I unfortunately found it a week or so too late. I was struggling between Simply White and Chantilly Lace for our perimeter kitchen cabinets. I went with Chantilly lace because I was afraid our kitchen didn’t have enough light for the warmer Simply White. As soon as I saw the cabinets installed I knew I’d picked the wrong color! While Chantilly Lace is a beautiful color it just leaves the kitchen looking too stark. The island is a warm wood, so the two tones seem jarring. Unfortunately repainting is out of the question at this point, the budget just doesn’t allow for it. The space is open concept -living, dining and kitchen. All the walls are Shiplap by Magnolia Home which is a creamy weathered white, but I am considering re-painting walls Simply White (reads a bit more neutral while still being warm) and doing Trim either Simply white or trying to pull in kitchen cabinets a bit by doing trim Chantilly White, but I am really scared to use that color anywhere else because of the cooler undertones and because I dislike it so much on the cabinets. Any suggestions?
Anonymous says
I love white dove for cabinets and if you like also trim. it’s still a white but with warmth.
Hunter says
Thank you. VERY helpful
Ann says
Need help with a north facing bedroom, my master bedroom. I tried a sample of chantilly lace..It sure is a bright colour, but maybe too cold in my north facing. Tried white dove which i love and have in other bedrooms. In here the sample can turned on the yellow side. But its white in tye other bedrooms. Any help will be so welcomed. Ive always loved white dove. Thanks in advance.
Tammy says
This is so helpful! Thank you! I’m doing my bathroom now and have carrara floors and counters with white oak cabinets. I chose chantilly lace for the walls and trim. I was told that it’s best to use the same color into the master bedroom as the bathroom, is that the case? Do you have a white you recommend for small bedrooms? I’m doing mine and all my kids, and worried chantilly will look too sterile but simply white might look too yellow since they aren’t really well lit. Thanks for your help!
Shaghayegh Jamshidi says
Hello, I’m planning to have Chantilly lace for cabinets , trim, doors. Now I need a beautiful white to go with Chantilly lace for walls. What do you recommend . Thanks so much
danielle says
this was so helpful thank you!
i’m wondering what would work best with a wall that’s half white and half a color would you choose chantilly or super white?
Anonymous says
Thank you that was a great great article!. I found it very informative and very helpful.
Ilyssa says
Hi! This article was so helpful. I am currently looking for a sherwin Williams white that is most similar to the Benjamin Moore Chantilly lace. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!!
Cindy Hugg says
I wonder why you didn’t do Chantilly Lace in your entire house- kitchen etc. Why only the Master bath.
I’m trying to paint the main part of my home – entrance, dining room, living room and kitchen WHITE. I’m
painting kitchen cabinets and walls, trim etc. Why did you not use Chantilly lace everywhere? It seems lovely color. I have a creamy color now on cabinets called Dover white from 20 years ago. It’s an enormous expense to do this project and I’m really concerned about the paint color.
Thank you for your help,
Cindy
Kris Jarrett says
Some rooms of our home get more bluish light so I think Chantilly Lace would look a bit stark in them. But every home is different and in some it would make a wonderful whole-home color!
Amy says
How do you feel about chantilly lace on kitchen cabinets when paired with gray walls and Oxford navy blue cabinets on bottom
Michele M says
Thank you for the information! I painted my trim with Decorator’s White in semi-gloss. I don’t hate it, but I think it seems a bit stark in my north-facing room. I’d like to use the same trim color for the whole house and think it might work better in the other rooms with other exposures. If I use satin instead, would that make much difference? Also, do you find that satin holds up well on trim? That’s what I wanted to use, but I was afraid it would wear out faster.
Thanks again!
Kris Jarrett says
There would be a difference between the starkness of satin and semi-gloss but it would be a pretty subtle one. Generally the higher the sheen, the “whiter” it will look. I typically use satin on my trim and doors and it holds up great – I use Benjamin Moore Advance most of the time and it’s quite durable. That being said, we don’t wear shoes in the house and don’t have two year olds crashing toys into the trim so it depends on how hard you are on your house.
Michele M says
Thanks so much for taking time to reply! There seem to be lots of opinions about satin or semi-gloss for trim, but I haven’t been able to find any information about durability over time. This really helps! On a side note, I look forward to reading your e-mails with your favorite finds.
Christy Baggett says
Thanks for this article. I think I’m so on Chantilly Lace for ceiling and trim. My cabinets are Stonington Gray with a Hale Navy island. I’m at a loss of what to do with the wall color. Horizon was suggested to me. Do you think Chantilly Lace would work as trim and ceiling with Horizon and not clash with Stonington Gray on the cabinets? Thank you.
Jenna says
I’m in escrow on a home with natural wood floors that have a yellow under tone. While I like a home to feel warm and not sterile, I’m thinking Chantilly White will be the right paint to not draw in the yellow and hopefully not feel too cool. What would you suggest for the ceiling and trim ( I believe you used same color for trim with a higher sheen)? The ceilings aren’t super high so would like to create some depth.
Kris Jarrett says
When I paint walls white, I typically paint the ceiling the same color!
wendy says
I have a lot of natural light coming into my home, I’m deciding to paint all my walls and trim in Chantilly Lace, will this color be to white?
Peggy says
We just moved into our home, and the walls, trim, doors, shutters, and crown molding are all painted the same beige. Not a pretty beige and there is a lot of it.
I want to paint the walls white to brighten up the dullness, but not sure what white to compliment the beige.
Kris Jarrett says
Hi Peggy – the best white to use really depends on the specific beige you’re trying to work with because there are tons of different beiges with various undertones. However you might want to do a test wall to see if you even like the look of white walls with the beige trim and doors because sometimes the contrast can make your trim and doors look dingy. It might be more than you want to tackle but I’d probably paint the trim and doors white too at some point.
Michele H Harris says
Thanks for the information, and no, it’s definitely not TMI. My family thinks I’ve lost it because I’ve painted my entire house white three times, but I keep saying ‘it’s not the right white’. Your post is very helpful.
Stacy Neudorf says
Any links to find that tile you used. We are decorating a wood trimmed home and that backsplash behind your tub is a perfect accent tile. Now I want to switch to that.
Kris Jarrett says
Hi Stacy – sure, all of my bathroom tile is linked in this post: https://www.drivenbydecor.com/master-bathroom-reveal/