Should You Add White To Lighten A Color?

Adding white to lighten paint is a common practice when people want a lighter version of their wall color for their ceiling. Although this is often not the best strategy. Adding white to lighten a paint color can cause it to turn gray and lose its depth and dimension. So instead of adding white to your paint, I recommend having the color formula cut back instead. This way you have less pigment in the gallon base, creating a lighter version of the color without mudding up the hue. Cutting the color formula by one third seems to work consistently.

Another way to go is to buy our Mini-Paint Pouches™ and play around with complementary colors for your ceiling. Our colors are designed to work together, so rather than lightening the wall shade you’re using, you can another Devine shade. For example: Devine Shell™ is a lighter version of Devine Macadamia™, Devine Muslin™ is a lighter version of Devine Filbert™. Here are suggested wall colors with complimentary ceiling colors in the same hue:

Wall: Roast or Hazelnut
Ceiling Pecan, Macadamia, or Shell

Wall: Devine Cocoa or Truffle
Ceiling: Devine Filbert, Macadamia, or Latte

Wall: Devine Mocha or Sumatra
Ceiling: Devine Muslin or Ash

Wall: Devine Gold or Straw
Ceiling: Devine Maple or Custard

Wall: Devine Cafe or Spice
Ceiling: Devine Cashew or Grain

You get the picture! Before you lighten our colors, look around each paint palette page and you will find a perfect lighter shade. Use this for your ceiling. That way you’ll get a perfectly formulated paint colors for both wall and ceiling.

Comments

[Devine Color]

I have lots of great suggestions. Devine Cashew is one of those colors that allows you to coordinate different ideas lots of different ways. Think of pairing Devine Cashew with Devine Shimmer, Feather, or Muslin. Also see how it feels when you place it next to Devine Fescue, Almond, or Glass. Do you have the Trend-Proof Collection?http://www.devinecolor.com/devine/store/index.html?cid=16581&prid=16584 Once you have it in front of you, you lay out the pages and follow our process, the colors will magically pop out of the page showing you so many great possibilities, the fun part will be editing down. It's like a color compass showing you different ways to "get there". http://www.devinecolor.com/devine/discoveryourcolor/HelpChoosingColor.jsp
Let me know what you think!

[melissa burke]

I have a small home, 58 ranch and have cashew in the front family room. I need to pick a second color for entry, hallway and living area. I want to choose one color , on the light side that "flows" with the cashew color in the front room. I have hard wood red oak floors and plum accentsand dark brown accents. Suggestions?

[g]

Sarah: always try to cut the Devine Color formulas in odd increments 1/3, 3/8, ad so on. This way you get the same cool version of the color in the value you are looking for. Devine Manila, Cream, or Mantis will do the trick.Please send us a picture! Would love to see the combo when it's done.

[Sarah F.]

Hi,

We love Pistachio but it's a little dark for the kitchen walls. Do you have a suggestion for a lighter version of the same hue? Should we try cutting the formula by 1/3?

Could you also suggest a ceiling shade in the yellow family? We were thinking of Manila.

Thank you very much!

[g]

There are no bad creative ideas, but there are better ones :) and there are no bad colors, but there are bad color relationships. Look at the Pebbles & Cream palette page: Devine Shell. See if you can imagine cutting the formula by 1/3. I think lightening this color will take you were you want to go. Because I created (literally) each and every color to coordinate and blend like an artist palette, Devine Shell will hit the right note! What do you think? Do you have our Trend-proof Collection? It is so easy when you can look at all the colors together.

[Imogen]

Thanks, g - I appreciate the response.

It's hard for me to tell how the colors will look when covering all the walls. I'm concerned Custard will be yellow and that Vanilla will be green. Those colors look different from each other - how can each be one level up from Whip? Isn't something else changing in the formula? What I'm looking for is the color that is the same hue as Whip (no more green or yellow or red or blue) but darker.

Thanks for the link to the blog on white colors. Unfortunately, it looks like Whip is the darkest white, and I'd like to go darker than Whip on the walls. I'm concerned that Shell is too dark. Do you think it's a bad idea to increase the Whip formula?

[g]

Great question about formulas. Colors like Devine Custard and Shell are the next level up from Whip. Think of it this way: On a scale from ONE to TEN, If Whip is a ONE, Custard and Shell are TWO's. The eye has a hard time seeing the between. What about going with a different white hue or ONE like Devine Vanilla? Here is another blog about whites that might help...http://www.devinecolorblog.com/2010/04/our-white-paint-colors.html

When you think of whites do you think cottage, beach, or urban?

[Imogen]

If I want to go slightly darker, can I increase the formula? My trim is Whip, and I'd like the walls to be slightly darker. If I ask to have the formula increased by a third, will I get a darker version of the color without mudding up the hue?