Are you trying to decide between Benjamin Moore’s White Dove vs. Swiss Coffee for your home decor? You are not alone because of the similarities between these two off-white paint colors.

But while they look the same, there are distinct differences that may decide which paint color you use. Simply put, Swiss Coffee is a richer and fuller off-white color that adds a lot of warmth to any decor. On the other hand, White Dove is softer and brighter, making a room look larger and crisper than usual.

The one you choose will depend on the look and feel you are going for unless you are undecided. Let’s take a closer look at each one, noting subtle differences and uniqueness. You will be able to decide which works best for your home or existing decor.

White Dove vs Swiss Coffee: A Visual Comparison

Before we go any further, let’s look at both paint colors close together to see what they look like:

This is White Dove below

And this is Swiss Coffee

Looking at the pictures above, you can already see that Swiss Coffee is slightly creamier than White Dove. It is clearly a warm color that gives the impression of being a creamy color, although it is off-white.

White Dove is more crisp and bright, more of a whitey-white than Swiss Coffee. If you want a cozy feel and look, try Swiss Coffee, but for a more airy and crisp look, White Dove is your best bet.

Comparing White Dove vs Swiss Coffee: A Quick Overview

Now, let’s walk down the comparison path to see the distinct differences between White Dove and Swiss Coffee. We use a chart to break the differences down for easier reference.

	White Dove	Swiss Coffee
RBG	239, 238, 229	238, 236, 225
LRV	85.38	83.93
Undertones	Yellow-gray	Yellow-green
HEX Value	#F0EDE4	#EDEAE0

 

Emotional Effects: White Dove vs Swiss Coffee

White Dove and Swiss Coffee are both termed white or off-white by the manufacturer. To the untrained eye, they look the same, but they evoke different feelings due to the subtle attributes that make each unique.

As mentioned, White Dove is whiter and brighter than Swiss Coffee. When used in a room, it presents a feeling of serenity and coolness because of how bright it is. The paint color also makes a small room look larger than it actually is, which is good when you want a larger space. It is perfect for creating a sense of tranquility away from the hassles outside.

Swiss Coffee, on the other hand, is warmer and cozier, creating a feeling of wellness and relaxation after a long day. Because of its creamy yellow hue, it presents a slightly golden face that makes a room appear smaller and cozier than usual. If you want a warm and safe haven where you can curl up with a good book, try Swiss Coffee.

LRV of White Dove vs Swiss Coffee: Which Reflects More Light?

LRV means light reflectance value, which refers to how bright any paint color will look in any room. The value is measured on a scale of 1-100, and the higher the value is, the brighter the color is. In other words, pure black has an LRV of 0, while pure white has an LRV of 100.

White Dove has an LRV of 85.38, which indicates its ability to throw light back into a room. It is pretty close to the lightest end of the light spectrum.

Swiss Coffee has an LRV of 83.93, slightly lower than that of White Dove. But while the light reflectance value difference may look small, it is vital to how the paint appears. Placed side by side with another color, Swiss Coffee looks bright. But with White Dove, the paint color is slightly darker.

Simply put, White Dove reflects more light than Swiss Coffee. Both are off-white paint colors except that one has a brighter appearance than the other.

White Dove vs Swiss Coffee: Do They Have Similar Undertones?

White Dove has yellow undertones with a hint of gray. In some lighting, the undertones may appear more creamy-golden than yellow, but they are mild. But Swiss Coffee has clear yellow undertones with a hint of green in certain lighting.

You cannot tell many colors apart except for their undertones, and the same is true of White Dove vs Swiss Coffee. These undertones are what determine whether the colors are warm, cool, or neutral.

We must point out that these off-white paint colors can have chameleon-like undertones, depending on the orientation the room faces and who is looking at it. Therefore, you may notice a little pink, cream, green-gray, or golden-yellow undertones in Swiss Coffee. And you may see greige, cream, or gray undertones in White Dove.

White Dove will have a slightly gray cast beside Swiss Coffee, while Swiss Coffee will look creamy and slightly more yellow than White Dove.

A Closer Look at the Undertones of White Dove

It helps to have a clearer picture of what White Dove looks like, especially its undertones. In the picture below, notice how much gray shows through the paint color. The trims are done in Simply White by Benjamin Moore, which brings out the undertones in White Dove.

A Closer Look at the Undertones of Swiss Coffee

In this living room decor, Swiss Coffee shows how warm it is and perfectly displays its green undertones. This is particularly obvious because of the lighting and the white upholstery.

There is no doubt that White Dove is more white than Swiss Coffee. This is clearly seen from the pictures above, especially as both paint colors are exposed to bright natural light.

It is easier for you to detect the undertones if you know what to look for in the colors. That way, you can carefully and correctly pick a color palette for each color.

White Dove vs Swiss Coffee: Are They Warm or Cool?

White Dove and Swiss Coffee are both warm whites. This is because of their undertones that include yellow. Yellow is typically a warm color, so it changes the tone of any other color where you find it.

However, Swiss Coffee is a warmer white than White Dove, mostly because of the obvious cream peeking through it. Nevertheless, how you perceive the color may differ from that of the next person.

While both paint colors are warm whites, the resulting undertones may be subjective. Besides, the surrounding elements may make one paint warmer or creamier than the other.

White Dove vs Swiss Coffee: Complementary Colors

Picking one of these paint colors for your decor is only one step. To complete the look, selecting the best complementary colors is crucial. So, let’s look at the colors that make White Dove and Swiss Coffee pop.

Complementary Colors for White Dove

Hale Navy, Revere Pewter, and Sea Haze are some of the best complementary colors for White Dove. And all these colors are from Benjamin Moore.

Hale Navy HC-154 is a deep navy with a hint of gray that suits White Dove, making it shimmer and appear brighter.

Revere Pewter HC-172 is one of the best neutral paint colors to match any decor or color palette. The paint color deepens and makes White Dove whiter when paired with it.

Sea Haze 2137-50 is a stunning gray with visible green undertones that greatly complement the gray in White Dove to create a serene and sophisticated room.

Complementary Colors for Swiss Coffee

Lush, Fossil, and Newburg Green are some of the best complementary colors for Swiss Coffee. As with the others, they are all colors from Benjamin Moore.

Lush AF-475 is almost olive green but with blue undertones that create the perfect blend with Swiss Coffee, especially when the lighter color is used on trims.

Fossil AF-65 is a warm beige that softens the look of Swiss Coffee to make it appear whiter than when it stands alone.

Newburg Green HC-158, with its green undertones, is one of the best teal colors to complement Swiss Coffee for a richer and more striking decor.

These colors are only pointers and a guide to finding other complementary colors for White Dove and Swiss Coffee. This should be easy to do because they are both white colors, although they perform differently in various rooms.

White Dove and Swiss Coffee Color Palette

Getting a new box of watercolors set your mind racing as a creative, opening the horizon before you. And that is what a color palette does for you; it creates many possibilities for pairing colors and creating unique decor.

Without further ado, we are excited to take you on a journey of the best color palettes for White Dove and Swiss Coffee.

White Dove Color Palette

A good color palette should have options of complementary, contrasting, and matching colors. This allows you to select according to the specific decor needs at any particular time. With this in mind, consider the following colors:

• Benjamin Moore Flint AF-560: A charcoal gray paint color with a hint of blue for the perfect contrast.
• Benjamin Moore Chocolate Fondue CC-482: A deeply warm chocolate brown paint color that brings out the beauty of White Dove.
• Benjamin Moore Classic Gray OC-23: It is pretty similar to White Dove except that it is darker and grayer, which means the white paint color will be brighter.
• Benjamin Moore Sea Haze 2137-50: A darker gray than Classic Gray but with a hint of green to balance the undertones of White Dove.

Swiss Coffee Color Palette

The following are colors that work well with Swiss Coffee, especially considering its warmth:

• Benjamin Moore Adobe Orange 2171-30: A bright orange paint color for the striking but sophisticated contrast.
• Benjamin Moore Agave AF-420: It is another contrasting color but with a slightly muted hue for a laid-back elegance in the decor
• Benjamin Moore Coventry Gray AF-685: A mid-tone gray that can stand alone but tones down the brightness of the other colors in the palette.

As we mentioned, these color palettes are only guides to creating a personal and unique palette for your decor. We only based our choices on what we have used and seen in different homes. Feel free to add other colors but keep the undertones of these colors in mind when doing so.

White Dove vs Swiss Coffee on Cabinets

We can never get tired of the classic white kitchen or the traditional white cabinets. White Dove and Swiss Coffee are ideal colors for cabinets, especially if your kitchen already has a warm color scheme.

White Dove on Cabinets

It does not matter whether you want an all-white kitchen or simply white cabinets. White Dove is one of the best white paint colors for the job, even if you have white appliances.

Swiss Coffee on Cabinets

Although it is slightly warmer than White Dove, Swiss Coffee is still an excellent paint color for cabinets. You can use a darker wall color but ensure you keep the tone warm to avoid cashing tones.

Keep your kitchen bright and white with White Dove or warm and cozy with Swiss Coffee. You can add bits of color and accessories to the decor if it feels too stark, but we know you will not regret these paint choices on your cabinets.

White Dove vs Swiss Coffee on Interior Walls

Where else is the best place to test the beauty of any paint color but the interior walls? Most of us buy paints for the purpose of painting the walls inside our house. So, let us walk together as we examine the results of White Dove and Swiss Coffee on interior walls.

White Dove on Interior Walls

If you are going for white and serene, White Dove is your best bet. While it is a warm off-white paint color, it is still bright enough to mimic a true white, especially when paired with dark colors.

Swiss Coffee on Interior Walls

On the other hand, if you are going for warm and cozy, Swiss Coffee is ideal for that result. Its warmth may mean that the room may feel smaller, but it is a small price to pay for the final result

The paint you choose for your interior walls will depend on the result you want. White Dove and Swiss Coffee may look alike, but one provides a whiter appearance than the other. And one is warmer and cozier than the other.

White Dove vs Swiss Coffee on Exterior Walls

Because they are warm colors, White Dove and Swiss Coffee tend to perform well on exterior walls. They pair well with wood tones on trims, which makes them look creamier and better.

White Dove on Exterior Walls

You can use this paint color on your porch or the entire house exterior. Since white is a popular color for houses, consider this option one of the best to try.

Swiss Coffee on Exterior Walls

You will get even more warmth with this paint color when used outside the house because of the bright light. There is no doubt that Swiss Coffee is a stylish color, and using it on the exterior of your house only speaks of class.

White will always be a classy color, and these options allow you to choose the final results. Gone are the days when all whites were bland; the undertones in White Dove and Swiss Coffee add a bit of character. Therefore, they can be conversation starters.

White Dove vs Swiss Coffee on Doors

Who says doors have to be a dark color? White is always a safe option, and White Dove and Swiss Coffee are proof of that.

White Dove on Doors

Since doors are the first thing people see, it is no surprise that you make their paint color choice a priority. If unsure of what other color to use, try White Dove.

Swiss Coffee on Doors

And it must not be only dors within the house; Swiss Coffee performs well on front doors. This is especially true when paired with dark colors, and it may be because of its warmth.

Never the doubt the power of a white door, as cliche as that may sound. It is one of your best options, whether it is a true white, cool white, or warm white. And what better way to start than with White Dove or Swiss Coffee?

Lighting Conditions

We already talked about how lighting can affect the perceived hue of each color. Because a room can face north, south, east, or west, the lighting differs in each case.

North-facing rooms have less direct sunlight than south-facing rooms. East or west-facing rooms can have varied lighting, depending on whether the sun is rising or setting. With this in mind, the undertones you see in White Dove or Swiss Coffee will depend on the lighting.

As much as they are warm colors, overcast rooms can make them appear cool due to the gray undertones in White Dove and the green undertones in Swiss Coffee.

When to Choose White Dove or Swiss Coffee

We have said so many things about White Dove and Swiss Coffee, but which should you choose at different times? Let’s break it down for you.

Go for White Dove if:

• You want a serene and ‘clean’ look
• You are looking for an ideal alternative for pure white without compromising on warmth
• You want a bright color to complement deeper and more saturated hues

Go for Swiss Coffee if:

• You want warmth and do not mind the clear undertones
• You are looking to create cozy and inviting decor
• You do not want a stark white or true white

Note that both paint colors may appear yellowish in certain lighting but not too much. Keep this in mind if you are not a fan of whites that show too much yellow. Also, these recommendations are general; you can tailor them to your specific needs if they apply.

Bottom Line

As much as these White Dove and Swiss Coffee look alike when apart, you will notice distinct differences when placed side by side. White Dove is the softer and brighter color of the two, although it is warm. Swiss Coffee is very warm and creamy, looking more off-white than White Dove.

If you are still undecided, learn all about their undertones, LRVs, and usage in this guide. Most importantly, find out how to complement the paint colors and what works in their individual color palettes.

But remember that you can get creative while decorating and may find the perfect blend outside of what you already know. We are rooting for you and hope to hear from you soon in our comments section.