Read all about Benjamin Moore Ballet White, plus see 15 real homes that use it!
Benjamin Moore Ballet White (OC-9) is a warm, light neutral off-white paint shade that gives you endless versatility and decor possibilities.
Do you have that one ultra-agreeable person in your life that you just gravitate towards? They’re pleasant to be around because they work so hard to get along with everyone. Well, think of Ballet White as your favorite agreeable off-white paint.
It’s one of those creamy off-whites that flexes just enough in different lighting situations yet coordinates extremely well with lots of colors. If you’re looking for a fuss-free off-white, Ballet White is a terrific possibility.
Finding one “perfect” neutral in the sea of options can be a challenge – especially if you have an open floor plan with different types of lighting. One cream may look dirty in low lighting and shift to ultra-creamy (i.e., “yellow”) in another part of the same space because of different lighting.
You won’t have that problem with Ballet White. Although you may notice a slight shift due to different lighting, it remains warm and neutral without looking drab or yellow or displaying any surprising undertones.
This post is part of a paint series that features popular shades of paint. My hope with this series is that each paint color guide gives you the information you need to help you pick the paint shade that makes you say “ah” when you look at it.
What color is Ballet White?
Ballet White is a warm creamy off-white that is part of Benjamin Moore’s off-white collection, thus the “OC” in front of it’s numeric name OC-9. Any color from Ben Moore with an OC is part of that same off-white color collection.
Ballet White is a shade that manages to strike a good balance between cream and greige. It has a creamy base (which means yellow), but it has a lot of gray in it to tone it down and keep it very neutral.
Many people hear “cream” and run for the hills, but there’s no need to run from this shade! It’s a great option for anyone who loves the thought of cream but doesn’t like the tendency to go yellow.
Unlike a lot of typical cream shades, Ballet White offers tons of flexibility and coordinates well with a wide range of other colors.
FAQs about BM Ballet White
What other colors are similar to Ballet White?
If you find that BM Ballet White isn’t quite what you’re searching for, check out Sherwin Williams White Duck, which is slightly lighter and a tad cooler too. If you want more gray-leaning undertones, consider Benjamin Moore’s Calm.
Is Benjamin Moore Ballet White warm or cool?
Those creamy undertones give Ballet White a warm tone and create an inviting vibe. 
Where should I use BM Ballet White?
Ballet White is one of the few colors that look terrific anywhere! In fact, it’s SO neutral and lovely that it’s a great choice for open floor plans.
It’s also warm enough to shine alongside warm wood tones.
Consider using this inherently sophisticated and endlessly versatile shade for any room in your house, including:
Living rooms
Kitchens
Dining rooms
Entryways
Bathrooms
Basements
Laundry rooms
Hallways
Bedrooms
And more!
Ballet White can work well in any house style and decor. It’s that versatile! It’s truly a paint shade that you could consider using in an entire house, top to bottom, inside to out.
Undertones of Ballet White
Ballet White is considered to be a warm and flexible off-white. It has pale yellow undertones, but it also has gray undertones that make it much more neutral and versatile. This shade won’t “go yellow” on you, and you won’t see it flash green or pink, either.
That said, most paint shades with a high LRV can be susceptible to influence from surrounding colors. If you have a pale shade like Ballet White near a window that has a lot of bright light and green surroundings, you may notice just a hint of green where the light from the window directly hits the paint.
NOTE: Thanks to shifting natural lighting exposure and the way that nearby colors can impact how a paint appears, NO paint color will look the same at different times of the day or in two different locations. Using paint swatches is your best bet to demonstrate EXACTLY how your lighting and decor will change how your paint looks.
As far as sampling goes, I highly recommend these mess-free, re-usable, re-positionable peel and stick paint samples ⤵
If undertones make your head hurt, you’re not alone! Grab your free copy of 5 Biggest Paint Choice Mistakes Click here or enter your email below. I’ll send the tips right away!⤵️
How Different Types of Lighting Affect BM Ballet White
Natural light wavelengths change throughout the day as the sun moves across the sky. This creates the appearance of natural light being different colors. If that sounds a little confusing, let me present it from a different angle.
Here’s a general idea of how Ballet White may appear based on different types of natural lighting.
- North-facing light – northern light is blue-tinted and leans cool, so it will enhance the gray undertones in Ballet White so that it reads as a soft greige. Its warmth is passive in northern lighting.
- South-facing light – southern light is yellow and leans warm, which will draw out those pale yellow undertones. However, instead of appearing yellow or rich and creamy, Ballet White will read as warm greige.
- East-facing light – eastern light is warm and yellow in the morning and shadowy and blue-tinted in the afternoon. Ballet White will read warm and possibly light greige in the morning before shifting through the day to look soft and neutral.
- West-facing light – expect passive light in the morning and ultra-warm light in the evening. Ballet White will again shift slightly throughout the day, appearing muted in the morning and warmer and creamier in the afternoon/evening.
Great Coordinating Colors for Ballet White
Since BM Ballet White is light, bright, and flexible, it can play well with a large variety of other shades. Since it’s reliably neutral, this soft off-white will look great with green, blue, coral, and even warm browns and wood tones.
Want some ideas of shades to pair with this shade? Check out these shades that stun when paired with Benjamin Moore Ballet White:
- Chantilly Lace
- Simply White
- White Dove
- Pashmina
- Puritan Gray
- Kendall Charcoal
- Avalon
- Crisp Linen
- Cloud White
- Mindful Gray
- Clary Sage
- Warm Fog
- Blue Note
- Tricorn Black
- Chimney Smoke
- Desert Twilight
- Sienna
- Requisite Gray
- Seapearl
- Pink Flamingo
LRV of Benjamin Moore Ballet White (OC-9)
LRV is an abbreviation for “light reflective value” or “light reflectance value” (you’ll often see it written either way). Why do you need to know something that sounds so technical, like the LRV of a shade? Well, it’s a way of measuring how much light is reflected (rather than absorbed) by a particular shade. In other words, it’s an objective way of measuring how light (or dark) a color appears.
LRVs range from 0 – 100. A color with an LRV of 0 is absolute black. On the opposite end of the spectrum, an LRV of 100 is the brightest white you can imagine.
The LRV of BM Ballet White = 71.97
An LRV in this range means a shade is light enough to wash out in bright natural light but has enough saturation to give it that dreamy creamy soft vibe. With an LRV of nearly 72, Ballet White won’t make any room feel dark or closed in.
LRV…what? Don’t worry, I’ve got you! Grab a FREE copy of my new guide to avoid the paint color picking mistakes people make! Click here or enter your email below. I’ll send the tips right away!⤵️
Ballet White Compared to Other Colors
I’m going to show you how this shade compares with some other popular paint colors so you can see the differences between the two. Ready? Let’s go!
Benjamin Moore Ballet White vs. Pale Oak
First, let’s compare Ballet White to a popular white paint from the same brand, Benjamin Moore Pale Oak (OC-20).
Pale Oak’s LRV of 69.89 makes it just a smidge darker than Ballet White. It’s a greige that leans taupe with pink/purple undertones. Pale Oak is a gorgeous (and underrated, in my opinion) color, but those pink/purple undertones make it less versatile than Ballet White.
Ballet White is a creamier, lighter off-white shade that pairs well with a greater variety of colors.
Benjamin Moore Ballet White vs. White Dove
Benjamin Moore White Dove (#OC-17) is a gorgeous, popular off-white from Benjamin Moore that has similar undertones. With an LRV of 85.38, this shade reads lighter and creamier than Ballet White.
BM Ballet White offers more depth and saturation, so count on it to stand out against your trim better than White Dove. Actually, you could consider using White Dove AS your trim color!
Benjamin Moore Ballet White vs. White Sand
Benjamin Moore White Sand (#964) has an LRV of 68.07, which means it reads darker than Ballet White does. What’s more, White Sand is more of a muted warm greige than a creamy neutral off-white. Honestly, it almost has a khaki/tan kinda vibe.
If you’re working with a dark room, I would lean more towards Ballet White because it will offer saturation without looking too dark.
More Colors to Consider
Gah! Choosing paint colors can be challenging! If you just aren’t convinced that Ballet White is the right choice for your home yet, check out these other popular shades.
- Alabaster (Sherwin Williams) – a warm-leaning soft white that looks great anywhere
- Calm (Benjamin Moore) – a soft and airy off-white
- Eider White (Sherwin Williams) – a warm off-white with greige undertones
- Paper White (Benjamin Moore) – a cool-leaning off-white with slight green undertones
- Silver Satin (Benjamin Moore) – a gray-tinted off-white
- Greek Villa (Sherwin Williams) – a soft, creamy off-white with mild undertones
- Snowbound (Benjamin Moore) – a slightly cool, yet very livable, white
- White Duck (Sherwin Williams) – a creamy off-white that leans greige
- City Loft (Sherwin Williams) – a creamy off-white with light gray undertones
Feeling lost? I gotcha, boo! Grab a FREE copy of my new guide to avoid the paint color picking mistakes people make! Click here or enter your email below. I’ll send the tips right away!⤵️
15 Real Life Homes Using Benjamin Moore’s Ballet White
All of the information above is necessary to help you decide whether Ballet White is the right paint shade for you. But many people find that they need something more. They need to be able to visualize it.
With that in mind, I found 15 real-life homes, rooms, and other spaces that are using BM Ballet White for you to see!
Ballet White Bedrooms
A quick note here: don’t forget to consider picking the right paint finish…it’s not only about getting the color right! We have an in-depth explanation of choosing sheens here.
In general for bedrooms, and low-traffic areas, flat paint is fine. If you like something with a bit of shine (and more ease of cleaning) opt for eggshell or satin.
1. Creamy against Bright White Accents
This bedroom from Week’s End Co. shows two important things about Ballet White: one, it’s neutral and creamy but not yellow, and two, it has enough color and depth to contrast the white trim.
2. Sweet Hue for a Child’s Room
There’s something about a young child’s room that demands an element of softness. I love the soft, inviting vibe that BM Ballet White imparts into this child’s bedroom from @peonyinteriordesigns.
3. Gray Undertones in Low Lit Space
Espresso and Cream chose Ballet White for this dark bedroom. The cool-toned low light levels draw out the gray undertones in this shade, but it still lends a passive warmth to keep the room from feeling cold.
4. Traditional Off-White Paint
Jeff Schlarb Design Studio via Houzz expertly used Benjamin Moore Ballet White to bridge the divide between the warm wood tones and dark accents. Notice the gray undertones down below the wall picture and the hint of yellow higher in the light.
Living Rooms Painted Ballet White
5. Casual Neutral Vibes
Gorgeous! Tidbits and Twine made an inspired choice with Ballet White in this bright living room. Even though the color washes out some in the light, this shade still has enough saturation to contrast with the white decor, as well as the white brick fireplace and base moldings in the space.
6. Great Backdrop for Any Decor
This living room from @sandralokoff.at.home shows off the creamy nature of this warm white. Here, it’s as yellow as you’ll ever see it appear. But it still provides a gorgeous neutral background that allows the painting to really pop!
BM Ballet White Kitchens
For kitchens, eggshell or satin are popular finish choices for walls. For cabinets consider semi-gloss or high gloss for the most durable finish (and a gorgeous glow).
7. Works Well with Darker Tones
What do you need when you have a room with low light and warm wood tones? Spades, Spatulas, and Spoons shows just how gorgeous Ballet White looks in this setting.
In this setting you can easily appreciate the warm undertone of this shade peeking through more strongly when surrounded by richer hues, and light from soft white (warm temperature) lightbulbs.
8. Subtle Contrast in White Kitchen
The kitchen above showed off the rich depth that Ballet White can offer, while this kitchen from Papermoon Painting highlights the elegant sophistication that it can provide. And it gives enough warmth to contrast bright white cabinetry like the ones seen in this lovely example.
Ballet White Dining Space
9. Modern and Minimalist Feel
Are you looking for the perfect neutral backdrop, but don’t want something too stark or sterile? Ahhh…you gotta love the intricacies and subtle nuances of whites, right? Well, if neutral but not cold is your goal, then look no further than Ballet White, as you can see here in this dining room from The DIY Playbook. Not just boring white walls, Ballet White helps elevate the palette a bit without pushing into a heavy cream, beige, or taupe paint color.
Bathrooms in Ballet White
Don’t forget the finish! For bathrooms the perfect sheen is either an eggshell or satin. Why? We’ll tell you in this post about paint sheen.
10. Nice Neutral for a Casual Look
This bathroom from Newton Custom Interiors is casual, cozy, and inviting. One of Ballet White’s true gifts is the ability to effortlessly work in both casual and chic settings. And again, we can see the contrast that Ballet White is able to provide against bright white furniture, accents, and trim details.
11. Perfect Pairing with Bold Floors
When you have a space with bold accents like the floors in this bathroom from The DIY Playbook, a calming neutral color like Ballet White OC-9 can help to balance out the overall design.
Office Spaces using BM Ballet White
12. Bold Monochromatic Look
Ballet White gives this office from Lindsay Mills such a fresh look! It is just soft, creamy, and neutral enough to expertly take a backseat to those gorgeous ceiling beams. And it’s a great companion for that muted but colorful rug.
13. Balanced Neutral
@bradleypaintcoavl used Ballet White to brighten and open up this small space. The transformation is amazing!
Home Exteriors using Ballet White Paint
14. Not Too Yellow
Southern State of Mind was genius for choosing Ballet White as the main exterior color of this house. It’s light, bright, and creamy without a hint of yellow. Gorgeous!
15. Warm and Welcoming Curb Appeal
This house from Kara Weik via Houzz is stunning and projects elegant sophistication. I love it! The shade works so well with those inviting spa green shutters.
So, what do you think? Have I convinced you to give Ballet White a deeper look? I hope so because it’s one of those colors you might not consider at first glance, yet further study might be enough to convince you it’s perfect! We’ve certainly seen it used with some very beautiful results here in this paint study.
Seriously considering this shade? Make sure to sample first! I highly recommend these re-usable, re-positionable peel and stick samples👇
Pin this paint color for later! And if you use this paint shade, leave a comment on the pin! That helps others decide if they want to try this color, too!
Ready to show those boring, beige walls who’s the boss at home? Grab my free guide to help you sidestep the mistakes that almost everyone makes when it comes to picking paint! You’ll be on your way to perfect paint promptly…pinky swear.
Susan says
I have Ballet White cabinets and love them, although my kitchen has 8 foot ceilings and is an inside room with just enough natural light that my cabinets look timeless. Can I use a whiter quartz with them or one with a creamier background. I’m considering MSI Calacatta Verona and Calacatta Velentine. One has more off whiye background and one is more gray.