Read all about Sherwin Williams Shoji White, plus see 15 real homes that use it!
Sherwin Williams Shoji White (SW 7042) is a warm-leaning off-white paint color with greige undertones that give it a gorgeous, creamy appearance.
Have you ever noticed how many white paint options there are out there?
Although it may be easy to think that white paint is just white paint, I hope the nearly endless array of options clues you in on the fact that there is SO MUCH MORE to this sneaky shade.
White often makes a space feel clean, fresh, and new. It has the power to make small rooms feel much bigger than they are.
And it also has the ability to be too bright and create an almost painful experience.
That’s why off-white colors can be a great option. They are slightly darker and softer than bright white yet still offer the same benefits. Cue the happy music.
However, if you thought the color selection of bright white was large, add off-white to the list of options, and you might just feel like your head is about to explode. Now cue the bummer music.
Fortunately, I have a paint series that helps to take the frustration out of choosing fantastic paint colors because I give you all the information you need to pick colors you’ll love. Less stress due to overwhelm = an easier decision!
Today’s color, Sherwin Williams Shoji White, is one of the super versatile shades of off-white that looks great anywhere. You definitely want to check it out. So get that happy music playing, and let’s dive in to learn more about Shoji White.
What color is Shoji White?
First, let’s clear the air: Sherwin Williams Shoji White is actually not white! Think of it this way: If cream and greige had a baby, Shoji White would be it. This shade is a warm-leaning off-white (or very light greige color) paint that features subtle green undertones.
It creates a warm and cozy atmosphere without looking too bright or too yellow. And it’s a beautiful neutral that will enhance your home’s color palette rather than compete with it.
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FAQs about Sherwin Williams Shoji White
What other colors are similar to Shoji White?
Although neither of these colors is just like Shoji White, I would recommend Benjamin Moore Ballet White and Sherwin Williams White Duck as good similar colors. They both lack the slight green undertone that Shoji White has (which can turn some people off).
Is Sherwin Williams’s Shoji White warm or cool?
Shoji White is a warm-toned greige-leaning off-white.
What trim colors look good with Shoji White?
If you want as much contrast as possible, go with High Reflective White. However, if you want a softer contrast, Pure White is my go-to choice.
Where should I use Sherwin Williams Shoji White?
Shoji White makes any home feel updated and modern while providing a neutral palette. Use it anywhere! Try it for:
• Cabinets and built-ins
• Mudroom
• Entry
• Hallway
• Laundry room
• Basement
• Home office
• Playroom
• Bathrooms
• Bedrooms
• Family room
• Kitchen
• Trim (for a seamless look with the walls)
• Exteriors
Shoji White is neutral enough to work well with any style of home, including minimalist, modern, mid-century, traditional, modern farmhouse, or contemporary-style homes.
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Sherwin Williams Shoji White Undertones
Shoji White has greige (gray and beige) and very mild green undertones. The green is nuanced enough that most of the time, you won’t even notice it’s there. But it IS there (and it can turn some people off).
And the greige undertone keeps this shade from looking too yellow, too warm, or too cold.
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How Different Types of Lighting Impact Sherwin Williams’s Shoji White
Often, this sophisticated, creamy color will read as off-white or light greige. However, since it has those beige and gray undertones, it has some flexibility in that it appears much different on your walls based on various types of lighting.
As the sun moves across the sky, the light exposure changes. This changing natural light will cause a paint’s appearance to shift throughout the day, too.
Shoji White is one of those shifty, flexible paint colors (like most greiges) that appears quite different in varying light exposures.
Here’s how you can expect Shoji White to read in different types of natural lighting.
- North-facing rooms – cool, blue-tinted northern exposure means Shoji White’s gray undertones will be more prominent without the color looking cold. Instead, it will display a passive warmth.
- South-facing rooms – bright southern exposure will draw the beige and creamy undertones forward, making this shade look warm, creamy, and slightly beige (maybe with a green tint). Depending on how much light the room receives, Shoji White could also wash out enough to look soft white.
- East-facing rooms – bright yellow morning light shifts to cool, shadowy exposure later in the day. Shoji White will appear warm and beige in the morning and shift to cooler greige in the afternoon.
- West-facing rooms– cool-toned morning light gives way to warm light later in the day, creating the opposite scenario. Shoji White will appear cooler and passively warm before shifting toward a light soft, neutral greige.
When to Avoid SW Shoji White
I recommend steering clear of pairing this color with bright red or orange shades because they can make those green undertones appear more obvious.
Great Coordinating Colors for Shoji White
Shoji White is a great choice for anyone who prefers soft, off-whites over crisp, bright whites. Its light, creamy nature allows it to play neutral and mesh well with many different colors.
Pair Shoji White with grays, darker shades of greige, blues, deep reds, and greens. It also looks great with wood tones and metal accents.
If you want some specific color pairing recommendations, check out:
- Pure White
- Extra White
- Chantilly Lace
- Urbane Bronze
- Soft Fawn
- Stardew
- Worldly Gray
- Intellectual Gray
- Pewter Green
- Naval
- Fawn Brindle
- Perle Noire
- Smoky Blue
- Accessible Beige
- Sea Salt
- Evergreen Fog
- Amazing Gray
LRV of Sherwin Williams Shoji White (SW 7042)
LRV is an abbreviation for “light reflectance value.” Why does it matter? It’s a helpful and reliable way to determine how light or dark a paint color may look on your walls.
LRV ranges from 0 – 100. A color with an LRV of 0 is pure black. On the opposite end of the spectrum, an LRV of 100 is the brightest white you can imagine.
The LRV of Shoji White = 74
This high LRV value puts SW Shoji White in the light (just outside the white) range. Although it’s considered a greige, it’s light enough to appear off-white most frequently.
However, in low natural light, it will appear light greige, and in bright light, it will wash out to a soft white.
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Shoji White Compared to Other Colors
It’s time to compare and contrast this hue with a few similar colors to learn how to distinguish between them. Ready…set…go!
Sherwin Williams Shoji White vs. White Duck
White Duck (SW 7010) and Shoji White are VERY similar colors, but they are NOT THE SAME. They both have a creamy, greige base and an LRV of 74. That, however, is where the similarities end.
White Duck is slightly cooler and doesn’t have the subtle green undertones, so if those scare you, go with White Duck over Shoji White, and you’ll get nearly the same shade.
Sherwin Williams Shoji White vs. Alabaster
Sherwin Williams Alabaster (SW 7008), with its LRV value of 82, has the same creamy quality but appears much lighter. Its subtle yellow undertones put it firmly in the soft white category. In fact, Alabaster is often cited as one of the favorite white paint colors by interior design experts.
In contrast, Shoji White is clearly darker and more greige. It has enough saturation that it’s considered off-white or light greige.
Sherwin Williams Shoji White vs. Natural Choice
Sherwin Williams Natural Choice (SW 7011) also has an LRV of 74. Looking at these two hues side by side, it may be hard to see the differences between them at first.
Look a little closer, and you’ll see that Natural Choice is slightly more yellow with a hint of pink, which can make it look almost peach in real life.
Overall, I would say that Shoji White is more versatile because the undertones in Natural Choice can turn some people off more strongly than Shoji White’s green undertones will.
More Colors to Consider
If you’re still not sure about Sherwin Williams Shoji White, don’t worry because I’m not leaving you hanging! Check out these other comparable color options to get more info.
- Silver Drop (Behr) – a flexible pale greige.
- Aesthetic White (Sherwin Williams) – a beautiful off-white with greige undertones.
- Swiss Coffee (Benjamin Moore) – soft, warm, creamy, off-white.
- Dover White (Sherwin Williams) – a warm, creamy off-white.
- Calm (Benjamin Moore) – a light, cool off-white with purple undertones.
- Linen White (Benjamin Moore) – a chic and dreamy off-white.
- Shoreline (Benjamin Moore) – a light greige with gray undertones.
- Oyster White (Sherwin Williams) – similar to Shoji, this is a pretty light greige paint color.
- White Dove (Benjamin Moore) – a popular warm off-white paint shade with gray undertones (and a personal favorite).
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15 Real Life Homes Using Sherwin Williams Shoji White
Ok, the design babble is done. It’s time to have some fun and see how Shoji White flexes and shines in real life.
Here are 15 real-life homes and examples to show you what this shade can do, and help you decide if it could be a great color for your own home!
Living Rooms with Shoji White Paint
Sheen note: Picking the right color is only winning the battle, not the war. Remember to pick the right paint finish, or sheen, also! Read up on what you need to know about picking the perfect paint sheen.
1. Clean with Earthy Tones
Shoji White is a neutral that’s hard to beat. Even though there’s just a hint of green undertones in this image from Designing Vibes, it’s just in the shadowy corner of the room.
Otherwise, it just looks clean surrounding those deep earthy tones.
2. Creamy and Neutral
If you’re looking for a white that’s soft and inviting instead of looking bright and crisp, SW Shoji White could be the ideal option.
This living room from @ashleylouis_design is perfectly neutral and takes a backseat to the gorgeous decor.
3. Not Too Warm in Warm Lighting
This uber-warm western lighting is drawing out those beige undertones in the strongest way I’ve ever seen them.
If you hate yellow, you may not want to use Sherwin-Williams Shoji White in a west-facing room. However, as Our Fifth House shows us, it’s still an inviting shade!
4. Soft Off-White
Even in this artificial light (with lots of shadows), Shoji White looks soft and inviting. As you can see here from @riverbirchhouse, it’s a terrific wall color choice for basements. Even without natural light, it has enough soft warmth to be inviting and cozy.
SW Shoji White Bedrooms
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.
5. Trim Painted Shoji White
Often people choose to paint walls Shoji White and trim bright white, or they may do both the walls and trim in Shoji White.
I am loving what In Honor of Design did by reversing what most people do! Isn’t that trim gorgeous but still subtle?
6. Washes Out in Natural Light
Hamilton Park Home shows off the beauty of Shoji White in this bedroom. It’s subtle, soft, and lovely, and clearly more off-white than greige here.
7. Gray Undertones in Cool Lighting
Cool light draws out cool undertones, and in Shoji White, those cool undertones are gray.
Although we don’t see Shoji White look this cool often, I’m loving it in this room from Emily A Clark!
Kitchens using Ben Moore’s Shoji White
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).
8. Creamy Greige Cabinets
Shoji White is a favorite for kitchen cabinets because it creates a light but warm and inviting kitchen. And it’s also a dream with wood tones, no matter how light or dark, as we can see here from @weepingwillow.farmhouse.
So if you gravitate toward white cabinets but fear a stark, sterile look, that’s good reason to consider this beautiful off-white paint color.
9. Beautiful with Wood Tones
Here’s an example of Shoji White with darker wood tones. Look at those wood beams in the ceiling in this kitchen/dining room from Beginning in the Middle – the combo is stunning!
Shoji White Bathrooms
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. Elevated Classic
A white bathroom is a pretty easy choice. It’s clean, it’s classic. But Shoji White elevated plain-ol-white to a new (and I’d say better?) level.
11. Modern Farmhouse Staple Color
If you have modern farmhouse decor, Shoji White is a must-have!
I am seriously in love with this bathroom from @krystle_prime and can’t stop looking at how amazing this shade looks with the dark accents.
Shoji White Exteriors
12. Clean, Fresh, Modern
I’m loving everything about this home from Lesley W Graham! The detailing and accents prevent Shoji White from looking ordinary or boring.
13. Unobtrusive Neutral
Shoji White does a brilliant job of taking a backseat and letting the decorative elements catch the eye. This home from Wildfire Interiors is eye-catching and lovely.
Benjamin Moore Shoji White in Other Homes
14. Green Undertones
Remember that I mentioned how Shoji White has green undertones? Say hello to those undertones in this image from UnOriginal Mom.
This is the strongest I’ve ever seen them, and I think it’s due to lighting influences coming in from the window because they’re barely noticeable near the floor.
15. Barely Off-White
Ah, Sherwin Williams Shoji White is perfectly soft and light in this home office from The Turquoise Home.
Even though it has clearly washed out in the bright light, there’s still some contrast with the bright white trim.
Now that you’ve had a chance to learn more about this versatile color that can look amazing on interior walls, exterior walls, cabinets and more…are you ready to grab some peel and stick paint samples and check it out in your home?
If you’re seeking a soft off-white with a little bit of body and bite, Shoji White might make a beautiful contribution to the overall look of your home.
Pin this project for later! And if you decide to try it, leave a comment on the pin! That helps others know whether they want to try it, too!
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