White paint is rarely just pure white – and that’s how it’s meant to be!

A white with no undertone at all would be stark, flat and harsh. White paints come in every undertone in the rainbow, which makes choosing just one a complex task but gives you plenty of room to find the perfect shade.

Homes with honey oak often face some additional challenges in finding a perfect white that goes well with its golden wood but the work is so worth the reward - white and oak are a beautiful, natural pairing. The trick is finding an off-white with just the right undertones to compliment the oak while giving an updated look to the space.

To help you narrow it down a bit, I’m sharing eight of my favorite off-white paint colors that look amazing with honey oak.

‘I’m just going to paint it a simple white’ is one of the biggest lies in interior design.

Oak tends to be a ‘loud’ presence in the room, with it’s heavy yellow-orange color and bold grain. This is exactly why white walls are such a natural match for oak-filled homes. The honey wood tone is softened when surrounded by crisp, clean white. It’s a classic, timeless look that simplifies the aesthetic in the room, rather than layering on anything else.

Using a near-white can be the perfect solution: it creates a neutral backdrop that does not interfere with the colors already in the space. Off-whites give a clean slate that can be bent to any style with accessories, art, textures, and furniture.

A beautiful, rich off-white can be a perfect pairing with almost anything but when the more permanent features of a home have their own color tone, it can be a challenge to find the right color. You need a paint that not only pairs well with those items but brings a feeling you like to the space as well.

If you’re looking for a bright, neutral off-white to pair with the oak in your home, take a look at my favorites below.

You can download the cheat sheet, complete with the paint codes, for free in the resource library!

This graphic is perfect for saving as a photo on your phone and looking at in the paint store.

Gather some paper samples using the codes shown and take them home. 

Remember that the most critical part of choosing a paint is looking at the samples in your own home, with your own lighting, furniture and décor. Look at the samples at every possible time of day (morning, noon, afternoon, evening and night). 

Once you’ve narrowed it down to just a few, grab some sample pots of paint and paint some foam core sheets or plywood scraps (bigger is better!) and move them all around for a few days before deciding.  Consider the time and money spent in this phase a built-in part of the painting process.  You will be so glad you did!

Need a little more help with the oak in your home?

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