Chantilly Lace vs. Simply White: BM OC-65 vs OC-117 Compared

Chantilly Lace (OC-65) and Simply White (OC-117) are Benjamin Moore's two best-selling whites — and they are far more different than their LRVs suggest. Both sit around LRV 90, making them among the brightest whites BM offers. But Chantilly Lace has a near-neutral, ever-so-slightly cool undertone that reads as a pure modern white, while Simply White carries a warm yellow undertone that adds a soft, inviting warmth. Those different undertone characters produce very different rooms. Here is how to tell them apart and choose the right one.

Side-by-Side: Chantilly Lace vs. Simply White

LRV: Nearly Identical, but Undertone Decides Everything

Both Chantilly Lace and Simply White have LRVs near 90 — among the highest in Benjamin Moore's lineup. This means both will reflect an exceptional amount of light and make any room feel bright and open. If you are choosing between these two whites purely on brightness, you will not be able to perceive a meaningful difference on the wall. The decision should be driven entirely by undertone, because that is where the colors diverge. Chantilly Lace's nearly neutral undertone reads as a clean pure white in balanced and warm light. Simply White's warm yellow undertone reads as a soft, inviting warm white — particularly noticeable in rooms with warm-toned incandescent or 2700K LED lighting, where Simply White deepens gracefully into a creamy warmth while Chantilly Lace stays crisply neutral.

Undertones: Neutral vs. Warm Yellow

Chantilly Lace is the closest Benjamin Moore gets to a truly neutral white. Its undertone is described as 'nearly neutral' with a faint green-gray influence — the same subtle undertone that prevents it from reading stark blue-white in cool lighting. This neutrality is a large part of what makes Chantilly Lace so popular in contemporary architecture and modern kitchens: it does not pull warm or cool, it simply reads as a clean, crisp white. Under north-facing cool daylight it holds its character. Under warm evening light it remains crisp without going creamy. Simply White occupies a different territory. Its warm yellow undertone is unmistakable next to Chantilly Lace and will show itself in rooms with warm incandescent or 2700K LED lighting, which is most residential lighting. Under warm artificial light, Simply White deepens slightly into a pleasant soft cream. In the same conditions, Chantilly Lace stays neutral. Under cool north-facing daylight, Simply White still holds some warmth — it does not go gray the way cool whites can. That reliable warmth is precisely why Simply White was chosen as Benjamin Moore's 2016 Color of the Year.

Chantilly Lace in Detail

Chantilly Lace has earned a specific reputation among designers: it is the white you specify when the brief is modern, clean, and contemporary. Its near-neutral undertone resists the warm shift that affects most off-whites in artificial light, which makes it the default choice for spaces where you want crisp definition — contemporary shaker cabinets, gallery-clean living rooms, bright modern bathrooms. It performs especially well against matte black hardware, stainless steel, and high-contrast art. In traditional or farmhouse interiors, Chantilly Lace can read slightly cool against warm woods or warm-toned furnishings — in those cases, Simply White or White Dove (OC-17) are more forgiving choices. One practical note: Chantilly Lace's high LRV and neutral undertone make it unforgiving of imperfect surface prep. On ceilings and trim, any surface flaws are more visible on a crisp true-white than on a warmer off-white.

Simply White in Detail

Simply White's warm yellow undertone is the source of both its popularity and its occasional frustration. In most residential lighting conditions — where warm incandescent or 2700K LED is the norm — Simply White adds a flattering, lived-in warmth that makes rooms feel comfortable and inviting rather than clinical. It reads as bright but not stark. Its warm quality pairs naturally with warm wood floors, warm-toned granite and quartz countertops, and traditional furniture. In homes with warm wood floors throughout, Simply White often feels more harmonious than Chantilly Lace because the undertones align. The frustration comes in rooms with abundant cool natural light (north-facing rooms, rooms with lots of glass in a shaded northern setting): Simply White's warm undertone holds, which is usually fine, but if you are specifically trying to maximize the sense of space and clarity, Chantilly Lace's slightly cooler neutrality can give you more visual brightness in cool light.

Room Performance: Where Each White Works Best

Kitchens are the most common context for this decision. Chantilly Lace dominates in modern and contemporary kitchens — white shaker cabinets, quartz countertops, subway tile, and clean-lined fixtures all pair naturally with its crisp neutrality. Simply White performs better in traditional kitchens with warm-toned cabinetry (painted in SW Alabaster or a warm cream), natural wood accents, or warm stone countertops. In living rooms, the right choice depends on your furnishings. Chantilly Lace suits rooms anchored by cool-toned or saturated-color furniture; its neutral backdrop lets the furniture read clearly. Simply White suits rooms with warm wood floors, cream or warm-gray upholstery, and natural-fiber rugs — the warmth ties the room together. For bedrooms, Simply White's warmth is generally the better choice: bedrooms tend to be lit with warm artificial light in the evening when they are most used, and Simply White's warmth flatters skin tones and creates a restful, cocooning quality. Chantilly Lace in a bedroom can feel slightly bright or alert under warm light — which some people prefer, but is not the universal choice. In bathrooms, both whites work well, but they serve different aesthetics. Chantilly Lace suits spa-modern bathrooms with white marble, chrome, and minimal design. Simply White suits traditional bathrooms, those with warm vanity wood, and master baths where you want the envelope to feel warm rather than clinical.

Trim: Which White Works Better?

Both Chantilly Lace and Simply White are widely used as trim whites — on baseboards, door casings, and window trim. The choice between them depends on what is on the walls. Chantilly Lace on trim against a cool or neutral wall color (gray, blue-gray, sage) creates a crisp, clean line with no undertone competition. Simply White on trim against a warm wall color (warm white, warm gray, greige, beige) ties the warm palette together and prevents the trim from looking too stark. Many designers use Simply White as a trim-only color throughout a house where the wall colors are warm-toned neutrals — the warmth in the trim keeps it from competing with or visually jumping off the wall colors. Chantilly Lace on trim in those same spaces can look slightly brighter and more defined, which is sometimes the desired effect and sometimes too much contrast.

Which to Choose

Choose Chantilly Lace (OC-65) if: you want a crisp, contemporary white that reads as close to a true white as possible; your kitchen or bathroom has a modern aesthetic; your furnishings are cool-toned, saturated, or high-contrast; you want the cleanest possible backdrop for art or architectural detail; or the room has warm artificial lighting and you do not want the white to deepen into cream. Choose Simply White (OC-117) if: you want a white with warmth that feels inviting rather than stark; your home has warm wood floors, warm stone, or warm-toned furniture that should be harmonized rather than contrasted; you are painting a traditional kitchen or bath; the room will be primarily lit by warm incandescent or 2700K LED; or you want a trim white that ties into a warm neutral palette on the walls. If you are unsure, paint large swatches (at least A4/letter size) of both on the actual wall and observe them across a full day and evening cycle. The difference that looks subtle on a chip will be clear at scale.