How to decorate with Sherwin Williams' Crisp Linen – 'a soft, warm and serene neutral'

While a quick glance at a room painted in Sherwin Williams' Crisp Linen might lead you to automatically think it's a white, spend a little longer looking and you'll soon see that there's a lot more to this shade that initially meets the eye.

If you've ever tested out white paint samples on your walls, you'll know that there is a plethora of whites, creams, beiges and ivories out there. And when they're placed side by side on your wall, the differences can feel huge.

If you placed Crisp Linen on a line up of white paint swatches, you'd soon see that it has a clear and unmistakable peachy undertone – a warmth that brings a subtle, sushine-y glow. This pleasant pinky undertone is one of the reasons why Crisp Linen is becoming one of Sherwin Williams' most popular paint colors.

How to decorate with Crisp Linen

The shade is a subtle and chic classic that will never go out of style. It's a failsafe choice, making it a great option if you're feeling nervous about branching away from your typical whites and greys.

'Sherwin-Williams' Crisp Linen is a versatile and timeless paint color that works beautifully in various rooms,' says Lauren Gilbert-Thorpe, creative director at Lauren Gilbert-Thorpe Interiors. 'Its soft, warm undertones make it an ideal choice for creating a serene and inviting atmosphere,' she adds.

So whether you're deciding on what room to use this shade in, or you're contemplating which colors will work best alongside it, we've chatted to five interior designers and color experts to reveal all you need to know.

Use Crisp Linen as your backdrop

Alexandra Cooper, interior designer at Planner 5D, says that Crisp Linen works beautifully as a neutral backdrop to your room design.

'Crisp Linen is most commonly used to create a tranquil and inviting ambiance in various room schemes,' says Alexandra. 'For this reason, it’s very often used as a backdrop color that will allow for other accent colors or design elements to stand out.'

Painting all four walls in this shade creates a laid-back neutral backdrop that's easy to live with, but with a warming, peachy twist.

Alexandra also suggests that this shade works well within rooms of any style. 'The versatility of this color allows for it to be used in various types of rooms and styles, from rustic to sophisticated,' she says.

Whether it's a homely kitchen or a tranquil bedroom like this, Crisp Linen is sure to bring a calming ambiance and allow other details to pop.

Combine with warm earthy hues

Trish Knight, interior designer and co-founder of Knight Varga Interiors, suggests that Crisp Linen works best alongside other warm colors. 'Crisp Linen really sings when paired with earthy tans, terracotta, and warm brass or gold accents,' she says.

From tan leather armchairs, to terracotta floor tiles and brass door handles, these warming hues compliment the warm peach undertones of Crisp Linen and help to pull out the heat in the shade.

The artificial lighting you choose can have an impact on the appearance of a paint color too, and Trish suggests choosing warm lighting to amplify Crisp Linen. 'I'd pair it with light fixtures featuring warm white or linen shades and bulbs with a warmer color temperature – around 2700K would be ideal.'

Trish Knight

Designer Trish Knight is a co-founder of Knight Varga Interiors. Collectively with two decades of experience this Vancouver-based multi-award-winning design firm has become known and sought after for creating well-curated interiors. The firm provides complete bespoke residential design services throughout Vancouver, BC Canada and North America.

Ramp up the textures

Audrey Scheck, interior designer at Audrey Scheck Design, suggests going all out with textures in a Crisp Linen space to bring more depth and interest.

'Crisp Linen is a great shade for a living room,' she says, 'as this makes it easy to add in plenty of additional colors and tactile textures.'

'I would compliment Crisp Linen walls with plenty of artwork, and layer up patterns and materials to make the room more layered and dynamic. This would really help to create a bright and inviting feel.'

'Natural woods, boucle, marble and velvet accents paired with Crisp Linen adds sophistication. Opting for warm metals, like unlacquered brass, brings a timeless elegance to the color,' Audrey adds.

Audrey Scheck

With more than a half-dozen years of experience in remodels and renovations, Audrey Scheck leads Audrey Scheck Design, a full-service interior design firm based in Austin, Texas.

Create a contrast with blue

Bre Hance, founder and principal designer at Inhance Design Build, advises contrasting the warmth of Crisp Linen with the cooler tones of blue or green. 'It needs to be firstly paired with the right cream or beige color to compliment, and then adds in a pop of color to bring out the vibrancy,' says Bre.

'I would bring in a beige, taupe or brown to lean into the warm feel and then use a green, blue or a jewel tone of these colors to bring out the playfulness in the shade,' she adds. 'Then you could use black as a crisp contrast to create an elegant, sophisticated look.'

'Crisp Linen is a warm white with slight peachy undertones so I'd be very careful, or would even avoid, using Crisp Linen with yellows or anything that reads peach,' she adds.

Consider your natural light sources

Emily Kantz, color marketing manager at Sherwin Williams, suggests that the aspect of your room makes a big difference in how you should use the shade and the effect that it will have on the room.

'Crisp Linen works well in both north and south-facing rooms,' she says. 'North-facing rooms tend to have cooler light, so a warmer tone like Crisp Linen SW 6378 will help to bring a dose of warmth into the cool space, balancing out the light temperature to create a more pleasant ambiance.'

'A south-facing room encompasses bright, warm light that automatically creates a warmer atmosphere, so using a shade such as Crisp Linen would play into that warm vibe, boosting the welcoming and homely feel.'

'Crisp Linen SW 6378 works best in living rooms that don't have much natural light exposure,' she says. 'This color will transform the space and provide a bright, sunny warmth.'