Are you looking for the perfect warm neutral paint for your home? I’ve spent months testing Benjamin Moore White Sand (OC-10) in my own house, and now I can share what I learned.
In this article, you’ll learn:
- What White Sand actually looks like in real homes
- Which rooms work best with this color
- Colors that pair perfectly with it
- How to test it properly before buying
I’ve used this paint in east—and west-facing rooms. I’ve seen how it changes from morning to night. I’ve made the mistakes so you don’t have to.
My walls have been White Sand for over three years now. I know how it holds up and how it feels to live with it daily. Let’s find out if this warm neutral is right for your home.
What Kind of Color Is White Sand (OC-10)?
White Sand (OC-10) is a soft, warm greige with subtle taupe undertones. It’s a gentle color that adds a cozy, welcoming feeling without being too beige or gray. I think of it as the color of beach sand with a hint of warmth.
I’ve noticed it shifts throughout the day. In morning light, the warm aspects become clearer and more noticeable. By afternoon, it takes on a more neutral quality that feels balanced and soothing.
The color has an LRV (Light Reflectance Value) of 66.95, placing it in the light range. This means it reflects a good amount of light, making spaces feel open and bright. The warm nature of White Sand makes it excellent for creating rooms that feel both spacious and comfortable.
What makes White Sand stand out is how it adapts to its surroundings. In some spaces, it appears more taupe, while in others, the greige aspects become more noticeable. This flexibility helps it work well in many settings and with various home styles.
What Rooms Work Best with White Sand?
White Sand, with its soft, neutral tones reminiscent of pristine beaches, works beautifully in a variety of spaces throughout your home. This versatile color creates bright, airy environments while maintaining warmth.
Living Rooms
This color makes living areas feel warm and welcoming without being too beige. It creates a soft background that allows furniture and art to stand out.
In my living room, White Sand walls make the space feel cozy while highlighting my blue sofa and medium wooden accent pieces. The color works especially well in both large and medium living spaces.
In larger rooms, it helps create a sense of warmth and connection. In medium rooms, it adds a comforting effect without feeling bland when paired with the right accessories.
Bedrooms
The warm greige tones make bedrooms feel cozy and relaxing. This color creates a peaceful background that helps with comfort and sleep.
In my guest bedroom, I paired White Sand with cream bedding and medium wood tones for a retreat that feels both warm and balanced. The color also tends to make bedrooms feel more intimate and restful.
The subtle taupe undertones create a sense of warmth that many people find helpful for sleep environments. Since painting my bedroom this shade, I’ve found that it feels more organized and peaceful.
Dining Rooms
White Sand shines in dining rooms where it creates a warm, inviting feel. The subtle taupe tones complement wood tables perfectly while adding more interest than plain white walls. My dining room in this shade feels much more custom and thoughtful than it did with basic white walls.
In dining rooms with natural light, the color takes on a beautiful glow that changes throughout the day. Even in dining rooms without windows, it helps create a warm feeling when paired with good lighting.
Home Offices
The color helps create focus without being distracting. The warm greige feels professional yet calming during work hours. I painted my home office in this shade and find it makes the perfect background for video calls while keeping me focused.
White Sand is particularly effective in offices that need to feel warm and organized. The color seems to reduce visual stress and create a sense of comfort. I’ve noticed I feel more productive in my White Sand office compared to my previous white workspace.
Kitchens
White Sand adds subtle warmth to kitchens without competing with cabinets or backsplashes. It creates a welcoming feeling that still feels clean and bright. My friend painted her kitchen this color with dark brown cabinets, creating a balanced look that still has character.
The color works well with both white and wood cabinets, making it very flexible for most kitchen styles. It adds just enough warmth to feel interesting without taking away from other kitchen elements.
What Colors Go Well with White Sand?
- Crisp white: It creates a clean, fresh look
- Navy blue: Offers a beautiful contrast that enhances both colors
- Soft sage greens: Complement the warm undertones naturally
- Medium wood tones: Add depth and balance to the warm greige
- Brushed nickel or brass: Metal finishes that enhance the warm tones
For my dining room, I combined White Sand walls with white trim and medium-wood furniture. The combination feels both warm and elegant.
What Style Works Well With This Color?
White Sand adapts to many design styles. In traditional homes, it brings in a subtle warmth without being too dated. For transitional spaces, it creates a warm canvas that lets furniture stand out.
In coastal settings, it offers a fresh update while respecting classic elements. Most impressively, White Sand works well in modern homes by adding warmth to clean-lined furniture.
My own home mixes contemporary items with more traditional ones, and this color creates the perfect subtle background for both. This flexibility makes it a smart choice if you like to change your decor or mix elements from different styles.
Is It a Warm or Cool Color?
White Sand is definitely a warm color. The taupe-greige undertones give it that warm, cozy feeling. I’d describe it as “softly warm” – not the kind that makes a room feel too beige or dated.
The subtle gray aspects keep it from feeling too beige or intense. This balance makes it work well year-round in most homes. Despite being warm, it doesn’t feel overwhelming or heavy like some beiges can.
The lighter value softens the warmth, making it more livable for everyday spaces. In rooms with lots of natural light, especially north-facing rooms, the warmth helps balance the coolness of the light throughout the day.
If you’re worried about a space feeling too warm, I’ve found that adding cool elements like blue accessories, glass accents, or silver fixtures creates the perfect balance. In my living room, the White Sand walls look beautiful with my blue sofa and cool lighting from chrome fixtures.
Color Characteristics Table
| Characteristic | White Sand | What This Means For Your Space |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature | Warm | Creates a cozy, welcoming atmosphere |
| Undertones | Taupe-greige | Adds subtle warmth without being too beige |
| Light Reflectance Value | 66.95 | Light tone that brightens spaces |
| Seasonal Feel | Year-round | Works well in both winter and summer settings |
| East vs. West Rooms | Adaptable | Appears more taupe in west-facing rooms, more neutral in east-facing rooms |
How to Test This Color in Your Space?
- Buy a sample: Get a small container of White Sand
- Paint a board: Use a 2×2 foot piece of white poster board
- Move it around: See how it looks in different locations at different times of day
- Live with it for 3 days: Your first impression might change
When I tested White Sand, I was surprised by how different it looked from morning to evening. In my east-facing bedroom, it appeared more neutral. In my west-facing living room, the taupe aspects were more noticeable.
What Paint Finish Should You Choose?
- Flat: Good for ceilings or very smooth walls
- Matte: My top choice for most walls – the soft color looks warm without glare
- Eggshell: This works in kitchens and dining rooms where you need to clean walls
- Satin: Adds a slight sheen, could make the color look warmer than expected
- Semi-gloss: Too shiny for White Sand walls, but works for trim and doors
I used matte in my bedroom and eggshell in my kitchen. The eggshell finish makes cleaning easier without adding too much shine that would change how the color looks.
Real Home Ideas Using White Sand
- Full room: White Sand on all walls creates a consistent, warm feeling
- Cabinet color: Kitchen or bathroom cabinets in this shade add subtle warmth
- Accent wall: Used on one wall with white walls for a hint of warmth
- Trim: Using it on trim with white walls creates a subtle, custom look
- Furniture: A bookcase or side table painted this shade adds a warm touch
My sister painted all her dining room walls White Sand with white trim, creating a custom look that feels both warm and fresh. It looks amazing and has inspired me to think about using it in more areas of my home.
Mistakes to Avoid
I’ve made some mistakes with this color. Learn from my experience and avoid these mistakes:
- Using cool-toned lighting with White Sand – Cold bulbs can make this color look flat. Stick with warm white bulbs (2700-3000K) to showcase its true warm beauty.
- Not testing in your actual space – This color changes with lighting conditions. I was surprised how different it looked in my east-facing bedroom versus my west-facing living room. Always test a large sample in your own space.
- Using too many warm accessories – This creates a room that feels too beige. Mix in some cool blues, greens, or silver accents for balance.
- Expecting it to look exactly like online photos – Every screen shows colors differently, and professional images are often edited. The only way to know how it will look in your home is to test it yourself.
- Using it in very dark rooms without adding extra lighting – In rooms with minimal natural light, White Sand can look dull without proper lighting support.
Why People Like White Sand?
White Sand has become popular among many homeowners, and I understand why. Its soft warmth creates spaces with character while still feeling very livable.
People like it because it’s not a typical beige—it has personality without being hard to use. The color creates warm spaces that still feel fresh. It works with many decorating styles and doesn’t date quickly like bolder colors might.
Whether in natural or artificial light, it maintains its character while shifting subtly throughout the day, keeping spaces interesting.
Conclusion
White Sand creates spaces that feel both warm and balanced at the same time. After using this color in multiple rooms over several years, I’m still happy with my choice.
What makes it stand out is how it adds subtle warmth while remaining very flexible with different furniture and decor styles. It’s not a color that demands attention. Instead, it creates a backdrop that enhances your furniture and accessories.
This balanced presence explains why it remains popular year after year. In a world of stark whites and cool grays, White Sand offers gentle warmth and flexibility. It works with traditional, modern, coastal, and everything in between.
Is it subtle? Definitely, but it creates beautiful, livable spaces that feel warm and personal—and that’s what truly matters in the end.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does White Sand Work with White Cabinets?
Yes, it pairs wonderfully with white. The warm greige creates a nice balance with the cool tones of white without clashing.
Is White Sand Too Beige for North-Facing Rooms?
Not at all. The color has a balanced, warm quality that helps brighten north-facing spaces without looking too beige or intense.
How Does It Compare to Benjamin Moore Natural Wicker?
White Sand is slightly cooler and has more gray-taupe undertones, while Natural Wicker has stronger yellow-gold undertones. They’re in the same family, but White Sand feels more neutral and less golden.
Will This Color Show Dirt More than Other Neutrals?
It doesn’t show dirt any more than similar light shades. The warm greige undertones actually help mask minor smudges better than pure whites would.
Can I Use White Sand in An Open Floor Plan?
Absolutely. Its light, warm quality makes it perfect for open concepts, creating flow between spaces while still offering more personality than plain white.