Cream bedroom paint ranges from yellow-leaning ivory to green-tinged and pink-tinged off-whites. These six colors were measured from paintings, with their LRV and the closest paint match for each.
Quick answer
Choose the warm cream #EAE1C2 for most bedroom walls, the pink-tinged #F0D6BF for a softer glow, and use the cool blue #C9CEDC or the browns for bedding and furniture.
Every color on this page was measured from one of these public-domain paintings.
Shades of off-white
#EAE1C2LRV 75
Warm Ivory Cream
A very light warm yellow with an LRV of 75, the easiest cream for bedroom walls. It was measured from Pissarro's Still Life with Apples and Pitcher, and its closest match is Sherwin-Williams SW 6399 Chamomile.
A very light off-white with a warm red-orange undertone and an LRV of 70, which adds a soft glow in the evening. It comes from Aman-Jean's The Outskirts of a Village.
A mid-tone with an LRV of 21 and a warm yellow undertone, good for a rug, throw or curtains. It comes from Pissarro's Still Life with Apples and Pitcher.
The same paint reads differently in cool north light, warm south sun and under evening lamps. Find the column closest to your room.
Color
Neutral daylight
North light
South light
Evening lamps
Warm Ivory Cream
Greenish Off-White
Peach Cream
Pale Blue Gray
Try these colors in a room
Pick which color goes on the walls, the big furniture and the bold piece. Floors, shadows and trim follow your choice.
The framed picture on the wall is Still Life with Apples and Pitcher.
Which cream is best for a bedroom?
The three off-whites here differ mainly in undertone. #EAE1C2 leans yellow, #DEDECF leans green and #F0D6BF leans pink-orange. All have an LRV between 70 and 75, so they are similar in brightness.
For a classic cream bedroom, pick the yellow one. It feels warm without looking yellow in daylight. The greenish off-white suits someone who wants a quieter, more neutral room. The peach cream is the coziest, but it can look pink next to cool bedding.
If you cannot decide, compare all three on one board. The differences are small on a chip and clear on a full wall.
A bedroom with little daylight usually does better with the warm ivory, because it keeps some color when the light is weak. A sunny bedroom can carry any of the three.
What colors go with cream: trim, ceiling and floor?
Cream walls look best with trim that is slightly lighter or the same color in a different sheen. Using the same cream in a satin finish on trim gives a quiet, layered look.
For the ceiling, use the lightest of the creams, or the wall color mixed at half strength. This keeps the room restful and avoids a hard line where wall meets ceiling.
For floors, warm wood, rope-colored rugs and the soft taupe #8D7B63 all sit well with cream. For contrast, add the pale blue #C9CEDC in bedding, and the dark walnut #68512F in a bed frame or nightstand. That mix of light, mid and dark keeps a cream room from looking flat.
How does cream behave in bedroom light?
Cream changes more than people expect. In north light, a yellow-leaning cream looks grayer and a little cooler. In south light it warms up and can look almost yellow.
The green-tinged #DEDECF stays calmer across the day, while the peach cream gets pinker under warm bulbs. Since most people see their bedroom walls in the morning and at night, judge your sample at both times.
Low lamps in the evening add yellow to everything. If you want a bedroom that stays true to color, choose bulbs in the same warmth throughout the room, and avoid mixing cool daylight bulbs with warm lamps.
How do you test cream samples?
Whites and creams are the hardest colors to judge from a chip. Paint a large sample board and place it on the wall by the bed and by the window.
Check it beside your bedding, your wood and your trim. The same cream can look clean beside a gray quilt and yellow beside white sheets.
Look at the sample in the morning, at midday and at night. If you see a color you do not like, such as pink or green, compare it with the other undertones before you change brightness. Often the undertone is the issue, not the depth. Give samples a full day before choosing.
FAQ
What cream color paint is best for a bedroom?
A warm ivory like #EAE1C2, with an LRV of 75, is a safe choice. Its closest match is Sherwin-Williams SW 6399 Chamomile.
What is the difference between cream and off white for bedroom walls?
Cream leans yellow or peach, while off-white can lean green or gray. Here the three off-whites differ by undertone but are within a few LRV points of each other.
What color combination goes with a cream bedroom?
Pale blue-gray, soft taupe and dark walnut brown all pair well with cream and give light, mid and dark contrast.
Do warm white bedroom colors look yellow?
They can, especially in south light or under warm bulbs. Compare a sample in daylight and at night before you paint.
What trim goes with cream walls in a bedroom?
The same cream in a satin finish, or a slightly lighter one, gives a soft look without sharp contrast.
Save these colors
A card with every color on this page, its LRV and the paintings it comes from. Pin it, or take it to the paint store.
Painting images: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Art Institute of Chicago, public domain (CC0).
Colors measured by Light & Pigment. Paint names belong to their brands and matches are approximate. Colors look different on screen than on a wall, so always test a sample.
From Still Life with Apples and Pitcher, Camille Pissarro
