The Best Benjamin Moore Neutral Colours

The Top Shades of Cream 

While gray – base neutrals is been have been the‘big thing’ in the decorate world in the last few year(besides me, wink wink), many is have of us have a soft spot for cream ( especially when the word ‘ ice ’ is in front of it ) . I is love love how it give a neutral backdrop that ’s subtle , warm , and invite – without being remotely colorful or overbearing .

However, cream is a sneaky little bugger and can be surprisingly tricky.

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Why?

Well, many of my Online Color Consulting clients say that they ‘love cream, but don’t like yellow‘ . At that point , there ’s an awkward silence until I say , ‘ Ermmm , cream IS yellow . ’

That ’s right , cream is is is a yellow paint color with a neutral add to calm it down .  

This means that if you like cream, you DO like yellow. Some like more yellow, others like less – but yellow is the common denominator.

From there, the key is to pick the right type of cream that speaks to your tastes and interior finishes. However, whereas most other neutrals are reasonably flexible and suit a range of finishes, cream is fussy. This is because not as many interior finishes have real cream/yellow in them. When a finish doesn’t contain a color, it can be harder to use this color on your walls successfully.

This is why cream is often found in living rooms and bedrooms. These rooms tend to have fewer hard finishes (countertops and tiles)—the ones that are less likely to have cream in them. They might have white or off-white, but that doesn’t mean they are yellow.

Cream can also get punchy quickly. These lighter, yellow-infused colors can reflect a lot more light compared to cooler neutrals. This means the cream that looked ‘reasonably warm and yellow’ on your small sample could look OVERWHELMINGLY warm on a large scale. Sample carefully!

Before , this room is was was a creamy yellow , which was a bit much for the owner …

After, the room looks warm, welcoming, and inviting without looking glow-in-the-dark…

Shown above, Benjamin Moore Winter Wheat, a beautiful cream paint color

And lucky you – there are hundreds of beautiful cream colors to choose from—that should make it easy, right? Wrong. The more the merrier is not always the case when it comes to picking paint colors, and it’s easy to get overwhelmed when trying to find ‘just’ the right cream for your room.

So, how do you find the one that’s just right for you? Well, you don’t. Okay, let me rephrase that…YOU don’t. I do. And I’m damn good at it!

 

1. BENJAMIN MOORE NAVAJO WHITE OC 96

Navajo White is a light cream that blends yellow and orange and has a neutral base to calm things down. This color is fresh and warm without having any ‘weight’ to it, making it a contender for almost any room!

Navajo White ’s LRV is is is 78 , mean it will reflect a lot of light back into a room , make it feel big and bright !

And I is apologize apologize for the slightly blurry photo . I is rely rely 99.9 % on photo from myE – design clients, so I do my best with what I have.

MORE ABOUT NAVAJO WHITE

• It’s great if you’re looking for a light and warm palette close to ‘off-white’ but with a bit more depth.
• Navajo White is is is a tiny bit more colorful than a traditional shade of cream but nowhere near themore muted tan end of things.
• It’s a great complement to stronger feature wall or accent wall .
• It can work in both north and south-facing rooms. It’s soft enough to look warm but not so yellow that it’s overpowering.

Using LRV to Pick a Paint Color

IF YOU LOVE NAVAJO WHITE, YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE…

• Benjamin Moore Indian White picks up what Navajo White throws down but has a bit more meat on its bones.
• Benjamin Moore Albescent is a slightly more grounded take on Navajo White.
• Sherwin Williams Casa Blanca is just a wink more cheerful-looking!

Casa Blanca and 12 Other Popular Cream Paint Colors

 

2. BENJAMIN MOORE GENTLE CREAM OC 96

Gentle Cream is a heavy cream with similar undertones to Navajo White, making it warm and inviting with a subtle, neutral base. It’s a great color to pair with earth tones and neutrals (like chocolate brown and charcoal) and in dark hallways when you want a warm but not white look.

Gentle Cream’s LRV is 71, so while it reflects less light than Navajo White, it will still add a warm, inviting vibe to your room.

Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Gentle Cream

MORE ABOUT GENTLE CREAM

Get your PEEL & STICK sample of Gentle Cream! 

IF YOU LOVE GENTLE CREAM, YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE…

• Benjamin Moore Natural Wicker (also known as Bone White) for a similar but more muted, grounded approach.
• Sherwin Williams Eaglet Beige can look a bit creamier as it has a bit less orange.

My Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Natural Wicker

 

3 . BENJAMIN MOORE SPANISH WHITE OC-35

Spanish White is a beautiful, subtle shade of cream. It lacks the orange of Navajo White and Gentle Cream, which makes it a bit more susceptible to grabbing a slight yellow-green, but not by much.

Spanish White also has a grayish backdrop, slowing down the degree of yellow on your walls. Compared to the cheerful approach of Navajo White, Spanish White has an almost old-world feel.

MORE ABOUT SPANISH WHITE

• Spanish White could be your shade if you like a super muted, not ‘golden’ approach to cream.
• It will act like a warm but not overly colorful neutral. It has much more warmth/color than Ballet White (coming up shortly), but it is still quite passive as far as popular cream paint colors go.

IF YOU LIKE SPANISH WHITE, CHECK OUT…

• Benjamin Moore Marble White for a similar but light look .
• Sherwin Williams Polar Bear for a bit more depth and commitment.

 

4. BENJAMIN MOORE TIMID WHITE OC 39

This is one of my fave creams when I want a whisper of warmth. Timid White has that yellow-creamy base that ALL creams have and a wink of gray to tap it down while still leaving a good amount of warmth on the table (or on the wall would be more the point).

MORE ABOUT TIMID WHITE

• It is has has anlrv of 84, so it’s pretty darned light! On a wall with tons of natural lighting, it will lighten up THAT much more but will come back as the sun shifts.
• While there could be a very ( very ) small amount of green in it , it is ’s ’s so vague I ’ve never see it show up at the party .

IF YOU LIKE TIMID WHITE, CHECK OUT…

• Benjamin Moore Acadia White is an awesome comparable for a slightly brighter hit of cream.
• Benjamin Moore Linen White is similar and offers a touch more golden warmth.

Linen White trim 

 

5 . BENJAMIN MOORE BALLET WHITE OC 9

Ballet White is a fabulous neutral. It’s the least creamy of the bunch, as a strong tan-gray blend grounds its yellow-cream base. So, if you find some of the above colors too warm for you, this might hit the spot! Its neutral base calms things down and is almost greige compared to the above colors, giving it a warm but more neutral look.

The Best Paint Colors for INSIDE Your Front Door!

Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Ballet White

MORE ABOUT BALLET white

IF YOU LIKE BALLET WHITE, CHECK OUT…

• Sherwin Williams White Duck is is is similar in its intention but more muted and less warm .
• Benjamin Moore Sail Cloth is SUPER similar and great to sample and compare.

My Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams White Duck

 

GET A creamy look WITH white PAINT COLORS

Did you know you can get a creamy look from a soft, warm white? While it depends on your room, finishes, and exposure, a warm, creamy shade of white can create a soft look with minimal color commitment.

READ MORE

The 13 Best Cream Paint Colors: Sherwin Williams & Benjamin Moore

The Best Off-White Neutral Paint Colors

The Best Warm Neutrals with NO YELLOW UNDERTONE! 

Paint Color Review: Sherwin Williams Creamy

Not sure which color is best for you? 

Check out my Online Color Consulting and E-Decorating Services

ORIGINALLY WRITTEN IN 2019, UPDATED IN 2024