Do you have cream walls but not know what to put with them? There’s a lot of options! Here are the best colors that go with cream paint!
Are you staring at cream-colored walls, unsure of what accent colors would complement them perfectly?
Today we are diving into the world of cream paint – and the best accent colors to pair with the,.
Whether you are looking for a bold pop of color or more of a subtle accent, there are tons of colors for cream walls.
Truly, cream is a super neutral color that works with most – but not all – coordinating colors.
Let’s dive into it!
Understanding undertones
The most important thing when creating a color palette to pair with your cream base is to pull accent colors with a complementary undertone.
How can you tell a paint color’s undertones?
Here is the process that I use to determine a paint color’s undertones.
STEP 1: Get paint strips
Get a paint strip for the color that you want to use
STEP 2: Look at the darkest shade
Look at the very bottom color on the strip – the darkest shade.
Usually the darkest color is the one that will make it easiest to see the true color since it has the most pigment.
This works really well with light, neutral colors. Tans suddenly look very green, brown, or even purple!
STEP 3: Grab other color strips
Still confused? Grab some other color strips that looks similar.
For example, if you are looking at grays, grab 5 or more other gray sample cards.
Lay them all out next to each other – on a white sheet of paper.
Now, laying horizontally they won’t look exactly like they would look on a vertical wall, but you should really quickly see how different the colors are – even if they all have the same masstone!
Blue undertones, yellow undertones, green undertones will all start popping out when compared to pure white + other similar paint colors.
What undertones does cream have?
Some cream colors have heavy yellow or brown undertones. For the most part, these shades do best when paired with other warm colors. Most cream colors fall into this category.
Other shades of cream have gray undertones that read as slightly cool or icy. In this case, I would suggest sticking to cooler accent colors.
The best colors that go with cream
You can pair cream paint with similar neutrals for a soft look, or with bolder accent colors.
Neutral colors to pair with cream
- Light tan
- Light gray (with the same undertone as the cream)
- Darker beige
- Greige
Warm accent colors to pair with cream
- Olive green
- Sage green
- Terra cotta
- Shades of brown
- Blush
Cool accent colors to pair with cream
- Navy blue
- Medium blue-grays
- Blue-green
- Cool grays
- Charcoal gray
What is the best trim color to pair with cream walls?
When it comes to trim, I actually recommend using your same cream wall color on the trim, too. Simply choose a matte or eggshell finish for the walls and a semi-gloss finish for the trim.
I have found that if you pair an off-white wall with a crisp white trim, the walls suddenly look dirty or dingy. Using the same color in 2 finishes still gives contrast, but in a much softer way.
Cream paint color palettes
Here are some of my favorite paint color palettes featuring cream wall colors!
Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee color palette
Free printable Greek Villa paint color palette
Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee color palette
Sherwin Williams Dover White Color Palette
Check out my custom made color palette featuring my favorite Dover White coordinating colors.
BM White Dove color palette
What is your favorite color to pair with cream paint?
Still not sure what paint color to choose?
My Paint Color Formula ebook walks you through the painless process of expertly testing paint swatches to ensure you have the perfect color for your home.
The best way to sample paint? Samplize!
Get peel-and-stick removable and reusable paint samples here!
Thanks for reading!
Morgan is passionate about home decor and paint colors. She has been sharing DIY home decor tips since 2012 at CharlestonCrafted.com. From there, she learned to love paint colors, and the Paint Color Project was born in 2022!