Posted on December 19, 2021 by KylieMawdsley
One of the most POPULAR cream paint colors – Navajo White
While gray, greige and beige take turns on the great wheel of trends, there’s one color that has a certain TIMELESS quality to it, and that color is cream. This is why we’re taking a look at one of my FAVOURITE cream paint colors, Benjamin Moore Navajo White.
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In order to show you RELATEABLE & REAL homes, I ONLY use photos from my Online Color Consulting clients. This means I don’t always have the quality photos I need or the RIGHT photos, but DEFINITELY have some SUPER helpful info to help you on your way!
What type of paint color is Navajo White? Is it WHITE?
HECK NO! Even though its name suggests otherwise, Navajo White is definitely not a white paint color, it’s a CREAM paint color and a wicked one at that.
EVERY cream paint color has a yellow undertone, there’s no getting away from it. And while we’ll get into undertones a bit more shortly, it’s the yellow hue of Navajo White that makes it a great choice for cool north-facing rooms as well as rooms with flat eastern afternoon or western morning light.
South-facing light
On the other hand, Navajo White isn’t SO warm and yellow that it looks obnoxious in a south-facing room, although it WILL warm up considerably.
North, East, South, West – Which Paint Color is the Best?
What’s the LRV of Navajo White?
Navajo White has an LRV of somewhere around 78 or 79. I gave you both as Benjamin Moore can’t seem to get it straight between their fan decks and their website! Either way, Navajo White is an OFF-WHITE paint color.
With a higher LRV like this, you can expect Navajo White to wash out CONSIDERABLY if you have a room with intense natural light. However, its softness and undertones make it a great choice for many dark rooms as well as rooms with more moderate amounts of light.
The above photo shows Navajo White in a BRIGHT north-facing space. Notice how it washes out on the main part of the wall and you start to see the ‘color’ more by the baseboard.
Not sure what LRV is? It could save your paint lovin’ life – read all about it HERE.
How to Make a Dark Room Look Brighter – and it ain’t with paint!
The Best LIGHT Paint Colors for a DARK room
What are the undertones of Navajo White?
As you just learned, Navajo White has a yellow undertone, as does every cream paint color. Now, yellow undertones can lean slightly yellow-green or yellow-orange – Navajo White leans yellow-orange, but not by a lot – just enough to calm down the yellow, along with a GORGEOUS neutral base.
How should you sample paint colors?
Undoubtedly, you’ll be heading out in the near future to grab paint samples – stop right there! I want you to check out SAMPLIZE. Samplize offers peel and stick paint samples that are more AFFORDABLE, EASIER and more ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY than traditional paint pots. Here are just a FEW reasons why I recommend Samplize to my clients…
- samples arrive ON YOUR DOORSTEP in 1 DAY, depending on location
- they’re more affordable than the samples pots/rollers/foam boards that are needed for traditional paint sampling
- if you keep the samples on their white paper, you can move them around the room
Visit the SAMPLIZE website HERE
What’s the best white trim color with Navajo White walls?
- Benjamin Moore Cloud White
- Benjamin Moore Simply White
The ULTIMATE GUIDE to White Paint Colors
The 8 Best Benjamin Moore White Paint Colors
Is Navajo White a good exterior paint color?
It’s not that Navajo White is a BAD exterior color, it’s just most people who are looking for a color like this, lean into creams that are more flexible with less YELLOW in them (along the lines of Benjamin Moore Ballet White or Sherwin Williams White Duck).
5 Tips to Choosing an Exterior Paint Color
Is Navajo White a popular color for kitchen cabinets?
WELLLLLLL, yes. But I don’t mean popular in a GOOD way. I can’t tell you HOW MANY CLIENTS I’ve had who are trying to update the look of their Navajo White kitchen cabinets and are having a HECK of a time finding coordinating paint colors.
The best way to update this space would be to paint the island black!
If you love cream cabinets, you can fill yer boots, but know that down the road, they may affect your resale value. Regardless of your personal tastes, MOST people prefer white cabinets as they’re the most timeless and the most flexible as it relates to new styles and updated features.
How to Choose the Best White Paint Color for Your Kitchen Cabinets
Should You Paint Your Kitchen Cabinets or Keep Them Stained? A QUESTIONNAIRE!
Which paint colors are similar to Navajo White
Sherwin Williams Navajo White is similar to Benjamin Moore Navajo White. The difference is that Sherwin William’s version has more orange mixed in. You can also check out Benjamin Moore Gentle Cream if you want a bit more depth (I have MAD love for Gentle Cream).
If you’re thinking of color matching between brands, please read THIS first.
What paint colors go well with Navajo White?
If you’re wondering which paint colors look good with Navajo White CABINETS or TRIM, please read this blog post.
Why?
Well, the way you treat Navajo White cabinets and trims is MUCH different from how you treat rooms that are ADJOINING Navajo White; cabinets and trim are much fussier.
As for creating a color palette for adjoining rooms…
- some gray paint colors, including stormy shades of gray well as warmer earthy shades, just make sure the gray is DARKER than Navajo White
- darker beige paint colors with similar undertones
- some shades of blue-green or earth-toned green paint colors
- warm white paint colors
Not sure if Navajo White is right for you? I’ve got more!
READ MORE
The 16 Best Wall Paint Colors to Update Cream Cabinets & Trim
Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Creamy
Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore White Down
Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Ballet White
The Best Cream Paint Colors from Benjamin Moore & Sherwin Williams
Not sure which paint color is best for YOUR home?
Check out my Online Paint Color Consulting – I’d love to help!
Chat soon,
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I choose this color for a west facing bedroom painted a few days ago and I didn’t realize it had significant yellow undertones. Not sure if it is the soft white (2700K) recessed lighting or the beige carpeting that’s empowering the yellow undertones so will try the lights first. I don’t really mind it but my other half does…
Author
Yup, it definitely has some yellow to it, ESPECIALLY if it’s against beige carpeting – the comparison will really show this 🙂
Navajo White walls, Black fireplace mantle… painted brick. Should the brick match the walls? Or the trim? I have 6 average sized windows. Two are on either side of the fireplace. I’m stuck!
Author
Ooooo, I MIGHT lean towards the brick matching the trim, as long as the trim is well coordinated with the room!
Thanks so much for responding!
So trim… any suggestions as to the shade of white to coordinate with the Navajo walls?
Time and money are big factors.
Room is 15×24 and with 6 windows I can’t afford to mess this up.
90’s style so no open floor plan. Going for clean, minimalist concept to open and brighten things up.
Previous color was BM Tawny Bisque with stained woodwork.
If the walls are BM Navajo White, what color should the ceiling and baseboards be? North facing room.
Author
I love Navajo White with Benjamin Moore Cloud White or Simply White 🙂
I love Benjamin Moore Navajo White! It’s a great color for any room.
Is it okay to paint BM Navajo White on the ceilings, trim and walls all together? The trim would be semigloss and the walls, eggshell.
Author
Oooo, I might find it a bit TOO much, depending on the space/natural light. What about Cloud White?
What would be a good kitchen cabinet color if the walls are navajo white?
Author
It alllll depends on the countertop and backsplash, but I would start with Benjamin MOore Cloud White.
We have SW Navajo White as a whole house color. House was built in 2015, so we have the dark espresso cabinets, darker hardwoods (not as dark as the cabinets) and beige carpet (with grey undertones). We want to update the wall color, but I love how sunny it feels, particularly in days like today when it is snowing. I just hate the orange that gets pulled out by the cabinet and floor colors. What would be a good alternative that is more updated? Our great room faces west with a lot of windows.
In Tucson AZ for 20 years in the 70s and 80s, every house i lived in got at least one room painted Navaho White, usually the room with the most light changes. The tones seemed to change with the light, and one wall could be one shade while the adjacent wall was a different shade, but they all seemed more tan than yellow. I forget the paint brand, but I think it would have been Benjamín Moore or Sherwin Williams. When we bought our house in NW Georgia, I went with a Behr paint named Navajo White, with Pure White trim, but it is not the same. It is much more yellow in any light. Could you possibly give me a clue if there is a paint brand that would have sold that particular Navajo White in that location and time frame?
Author
Oh gosh, I don’t know! I do know that both SW and BM Navajo White are super versatile and changeable, plus the right exposure/type of sun can definitely change how it looks – as well as interior lighting – there are so many factors!
As for brands in the 70s and 80s, I’m not sure which ones carried this color name, BUT, I did find a whoooole whack of brands who do carry Navajo White – check this out https://www.myperfectcolor.com/search/?q=navajo+white
I’m considering Navajo White for my Pacific NW/E north facing living room + low light hallway. Would Swiss Coffee or Ivory White be trim colors you would use? Cloud white is too light for my existing 90’s trim.
Hi Kylie. Love your paint analysis. Being that my sofa and love seat are a cream damask with that yellow/orange undertone I painted the room BM gentle cream. Very close match to sofa set, although slightly orangey. After 6 years would like a little less orange coming through in our very well lit southern room. Would BM navajo white accomplish that or just get washed out. Much help appreciated.
Author
As I was reading your comment, right away, Navajo White hit my brain :). SW Navajo White and Casa Blanca are also beautiful!