Sherwin Williams Antique White SW 6119: Undertones, LRv, Trims, & More

When it comes to cream paint colors, there are few as troublesome as Sherwin Williams Antique White. The thing is, as a wall color, it’s beautiful, but too often it’s used on kitchen cabinets or trim work, and THAT’S where the trouble begins.

This is why today, we’re taking a close look at Antique White, focusing on two scenarios…

1. You want it on your walls – COOL BEANS! It’s a beautiful option
2. You have it on your trim and cabinets and can’t figure out which paint colors will go with it – oooooh, we’re going to have a good chat today

99.5% of the photos in my blog are of REAL HOMES from my Online Color Consulting clients, readers, and friends. While not always magazine-perfect, they’re packed with ideas and proven color choices to help you create a home you’ll love.

IS ANTIQUE WHITE A WARM WHITE PAINT COLOR?

No, Antique White isn’t a white paint color; it’s a very solid, darker cream. However, cream is never just cream; it’s actually a shade of YELLOW with a neutral base added to calm it down.

If you have a north-facing room, Antique White could be an awesome way to balance the cool natural light (works well in east-facing rooms as well). If your room is south-facing or has afternoon western sunshine, Antique White will lean even more into its warmth. Sit with it throughout the day to see how it changes, especially in late afternoon sun – it could get a bit too roasty-toasty.

North, East, South, West – Which Paint Color is the Best?

ANTIQUE WHITE’S LRV

According to Sherwin Williams, Antique Cream has an LRV of 72, which can be a great depth for your walls if you want a cream with a bit more body compared to some of the other popular cream paint colors. However, it’s not so deep that it’ll look heavy or dated.

ANTIQUE WHITE ON CABINETS & TRIM VS LRV

On the other hand, Antique White’s LRV is just one of the reasons why it isn’t an ideal trim or cabinet color. The ‘average’ LRV for trim and cabinet paint is 82-94.

Antique White definitely has a bit more meat on its bones compared to more traditional white or off-white paint colors, and its ‘lower than usual’ LRV is tricky for a few reasons…

1. As a cabinet or trim color, it prefers colors that are at least one to two tones darker than it, which is often darker than people want to go when they’re painting more than one room or wanting to update their cream cabinets or trim with a more modern wall color.

Antique White cabinets (or trim) don’t want to be paired with colors that are the same depth or lighter than it…other than itself.

2. Antique White’s depth makes it look richer and warmer than the usual trim/cabinet colors, making it more LIMITED for the type of paint colors it wants right beside it (especially as it relates to colors that are cooler than it), which we’ll get into shortly.

These cabinets are begging for some knobs and handles

This next photo shows Antique White on the kitchen island and the trim work. While it connects reasonably well with the stone fireplace, it’s creamier than the travertine tile floor’s undertones (travertine generally has orange-pink undertones). I mean, the combo is DOABLE, but it’s a bit strong.

In the above example, my E-Design client was actually looking for a new wall color and didn’t want to change the trim (which makes sense when it runs through an entire home). I gave her some new wall color options, as well as suggestions just for the kitchen island, to at least cut back on the amount of Antique White in this space.

Not sure what LRV is? It could save your paint-lovin’ life – read all about it HERE.

WHAT ARE ANTIQUE WHITE’S UNDERTONES?

Antique White is a cream paint color with a yellow undertone. Some creams can turn slightly yellow-orange or yellow-green. Antique White is just very…very slightly inclined towards orange-yellow, but not by much. With this minimal commitment, it can lean a touch yellow-green in some lights.

How to Update Your 2000s Kitchen

If ‘undertones’ is a new term for you, it’s a homeowner-friendly way to describe how a paint color may lean or have a natural bias. Of course, this can change easily based on a room’s lighting, exposure, etc. 

In this next photo, you can see the strength of Antique White on these painted cabinets. My clients hired me to find a new cabinet color because the Antique White cabinets clashed with the undertones in their travertine tile backsplash (again, travertine tends toward orange-pink, not yellow).

WILL ANTIQUE WHITE LOOK YELLOW OR CREAM?

It depends on your perception. Antique White will definitely look yellow-ISH, but whether you find it too strong is up to you. As one of North America’s best Online Color Consultants, I find the increased yellow in Antique White makes it challenging as a trim or cabinet color.

Why?

Some cream paint colors have a stronger neutral base. The more neutral a color is, the more flexible it’s going to be, and Antique White has a wink more color than I’d like.

Here’s another beautiful kitchen with cabinets painted Antique White. Overall, they read as cream, but some will see that flash of yellow, especially if you compare the cabinets to the travertine tile backsplash…

The Best Modern Colors to Update Cream Cabinets & Trims

HOW DO YOU TONE DOWN THE YELLOW OF ANTIQUE WHITE/CREAM CABINETS?

If you want to tone down the yellow in your Antique White trim or cabinets, you can apply a darker, muted brown or gray glaze, but that doesn’t necessarily give you much more flexibility. The glazed look is also very 2000s.

A kitchen like this can be tough to update, but not impossible! 

Another option is to choose a neutral with an opposite undertone (super subtle). This would be something like a greige with a green undertone.

Remember, your cabinets HAVE a yellow undertone – you can’t make them something they’re not, it’s just a matter of not enhancing them to look even MORE yellow. 

Here’s your Peel & Stick sample of Antique White.

WHAT’S THE BEST WHITE TRIM COLOR WITH ANTIQUE WHITE?

Given the warmth of Antique White, it’s best paired with a warm white rather than a cool or neutral white. That said, this is ONLY if Antique White is on your walls…

• Sherwin Williams Alabaster
• Sherwin Williams Dover White
• That said, it can even handle Sherwin Williams Pure White

BTW, Alabaster is a more versatile white; should you want to change your wall colors in the future, Dover White is more limiting.

The 5 Best White Paint Colors from Sherwin Williams

IS ANTIQUE WHITE A GOOD EXTERIOR PAINT COLOR?

If you’re looking for a cream exterior paint color with a reasonable amount of yellow, while still ‘neutral-ish,’ Antique White could be a GORGEOUS choice.

5 Tips for Choosing an Exterior Paint Color

WHAT PAINT COLORS ARE SIMILAR?

GOOD QUESTION! While every paint color will have its own LRV and undertones, here are some colors to sample alongside Antique White…

ANTIQUE WHITE VS. BENJAMIN MOORE NAVAJO WHITE

Navajo White is a great cream to compare with, as it offers a different approach.

Antique White is a heavy cream, whereas Navajo White’s LRV of 78 puts it closer to the white range. This means it offers a lighter, gentler, subtler look.

As for undertones (bias), they have a similar approach, but Navajo White’s yellow is less bossy.

ANTIQUE WHITE VS. SHERWIN WILLIAMS NAVAJO WHITE

That’s right, both Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams have a Navajo White, but they’re different colors; however, both are cream.

Sherwin Williams Navajo White has an LRV of 72, so it’s the same depth as Antique White and lighter than Benjamin Moore’s version. This makes it a great comparison to A. White, as it’s all about undertones.

Here’s your Peel & Stick sample of SW Navajo White…

The main difference is that SW Navajo White has more orange, so it can pick up a slightly more beige look.

Here are a few more similar shades…

I have reviews for: BM Gentle Cream | SW Wool Skein. Here are the other 2 on SW’s site: SW Chopsticks & Rice Grain

WHAT COLORS GO WITH ANTIQUE WHITE?

With its more golden hue and lower-than-average LRV (as it relates to trim/cabinets), Antique White is a BIT finicky with its color partners. That said, it depends on what you need another color for – toning down, for an adjoining room, etc…

• WARM GRAY-GREENS: Gray-greens that are darker than Antique White
• GREIGE PAINT COLORS: Greiges with noticeable green undertones that are DARKER than Antique White
• GRAY-BLUE-GREENS: some Stormy blue-green-gray blends that are DARKER
• WARM WHITES: Warm whites with yellow undertones are best for trims and cabinets
• DARK BLUE AND GREEN: Dark blue paint colors, along with dark shades of green, can be beautiful accents.
• BEIGE-TANS: Those with a bit more depth and warmth – nothing too grayed-out or light.

Why does the top right sample look so good? Because that’s a sample of Antique White. 

COLORS TO AVOID WITH ANTIQUE WHITE TRIM OR CABINETS

When it comes to Antique White on cabinets and trim, most of my Online Paint Color Consulting clients want white walls or even a simple, warm off-white, but these are a tough sell with Antique White…

Blobs are ONLY approximating the color families suggested below

Notice how the above colors either look dingy with Antique White or make Antique White look even more yellow in comparison. In fact, many are just lighter versions of the previous colors.

Some of the colors I would avoid are…

• Any color that is lighter, the same depth, or even one tone darker than Antique White – you’ll be hard-pressed to find anything 60+ LRV that works unless it’s a beige-cream
• Cool blue colors with minimal to no green or gray.
• Beige paint colors that have a taupe backdrop (pink or grayish cast)
• ANYTHING white

SUMMARY OF ANTIQUE WHITE

• With an LRV of 72, it’s a heavy cream paint color.
• It has a yellow hue and contains no green.
• In modern homes, it’s more often used on walls than on trims or cabinets.
• If it’s on cabinets or trims, it won’t like being paired with white or off-white walls. It only likes itself.
• Colors that look good with it tend to be darker than it and have a good neutral, organic base.

READ MORE

The 16 Best Wall Colors for CREAM CABINETS & Trim

Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Gentle Cream

Get the best paint color advice with Kylie M’s Online Paint Color Consulting – I’d love to help!