The 16 Best Wall Paint Colors to Update Cream Cabinets & Trim
WHICH PAINT COLORS GO WITH CREAM (off-white) CABINETS & TRIM?
Are you frustrated with your cream cabinets or overly warm white trim? Can’t find a modern paint color that looks good with them? You aren’t the only one.
I deal with this topic daily in my Online Paint Color Consulting, and it’s always the same story – cream cabinets, beige walls, and a deep desire for something FRESHER.
However, as the Rolling Stones always say, ‘You can’t always get what you waaaaant, especially if you have off-white or cream cabinets and trim’ (I might’ve added that last part). This is just one reason why I don’t recommend that anyone hop on the current trend of painting their cabinets some form of light greige, beige, or cream, as I guarantee that in ten years, most you will wish you’d chosen white (and will be whispering sweet nothings in my ear, asking me to help).
Sherwin Williams Dover White with glaze (which lowers the LRV)
But before we get into the best paint colors to update cream cabinets, let’s have a little chat…actually, let’s make it a big one.
Why do we need to talk before we get into the good stuff? Does all of this seem like an awful lot for one darn paint color?
Let me ask you a question: How has your search gone so far? Chances are, you’ve been trying colors, and they aren’t working. This blog post tells you WHY and teaches you HOW so you can move forward with confidence and stop struggling to find a color that doesn’t exist.
And if all else fails, there’s wine.
THE REASON WHY CREAM CABINETS ARE AWESOME
While you might feel like everything is doom and gloom (if you wish you had white cabinets), they have redeeming features!
THEY WORK WITH THEIR EXISTING FINISHES (HOPEFULLY)
Based on existing finishes, especially in homes from the early 2000s, some kitchens don’t suit white cabinets and better suit a wood stain or a non-white paint color. In these situations, a warm off-white or cream can come in darn handy, often saving the day. I’ve fallen in love with many cream kitchens when they’re done well.
- This goes for kitchens that currently have cream cabinets and suit their finishes.
- This also applies to kitchens that might be wood right now and have a countertop and backsplash that suit cream cabinets, not white ones.
And that’s it. Seriously, I would love to give you more reasons why cream cabinets are awesome, but for the majority of people, cream cabinets are a HUGE PITA (I’ll let you figure that one out).
Sherwin Williams Antique White with glaze
When updating the paint color on the walls in a home with cream cabinets or trim without updating anything else, it’s easy to forget that the surrounding surfaces are often coordinated with the cream cabinets.
This is an important detail because it’s not just your CREAM CABINETS OR TRIMS that will be fussy about their wall color partners; it’s their coordinated surrounding finishes. Some finishes aren’t easy to transition into a more modern, updated look, meaning your cabinets might be the least of your concerns.
Sometimes, there isn’t one magical paint color that makes your cabinets, finishes, and YOU 100% happy; in this case, a ‘happy medium’ comes in handy.
However, if you know the COLOR NAME of your off-white or cream cabinets, you’re already a step ahead…
STEP 1: YOUR COLOR & ITS LRV
If you know your creamy cabinet or trim paint color, find its LRV and proceed to STEP 2.
If you have no idea what color is on your cabinets, the most common creams used for cabinets and trim are as follows. By the way, I recommend you get large samples and place them on your cabinets to find your best match; small ones aren’t big enough to get a good read on for an important job like this.
- Sherwin Williams Antique White LRV 72 (SAMPLE HERE)
- Sherwin Williams Navajo White LRV 72 (SAMPLE HERE)
- Sherwin Williams Creamy LRV 81, mild undertones, and darn close to being a soft white (SAMPLE HERE)
- Sherwin Williams Casa Blanca LRV 76 (SAMPLE HERE)
- Benjamin Moore Navajo White LRV 78 (SAMPLE HERE)
- Benjamin Moore Linen White LRV 81 is close to being a soft white, but with a reasonably strong yellow hue (SAMPLE HERE)
- Benjamin Moore White Down LRV 77 (SAMPLE HERE)
- Benjamin Moore Gentle Cream LRV 72 (SAMPLE HERE)
If these aren’t close, go back and get more – get as close as you can, as this color will be your guide as you need its LRV.
As for your walls…
To start, look for paint colors with an LRV of 55 or lower. The goal is to get 20+ LRV points between your cabinet/trim and wall color.
Of course, this can vary depending on how light or dark your particular shade of cream is:
- If your cream paint color is LIGHTER (approx 78), you might look at paint colors with an LRV of 58 or lower, as this would put approximately 20+ LRV points between the two colors
- If your cream paint color is DARKER (approx 72), you might look at paint colors with an LRV of 52 or lower, again putting somewhere around 20+ LRV points between the two colors.
- Are there some colors with less of an LRV difference that can work? Maybe! But I’ll link to those later.
Remember, just because you want a certain paint color doesn’t mean your home agrees!
My next Online Color Consulting client wanted to update their cream cabinets by lightening their wall color considerably. However, their cabinets made that next to impossible, short of painting their walls the same color!
The cabinets are Sherwin Williams Antique White; the sample on the door is Sherwin Williams Creamy, and it ain’t workin’.
STEP 2: UNDERSTAND THE COLOR YOU’RE DEALING WITH
Once you know the cream you’re dealing with, it’s important to acknowledge its strength. The more yellow it is (cream is a yellow hue color), the more yellow it’ll look when partnered with colors that are cooler than it.
- The more MUTED your cream cabinet or trim color is, the more flexible it will be toward other colors, as the YELLOW will be less bossy.
- The COOLER the color is that you try to partner with your cream cabinets or trim, the more yellow you risk them looking (opposites attract and make each other stronger).
- Most of the cream colors on the previous list have reasonably strong undertones except for Sherwin Williams Creamy and Benjamin Moore White Down, which are more muted.
- Cream cabinets with glaze on them will be LESS FRIENDLY towards colors that are cooler than them. They will also need wall colors that are a wee bit darker.
WHAT IF YOUR CREAM CABINETS HAVE A GLAZE ON THEM?
This is always a tough one, and at some point, you can only get so close to finding your exact color match when cabinets have a glaze on them.
Do your best to figure out what the original color might’ve been and add a few LRV points for the extra depth added by the glaze. This is an important step; this number will help guide you toward a starting point when looking for compatible paint colors. Yes, glazed cream cabinets or trim add another layer to the beast.
Are you ready, Betty? Do you want to see the BEST PAINT COLORS to update cream cabinets and trim? To do this effectively and to apply to as many people as possible…
I’m basing this on the average cream kitchen (lighter than Sherwin Williams Antique White, for those of you with this particular shade of cream or one with similar depth).
Remember, I can only kill so many birds with one stone (or feed so many birds with one scone) – I’M JUST…ONE…WOMAN!
The above combo is off, as the walls are too cool & light for the cabinets.
TWO THINGS THESE COLORS WON’T DO FOR YOU
1. They won’t make your cabinets or trim look anything other than cream/yellow. They’re a yellow paint color, and short of painting them, they are what they are.
2. Lightening and brightening are often the goals in rooms with cream cabinets. However, these options won’t make your room look light and bright compared to traditional off-white and light paint colors. But it’s not these paint color options stopping you; it’s your cream cabinets and trim; they have limitations (don’t kill the wee Ginger messenger!). Your room might look brighter than it USED to if it happened to be painted a darker color, but that’s as far as you’ll get short of painting your walls the same color as your cabinets or painting your trim/cabinets white.
OH MY GOD, DOES SHE EVER STOP TALKING? No, no, I don’t…
THE BEST PAINT COLORS TO GO WITH (UPDATE) CREAM CABINETS & TRIM
Remember, the yellow hue of your cabinets/trim may hold you back from your wildest color dreams (mine are full of paint samples, Ryan Gosling, wine, and Doritos). But this doesn’t mean you can’t find a good happy medium.
If you CAN’T or WON’T paint your cream cabinets and trim a more flexible shade, sometimes a happy medium is as good as it gets #truthbomb.
To be honest, some of the upcoming colors make me a bit twitchy with some cream paint colors, but settle okay with others – it depends on the cream you’re dealing with and your surrounding finishes. However, they might give you the flexibility to accommodate your cabinets and your other finishes, creating a purposeful and coordinated palette.
1. SHERWIN WILLIAMS AMAZING GRAY 7044
Amazing Gray is amazeballs, and I love it with some of the more muted cream cabinets. Many people start with Sherwin Williams Worldly Gray, looking for a light shade of greige, but with its LRV of 57, combined with its subtle undertone, it’s just too soft for most cream cabinets and trims.
Amazing Gray has an LRV of 47, and its slightly noticeable green undertone goes with a relatively wide variety of cream cabinets and trim. This LRV puts Amazing Gray more than 20 points lower than the average cream paint color – AMAZING!
PAINT COLORS THAT ARE SIMILAR TO AMAZING GRAY
- Sherwin Williams Jogging Path #5 has a wink more green (it’s coming up shortly; it’s fab)
- Sherwin Williams Analytical Gray
- Benjamin Moore Northern Cliffs offers a bit more depth and body
- Sherwin Williams Mindful Gray is a bit grayer and more grounded (SAMPLE HERE)
Sherwin Williams Amazing Gray: IMAGES, Info, & More
These kitchen cabinets (below) are painted Sherwin Williams Alabaster, a soft, warm white on the edge of the off-white/cream world. Amazing Gray (on the walls) is pretty darn happy with this color but might handle a cream with a bit more depth…
2. SHERWIN WILLIAMS STONE LION 7507
Stone Lion is a light-medium-depth beige paint color with muted undertones. It sits reasonably well with most cream paint colors because it doesn’t have the same level of taupe found in Sherwin Williams Balanced Beige, which is most people’s first choice in this range (and is coming up shortly).
While it might be darker than you have in mind, your creamy trim or cabinets might disagree with you! Here’s Stone Lion with cream trim…
Stone Lion has an LRV of 38, making it a medium-depth warm neutral that’s WELL below the boundaries of cream. You could also explore the lighter look of Sherwin Williams Loggia, with its LRV of 48. However, the lighter-again Shiittake might be too flat-looking (not warm enough at this depth) for some cream paint colors.
The Best Stone-Inspired Greige, Taupe, Beige, & Gray Paint Colors
PAINT COLORS THAT ARE SIMILAR TO STONE LION
- Sherwin Williams Tony Taupe
- Benjamin Moore Brandon Beige
3. BENJAMIN MOORE CLAY BEIGE
Admittedly, Clay Beige is a tight squeeze with many cream colors, but oooo, it can be a badass and beautiful to update cream cabinets – the right cream cabinets.
Clay Beige is a light shade of tan (not a beige, so it doesn’t center on an orange undertone). Its incredibly muted undertones make it one of this page’s more updated warm colors.
Clay beige is similar to the top left sample.
However, being lighter and more subtle, it won’t suit more dense, rich shades of cream.
PAINT COLORS SIMILAR TO CLAY BEIGE
- Benjamin Moore Manchester Tan is quite similar and a great sample to compare.
- Sherwin Williams Sand Beach offers a bit more depth and body.
4. SHERWIN WILLIAMS MACADAMIA 6142
While Macadamia can be next-level awesome with cream cabinets, particularly Antique White, it’s also the type of color many of my Online Color Consulting clients try to avoid! But this doesn’t mean it’s not a good option.
The thing is, cream cabinets and trim (Antique White in particular) can be pretty fussy regarding the wall colors they’re partnered with—you won’t have many GREAT options, but this is one of them.
Macadamia is a light-medium-depth beige with an LRV of 49 and reasonably strong undertones. If you see how Macadamia works but can’t bring yourself to paint your walls a beige this dark, look at the lighter version, Softer Tan, but it might be a bit more of a stretch.
PAINT COLORS THAT ARE SIMILAR TO MACADAMIA
- Sherwin Williams Nomadic Desert, but be careful. If your cream is hiding a green hue, it could be a hot mess.
- Benjamin Moore Wheeling Neutral – amazeballs.
- Sherwin Williams Kilim Beige is lighter but is known to work with some cream cabinets and trims.
- Benjamin Moore Hush is an interesting, lighter shade. Just be careful with creams that have more orange in them.
- Benjamin Moore Lenox Tan is a great comparison.
Kilim Beige, shown in this next kitchen, is well-suited to these cream cabinets and surrounding finishes…
5. SHERWIN WILLIAMS JOGGING PATH
I’m obsessed with Jogging Path (not that I’ve ever been on one – this hot mama jama does NOT like running). Not only does it have a beautiful green hue, but it also complements a reasonable range of cream paint colors, as long as they’re subtle and more muted.
Just remember, the green undertone in Jogging Path Gray can make your cream cabinets or trim look a bit more yellow in comparison.
Jogging Path is a shade of greige with a reasonably noticeable green undercurrent. It could be wicked pretty with your cream cabinets, but is it the right color for your countertop and backsplash? WE’LL SEE!
PAINT COLORS THAT ARE SIMILAR TO JOGGING PATH
- Sherwin Williams Amazing Gray #1
- Sherwin Williams Gateway Gray is loverly
- Benjamin Moore Seattle Mist, if you think you can sneak in a slightly lighter shade. Just be careful with those rich creams, and note that cooler shades can enhance your cream’s yellow!
This process isn’t just about colors to update cream cabinets or trim; make sure the paint colors you sample suit your other finishes, such as countertops, backsplash, and flooring!
6. BENJAMIN MOORE BENNINGTON GRAY HC-82
You might be excited at the word ‘gray,’ but don’t be fooled—this is just another color named by someone who was CLEARLY in the cups (which I am after writing this epically long blog post). While Bennington Gray is certainly not as warm as Macadamia, it sure as heck isn’t gray.
Here’s your Peel & Stick sample of Bennington Gray…
Bennington Gray has an LRV of 47 – BOOM, mad love. It’s also a great happy medium if your home needs warmth, but you don’t love the more traditional Tuscan approach of Macadamia.
PAINT COLORS THAT ARE SIMILAR TO BENNINGTON GRAY
- Benjamin Moore Grant Beige #7 (SAMPLE HERE)
- Benjamin Moore Bleeker Beige (SAMPLE HERE)
FULL Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Bennington Gray & Bleeker Beige
7. BENJAMIN MOORE GRANT BEIGE HC-83
If the above beige and tan paint colors are too strong, but you see how a warm shade might be your home’s best color, you could check out Grant Beige. Grant Beige is a tan color with a bit less undertone than many popular beige and tan paint colors, without falling into the greige range.
Disappointed to see ANOTHER beige or tan? Don’t get your titties in a tussle; I’m not here to tell you what you WANT to hear; I’m here to help you avoid a fugly kitchen combo. Many of the lighter colors we WANT to pair with our cream cabinets and trim are simply the wrong choice.
Grant Beige has an LRV of 56, so it’s on the edge of the light and light-medium range. This makes it a great option, especially for some mid- to light cream colors.
PAINT COLORS THAT ARE SIMILAR TO GRANT BEIGE
- Sherwin Williams Sandbar (SAMPLE HERE)
- Benjamin Moore Manchester Tan for a lighter approach
Sandbar (left), Clay Beige 25% darker (right)
FULL Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Grant Beige
I usually start with the above colors when looking to update cream cabinets and trim. But again, a lot can change depending on the surrounding finishes, including the backsplash, countertop, and flooring.
8. BENJAMIN MOORE REVERE PEWTER HC-172
While I get nervous about Revere Pewter with the darker cream paint colors, it’s often a nice partner to lighter, more muted cream paint colors. It will still make the cream look more yellow ‘in comparison,’ but that happens so easily when you partner a warm color with a color that’s cooler than it.
In this next photo, there are a few things at play…
1. The trim is whiter than the cabinets, making the cabinets look more yellow. Overall, the trim looks considerably bright and warm with a reasonable yellow tint.
2. This is a low-light area, and Revere Pewter looks muddier than usual.
Revere Pewter has an LRV of 55, making it a heavy, light-depth, warm gray with a slightly earthy green undertone that doesn’t always show up to the party. Regarding coordinating with cream paint colors, it’s best if it does all of that and then some!
Once again, in this next photo, Revere Pewter looks WAY warmer and muddier than usual – this is what we hope it does…
PAINT COLORS THAT ARE SIMILAR TO REVERE PEWTER
- Sherwin Williams Amazing Gray #1
- Sherwin Williams Jogging Path #5
FULL Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter
9. SHERWIN WILLIAMS COLONNADE GRAY 7641
Like Revere Pewter, Colonnade Gray is touchy with cream paint colors with more yellow or depth. But it can be an interesting partner to lighter and muted creams.
This next example shows Colonnade Gray with cream trim in a bedroom. Notice how the cream doesn’t act like traditional white trim, even with a modern paint color partner, but that’s because it’s not white.
Colonnade Gray can be a slightly better option than Revere Pewter because it has a lower LRV, at 53, compared to Revere Pewter’s 55. However, Revere Pewter one-ups Colonnade Gray in the muddy department, pulling that organic warmth off way better.
PAINT COLORS THAT ARE SIMILAR TO COLONNADE GRAY
- Sherwin Williams Mindful Gray…maybe (SAMPLE HERE)
- Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter #8
Sherwin Williams Colonnade Gray: IMAGES, Info, & More
The COOLER a paint color is or the more COLOR it has (purple, blue, or green), the more it will CONTRAST with the yellow of your cabinet cabinets or trim – nature of the beast, but this doesn’t mean they aren’t pretty combos if you’re so inclined!
10. SHERWIN WILLIAMS VERSATILE GRAY 6072
Versatile Gray is a light-medium-depth taupe paint color that looks pretty with many cream cabinets.
Why?
Well, when surrounded by the right countertops/tiles or carpet, the taupe (violet, slightly violet-pink) undertone can be a pretty accent—AS LONG AS YOUR CREAM DOESN’T HAVE ANY GREEN IN IT.
The painted furniture in this next bedroom is SUPER creamy-yellow. Notice how Versatile Gray settles with it…
In this next photo, Versatile Gray humors the cream cabinets while tapping into the countertop’s needs. Would I usually put Versatile Gray with cream cabinets? Probably not (but there are exceptions), but again, when looking for a happy medium, sometimes you have to think outside the color box!
Versatile Gray has an LRV of 48, making it a great contender for various creams.
However, many homeowners want a lighter, warm gray, greige, or taupe with their cream cabinets. Let’s look at the lighter version, Popular Gray – wooooooof…
Do you see how the cabinets’ cream-yellow fights with Popular Gray (right)? And while Worldly Gray (left) is no screamin’ glory either, its slightly lower LRV makes it a bit better (I still wouldn’t do it).
Why?
Because there isn’t enough LRV or difference in depth between the cabinet color and these samples. Even though my client might’ve wanted a lighter warm gray or greige/taupe paint color, it’s easy to see how a light-medium version like Versatile Gray (or the previously mentioned, Amazing Gray, which is the light-medium version of Worldly Gray) makes a better connection.
HOORAY FOR HAPPY MEDIUMS!
PAINT COLORS THAT ARE SIMILAR TO VERSATILE GRAY
- Sherwin Williams Requisite Gray, although it’s often a touch too cool/violet (SAMPLE HERE)
Sherwin Williams Versatile Gray
11. SHERWIN WILLIAMS BALANCED BEIGE 7037
Balanced Beige is touch-and-go and highly dependent on your cabinets, the amount of yellow they have, and the potential glaze they have on them.
In this next kitchen, look at how flat and taupe Accessible Beige (left) looks compared to the glazed cream cabinets. While Balanced Beige (right) is better, it’s still too toned down for the degree of warmth in the glaze—close, but no cigar!
In this next kitchen, notice how the glaze on the cabinets isn’t as warm as in the previous version. Because the glaze is more toned-down and the backsplash is agreeable, Balanced Beige is a slightly better fit.
Balanced Beige has an LRV of 46, which is definitely in its favor.
While it’s okay with some of the more muted and lighter cream paint colors, it’s too taupe for others (including Antique White and creams with a similar depth). It’s in this section because sometimes it’s just that happy medium between cream cabinets/trim and surrounding finishes. My best advice is to try 25% darker, as you’ll have a better shot by lowering its LRV. Or even better, check out the darker version, Tony Taupe.
While this next photo isn’t super (I only use photos from my Online Color clients, friends, and readers), it shows Balanced Beige with creamy cabinets…
Note how Balanced Beige looks a bit drab and flat. Sure, it’s great with the white trim, and it’s ooookay with the cabinets, but it could be way better (I can’t wait to see the AFTER photos!)
PAINT COLORS THAT ARE SIMILAR TO BALANCED BEIGE
- Sherwin Williams Loggia (SAMPLE HERE)
- Benjamin Moore Stone Hearth #2
Oooo, I have a great example of Accessible Beige with cream cabinets to show you, to hammer down how it’s NOT a great option…
My Online Color Consulting client hired me to fix her kitchen, but changing the paint color wasn’t easy. Sure, the backsplash and paint color are well-coordinated, but the granite and cream cabinets do their own thing and don’t suit the other surfaces. Accessible Beige (and the backsplash) look too taupe/flat compared to the yellow/cream of the cabinets—it’s a bad combination that makes the cabinets look more yellow and dated.
The above is a great example of a kitchen that has beautiful finishes that aren’t well-coordinated with each other. And paint can’t fix everything when a good foundation isn’t in place.
Pick the best paint color for the home you have, not the home you WISH you had.
Sherwin Williams Balanced Beige: IMAGES, Info, & More
12. SHERWIN WILLIAMS ANEW GRAY 7030
Anew Gray is a popular light-medium-depth greige/taupe paint color. However, it has less undertone than some of the previously mentioned colors. This means it can look a bit washy and non-committal compared to a cream paint color—sample carefully!
Don’t get me wrong, I love Anew Gray, but when coordinating with cream cabinets and trims, often a bit MORE undertone is better than a bit less.
Here’s your Peel & Stick sample of Anew Gray…YAY!
PAINT COLORS THAT ARE SIMILAR TO ANEW GRAY
- Sherwin Williams Mindful Gray
- Sherwin Williams Amazing Gray #1
- Sherwin Williams Mega Greige
- Sherwin Williams Versatile Gray (#10)
Sherwin Williams Anew Gray: IMAGES, Info, & More
13. BENJAMIN MOORE PASHMINA AF-100
While Pashmina isn’t always friendly towards some of the darker or more intense cream paint colors (ones with more yellow in them), it can be a pretty complement to a muted cream or off-white.
This next image shows Pashmina (top) and Balanced Beige (bottom) with subtly warm cabinets and trim. To see their depth, look at how the trim compares to the light switch…
Pashmina has an LRV of 44, making it a great depth for various cream shades. As for its color, Pashmina is a greige paint color with a slight nod towards green.
PAINT COLORS THAT ARE SIMILAR(ISH) TO PASHMINA
Benjamin Moore Pashmina, IMAGES, Info, & More
14. SHERWIN WILLIAMS COMFORT GRAY 6205
Comfort Gray is one of the most popular green-blue-gray blend paint colors because while it certainly has COLOR, its gray base calms it right down for a more muted approach.
This next photo is a wicked example of a cool paint color in action with cream cabinets…
Comfort Gray has an LRV of 54, making it a bit touchy with some of the darker cream paint colors, but an interesting option for slightly lighter, more muted shades of cream.
In general, Comfort Gray with these cream cabinets is a beautiful combination.
- Would I like them in rooms that are next to each other? Sure.
- Do I want them right up against each other? Personally, no. Sure, they look pretty together, but the cool hue of Comfort Gray is making the cabinets and trim look more yellow in comparison, a look that not everyone is going for…but maybe YOU ARE!
While I wouldn’t go any lighter or more colorful than Comfort Gray (e.g., Sea Salt or Rainwashed) if you’re okay with this warm-cool play and your cream is light enough, they could work for you.
Look at Sweet Bluette (below) as an example of a cool color that will not update cream cabinets. Sometimes, my clients need to see something to understand why it doesn’t work, and I’d say this gave them a pretty clear eyeball on things…
PAINT COLORS THAT ARE SIMILAR TO COMFORT GRAY
- Sherwin Williams Argos (below, much grayer – SAMPLE HERE)
- Sherwin Williams Sensible Hue (grayer, SAMPLE HERE)
FULL Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Comfort Gray
15. SHERWIN WILLIAMS ARGOS 7065
Argos is a wicked pretty, light-medium gray paint color with a green-blue undertone. However, being a cool paint color, it’ll make your cream cabinets or trim look that much warmer in comparison. This is a pretty combo, but it needs to be the look you’re going for.
While the trim in this dining room isn’t overly creamy, it’s easy to see how Argos plays with its softness…
PAINT COLORS THAT ARE SIMILAR TO ARGOS
- Sherwin Williams Tinsmith (it’s lighter, so be careful – SAMPLE HERE)
- Sherwin Williams Silverplate (again, lighter – SAMPLE HERE)
FULL Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Argos
As for that elusive blog post I mentioned earlier..
WHAT ARE THE BEST OFF-WHITE & LIGHT WALL COLORS TO GO WITH CREAM CABINETS & TRIMS?
Lighter colors can be harder to coordinate with cream cabinets and trims, as if they undertones don’t align, it can be even MORE obvious that things don’t jibe (compared to some darker colors).
And while it’s DEFINITELY more of a hit and miss situation, I’ve got quite a few colors for you to sample and compare.
Just…sample carefully.
Modern Paint Colors to Update Cream Cabinets & Trims
PEOPLE ALSO ASK…
ARE CREAM CABINETS OUTDATED?
In today’s average home? Yes, cream cabinets are outdated (don’t shoot the messenger!).
While some are still painting their cabinets cream, they look more timeless in country-style, vintage, or traditional-style homes (some), particularly those with black countertops.
HOW DO YOU UPDATE CREAM CABINETS?
Aside from choosing one of the paint colors suggested above, a new backsplash can help to update cream cabinets and make them look more modern. In particular, look for a 3×6 subway tile that’s the same cream as your cabinets – NEVER choose a tile that’s whiter than your cabinets.
Also, consider hardware in a finish that suits its surroundings (usually oil-rubbed bronze or black) but has a slightly more modern profile (check these out). While oil-rubbed bronze isn’t an updated finish, it often suits homes with cream cabinets.
PHEW, we did it! Hopefully, you found the best paint color for you and your cream-inspired home. If not, you know where to find me (and no, it’s not at the winery).
How to Update Cream Cabinets: COMMON QUESTIONS
Modern Paint Colors to Update Cream Cabinets & Trims
And in case you’re wondering about some colors I didn’t mention, there might be a good reason…
POPULAR COLORS THAT DON’T UPDATE CREAM CABINETS (SO YOU CAN STOP WONDERING)
While I could go into all the reasons why, having read the above information, you’ll understand. These colors come up ALL THE TIME, with my E-design clients hoping to update cream cabinets or trim with them.
Of course, if your cream is lighter and has muted undertones, you have a better chance, but don’t hold your breath for too long.
- Sherwin Williams Accessible Beige
- Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray
- Sherwin Williams Worldly Gray
- Sherwin Williams Popular Gray
- Sherwin Williams Alpaca
- Benjamin Moore’s Big Chill
- Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray
- Benjamin Moore Cedar Key
- Benjamin Moore Balboa Mist
- Benjamin Moore Collingwood
I could go on, but those are the usual offenders. If you have very light cream trim or cabinets, could they work? Maybe. If they do, send photos, but most of the time, they’re just too light or have the wrong undertones.
READ MORE
How to Update Cream Cabinets or Trim: COMMON QUESTIONS
The 10 Most Timeless Finishes for Your Home
The Best MODERN Cream Cabinet Paint Colors
Cream Paint Colors for a Classic, Traditional Kitchen Cabinet
The 12 Best WHOLE HOME Gray & Greige Paint Colors
The Best WHOLE HOME Warm Neutral Paint Colors
NEED HELP?
Check out my ONLINE PAINT COLOR CONSULTING!
ORIGINALLY WRITTEN IN 2022, UPDATED IN 2025
This is a great post and so helpful with my kitchen dilemma. Cabinets and trim are BM Swiss Coffee and walls are currently BM Monroe Bisque. While Swiss Coffee isn’t cream its definitely an off white and I’m having so much trouble choosing a wall color. Kitchen is north facing and countertops are an off white quartz. I so desperately want to change the walls but am unsure what will work with the Swiss Coffee cabinets. Any suggestions would be much appreciated!
Hi Leslie, it’s just SO hard to say without seeing your countertop and backsplash and THEIR undertones. And yes, Swiss Coffee can be a bit touchy. It’s like BM White Dove, which I love, but of the two, it’s just SLIGHTLY more inclined to a weeeee wink o’ green. For this reason I would avoid anything with a taupe/violet/pink undertone.
Hi Kylie, Thanks so much for replying. After reading your blog extensively I’m thinking of Edgecomb Gray for the kitchen walls. It wasn’t one of your suggested colors but I read another of your blogs where you covered Edgecomb Gray and felt inspired. I want a happy medium and I’m afraid to go too gray. The LRV of Swiss Coffee is 83.93 and Edgecomb Gray is 63.88 which would be a good match I think. I like that it is a greige color that may hopefully compliment the counters and cabinets. My countertop is Polarstone Olympia quartz (off white with gray/ taupe veining)and the backsplash will be the same. The counter guy is coming Monday to install the backsplash. I can’t bear to think about painting the cabinets again so I’m trying to make the Swiss Coffee work. The counters look a little grayish against the Swiss Coffee with my north facing window. My floor is wood with brown and gray tones. What do you think of the Edgecomb Gray? I’ve been living in Tuscan hell with the Monroe Bisque. Thanks!!! Leslie😊
Our builder would only paint our trim SW natural choice. It’s the worst. We repainted the entire downstairs trim SW pure white. It’s so much better. Got rid of all our clashing undertones. I have colonnade gray with the natural choice trim in our master. It makes colonnade look purple. It drives me crazy but husband won’t let me repaint upstairs trim. Yet….
Builders are SO weird sometimes! It’s like, don’t they want the home to look its best? I always wonder if it’s because they keep like 5-gallon tubs of a colour, so they can save money! I’m glad you’ve made a few shifts though that you’re feeling better about! You’ll find Natural Choice a bit easier too a it doesn’t have a ton of cream in it and has that bit more greige inside.
This is so comprehensive and so helpful. Thank you!! I came so close to painting my kitchen cabinets an off white to brighten them up from their dark cherry (Tuscan style) and so glad I held off.
Can you now speak to what cabinet colors would go well with the warmer colors on walls, ie canvas tan and neutral ground on walls/alabaster on trim. Thank you!!
Oooo, there are SO many! I generally love SW Pure White and BM White Dove :).
THANK YOU, THANK YOU for the cream trim tips!!! Above you said SW Amazing Gray was awesome. What do you think of using the darker colors on its color strip such as Intellectual Gray or Anonymous with SW Antique White trim? Thank you again!!
OH HECK YES! I try to keep my advise for ‘mass appeal’, but the darker ranges could also look QUITE lovely (those are some of my faves 🙂
Would those darker colors be too dark for an eastern exposure?
Like a chain smoker lives there…can’t stop laughing! I knew there was something rubbing me wrong with those glazed cabinets and wall color and couldn’t put my finger on it. Thanks for doing it for me! Lol.
Thanks for such a comprehensive post, there is so much thought and precision here, wow!
The answer for me here is…just paint the darn cabinets. I know it’s a pain and a hassle and for many, $$ b/c you aren’t going to do it yourself, but in the end, it’s worth it if you can do it one way or another.
We have oak cabinets and I followed your advice and painted a Sherwin Williams color that you suggested (Canvas tan or natural tan — from a video), and you were right — though this wasn’t my favorite paint color, the color compliments the cabinets and doesn’t fight with them. But still, even this good choice isn’t helping me love either the paint color or the cabinets. We were going to wait wait wait to do a full reno in the kitchen, but I think I can be satisfied for the next 5 to 8 years with a mini reno — paint the oak trim and cabinets which I just can’t get myself to love, make a few other changes (probably backsplash and counters and add one floor to ceiling double cabinet pantry) and live with the layout, floor I don’t love but which has a enough deep green/gray (which I do love) that I can play off of, and call it a day. I.E. save for vacations for our daughter’s last 4 years in our house…want to spend that time making memories 🙂 But don’t want those oak cabinets in them — haha!
Our house is one of those early 2000s era homes. The trim throughout is painted SW (Duron) Shell White, the kitchen floors are red oak with a slightly red/orange stain, and the adjacent foyer tile is a green/gray ceramic that mimics slate. We are exploring a kitchen redo, and I thought I wanted white cabinets, but after reading this post, I’m not sure white will suit! To my eye, the Shell White trim doesn’t look off white, but I’m guessing it is? If so, then do you think a milky white cabinet would work better than a true white? Thanks for the timely post!
Thanks for your expert insight into colors! I have a painting dilemma. My home is an older home with a small kitchen, oak cabinets (not honey oak more light orangey-reddish), light tan tile backsplash, cream countertop and light cream/beige quarry tile flooring. It is what it is for now and my husband doesn’t want to paint the cabinets. The saving grace -a skylight, so it stays pretty light. The not so saving grace – cream/biscuit appliances 🤮 for now. I’m so at a loss as to what color to paint my walls. The present paint I believe is Creamy. I had hoped for a very light blue-green but after reading your article realized the cream appliances will pop out ughhh. And then there’s those oak cabinets ughhh ughhh. Please please can you lead me in the right direction with some helpful hints (and also so I can uncross my eyes and toss the 1,000 paint sample charts I have in front of me??). Thank you!
Oh Nancy, I know it can be so HARD! Yes, a blue-green on the walls WILL highlight the cream of your appliances – sad but true. And a light one at that – any cool colours have to be DARKER than the warm colour they’re being partnered with.
Have you looked at something like SW Amazing Gray or Felted Wool as a happy medium perhaps??? Not what you had in mind, but again, sometimes what we want isn’t going to work and we have to find the NEXT best thing 🙂
Great post! I have antique white cabinets and matching trim. My flooring is a brownish tile and countertops are a earth tone quartz. I like the SW color of the year evergreen fog. How do you think that will look?
I loooove Evergreen Fog, totally. I think it could look STUNNING with Antique White, keeping in mind that the green will contrast with the warmth of Antique White and can make it look that bit warmer in comparison. I also love the slightly lighter Escape Gray.
Great post and perfect timing! We’re redoing a bathroom and the vanity and medicine cabinet we bought are a very creamy yellow with a marble top. I first painted the room Benjamin Moore Horizon. As soon as we moved the vanity in I realized my mistake. Too cool, too blue. Am going to see how Versatile Gray looks instead. We did put bead board on the walls and I was planning to paint it along with the trim white dove but now I’m not sure that’s the right decision. I’m ok with the yellow but maybe I should paint everything (walls, trim) a cream shade that will blend with it instead.
YES! I’m glad you stopped with the White Dove idea – blending might be a MUCH better way to go!!
Wish this article was written before I painted many of my walls Kilim with my off white trim. It seems to work in my home though. Thanks for this very timely article, I still have a few rooms I need to paint. I was just noticing the other day how yellow the trim looks in the laundry room that I painted light blue a long time ago.
Well I do LOVE Kilim Beige, but yes, it can be a bit trickier with cream trims :). Hopefully the info is helpful for your next rooms – a warm gray/greige with a green undertone (in the light-medium depths) is a PRETTY compliment to Kilim Beige in a palette!
Great post … Thank you very much for sharing these amazing ideas with us. I have cream cabinets and prefer darker wall colours. This post was really enjoyable to read.
You’re most welcome, thank you for the comment!
Hi Kylie,
I need to rent your brain for a while my own is frazzled 🤯. Have been trying to book consultation but can never manage to get a slot I’m too slow 🐌 was wondering if they are open every Monday Wednesday and Friday for booking or just on some days ? Can imagine you’re in hot demand
Hey Sarah! Which package are you hoping for, I can try to squeeze you in!
Hi Kylie,
I was so surprised to see I know a kitchen on your site! I am confused as to whether to pick gray or not. I thought You recommended those shades. I am thinking these pictures came from clients who hired you. I have a soft heart I know but I makes me feel bad for them when you say “gag me with a spoon” or “like a chain smoker lives there”. All of us are trying to learn about color trying our best and come to you as the expert. Everyone deserves to come home to a house they love.
Hi Kathleen, I so appreciate your commment.
MANY of the samples shown are examples of what NOT to do courtesy of curious clients! When working with a client, they often have an idea of what they want and ‘need to see it to believe it‘ when I say it doesn’t really work. Once they hang the samples up of what they THINK they wanted, it can be easier to see why it doesn’t work.
(Also, I promise, the gag me with a spoon isn’t about the kitchen, but about the combination of it with warm white – it’s actually one of my favourite cream kitchens! However, I appreciate your comment and will adjust – thank you :).)
As for the chain smoker one, these samples weren’t meant to be coordinating wall colours and these cabinets weren’t staying painted this colour – the homeowner was over them too! The samples were for a different consult but were HELPFUL for this blog post (which I really appreciate as they became learning tools!) Again, they help to show people what really doesn’t work!
Thank you though for your note. I will take your comments to heart, as there’s NOTHING wrong with having a soft one :).
~Kylie
Don’t lose your irreverence, color is a topic we all get tied up in knots about. Your disarming approach invites us all to have fun.
Well, thank you, Margaret – this comment made me smile and is much appreciated :).
I have struggled with trying to find a griege color to make the trim pop for a year now so thank you for sharing! Our home is painted in the typical builder grade sw natural choice with sw pure white trim. Honestly, I love how it looks with our off white kitchen cabinets so maybe it’s my eyes lol. I still come back to natural choice. North facing light I think helps bring in that cooler light to tone down the yellowish tones but at times that pinky undertone shows up in the cabinets. I don’t want to change the wall color because I’d have to paint the whole darn area- living room, stairway with a lower LRV, and I like the warm airy feeling everywhere else. I and hubs gravitate toward warmer tones so i think I’ll paint some adjoining rooms in colors that compliment natural choice..I can live with a little yellow 🙂
Thank you, Melissa, I’m SO glad you found it helpful! It’s VERY INTERESTING that it’s flashing pink on the cabinets, as it’s MORE likely to pick up the tiniest wink of green!
Hi Kylie. Your blog post has been very helpful. What do you recommend for the ceilings? And should the trim match the cabinets or the ceiling? We moved into a house with very off-white cabinets. The walls and ceilings are painted divine white and all of the trim is pure white. I am interested in painting the walls evergreen fog but I am wondering about the trim and ceiling?
Hi Jennifer, thank you!
So, you have walls and ceilings in Divine White RIGHT now with Pure White trim and want Evergreen Fog walls. It’s hard to say without seeing the space and how close the cabinets/trim are, but it depends on what you want the cabinets to DO. If you want them to look a bit more muted, GENERALLY speaking, you would have the ceilings/trim the same as them, this way there wouldn’t be a ‘whiter’ colour for Divine White to be directly compared to. If Divine White is directly compared to Pure White, it will show the off-white/beige look of it off a bit more. If it were ME…oooo, it’s tough. If I didn’t have too much trim/molding around the kitchen I might shift to Pure White wherever I could. However, if there’s a lot of trim near the cabinets, i just might lean into Divine White, perhaps 50% lighter on the ceiling.
Thanks so much for your advice! I will definitely check those colors out! My fingers are crossed!!
Thanks Kylie. I am actually looking for a cream. One that looks a lot like the Wentworth kitchen by HEATHER HUNGELING DESIGN. It’s a creamy white. I know she says it’s believable bluff by SW but I’m looking for a SW paint closer to the actual photograph. Any thoughts or ideas? Thanks.
I’ve come to love you Kylie! My house had to be gutted about 80% after a recent hurricane but still intact are my glazed antique white upper and lower cabinets and Cecilia(?) granite, but my dark stained island has to be replaced. When I built 8 yrs ago I remember it being so easy to pick out all these warm colors I love. I swear I decided on my granite in 5 minutes flat, and it all looked beautiful together. I had SW Oyster Bay on my cabinet wall and kitchen door- which looked great to me bc it’s just warm enough of a color to not look cool, SW Dover White trim, and Tony Taupe in the living room- all open floor plan. I’m no color guru but after reading your recent posts I think all this time I had it going on and didn’t even know it bc now tony taupe is becoming more popular! My dilemma is now that I’m forced to remodel I figure I should go with something updated, more modern. I’ve contemplated every blue green gray there is for my island color but nothing ever feels right. I’ve come full circle and landed back on stain or maybe SW Status Bronze. After reading your post on old granite I now see why. And my granite isn’t even that old, but I’m obviously limited. Also, I’ve tried so many whites next to the cream cabinets- I think I’m doing BM Pale Oak in living – but nothing. Darker colors look so much better next to them. I’m so glad I saw this new post. I think now I can stop trying so hard to make something work that just won’t, and I need to embrace what I’m drawn to instead of what I think I’m supposed to be drawn to. If you do have any other color suggestions please please let me know. If not thanks for your expertise I completely enjoy all I’ve learned from you !
Hi Kyle! This article is filled with soooo many bits of goodness! Thank you for sharing your knowledge with those of us less inclined. After reading this I decided to FINALLY take a leap of faith and paint my kitchen SW Amazing Gray. I wanted to create flow into my adjacent dining room (BM Edgecomb Gray) but had been holding off due to the fussy nature of my cabinet colour (BM White Down). Here is what I ran into – the colour looks AMAZING with one exception. The backsplash area (no tile, just paint for now) looks a very cold shade of Gray and makes the cabinets look yellow. However, when the under cabinet lights are on …. ta da …. AMAZING again. I realize light affects everything but I didn’t have this drastic difference with the old paint colour (BM Bennington Gray). I am about to run to SW to have the paint altered towards something like Loggia. Would this be a mistake?
Hey Carina, I would just LOVE to see photos of this – seriously, it’s SO helpful for myself and for readers!!!! I can then take a look at you countertop and see if Loggia would work for you, if you’d like???
This was a really great post! Thanks so much for all of this detail. We are looking to repaint our master suite. Our whole house has antique white trim and beige warm colors everywhere except this suite. We have a southern exposure and over time the antique white trim which is considerable in this area and we will not paint, has yellowed and now is almost an exact match to BM Bracken Cream with an LRV of nearly 74. We definitely won’t paint walls to match because that would be too yellow. Our bathroom has gray tub, vanities, shower tile and we like the way the yellow works with this gray. Our bedroom is now a periwinkle color that looks beautiful with the yellow in the trim but we want to go more neutral. We do not want a gray with green undertones but would like to find one that stays more cool. Our first choice was Repose grey. Do you have a gray suggestion that might work best knowing our trim color is more yellowed and we don’t actually mind that. Also open to other suggestions and would consider sticking to a beige them but if we bring that into the bathroom area, not sure how it will work with all the grey existing on vanities, tile and tub. There are French doors leading from bedroom to bathroom so we would like this to be one cohesive space.
Hi Kylie,
Great posting! You totally nailed this one!! I have cream cabinets (custom mix of cloud white & white down 78 lrv) which became the same color as my molding, french doors, some paneling and trim. Most of the paint colors on my main floor are 50 lrv and below. I also have straight up ceiling white. The ceiling white was a nice contrast to the paint color and works fine with the warm light hitting it. None of my cream color touches the ceiling…except for the room we are working on now that has crown molding and is in northern light. It’s awful – – like the smokers room you described. Is my only option to paint the ceiling in this room at 50% of this cream color? That is my thought, but I’m worried that it will start to spiral into the hall ceiling, etc. and potentially darken the room. It’s so funny (or not) how color is truly all relative to what it is next to and lighting. Any advice is greatly appreciated! Many thanks!
Oh Kerri, it can be SO HARD, can’t it? But, it sounds like you already learned so much about your home and your cream before you even read this blog post – great job! BTW, I love the sounds of the Cloud White/White Down blend!
And yes, my FIRST thought is to get your cabinet colour lightened. I would try 50% and 75%, see how both of these look. I even WONDER how Cloud White might look – assuming that’s not what’s there right now, as it is such a pretty warm white.
I’d also LOVE to see how this all looks!!!
Thank you so much Kylie! I greatly appreciate your kind words and insight!