Must-Try Color Combo: White With Warm Off-White
Avoid going too traditional and too clean by introducing an off-white palette that brings a touch of warmth and elegance
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Love white rooms but having trouble deciding which tone of paint to use? Creamy whites may seem too traditional, while clean whites can feel so, well, clean. But this is one case in which a house divided can stand after all. White and warm off-white look beautiful together in any room. They make for a classic, sophisticated palette that’s also very of-the-moment. Here’s how to achieve it.
Love white rooms but having trouble deciding which tone of paint to use? Creamy whites may seem too traditional, while clean whites can feel so, well, clean. But this is one case in which a house divided can stand after all. White and warm off-white look beautiful together in any room. They make for a classic, sophisticated palette that’s also very of-the-moment. Here’s how to achieve it.
This kitchen achieves essentially the same effect as the previous one, but in a much subtler way. The cabinet color would be considered pure white in a different context, but when it’s surrounded by a crisper white, the eye is able to detect its warmth by comparison.
This slight contrast creates a serene, romantic air, and makes this white kitchen feel elegant instead of minimalist.
Notice how both of these spaces use dark gray (in the previous case a smoky gray mirror) to ground the look. (Nearly every example in this article uses gray or black somewhere to add a hint of drama.)
Try Benjamin Moore’s Distant Gray OC-68 as a wall white, or my favorite go-to warm off-white, Classic Gray OC-23, also by Benjamin Moore.
This slight contrast creates a serene, romantic air, and makes this white kitchen feel elegant instead of minimalist.
Notice how both of these spaces use dark gray (in the previous case a smoky gray mirror) to ground the look. (Nearly every example in this article uses gray or black somewhere to add a hint of drama.)
Try Benjamin Moore’s Distant Gray OC-68 as a wall white, or my favorite go-to warm off-white, Classic Gray OC-23, also by Benjamin Moore.
A little off-white can also be used as a smaller kitchen accent, rather than a cabinet color. It’s especially charming when used to highlight an antique or a retro piece in a modern or contemporary space, like with this statement stove.
Also try contrasting white tile with simple accents like some buttery-white storage vessels or an antique-white vase and some carnations.
Browse inspiring white rooms of every shape and style
Also try contrasting white tile with simple accents like some buttery-white storage vessels or an antique-white vase and some carnations.
Browse inspiring white rooms of every shape and style
Bedrooms
In a bedroom or den, the combination of white and off-white results in a very restful demeanor. Dreamy cream colors can sometimes appear dingy on their own, but when combined with crisp white bedding and walls, accents like a warm-toned blanket and an antique white nightstand — as in this room — create a perfect balance of contemporary crispness and traditional charm.
In a bedroom or den, the combination of white and off-white results in a very restful demeanor. Dreamy cream colors can sometimes appear dingy on their own, but when combined with crisp white bedding and walls, accents like a warm-toned blanket and an antique white nightstand — as in this room — create a perfect balance of contemporary crispness and traditional charm.
Using subtly different whites and off-whites can also highlight the play of textures in a space. Notice here how the quilted spread is a different tone from the tufted bed frame, and also different from the incredibly touchable striped blanket. The feather headdress wall hanging is a bit creamier still, making it an eye-catching focal piece even without an electric hue.
The rich textural palette of the room is allowed to shine, but the variety of color tones helps the eye pick up all the different layers.
The rich textural palette of the room is allowed to shine, but the variety of color tones helps the eye pick up all the different layers.
For a white-with-off-white look with a hint of color, try a few accent pillows or a blanket in a pale blue-green. This near-neutral color will add a small punch of a new hue without overstimulating the serene scene. (A few little fresh blossoms never hurt a space either.)
Workspaces
Using elements of off-white instead of pure white can keep a small space looking large and open (like pure white) while softening the mood a bit, such as in this office area. The rough exposed column and compact space could easily feel very severe and functional, but the off-white shade of the wall paint adds a more human touch. The texture of the column makes it read as pretty instead of industrial, almost like a woolly sweater instead of concrete.
Using elements of off-white instead of pure white can keep a small space looking large and open (like pure white) while softening the mood a bit, such as in this office area. The rough exposed column and compact space could easily feel very severe and functional, but the off-white shade of the wall paint adds a more human touch. The texture of the column makes it read as pretty instead of industrial, almost like a woolly sweater instead of concrete.
Storage Spaces
A small accent of off-white is all it takes to achieve a soft, welcoming effect. This stark white nook feels feminine and welcoming instead of sterile because of the subtly warm-hued trunks and the bits of creamy shearling.
A small accent of off-white is all it takes to achieve a soft, welcoming effect. This stark white nook feels feminine and welcoming instead of sterile because of the subtly warm-hued trunks and the bits of creamy shearling.
Hallways and Staircases
This elegant staircase proves that a simple tone-on-tone look can be both quietly sophisticated and homey, using off-white walls broken up with white trim (making each doorway and piece of molding a feature).
The banister is a shapely highlight thanks to just a little black paint, like a sharp black belt on a summery outfit.
This elegant staircase proves that a simple tone-on-tone look can be both quietly sophisticated and homey, using off-white walls broken up with white trim (making each doorway and piece of molding a feature).
The banister is a shapely highlight thanks to just a little black paint, like a sharp black belt on a summery outfit.
Living Rooms
In living rooms (which tend to be a bit larger than a typical home’s kitchen or bedroom), mixing white with off-white is an effective way to make a room feel big and breezy without its ever getting boring. Even though this room is mostly one color at a glance, the differing tones keep the eye moving.
In living rooms (which tend to be a bit larger than a typical home’s kitchen or bedroom), mixing white with off-white is an effective way to make a room feel big and breezy without its ever getting boring. Even though this room is mostly one color at a glance, the differing tones keep the eye moving.
If a white couch doesn’t fit your lifestyle, try using a pale gray or beige sofa broken up with white pillows. After all, a pillow or two is easier to replace, and the hint of hue in the sofa will help hide normal wear and tear.
Bathrooms
In bathrooms, as in kitchens, the tendency for many years has been toward mixing cool grays with white to add depth while maintaining a super-clean look, and perhaps introducing just a hint of warmth through stone tiles or counters.
However, for those who are tired of the chilliness of these gray-based palettes, off-whites with a yellow undertone give bathrooms a more human touch too. Notice how the wall color here has been freshened up with clean white towels and a contrasting plain white on the adjacent wall, so the room still feels clean without being sterile. As a subtle twist, the off-white continues across the ceiling for an intimate mood.
Tip: When pairing stone tiles with an off-white, draw from the tones in the stone (usually the lightest one you can spot) to create a smooth transition between surfaces.
In bathrooms, as in kitchens, the tendency for many years has been toward mixing cool grays with white to add depth while maintaining a super-clean look, and perhaps introducing just a hint of warmth through stone tiles or counters.
However, for those who are tired of the chilliness of these gray-based palettes, off-whites with a yellow undertone give bathrooms a more human touch too. Notice how the wall color here has been freshened up with clean white towels and a contrasting plain white on the adjacent wall, so the room still feels clean without being sterile. As a subtle twist, the off-white continues across the ceiling for an intimate mood.
Tip: When pairing stone tiles with an off-white, draw from the tones in the stone (usually the lightest one you can spot) to create a smooth transition between surfaces.
Whether your style is contemporary, traditional or somewhere in between, the charm of white with warm off-white is worth giving this combo a try.
More
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Browse white rooms of every shape and style
More
9 Ways to Boost Your All-White Color Scheme
How to Pick the Right White Paint
Browse white rooms of every shape and style
For years, crisp white cabinetry with hints of gray, such as in softly veined marble, has dominated kitchen designs. The newer trend is seeing homeowners moving away from these cool gray off-whites, and reintroducing warm, creamy off-whites as a fresh way to play against the cleanness of pure white.
The inviting beauty of white paired with warm off-white can clearly be seen in this demure kitchen, where an almost peachy shade of off-white draws a clear contrast from the adjacent walls (painted in Benjamin Moore’s Chantilly Lace).
The off-white cabinets highlight the brightness of the walls next to them, and the walls in turn bring out the cabinets’ subtle richness to create an inviting color story without using any bold hues.
The result is a kitchen that appears welcoming and not too fussy while still feeling modern and sleek (and hiding the occasional fingerprint).
Look to hues like Benjamin Moore’s Evening White to match the cabinet color here.
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