Step Aside White: The Neutral Kitchen Color Palette With A Richer, Cozier Feel

If you're planning to update your kitchen and are looking for ideas, be aware of the shift away from cool whites and grays. Designers are embracing warmer neutral palettes, and many of us are welcoming this decorating trend as a way to make our spaces feel cozier. Cream is one of the neutrals that provides a richer alternative to white, and it can fill the heart of your home with a sense of warm luxury or old-world tradition. And in case you're thinking of the resale value of your home, know that this rich, warm neutral is one of the paint colors that'll make your kitchen look expensive without the cost.

Don't worry, though, cream is not the same as beige. If you're cringing at the thought of bringing back the 90s' favorite paint color, this one is different. While beige is essentially a light brown, white's new stand-in is closer to a light yellow. Cream paint starts with a white base and then tiny amounts of yellow, brown, red, or orange are added, depending on the precise shade. Because this palette is so warm, this alternative to white can make your space feel calmer, more relaxing, and cozier. Plus, one bonus of using these buttery paint shades in your kitchen is that they are among the best paint colors to mask wear and tear in your home.

The cream palette contains a wide range of different shades you can pick from, depending on how light or dark you want to go. Benjamin Moore's Vanilla Ice Cream will provide a bright and buttery background as will Sherwin Williams' Dollop of Cream. Lighter shades also create the same warm feel, such as Ivory White by Benjamin Moore. If you're looking for a low VOC option, a similar color from AFM Safecoat should go on your list of possibilities.

Just keep in mind that if you put cream side by side with a cool hue, the warmer shade might take on more of a beige tone. Instead, try pairing it with a cozy butter yellow, or consider keeping both the walls and the cabinets the same creamy shade. Whatever you're leaning towards, try a sample on the walls or cabinets to see how the light reflects off the swatch before redoing your whole kitchen around the color. And if you're sold on cream, you might want to go with warm neutral paint colors in each room of your home.