The prettiest paint color for cream kitchen cabinets for a warm and inviting kitchen and what I love about them.
Today I’m sharing the answer to one of the most frequently asked questions about our kitchen. What paint color are your cream kitchen cabinets?
Oh, if only it were that easy. You know, to find the exact paint color you want! In our previous home, we had white cabinets, but at times it felt a bit stark.
Cream cabinets feel warm, but still offer a light, breezy feeling. They’re perfect for a North or South facing room that tends to read blue – especially in winter.
Colors like Antique White tend to look dingy or yellow. I love a light yet warm cream paint color which can be difficult to achieve. I have my favorites (you can see my favorite cream paint colors here), but I wanted something a little different for the kitchen.
The cream cabinets needed to blend with the adjacent breakfast nook and mudroom that are painted Navajo White. However, not quite as “yellow”. The color also had to blend with the neighboring living room, which is Zurich White, which is a dustier cream.
If you love the look of our classic cream kitchen, don’t skip this post about our Inset Cabinets and Cabinet Knob Placement!
The color also had to complement the Olympia Danby marble without making it feel too white or too grey. Small feat, right?
So I took the easy route. I had Lacanche send a swatch of the range I had on order and had it color matched. It took a few attempts, but I think it’s absolutely perfect.
Our cream kitchen cabinets are not too white, too bright, too dusty, or too yellow. So what should I call it? Just Right White? Lacanche Cream? Sugar Cookie? I had to work sweets in there somehow.
Whatever you want to call it, I thought I’d share the color code for those who want cream cabinets that remind you of a sugar cookie.
This color would make the perfect furniture paint color, too! After all, our kitchen cabinets were designed to look like furniture.
You can use it on your kitchen island, though we chose to compliment it with a wood island.
This color is perfect for a traditional kitchen, but also works well for a modern, contemporary or country kitchen. It is a beautiful contrast to hardwood floors. You can also find subway tiles similar in color or opt to use a beadboard backsplash and paint it in the same color.
Not sure what to paint the walls? The same color works well for both walls and ceiling. For walls I like to use eggshell sheen and for ceiling, flat. If you use the same color for your walls as your cream cabinets, your kitchen will instantly appear larger.
The Best Cream Kitchen Cabinet Color
I had this color matched at our local Sherwin Williams. The following information is exactly how our label reads on a one gallon can of paint.
Quick tip: I have heard from several readers that occasionally someone at their paint store will be confused about this formula, and I’m not sure why that is. If you get someone new that seems unsure, perhaps ask to speak to a manager for clarification!
Sherwin Williams Pro Classic Semi-Gloss (diluted for sprayer)
CCE*Colorant OZ 32 64 128
B1 – Black – 1 – –
R2- Maroon – – – 1
Y3-Deep Gold – 2 1 1
You can see more of our new kitchen design with pendant lights and unlacquered brass hardware here!
You may also love Sherwin Williams Creamy for a soft white cream kitchen cabinet color.
Want more? Receive the best ideas directly to your inbox and connect on Youtube, Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest!
More of My Favorite Paint Colors
- Zurich White (Used in many of the rooms in our current home, including our family room and living room.)
- Sherwin Williams Creamy
- Soft Chamois
- Everyday White
- Farrow and Ball Clunch
- Farrow & Ball White Tie
What is your opinion on headboard backsplash vs tile? Do you still like it after having it? Any trouble with water splashing on it warping it?
I do, in fact I’m struggling to put a tile in our second home because I just want beadboard again. We used a water resistant product which you can read more about here Beadboard Backsplash
Is the formula for the cream paint for a quart size or gallon?
Gallon
I absolutely love this! I am try to pick a kitchen cabinet color to go with revere pewter walls. I am thinking revere pewter cabinet color since most other things in the space out of my control at this point! I realize I should contrast but granite and backspash already set and trying to be suttle! Lol Suggestions?
If you don’t anticipate painting and like that color, use it one sheen higher than your walls.
Hi there! Terrific post. I love your cream cabinets. Mine are actually SW creamy. Can you explain your thoughts on trim? Is your trim surrounding your cabinets the same as your cabinets or the same color as the rest of the trim in your house?
I use the same color and sheen for the kitchen.
Hi! Thanks for sharing so much great content! Out of curiosity, is the color of your Lacanche Chantilly or the ivory? I’m looking at getting a Cluny and I think the ivory is too yellow.
Thanks!
Ours is ivory – it works because our kitchen in North facing, so the light tends to read blue, which makes the ivory feel less yellow.
Can this color be used in a west facing kitchen
Absolutely! I always recommend testing so you can see it morning, noon and night first.
hi! you mentioned you painted these yourself with a sprayer. how large is your kitchen/how many (doors/drawer) fronts do you have? we have 21 doors and 4 drawers and would love to get an estimate of how many gallons of paint we’d be purchasing. thank you!
Hi Jasmine!
Our cabinets were professionally sprayed, so I’m not actually sure how many gallons of paint you should expect!
I would start with discussing with your paint professionals at your local paint store!
Good luck to you,
Julie
Love cream cabinets, I have a cream island and dark cabinets – want to change to all cream…BUT…I do have white molding all over the house – how do you feel about cream next to white? I can’t change the entire house molding as much as I would like to. Would you go more mushroom to go with white molding?
I don’t mind it at all! In fact, throughout most of our home we have cream walls and white trim!
I live your cream kitchen and would love to paint my honey oak cabinets with this color. My question is my kitchen trim a d doors are stained wood in a walnut hue. Would this cream also go well with stained trim instead of painted?
Absolutely – it’s a nice warm color that will compliment it well.
I’m having such a hard time!! I need help! We are changing our granite for a more neutral kitchen and my walls are Simply White and I can’t figure out what type of countertop to get as I am concerned about the same thing you mentioned, too grey, too bright, too white….Our whole house is Simply white….what do you suggest? Thanks!!!
Have you tried a sample next to it?
Beautiful kitchen. How does this color compare to soft chamois? Do you think it would work with gray accents.
Thank you – they’re similar, but this color is richer. Yes, they would work well.
For the paint code above, is it for a gallon of paint? I ask because I was just at a SW store and the associate asked what size the combination was for. Thanks!!
Yes!
Hi Julie! Your cabinets are beautiful! I’m going to try the color in my own kitchen and was wondering if you used water based or oil based paint? Thanks for any info!
What is the actual name of the kitchen cabinet color? Beautiful!!
There is no name, it was custom. I shared the code in the post. Enjoy!
Hi Julie,
I love your kitchen! I want to paint my kitchen and the kitchen cabinets a similar color that you have shown – and had my local Sherwin Williams create the mixture listed, but the color came out a medium peach! My kitchen is a north facing room and is very dark, but wherever I took paint samples, that medium pinky-peach remained. Do you know how I can achieve more of a cream – with no yellow undertones? I tried SW Creamy, SW Alabaster BM Swiss Coffee and they all show different versions of pale yellow. BM Alabaster was a pretty white, but I really would love a kitchen in that taupe-cream that you have… Thank you, Valerie
That is reaaaaaallly odd. It’s not peach at all. Our kitchen is North facing as well.
Hi Julie!. Lovely kitchen! My question is, would your cabinet color work with stainless steel appliances? And with the Soft Chamois for the walls? Thank you so much!
Absolutely – however given how close in color Soft Chamois is, I would do the same color for the walls as the cabinets (I love the monochromatic look for a kitchen anyways), but you could always test it.
Hi, I too love your kitchen. Your style is calming and classic. Have you ever used this custom paint color in any other room? I am searching for a warm white for a North facing master bedroom. I am a new fan and will follow you.
Thank You
Janet
Stage Right At Home 🏡
Thousand Oaks, Ca.
Hi Janet!
Thanks for your kind words! If you’ll look at the paint tab at the top of the blog, you’ll see detailed paint posts about each of my favorite paint colors. I have not used my cabinet color anywhere else to date! Check out the Soft Chamois color post for a great option that many readers seem to love!
Thanks so much,
Julie
What color Lacanche did you get? Is it the chantilly ?
I did Ivory, enjoy!
Could you please tell me the different sheens used for the ceiling, walls, beadboard, and the trim? Is the ceiling also the same color as the cabinets, also?
Walls eggshell, ceiling flat, everything else semi-gloss. Everything was the same color expect the ceiling.
Beautiful kitchen! I am looking to refresh our current kitchen. I am debating whether to do all white, like your kitchen or to do all white and then a lighter cabinet color. It is a very small kitchen. I love the way your kitchen looks, and I am leaning more towards all white. I also currently have bead board as a backsplash and behind my stove. My question is, are the walls, ceiling, trim, and cabinets all the same color? And are they all the same sheen also? Thank you.
Thank you! They’re the same color, different sheen. I did that to give the illusion of more space and to prevent the eye from stopping.
I’m having a total small kitchen remodel w/ off white cabinets with half wall bead board at bottom. What color should I paint the bead board wall?
Should it be two toned wall .
We painted our bead board the same color as the cabinetry.
This is utterly beautiful! I’m in the throes of choosing a paint color. You’ve used SW Creamy; would you say this cabinet color is darker or lighter than Creamy? Which one seems more yellow? Thank you!
Darker than Creamy…I’m not sure on the yellow, it’s in a north facing room so everything reads blue. Maybe a bit more yellow.
Hi Julie, I love your Kitchen and based many of our choices for ours off of inspiration from you. One of the things that I really liked was the Lacanche range so we purchased the Chagny and just took possession of it! We are having our cabinets made right now, and the cabinet preparation notes from Lacanche say to make the depth 26″ instead of the standard 24″. To me it looks like your cabinets are the standard 24″? I am curious because the deeper cabinet depth would change our countertop selection. Thank you!
Thank you. Ours are standard.
I love your style. I want this in my house I need to get rid of
“Stuff”. How do you do. Did you donate? Or close your eyes and just throw it out?
I donate regularly and am very thoughtful about what I add to our home. I have some posts you may enjoy like 5 Ways to Ease into a Minimalist Lifestyle Declutter Your Home and Kitchen Organization – and so much more to come next month!
OMG, thank you so much for this code – I LOVE the color of your cabinets – gosh your entire kitchen is stunning – very much appreciate this post.
Thank you, Michele! It’s such a soft tone that I feel it will work well in any space! Enjoy!
Your kitchen is goals! I bet you love to spend time in it.
I would love to make my cabinets this color! Makes the room so warm.
Gorgeous! Such a timeless kitchen and the perfect white!
So elegant! Just love the look of these cabinets.
I went to Sherwin Williams to get your cabinet paint and they asked if ratio was for quart or gallon. I assumed gallon though can you please confirm.
Gallon, sorry I didn’t specify!
Julie,
Every time I read this post I just love it more and more! You did an outstanding job!
I have the same bead board that you have used and I have it in a small area behind my sink and along the wall where the counter is. I am very pleased with how it turned out, however, I don’t like how my builder caulked the line where breadboard meets counter. The caulking creeped up into the crevices and is not a clean line. I’m curious what you used to seal? When I zoom in there is a very neat line. Thanks for your help! Peggy on DD
It’s so great to hear from you. Chances are, it’s the type of caulk used. Ours are caulked, too. It’s not perfect, but is pretty “clean”. I have found through the years that great caulk is worth so much! I always use Sherwin Williams. Winter is the best time to caulk to prevent any cracks because it’s the most condensed it will be all year. I hope that helps!
Every time I come to your blog I drool over your cream cabinets! We are planning to paint our cabinets this summer. I’ve been through the gambit… Simply White, various greys, greiges, taupes and mushrooms. 2 toned, 1 tone… Argh! We are planning to do black granite countertops and stainless appliances. Our floor is tile – a lightly blotchy white – it’s actually quite nice, but I would change it if I could! So the above is my predicament. Maybe a cream such as the one you used will be the right one. Thank you for posting the info! Do you have any thoughts? My kitchen is on the small side so I want to keep the color light but not bright. Also, are you able to share the name of the subway tile you used? Thanks so much! Love your blog! ❤️
The subway tile we used in our previous kitchen was just from Lowe’s, I believe.
I highly recommend getting a sample and looking at it with next to a sample of the counter, stainless and floor. It should work really well, but that’s the best way to ensure it’s the right decision before committing. Best wishes on your kitchen update!
Hi Julie,
Ok, trying again! I hope my comment posts this time.
I really love your kitchen – its beautiful! And exactly the look I am going for in our kitchen (unlacquered brass hardware, toe-kick, inset shaker cabinets, exposed hinges). Our cabinet maker is expressing some concern about having exposed hinges with mdf cabinets. Are your cabinets framed in wood? Or all sprayed mdf? He is concerned that the mdf is not as strong as wood, and that with opening and closing the doors over time, the doors won’t hold up well. If yours are all mdf – have you found any issue with this?
Thank you! (sorry if this comment in various iterations has been posted a number of times!)
PS I’d love to see your kitchen when you’re done! You may notice I only did a toe kick at the sink and dishwasher, otherwise it’s finished with trim for a built in furniture feel.
Thanks Julie for your replies and sorry again for the repeated messages! I realized only after I submitted the 3rd one that you likely only posted them once reviewed!! :S
Hopefully one more question! You identified that your cabinets are maple, not mdf. My cabinet maker has identified we could go the wood frame route (instead of mdf), which would hold up better with exposed hinges, but he warned us that over time, we will get cracks in the paint in the various joints. Have you had any issues with this? Or your cabinet maker warn you about this? We are going with a darker paint colour (dark grey/green), so I’m worries these cracks will be very obvious (as opposed to in a lighter paint colour).
Thanks!!
He did not and we haven’t even remotely experienced cracks. Hope that helps!
Hi Julie, Your kitchen is gorgeous. Thanks for sharing. I am going for the same look (inset shaker cabinet doors, unlacquered brass bin pulls, exposed hinges) in our new kitchen. My cabinet maker has expressed concern over using exposed hinges on mdf custom cabinets. Are your cabinets wood framed? If not, are you finding the mdf cabinets holding up fine with the exposed hinges. Our cabinet maker is concerned that the mdf will not hold up well with a lot of opening and closing of doors with exposed hinges overtime.
Thanks! (ps – i thought I sent this comment a few days ago but don’t see it posted here so I apologize if its a repeat.).
Sorry I haven’t had a chance to respond – I’m traveling this week. My cabinets are framed and 100% maple. I am not having any issue with hinges, but am unfamiliar how they would work with MDF.
I approve comments as I respond to help me keep up with them. I hope your remodel is easy and stress free!
Hi Julie! Thanks for all the useful information! You’re blog and IG accounts are divine. I’m building an in law addition for my parents … walls are up! I love your kitchen. How did you purchase your cabinets? Unfinished then had them sprayed? Do you recommend a brand if cabinets? I’m just trying to figuring out the most cost effective way to get a similar look as their kitchen will be an open concept /living room as well. Thanks in advance!
Amy
I had them custom made and sprayed…I didn’t shop cabinets so sadly don’t know how they compare price wise, I just like the aesthetic. Hope that helps! PS, I’ll be your in law!
I love the cream color. I am looking for a cream color to paint my new cabinets with white appliances or silver if I decide to change my appliances in future years. What is the code for this cream color, please?
It’s in the post 😉
I thought with today’s new colors cream is out and gray and whites are in. Cream – doesn’t it belong more with the briwns that we’re in a few years back?
I personally don’t believe so. I used greys 7 years ago at our last house but it seems everyone is returning to “white”. It was Benjamin Moore’s color of the year in ‘17.
Hi Julie
What paint colour do you advise for a kitchen with cream presses a large pine dresser and sand coloured floor tiles
Many thanks
Freda
You can find all of my favorite cream paint colors here to find the right hue for you! https://julieblanner.com/tag/paint/
Hi Julie,
Your kitchen is beautiful, what brand is your stove?
It’s a Lacanche – you can read more about it here!
Love it all, the range is pretty. We gutted out kitchen two years ago and our cabinet color is called Bisque. I find white too stark for my own tastes. We used soapstone and crystal door handles, but also love the gold I have been seeing. We kept our wall ovens and cook top, but if I ever do another kitchen would be very interested in this range. (Comes in electric?) So pretty. Creams and Ivories have always been my favorite color!
It sounds so pretty, I love soapstone! Mine, too. They just feel warm. Thanks for taking time to stop by and say hi, I truly appreciate it. Have a beautiful week!
Thank you so much!
Hi Julie – which cream color do you recommend using for kitchen walls with Oak cabinets?
Planning on painting the adjacent colors to the dining area Navajo white BM and Perhaps a Manchester tan for the family room. Thanks.
At the lake I used Farrow and Ball White Tie with oak cabinets and I feel it works pretty well. This color is adjacent to two rooms painted in Navajo White and is a nice transition. I hope that helps!
Such a beautiful & inviting kitchen,the soft cream is such a pretty change from all the bright whites that i see.Don’t get me wrong i love white kitchens but that cream is just divine.Fantastic range too,it must be a pleasure to use. If it were me i would organize first then decorate but maybe you could just add a few simple decorations for starters so you have something pretty to look at while you organize:) We are just starting to come into spring here in Australia & yesterday i picked some beautiful pale pink camellias & put them in a vase & they just lift the whole room(I’m sure you know this already 🙂 )
Oh ,i just had to share with you i found this beautiful cut crystal lamp base at the dump,i thought it must be glass since someone had thrown it out but i bought it anyway because it was too pretty to leave it there but a lady i know had a look at it & said that it was definitely crystal so that was my happy find of the week:) Have a great weekend Julie xx
It sounds so beautiful! What a lucky find!
Love it! It will look so good with some fall touches (if you decorate in the kitchen). Copper, brass, warm browns and deep reds will pop against the cabinets. Can’t wait to see what you do 🙂
I decorate everything, even if just a hint! I already have my eye on some beautiful branches to snip. Are you ready for fall?
Very pretty and serene. And that stove…whoa! I love the complexity of the stove juxtaposed with the simplicity of the cabinets. Design genius!
Thanks, Linda! I was going for simple, timeless and functional – I think it worked. I love that the range is the centerpiece of the kitchen!
Just beautiful!! Love it all!
Thank you, Angela!