Sherwin-Williams Creamy review (SW 7012)

What color is Creamy?

Creamy (SW 7012) is exactly what the name says: a soft, warm cream white. It is one of Sherwin-Williams' most popular creamy whites for walls, trim and exteriors in traditional and farmhouse homes.

Creamy undertones

Creamy measures +7.1 on the yellow–blue axis, clearly warmer than Alabaster (+5.2), and +0.2 on green–red, essentially neutral. So it reads as a clean yellow-cream with no pink or green.

Creamy LRV and light

With an LRV of 81.2 it is bright, close to Alabaster. North light keeps it warm (a big advantage in cold rooms); strong south or west light can push it toward yellow.

Simulated from the manufacturer's color values. Always test a sample in your own light.

Best uses for Creamy

Living rooms

Creamy suits traditional and cottage-style living rooms with warm woods, brass and natural stone. Its yellow–blue value of +7.1 makes it read as a soft cream rather than white.

Bedrooms

In north-facing bedrooms it keeps a cozy warmth. In very sunny rooms it can look buttery in the afternoon.

Kitchens and cabinets

On cabinets it gives a classic cream with butcher block, warm granite and brass. Next to white quartz or white appliances, expect it to look clearly yellow.

Trim

As trim it works with warm walls such as Antique White, which lists Creamy as a coordinating color. With cool grays, choose a cleaner white.

Exteriors

Sherwin-Williams lists it for exterior use. Outdoors it reads as a soft cream, a natural match for brick and stone.

When to avoid Creamy

Avoid Creamy next to stark white tile, white quartz or bright white trim if you do not want it to look yellow. It is also a poor match for cool gray floors and blue-toned decor. For less yellow, Alabaster (SW 7008) is the step down.

Creamy color strip

Creamy sits between Dover White (brighter) and Aged White (deeper) on the same strip of warm whites.

Creamy hex code, RGB and LRV

Sherwin-Williams lists Creamy (SW 7012) as hex #EFE8DB, RGB 239, 232, 219 and LRV 81.191.

Creamy coordinating colors

Studio Taupe and Reynard, both warm browns, show the earthy palette Creamy suits.

Creamy vs Dover White and Alabaster

Creamy shares a strip with Dover White, which is very slightly brighter and warmer (LRV 82.5 and yellow–blue +7.5, against Creamy's 81.2 and +7.1). Alabaster is the softer, less creamy option. Choose Creamy when you want a clearly creamy white, Alabaster when you want warmth that still reads as white.

Creamy on exteriors

Outdoors, strong sun lifts it to a warm, soft white that looks especially good with red brick, stone and dark green or black shutters.

Trim with Creamy walls

Avoid the crispest whites, which make Creamy look yellow by contrast. A soft white, or Creamy itself in a higher sheen (see the paint sheen guide), keeps the look calm. Compare all creamy whites on the types of white paint page.

Colors similar to Creamy

Ivory Lace and Classic Light Buff are very close in Sherwin-Williams. For its most common comparison, see Creamy vs Alabaster.

ΔE is the CIEDE2000 color difference between the two manufacturer colors: around 1 is barely visible; 2–3 is visible when the chips sit side by side.

Creamy FAQs