Shades of White: Names and Hex Codes
This is a designer’s reference for the most useful shades of white, with accurate hex codes, RGB values, and notes on undertone. Pure white (#FFFFFF) is rarely the best choice in real design — it strains the eye and feels sterile — so the real skill is choosing the right off-white. The difference between a warm cream and a cool snow changes the entire mood of a layout. Use the table below as a citable palette, then read on for how the shades group.
For symbolism, see white color meaning; to choose between pure and off-white, read off-white vs white; and for warm-neutral pairings, see colors that go with beige. The adjacent neutral families are covered in our shades of gray and shades of black references.
Shades of white: full table
| Shade name | Hex | RGB | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pure White | #FFFFFF | 255, 255, 255 | Absolute white; maximum brightness. |
| Ivory | #FFFFF0 | 255, 255, 240 | Warm yellow-white; soft and classic. |
| Snow | #FFFAFA | 255, 250, 250 | Cool white with a faint pink-red tint. |
| Eggshell | #F0EAD6 | 240, 234, 214 | Soft warm off-white; matte feel. |
| Cream | #FFFDD0 | 255, 253, 208 | Warm pale yellow-white; cozy. |
| Pearl | #EAE0C8 | 234, 224, 200 | Soft warm white with a luster feel. |
| Bone | #E3DAC9 | 227, 218, 201 | Warm grayish off-white; natural. |
| Alabaster | #EDEAE0 | 237, 234, 224 | Soft neutral off-white; popular paint. |
| Floral White | #FFFAF0 | 255, 250, 240 | CSS floralwhite; warm and gentle. |
| Cosmic Latte | #FFF8E7 | 255, 248, 231 | The “average color of the universe.” |
| Linen | #FAF0E6 | 250, 240, 230 | CSS linen; warm fabric off-white. |
| Seashell | #FFF5EE | 255, 245, 238 | CSS seashell; soft peachy white. |
| Old Lace | #FDF5E6 | 253, 245, 230 | CSS oldlace; antique warm white. |
| Antique White | #FAEBD7 | 250, 235, 215 | CSS antiquewhite; warm vintage tone. |
| White Smoke | #F5F5F5 | 245, 245, 245 | CSS whitesmoke; cool gray-white. |
| Ghost White | #F8F8FF | 248, 248, 255 | CSS ghostwhite; faint blue tint. |
| Azure White | #F0FFFF | 240, 255, 255 | CSS azure; cool blue-white. |
| Honeydew | #F0FFF0 | 240, 255, 240 | CSS honeydew; faint green tint. |
| Lavender Blush | #FFF0F5 | 255, 240, 245 | CSS lavenderblush; faint pink-white. |
| Vanilla | #F3E5AB | 243, 229, 171 | Warm creamy yellow-white. |
| Baby Powder | #FEFEFA | 254, 254, 250 | Near-pure soft white. |
| Chalk | #FCFCFC | 252, 252, 252 | Near-pure white; soft and flat. |
| Buttermilk | #FFFCDC | 255, 252, 220 | Soft warm cream-white. |
| Whisper White | #F4F0EC | 244, 240, 236 | Neutral warm-gray off-white. |
| Off White | #FAF9F6 | 250, 249, 246 | Gentle neutral off-white; easy on eyes. |
| Beige | #F5F5DC | 245, 245, 220 | Warmest off-white; edges into tan. |
Warm whites: ivory, cream, and eggshell
The warm family — Ivory (#FFFFF0), Cream (#FFFDD0), Eggshell (#F0EAD6), Pearl (#EAE0C8), Bone (#E3DAC9), and Antique White (#FAEBD7) — carries a yellow undertone that feels soft, inviting, and slightly luxurious. These are the off-whites of choice for editorial layouts, weddings, and any brand that wants to feel approachable rather than clinical. Ivory is the gentlest step away from pure white and works almost everywhere; Eggshell and Pearl add a matte, papery quality that suits print and packaging; and Bone and Antique White push furthest toward beige, which makes them feel aged and heritage-rich. Because they share a yellow bias, warm whites sit naturally alongside golds, browns, and warm reds, and they make skin tones and food photography look healthier than a cool white would.
Cool whites: snow and whisper grays
Snow (#FFFAFA), White Smoke (#F5F5F5), Ghost White (#F8F8FF), Chalk (#FCFCFC), and Alabaster (#EDEAE0) lean cool or neutral. They feel crisp, clean, and modern — ideal for tech, healthcare, and minimalist interfaces where you want white to read as precise rather than cozy. Snow carries a barely perceptible pink that keeps it from feeling sterile, while Ghost White’s faint blue makes it read as bright and clinical. White Smoke is a workhorse off-white for app backgrounds because it sits just below pure white, easing glare without looking gray. Cool whites pair best with blues, silvers, and cool grays, reinforcing a sense of order and cleanliness.
Tinted whites
Several whites carry the faintest hint of another hue: Honeydew (#F0FFF0) green, Azure White (#F0FFFF) blue, Lavender Blush (#FFF0F5) pink, Seashell (#FFF5EE) peach, and Old Lace (#FDF5E6) warm cream. These are useful as subtle backgrounds that nudge a palette toward a temperature without introducing visible color. Designers use them to tie a white background to a brand’s accent hue — a beauty brand might choose Lavender Blush, a spa brand Honeydew or Azure — so the page feels cohesive even before any color appears. Because the tint is so slight, dark text remains perfectly legible on all of them.
Near-pure and structural whites
A few off-whites sit so close to pure white that they function as “almost white” — useful when you need the cleanliness of white but want to avoid the literal #FFFFFF that causes glare. Chalk (#FCFCFC), Baby Powder (#FEFEFA), and Off White (#FAF9F6) all read as white to the casual eye while easing brightness by a hair. White Smoke (#F5F5F5) and Whisper White (#F4F0EC) drop a step further, making them ideal for app and document backgrounds where text sits on top for long reading sessions. At the warmest extreme, Vanilla (#F3E5AB) and Buttermilk (#FFFCDC) cross into pale cream territory, useful when you want a background that feels distinctly warm rather than neutral. Cosmic Latte (#FFF8E7) is a fun reference point — it is the calculated average color of all the light in the universe, and in practice it reads as a gentle warm white.
Most popular shades of white
The off-whites designers use most are Ivory (#FFFFF0) for warmth, Snow (#FFFAFA) for a crisp cool white, Eggshell (#F0EAD6) for a soft matte background, Cream (#FFFDD0) for cozy warmth, and Alabaster (#EDEAE0) for a neutral, on-trend paint white. They cover the warm-to-cool range without ever reaching harsh pure white.
How to use shades of white in design
Avoid pure #FFFFFF for large backgrounds — it causes glare and eye strain, especially on bright screens and in dark rooms. Choose an off-white like Off White (#FAF9F6), White Smoke, or Snow instead, and let the small reduction in brightness make long-form reading comfortable over time. Match the white’s undertone to your accent colors: warm creams and ivories with earthy, gold, or terracotta palettes; cool snows and ghost whites with blues, silvers, and grays. Mixing a warm white with cool accents (or vice versa) is one of the most common reasons a layout looks subtly “off” without an obvious cause. Use whites to create generous negative space, which is what makes minimal and luxury layouts feel premium — the white is doing the work of letting everything else breathe. In print, remember that paper stock itself is an off-white, so a design that assumed pure #FFFFFF can look unexpectedly warm or dull once it leaves the screen. For how white signals purity, simplicity, and space, see color psychology, and if you are torn between pure and off-white, the off-white vs white guide breaks down the trade-offs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the hex code for ivory?
The standard web hex code for ivory is #FFFFF0 (RGB 255, 255, 240), a warm white with a subtle yellow undertone. It is one of the gentlest off-whites and works well for backgrounds where pure white would feel too stark or clinical.
What is the difference between white and off-white?
White (#FFFFFF) is pure maximum brightness with no undertone, while off-white shades like ivory, eggshell, and alabaster carry a slight warm or cool tint and lower brightness. Off-whites are easier on the eye and feel more refined, which is why designers rarely use pure white for large areas.
Is cream a shade of white or yellow?
Cream (#FFFDD0) is generally classified as an off-white with a strong yellow undertone, placing it at the boundary between white and pale yellow. In practice it functions as a warm white in design palettes, pairing well with browns, golds, and other earthy tones.
How many shades of white are there?
White variations are distinguished by undertone rather than brightness, and the practical set runs to dozens. Designers typically reference 20 to 30 named off-whites. This list includes 26, spanning warm ivories and creams, cool snows, and faintly tinted whites.
