What Color Is Ivory? Difference Between Cream And Ivory

Did you know that there are about 52 shades of white color?

The most popular and widely used ones are ivory white, cream, eggshell, pearl. Ivory is a shade of off-white color, which has a warm undertone.

Ivory gets its name from its resemblance to animal tusks (teeth) like that of walrus and elephants and, therefore, has a bone-like color. The ivory color was first discovered and used in 1385 in England and has been a popular paint color choice in the home décor, kitchen design, and interior design business ever since.

Although ivory can feel like a shade of beige because of its warm undertones, it is actually a deeper shade of off-white color while beige is a yellowish-brown color with a grayish hue quite similar to khaki.

While ivory is relaxing and soothing on the eyes with a rich sense of luxury, beige is the color of unbleached wool which is dull and boring.

The name ivory comes from the Latin word 'ebur' which means elephant as it is very evidently ivory meaning.

Due to its subtle yellowish tint, it is also known as pale yellow or grayish-yellow. Cream and olive are a close match to this magnificent color.

After reading about this soft and creamy light color, also check out other related fact files on what color is espresso and what color is indigo?

Different Shades Of Ivory

Ivory is a beautiful shade of off-white. The most popular shades of ivory include milk-white color shade, off-white color shade, pearl color shade, and opaline which is also known as ivory green color.

Opaline- Although Ivory itself is a shade of white, opaline tilts more towards the green color palette. It is a muted yet bright cheery color that soothes the eyes and is a mixture of white, green, and a little hint of yellow. This beautiful color is a close match for mint green and pairs well with different shades.

Off-White color shade-  This is a more caramelized, warmer and darker shade of white with a brown tint and grayish and mostly bronze undertones. This works great in painting walls and ceilings and the floor.

Did you know that this creamy color was even used in the stone age? Which makes it the first color to be made and used by the whole of mankind!

Pearl shade-  This shade of Ivory is brighter off-white with a slight sheen and tint of red, it is a popular shade for cars and appliances.

Pure Ivory- This shade is a basic ivory color that has a little bit of yellow added to solid white color, it is also known as pale yellow and has a warm undertone. It is one of the most popular shades of white around the world.

What colors go well with ivory?

Ivory is a gentle neutral color that usually goes well with a variety of colors and is great for making accent corners in your home. Here’s a list of colors that pair well with ivory.

Color ivory is slightly on the warmer side because of its yellow tint and, therefore, it pairs well with other warm colors like pink, yellow, orange, beige, and red. Other colors that go well with ivory are dusty pink, lavender, silver, and gray.

Ivory even goes well with black to create an elegant design.

When it comes to clothing ivory can be paired with pastel blue to create a neutral look that looks elegant and formal or you could pair it with chocolate brown for high contrast that looks amazing as these two colors bring out each other. When it comes to home décor, ivory goes great with black or deep gray furniture.

Difference Between Ivory And Cream

Both these shades of white can sometimes be indistinguishable as both of them have yellow undertones, but ivory is not the same as cream. The main difference lies in the sheen and intensity of yellow.

In-home décor, cream is used to create a more traditional and rustic vibe and is mainly used in ceilings and kitchens, while ivory is more modern and is usually associated with luxury, this is because ivory has a slight silver sheen to it that looks fantastic especially on curtains when sunlight hits them.

When comparing the two colors, you will also notice that ivory is a little bit darker than cream and has a less noticeable yellow tint than cream color.

While warm and bright colors look better with ivory, the cream color would look best with cool tones and deep grays.

If you’re planning on using either of these two colors in your home décor or as paint options, you must choose the former as ivory makes everything more lively and cream can come out as a little dull and old-fashioned.

In the fashion industry too, ivory has been the most widely used choice since the 1600s and is the most trending color for a wedding dress, while the use of cream is always discouraged.

Ivory Color Combinations

Ivory is made by combining white with a little bit of yellow and blue to achieve a beautiful royal finish. However, this color of luxury can be mixed with other colors too to form various amazing combinations.

Ivory can be combined with a variety of colors due to its relatively neutral nature, but the most popular shades are green, pink, blue, and silver.

Mixing ivory with green gives a beautiful new shade called opaline as we discussed earlier in this article. To make the opaline color you would need white, yellow, and green.

This unique color can be used in home décor to make your home look more lively and young.

Mixing ivory with a little bit of pink gives it a nice blush pink hue that somewhat resembles champagne pearls. Mixing ivory with blue will result in a calmer and peaceful color that is not as vibrant as red or as warm as yellow, adding a little bit of blue will make the color a little neutral.

Adding silver to the ivory mix will give it a sheen that makes this color stand out and is great for interior design and fashion.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for what color is ivory then why not take a look at what color is cyan, or what color is carbon.