Cream Color Palette
Cream is hex #FFFDD0, rgb(255, 253, 208). Cream is a pale yellowish white, the color of dairy cream. It is warmer than ivory and gives text pages a soft, paper-like feel.
By Mohamed Farhan · Updated Oct 19, 2026
Cream color codes
Reading the cream color codes
The hex code #FFFDD0 is three pairs of base-16 numbers for red, green and blue. FF is 255, FD is 253 and D0 is 208, each on a scale from 0 to 255. That is why the same color is written rgb(255, 253, 208) in CSS. The red channel is the strongest here, which is what gives cream its yellow-orange character.
HSL describes the same color the way people think about it. A hue of 57 degrees places cream in the yellow-orange part of the color wheel. Saturation of 100% makes it vivid, and lightness of 91% makes it a very light color. HSL is the easiest format to adjust by hand: keep the hue, then raise or lower lightness to create tints and shades that stay in the same family.
For print, the approximate CMYK mix is 0% cyan, 1% magenta, 18% yellow and 0% black. Screen and print colors never match perfectly, because monitors emit light while ink absorbs it, so always proof a printed sample before committing to cream for packaging or stationery. See MDN's guide to CSS color values for every format browsers accept.
Cream shades and tints
A full 50 to 950 scale built around #FFFDD0, so you can use cream for backgrounds, borders, buttons and text without leaving the family. Click any shade to copy it.
// tailwind.config.js
theme: {
extend: {
colors: {
"cream": {
50: "#FFFEE7",
100: "#FFFDD0",
200: "#EAE8BD",
300: "#D6D4AA",
400: "#C1BF97",
500: "#ADAB83",
600: "#989670",
700: "#83815D",
800: "#6F6D4A",
900: "#5A5837",
950: "#464424",
},
},
},
}:root {
--cream-50: #FFFEE7;
--cream-100: #FFFDD0;
--cream-200: #EAE8BD;
--cream-300: #D6D4AA;
--cream-400: #C1BF97;
--cream-500: #ADAB83;
--cream-600: #989670;
--cream-700: #83815D;
--cream-800: #6F6D4A;
--cream-900: #5A5837;
--cream-950: #464424;
}A shade-by-shade guide to cream
The 50 to 950 scale above follows the same structure as Tailwind's built-in palettes, so each step has a natural job. The lightest steps, 50 (#FFFEE7) and 100 (#FFFDD0), are page and card backgrounds: they carry the cream mood without competing with content. Steps 200 (#EAE8BD) and 300 (#D6D4AA) suit borders, dividers, hover states and selected rows.
The middle of the scale, 400 to 600, is where cream is most recognizable, so use it for brand moments, illustrations and primary buttons. White text reaches the 4.5:1 body-text contrast minimum from step 800 upward, so use step 800 or darker when a button label needs to be white. Near-black text stays readable on steps 50 to 700.
The darkest steps, 800 (#6F6D4A) through 950 (#464424), make headings, body text and dark-mode surfaces that stay clearly related to cream. Using step 900 or 950 for text instead of pure black is one of the simplest ways to make an interface feel designed rather than default.
Colors that go with cream
How the cream color combinations work
Complementary. Directly across the color wheel from cream is #D0D2FF, which sits closest to periwinkle among common named colors. Complementary pairs create the strongest contrast of hue, so use the second color sparingly, for a single call to action or highlight, rather than in equal amounts.
Analogous. #FFE6D0 and #E9FFD0 sit 30 degrees either side of cream. Analogous palettes feel calm and cohesive because the colors share undertones; they are ideal for illustrations, gradients and backgrounds where you want harmony more than contrast.
Triadic and split complementary. The triadic set (#D0FFFD and #FDD0FF) is evenly spaced around the wheel and feels playful; the second color is closest to lavender. The split complementary set (#D0E9FF and #E6D0FF) keeps much of the complementary contrast but is easier to balance, which makes it a good choice for data visualization and multi-category tags.
Monochromatic. The monochromatic set runs from #FFFDD6 to #FFF741. A single-hue palette is the safest way to build a calm, premium interface: rely on lightness for hierarchy, then add one neutral and one accent if you need emphasis.
Cream compared with similar colors
beige (#F5F5DC) is about as light and more muted, and shares almost the same hue. Choose beige if you want a softer, airier version; choose cream if you want its specific balance of brightness and color.
champagne (#F7E7CE) is about as light and more muted, and leans back the wheel toward orange. Choose champagne if you need more weight and contrast; choose cream if you want its specific balance of brightness and color.
ivory (#FFFFF0) is lighter (97% vs 91% lightness) and similarly saturated, and shares almost the same hue. Choose ivory if you want a softer, airier version; choose cream if you want its specific balance of brightness and color.
Cream in a real interface
Swatches only tell half the story. Here cream carries the primary action, with tints from its own scale for the surface and panels.
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Using cream in UI: buttons, text, backgrounds and dark mode
- Buttons. White labels on cream only reach 1.04:1, so use dark text (20.21:1 with black) or a deeper shade for the button.
- Text. Avoid cream for body text on white; use step 800 or darker for links and headings that need to read as cream.
- Backgrounds. Use steps 50 and 100 for large areas and keep the base color for smaller surfaces. Big blocks of a vivid very light color draw attention, so give them a reason, like a hero section or pricing highlight.
- Dark mode. Steps 900 and 950 make a dark surface tinted with cream. On dark backgrounds the base color often needs a lighter step (300 or 400) to keep enough contrast for icons and borders, as required by WCAG non-text contrast.
- States. Shift one step darker for hover and two steps darker for pressed. Keep focus rings in a contrasting color so keyboard users can always see them.
Contrast and accessibility
AA needs 4.5:1 for body text and 3:1 for large text. AAA needs 7:1.
Color contrast is measured as a ratio from 1:1 (no contrast) to 21:1 (black on white). Cream scores 1.04:1 against white (Fail) and 20.21:1 against black (AAA). The WCAG 2.1 contrast guideline asks for at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text, which is why the shade guide above recommends specific steps for text and labels.
Contrast is only half of accessibility. Around 1 in 12 men and 1 in 200 women have some form of color vision deficiency, so never use cream alone to signal meaning such as success, error or selection. Pair it with an icon, a label or a change in weight.
What cream means
Warm neutrals like beige, cream and ivory feel calm, soft and timeless. They are the quiet base that lets other colors carry the message.
Cream is the pale yellow-white of dairy cream. It has been used for paper, stationery and interiors for centuries because it is softer on the eye than pure white.
Off-white and cream backgrounds reduce glare compared with pure white. Keep text dark enough: light neutrals can make mid-grey text unreadable.
Where cream works best
- Bakeries and dairy
- Editorial and book design
- Wedding stationery
- Reading-focused UI
How to style cream
Cream pairs with almost everything: navy, forest green, burgundy, terracotta and charcoal. Use it as a page background for reading-heavy layouts and keep text dark. It gives digital products a warmer, more editorial feel.
Build a UI with cream
Inspo AI generates a full React + Tailwind screen using #FFFDD0 as the brand color, grounded in real shipped designs.
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Cream · History and definition of cream.
- WCAG 2.1: Contrast (Minimum) · The W3C rule behind the 4.5:1 and 3:1 thresholds used on this page.
- WCAG 2.1: Use of Color · Why color should never be the only way information is shown.
- MDN: CSS color values · Reference for hex, rgb() and hsl() syntax.
- Tailwind CSS: Customizing colors · How to add a custom color scale to your theme.
Similar colors
Questions people ask
What is the hex code for cream?
The hex code for cream used on this page is #FFFDD0. In RGB that is rgb(255, 253, 208), and in HSL it is hsl(57, 100%, 91%).
What colors go well with cream?
Cream pairs well with #F2E8C9, #FFFFFF, #3E3A2F (the Dairy palette above). Its complementary color is #D0D2FF, and analogous colors are #FFE6D0 and #E9FFD0.
Is cream a warm or cool color?
Cream is a warm color. Its hue sits at 57 degrees on the color wheel with 100% saturation.
Can I use cream for text?
Cream has a contrast ratio of 1.04:1 against white and 20.21:1 against black. Body text needs at least 4.5:1, so it works as a background behind dark text, but not as text on white.
What does cream mean?
Warm neutrals like beige, cream and ivory feel calm, soft and timeless. They are the quiet base that lets other colors carry the message. Cream in particular is used for bakeries and dairy and editorial and book design.
How do I use cream in Tailwind CSS?
Use an arbitrary value like bg-[#FFFDD0] for a one-off, or add the 50-950 scale from this page to theme.extend.colors in tailwind.config.js and use classes like bg-cream-500 and text-cream-900.
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