A color that sounds as enticing as it looks.
Smooth like butter, but striking enough to stand alone, buttercream paint is a foolproof hue. Not only is this mellow yellow an instant mood-booster, it’s incredibly cozy and a great backdrop to both bold and neutral shades. “Delicious is the first word that comes to mind when I think of buttercream paint,” says Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of Pantone Color Institute. “Our studies reveal that people invariably have a positive reaction to the color as it is seen as soft, warm, touchable, and comforting, and it is often associated with the sense of taste (as in delicious)!” A neutral that won’t fade into the background, buttercream is a fun alternative to your classic beiges and creams. “It is unobtrusive and subtle, a relaxed, quiet presence,” Eiseman adds.
If you’re ready to indulge in the summer’s most sumptuous neutral, check out the best buttercream paint colors that top designers swear by.
1
Buttercream Frosting, Dunn Edwards
"Dunn Edwards has created a modern take on the classic Butter Cream hue. It’s a buttery neutral that can swing traditional or contemporary. The taupe base allows for a fresh look to be paired with such a classic color. Buttercream isn’t just for your Nantucket kitchen. It goes beyond its own borders." — Kristen Grove
2
Acadia White, Benjamin Moore
“Buttercream can be a tough paint color to select—too much saturation and the shade can feel a bit jaundiced. I love Benjamin Moore’s, Acadia White. It’s the perfect happy-medium of creaminess that’s not too yellow. It feels right at home as the trim color in a more traditional interior space or the bright and happy walls of almost any stucco exterior.” — Patrick Ediger
3
Moonlight, Benjamin Moore
"I like Moonlight by Benjamin Moore. It's a great color for a kitchen. My kitchen in the East Village was painted Moonlight floor to ceiling. It's has a very warm and country feel." — Rayman Boozer
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4
Farrow's Cream, Farrow & Ball
"Farrow’s Cream by Farrow & Ball. It creates a warm cozy glow in a space, and it works particularly well in more traditional homes. When used on walls, I love the way it makes white trim stand out as a feature." — Jennifer Vaquero
5
Elephant Tusk, Benjamin Moore
"Elephant Tusk is the perfect not-too-yellow light buttercream color. It’s cheerful and lively but skews more neutral and brings sophistication to any space. It would be the perfect paint color to bring some warmth to a dining or living room." — Jess Blumberg
6
Timeless, Clare
"Timeless is a creamy off-white paint color that's warm and inviting. It's a great choice for a room with north-facing light. An off-white is extremely versatile but this would look perfect in a country house or a space with more of a traditional vibe." — Nicole Gibbons
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7
Pale Hound, Farrow & Ball
"Our favorite buttercream paint color is Farrow & Ball's Pale Hound. F+B describes it as a delicately aged yellow, which is we why we love it. It’s a throwback and reminds us of a Slim Aarons' photograph." — Anna Kroesser + Amelia Strat
8
Buttercream, Pantone
"Buttercream is extremely versatile, working well with all warm shades, such as Pantone’s Color of the Year, Living Coral, yet still pleasing as a balance to cool tones found within the blue, blue-green and green families. Pantone has a specific shade called Buttercream (11-0110) that many designers use as the definitive example of the color." — Leatrice Eiseman
9
Whipped, Clare
"Whipped is the prettiest, warm white and as the name suggests, it's dreamy and whisked to perfection! It's a versatile warm white hue that's not too bright and not too yellow so it works beautifully in any space. It's especially stunning as the go-to white for open floor plan spaces that receive light from all directions and is also a great choice for trim as it will pair well with virtually any wall paint color!" — Nicole Gibbons
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10
Niveous, Benjamin Moore
"Our go-to buttercream paint is Niveous OC-36 from Benjamin Moore. It’s rich and luscious without being hurt-your-teeth yellow. It makes a beautiful bedroom that is particularly effective for foggy cities such as San Francisco." —Jeffry Weisman
11
Silver Satin, Benjamin Moore
"I like this color—it is a chameleon. Depending on other materials in the room, this color can be really soft and warm, making a space very airy and inviting. But it can also take on a medium tone. If paired with certain grays, this color can become more taupe in nature and make a space feel cozy and cottage feeling." — Linda Hayslett
Lucia Tonelli
Assistant Editor
Lucia Tonelli is an Assistant Editor at Town & Country, where she writes about the royal family, culture, real estate, design, and more.
