Classic Ivory (SW 0051)

Classic Ivory (SW 0051) is a light, warm paint color from Sherwin-Williams (#F2E0C3, LRV 76.1). See how it shifts in different light, the colors it pairs with, and its closest matches in other brands.

Classic Ivory (SW 0051) is a light, warm-toned paint color from Sherwin-Williams. It bounces plenty of light around a room, which keeps walls and trim feeling fresh and open. Below you'll see it in real rooms, the colors it pairs with, the finishes that suit it, and its closest matches in other brands — everything you need before you commit a wall to it.

The kind of light shade that makes a room feel considered rather than accidental — easy to live with, and hard to get wrong.

Classic Ivory at a glance

Brand: Sherwin-Williams
Color code: SW 0051
Hex: #F2E0C3
RGB: 242, 224, 195
HSL: 37°, 64%, 86%
LRV (Light Reflectance Value): 76.1 — light
Undertone: warm undertone leaning yellow
Color family: white, light, warm, red

How it behaves in light

Classic Ivory reflects a lot of light, so it tends to read clean and bright. In a north-facing room it can cool down and show its warm side; in afternoon sun it warms up and softens. The honest test is simple: paint a poster-board sample, move it to the wall you care about, and look at it in the morning, midday, and after dark. Undertones almost always show up more on a full wall than they do on a tiny chip.

Where it works

Classic Ivory is an easy color to build a home around. Let it carry the main living spaces and keep trim a step lighter in the same warm-or-cool family, so the room feels intentional rather than busy. It flows nicely from an entry through to bedrooms, and it gives deeper accent colors something calm to sit against in dining rooms, studies, and media spaces.

What to pair it with

For a little contrast — a front door, a single accent wall — reach for a color on the opposite side of the wheel. For a calm, flowing palette, stay with its close neighbors so rooms blend gently into one another. And the fastest way to plan trim, walls, and cabinets is to use lighter and deeper versions of Classic Ivory itself; that built-in range almost always reads as harmonious because it shares the same DNA.

How it compares across brands

No two paint lines mix a color quite the same way, so a "match" from another brand is rarely identical on the wall. We line up the closest options from Sherwin-Williams, Benjamin Moore, Behr, and others and rank them by how close they actually look — not by similar-sounding names. If you're switching an existing palette over to Sherwin-Williams, that ranking is the shortcut: start from the closest match and sample from there.

Before you commit

Sample on two walls — Brush Classic Ivory on a wall that gets morning light and one that gets afternoon light before you order gallons. Color shifts more than a swatch ever suggests.
Get the trim right — Keep trim one or two steps lighter in the same warm-or-cool family. A stark blue-white only works if you actually want a crisp, gallery-clean look.
Match the finish to the room — Eggshell — light colors look best in eggshell — subtle sheen without glare.
Order it by code — Ask for SW 0051 at the paint counter. Names drift between fan decks, but the code keeps your touch-ups matching for years.

Classic Ivory, answered

Is Classic Ivory warm or cool?

Warm. Classic Ivory carries a gentle warm base, which keeps it from feeling stark next to wood and warm light.

What undertone does Classic Ivory have?

Yellow undertone — glows in sunny, south-facing rooms. It can read creamier in low light and against cool-white fixtures — worth sampling on your own wall before you commit.

What is Classic Ivory's LRV?

76.1.

What trim goes with Classic Ivory walls?

Classic Ivory works well as its own trim, or paired a step lighter. Many people flip it — Classic Ivory on the trim with a deeper wall color.

Is Classic Ivory good for kitchen cabinets?

It can be — a warm color at this brightness reads soft rather than clinical on cabinetry, and pairs well with wood, brass, and stone. Sample it under your own cabinet lighting first.