Shades of white
{{Short description|Varieties of the color white}}
{{Redirect|Off-white|other uses|}}
{{infobox color
| title=White
| hex=FFFFFF
| symbolism = Purity, Heaven, snow, knowledge, clarity, innocence, brightness
| image=Image:Color icon white.svg
| source=By definition
}}
Shades of white are colors that differ only slightly from pure white. Variations of white include what are commonly termed off-white colors, which may be considered part of a neutral color scheme.
In color theory, a shade is a pure color mixed with black (or having a lower lightness). Strictly speaking, a "shade of white" would be a neutral gray. This article is also about off-white colors that vary from pure white in hue, and in chroma (also called saturation, or intensity).
Colors often considered "shades of white" include cream, eggshell, ivory, Navajo white, and vanilla. Even the lighting of a room, however, can cause a pure white to be perceived as off-white.{{cite book |title=The Keys to Color: A Decorator's Handbook |last=Sickler |first=Dean |year=2010 |isbn= 9781439270486|page=11 |publisher=The Keys to Color |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NllZKubiXGQC&q=%22off+white%22+color&pg=PA11 |access-date=17 December 2010}}
Off-white colors were pervasively paired with beiges in the 1930s,{{cite book |title=Color Your Life: How to Design Your Home with Colors from Your Heart |last=Ryan |first=Elaine |year=2007 |publisher=St. Martin's Press |location=New York |isbn= 9780312368197|pages=12–15 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vJo3kdKYEewC&q=%22off+white%22+color&pg=PA15 |access-date=17 December 2010}} and especially popular again from roughly 1955 to 1975.{{cite book |title=Color, Environment, and Human Response |last= Mahnke|first=Frank H. |year=1996 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |location=New York |isbn= 9780471286677|page=80 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fAsm_3cXISAC&q=%22off%20white%22%20color&pg=PA80 |access-date=17 December 2010}} In terms of paint, off-white paints are now becoming more popular, with Benjamin Moore having 152 shades of off-whites, Behr having 167, and PPG having 315.{{cite news |last=Korn |first=Melissa |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/simply-white-snowfall-white-school-house-white-proliferation-of-white-paint-shades-stupefies-renovators-11628776829 |title=Simply White, Snowfall White, School House White: Proliferation of White Paint Shades Stupefies Renovators |work=The Wall Street Journal |date=2021-08-12 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20210813053430/https://www.wsj.com/articles/simply-white-snowfall-white-school-house-white-proliferation-of-white-paint-shades-stupefies-renovators-11628776829 |archivedate=2021-08-13 |accessdate=2021-08-13 }}
Whiteness measures the degree to which a surface is white in colorimetry.
Web colors
Below is a chart showing the computer web color shades of white. An achromatic white is a white color in which the red, green, and blues codes are exactly equal. The web colors white and white smoke are achromatic colors. A chromatic shade of white is a white color in which the red, green, and blue codes are not exactly equal, but are close to each other, which is what makes it a shade of white.
style="border: 1px solid #000;margin:auto;" |
HTML color name
! colspan="2" | Sample !Hex triplet |
---|
| (rendered by name)
| (rendered by hex triplet) |
White
| style="background:White; border: 0.1px solid #000000 | | style="background:#ffffff; border: 0.1px solid #000000 | | #FFFFFF |
Whitesmoke
| style="background:WhiteSmoke; border: 0.1px solid #000000 | | style="background:#f5f5f5; border: 0.1px solid #000000 | | #F5F5F5 |
White solid
| style="background:WhiteSolid; border: 0.1px solid #000000 | | style="background:#f4f5fa; border: 0.1px solid #000000 | | #F4F5FA |
Snow
| style="background:Snow; border: 0.1px solid #000000 | | style="background:#FFFAFA; border: 0.1px solid #000000 | | #FFFAFA |
Honeydew
| style="background:Honeydew; border: 0.1px solid #000000 | | style="background:#F0FFF0; border: 0.1px solid #000000 | | #F0FFF0 |
Mintcream
| style="background:MintCream; border: 0.1px solid #000000 | | style="background:#F5FFFA; border: 0.1px solid #000000 | | #F5FFFA |
Azure
| style="background:Azure; border: 0.1px solid #000000 | | style="background:#F0FFFF; border: 0.1px solid #000000 | | #F0FFFF |
Aliceblue
| style="background:AliceBlue; border: 0.1px solid #000000 | | style="background:#F0F8FF; border: 0.1px solid #000000 | | #F0F8FF |
Ghostwhite
| style="background:GhostWhite; border: 0.1px solid #000000 | | style="background:#F8F8FF; border: 0.1px solid #000000 | | #F8F8FF |
Seashell
| style="background:Seashell; border: 0.1px solid #000000 | | style="background:#FFF5EE; border: 0.1px solid #000000 | | #FFF5EE |
Beige
| style="background:Beige; border: 0.1px solid #000000 | | style="background:#F5F5DC; border: 0.1px solid #000000 | | #F5F5DC |
Oldlace
| style="background:OldLace; border: 0.1px solid #000000 | | style="background:#FDF5E6; border: 0.1px solid #000000 | | #FDF5E6 |
Floralwhite
| style="background:FloralWhite; border: 0.1px solid #000000 | | style="background:#FFFAF0; border: 0.1px solid #000000 | | #FFFAF0 |
Ivory
| style="background:Ivory; border: 0.1px solid #000000 | | style="background:#FFFFF0; border: 0.1px solid #000000 | | #FFFFF0 |
Linen
| style="background:Linen; border: 0.1px solid #000000 | | style="background:#FAF0E6; border: 0.1px solid #000000 | | #FAF0E6 |
Lavenderblush
| style="background:LavenderBlush; border: 0.1px solid #000000 | | style="background:#FFF0F5; border: 0.1px solid #000000 | | #FFF0F5 |
White
{{Main|White }}
{{color swatch|#FFFFFF|White|left}}
{{infobox color
|title=White
|hex=FFFFFF|
|source=By definition
|isccname=White}}
White is a color, the perception of which is evoked by light that stimulates all three types of color sensitive cone cells in the human eye in equal amounts and with high brightness compared to the surroundings. A white visual stimulation will be void of hue and grayness. White is the lightest possible color.
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{{anchor|Variations of white (off-white colors)}}
Chalk white
{{Anchor|Chalk white}}
{{color swatch|#FBFFFF|Chalk white|left}}
{{infobox color
|title=Chalk white
|hex=FBFFFF
|isccname=White}}
Chalk white is a tint of white resembling the chalk color.
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Ghost white
{{Anchor|Ghost white}}
{{color swatch|#F8F8FF|Ghost white|left}}
{{infobox color
|title=Ghost white
|hex=F8F8FF
|source=X11{{Cite web|url=http://www.w3.org/TR/css3-color/#svg-color|title=CSS Color Module Level 3}}
|isccname=White}}
The web color ghost white is a tint of white loosely inspired by traditional representations of ghosts. There is no evidence that this color name was in use before the X11 color names were formulated in 1987.{{citation needed|date=December 2023}}
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White smoke
{{Anchor|White smoke}}
{{color swatch|#F5F5F5|White smoke|left}}
{{infobox color
|title=White smoke
|hex=F5F5F5
|source=X11
|isccname=White}}
The web color white smoke is displayed on the left.
There is no evidence that this color name was in use before the X11 color names were formulated in 1987. The color is also known as Cultured Pearl, one of crayon colors issued by Crayola in its 16-pack of Pearl Brite Crayons.{{Cite web|last=Crowther|first=Jenny|title=16 Count Crayola Pearl Brite Crayons: What's Inside the Box|url=http://www.jennyscrayoncollection.com/2015/12/crayola-pearl-brite-crayons.html|access-date=2021-11-17|website=Jenny's Crayon Collection}}
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White solid
{{Anchor|White solid}}
{{color swatch|#F4F5FA|White solid|left}}
{{infobox color
|title=White solid
|hex=F4F5FA
|source=Color Hex Map{{Cite web|url=https://www.colorhexmap.com/f4f5fa|title=#f4f5fa Hex Color - White Solid|first=Color Hex|last=Map|website=Color Hex Map}}
|isccname=White}}
The web color white solid is displayed on the left.
There is no evidence that this color name was in use before the X11 color names were formulated in 1987. Sometimes also known as Ghost White, the color has marked blue hues, although is otherwise very close to being completely white in the RGB color system.{{Cite web|title=#f4f5fa Hex Color - White Solid - Color Hex Map|url=https://www.colorhexmap.com/f4f5fa|access-date=2022-06-20|website=Color Hex Map}}
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Baby powder
Snow
{{color swatch|#FFFAFA|Snow|left}}
{{infobox color
|title=Snow
|hex=FFFAFA
|source=X11
|isccname=White}}
The web color snow is displayed at left.
The first recorded use of snow as a color name in English was in 1000.Maerz and Paul A Dictionary of Color New York:1930 McGraw-Hill Page 204
File:Snow Scene at Shipka Pass 1.JPG]]
The color snow was included as one of the X11 colors when they were formulated in 1987.
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Ivory
{{Main|Ivory (color)}}
{{color swatch|#FFFFF0|Ivory|left}}
{{Infobox color
|title=Ivory
|hex=FFFFF0
|source=X11
|isccname=Pale yellow green}}
Ivory is an off-white color that resembles ivory, the material out of which the teeth and tusks of animals (such as the elephant and the walrus) are made. It has a very slight tint of yellow.
The first recorded use of ivory as a color name in English was in 1385.Maerz and Paul A Dictionary of Color New York:1930 McGraw-Hill Page 197; Color Sample of Ivory: Page 43 Plate 10 Color Sample B12
File:Bimbisar welcoming Buddha Roundel 30 buddha ivory tusk.jpg]]
The color ivory was included as one of the X11 colors when they were formulated in 1987.
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Floral white
{{color swatch|#FFFAF0|Floral white|left}}
{{infobox color
|title=Floral white
|hex=FFFAF0
|source=X11
|isccname=Pale yellow green}}
The web color floral white is displayed at left.
There is no evidence that this color name was in use before the X11 color names were formulated in 1987.
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Seashell
{{main|Seashell (color)}}
{{color swatch|#FFF5EE|Seashell|left}}
{{Infobox color
|title=Seashell
|hex=FFF5EE
|source=X11
|isccname=Yellowish white}}
Seashell is an off-white color that resembles some of the very pale pinkish tones that are common in many seashells.
The first recorded use of seashell as a color name in English was in 1926.Maerz and Paul A Dictionary of Color New York:1930 McGraw-Hill Page 204; Color Sample of Seashell: Page 43 Plate 10 Color Sample A4
File:Seashell unknown 2.jpg in the sand]]
In 1987, seashell was included as one of the X11 colors.
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Bone white
{{color swatch|#F9F6EE|Bone white|left}}
{{Infobox color
|title=Bone white
|hex=F9F6EE
|source=HTML Color Codes{{Cite web |title=Bone White Color, Codes and Facts |url=https://htmlcolorcodes.com/colors/bone-white/ |access-date=2022-10-05 |website=HTML Color Codes |language=en}}
|isccname=}}
Bone white is a yellowish-gray shade of white which represents the color of natural, unbleached bones.
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Cornsilk
{{anchor|Cornsilk}}
{{color swatch|#FFF8DC|Cornsilk|left}}
{{infobox color
|title=Cornsilk
|hex=FFF8DC
|source=X11
|isccname=Pale yellow green}}
Cornsilk is a color that is a representation of the color of cornsilk.
The first recorded use of cornsilk as a color name in English was in 1927.Maerz and Paul A Dictionary of Color New York:1930 McGraw-Hill Page 193; Color Sample of Cornsilk: Page 43 Plate 10 Color Sample G3
In 1987, cornsilk was included as one of the X11 colors.
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Old lace
{{anchor|Old lace}}
{{color swatch|#FDF5E6|Old lace|left}}
{{infobox color
|title=Old lace
|hex=FDF5E6
|source=X11
|isccname=Pale yellow green}}
Old lace is a web color that is a very pale yellowish orange that resembles the color of an old lace tablecloth.
It is one of the original X11 colors.
Old lace is used as a color of a certain kind of Caucasian skin type in art.
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Cream
{{Main|Cream (color)}}
{{color swatch|#FFFDD0|Cream|left}}
{{Infobox color
|title=Cream
|hex=FFFDD0
|source=X11
|isccname=Light yellow green}}
Cream is a color that is a representation of the color of the cream produced from the milk of cattle.
The first recorded use of cream as a color name in English was in 1590.Maerz and Paul A Dictionary of Color New York:1930 McGraw-Hill Page 193; Color Sample of Cream: Page 41 Plate 9 Color Sample D4
File:Strawberry ice cream dessert.jpg with cream]]
In 1987, cream was included as one of the X11 colors.
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White Chocolate
{{Main|Cream (color)}}
{{color swatch|#EDE6D6|White Chocolate|left}}
{{Infobox color
|title=White Chocolate
|hex=EDE6D6
|source=[https://encycolorpedia.com/ede6d6 Encycolorpedia]
|isccname=Pale yellow}}
White Chocolate is a color that is a representation of the color of white chocolate made of cocoa butter, sugar and milk.
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Beige
{{Main|Beige}}
{{color swatch|#F5F5DC|Beige|left}}
{{infobox color
|title=Beige
|hex=F5F5DC
|source=X11
|isccname=Pale yellow green}}
The color beige is displayed at left.
The first recorded use of beige as a color name in English was in 1887.Maerz and Paul A Dictionary of Color New York:1930 McGraw-Hill Page 190; Color Sample of Beige: Page 45 Plate 11 Color Sample C2
The term originates from beige cloth, a cotton fabric left undyed in its natural color.
Items that are of beige color in real world applications are typically closer to brown than they are to white.
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Parchment
{{color swatch|#F1E9D2|Parchment}}
{{Infobox color
|title=Parchment
|hex=F1E9D2
|source=Xona.com Color List{{Cite web|url=https://xona.com/misc/colorlist/|title=Xona Games - Color List|website=xona.com}}
|isccname=Pale yellow green}}
Displayed at left is the color parchment.
File:Parchment from goatskin.jpg made from goatskin]]
In 2001, this was made into one of the colors on the Xona.com color list.
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Antique white
{{anchor|Antique white}}
{{color swatch|#FAEBD7|Antique white|left}}
{{infobox color
|title=Antique white
|hex=FAEBD7
|source=X11
|isccname=Pale yellow}}
Antique white is a web color.
The color name antique white began to be used in 1987 when the X11 colors were first formulated.
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Champagne
{{Main|Champagne (color)}}
{{color swatch|#F7E7CE|Champagne|left}}
{{Infobox Color
|title=Champagne
|hex=F7E7CE
|source=Maerz and Paul
|isccname=Pale yellow}}
The color champagne is displayed at left.
The color's name is derived from the typical color of the beverage champagne.
The first recorded use of champagne as a color name in English was in 1915.Maerz and Paul A Dictionary of Color New York:1930 McGraw-Hill Page 192; Color Sample of Champagne: Page 45 Plate 11 Color Sample B3 Note: The color called Champagne in the color box above (color #F7E7CE) matches the color shown as Champagne in Maerz and Paul.
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Eggshell
{{Main|Eggshell (color)}}
{{color swatch|#F0EAD6|Eggshell|left}}
{{infobox color
|title=Eggshell
|hex=F0EAD6
|source=ISCC-NBS{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20121122220208/http://tx4.us/nbs/nbs-e.htm ISCC-NBS]}}
|isccname=Pale yellow green}}
The color eggshell is displayed at left.
File:Hanoi-Coquilles d'oeufs utilisées pour les applications (1).jpg
The color eggshell is a representation of the average color of chicken eggs.
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Dutch white
{{color swatch|#EFDFBB|Dutch white|left}}
{{infobox color
|title=Dutch white
|hex=EFDFBB
|source=Resene{{Cite web|url=https://www.resene.co.nz/swatches/preview.php?chart=Resene+Crown+whites+range&brand=Resene&name=Dutch+White|title=Colour Swatch|website=Resene Swatches}}
|isccname=Pale yellow}}
Displayed at left is the color Dutch white.
Dutch white is one of the colors on the Resene Color List, a color list popular in Australia and New Zealand. The color Dutch white was formulated in 2000.
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Bone
{{color swatch|#E3DAC9|Bone|left}}
{{infobox color
|title=Bone
|hex=E3DAC9
|source=Kelly-Moore{{Cite web|url=http://kellymoore.autech.com.au/kellymoore/colorcenter/|title=Kelly-Moore Paints: Color Center|website=kellymoore.autech.com.au}}
|isccname=Yellowish gray}}
The color bone is displayed at left. This color is a representation of the color of bones.
The first recorded use of bone as a color name in English was in the first decade of the 19th century (exact year uncertain).Maerz and Paul A Dictionary of Color New York:1930 McGraw-Hill Page 190
File:Crocuta crocuta(Cranial bone) new.jpg
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Vanilla
{{Main|Vanilla (color)}}
{{color swatch|#F3E5AB|Vanilla|left}}
{{infobox color
|title=Vanilla
|hex=F3E5AB
|source=ISCC-NBS{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20121122220208/http://tx4.us/nbs/nbs-v.htm ISCC-NBS]}}
|isccname=Pale greenish yellow}}
The color vanilla is a rich tint of off-white as well as a medium pale tint of yellow.
File:Vanilla1web.jpg orchid]]
File:Vegan Vanilla Ice Cream (6020447714).jpg ice cream]]
The first recorded use of vanilla as a color name in English was in 1925.Maerz and Paul A Dictionary of Color New York:1930 McGraw-Hill Page 206; Color Sample of Vanilla: Page 43 Plate 10 Color Sample C3
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Flax
{{Main|Flax (color)}}
{{color swatch|#EEDC82|Flax|left}}
{{infobox color
|title=Flax
|hex=EEDC82
|isccname=Light greenish yellow}}
The color flax is displayed at left.
File:Flax (Linum usitassimum).jpg in Poland]]
The first recorded use of flax as a color name in English was in 1915.Maerz and Paul A Dictionary of Color New York:1930 McGraw-Hill Page 195; Color Sample of Flax: Page 47 Plate 12 Color Sample B2
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Navajo white
{{Main|Navajo white}}
{{color swatch|#FFDEAD|Navajo white|left}}
{{Infobox color
|title=Navajo white
|hex=FFDEAD
|source=X11
|isccname=Pale yellow}}
Navajo white is a whitish orange color, and derives its name from the Navajo Nation ethnic flag, a flag that uses this color.
In 1987, Navajo white was included as one of the X11 colors.
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Alabaster
{{color swatch|#EDEAE0|Alabaster|left}}
Displayed at left is the color alabaster. It represents the whitish color of the mineral alabaster.{{Infobox color
|title=Alabaster
|hex=EDEAE0
|isccname=Pale yellow green}}
Alabaster has been used as a color in English since 1594 (in Shakespeare's The Rape of Lucrece), but the origin of the RGB coordinates is not known.
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