See Sherwin-Williams Navajo White in action with real home photos, room-by-room tips, and my honest review of this warm, classic paint color.
Choosing the right wall color can completely transform an open floor plan, turning it from disconnected and bland into a warm, welcoming space you’ll love. For our home makeover, I turned to Sherwin-Williams Navajo White, a soft cream paint color that has quickly become one of my all-time favorites.
This timeless, versatile shade works beautifully with a variety of design styles, from modern farmhouse to vintage cottage, making it a perfect choice for open-concept living. In this post, I’ll share how I sampled and tested Navajo White paint in different lighting, why it stood out among other neutral colors, and how it ultimately created a cohesive flow throughout our home.
For our Sherwin-Williams Navajo White interior makeover, my inspiration came from a classic combination: a rich, antique-style wall color paired with crisp, bright white trim. I’ve always loved the elegance of warm white paint colors and creamy neutrals, and Navajo White captured that timeless look perfectly.
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Sherwin-Williams Navajo White is best described as a creamy, antique-inspired off-white paint color. It’s loved by interior designers for its timeless elegance and ability to work in a wide range of spaces.
With soft yellow undertones, Navajo White adds warmth without looking overly yellow or dated. It creates a cozy, inviting atmosphere and blends beautifully with neutral color palettes. This makes it a versatile choice for traditional, rustic, coastal, and even modern interiors.
Whether you use it as a wall color in an open-concept home or as a subtle accent in a smaller room, Navajo White pairs beautifully with natural textures, warm wood tones, and other soft hues for a classic charm that always feels fresh.
While Navajo White is most often used as a wall color, it can also work as trim in the right setting, especially in homes aiming for a soft, monochromatic look. However, many homeowners prefer to pair Navajo White walls with a crisper trim color for contrast.
One of my favorite combinations is Navajo White walls with Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace trim, the creamy warmth of Navajo White against the clean brightness of Chantilly Lace creates a stunning, timeless pairing. You can see this combination in action in my Chantilly Lace Paint Benjamin Moore: A Sunroom Makeover post.
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When painting an open floor plan, the wall color sets the tone for the entire space; it needs to flow seamlessly from room to room. SW Navajo White is an ideal choice for this, offering the warmth of a creamy white while still feeling light and airy.
Choosing the right white paint color can be tricky. Lighting, ceiling height, and trim details all influence how a color appears once it’s on the wall. Warm whites, like Navajo White, create a cozy, inviting feel and pair effortlessly with a variety of accent colors and design styles.
Before committing, use peel-and-stick paint samples or sample pots to see how the shade looks on walls, trim, and ceilings in different lighting throughout the day. Testing first ensures your final color choice will create a harmonious, polished look in every corner of your open-concept home.
Here’s the “before” of our open floor plan, where the walls were painted a dingy, outdated yellow. Before settling on Sherwin-Williams Navajo White for our new wall color, I sampled several white and warm white paint colors to see how they would look in different lighting throughout the space.
Keep in mind that every home’s lighting, flooring, and interior style will affect how a paint color appears from room to room. A shade that looks perfect in one space may read completely differently in another.
For example, Sherwin-Williams Navajo White can take on slightly different undertones depending on its surroundings. Paired with warm pine wood floors, it may appear richer and creamier, while next to wall-to-wall carpeting or cool-toned surfaces, it can read lighter and more subdued. Testing the color in your own space is the best way to see how it will truly look.
When using Sherwin-Williams Navajo White as your wall color, pairing it with a crisp, bright white trim creates a beautiful contrast that enhances its warm, antique-inspired tones. This combination keeps the space feeling fresh and balanced while allowing Navajo White’s creamy elegance to stand out. Popular bright whites, such as Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace or Sherwin-Williams Extra White, work especially well for trim, doors, and moldings.
For this Sherwin-Williams Navajo White paint project, I ultimately chose Benjamin Moore Acadia White for all of our trim. Before deciding, I tested several bright white options, including Benjamin Moore Alabaster White, but it felt just a bit too stark for the warm, antique-inspired look I wanted at the time.
Looking back, I wish I had gone with a brighter trim color to create more contrast with Navajo White walls. My current favorites are Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace and Simply White, both crisp, versatile whites that beautifully highlight the creamy warmth of Navajo White.
I also recommend using a high-gloss or glossy finish for your trim when pairing it with Sherwin-Williams Navajo White walls. The glossy sheen not only makes trim easier to clean but also creates a subtle contrast against standard eggshell-finish walls, adding depth and a more polished look to the entire space.
We decided to hire a local professional painter to handle our whole house interior paint project. In just a day and a half, one painter transformed our open floor plan, which includes the kitchen, living room, dining room, sitting room, and entryway, with two coats of Sherwin-Williams Navajo White on the walls, Benjamin Moore Acadia White on the trim, and a standard ceiling white paint.
This job also included all the prep work, from taping and sanding to careful cutting-in around our many windows, doors, and built-in bookshelves. Because the space has so many architectural features, there was actually less wall space to paint than you might expect, making the transformation quick but impactful in our new favorite colors.
With so many windows, doors, and built-in bookshelves in this space, there was actually less wall surface to paint, making the update to Sherwin-Williams Navajo White walls and Acadia White trim a quick but dramatic transformation.
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Our kitchen’s neutral color palette and crisp white cabinets create the perfect backdrop for Sherwin-Williams Navajo White on the back wall. This warm, creamy shade softens the space while adding just enough contrast to highlight the cabinetry and natural textures. The result is a bright, inviting kitchen that feels both timeless and welcoming.
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See more of this newly painted Sherwin Williams Navajo White painted kitchen in this Winter White Farmhouse Kitchen post.
Decorating this open dining room was always a challenge when the walls were painted yellow. Now, with Sherwin-Williams Navajo White, the creamy white walls bring a warm, welcoming feel to the space. This timeless shade acts as a charming backdrop for our vintage-style interior, highlighting the textures and colors of our favorite antiques.
I’m excited to see this room come together, and you can explore more photos and inspiration in our Vermont Dining Room Series.
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Here’s our sitting room after a fresh coat of Sherwin-Williams Navajo White. This warm, creamy shade instantly brightened the space while complementing the mix of vintage and modern pieces. Its soft undertones create a cozy, inviting atmosphere, perfect for relaxing or entertaining. See more in my Cozy Conversation Room Ideas for Small and Open-Concept Homes post.
Our open living room has minimal wall space, making the Acadia White built-in bookshelves the main focal point. The surrounding walls, painted in Sherwin-Williams Navajo White, provide a soft, creamy backdrop that enhances the vintage neutral design of the room. You can see more of these built-ins and their styling in my Fireplace Built-ins: Vintage Neutral Design post.
In conclusion, Sherwin-Williams Navajo White is a beautiful cream paint color that can instantly create a warm, welcoming atmosphere in any living space. As this paint color review shows, its versatility and timeless appeal allow it to pair effortlessly with a variety of decor styles, from vintage and traditional to modern and coastal.
Whether you’re refreshing your walls, brightening an open floor plan, or designing a cozy retreat, Navajo White offers the perfect balance of warmth and elegance, transforming your home into a sophisticated and inviting haven.
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We enjoyed the Sherwin Williams Navajo White for a few years and then we moved onto more color. Find more home painting inspiration in this Sherwin Williams Stardew: A Home Interior Makeover post.
Sherwin-Williams Navajo White is a warm, creamy off-white rather than a pure white. Its subtle yellow-beige undertones add softness and warmth while still appearing light and airy on walls.
Navajo White has gentle yellow and beige undertones that give it a cozy, antique-inspired feel. Lighting and surrounding finishes can influence how these undertones appear, so it’s best to sample the color in your space before painting.
Yes. Navajo White’s warm, versatile tone creates a cohesive flow in open floor plans and complements many design styles, from traditional and coastal to modern cottage. It works beautifully with natural wood, neutral fabrics, and vintage accents.
Crisp, bright whites create timeless contrast with Navajo White walls. Popular choices include Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace, Benjamin Moore Simply White, and Sherwin-Williams Extra White for trim, doors, and moldings.
For walls, use eggshell or matte for a soft, forgiving finish. For trim, a high-gloss or semi-gloss finish adds durability, makes cleaning easier, and provides a polished contrast against eggshell walls.
Lighting and flooring can change how Navajo White appears. Paired with warm pine floors, it can look creamier, while cooler lighting or carpeting can make it feel lighter and more subdued. Always test paint samples in your space at different times of day.
Order peel-and-stick or brush-out samples and place them on multiple walls near trim and ceilings. Observe the color throughout the day under both natural and artificial light to see how it interacts with your home’s unique conditions.
Navajo White pairs beautifully with soft greens, muted blues, warm grays, natural wood tones, brass accents, and creamy textiles. For a bolder look, try adding crisp white trim and black or oil-rubbed bronze hardware.
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