If the exterior walls or siding of your home are cream, then there is a huge range of colors available to you that will work well for shutters. As a neutral color, cream pairs well with almost any other color, so it can be overwhelming trying to find exactly the right shade.
Here, we look at how to determine the best shutter color for a cream house and look at ideas for inspiration.
How to Choose Shutter Color for Cream House
Choosing the right shutter colors for a cream house can greatly impact the overall look and curb appeal of your home. When deciding what color palette to use for the external features of your home, there are numerous factors you can consider that will affect your final choice.
Shade of Cream
Cream can vary in shades from warm beige to soft ivory. Take a good look at the exact shade of cream your house is painted in, because this will be the base color that your shutter color should complement. The cream is a warm color with yellow undertones, but the intensity of the undertones and the degree of white in your cream is going to affect which colors will work best with it.
For example, if your cream is very close to white then painting your shutters white will make for a bland and flat look. However, if your house is a dark shade of cream closer to beige, then white shutters alongside this will look sophisticated and classy. Understanding the shade and tone of your exterior house color is the best place to start when looking at shutter colors.
Architectural Style
The architectural style of your home can provide guidance on suitable shutter colors. Traditional styles often use classic, subdued colors, while modern homes may opt for more vibrant or contrasting options.
For example, Cape Cod style homes are typically decorated in coastal or muted colors, while Edwardian style homes typically exhibit deeper or bolder color combinations.
Neighborhood Regulations
Check if your neighborhood or homeowner’s association has any regulations or guidelines regarding house colors and shutter choices. You’ll want to ensure your choice complies with any restrictions in place in order to avoid fines or having to repaint your shutters.
Color Palette
Create a color palette that includes the cream base color, trim color, and shutter color. Look for colors that harmonize well together. You can use color swatches, paint samples, or online tools to help you visualize the combination. The ideal number for any exterior color palette is three, with at least one of those colors being a neutral shade.
Your home’s external walls are cream, so this counts as one of the colors, and it is also neutral. Your second and third colors can be used for the shutters and other trim or accessories on the outside of the home, for example, window frames, your front door, and your mailbox.
Best Shutter Colors for Cream Home
Black
Black is a great color choice for shutters on a cream house if you want a style that creates contrast yet isn’t too loud or overstimulating. Black contrasts heavily against cream because it is intensely dark while cream is very light, yet the fact that black is a neutral color means that the overall look is bold yet elegant.
In the home shown here, the color palette used is cream, black, and white, for an understated yet sophisticated style. The contrast between black shutters and cream siding is enhanced by the white window frames. Other accessories have also been added in black which help to create a sense of coordination and cohesion.
Here, the window boxes have been painted black, and exterior lights in black have been selected.
White
White is a classic color choice for shutters, bringing a breezy and airy look to a home. White shutters will work well with cream siding or cream stone walls, for an overall neutral style. Shutters in white will look best when the shade of cream isn’t too pale. Otherwise, the features can look too plain and samey.
Instead, opt for white shutters when your cream walls are mid to dark cream. It can be helpful to employ a third color that stands out so that your cream and white color palette doesn’t look dull.
In the home shown here, cream siding and white shutters have been paired with a gray roof, for a result that looks sleek and modern. The addition of a gray stone facade on the ground floor exterior of the house serves to further enforce this color scheme.
In the European home shown here, cream stone walls and white rustic shutters provide a contrast against the orange terracotta color of the roof tiles, for a style that feels earthy and rugged.
Orange
If you want to create a positive and welcoming energy for the outside of your home, then yellow or orange shutters set against cream walls will do just that. In the property pictured here, orange-yellow shutters stand out beautifully against the off-white cream siding. This shade of orange-yellow is sunny and lively, resulting in a curb appeal that feels welcoming and warming.
The owners of this home have added a third color to their color palette of blue-gray, and this has been painted across the lower half of the home’s facade. The addition of this color helps to balance out the warmth found in the cream walls and the orange shutters since blue-gray is a cool color.
However, the contrast is very subtle because the shade of blue-gray is muted. The overall result feels cheerful and coastal inspired, since these colors are commonly found in coastal or beach-themed designs.
Blue
Blue shutters can provide a charming and timeless contrast against cream walls, creating a visually appealing and classic look. This is a color pairing that is reminiscent of coastal regions and summer holidays, so if you want your home to have a beach house appeal then blue and cream can work really well.
Nature often pairs blue skies and bodies of water with sandy or creamy beaches, so take inspiration from these natural combinations to help guide your color choices.
In the home pictured here, the blue of the shutters matches the blue of the sky, allowing the house to look at ease within the landscape. This pretty shade of sky blue will help to evoke a sense of calm and tranquility, even on days when the sky isn’t as clear or bright.
Blue shutters will add a sense of balance to a cream house because blue is a cool color while cream is a warm color. This combination helps to show off both colors in their best light, while also creating a subtle contrast that is pleasing to the eye.
Gray
In the quaint home pictured here, the color of the shutters has been coordinated with the color of the roof tiles. By matching the shade of gray on both of these features, the opportunity has arisen for the blue front door to stand out in a bold and obvious way.
Gray is a modern color that retains a classic and elegant appeal, and it pairs beautifully with cream because both colors are neutral and understated. The dark shade of gray used on these shutters contrasts heavily against the cream walls, which are so pale they are almost white. This shade contrast ensures that the home looks interesting, without being bright or vibrant.
Red
If you want to make a statement on a cream house then red shutters are the way to go. As seen on the home pictured here , red shutters make for a bold choice yet because both the walls and shutters have a warm base, they compliment each other very well.
Black has been used as the third color in this color palette, which helps to ground the whole look and add a sense of definition. By using two neutral colors with red shutters, the red shutters are able to stand out without competing for attention.
Green
The green shutters on this cream house create a sense of luxury and old-world glamor while also linking the home to its surroundings and the natural world. Green has a fresh energy that is also soothing, and this translates perfectly against a cream-wall backdrop. Opt for green shutters on a cream house when you want to achieve timeless elegance.
Brown
Brown is a stunning color choice for a cream house if you’re going for a rustic farmhouse vibe. Use brown paint or a brown stain on wooden shutters to achieve a rugged style like the one shown here.
This earthy color palette helps a house to blend seamlessly into the landscape while maintaining a cozy and welcoming appeal.
