Warm Marshmallow
HDC-NT-11A · #F1E5D0 · LRV 79 — warm red-orange tone, very light — near-white, broadens small spaces.
- 1First Star69
- 2Classic Gray74
- 3Warm Marshmallow79
- 4Greek Villa84
- 5Chantilly Lace91
What Color Is Warm Marshmallow, Really?
Warm Marshmallow HDC-NT-11A is a soft cream, hex #F1E5D0, with an LRV of 79. That lightness sits at the lower edge of the white range, so it still brightens a room, but it is light enough to be called a white only just. The hue is 38 degrees, in the orange-yellow range, which is why it reads as almond or cream rather than a plain white on a full wall.
People choose it when white feels too cold and beige feels too heavy. It gives the softened, candlelit warmth of a cream without the yellow of a true buttermilk. In rooms with oak floors, wicker, linen, and warm metals it disappears into the background in the best way. Behr colors are mixed at The Home Depot paint desk.
The thing to check is contrast. Warm Marshmallow at LRV 79 is not going to look white beside a bright white trim. It will read clearly as cream, and some people are surprised by that. In strong afternoon sun the warm red-orange base can also push it toward peach. If you want a warm white that still reads white, this is a step past that point.
The undertone is a warm red-orange. Hue 38 degrees is the almond and cream zone, a bit warmer than a straight yellow-based white, and that touch of red is what keeps it from looking sallow. There is no gray in it, so it does not behave like a greige.
Where the warmth shows is a matter of comparison. Against a crisp white trim, Warm Marshmallow is obviously cream. Against a tan or a beige it looks almost white. Against a pink-based neutral the orange comes forward and it can look slightly tan.
The risk is peach. In warm afternoon sun or under 2700K bulbs the red side of the hue can lift and the wall reads warmer than the chip suggested. Sample it on a wall that gets your worst light and your best light, and check it at night, since cream colors change the most after dark.
Best Rooms and Uses for Warm Marshmallow
With an LRV of 79 this is a whole-home light color that leans cozy rather than crisp. It suits bedrooms, dining rooms, living rooms, and hallways, and it is a good fix for a north-facing room where a cooler white looks bleak. In a small room it still opens the space up, just with warmth instead of glare.
On trim and doors it works if the walls are darker or warmer still. Painting walls and trim both in Warm Marshmallow gives a soft, seamless envelope that suits traditional and cottage interiors.
Cabinets are a natural fit. A cream this warm reads custom rather than builder-grade, especially with wood counters, unlacquered brass, or antique hardware. Outside it makes a warm body or trim color that sits comfortably with brick, stone, and wood. It is a background color, so let a darker door or shutter carry the contrast.
How Lighting Changes Warm Marshmallow
At LRV 79 the color reflects a lot of light without ever looking bright white. In north-facing rooms, where daylight runs cool and flat, that works in its favor. The cool light cancels part of the warmth, so Warm Marshmallow reads as a soft, comfortable off-white and takes the chill out of a room that usually feels grim.
South and west rooms are where you need to be careful. Warm direct sun charges the red-orange base and the walls can go from cream to peach in the late afternoon. East rooms are golden early and settle by midday.
Bulb color matters just as much. Warm 2700K lamps deepen the cream and make a room feel candlelit at night, which many people want in a bedroom or a dining room. Cooler 3500K to 4000K bulbs strip warmth out and bring it closer to a neutral off-white.
Most complaints about Warm Marshmallow are a light mismatch. Upload a photo of your actual room and see it on your walls — then ask for the same wall in north light or evening lamps before you buy a single sample.
Need It From Another Brand?
Any paint counter can custom-tint Behr HDC-NT-11A directly. If you would rather stay in one brand's own deck, these are the closest stock matches, measured as ΔE2000. Under 2 is a difference you will not see on the wall.
| Brand | Closest color | ΔE | LRV | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sherwin-Williams | Décor WhiteSW 7559 · Sherwin-Williams | 0.5 | 79 | Color page → |
| Benjamin Moore | Sandy Shores948 · Benjamin Moore | 0.9 | 76 | Color page → |
| Valspar | Ivory Lace7003-6 · Valspar | 0.2 | 80.4 | Color page → |
| PPG / Glidden | BelleekPPG18-25 · PPG / Glidden | 1.9 | 79 | Color page → |
| Glidden | BelleekPPG18-25 · Glidden | 1.9 | 80 | Color page → |
| Dutch Boy | Almond Whip009W · Dutch Boy | 0.8 | 80 | Color page → |
Similar Behr Colors
The nearest shades to Warm Marshmallow within Behr's own range, ranked by perceptual color distance — useful when you want the same look a touch lighter, darker, or warmer.
WCAG 2.1: AA is 4.5 : 1 for normal text, 3 : 1 for large text, AAA is 7 : 1.
Warm Marshmallow vs Similar Colors
Within Behr, Scroll N280-1 (#F1E5D2) is the closest of all, one small step and the same LRV of 79. Pebble Cream BWC-08 (#F5E5CF, LRV 80) is a touch brighter and pinker. New Harvest Moon BXC-83 (#EFE5CC, LRV 79) leans more yellow. These are choices of degree, not of character.
Across brands, Valspar Ivory Lace 7003-6 (LRV 80.4) is a deltaE of 0.22 and Sherwin-Williams Décor White SW 7559 (LRV 79) is 0.47, which makes both effective matches. Benjamin Moore Sandy Shores 948 is a deltaE of 0.95 but sits at LRV 76, so it will look slightly deeper on a wall.
Farrow and Ball New White No. 59 (deltaE 1.85) is visually identical in normal room light. Magnolia Home Carter Crème JG-16 (deltaE 2.25) is very close, sample first. Rust-Oleum Chiffon Cream 329598 at deltaE 4.75 and LRV 92 is a different animal, much lighter and clearly brighter.
Colors That Go With Warm Marshmallow
For trim, do not reach for the near neighbors. Scroll N280-1 (#F1E5D2, LRV 79), Rye Flour HDC-FL13-5 (#F1E6D4, LRV 80), Pebble Cream BWC-08 (#F5E5CF, LRV 80), and Ranch Acres ECC-20-2 (#F3E7CF, LRV 81) all sit within a point or two of Warm Marshmallow, so they read as the same color. Use them on a ceiling or in an adjoining room when you want continuity. For trim you want a distinctly brighter, cleaner white so the edge is visible.
New Harvest Moon BXC-83 (#EFE5CC, LRV 79) is the most yellow of the group and Mannequin Cream OR-W03 (#F6E5CE, LRV 80) is the warmest, if you want a nearby surface to shift slightly.
Beyond paint, warm woods, jute, linen, terracotta, and aged brass all sit naturally with a hue at 38 degrees. Black hardware and a deep, grounded accent color give the contrast the walls do not.
Coordinated palette
Generated by hue-rotating #F1E5D0 in HSL space. Pair Warm Marshmallow with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
Warm Marshmallow FAQ
Is Warm Marshmallow warm or cool?
It is warm, and clearly so. The hue sits at 38 degrees in the orange-yellow range, giving it a warm red-orange base with no gray to cool it down. That is what makes it read as cream or almond rather than as a neutral white on a full wall.
What LRV is Warm Marshmallow?
Warm Marshmallow HDC-NT-11A has an LRV of 79. On a scale from 0 for black to 100 for pure white, 79 is light but at the lower edge of the white range. It still reflects plenty of light and opens up a small room, but it will not look bright white next to true white trim.
Does Warm Marshmallow look yellow or peach?
It is closer to peach than to yellow. The undertone is warm red-orange, so in strong afternoon sun or under 2700K bulbs the red side can lift and the walls read warmer than expected. In cool north light it settles into a plain, comfortable cream.
What white trim goes with Warm Marshmallow?
Use a distinctly brighter, cleaner white so the trim reads as a separate element. The Behr colors closest to it, like Scroll N280-1 at LRV 79 and Rye Flour HDC-FL13-5 at LRV 80, are too close to work as trim. Painting walls and trim both in Warm Marshmallow is the other valid option for a seamless look.
Does Warm Marshmallow work in a dark room?
Yes, and it is one of its better uses. At LRV 79 it reflects a lot of light, and the warm base counteracts the flat, cold quality of north-facing daylight. A cooler white in the same room often reads gray and bleak where this one stays comfortable.
Is Warm Marshmallow good for cabinets?
It is a solid cabinet cream. At LRV 79 it gives cabinetry a soft, settled look that does not glare under downlights the way a stark white can, and the warm red-orange base pairs naturally with wood counters, brass, and antique hardware. Sample it beside your counter material first, since creams shift a lot against stone.
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