Color spec
| Brand | Dunn-Edwards |
| Name | Swiss Coffee |
| SKU | DEW342 |
| Hex | #EFE7D5 |
| RGB | 239, 231, 213 |
| HSL | 42°, 45%, 89% |
| LRV | 84 |
| Undertone | warm red-orange tone |
| Family | White |
What Color Is Swiss Coffee, Really?
Dunn-Edwards Swiss Coffee (DEW342) is a soft, warm off-white. Its hex value #EFE7D5 and hue of 42 put it in the yellow-gold part of the spectrum, but the warmth leans slightly toward red-orange, which keeps it looking creamy rather than lemony or sharp. With an LRV of 84 it sits just below a true bright white, so it reads clearly as a light color while still holding a gentle, milky softness.
Swiss Coffee is the most-searched off-white name across Dunn-Edwards and a longtime Southern California designer staple. People reach for it because it warms a room without turning yellow, and because it plays well with wood, stone, and both white and cream trim.
It suits homes that want light and airy walls with a little warmth, and anyone who finds pure white too cold or clinical.
Swiss Coffee leans warm. The measured hue sits at 42, in the yellow-gold range, with a slight pull toward red-orange that softens it and stops it from looking acidic. On the wall this shows up as a quiet cream, not a bright chalk white and not a beige.
Because the color is so light, the warmth stays subtle in most conditions and only becomes obvious next to a cooler reference. Hold a sheet of pure printer paper against it and Swiss Coffee will look noticeably creamier and softer. Set it beside a true gray-white and its yellow-gold base becomes clear.
Test it against your trim, your flooring, and any existing whites in the room before committing. The undertone reads strongest in large unbroken areas and in warm light, and it can pick up a faint green or gold cast near lots of grass or wood outside a window.
Best Rooms and Uses for Swiss Coffee
At LRV 84, Swiss Coffee is a whole-home light color. It works as a wall color throughout open floor plans, hallways, bedrooms, and living rooms, and its warmth keeps large light-filled spaces from feeling cold or sterile.
It is a strong ceiling and trim option too. Many people use it wall-to-trim in a single color for a soft, seamless look, or pair it with a cleaner white on the trim for gentle contrast. On kitchen and bathroom cabinets it gives a warm, furniture-like alternative to stark white without reading as dated.
Outside, its high reflectance makes it a practical body color for stucco and siding, common in the Southern California homes where it is popular. It also works on trim and fascia against a deeper body color. As a front door it is too light to make a statement, so save bolder picks for that.
How Lighting Changes Swiss Coffee
With an LRV of 84, Swiss Coffee bounces back most of the light that hits it, so it stays bright in almost any room. But its warm base means light quality changes how creamy it looks.
In north-facing rooms, where daylight is cooler and bluer, the warmth is welcome and Swiss Coffee reads as a clean, comfortable off-white rather than going flat. In south-facing rooms with strong sun, the same warmth can intensify and the color may look a touch more yellow or golden, especially at midday. East light makes it glow warm in the morning and calmer by afternoon, while west light does the reverse.
Bulb choice matters just as much. Warm white bulbs around 2700K push it further toward cream. Neutral bulbs near 3500K to 4000K keep it looking crisp and closer to a soft white. Always judge a sample in the actual room across a full day.
Most complaints about Swiss Coffee 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.
TEST IT IN YOUR LIGHT →Swiss Coffee vs Similar Colors
Swiss Coffee (DEW342, LRV 84) is lighter and cleaner than several of its Dunn-Edwards neighbors. Antique White (DEW351) at LRV 73 is noticeably deeper and reads more clearly as a warm cream, which suits rooms where you want obvious warmth rather than a near-white. If you want walls to stay bright and airy, Swiss Coffee wins; if you want more color on the wall, Antique White does.
Historic White (DET653) at LRV 79 sits between the two, slightly softer and more muted than Swiss Coffee. Finest Silk (DE6127) at LRV 74 is another warm off-white but a step darker and richer.
The practical rule: Swiss Coffee for the highest, freshest light with a hint of warmth, and the lower-LRV options when you want the cream to actually show and the walls to feel enclosed.
Colors That Go With Swiss Coffee
For trim and ceilings, Whisper (DEW340) at LRV 84 is a cleaner, less golden white that sharpens Swiss Coffee walls without a harsh jump. Cottage White (DEW341) at LRV 84 is another close, softly warm partner if you want a barely-there transition between surfaces.
For a second wall color or an adjoining room, Foggy Day (DEW343) at LRV 80 adds a slightly grayer, cooler off-white that reads as gentle depth. Almond (DEW348) at LRV 67 steps things warmer and deeper for a cozier accent wall or built-ins.
For contrast and grounding, Iron Mountain (DET637) at LRV 11 makes a strong charcoal for doors, islands, or exterior accents, and Maiden Voyage (DEA178) at LRV 8 gives a deep navy front-door or cabinet color. Warm woods, brass, and matte black hardware all sit comfortably with Swiss Coffee.
Need It From Another Brand?
Any paint counter can custom-tint Dunn-Edwards DEW342 directly — but if you would rather stay in one brand's own deck, these are the closest stock matches:
Similar Dunn-Edwards colors
closest in the Dunn-Edwards deckThe nearest shades to Swiss Coffee within Dunn-Edwards's own range, ranked by perceptual color distance — useful when you want the same look a touch lighter, darker, or warmer.
Coordinated palette
Generated by hue-rotating #EFE7D5 in HSL space. Pair Swiss Coffee with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
Accessibility (WCAG contrast)
WCAG 2.1: AA = 4.5:1 normal text · AA Large = 3:1 large text · AAA = 7:1 normal text.
The Questions Everyone Asks
Is Swiss Coffee warm or cool?
Swiss Coffee is a warm off-white. Its hue sits in the yellow-gold range with a slight red-orange lean, which gives it a creamy, comfortable feel rather than a cold or clinical one. The warmth is subtle at its high LRV of 84, so it stays light, but it will always look softer and creamier than a true bright white.
Is Swiss Coffee more gray or more cream?
Swiss Coffee reads as cream, not gray. Its base is a soft warm yellow-gold, so next to a gray-white it clearly looks creamier and warmer. If you want a cooler, slightly grayer off-white in the same range, Dunn-Edwards Foggy Day (DEW343) at LRV 80 leans that direction instead.
What trim white goes with Swiss Coffee?
Whisper (DEW340) at LRV 84 is a good trim white with Swiss Coffee. It is a cleaner, less golden white that gives gentle contrast without a harsh jump. If you prefer an almost seamless look, Cottage White (DEW341), also at LRV 84, is a barely-there warm partner. Many people also run Swiss Coffee itself on both walls and trim.
Does Swiss Coffee work on cabinets and exteriors?
Yes to both. On kitchen and bathroom cabinets, Swiss Coffee gives a warm, furniture-like finish that is softer than stark white and does not read as dated. Outside, its high LRV of 84 makes it a practical, light-reflecting body color for stucco and siding, which is one reason it is popular on Southern California homes.
What does Swiss Coffee's LRV of 84 mean in practice?
LRV, or light reflectance value, measures how much light a color bounces back on a scale to 100. At 84, Swiss Coffee reflects most of the light that reaches it, so it keeps rooms bright and helps small spaces feel larger. It is a whole-home light color, not a statement or contrast color.
How is Swiss Coffee different from Antique White?
Both are warm Dunn-Edwards off-whites, but Swiss Coffee (DEW342) at LRV 84 is clearly lighter and fresher, while Antique White (DEW351) at LRV 73 is deeper and reads more obviously as a cream. Choose Swiss Coffee for bright, airy walls with just a hint of warmth, and Antique White when you want the cream color to actually show.
Will It Work in YOUR Room?
No page can promise how Swiss Coffee behaves in your light. Upload a photo and see it on your own walls in seconds — before you spend a cent on samples.
TRY SWISS COFFEE ON YOUR ROOM →Ask a Question
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