Color spec
| Brand | Magnolia Home |
| Name | Shiplap |
| SKU | JG-049 |
| Hex | #E5DECB |
| RGB | 229, 222, 203 |
| HSL | 44°, 33%, 85% |
| LRV | 75 |
| Undertone | warm red-orange tone |
| Family | Neutral |
What Color Is Shiplap, Really?
Shiplap (JG-049) is Magnolia Home's soft warm white, hex #E5DECB. Its color reading sits at a golden hue with about 33 percent saturation and very high lightness, which in plain terms means a creamy off-white with a clear but gentle warm cast. It reads white on the wall, not beige, yet it never goes cold or blue the way a true bright white can.
With an LRV of 75, it bounces a lot of light and makes small rooms feel more open. That brightness plus the soft warmth is exactly why it caught on: it is the signature Magnolia warm-white tied to the Fixer Upper aesthetic, the color people picture behind shiplap boards and farmhouse trim.
It suits anyone who wants a light, welcoming white without stark glare. It fits farmhouse, transitional, and cozy traditional homes, and works for people who tried a pure white and found it too clinical.
Shiplap leans warm and slightly golden. Its hue sits in the yellow-gold range, and at roughly 33 percent saturation that warmth is real and visible, not a faint trace. This is not a near-neutral white that only hints at a direction. In most rooms you will read it as a creamy, buttery white rather than a cool paper white.
The warmth shows most in direct sun and under incandescent or warm LED bulbs, where it can pick up a soft honey glow. In shade or against a bright white, the cream reads more clearly, which is useful to know before you commit.
Test it against a sheet of printer paper and against a truly neutral white sample. Next to both, Shiplap will look warmer and softer. Paint a large sample board, move it around the room, and check it in morning and evening light so the golden cast does not surprise you later.
Best Rooms and Uses for Shiplap
At LRV 75, Shiplap is a whole-home light color, not an accent. It works as a wall color across open-plan living rooms, kitchens, bedrooms, hallways, and bathrooms, where its brightness keeps things open and its warmth keeps them from feeling cold. It is a strong pick for small or dim rooms that need to feel larger.
It also does well on cabinets and built-ins, giving a softer alternative to a stark white kitchen, and it makes a warm, easy trim color if you want trim and walls in the same gentle tone. On millwork and doors it reads as a mellow, lived-in white.
Outside, it works as a light siding or trim color for farmhouse and cottage exteriors. Because it is so light, save your darker Magnolia colors for the front door and shutters to create contrast against it.
How Lighting Changes Shiplap
With an LRV of 75, Shiplap is a high-reflectance color that stays light in almost any room, but the exposure decides how warm it looks. North-facing rooms get cool, indirect light that tames the gold and makes Shiplap read as a calm, balanced cream, which is often flattering for this color.
South-facing rooms flood with warm light and will push the honey side forward, so it can look noticeably creamier through the afternoon. East light is warm in the morning then cools by afternoon, while west light stays soft early and glows warm at sunset.
Bulb choice matters just as much. Warm white bulbs around 2700K deepen the golden cast, while neutral bulbs near 3500K to 4000K keep it cleaner and closer to white. If you want to hold back the warmth, lean toward cooler bulbs and test in the actual fixtures.
Most complaints about Shiplap 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 →Shiplap vs Similar Colors
Shiplap (JG-049, LRV 75) has close neighbors in the Magnolia line, and the differences are subtle but worth checking side by side. Castle Cream (JG-153, LRV 74) is nearly the same brightness and warmth; it can read a touch creamier, so choose it if you want the golden note just slightly stronger.
Soft Landing (JG-17, LRV 75) matches Shiplap in lightness but sits a little cleaner and less gold, which makes it a good swap if Shiplap feels too warm in your south-facing light. Blanched (JG-103, LRV 76) is the brightest of the group and leans the most neutral, so it works when you want a light warm white that pulls back from cream toward a plainer off-white.
Because these all live within a couple of LRV points, sample the two you are deciding between on the same wall rather than trusting the chip.
Colors That Go With Shiplap
For crisp trim and ceilings, step up in brightness with True White (JG-079) at LRV 87, or use Silos White (JG-189) at LRV 84 for a slightly softer edge that still reads cleaner than the walls. One Horn White (JG-090) at LRV 82 is a gentle off-white if you want almost no contrast at all.
For a second wall color or a grounding neutral in the same warm family, Reflection (JG-138) at LRV 76 pairs closely without clashing. To add quiet color, Sage (JG-022) at LRV 35 brings a muted green-gray for a room or built-in.
For real contrast and accents, Coal (JG-040) at LRV 3 makes a strong front door, and Old World (JG-102) at LRV 14 gives a rich brown for doors, islands, or exterior shutters. Natural oak and walnut woods and warm brass or aged bronze metals also sit comfortably with Shiplap.
Need It From Another Brand?
Any paint counter can custom-tint Magnolia Home JG-049 directly — but if you would rather stay in one brand's own deck, these are the closest stock matches:
Similar Magnolia Home colors
closest in the Magnolia Home deckThe nearest shades to Shiplap within Magnolia Home'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 #E5DECB in HSL space. Pair Shiplap 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 Shiplap warm or cool?
Shiplap is a warm white. Its color reading is golden with about 33 percent saturation, so the warmth is clear rather than faint. On the wall it looks like a soft, creamy off-white, never a cool blue or gray white. In warm light and direct sun the honey cast grows stronger, while cooler bulbs and north light keep it closer to a clean white.
Is Shiplap more of a white or a cream?
It sits right between the two. With an LRV of 75 it is bright enough to read as white across a room, but its golden undertone gives it a creamy softness up close. Think of it as a warm white that leans toward cream in warm light. If you want something that reads plainer and less gold, Blanched (JG-103) at LRV 76 pulls back toward a more neutral off-white.
What trim white goes with Shiplap?
Use a brighter white so the trim reads crisp against the warm walls. True White (JG-079) at LRV 87 gives the cleanest contrast, and Silos White (JG-189) at LRV 84 is a slightly softer option that still separates from the walls. If you prefer almost no contrast, One Horn White (JG-090) at LRV 82 keeps trim and walls in the same gentle warm family.
Does Shiplap work on cabinets and exteriors?
Yes to both. On kitchen or bath cabinets it gives a warmer, less clinical look than a stark white, and it pairs well with brass or bronze hardware and wood counters. Outdoors it works as a light farmhouse or cottage siding and trim color. Because it is so light, pair it with a dark front door color like Coal (JG-040) for contrast.
What does an LRV of 75 mean for Shiplap?
LRV measures how much light a color reflects, from 0 for black to 100 for pure white. At 75, Shiplap reflects a lot of light and stays bright in almost any room, which helps small or dim spaces feel larger and more open. It is firmly a light whole-home color, not a statement or accent shade, so plan on darker colors elsewhere for contrast.
How is Shiplap different from a color like Benjamin Moore Natural Wicker?
They are extremely close warm off-whites, both light and creamy with a soft golden cast, which is why people cross-shop them. The practical difference is tiny and comes down to which brand you are buying and how each reads in your specific light. Whichever you lean toward, sample both on the same wall, since a difference this small only shows in the actual room, not on a chip.
Will It Work in YOUR Room?
No page can promise how Shiplap behaves in your light. Upload a photo and see it on your own walls in seconds — before you spend a cent on samples.
TRY SHIPLAP ON YOUR ROOM →Ask a Question
Not sure about Shiplap in your room?
Ask Jessica below — every question gets a real reply, usually within a day.