Pick the direction first: warm, neutral or cool
“Off-white” is not one colour. What matters is which way it leans, because that sets the mood of the whole page. Here are three directions, each a ready-made value you can drop into CSS.
| Direction | HEX | Source | Feels |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warm | #FFFFE4 | “Off White” in the name list | Paper, books, handmade |
| Neutral | #F5F5F5 | CSS whitesmoke | Calm, product-like, no colour cast |
| Cool | #F8F8FF | CSS ghostwhite | Clinical, techy, fresh |
| Eggshell | #F0EAD6 | Name list | Darker warm white, nearly beige |
Off-white vs white for a website background
A slightly off-white background reduces glare on bright screens and makes white cards or inputs stand out on top of it. That layering trick is the main practical reason to use one. The cost in contrast is tiny. A near-black text colour such as #1E272E scores 15.16:1 on white, 14.93:1 on the warm off-white and 13.91:1 on white smoke, all far above the 7:1 AAA level.
Pure white is still better when the page is mostly photos with white backgrounds, or when you are designing something to be printed. More on that on the white page.
Questions
What is the HEX code for off-white?
There is no standard one. #FFFFE4 is the name list's value; #F5F5F5 and #FAFAFA are popular neutral choices in UI work.
Off-white or ivory?
Ivory is a particular warm white, #FFFFF0. See the ivory page for a comparison of warm whites.