Ivory
#FFFFF0
Color Values
Color Meaning
Ivory represents purity, elegance, and sophistication. It's associated with luxury, refinement, and timelessness. Ivory has a warm, creamy quality that feels premium.
Learn more on WikipediaFrequently Asked Questions About Ivory
What two colors make ivory?
Ivory is made by mixing white with very small amounts of yellow and black. The result is a warm, rich off-white color with subtle undertones.
What's the difference between ivory and cream?
Ivory is cooler and more neutral with subtle yellow undertones, while cream is warmer with more yellow. Ivory has a refined, elegant quality.
How do you make dark ivory?
Dark ivory (tan) is made by mixing ivory with small amounts of brown, or by adding more yellow and tiny amounts of red and blue.
The History of Ivory
Ivory as a color name derives directly from elephant and mammoth tusk material — one of the most precious and worked natural materials in human history. Ivory carving traditions date back over 40,000 years (the Venus of Hohle Fels, carved from mammoth ivory, is among the oldest known figurative artworks). Ancient Egyptian pharaohs used ivory for furniture, gaming pieces, and figurines. Greek and Roman craftsmen created 'chryselephantine' (gold-and-ivory) statues — the colossal Statue of Zeus at Olympia and Phidias' Athena Parthenos used ivory for flesh areas over wooden frames. Medieval European workshops produced exquisite ivory reliquaries, diptychs, and combs. The global ivory trade caused catastrophic elephant population collapses in the 19th–20th centuries, leading to international bans. Synthetic substitutes (celluloid, resin) provide the color without ethical concerns.
Cultural Significance
Ivory's cultural meanings are shaped both by its material origins and its gentle off-white color. In Western culture, ivory keys on pianos became synonymous with musical tradition and classical refinement — 'tickling the ivories' remains a poetic phrase for piano playing even as modern keys use plastic. Ivory-colored paper and stationery signals refinement and quality — handwritten notes on ivory stock carry social prestige. In fashion, ivory is the sophisticated alternative to white for bridal and formal wear, associated with vintage elegance and understated luxury. In Japanese traditional culture, ivory netsuke (miniature carved toggles) are among the most refined craft objects ever produced. The CITES ivory trade ban (1989) gave ivory complex ethical dimensions, but as a color, ivory retains its associations with natural beauty and timeless quality.
Color Psychology
Ivory is psychologically white with warmth — it retains all of white's openness and purity while adding a gentle, organic quality that feels natural and unthreatening. Research shows ivory environments are perceived as more comfortable and inviting than stark white, while maintaining the clarity and cleanliness associations of white. In consumer psychology, ivory packaging communicates naturalness, heritage craftsmanship, and premium quality — more so than either stark white (clinical) or cream (casual). Ivory is associated with elegance, refinement, and a quiet confidence — it is the color of things that have aged beautifully rather than things that are newly manufactured. In branding and packaging, ivory creates immediate perceptions of quality and authentic luxury, particularly effective for artisan food, high-end cosmetics, and luxury stationery.
Design Tips for Ivory
Ivory works best when chosen with deliberate warmth — the most useful ivories have subtle yellow or pink undertones. For web design, #FFFFF0 (true ivory) or #FDFAF6 makes an elegant background alternative to white. Ivory pairs magnificently with charcoal for a classic, print-inspired palette; with navy and gold for traditional elegance; and with chocolate brown for warm, natural contrast. In interior design, ivory woodwork (trim, cabinets, built-ins) against a slightly darker cream wall creates sophisticated tonal layering without the harshness of pure white trim. For premium branding and stationery, actual ivory-toned stock paper (Crane's, Strathmore) elevates printed pieces immediately. Accessibility note: ivory backgrounds on which dark text is placed still need sufficient contrast — dark text (#1A1A1A) on ivory (#FFFFF0) comfortably passes WCAG AA while maintaining warmth.