Neutral rooms can be surprisingly difficult to get right. Two colours that look almost identical on a screen can pull in different directions once they meet on a wall. I find it more useful to think about undertones and the light in the room than to search for one perfect shade of off-white.
Use the fixed finishes as your reference
Look first at the things that are staying: floorboards, tiles, kitchen units or a large sofa. A paint colour needs to sit beside those surfaces every day. If the flooring has a strong warm tone, a very cool wall colour may make that contrast more noticeable.
That contrast might be intentional. The point is to choose it deliberately rather than discover it after painting the whole room.
Compare samples beside each other
A colour’s undertone is often easier to see next to another shade. Put two or three samples on large movable boards and compare them beside the main furniture. Follow the paint manufacturer’s guidance for priming and the number of coats so the sample is representative.
Move the boards between walls and look at them in daylight and with your usual lamps switched on. A north-facing room and a sunlit room can make the same colour feel quite different.
Add variation through materials
A warm neutral palette benefits from surfaces that do not all reflect light in the same way. Linen, matte paint, timber and woven fibres can sit within a narrow colour range while still making the room interesting. This can be done with acoustic wall panels also that are relatively cheap and can make a room.
I would be careful about introducing too many similar but unrelated creams. A slightly clearer distinction between wall colour and upholstery can look more considered than a near-match that never quite works.
Give the room a little definition
A darker frame, lamp base or side table can help a pale room feel grounded. You do not need black accents everywhere. Deep brown, charcoal or a muted dark green can provide a similar sense of definition.
Before deciding the palette needs another colour, take a photograph in ordinary daylight. It may reveal that the room needs a darker element or a different texture instead. For a related material choice, see how to mix wood tones without matching everything.
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