Settled, side by side

Le Cygne — the swan — is a warm, matte ivory from the French house Ressource. It has the chalky, light-absorbing quality of old lime plaster, which is why it looks so at home on Haussmann panelling and ceiling roses: it softens the light rather than bouncing it around. Cream is present, yellow is not.

Swiss Coffee is the warm white by which other warm whites are measured. With an LRV near 84 it stays bright and open, but a slight yellow-beige undertone keeps it creamy rather than clinical — the look of fresh cream rather than fresh snow.