Icing on the Cake
What Icing on the Cake Actually Looks Like
Icing on the Cake reads as a very light, soft aqua, sitting right at the intersection of mint green and pale blue. It is not quite white and not quite color, landing in that restful in-between zone that feels fresh without demanding attention. In a sun-filled room it can appear almost ethereal, nearly white with a cool breath of color behind it. In low or north-facing light it holds more of its blue-green character and reads as a clear, gentle teal-adjacent tone.
Icing on the Cake Undertones
The color carries cool blue-green undertones. Green and blue are present in roughly equal measure, which is why the color shifts depending on your light source. Warm incandescent or late-afternoon sun can pull the green forward. Cooler daylight, especially in a north or east room, tends to emphasize the blue. There is no yellow here, no gray, and no purple. It is a genuinely cool, clean color.
Where Icing on the Cake Works Best
This color works well in spaces where you want lightness and a hint of color without committing to something bold. Bathrooms benefit from its clean, water-adjacent feel. Bedrooms in need of a calm, airy quality are good candidates. It also works in kitchens and laundry rooms where the cool tone feels crisp and fresh. Because its LRV is high, it holds up in smaller rooms without making them feel closed in.
Where to put Icing on the Cake
The cool blue-green tone naturally evokes water and cleanliness, which makes it a confident choice for a bathroom. On all four walls it feels spa-like without being stark. Pair white tile and chrome or brushed nickel fixtures to stay in the cool family, or bring in warm wood accents to keep the space from feeling too cold.
At high LRV this color keeps a bedroom feeling spacious and restful. It is cool enough to promote calm but light enough that it will not feel gloomy on an overcast morning. Soft warm bedding in cream or oat tones will balance the coolness well.
In a kitchen the crisp, clean quality of this aqua reads as fresh and inviting. It pairs well with white cabinetry and stainless appliances. If your cabinetry leans warm or you have warm wood floors, the contrast with this cool wall color will feel intentional rather than accidental.
A high-LRV cool aqua is a practical, cheerful choice for a utility space. It keeps the room feeling bright and clean, which is exactly what you want in a room built around washing things.
What to Pair With Icing on the Cake
No specific coordinating colors are listed in our database for this color currently. As a general approach, pair it with warm whites on trim to stop it from feeling clinical, and consider soft wood tones or natural linen textiles to bring warmth into the room and keep the cool aqua from dominating.
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Colors that clash with Icing on the Cake
Icing on the Cake is a cool color and will fight with warm golden or yellow tones in adjacent spaces, making both colors look off.
Strong orange undertones in flooring sit on the opposite side of the color wheel from this blue-green, and the contrast can feel jarring rather than complementary.
Pairing this cool aqua with a cool gray trim can tip the whole room into feeling washed out or overly cold, especially in rooms without strong natural light.
Common questions
The Benjamin Moore color code is 2049-70. The precise LRV is 81.78, which places it firmly in the light end of the spectrum. The hex and RGB values are available in the color spec block on this page.
It depends on your light. In warm, sunny south-facing rooms the green tends to come forward. In cooler north or east light the blue becomes more prominent. Either way it remains pale and soft, so neither shift is dramatic.
Yes, Benjamin Moore offers 2049-70 in both interior and exterior formulas across their standard finish options.
You can, and a high-LRV cool aqua on a ceiling in a small or bright bathroom can feel quite intentional and airy. In a larger room be aware that a cool-toned ceiling can make the space feel slightly colder, so balance it with warm materials below.