The rug has a tan undertone but can pass for ivory/cream. These photos were all taken in natural light coming from a wall of windows. No artificial light. My husband thought it was white, but I can see the tan in certain light. As others have said, the black stripes are pretty prominent, more so than in the pics on the sales page. Overall though, the rug met expectations and is a keeper. The 9x13 is the perfect size for a king bed with bench at the end.