The colors are a lot more vibrant than expected but are softer shades of your usual color. The paper is so durable and thick; I would highly recommend and shipping was fast!
I and a coauthor are working on a book of recipes from my grandparent's bakery and this is the paper and color we've chosen for our manuscript. The paper is a good quality--not too heavy nor is it too thin--and the color sets off the typeface and color we've selected as well as our photographs nicely. Certainly you could go with white too but the cream colored paper is easy on the eyes and adds a warmth that's just right for a book of pastries cakes and cookies. I highly recommend Staples Pastel Colored Copy Paper as a great product for any kind of creative project and as a great value as well.
This paper is exactly right for printing text and photos that are enhanced by the pastel blue. I use a lot of it for handouts especially concerning water or sky. I have never had a problem with it feeding in the printer and I rely on it for adding color to a project without sacrificing clarity of text.
I am a teacher and I use this paper all the time. All of my handouts for my students are created using colored paper. I believe it makes it easy for my students to find a particular paper at a given time. It also draws attention to the assignments and my students truly enjoy having their binders be so colorful. Unfortunately since my school district does not provide us with color paper I must buy it myself and therefore spend way too much money at Staples on this paper.