White Paint – To Be, Or Not To Be?
So that is the question? More and more, I’m gravitating toward white walls for a few reasons including white being a great:
Backdrop for all of the items in a room including large furniture pieces, to artwork, to accessories – the things that make a home, a home.
Foundation to start from
At conveying a classically timeless look, but can also be very current and contemporary
Neutral but its ability to illuminate a space lightens
Serene or lively feel to a room
Way to make a room look larger, cleaner and brighter.
If you’re thinking of repainting a room, you may want to consider white paint for the above reasons.
If you like how it looks you can continue on. Especially in smaller spaces, it’s wise to paint an entire floor one color for a few reasons, including;
Easy to remember what color you’d need for touch-ups and future repainting
It allows your eyes to move through the room. Different colors (dark, light) from one room to another can stop your eyes in their tracks. Smooth movement is what we’re looking for in design.
Here are a few of my favorite white paints.
Benjamin Moore
Decorator’s White (I love this color on kitchen cabinets)
Simply White (white with slight warm undertones, great on walls, trim, ceilings, etc.)
Chantilly Lace (a more pure bright white I’ve used mostly on trim)
White Dove (can show yellow undertones in room with a lot of windows)
Sherwin-Williams
Snowbound, #7004 (great on cabinets, wall, trim)
Alabaster, #7008
Ways to Infuse Color and Your Taste in a White Painted Room
White on white is a favorite in contemporary decor, however, if you’re looking for a warmer, less monochromatic look and feel to your room, infusing it with color can be done.
My favorite ways to use color in a room is with area rugs and accessories like toss pillows, throw blankets, artwork and other decor. I prefer larger investment pieces of furniture to be more neutral in color primarily because of the cost to replace that purple velvet sofa you bought and never thought you’d get sick of the color, but now you’re . . . ill.
The color palette I have in my Beacon Hill living room is fairly neutral, however, my rug has many deep and muted primary colors. As a result, I’ve found smaller pieces of furniture (two matching Asian cupboards) in red that bring out the red in my area rug.
My throw pillows also pick up colors in the rug like the navy and muted green. Picking up the colors from the rug gives the room a more cohesive look. I have a blue and white ginger jar near my faux fireplace that houses toilet paper. That’s right you need to be creative when living in a small space. Blue and white planters house orchids on the red asian tables (I love symmetry, as you know). Repeating colors from the area rug pull the rooms overall look together. Try it. You might love it!
Is white your thing? If yes, take a picture and tag me on Instagram at @nancymichaelsinteriors.
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