Warm Up to White All Around the House
with cozy Shabby Chic style. While color lovers would argue that white is cold, bland and sterile, its advocates would say it can create a feeling of space, hide blemishes and soften architectural quirks.
Glossing over the debate as to whether white is actually a color at all, let’s take a look at what color experts can tell us about white and how we can use it to create designs that look anything but cold and bland.
In ancient Rome the priestesses of the goddess Vesta wore white as a symbol of purity, loyalty and chastity. The Christian church adopted this symbolism — even today traditional brides in many countries wear white. This gorgeous lace bedspread screams femininity, but the room still manages to balance traditional and modern, male and female, light and dark — so clever! |
Darryl Carter, author of The New Traditional, says, “White makes old things seem more current. White rooms are more complex than they appear, because there are no distractions. Every choice becomes critical.”
This beautiful aged corner dresser has a wonderful warm patina and is the main focus of this simple room, preventing it from feeling overly stark.
In the Renaissance influential architect Leon Battista Alberti encouraged artists to add white to their colors to make them lighter and brighter.
Here white is beautifully combined with watery blue-white paneled walls to create a coastal design.
Whitewashing helps cover up and gloss over any painting errors, giving you a blank slate — painting everything white can hide a multitude of sins. Rooms appear bigger, and boundaries blur. Some tricky architectural elements in the small space here have been skillfully dealt with using white. |
Warm Up to White All Around the House
