I have always loved decorating with white and my home is full of white furniture. It goes with everything and brightens any room. Here are my top tips for using white in your home:
White is timeless. It can be modern, country, traditional and it can also unify several looks. Painting all furniture in a room white allows you to mix modern and classic pieces. Highlighting one or more piece by using a different colour {like the chairs in the photo below} gives them a sense of importance.
White is light and airy, opens up the smallest spaces, and it gives the eye a place to rest in a room like this with a lot of colour and pattern.
There are a variety of shades of white. Subtle variations of undertone, from yellow to blue, make a huge difference in the mood and look. Make sure to stick with the same tone throughout a room, including accessories. The whites in throw cushions, for example, should be the same tone as the white on the sofa. When I painted the rug for this dining space, it took me awhile to settle on a white that matched the tone of the Ikea Liatorp dining set. I finally settled on Benjamin Moore's Simply White. They both have a creamy slightly yellow undertone.
A white backdrop acts a blank canvas allowing colour to pop. Just like serving a fantastic meal on white plates, the colour in a mostly white room is the start of the show. Use soft pastels for a romantic, calming feel, or add vibrant colour to give a room more energy. Using colour in only the accessories makes it so easy to completely change the mood of the space by replacing a few key pieces.
Don't be afraid to use white because you worry about it getting dirty. I have a house full of boys and every single room has white furniture {no white sofas quite yet, but all wood is my house is white}. If it's good quality it will have the same durability as any other colour.
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