Decorating-With-White

Decorating With White

White suits any interior scheme, brightens the darkest of spaces and has the ability to make even small spaces appear spacious, but will an all-white room feel cold and sterile? Not if you know how to use it.

White Can Be Warm

White is a colour with a huge range — there is not just one shade of white, but hundreds, all offering a different effect. Some have undertones of pink, blue, green or grey. Test a few out on one wall and see which works for you. Some tones are warmer than others, or will work better in certain rooms where the light enters at different times of the day. Bear in mind that not all shades of white will sit together well — test them out next to one another before investing.

White is Not as Unforgiving as You Think

As soon as anyone mentions an all-white colour scheme, those with children or pets start to feel uneasy. No need. No-one is saying that white doesn’t show up stains and marks, but choose your fabrics and furniture materials wisely and this will not be a problem. Vinyl, glossy veneers – check out Zespoke’s range of coffee, console and side tables – and leather and washable furniture covers in white all make perfect sense, being easy to clean.

White is the Perfect Blank Canvass

Far from being dull or ‘safe’, white is actually very dramatic, particularly when used as an overall background colour. In fact, white is the perfect way to show off pieces of statement furniture. A coffee table or TV stand in the living room that has a splash of colour in its design, such as the The Cube Modern Media Unit from Zespoke, is far more likely to become a focal point in an all-white scheme than it is when it has to compete against lots of bold colours.

Ways to Warm Up White

If you are still worried about an all-white scheme appearing cold, use natural materials and finishes — wood and stone, for example. A coffee table, such as Zespoke’s Retro Hoop with a Mild Oak finish will add a homely touch to the overall scheme, as will a timber floor.

Another fail-safe way to inject some comfort and warmth to your white room is to use plenty of different textures within the scheme. White loose-covered linen sofas, bundles of fluffy cushions, a sumptuous rug and full-length white curtains with a textured pattern will all go towards creating a look that is both fresh and cosy at the same time. Vary the finishes you opt for too — matt whites with gloss whites, for example.

To help things looked lived-in and avoid a ‘Please Don’t Touch’ feel in your all-white room, avoid too many straight lines and use throws, mix-and-match pieces of furniture and include lots of personal touches, such as photographs.

Make sure you think through your lighting scheme too — a harsh overhead central pendant will do nothing for an all-white scheme, whilst a selection of well-place table and wall lamps will.

White Stands the Test of Time

Unlike interior schemes that rely heavily on a very bold colour or pattern to anchor them, a predominantly white scheme will continue to look great for years to come. The beauty of this type of timeless decorating is that you can update it as fashions change using accessories such as wall art, cushions and decorative items for far less than it costs to undertake a whole redecoration project.