I haven’t always lived inside a tone-on-tone palette or under a rainbow of white at home. As a newlywed, I was cuckoo for all things French country teal. Blue-green patterns wallpapered bedroom walls. Blue stripes boldly brightened the bath. Mauve floral papers elevated a rosy glow in the kitchen and dining room. Then the babies came to our teeny bungalow, where we chose cheerful periwinkles and sunny yellows. The calm beauty of mixing whites came when the boys reached adolescence. (A teens-in-the-house-chaos antidote with tender solace of white?) Yep. I still welcome interiors with white to colorful chaos!
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Cloud Living & Interiors With White
If my preferences were still bold color, high contrast, and frequent decorating refreshes…blog traffic would likely be through the roof!
Since I’m not into faking it for profit with aspirations to grow popular, I’m okay with sticking with a color story that reflects where I’m at in this pocket of time.
Inside our Georgian style home, the walls are varying shades of greige, while trims are bright white. When we moved in, I wasn’t sure about keeping all the grey. Remember how I painted every single thing white in our previous home?
After all, white is perfect when cloud living is your jam. When you’re after an ethereal, tranquil, spacious, whispery mood.
But which white is the right white?
I field such questions every single day…and the right white depends on a variety of factors. Pssst. If you SUBSCRIBE, you’ll have access to my experience and help. When you simply hit “reply” to the email with your daily blog post, you can feel free to ask specific design questions!
Interiors With White Paint Colors
If you have visited this blog for long, you know white paint and decor are hot topics. Have we exhausted them yet? I suppose as long as there is a someone googling “which white” there’s more to say.
A white perfect in my house could be all wrong for yours. In fact, before I painted newly built walls in the entry with Repose Gray, I tried the white from our previous home:
It was all wrong and even felt institutional. In fact, it became clear to me a patterned wallpaper was the answer. However, in our prior home, OC-151 refreshed walls, trim, and ceiling. The existing architecture felt fresh and new.
Whites are perceived differently according to the quality of light entering a room as well as the region where you live.
To score the proper white paint color, it is imperative to sample several similar contenders.
It is also important to note that the ideal white for your space may not contain “white” in the color’s name.
Agreeable Gray may sound like a boring bestselling neutral from Sherwin-Williams, yet it is popular for good reason. It can read warm, moody or atmospheric depending on the environment. Certain colors are chameleon-like and can become a neutral backdrop for a variety of furniture and decorations.
See this for more advice choosing white paint colors.
Layering, Texture & The Mix
So many armchair designer pros on social media dismiss white decor as safe. Getting white right is not as simple as inexperienced critics imagine. Getting the mix right requires skill. Layering neutrals, mixing warm and cool whites, and adding texture demands artistry.
Texture can in some cases be introduced by uncovering the windows to allow the outdoors to speak as a layer.
(Admire the siding color above? Mix 50% of Cornforth White No. 228 with 50% of Hardwick White No. 5 for a custom Hello Lovely creamy neutral!)
Texture With a Low Contrast White Palette
In our former bedroom, an accent wall with Stikwood (Hamptons White) introduced texture to a Northern exposure white bedroom. While I was initially opposed to trending shiplap or anything rustic, I had nothing to fear.
The texture of the panels served all sorts of purposes. That wall needed a source of tension with more refined elements. When things feel too frou frou or precious, I know it’s not done. The rough texture in contrast with sumptuous white bedding felt just right.
Even antique linens and vintage grainsack can create such tension. If it is cloud living that feels livable and luxe, it helps to mix in old and weathered things.
You can always look outdoors for inspiration since nature is hard to beat as a mix master of coarse textures and velvety preciousness.
Notice the Mostly Low Contrast Happening
While you’ll find a few moments with deep charcoal and black, I’m mostly drawn to low contrast.
Those gentle transitions often feature understated, faded, or subtle tones.
Is White Impractical for Daily Living?
You should know I’m a boy mama whose sons were wild and not at all interested in preserving the pristine environments where our living happens.
Does daily living become easier (or more forgiving) with colorful rooms?
As far as I can tell, there is still day to day dust, smudges, streaks, and staining happening no matter what the decor. I like being able to address the stuff of life immediately. What say ye?
Psst. If you haven’t entered this incredible giveaway at Ulta…
I hope you win!
Glimpses of 2013 Me & Warm Whites Just After Prophylactic BRCA Surgeries
It’s still October and breast cancer awareness month, so here’s a blast from the past after I chose to lower my 87% risk of developing BC by bidding goodbye to the tissue that may have grown problematic.
Breast cancer is actually deadly on both sides of my family. Some of my aunts passed away in their 40s with the aggressive nature of our genetic mutation and the disease. I’m happy to report my mom remains in remission from cancer. While she lives with a significant amount of daily pain and physical limitations, we thank God for all of the tender mercies flowing her way.
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Peace to you right where you are.
-michele
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