We been getting a bit off track lately, at least in the sense that we’re not talking about color themes as much as we used to, but that’s going to change starting now because we’ve been getting all kinds of hits looking for color ideas. So today is a new day and we might as well start with the most universal interior color ever, white.

I’ve always talked about white walls working if there is a huge contrast in the furnishings or art on the walls. This room (sorry for the bad scan) says it all. Not only does it show it, the designer Toby Zack brought the outside in. It’s almost as if she suggested the travertine stone for the fireplace after she saw the terra cotta roof across the water way. The stone carries through to the master bath area which is very lean with the mere essentials of a lavish tub, sinks dropped in to honey cabinetry and large picture windows separated with black mullions. The black creates some nice lines outside the very sterile bath area.

The simplicity of this room is compelling because of the beautiful view. It gives that spacious feeling. If it were me, I’d feel like jumping out of bed in the early a.m. and do a bit of ballet even though I’m not trained at all. You could just jump all around the room with this simple floor plan.

Imagine a bulky traditional bedframe and end tables in this room. Would it work? Maybe, but it wouldn’t give you that freedom to move. The designer really knew what she was doing by creating the sleek lines in the platform bed adding the softness with the padded leather. The carpet is also a plush and if you’ve ever walked on an expensive plush carpet, it’s like heaven. I mean, that’s total comfort.

For traditional homes, I’ve seen all white walls work very well. The furniture can be either very monotone or have a medium texture with very traditional lines. There can be lots of chatzkis around as well. Then, POW! Put a nice big abstract up in a focal point. This works. It doesn’t work very well with loud prints and then loud paintings. That is overdoing it, in my opinion.

Also, white walls look terrible on “knock down” plaster. I’m a bit biased because I hate orange peel. I’m so happy the builders are finally letting go of this easy way out when it comes to finishing walls. I’d be just as happy if they went back to straight corners and got rid of the rounded bull nose corners. If you have these type of walls, you know how hard changing colors can be when you are trying to make a transition from one room to another room.

There is something to be said about white. It is clean, pure and elegant. If you have nice flat walls give it a shot. With the right art on the wall and you’ve got it . If all else fails, pick a color and paint away.

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

Browse Timeline

• « Artwalk – A Look at Illustrator Mark McDonnell
• » Weekenders – February 1, 2007

Comments ( 1 Comment )

Add a Comment