ALL WHITE NOW
Simplicity of a perfect canvas from most popular paint colour
THERE’S JUST SOMETHING so serene about an all-white room. Easy and versatile, timeless and long-lasting, it’s a hue that suits any interior and can be used in every room of the house.
White is a popular choice — in fact whites take out the top eight spots of Resene’s top selling paints, the top four being Resene Black White, Resene Alabaster and Resene Half Black White and Resene Sea Fog. White lends an air of simplicity and offers the perfect canvas for your choice of furnishings. Minimalists love white, traditionalists love white, modern lovers love white. It offers endless possibilities and while some may perceive a white scheme as plain, with a bit of planning and an endless array of Resene whites, off-whites and creams to choose from there are plenty of clever ways to offer variation and highlight special features.
White walls offer a calming foundation on which to build your home’s ambience, rather like when everything is covered in a blanket of white — ahh, peace. A white scheme is a minimalist’s dream but it will also have a calming effect and create the perfect backdrop to a collector’s paradise. Quite simply, white can suit any style of house and be tailored to anyone’s taste.
Choose your base colour
Not all whites were created equal and there are a huge range of subtle variations to choose from — and that’s before we get into cream. Some whites have cool undertones like Resene Half White Pointer and others are warm such as Resene Rice Cake. Warm whites have an undertone colour of yellow, orange and red while cool whites have an undertone of blue, green and purple. Warm whites will be easier to blend with cream and beige, and cool whites will mix best with shades of grey so think about your furnishings when you’re making this choice. Once you’ve decided, it’s a good idea to stick with either a cool or warm base throughout your space. If you are unsure about the undertones of a particular white, hold a swatch up against a swatch of pure white such as Resene White or a piece of white paper and all will be revealed.
Mixing whites with cream
If you like a lot of colour in your room schemes, a soft cream will be a better bet for keeping colour in check than white. White is, however, the perfect base for grey, which can work well in kitchens and bathrooms. But whites and creams don’t have to be exclusive — they are actually perfect bedfellows. Using creams like Resene Bianca will help warm the white further and keep your space light and bright while bringing some variation. Think about using white for walls and cream as an accent colour to highlight skirting boards, architraves and window frames or flip the colours with creamy walls and whiter trims.
Room by room
White reflects light so it is great to open up small spaces but it will give a clean, bright look to almost any living area. Cool whites work well in brightly lit areas such as a north-facing space which warm whites can be used to make a south-facing room more welcoming. Consider your particular space when you are choosing which white to use.
In kitchens, try off-white cabinets with clean white walls and try adding cream with accessories such as your kettle, toaster and storage containers. Another popular kitchen and bathroom scheme is the teaming of cool grey with a grey-white such as Resene Triple Merino to add depth while maintaining a super-clean look. Some may find greys a little cool though and in this case using an off-white can warm things up for a more friendly atmosphere.
In a bedroom, an all-white scheme can encourage the mind and the eyes to relax by virtue of its intentional lack of stimulation. Try a combination of white and off-white for a restful atmosphere or use cream for a more traditional vibe. A traditionalist would argue that ivory like Resene China Ivory, ecru like Resene Ecru White or cream like Resene Bianca is more suitable than bright white like Resene Alabaster for a bedroom because of the intimacy the warm undertones create.
Think about the combination of colours used in the bedroom when you are making your choice between white and cream as your wall colour. Pops of colour can work well with white but dark colours can be better with cream. Black and white is a popular bedroom choice — a clean white will accentuate the effect while a cream will soften it, creating a bridge between the contrasting colours. In the living room, which tends to be the largest space in the house, try mixing a clean white ceiling with off-white walls for an expansive, bright and welcoming feel.
Top tips
Having trouble deciding which tone of paint to use? Creamy whites like Resene Pearl Lusta may seem too traditional but clean, true whites can feel too clean. The answer of course is to mix the two for a classic, sophisticated palette.
White has long been the go-to wall colour for fans of modernist architecture and minimalism. And it’s not by coincidence it’s the most recommended choice to appeal to buyers if you are looking to sell.
If you’re hoping to tone down something bold with white, forget it. The reverse is true. White accentuates colour so it’s ideal as a contrast against bold features such as showing off architectural mouldings against a block colour door or wall.
Bear in mind that whites and creams look different in different lights and can reflect other dominant colours in the room or from window views. Take a trip to your local Resene ColorShop to pick up Resene test pots to trial your choices at home.
Consider your furnishings when you choose your paint. If your home features a lot of warm timber a warm off-white will tone well whereas if you want to create contrast with a brightly coloured sofa or cushions you might prefer to opt for a purer white like Resene Alabaster.
To add further variety to your white/ cream scheme, think about different paint techniques such as sponging and ragrolling which can add texture and personality.
If you are changing from bold walls to whites, it can be hard to imagine how any white will look. An easy step to take is to paint all the walls in Resene Quick Dry primer undercoat. This will give you clean white walls so that you can pick your new colour without being distracted by your old colour.
Even the most colourful homes usually have whites and neutrals in some areas, such as trims and joinery and the ceiling. If you are planning bold colours in each room, the white or neutral you choose for your trim and joinery may be the unifying colour that you use in each room.