A PALE BEAUTY

An all-white colour palette brings a timeless sense of serenity to any space.

And in this case, when coupled with the textures of soft, worn cotton and sheer linen, the effect is instantly soothing; the perfect combination for a quiet reading room. The pared-down palette is reflected in a trio of stools painted white and their interesting shapes ensure the monochrome scene is anything but monotonous. Natural fibres in the rugs underfoot, on the cushions and the soft woven blanket break up the all-white scene and bring tactile pleasure to this living room. A wire installation by Cape Town-based designer and maker Heath Nash breaks up the blank canvas and brings in a quirky touch.

For a sun-splashed space, a cooler white works best while a warmer shade is best for rooms that don’t see as much light. Use no less than 1m of fabric when sampling and paint at least three tones on a wall to check its reaction to light across the day—some walls may even benefit from a different tone than others.