Decorating with the color white

White is the color that most people consider a non-color. It does not clash with anything because it is neutral. It is the universal color. It is a great decorating option as long as you don’t overdo it. If you do too much white in your home, you end up with a sterile look. Nobody wants their house to look cold. Does that mean that you have to avoid white? Not at all, you just need to use it judiciously.

First, not all whites are created equal. You may be amazed to know that there are many shades of white, some are much crisper than other. There are antique whites, cream white, snow white, china white and many more. White is a very reflective color and it can help to create a feeling of light and space in a small space but at the same time, it can pull together the elements in a larger space.

White can really be used in any room in the home. In the kitchen, white is a popular color for cabinets, counter tops, appliances and even for floors. To create drama you can use a dark or a bright color with white. Black and white has always been a popular combination and the contrast is an amazing design statement. Other popular colors to mix with white in the kitchen are blue or red, especially in Europe.

In the living room, white is a brave and dramatic choice for furniture maybe not so practical if you have a family. Pottery Barn has a white slip covered sofa for those families who want that wow factor that a white sofa provides but also want to be able to wash the sofa cover. If you prefer to go the other direction you can place some white on the walls and put the color in the furniture.

If you are not quite ready for a big dose of white in the living area of your home using white as an accent color on the woodwork or an accent wall can help you to ease your way into the white world. White throw pillows, white photo frames or small white touches can be very effective.

Bathrooms are often almost entirely white. This is a great place to experiment with color combinations with white. White works well with bright colors as well as pastels in the bathroom. If you have subway tile then black and white is the way to go with maybe chrome as the accent color or red.

In the bedroom, white is a crisp and clean color for bedding. Jewel colors are especially pretty in the bedroom. If your room is small, you can do three walls white and use color on one accent wall. A creamy white goes well with fall colors of gold, orange, green and brown.

White offers a wide variety of design options in your house. You can start small and add different whites to your rooms from top to bottom or just in the accessories. White is one of the most versatile colors that you can use and in combination will give you a clean, upscale and warm look.