All white is better than all right!

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House in Yoro, AIRHOUSE DESIGN OFFICE AIRHOUSE DESIGN OFFICE Living room
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Having an entirely white room in your home can have many advantages. It is true that the thought of all-white living spaces can seem a bit intimidating and that the results could conceivably be sterile or impersonal. This does not, however, have to be the case! All-white is a current trend that brings with it a sleek and modern feel.

The living room is an excellent space to experiment with an all-white style. Such a living room will feel light and bright, creating a refreshing and peaceful atmosphere. Creating such a look is not just a matter of leaving out colour of tone and it can easily go quite wrong. No need to fret though, since homify will give you a few pointers to how you can obtain that all-white look without it being bland or boring.

When it comes to walls

Just picking any other colour with which to paint your walls, choosing the right white is an important task. This should not be shrugged off and trivialised by the idea that “It’s all white, isn’t it?” It really isn’t. Different tones of white can be white can differ from each other by immense amounts.

The best course of action is to get a list of trusted white hues from your paint store, take these samples home and decide for yourself which would be best. An egg shell white is a good option, with a soft hue that breaks the harshness of brilliant white. Try this one first.

Statement pieces

With a lack of bold hues in your living room, you will have to start looking at alternative ways in which you can bring in some visual interest. Naturally, your furniture will be your first port of call when it comes to trying to bring in such interest. There are several ways which you can go about using furniture to achieve this visual interest, which we will look at here.

Firstly, opt for large and bold furniture pieces to give your room definition – all white, of course! If you have a few large, statement pieces of furniture, you will have a good foundation on which to continue. Now you can start layering over these pieces with different hues of white to create depth and interest. The art of layering will take you a long way in monochromatic designs.

Something old, something new

If you are quite sentimental about your existing furniture pieces or think that you can still get good use out of it instead of buying a complete new set, there is a trick you can use to obtain your entirely white living room. Why not paint old furniture pieces white? In this manner you can keep the traditional look of your old furniture, but give it an exciting modern twist.

Think of wooden pieces and Victorian-style sets. Practically any solid, hard surface furniture can be painted white, if it is treated properly. You might want to reconsider when you have vintage pieces made from rare and lovely wood. Your best options for repainting will be those pieces already damaged or well on its way.

Before just jumping in with the painting, though, you have to prepare your wood pieces properly. All wooden pieces will need some sanding and possibly a primer. After this you can paint it in the white hue of your choice, and it would be good to end it off with a sealant to preserve the paintwork and provide general protection.

Re-upholster

So, if you really want that all-white living room design, but you don’t want to go to the trouble of working out a new budget and setting aside well-earned money for the task, there are other ways in which you can obtain the advantages of this pristine style. Besides repainting old furniture as mentioned above, you can also opt for re-upholstering your old furniture.

Although there will be some costs involved in getting a professional to re-upholster your pieces, it will certainly be much less than buying new ones! What’s more, re-upholstery will bring new life to old and worn furniture, making everything seem fresher and well-suited to the brilliance of the white theme.

When re-upholstering, choose fabrics that are stain-resistant or easy to clean. We can all imagine the perils involved with all white spaces and potential stains!

All lit up

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When it comes to rooms that are entirely white, excellent lighting will be required to compliment this subtle and classic style. Synthetic light such as fluorescents may be very harsh on white surfaces, and consequently strenuous on the eye. So when it comes to lighting up your all-white living room, opt for the most possible natural light, or if this is not possible, incandescent. This will provide a warm illumination which highlights the subtle differences between the different hues of white used, creating depth and visual interest.

The best way to get the space well-lit is by flooding it with natural light during the day (so windows without treatments), and to have multiple sources of light for darker times. This can be achieved with several lamps, including a combination of table, wall, ceiling and floor lamps.

Keep it clean and minimal

Now we are down to finishing touches and maintenance issues. In order to keep your all-white spaces pristine and in that brilliant white condition, you will have to be mindful of a few tips when it comes to maintenance. It is important to keep your white space clean, as dust and stains will definitely spoil the whole effect. As mentioned with re-upholstery, invest in materials and fabric that are hardy and resistant to stains, or alternatively, easily cleanable.

The next step in maintenance is to de-clutter all of the time. Don’t let your white living room get full of unnecessary items that are not conducive to the white atmosphere or break the white rhythm. Although de-cluttering is a good rule to follow in your home in general, it is of utmost importance in an all-white living room.

If you're keen on the all-white idea but are not sure if your living room is the right space for it, take a look at: The White Kitchen – Yay or Nay?

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