White Lightning
Thoughts on the economy got you down? White them out – and redecorate with one of the brightest stars of this summer’s color palette
www.myperfectcolor.com
1. Walking in a Summer Wonderland
Cool down by surrounding yourself with your favorite shade of white. Base your choice on the actual color, or their sweet-tooth names.
2. Country Cool
Take your bedroom down a notch. Dash in small, white décor pieces, such as nightstand lamps or serenely white window treatments. The whiter your décor, the better light will receive it.
3. Chop Chop
The menu isn't the only way to pump up your next
dinner party. Introduce your guests to a white-accented tabletop to create a whole new look.
Image courtesy Crate and Barrel
With the year’ s hottest months looming, it’ s a good idea to keep things cool and simple at home. Color experts say white is where it’ s at this season. Go bright and upbeat with stark white, or mellow out with softer tones – the choice is yours.
“White is so fresh and clean. It retracts the sun, keeps you cool and brings out all those qualities that remind you of summer,” says Ann McGuire, color consultant for Minneapolis -based Valspar and founder of Pennsylvania-based Beehive Studios Decorative Painting and Murals.
The great thing about white – whether you use it for summer or winter, or if you accompany it with cool or warm tones – is that it’ s so versatile. “For summer, it is great with any bright color; and of course, black and white remains a popular combination with splashes of bright colors as accents,” says Jackie Jordan, director of color marketing for Cleveland-based Sherwin-Williams Paints.
Then, too, there are the cerebral color combinations of white in ivory or taupe tones mixed with accent colors like lavender or blue. Color experts like McGuire and Jordan are thinking along the lines of soft purple tones or bright sky blue for an at-the-beach feel.
“There is also the minimal approach with white,” says Jordan, “for a more contemporary feel. Or simply change the texture of various elements in the room to make white the theme.”
As an accent color or the inspiration for a room, white in its myriad uses can work as a chameleon to boost your color scheme or to create an ambiance within itself. “I love a room with white, white, white,” says McGuire. “White bleached floors, white slip covers on furniture and throw pillows – there are so many directions you can go with white.”
Soothe your soul with a creamy white combined with deep chocolate tones, or, to liven things up, says McGuire, “You should bring in warmth with a cinnamon or rust.”
It’s comforting to know that with a base as simple as white, you can change the whole mood of your room. The crisper the tone, the more “uplifting,” McGuire says.
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