i spend a lot of time on photo shoots in homes which are painted floor-to-ceiling in white, so often i fail to be inspired by the allure of living inside a huge white box. a splash of colour is necessary for my sanity and often i find a bright white interior to be either too cold, too harsh and too clinical.
but every now and then, a photograph of a crisp white interior will catch my eye and make me gasp at it’s beauty. there is something to be said for the calming and serene effect of white-washed living, but for me there needs to be a gentle layering of white-upon-white to create a softer effect; tactile surfaces and a mixture of fabrics and finishes to create a welcoming hue of milky whites and creamier taupes, perhaps off-set with a hint of pale grey or natural slate.
photographer paul massey‘s home has exactly the right mix of white and natural hues. i was lucky enough to work on a couple of shoots in his old home, and was impressed by the way he sources such a beautiful mix of vintage treasures and layers up natural textures and fabrics in his home. the hits of rustic wood and tarnished steel add a beauty and softness which would be lacking if the home was entirely stark white.
{photographed by paul massey for living etc}
i also love working in stylist sally conran‘s home. her living room perfectly illustrates the elegance of white, off-set by a polished cherry wood floor and black fireplace. i love the black and white family photographs which adorn the walls, and the brass and pewter accessories on the side-board, and have long been in love with that soft white moroccan pouffe.
{stylist sally conran‘s home, shot for living etc}
but for me, a white house simply provides a blank canvas for highlighting the beauty of the furniture and accessories it contains, or the period features of the architecture. i love to see subtle layerings, or bright colour pops, and a creative use of pattern against the white backdrop…
{all images via living etc}
what about you? could you live in a minimalist white home?
I love the photos and yes I could. with a bit of Black thrown in.
I could if it would be something similar to Paul Massey’s photos. The first photo just urges me to start cleaning and tidying everything around!!
I’m afraid I couldn’t, I couldn’t confine my shopping list to only buying white. I buy what I love for my home, my challenge is then mixing it in together and doing it well enough to call it a ‘look’ my ‘look’. I couldn’t not buy an item that I adore because it only comes in green and not in white…
Love all your articles xx
An all-white home requires one to, you know, clean stuff. Sadly, I am not much of a homemaker, and therefore I think I am excluded by default from the white house club. Perhaps I should be living in an entirely patterned home, all the better to hide my slovenliness with?
i love white interiors but need some colours too…not top to bottom, just accents here and there, especially red.
The grey panelling in the last shot is quite an inspired choice. I like that. *taking notes*
p.s. is that kitchen the same one used in Sophie Dahl’s cookery show? Interesting. I’m not a total fan of super white rooms, but that one really works.
No, I don’t think so. The kitchen pictured is photographer Paul Massey’s and I’m sure Sophie’s is her own kitchen… they both have the same ‘shabby chic’ vibe though!
I would spend all day in my kitchen if it looked like hers, it’s gorgeous! x
You know what Heather, I’ve just been watching The Delcious Ms Dahl closely and I think you might be right! And when she goes into the garden, she picks some herbs from a wooden plant box with Massey’s on the side, which I know Paul definitely had in his old garden! Well done you with your eagle eyes! x
Well, you’ve discovered this the old fashioned way – well done! I must confess, I read an article about the property developer/owner who managed to secure a double paged spread after the programme was filmed. He’s now selling the property for a hefty sum.
From what you’re saying, it sounds like that was Massey’s house! Interesting…x
oh i love paul massey’s home, i have been coveting a kitchen like that.
and how cool is the inside of the ikea cabinet with the added gold .
i love that you spend your days in such glamorous surroundings :)
i must send you a photo of the ladies loo at a government clients – it is painted entirely ‘Psycho Pink’. With a mauve carpet (in a loo!) Crapet?
Le sigh.
When I bought my house I started up with almost only white furniture. But now five years later it has been mixed with a great deal of black main furniture, and all my accesories are kept in strong red, blue, green and yellow. It is very difficult to keep all in white when you have two small children as I have :-) But I love a lot of white, where it is the shapes and sufaces that creates the style.
White can be… well as you put it… clinical, harsh, cold. But it works beautifully in some instances, and to be honest… I wouldn’t mind trying my hand at an all white room;)