Decorating with Winter Whites
Now that the New Year has begun it’s a good time to freshen up our homes with some new décor. Winter whites are a time-honored tradition and enhance any interior from rustic country to sleek urban. Decorating with white throughout your home is both practical and easy! Several tips are provided below along with reasons why white is a proven color to brighten your living space.
Scandinavian countries, especially Sweden, were among the first to popularize white interior design. This arose from the long winters where there was little sunlight. It was necessary, particularly before electricity, to find a way to make the home lighter inside. By whitewashing walls and floors in addition to painting furniture white, the effect was achieved. In fact, various cultures around the world have historically used white. Throughout ancient Greece and Rome, temples and basilicas were fashioned from white marble, in what eventually became known as classical architecture. We can see this legacy today in the White House and other government buildings in Washington, D.C. In eighteenth-century France during the reign of King Louis the XV, the Rococo period emerged featuring the colors of white and gold, depicting the most elegant and decadent style up to that time. White has also been used by cultures for very practical purposes, such as in Mexico and the American Southwest. In these hot regions, dwellings were made of whitewashed adobe to keep cool. As these examples illustrate, white has a fascinating history and its benefits extend far beyond decorating!
White can make a home feel fresh and clean while imparting a simple but elegant look. Another bonus is that white pairs well with any color and works with both traditional and modern décor. In short, you can’t go wrong with white! A good way to get started is with your home’s walls, as they are one of the most visible elements of any room. There are many different shades of white, including creams and ivories. If you want a softer look, choose an off-white color with a slight hint of yellow to bring winter warmth. Then select an accent color that can be used for wallpaper borders and other decorative elements. Blue is an excellent partner for white. This combination comes directly from nature: puffy white clouds against an azure sky or white sea foam on blue waves. Next, select some wall art to enhance your room. Flowers always look lovely and during winter, when they are not in bloom, one of the best ways to include them in your décor is through photographs. Fortunately, there are many white flowers of all shapes and sizes that blend perfectly with a winter white decorating scheme. One of my favorites is the snowball bush as shown in the photo above. The globular white flowers are contrasted by a pretty blue sky while the fluffy clouds add interest and depth to the image.
One of the best areas to decorate with white is the bedroom since it lends an air of peace and serenity. Since childhood I’ve always had white bedroom sets in various styles from colonial to whitewashed country pine. Wool or chenille bedspreads in different creamy shades make a comfortable winter retreat. In warmer seasons, bed coverings may be replaced by crisp cottons or silky satins. Dressing tables and nightstands are good places to display floral photographs, too. An excellent selection for any season is “Snowbound Dahlia,” a gorgeous, pure white flower that grows up to nine inches wide. I took this photo while visiting a dahlia farm in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. As seen in the image below, the blue sky, dark green leaves, and burgundy flowers in the background all serve to make the white dahlia appear even more radiant!
Once you have chosen a photo to display, care must be taken to select a frame and mat that goes with your room’s décor. I recommend bringing the photo to the frame store and laying it against several different mats to decide which is best. Mats are available in various textures, such as linen or even suede, and come in double-mat styles with borders in accent colors. If you want a traditional look, wood frames in painted and natural finishes are always a good choice. For a more modern style, try metal frames in shiny silver or gold tones.
It’s easy to extend the white decorating scheme beyond winter by changing your accent colors. For spring, you may add some yellow around your house to bring the sunshine indoors (see my previous blog post on color therapy). The photo shown below “Matilija Poppy Bouquet” features an eye-catching combination of white and yellow, along with some other spring colors like green and pink. This whimsical poppy is native to California and is sometimes called the fried egg flower because of its center resembling a yolk! The ripples in the petals, light and shadows, geometric arrangement of the bouquet, and contrast of the soft flowers against the hard concrete all contribute to a captivating image. Be sure to look through my Flowers gallery for other white flowers, such as “Magnolia Blossom,” which was featured previously in another of my blog posts.
This winter try decorating with white and see how it lightens and refreshes your living space. Once you have experienced the simple elegance of white, experiment with it throughout the year by trying different accessories and fabrics in your favorite accent colors. Remember white goes with everything so your home will always look great and reflect your own unique style. Now that’s a New Year’s resolution everyone can celebrate!
Sources
Hoppen, Stephanie. White on White: Creating Elegant Rooms with Classic Whites. New York: Bulfinch Press, 2000.
Larmoth, Jeanine. Decorating with White. New York: Hearst Books, 1996.
