I tend to not listen to my mother, I think it is some sort of chemical thing between daughters and mothers that if a mother says yes you say no or if a mother encourages a daughter to do something it is nature for her to dig her heels in and say no. For instance when I got to college my mother insisted that I look up the daughter of her best friend whom she had lost touch with since we moved away from North Carolina... naturally I did not look this girl up, nor did she look me up. So mid-semester out one night, no doubt up to no good, my new college buddy and I realized our mom's were best friends from childhood...of course my mother was right (in fact I am sure she is smiling right now reading those words- I may regret having put them on the internet!) So to this day she remains one of my best friends and today is her birthday! And while we were roommates in college we had slightly different paths, I spent hours in the sewing lab learning how to install hidden zippers while she spend hours in the bio lab getting ready for dental school- and so today she has a fabulous chic dental practice- who would ever put those words together? but really it is just like she is, smart and savvy yet stylish at the same time.
So in her honor today is a white out! I have always said I hate white walls, but let me clarify, I hate builder beige walls. White, when it has a purpose is stunning. I have dreamed about living in a sleek modern house with all white walls and all white furniture-and then I wake up because I could never survive that- I love color way too much. But white does have it's place.
For me, white is the perfect accent or accessory. Lighting is a great and surprising place to use white- and I don't mean a white fluorescent fixture in the laundry room but using gorgeous white milk glass like these lamps by Robert Abbey or instead of a traditional crystal chandelier use one made out of white glass- it is dramatic and unexpected without being too foreign of a concept. Furnishings have also taken a shine to the white out...it started about 2 years ago you really started to see good white finishes appearing in the showrooms of good quality furniture- sorry I am not taking about Ikea (love me some Ikea) I am talking about handmade furniture- and there were tons of kick backs from nay-sayers who could not believe you would use a white finish on quality case goods...but here is the the dirty little secret- If you buy a really nice case good or a wood trimmed upholstery piece and jump on board the white train- if you get sick of it- it sands right off and you can refinish it any way you please! Seriously- that is the beauty of a good quality piece of furniture.
And for those of you who do want to go the white upholstery route consider these two concepts...1. Slip covers- not the universal ones- there are companies out there that specialize in slipcovered furniture and it is not all shabby chic either- check out Lee Industries for starters they do some great sustainable practices as well! 2. Treat your fabric- and not our old friend Scotch Guard- any upholstery company will offer to have the fabric commercially treated before it is made into your sofa, however many sales people don't know this is available, it is in the wordy part at the beginning of the price list- have them check...I bet I'm right! It costs a little more but you will not be sorry.
Now for the walls- there is a difference between builder beige and white- if you live in a new-ish house and you think your walls are white- put a piece of printer paper up to them...beige right? crisp clean bright white is great on trim work no matter what color your walls are. But white walls don't have to be stark or even flat for that matter there are amazing wall treatments right now for that. Benjamin Moore has a line of paints that have a pearlish quality to them- not quite metallic but not flat- they give a depth and warmth to white, or your a wall paper in a white on white pattern. Or if you are really bold use bamboo pulp wall tiles to make your wall a focal point (you can paint these too). Or if you are the type that just can't turn your brain off, use white board paint on your walls! It is still kind of pricey and any imperfections show but it will improve and price will come down...just look at chalkboard paint.
So no matter what your style there is always room for a little white, or a lot of white. and to send a cringe through you all I will mention that Christmas is 61 nights away- (i follow Santa on twitter and he uses nights not days to count it down- just makes good sense!) so why not go white this year with your holiday decorations?
Photos: Country Living, 2 Modern, Cyan Design, Robert Abbey, Apartment Therapy
Gray is often omitted early on by people because it is considered cold and boring but I disagree- I love gray and think it is a great neutral- way better than builder beige! Pearl gray is soft and romantic and can make a room feel quite bright. and then you get deeper into the charcoals and brownish grays (yes gray works really well with brown leather!) and you get a rich, warm masculine feel- Guys-dark gray is so much more sophisticated than black- trust me! Dark grays make a great option for major upholstery pieces(- especially if you have a black dog) it is forgiving and will go with nearly anything you want to mix with it.
