Working with white

Why white

Why white? Because it’s so versatile. When you’re decorating, you’ll discover a wealth of Resene “whites” with varying touches of yellow, green, brown or grey to turn them into a huge array of shades. The Resene Whites & Neutrals collection is home to a host of whites. White is timeless, allowing you to change out accessories to ring in the fashion changes. It’s elegant and relaxing, and makes a room look larger.

Warm whites have become popular, offering a feeling of nostalgia and comfort, says Resene colour consultant Meryl Southey. “White is the most reflective colour so is easily manipulated,” she says. That’s especially true if white is used with a semi-gloss paint. Matte paints such as Resene SpaceCote Flat will give a chalkier soft finish.

Warm vs cool

Ask yourself if you want the space to feel cooler, crisper, warmer or brighter? Using a cool white or a warm white will give you quite a different feel. The red, orange, yellow and brown-based whites are good for rooms that need warming up, say on the south side of the house, while those with a touch of grey and some of those with green or blue undertones are good for taking the visual heat out of north-facing rooms.

In warmer, northern areas of the country, grey whites are popular. But in cooler, southern climes, warm yellower whites are more commonly used. Cool whites such as Resene Alabaster tend to suit more contemporary interiors. Consider your fixed finishes, says Meryl. Lots of glass suits cooler whites, whereas wood and textured items may suit a warmer white.

More than any other colour, whites and off-whites are influenced by other elements in the room. If you have off-white walls and a lot of green accessories, expect your walls to take on a green look.

Comparing whites side by side is misleading. You need negative or neutral space to understand the colour in your white, hence the advice to paint out Resene testpots of your whites leaving a paperwhite border around the outside.

Wonderful whites

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