The Perfect White

Ceilings get less light than walls so using the same colour on the ceiling will look darker than on a wall. Choose a half or quarter strength of your wall colour if you want your ceiling to look the same strength or lighter. If you have a very high ceiling and want to make it appear lower, choose a darker colour than your walls to bring it down.

Can whites be warm?

Warmer creamier whites are definitely making a comeback. Yellow, red and orange toned whites give off a warm glow and can help a dark room feel cosy and welcoming. Try warm whites like Resene Elderflower, a fizzy warm white, or Resene Half Cararra, a gauzy off-white cream to brighten your cooler space.

Cooler whites sit nicely with a more modern or industrial look, my pick is Resene Milk White as it is cool and clean without a hint of cream.

Which whites go together?

A variety of whites can be used in the same room, but make sure they are either warm or cool – don’t mix them. The letter at the beginning of the colour code indicates the base tone. For example, Y = yellow, B = blue.

Deciding whether you want to create a warm or cool space is the first step. Warm tones of white come from yellow, brown, orange and red. Cooler tones come from blue, green and grey and are great for calming down north-facing rooms. Vary the strengths and sheen levels to add interest.

What about a white on white scheme?

An all-white scheme can create a very elegant, timeless and relaxing space but can also run the risk of being one dimensional and clinical, so mix it up with layers and textures to bring the room to life.

Varying sheen levels will help to overcome this, rough textures add warmth and deepen a colour while shiny textures bounce light around, feeling more spacious. Use Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss on architraves and skirting boards and Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen on walls for variation.

Resene Colour Consultant Honor Moore is passionate about the difference colour and paint can make to a home. If you have a paint, colour or wallpaper query, visit your Resene ColorShop for expert advice, or book an appointment with a Resene Colour Expert online.

Photography: Marc Herbulot. December 2018

▸ Download a PDF of this article

Decorating and design ideas, tips and inspiration
View more articles from Latitude magazine in the Resene decorating inspiration gallery.

View articles