While painting rooms (or whole houses) white is not for everyone - I love the look! I had always been nervous about painting my house white (or substantial parts of it) for fear of it looking too plain but got to try it out quite by happenstance. When we renovated our previous home we had to move into an apartment for a year that had been painted all white. While the white wasn't my favourite, I really loved how our art, furniture, and carpets looked with such a simple backdrop. The apartment was south facing and so flooded with light, it also really helped sell me on the white. White looks amazing with natural light!
Gorgeous apartment in NY city.
White with wooden built-ins - amazing!
While we didn't paint our entire house white, we did paint our family room and kitchen both white. We painted all of our hallways/entry ways a very light warm grey as they help to hide dirt a bit more than white. Did I mention we have four kids and a dog : ) I absolutely loved the way those rooms felt!
Our kitchen painted white.
Something that I learned while choosing the whites that were used in the house is that not all whites are created equal. Whites are really effected by direction (north/south/east/west) and by what other colours/wood tones are being used in the room. While we were able to use Wimborne White by Farrow & Ball throughout the kitchen and the kids bedrooms, it looked terrible in the family room. Thankfully we were able to use another white since the rooms are fully divided and so everything reads as the same colour, but it is something to watch for in an open concept space.
I have now done white rooms (and entire homes) for many clients and have developed a few favourites. My favourite overall white paint is also Benjamin Moore's colour of the year - Simply White OC117. I love this white as it's very clean but it doesn't feel sterile. Since it has a yellow undertone it works beautifully in north facing rooms. It also works very nicely with wood. Just one word to the wise, it takes multiple coats to get the true colour. A big pain if you are doing the painting yourself (I know!).
Benjamin Moore Simply White
Another favourite white of mine is Wimborne White by Farrow & Ball. Thankfully this paint only requires two coats (assuming you use a primer)! Although it looks very creamy on it's own, it looks very crisp against bright colours. I love this as a trim paint as well as on walls!
Farrow & Ball - Wimborne White
Another shot of Wimborne White
My go to white if I need a crisp, pure white is Chantilly Lace by Benjamin Moore. It has virtually no undertones and so works beautifully with carrera marble.
Cabinets are painted Chantilly Lace by Benjamin Moore.
Walls are painted Chantilly Lace by Benjamin Moore - looks great with carrera countertops!
I hope you've enjoyed looking at these white rooms. I realize white isn't for everyone but I have to say, I am definitely crushing on white : )