We are not speaking here about antique black or black white or a nice Bavarian cream white. They are all lovely colours and they have their own place. But we’re referring to white-white, the type of white which architects love. The type of white that is as crisp and fresh as a snowflake.

Everyone makes it. Behr has Polar White. Sherwin-Williams has Super White. Benjamin Moore has the White of Decorator. The list goes on, and to be sure, there are subtle differences — some are bluer or grayer or yellower. A positively true bright white is an issue of your eye and the light, and what direction your windows face. (Bright white looks better on south-facing walls than northern facing ones, by the way.)

But regardless of minor gradations, we could all agree — even those people who adore color — that nothing appears quite so clean and confident because a superwhite white.

So put it everywhere. Or everywhere. As San Francisco designer Chloe Warner says, “The only place I would never do bright white is on a ceiling. It just looks like someone forgot to paint”

Rethink Design Studio

Go Big or Go Home: The All-White Room

Ceiling, flooring, walls, trim. An all-white room is a blank canvas just waiting for one to make it your own. It may go old or new, modern or cabin, but it typically goes spare. Bright white is simplicity and minimalism, maybe not opulence.

Jeanette Lunde

Bright goes with sunlight. This dining area has “spare Scandinavian” written around it.

Neslihan Pekcan/Pebbledesign

A crisp, all-white room isn’t just cozy, but it is calming. There’s no distracting clutter allowed in a room such as this, because everything which isn’t white pops into attention. I love the comparison of this conventional painting with all the modern white walls.

Jeanette Lunde

Another spare living area. A botanical theme (reflected from the prints and the leaves from the vase) adds a few earthy organic-ness to the entire thing.

California Home + Design

Pop Up: Bright White With Hits of Color

White is a fantastic alternative if you are a collector of items or artwork. Nothing makes color and pattern soda just like bright white. And it provides even kids’ scribbles a gallery-style background.

Chronicle Books

Bright white is the color of choice for an eclectic area where one color is not dominant and the eye is split among lots of vibrant shots of color. Anything else on these walls will muddy the result.

Dans le Townhouse

Vivid color, meet white. Both will get along swimmingly, what with your contrasting but complementary personalities and all.

Jill Sorensen

Blue turns bright white beachy, particularly navy blue. But turquoise does it also.

Feldman Architecture, Inc..

Vegetable and Mineral: Bright White and Wood

If you want to bring out a gorgeous piece of wood, while it is a desk or any trim, go bright white. Every line of grain appears to show up when wood is against white.

More wood with bright white. The wood warms the white up, and the white makes the wood look clear and modern.

RANERE DESIGN GROUP

The Impact Length: Bright White Trim

A bright white trim makes wall colours seem clean and crisp. It looks especially good with dark colours and helps keep a room with dark paint bright.

Chloe Warner

“I love Benjamin Moore Atrium White to get supercrisp trim, woodwork, and picture rails,” says Warner. “My favourite is when there is background below the picture rail and a small tint above — the white actually snaps into consideration”

Pottery Barn Kids

Benjamin Moore Natura Paint, Decorator’s White – $52.99

Decorator’s White is the classic bright white paint.

Benjamin Moore

Chantilly Lace Paint

Chantilly Lace is just the teeniest bit warm (yellow).

Pottery Barn

Benjamin Moore Aura Paint, Super White – $65.99

It should be known as super-de-dooper white.

More:
How to Obtain the Proper White

More Ways to Design With White

An Architect’s Guide to Color

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