13 tips for choosing the right white paint for your interior space
We all love a white interior, right? Although, it is not always as simple as paint it white, how many people have painted a colour and it looks different from what you expect? I have agonised over which white and these are my insights.
Picking a white paint is not an easy task, many factors effect and can change how the colour looks in the room. The amount of natural light, aspect of your property, colour of flooring, window treatments and even light bulbs colour can change how it look on the walls.
The tone of white within one room can change from wall to wall, the colour of the floor will bounce off the walls, I’ve had clients tell us we have painted the wrong colour due to black plastic on the floor turning the walls grey.
Here are a few tips to remember when choosing the right white for your room:
Undertone is everything - learn how to read the Dulux colour atlas to understand the colours added to make the white tone. A base white in Dulux is called Vivid White, it is a flat white that is neither cool or warm. The problem with Vivid white is that is doesn’t cover existing paint or any imperfections on the walls well and can look clinical.
Warm whites - typically yellow, red undertone
Cool whites - blue, green undertone
Context - such as architectural period, surrounding environment, purpose of the space. Traditional homes with smaller windows are better suited to warm whites.
Sun study - understand how the sun moves over your property site, this changes from Winter to Summer and over the day. Generally speaking North Facing rooms have the best natural light throughout the day.
Natural light - rooms that receive little natural light usually South facing or under verandahs etc benefit from a white with a little warm, Dulux Whisper White is my personal favourite and it has done wonders for brightening up our hall and South facing bedroom. Natural white is a Dulux’s top selling warm white.
Large open plan North facing rooms such as those in contemporary homes can carry off a bright crisp white or whites with grey undertones. Lexicon and White on White give that bright fresh white feel.
Mood - how do you want the room to feel? Colour psychology is a whole other blog topic! If you are trying to create an intimate, moody space white may not be a wise choice.
Space opener - white paint reflects light making the space feel larger
Purpose of the space - white is a perfect background for displaying art, neutral that works with all colour schemes, great for open plan living and communal spaces
Do you have children? Make sure you paint a good quality paint if using white, a trade quality or cheap paint will not cut it. You need to be able to wipe it down to remove finger prints
Colour is only one element of design, make sure you think about other elements to create visual interest and realise the design intent of your space. Always be authentic you who you are and the story of your family.
Always, always do a test pot, do a large paint out and see how it changes in the space over the day.
Dulux White on White - fresh, bright, cool white
Dulux White on White - fresh, bright, cool white
I really hope that these tips help you choose the right white for your space.
If you are in Dubbo or surrounding area, I recommend heading into Inspirations Paint and chatting to Gene. They are own preferred supplier and really look after our business, so a little shout out and plug for supporting local businesses.