Choosing the correct white for your space.

Selecting the correct white for your home is really important to create the right ambiance. White is the essential base to your interior. While you may very well go and add splashes of colour as you continue on your home decoration journey a white canvas is the best place to start. Most white paints have a colour in their base undertone whether it be yellow, pink, green, grey/blue. Then there are whites that are relatively neutral and crisp. 

There are a few things affecting the choice of white in a room, which I have outlined below. I have also included a chart of selected DULUX whites to try depending on these factors. 

1. Aspect

   The direction a room faces and the amount of natural light that comes into this room will affect the choice of white. While of course for different rooms in your home this might change, it is important to take this into account.

   • NORTH facing homes in the southern hemisphere are generally very bright with plenty of natural light. Depending on how light your home is you might opt for a white with grey/blue undertones as the warmth of natural light can wash out the undertone leaving you with a crisp white. In my opinion choosing a crisp white would not be a good option for a north facing home as you may find yourself needing your sunnies inside. 

   • SOUTH facing homes may need a little warming up as the light they do receive is cooler.  So whites with a yellow undertone would be your best choice. 

   • EAST facing home may get plenty of light but obviously not throughout the day. Crisp whites can help to maintain the appearance of light all day.

   • WEST facing homes receive plenty of afternoon light which is more warming. Cooler grey/blue or crisp whites suit these rooms best.  

     
     

2. Flooring

   You may want to reduce the impact of flooring in the home for example; if you have deep jarrah coloured timber flooring that you dislike. The deep reds in the timber can be balanced by choosing  a green based white. By choosing a white with an undertone from the opposite colour of the colour wheel you create a crisp room. So not everything appears pink. Same goes for yellow pine flooring, by choosing a white with a blue undertone you can reduce the warmth of the yellow in a room. 
   
   

3. Outlook

The outlook of a room can reflect off the interior walls and create an ambience. Think about this when choosing a white and certainly if choosing a colour for this room. If you have an outlook with a lot of greenery, choosing a white with a pink base can counterbalance this to maintain a nice neutral hue in your room.

These are just a few examples of whites I like to use. It is always best to get a test pot of paint to try in each of the rooms you are painting and look at them at differing times of the day to see how they change. Happy painting!

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