Creating Chic & Cozy White Rooms

Cozy White Rooms That are Chic and Inviting – Not Cold and Impersonal

Many people believe that white is the absence of color and bland, but this is not the case. White actually comes in many different shades and tones to create a wide variety of moods in a room.

A pure white is quite rare and most shades of white have another color as an undertone, such as white or blue, which make the white warm or cool. There is a virtual wonderland of white tones to choose from, all with their own unique appeal and character.

Selecting a warm white with pink tones adds a graceful and soft element to your décor. On the other hand, a cool white with blue tones is sleek and modern. There are also elegant shades of ivory and cream that give a romantic allure to your walls. Soft shades of white, ivory and cream are easy on your eyes and glow much like a candle, while cool whites are boldly bright like fluorescent lighting.

White and Shabby Chic

No matter what wonderful white shade you choose, you can warm it up further with soft furnishings and accessories to make the room shabby chic instead of ordinary and cold. Shabby chic is not just a cool phrase; it’s a great way of decorating on any budget. Shabby chic is a term first used by Rachel Ashwell during the 1980s to describe home décor that is fresh, simple, casual and rumpled while being traditional, ornate, elegant and tidy.

Shabby chic is actually not as confusing as it sounds and it’s a versatile, easy way to make your home inviting. Combine white walls with simple color themes and your favorite furniture and artwork and you’ve achieved shabby chic. Often shabby chic involves using accessories and furnishing from the 1900’s to the 1950’s for the special appeal of Grandma’s house with a modern edge. Finally, shabby chic is based on a white-on-white theme or in some instances, a beige-on-beige motif.

Doing White Right

So how can you achieve shabby chic in your home? It’s quite simple; the first step is deciding which of your personal possessions, decorating accents and accessories you love and want to incorporate in your new room’s design scheme. For example, you can take an unusual, oversized antique vase and make it the center of when placed against warm white walls and creamy upholstered furnishings.

If you already have colored furniture, stick to one or two colors throughout the room and have white walls, accessories, curtains and rugs. Paint old wooden furniture white to fit into a shabby chic décor. Popular shades to include in shabby chic rooms are pale mossy green, the softest baby blue, light lilac purple and sweet petal pink.

Another ideal part of shabby chic is that if you have slightly worn furniture, it will fit right into the décor. Shabby chic fabrics are actually made to appear faded, worn, soft and old. Patterns can be combined, such as stripes and flowers, to create unusual appeal and a sense of casual comfort. Finally, crystal lighting is an eye-catching finishing touch for a shabby chic room. Consider sconces and lamps with dangling crystal pendants or even a gorgeous crystal chandelier.

You can shop for new shabby chic items at a department store or spend a lazy weekend searching antique stores and garage sales for unique vintage décor. Be creative and select your favorite styles and colors so your shabby chic décor is a reflection of you. Who ever thought white could be so colorful?

©2007, Kathy Burns-Millyard