How many shades of white are there? Too many, especially when you’re trying to choose the perfect tone for your brand new home renovation. And chances are that you’ll go for white at least in some spaces. For most homeowners, using the the colour white is a no-brainer.
White comes in massive range of tones. There are warm and inviting white shades, cooler tones and everything in between. Choosing the right nuance depends on many things – the overall colour scheme, the mood you’re trying to introduce, the size of the space and whether you’re attempting to make it look bigger or smaller.
Choosing the right shade of white paint is all about knowing your space and recognising the needs that will arise as a result of your lifestyle. Going through a couple of practical considerations will make it much easier for you to make a selection that you will feel satisfied with.
Availability of Natural Light
This tip is very important for the selection of every paint colour but even more so when we’re talking about a classic choice like white.
White has the power to reflect light, unlike black – a colour that absorbs all of it. That’s the reason why white is often used to maximise natural light. It also makes smaller spaces appear larger and brighter because of that very same property.
So, the first thing you have to do before selecting a shade of white paint is examining natural light in your flat.
Rooms that brag a lot of natural light will look exceptional, no matter what tones you go for. Warm, cooler or pure white will all make such spaces shine and appear pristine. Darker rooms are going to be a bit trickier to handle. Cool tones can create a rather sterile and uninviting environment in such spaces. Warm whites are a better choice but don’t stray too far from pure white. Having a lot of warmth may actually result in a dingy effect if you don’t have enough natural light entering the room.
Understand the Differences between Nuances
Once you’ve narrowed it down to warm, cold or pure, you’ll need to get acquainted with the various nuances of the white colour.
A white paint can have various undertones. Bluish and reddish ones are most typical. But it’s not uncommon for white paints to also have green or yellow undertones.
Just go to a local store and check out the range of white paints. Having colour samples to look at side by side will give you a very good idea about the various kinds of undertones and how they affect the appearance of the main colour.
If you still have no clue, hold the samples against a white sheet of paper. The undertones will reveal themselves immediately.
Consider the Interior Design Style You’ve Chosen
Certain kinds of white read more modern than others. Hence, you can review the characteristics of the interior design style you’ve chosen for your home to make the right selection.
Pure white is clean, minimalist and modern (a lot more so than warm white tones). If you’re going for Scandinavian interior or any other functional style, that would be the colour of preference.
Warm whites appear a bit vintage. They’re a great choice if your interior design is ornate and somewhat nostalgic like a boho home, for example.
Cooler shades will match interior design styles like industrial.
When in doubt, stick to neutral and pure tones. It’s very difficult to make a mistake with such shades. Prominent undertones will be a bit more difficult to match, which is why you may want to leave such selections to the professionals in the field of home interior design like Home Guide.
Don’t Forget the Importance of Finish
Good paint isn’t just about the colour. It combines the shade with a texture and a finish to deliver a well-rounded and visually-intriguing outcome.
So, when considering white paints, you shouldn’t focus just on the undertones. Look at those in the context of the paint finish.
Matte tones look sophisticated and cool but they’re high maintenance. Such surfaces can be more difficult to clean and they’ll show imperfections. That can be a problem when we’re talking about a colour like white.
Glossy and semi-glossy finishes look bright and reflective. They’re also a lot more low maintenance than matte paints. If you have kids or pets, that would be the kind of finish to go for.
Needless to say, the market features some more specialised options. Metallic and pearlescent finishes are super exciting but they’re very dominating. As a result, such white paints should be used sparingly and solely for the purpose of creating a focal point.
These are some of the most important pointers to go by when choosing white paint for your home. Don’t be afraid of swatching and putting your favourite tones to the test. Getting paint samples can be somewhat costly but nothing is as expensive as painting your entire home in the wrong shade.
To avoid such disasters and get your home’s interior looking spectacular the first time around, contact Home Guide. We consider ourselves one of the best in home interior design in Singapore, so trust us to curate the best colour scheme for your space, we’ll also make sure that it’s coordinated spectacularly well with every other prominent interior design and decor elements.
