“A rose is a rose is a rose.”
Gertrude Stein
White is White is White…or is it?
In her poem “Sacred Emily,” Gertrude Stein’s phrase states the obvious - a rose is a rose. Things are what they are.
When it comes to paint colors, white is anything but what it appears to be. With hundreds of variations of white, the selection process can get overwhelming. The small swatch of white looks perfect, but when a large sample is placed on a wall, it reads yellow or green or blue - anything but white!
Over the years, we’ve collected a few favorite white paints. In our May Notes we share some projects and painted white walls, and discuss our paint selection process. You will see that all whites are not created equal.
So is white is white is white? Can you tell the difference?
Send us an email and let us know what is your favorite project.
Happy May,
Terrell and Joyce
Timeless Shades of White
“White is the most powerful non-color; it’s clean, optimistic and powerful.”
Jason Wu, artist and fashion designer
White paint creates a timeless setting allowing the details of the space and the decorative objects to take center stage. While the room is being painted, it may seem stark and bland. But once the furniture, drapery, art and accessories are installed, the space comes alive and the shade of white provides a sense of calm.
Scroll through and see the various shades of white used in some of our past projects. You will notice the subtle colors of white and how they work in each space.
White Paints
Living Room and Family Room Walls: Farrow & Ball Shaded White
It’s no secret that Farrow & Ball is one of our favorite paints, primarily for the sophisticated offering of colors. In this Spanish style home, we chose F&B Shaded White for the living, dining and family rooms. For most walls, we choose a flat finish. The balanced blend of warm and cool tones, Shaded White is the perfect backdrop for the furniture and decorative finishes.
Design: Perfitt Richards / Photo: Shelby Bourne
Design: Perfitt Richards / Photo: Shelby Bourne
Design: Perfitt Richards / Photo: Shelby Bourne
Our favorite photo!
BEFORE, this room was dark and heavy with a large TV bookcase and two tiny windows. Adding new french doors let in tons of sunshine, and provided amazing access to the backyard. The new ceiling detail is painted Benjamin Moore White Dove, another “go to” white.
BEFORE
Kitchen Cabinetry: Farrow & Ball, White Tie
Kitchen Walls and Ceiling: Benjamin Moore, White Dove
In the same home, the kitchen looks into the family room in the previous photo. Here we rearranged the location of the cooktop and lightened the color palette of the kitchen with white walls and ever so slightly warmer white for the cabinets.
The goal with this new kitchen was to honor the Spanish feel of the home but lighten things up literally and figuratively. We love the arch detail above the cooktop, the patterned floor, the Urban Electric light fixtures - to name a few.
Design: Perfitt Richards / Photo: Shelby Bourne
Design: Perfitt Richards / Photo: Shelby Bourne
Design: Perfitt Richards / Photo: Shelby Bourne
Living Room Walls: Farrow & Ball, Joa’s White
The living room walls of this gorgeous Hancock Park home are painted Joa’s White. Yes, this is considered white, a warm white which has a red base and a hint of black pigment, creating a light and clean color. The slightly “off” white color allowed the beautiful trim to stand out and created a sophisticated backdrop for the furniture, art and accessories.
Simply White by Benjamin Moore is by far the best of the “Clean Whites”. It is a crisp white without blue, gray or red undertones. If you have a lot of greenery outside of your windows this is a good color to use, as it does not pick up the green from outside.
There is a lot on display in this gorgeous living room with family art and various collected objects.
This crisp clean white is the perfect background color in this room.
Design: Perfitt Richards / Photo: Jess Isaac
Design: Perfitt Richards / Photo: Jess Isaac
Entry Walls and Breakfast Room: Farrow & Ball Wimborne White
Design: Perfitt Richards / Photo: Jess Isaac
Design: Perfitt Richards / Photo: Jess Isaac
Walls: Benjamin Moore, Simply White
Design: Perfitt Richards / Photo: Jess Isaac
Design: Perfitt Richards / Photo: Jess Isaac
Design: Perfitt Richards Photo: Jess Isaac
Living Room Walls: Benjamin Moore, Swiss Coffee
One of the most popular whites, Benjamin Moore, Swiss Coffee. Unlike other brand’s Swiss Coffee, Benjamin Moore’s does not read gray, it is sophisticated with much warmer tones. It creates a serene and tranquil environment and enhances every other color in the room. Believe it or not, this color is a compilation of 152 white and off white colors.
Design: Perfitt Richards / Photo: Jess Isaac
Design: Perfitt Richards / Photo: Jess Isaac
Design: Perfitt Richards / Photo: Jess Isaac
House Exterior: Benjamin Moore, Gardenia
Exteriors are tough! After looking at more than 6 colors, at every hour of the day, on each side of the house, from every angle we decided on Benjamin Moore’s Gardenia. The front door was such a beautiful color red that we knew we were keeping, so the house white had to work well with it. Gardenia is a soft white, with ever so slight pink undertones. In the evening with the sun going down it is a stunning white against a beautiful Los Angeles sky.
Wonderful White
Classic objects in white and other pieces we are eyeing.
Display all of the new blooms in your garden in this white artisanal ceramic vase by Astier de Villatte. Their ceramics have a beautiful cast of white.
Update your flushmount fixtures with the Lundy Flushmount Fixture by Urban Electric. Available in custom whites!
Clean up your towel situation with a set of White Cairo Scallop towels by Matouk.
Place this white glazed vase in the center of your Dining Table. It is truly a beautiful piece.
Treat your ears to these stunning Tiffany diamonds pearl earrings.
Hide behind a pair of Loewe Curvy Sunglasses.
Up your game on the golf course with this fantastic white polo by Malbon.
Clip clop around in these fashionable Esti Clogs this Summer by Ulla Johnson.
What We Are Watching and Reading
A beautiful home in the perfect LA neighborhood - some of you Angelenos will recognize - is up for sale. Three different couples are vying to purchase it - all three with their quirky stories and situations.
You quickly discover that a murder has taken place in the house, and all of the family’s secrets are discovered. A fun watch with some of TV’s favorite actors.
Watch it here on Netflix.
I didn’t have any love for Lara Love Hardin in the first few chapters of this book. But this story is a real eye opener! When I finished this book, I couldn’t wait to read more by this Author and am now a big fan. From soccer mom to opioid addict to jail, this is a story of a woman who decided to fight her way through inner shame and public disgrace to get back her life and her self-respect. Let us know what you think if you read it!
You can find The Many LIves of Mama Love here.
Until next month,
Joyce and Terrell