Monday, September 3, 2007

WHITE LIGHTENING, PART 2

Have you noticed how every season, the fashion world proclaims purple, pink, navy or brown to be the New Black?

Well, guess what? No one ever claims some other color is the New White.

White is classic -- in your wardrobe, in the garden or especially, in a waterside cottage or a home that feels as carefree as one!

Last Sunday, I promised to talk about WHITE LIGHTENING. No, it’s not a typo. My subject is lightening up your home with White.

I don’t know about you, but last Sunday seems like months ago to me. Last Sunday was before the trials and tribulations getting to and from Tampa, before the serious storms that messed up my internet service and before I had only one chapter left to finish The Book.

Anyhow, White looks its most serene when used lavishly.

All white rooms can look Elegant....

Or Romantic...


Or Beachy …

Even if you aren’t the sort to live in an all-white home or room, adding a white bed canopy or slipcovers or changing to white sheer drapes can take you a long way toward a year-round summer decor.

Before whitewashing your home, study up on White. The type of white you choose determines if the room looks like a warm country cottage...

Or a tranquil contemporary space.

Tinted whites that change subtly during the day are another luscious options. Choose a peachy white for a flattering bedroom, a blue white for a dreamy sitting area.
PHOTO CREDITS: Dining Room: Shop of Four Sisters by Dan Mayers. Butterfly & Madonna Lily by Blogger, Living Room: home of Carol Lindes by Dan Mayers. Romantic Bedroom: Shop of Four Sisters by Dan Mayers. Living Room: home of Joni Berg by Dan Mayers. Canopied Bed: home of Claudia Martin by Dan Mayers. Porch: home of Victoria Martin Smith by Dan Mayers.
Bath: home of Joni Berg by Dan Mayers. Le Grand Cafe: home of Fabulous Fifi by Blogger.


*** BLOG DU JOUR ***

A visit to the beach seems fitting for Labor Day. Louise lives on Cape Cod and her blog -- Beachy's Cape Cod Cupboard --talks about everything from whale watching to light houses to creative crafting. Enjoy!

20 comments:

Vintage Rose Collection said...

Oh Barbara, Im in love with that dining room and bedroom photograph. White rooms tug at my heart like no other, especially when they are decorated as beautifully as this home is...
Exquisite in my book!
Jo-Anne Coletti

blessings said...

Oooo I love it all! I'm determined that I'm going to do one room in shades of white. Perhaps that would be a good Winter project. Blessings... Polly

Penny from Enjoying The Simple Things said...

I love all the types of white rooms in your pictures, but my favorite - looking the most comfortable to me was the cottage white room. It is amazing how you can have so many different looks with white....
Penny

Anonymous said...

Lovely entry. So clean and peaceful and what gorgeous styling. I can tell you had a hand in that. Speaking of hand: thanks for giving my hand "a hand..."
fifi

Back Through Time said...

Barbara thanks for visiting my blog and yours is just wonderful!!! Your shades of white are so beautiful.
Michelle

Cape Cod Washashore said...

What an amazingly wonderful & beautiful blog you have! Thank you for visiting me today (and for the sweet link)! I will be back visiting! =)

Jenny Froh said...

OOOH! I love white too!
It's so clean and pure and just lightens my day. I just finished my dining room in all white and it turned out fabulous! These rooms are such an inspiration to finish the rest of my home in all white :)

cjan said...

Thanks again Barbara, for caring about us Bloggers and friend's and ... for taking the time to post the lovely pictures and sharing your trip picutres with us. I could spend hours in here. My favorite is the White's- so beautiful.

Hugs,
Jan

karlascottage.typepad.com said...

Those rooms really did white right!

Cathy said...

Barbara, tha living room is ravishing and calming and wonderful. My first words were 'Oh how beautiful' the minute I clicked onto your blog.

I love linen white which is what I use throughout my New England home. But crisp, bright white is stunning.
Thank you for sharing... Cathy

PAT said...

I am drawn to white rooms and would love to put together a room, using different "layers" of white. I worry how it would be, with a big ol' Black Lab, though! I think I'm going to try it at the lake, for the master bedroom, see what happens!

I enjoy Beachy's Cape Cod Cupboard and visit often!

Pat

carol pink cottage said...

hi Barbara
I love love white,and would love an all white cottagey look, but some how colour always creeps in I can't help it
carol

Mélanie said...

Interesting post about white , white is peaceful , chic and classical but I think It has never been proclaimed the color of the year because it is not really a color for most of the poeple . Those rooms and ambiances look all fabulous

Anonymous said...

Love white rooms! So beautiful, especially paired with all the textures and shades of white!

Barbara said...

Thanks for visiting my blog and commenting. Tell your Mother that there is a Barbara in England who is encouraging her to blog. It is fun and it is amazing thepeople you meet and the contacts you make.
Did your Mother come from England?

Your latest posted pictures are so beautiful. They remind me of Southern homes that I have stayed in.

The Old Painted Cottage said...

Barbara,

Those photos are just dreamy..every single one of them. I found myself wanting to crawl right inside each of those rooms. Yumm! And I agree, nothing is as exquisite as a room dressed in white. Love it!

Jennifer, oxox

Unknown said...

Gorgeous photos. White rooms always have such a universal appeal. I think the power of white is that it always takes on a dominant undertone as with the photo with the green apples. Is white really ever just white?
Jackie

Barbara said...

Brilliant. Let's know when she does it.

Catherine said...

I want that dinning room!! Gorgeous all of the pic's...

I am slowly but surely trying my hand at an all white living room,..my big problem is my love of blue...:) Blue just keeps creeping in!
And it's amazing how many diffrent kinds of white there are..especially when you go to paint, I have drove myself crazy with all the diffrent shades of white, I have paint chips everywhere , everything from summer white to angel white, My husband and son think I'm crazy, to them they are all just white, but it's funny when you put them all side by side, you can see greys in some, and pinks in other's, and I swear there is one called misty morning, and it has a greenish undertone, I've never had such a hard time picking a color..and the funny thing is I'm going for a white..?!
Great post!
Gotta love white on white!!
Just gotta find the right white's!
Catherine

Anonymous said...

I couldnt agree more! Although my house has little pure white in it. I was thinking about despite what fashion says is NEW, My all time Favorite thing in the word to put on is a comfy pair of jeans and a white T, or if I need to look a bit more put togather, a white Linen button up! Aahh... it is the perfect outfit, and never goes out of style. Tracy