Traditional Home with White Walls/ Dark Accents

13 years ago

Someone asked about white vs. tan walls. I wanted to begin a new post and hope teacats would see and re-post pics of her living room, which is a great example. There were other good examples on here at one time. I love the look of white walls in a traditional home with antiques, etc....but only if done very carefully. Seems to me it needs more editing than walls of color, or can look cluttered and just not pleasing. It's a simple and elegant look, but warm. ttodd's home looks perfect as is, but also a great example of a home that would naturally take to that look of all white walls. Perhaps that's due, also, to her style of simple and serene decor. Also, the whole area(downstairs, say) needs to be white unless it's a very separate room, and that should be a very dark shade. I'm no pro, but this is my impression of great white walls in a traditional setting. I see a dark baby grand, dark wood floors, dark oil paintings( teacats!) and stairs, etc. I'd love to 'hear' what others have to say, and hope the more learned ones chime in. I will never have white walls in this house, but do admire the look when pulled off just right. Maybe it can work equally well another way, but not that I have noticed. Prove me wrong! :>)

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Comments (15)

teacats
13 years ago
Leahcate: What a nice comment!!! Many thanks for truly making my day!

BTW -- The panelled walls are high-gloss white -- a bit wild I do admit -- but work so nicely when the wood fire is lit -- and the firelight just "glows" on the opposite wall!

Jan at Rosemary Cottage
patty_cakes
13 years ago
I sooooo totally agree with you, though not necessarily white walls, but light walls. It's a rich looking, and darker walls seem to lack the impact with darker furnishings. I've had 'my fling' with walls-of-color, and while I liked it, I knew it would be only temporary. I find i'll always prefer classic/traditional interiors. ;o)
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vampiressrn
13 years ago
Great post...I so agree that sometimes you don't need color. A white or cream can be a great support of furniture and decor...especially the dark woods.

Beautiful home teacats!!!
elsa42
13 years ago
Jan your room draws me in! I think that's the true measure of a successful design. Do you want to stand at the entrance and just enjoy the eye candy or do you want to go inside and become part of the room.. You nailed it!

I'm not a pro, but I think it boils down to contrast and balance. The dark floors and seating "ground" the room, but there's enough balance of light & dark on all four walls so that the room doesn't feel too heavy or lopsided. Also, there's just enough symmetry happening that it feels orderly and calming without being stiff.
loribee
13 years ago
One of my most fave rooms, sigh.... :)
teacats
13 years ago
Thanks for the wonderful thoughts and comments! :)

Since this photo was taken -- there is a new ceiling fan on the freshly clean no-popcorn ceiling! Yay! :)

Jan at Rosemary Cottage
jaybird
13 years ago
Beautiful as always Jan!!! I love seeing your pictures!
I don't have any pictures on this computer, but I also have just barely off white walls..."Antique White" to be exact.
Thanks for posting Leahcate.
calirose
13 years ago
I am a white wall fan as well. It makes it so bright and airy.

As an artist I love color, but am too influenced by it to live in it. Instead I like to switch items around, change pictures, etc and it is so easy to do with white walls.

Jan enjoyed your pics and your lovely room.
allison0704
13 years ago
I have the contrast thing going on in our home as well. Dark floors, trim, doors and windows. Dark furniture. Some painted pieces. Walls are all painted SW Moderate White - a warm, soft white. I'm afraid it shows up yellow in many photos (camera setting can be adjusted but haven't had time to learn - in the lower level den, for example) or it washes out really white (especially if using the flash).

In the link below, and other parts of the tour, the kitchen and MBR show the truest color on my monitor.

Here is a link that might be useful: Light walls contrast
tinam61
13 years ago
Another fan here - of light walls. Ours aren't white but a light color - almost the glow of candles. We have alot of antique pieces - mid to dark and hardwood floors and the light walls make a nice contrast. We've used some darker colors in upholstered pieces and I don't think darker/more colorful walls would look as good.

Love your room Jan - congrats on the new ceilings!

tina
ttodd
13 years ago
Thank you so much! That was so nice to read.

I'm glad to read that there are fans of lighter neutral walls since today at lunch I just picked up my gallon of SW West Highland White for my LR! I think that it will be the perfect foil to my dark leather chairs and soon to be purchased white slipcovered sofa.

I agree w/ so many of your comments about lighter walls. I'm not always very good at articulating what's running through my head - the things that I can see so clearly but just can't explain.

For instance: the right balance of light and dark. I love the look of dark oil paintings on white walls! Lush!

"Become part of the room" what a wonderful statement!

And Calirose - I agree w/ the whole color thing. While I dabble in art I find myself to be more creative w/ color in art when I'm not looking at color day in and day out. It sort of gives me the freedom to unleash and see color in new and different ways when it hits the canvas or furniture.

I love vivid bold color on walls but I started to feel penned in since I like to move things around so much. I also started to want my walls to be a backdrop to enhance what I had - not be the first thing that people commented on when they walked into a room. You know - sort of like the photographers classic background that makes the people in the picture look great.

Jan - what shade of white is that?

Texashottie also has a really nice home w/ lovely neutral walls - some bordering on a bone color.
franksmom_2010
13 years ago
Well amen to that! I swear, if I hear one more person say how white/light walls are "cold" I'm going to bust a vein. I find it very classic and soothing.
teacats
13 years ago
ttodd:

((I think you're talking to me ..... lots of Jans here at GW ..... LOL!!))

After seeing so many houses here with dark panelling - one of the VERY first things we did in this house years ago (we moved in here in 1993) was call in the painters .... there was a shade of Behr Super white -- basically a pure white ....

We had the all of the living room panelling (there is only ONE living area in this house), the kitchen cabinets and both of the bathroom cabinets painted in that white high gloss ... and honestly ... what a HUGE difference!

Told the painters not to stop painting things white until they reached the end of the paint cans ....

Jan at Rosemary Cottage
redbazel
13 years ago
As I always sigh when I see Teacat's home.............Ahhhhh....Beautiful.

Red
stinky-gardener
13 years ago
Just chiming in to say that I'm a big fan of your rooms & style, too, Teacats!

Would love to chat with you about your rosemary plants while sitting on one of those cozy leather sofas, sipping tea! Probably iced tea, if it's as hot where you are as it is where I am!

Great paint choice. Behr should use your walls in their ads!

Traditional Home with White Walls/ Dark Accents

Comments (15)

teacats

patty_cakes

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