Freshness or hospital sterility?Total impracticality or versatility? Some people are attracted to white because of its spectacularity, while others find it boring. Together with professionals, we decided to figure out whether it should be the basis of an interior or not. White seems so natural, universal and generally harmless that it is hard to imagine how so many contradictions can exist around it. And there really are many of them when it comes to: from the increased cleanliness that will definitely be required to the debates on the topic of “cozy” or “sterile”. But if keeping a white apartment clean is as difficult as they say, then why do practical Scandinavians love it so much? Our editorial team decided to finally figure out whether white interiors have the right to exist, what is good about them and, conversely, what pitfalls to expect. We weighed all the pros and cons of this color, and also found out the opinions of designers on this issue. Would you like to live in a white apartment?
Yulia Alekseeva, designer:— In recent years, the dominant beige color of the interior has been replaced by white. In the last 5-7 years, we have seen the emergence of unique innovative technologies in the field of finishing materials, which also affects the expansion of the range of textures, patterns and palette of interior items. At the same time, a certain deficit of living space has formed, so the priority direction in modern design has become the visual expansion of space in combination with bright accent pieces of furniture and accessories. White color expands the space and fills it with air and light. In such apartments, the spirit of optimism reigns, it is easy to wake up in the morning in a good mood. In the modern rhythm of Moscow business life, in conditions of increased intellectual and emotional stress and a high level of stress, white interiors are becoming more and more in demand. julyalex.com
Interior by Julia Alekseeva
Interior by Julia Alekseeva Pros of whiteinteriors The first and probably most obvious advantage of white is its versatility. It is not without reason that the walls in museums are most often painted in this color: white is the perfect background. It gives complete freedom for creativity - you can choose furniture and decor of any color, and also change them whenever you want, without worrying about how they will match, for example, with the walls.
Not everyone uses the services of professionalsdesigners, which means that mistakes, including coloristic ones, are almost inevitable during renovation. It is much easier for a non-professional to design an interior based on white than to competently “assemble” a colored one and not make mistakes in combinations.
Another extremely useful property of white isthe ability to visually enlarge the space, fill it with air and give a feeling of spaciousness. That is why in all modest European apartments white is found in such quantity, especially in decoration.
White color is long lasting.Unlike other colors, it does not fade in the sun or become dull. Moreover, it reflects sunlight, making the room seem brighter. This effect is especially relevant in our region, where the sun — and not only in autumn or winter — rarely shines.
If you love furniture and decor itemsunusual shape and want to highlight them, white is the best assistant in this. It makes the interior more graphic and, like no other color, emphasizes the shadows, volume and texture of objects without drawing attention to itself.
It doesn't matter if you like Scandinavianminimalism, classics or, white will be appropriate in any interior. There is no style where it would not come in handy, and over time, white does not lose its relevance.
Oleg Orlov, designer:— There is an opinion that gray will save the world, but if any color is destined to do this, it is white. White is the starting point of any design and interior in particular. Due to its unique nature, it has no less unique abilities. White fits in all styles and is used for a variety of purposes: it visually increases space, emphasizes the shape of complex objects and contrasting silhouettes, reveals the complexity of other colors and acts as a connecting element. akimenkov.ru Disadvantages of white interiors Probably the main argument against decorating an apartment in white is its impracticality. Indeed, it is unlikely that anyone will call white a non-marking color: most dirt is more visible on it than on a dark background, and if there are children and animals in the apartment, then you might think that things are really bad. On the one hand, the argument is fair, on the other hand, today it is not as relevant as it would have been 5-10 years ago. Washable surfaces, modern cleaning products and common life tricks make a white apartment no more difficult than any other.
"Too sterile," "just like a hospital"Such reviews can most often be heard about white interiors from its opponents. Such feelings arise when there is a lot of white and its cold shades are used. The situation can be corrected with the help of warmer tones (powdery, ivory, etc.), and the interior will be made cozy by correctly selected textures, textiles and appropriate decor.
To some people, white may seem like a thingboring. If only one shade is used in a room and there are no interesting details, at least due to their shape, the interior really becomes faceless - like a white sheet of paper. However, it is not difficult to make it more diverse: you can use several different shades, combine them with other colors, choose furniture with an interesting texture and, of course, do not forget about the decor.
The other extreme is also dangerous: going overboard.An abundance of white, especially if it is a bright, snow-white shade, can create a feeling of stuffiness. Also, some people believe that a large amount of white in the interior makes the eyes tired. This problem can be solved with the help of the so-called false white, which is obtained by diluting pure white with gray, beige, blue or pink. With this combination, you get a very soft and neutral shade of white, which does not “press” on the eyes and is ideal for decorating a room.
Oleg Orlov, designer:— There are many prejudices regarding the white color, but most often it is associated with cleanliness, order and completeness. There are also negative characteristics: boredom, hopelessness and others. As for the use of white in the interior, one of the negative aspects is its impracticality. This color is not easy to care for, and all the unevenness painted in white will be obvious. But you cannot allow such a banal thing as cleaning to get in your way. White is romantic and full of poetry, you need to cherish it, but not be afraid of it. akimenkov.ru To be or not to be To summarize, I would like to first of all recall the well-known proverb - "there are no comrades for taste and color." Someone loves calm light interiors, someone likes cozy dark colors, and someone is delighted with colorful eclecticism. It is interesting, however, that in any color scheme there is a place for white details. Do completely white interiors have the right to exist? Of course. All the significant disadvantages at first glance have their solution and easily turn into advantages. If you love white, but are afraid to make it dominant in the interior, start small: paint one wall this color, buy a white sofa or a set of bed linen. And finally, we suggest looking at several examples of white interiors created by Russian designers.
Interior by Anna Shchepanovich
Interior of ROOMDESIGN bureau
Interior by Anton Cherenko
Interior by Andrey Polienko
Interior by Christina Petraitis
Interior by Anton Grishin
Interior of the SL project bureau
To be or not to be: the pros and cons of a white apartment – etk-fashion.com
