Is It Ever Okay to Paint a Room Stark White?

Home Staging and Redesign in Minneapolis, MN

 

You know us home stagers, one of our mottos is “Neutral Does Not Mean White”.

We are always telling our clients: “Paint the room a warm color, it’s okay to go a little darker, don’t worry.”

So, I ask again, is it ever okay to Paint a Room Stark White?

“Maybe”.

Ha, Don’t You Love That Answer.

But seriously, rooms can be all white, soft ivory, etc. It is all in how they are finished off and their purpose. When I say white I don’t mean builders white throughout the home. But a room in white or ivory is okay.

Let me show you an example. I designed a porch for myself off of my dining room. I designed a room that felt like it was floating in the trees, like you were outside but that you could enjoy even in the harshest blizzard.

The windows reach almost to the floor and almost to the ceiling. And guess what? I painted everything white!

I thought the contractor and his workers were going to kill me. They almost refused to do it. All the wood for the walls and ceiling is tongue-n-groove bead board and they insisted it needed to remain natural wood. They said it was a crime to paint it. (I think that is a guy thing, or a Midwest thing).

“Ya,…but I don’t want a brown wood room. I want an all white room and I’m the client!”

So here is the results:

 

 

The walls are white, the ceiling is white, the window casings and trim are white.

As you can see most of the furniture is white, even the TV is white!

 

 

I bought a big old ugly oak table second hand and painted it white, I added in antique and flea market dining chairs and side tables also painted white.

 

 

 

 

I added little pops of color for some fun and “Wallah”….a porch that is bright and cheery on a dismal winter day and part of the outdoors in the summer when the windows are open and the breeze is coming in.

 

Do you know why it works? It is grounded by the Douglas Fir wood floors below and the brown rattan ceiling fan above adds some interest. It’s all in the details.

 

 

 

 

So it’s okay, paint a room white…..just remember it is all in how you finish the room with the accessories. Don’t forget the details!

 

Not sure if you want to tackle it yourself? Rooms With Style Home Staging and Redesign would be happy to give you pointers or design it for you.