Photo: M/I Home Builders

White doesn’t have to mean boring, plain, and blah! Most of us consider this paint color uninspiring, neutral, and uncreative – so not true. White paint can actually make or break a room and transform it into an open, airy, and expansive space just waiting to be fuelled with the right décor.

When it comes to choosing the right shade, most of us want to choose the paint color and either paint the walls ourselves or and hire a professional to do the job, like a renovation contractor. Whatever you decide, the starting point is knowing how to choose and use your paint for the best results and if to consider hiring house painting services.

A Fresh Start to Decorating

Photo: C&C Partners Design Build/Firm

White paint acts as a blank canvas and provides your home’s interior with a fresh start, giving you the opportunity to build up a whole new look – if you know how! You want to be careful with white, as it can either transform a room into a cool clean space that inspires, or it can create a room that is devoid of warmth and personality.

White gives you the opportunity to choose any color scheme you want to decorate with. A monochrome theme, rustic Mediterranean styled décor, the choice is yours – just make sure to stay far away from a sterile hospital feel! 

Use The Right Shades to Set the Mood

Photo: Palindrome Design, LLC

Different shades of white can affect the temperature of a room and reflect different tones of natural light throughout. For example, Behr’s new Cottage White is a soft and creamy white with a hint of yellow, which casts a warm glow over a space. This makes it a lovely choice for a bedroom where its soft undertones bring out the beauty of classic white linens.

Meanwhile, a silvery white like Pratt & Lambert’s Silver Lining creates the perfect balance between warm and cool, which makes it super easy to live and decorate with. Light plays well with it, sets a peaceful mood, and makes the perfect shade for an elegant family room.

Layer Different Shades of White

Photo: Sheffield Furniture

The trick to decorate with white is to use a few different tones of white in a layered combination. Paint your walls a soft creamy white and add contrast with crisp white curtains and another shade, such as ivory coloured bedding. A combination of shades helps achieve welcoming warmth that you may not thought was possible with such a “neutral” colour.

If you are looking for a cool look such as in your living room, cool pure white walls with matching white furniture and curtains, creates a stunning contemporary vibe and a space that is actually quite calming and offers minimal contrast and distraction.

Compliment Your Wood flooring

Photo: Drury Design

What is really trending in the decor industry for 2016 is making a clean, sharp contrast between your walls and flooring. This means light walls and dark flooring, a look that is elegant and rich looking. If you want to make your kitchen look designer-grade, opt for white cabinets and ivory walls, and then pair that with deep wood flooring. A bland kitchen instantly looks stunning with some sharp, trendy contrast. Ahh, the power of white!

Arrange Your Furniture Right

When placing your furniture around your pool patio, make sure it makes sense and serves a purpose wherever it is placed. For example, right by your poolside place several reclining chairs for sunbathing and seating. Near the bbq, set up an outdoor eating arrangement with a table, several chairs and a large outdoor rug.  Make sure not to arrange furniture too close to the pool, keep chairs away from the edge to make sure there is enough room to move around.

Clean up & Declutter 

As we are all aware, the beauty of a swimming pool lies in a well-kept patio. But, does decorating it and not maintaining it well make sense? Not at all! Here’s how to spruce things up. First of all, do away with unwanted items to create the illusion of space. Get rid of any unwanted pieces of furniture in your patio, and create more space for more beautiful flower pots. Moreover, clean up, and trim and way-ward shrubs for a cleaner and peaceful atmosphere.

Dust your garden furniture and flower pots, and later brush with a hard-bristled brush to eliminate dirt and debris. Pour soapy water and scrub using the hard-bristled brush until the entire area sparkles.  

Your pool also matters; you don’t want to have a beautiful patio surrounded by a dirty pool. If it has cloudy pool water, use a swimming pool clarifier or pool flocculant to clean up. This type of water may result from improper chemicals, high alkalinity, and low calcium hardness levels.

Provide a Shield From the Sun

Place a large patio umbrella over your eating table to shield from the sun and rain. You can also set up a nice gazebo or even a veranda for a more permanent solution. I love the look of a patio cover with luscious vines growing above – it adds a great Tuscan feel and is even more beautiful when you can pick grapes, kiwis, or flowers from above.

Add a Fountain

To add a fountain effect to your pool, you can install a full fountain in the center or add small fountains or even sprinkles at the side of the pool. This is a great way to add interest, and spice up the fun while swimming or taking a dip in the pool! You can also add a separate patio fountain somewhere near your deck for a similar effect, but at a lower cost.

Show Your Artistic Side with Sculptures

Create an artistic look by your pool by adding sculptures or large concrete urns on each corner of your pool. You can plant beautiful flowers to add color and charm to your pool, but make sure to choose plants that don’t dry and shrivel up to avoid unnecessary clean-up. I love the look of Roman inspired sculptures that mimic the look and feeling of the old Roman baths. There are tons of styles you can choose from to decorate around your pool, but keep in mind that you really can’t go wrong with a gorgeous urn stuffed with beautiful flowers.

Add Decorative Tiles

The easiest way to dramatically change the look of your pool is by adding decorative tiles around the border. This is not only an affordable way but it also gives a customized, and unique feel to your outdoor oasis. Make sure to put safety first and install tiles that aren’t slippery like rough stones or tiles that have some grip. You can always hire a designer like Edge Leisure to design the look of your pool to get it just right.