White out

Getting your whites right is crucial in creating the right atmosphere for your home.

styling Amber Armitage @ MARIGOLD
photos Wendy Fenwick @ Flash Studios
wall colours resene paints

The best way to make sure you're choosing the right white is to either order an A4 drawdown paint swatch or paint a testpot in the room you are wanting to paint. Remember to try it in both well-lit and darker areas of the room as it will look very different depending on the light.

PIC ABOVE: Walls painted in Resene SpaceCote Flat in Resene Designer White and floor painted in Resene Walk-on in Resene Alabaster. Floor vase painted in Resene Spacecote Flat in Resene Alabaster (stylist’s own). Wavy floor standing mirror, $989 from Danske Mobler. Painterly Impressions original painting by Calla Wu-Zheng, $600 from Endemic World.

Resene Black White (walls) is a calcite grey white, chalky and soft. Resene Alabaster (floor) is a near white with a light blackened edge.

PIC ABOVE: Walls painted in Resene SpaceCote Flat in Resene Black White and floor painted in Resene Walk-on in Resene Alabaster. Chair and lamp base painted in Resene Lustacryl Semigloss in Resene Black, vase painted in Resene Spacecote Flat in Resene Alabaster (all stylist’s own). Malena console table in black, $239.99 from Mocka. Batu Hemp String 47cm floor lamp shade, $129 from Lighting Plus. Formation Black 2 framed artwork, $999 from Danske Mobler. Dior Catwalkbook, $129.99, and The Art of Kinfolk $194.99, both from A&C Homestore.

When you’re decorating, there are a myriad of whites and off-whites from icy bright white, through to clotted creams and delicate ivories, all with varying touches of yellow, green, brown or grey, to turn them into a huge cast of interesting shades.

Resene Designer White is a cool blue white, frosty and austere, styled and smart.

PIC ABOVE: Walls painted in Resene SpaceCote Flat in Resene Designer White and floor in Resene Walk-on in Resene Alabaster. Lamp (stylist’s own) painted in Resene Dream Big. Betti Bobbin tallboy in ice blue, $419.99 from Mocka. Winter Beach framed print, $899 from Danske Mobler. Thea wide vase medium, $129.99, Lani vase large, $139.99, Little Book of Vivienne Westwood, $29.99, Emu Southbank slippers, $129.99, Stonewash Cotton duvet in white king, $189.99, Stonewash Cotton pillowcase pair in pine mini stripe, $49.99, and white, $49.99, Vittoria Linen Lumbar Cushion in mist, $119.99, Cyprian Cushion in oatmeal, $159.99, and Salina linen throw in thyme, $169.99, all from A&C Homestore. Haven sheer curtain in cloud, from $99.99/pair from Curtain Studio.