Trend To Reality - White On White

We see them in every magazine we pick up lately. We love the elegance and the peacefulness. We long for the day when our lives are as serene as these spaces. The white on white on white home. Thinking realistically, we envision that first glass of red wine tipping over, an excited dog jumping up with muddy paws, or a child running through with an uncapped marker.

There are ways to pull off this look without the fear of replacing your rugs monthly or being added to your upholsterer's Christmas card list. Following are some ideas to make this look low maintenance.

If your look is modern you can go with leather, which does not show as much wear and spots can usually be wiped off. Here they also used a patterned rug, still light in color, to hide wear. The darker accents give it a more sharp, masculine feel, grounding the large white pieces.







Slipcovers are always a great option as long as you are ok with the less structured look. Pulling them off and throwing them in the wash or dropping them at the cleaners is ideal for high use areas. In this case white can be better than color because you can use bleach to keep them looking like new.

This look without a rug makes the room a bit more formal, even with the painted and distressed furniture.

LOVE this dining area where the books are the only color in the room!

These are great spaces, both working in a variety of textures in light, natural colors. Accessorizing properly keeps the white from looking stark.

Don't feel the need to match the whites! Different tones will give your room depth and interest, making each element stand out instead of looking cold and impersonal. A white room is the perfect backdrop for a favorite piece of artwork or cultivated collection.