You want to paint your walls white, but you’re afraid—of scratches, of dirt, of fingerprints. Kids’ grubby hands and pets running amok make you think that maintaining white walls will be a total nightmare.
But that's not necessarily true. White walls can be a great design choice and they’re relatively easy to maintain. Here are a few things to keep in mind when you’re mulling over whether to use white paint in your space.
White walls give your home a fresh, clean and modern feel. When your walls are a blank slate, other parts of your décor can really pop out—your rich architectural details, artwork, a special piece of furniture, or even a beautiful rug.
White paint also makes your ceilings appear higher and your space look bigger overall, especially if your trim and your ceiling are also painted the same shade of white. Not having sharp horizontal lines tricks the mind by extending your view.
White walls might even be the trick to sleeping better at night. The Better Sleep Council says that while vibrant colors might be appealing, they don’t help with relaxation. Neutrals, like white, can help you wind down because your space feels calmer.
When you’re deciding whether or not to go white, you’ll want to consider your climate. That’s because the outside environment affects how your interior walls look. A climate with a lot of sunny days makes white walls feel warm. But white walls can feel cold in chilly and snowy climates with frequent grey skies.
Also important is how much natural light your home gets. If you have large windows on the southwest side of your home, you’re probably getting a lot of natural light. That warms your space and makes white walls look soothing and serene. On the other hand, if you’re turning on lights every time you enter a room, it’s better to steer clear of white.
So, what do you do when the inevitable happens and your white walls get smudged or scratched? Don’t fret. Stains on white walls can be easily cleaned using a Magic Eraser sponge. Or, you can retouch the paint in minutes with a little extra paint.
White paint shows patches less than any other color, especially when you’re using a flat finish, so you don’t have to worry about your beautiful white walls ever looking splotchy. If you’ve been leaning toward white, take the plunge!
The hardest part? It will be choosing from the hundreds of shades of white paint out there. To best see the nuances—white paints come with blueish, reddish, yellowish and even greenish undertones—take a trip to your local paint shop.
