The White Stuff: Six rules to follow when using white to give your home that classic timeless look

Ice up a classic interior with the only not-a-colour wall shades you really need

Texture, shadow and layering furniture and accessorising ensures this space is not chill, but utterly cool in a putty white with a delicate grey undertone. Picture: iStock

A shade or true colour, decorating with white is a courageous move, not an aesthetic cop-out. It’s a surprisingly present choice for all its ethereal splendour, more impactful than well behaved beige and grey neutrals coaxed in tonal and even contrasting schemes. 

Showing off their work, white walled rooms are the choice of almost every great architect. Handled with respect for its elegant and enduring power, the reward can be utterly brilliant and impervious to colour trends.