Decorating Your Home With White

Classically trendy and always on point, white is your secret weapon when customizing and decorating your new construction home. Charleston’s beach vibe calls for a decidedly coastal home decor, and white is the perfect complement to the vibrant colors of downtown Charleston. Chic, clean and serene, the color never goes out of style. From custom trim and molding to walls, cabinets and furniture, a white palette creates a canvas for your individual personality to shine through.

But white can be daunting, so we consulted our in-house expert on how to incorporate the color into a new home. Jesse Vickers of JLV Creative has been working alongside interior designers since she was a teenager. With a background in the fashion industry, she brings impeccable taste and an eye for design to every project. JLV Creative has been bringing a fresh approach to decor to businesses, restaurants and homes in Charleston for over four years, and for nearly two years has worked alongside Crescent Homes. She is available to Crescent Homes’ clients for consulting the customization of their new custom home, a la carte decorating services and full-service home design. Before you design or decorate your next custom home, consider her expert’s Guide To White.

Where to Start

“White walls are always a safe good place to start, just pay for decent paint to get something that will be durable,” advises Jesse.

Even if you love color, white walls will make that color feel brighter and is a great background for vibrant art. Jesse recommends using the same shade of white for the trim and the wall:

“A lot of people don’t think about doing their trim the same as the wall. If both the finish and the color are the same, you can achieve that look you see in magazines!”

It’s true, many people are nervous about sheen when it comes to trim, but Jesse assures us that there have been so many innovations in paint that “you can get a matte look that’s still durable and cleans easily.”

How to Select A Shade

It’s intimidating how many shades of white paint are out there. And all are not created equal.

“I am a firm believer when it comes to whites to line them up next to one another to see the undertones (pink, green, etc)” says Jesse.

She recommends taking several different samples of white shades and painting swatches them on two walls: one that gets a lot of light and one that does not. Put them up side by side so you can see how the light affects the hue.

“Some cool whites could create a cold environment if not getting sunlight. You want to enhance the room,” explains Jesse.

The Dirty Kid Factor

Having children does not mean you have to drape your new custom home in dark colors and patterns. Quite the opposite, white is the easiest color to clean.

“There is a reason that Charleston families gravitate toward white slip covered furniture- it cleans easily and can hold up to pets and kids”

Jesse goes on to suggest protecting your white furniture: “ People are hesitant to use Scotch Guard because it used to be full of chemicals, but there’s been innovation there as well. There is also a new organic version called Fiber Seal for those who want an environmentally friendly safer option.”

She recommends using products that repel stains to protect rugs, curtains and furniture.

Layering Shades

“The great thing with whites now is that we’re seeing a lot of layering white on white on white.”

Jesse explains that this idea of using multiple shades of white in home design and decor works best when one chooses several different textures or hues. A completely white room can feel warm with the right combination of jute textures and wood finishes. Nothing beats a classic Charleston home with a clean, white color scheme. Want to keep it fresh? You can interject pops of colors in spring, holiday decorations in December, warm textures in winter. The beauty of a white color scheme is the versatility.

Expert Picks

Of course there is no substitute for having an interior decorator choose the perfect white shade for your individual new home, but every designer has her favorites. Jesse shared with us a few of her go-to whites that work with almost everything in the house.

Sherwin Williams Marshmellow: this warm white can be seen in the Design Collective

Sherwin Williams Alabaster: an even warmer white, this is reminiscent of that Restoration Hardware look

Stop by the Design Collective for your consultation with Jesse today!