White Done Right: Contemporary Style

An all white contemporary clean canvas signifies minimal, sterile and fresh. Rather than a color in contemporary design, white is an absence of color. A monochromatic contemporary look infuses clean lines and smooth surfaces without intricate details. "People who do white on white contemporary are suggesting, I want you to feel completely peaceful and notice other things besides the color of the room," says Dan Heldenbrand, a Phoenix-based designer. Often the focus is an incredible painting, a hulking sculpture or another element that attracts the eye within a fade-to-white background.

When choosing color, work carefully with carpeting, flooring, window treatments and art to select a tone that complements. Whites range from blue-tinged to red-tinged with hundreds of variations. Heldenbrand recommends infusing additional color with art or a single piece of furniture, a sofa that’s a brilliant hue, or a chocolate rug. "I think introducing a color is a personal thing for the homeowner — I don’t think there is a right or wrong" says Heldenbrand. "I have been in places where everything but maybe one or two pieces of art has been dead on the same color, which I think is rather boring." Instead, use shades from ivory to seashell, eggshell and ecru to create allure.

Here, designer Grace Sielaff uses a white palette to set off a multicolored screen.