Living with White by Gail Abbott

Gail Abbott, an established stylist and writer, looks at the colour white in her latest book, Living with White. Leaf through any glossy magazine and you'll come across endless interiors of white styled rooms, some of which seem bland and insipid. However, not so here and with careful thought and attention to detail, you can use white as the backdrop for a much bigger plan and contemporary look.

STARTING POINT

White is an effective starting point for any interior, a blank canvas on which you can apply many layers of either colour or texture. Not just confined to the sunnier shores of South Africa or California, white works well where the sun doesn't shine so brightly too.

Living with White is rich with examples of how to pull it off. Photographs by Mark Scott set the scene and provide inspiration on which you can build. The book is divided into four chapter covering Island Whites, Contemporary Whites, Seaside Whites and Textural Whites, exploring stunning interiors as case studies. Draw inspiration from a modernist beach house in Florida, a farmhouse in Cape Town or a villa on an Aegean island.

You shouldn't be put off by the sophistication of some of them, as you can merely pick on some of the elements and use them in your own home. White on wood works brilliantly and you could perhaps have just one wall of paneling offset by white painted walls. Simple but effective.

WHITE FOR IMPACT

White tends to go hand in hand with a minimalist interior and furnishings and accessories are key. Keep it simple, introduce a variety of textures and you can't go wrong.

Living With White has a sunny disposition with plenty of great ideas for brightening up your home. There is good advice for creating a stylish home that breathes light into it.

Publication details:
Cico Books
ISBN 1906525242
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