Color. Our world is saturated with it, from the bright yellow of fresh daffodils to the dark rusty red of an exposed brick wall; color can change the whole look of a room.

In Designer Monthly's The Magic of Color, we look at a different color each month. As you learn in the first Unit of the Sheffield Complete Course in Interior Design, the designer has available an infinite range of hues, both natural and man-made. When painting, you can combine colors to form other colors, in an endless array of shades. Manufacturers of everything from throw pillows to lampshades can also produce this vast palette. And then you must also consider the artwork that will hang in the rooms you design.

Welcome to the world of color. Everywhere we turn, there it is the deep indigo blue of a favorite old sweater, the glossy green of rhododendron leaves in a rainstorm, the rich brown of the soil as you begin to plant your spring flowers. We hope you'll join us each month on this exciting journey, as we take a close look at a color we love.

Color Decorating Tip: White

When considering colors for home decor, there is not only a rainbow from which to choose – there's a whole palette of shades to consider, shades that hover between the colors of the rainbow, a panoply of tones and hues with which to play.

And yet, sometimes the most helpful – and even the most exciting – exercise is to go back to the basics of interior design, striping out all color in order to start with a clean slate; sometimes the most interesting and surprising thing you can do is to go back to good old white.

As many interior decorators know, white isn't just one shade; there's off-white, eggshell, ice white, snow white and bright white – and that's just for starters. Just look at this all-white room: the sheets on the bed are a slightly different shade than the walls, and the walls aren't exactly the same as the ceiling fan. The pattern on the spread stands out, and the light from the window will change the tones of white throughout the day.

This is the first caution in using white, whether it's choosing wall paint, a carpet, or fabric for a sofa: not all whites are the same, so you have to be just as careful in matching white to white or to another color as you would matching mauve, sky blue, or emerald.

The second caution is perhaps more obvious: white shows blemishes and scars more readily than any other color, so of course you want to hold off if you have young kids, a lot of pets, or visitors who like to put their muddy feet up on the sofa. But when the kids go off to college, redecorating the living the room in white can be a wonderfully liberating way of celebrating.

White works so well because it reflects back a great deal of light, so other colors you use with it will really stand out. Try looking at the photo of the white bedroom again. Obviously, the interior design of this room makes it not as welcoming as it could be. This time imagine infusing the room with just one color: A terrific painting over the bed in blues and a blue striped duvet cover. Or a bedspread patterned in bright yellow and white, and the door painted bright yellow. You can see how starting with an all-white room can free an interior decorator to choose and play with color.

Or, look at the next photo on the left. Here, you can see how the white walls, ceiling, and sofas draw the eye to the multi-paned windows, the towering plant, and, most of all, to the collection of international artwork. A white background is most often the best way to show off any stunning work of art, whether it's a painting, a sculpture, or a piece of furniture you love. White will offer a clean background that will most enhance the viewing.

Sheffield's Using Color Tips

A completely monochromatic room of white, such as the one shown above on the right presents a cool airy feeling. Notice how the colors of the clothing on the person seem to "pop."

However, you don't have to ask white to take over the whole room. Sometimes just a bit of white here or there is all that's needed to add an energetic, elegant splash to a room design. Notice the white tulips pictured here; the silver vase further enhances the white, as it too is reflective, making the green stems stand out even more.

In small doses, white can help brighten up any dark corner of a room. Think of a spot where you'd like to add a window or a skylight, and before you call the contractor, first try hanging a photo done in white, and held in a white frame, on the wall. Under this, place a small white table with a white pitcher, and see if that doesn't change the whole mood of the interior.

Whether it's white tulips in a silver vase, a bunch of white glass grapes, a white cup and saucer, or a small white slipper chair, white can add a bit of uplift to any room.

–Sarah Van Arsdale

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