White paint…for walls? Groundbreaking. When it comes to white walls in home interiors, folks tend to view the color as the default. Today, white represents the absence of color more than anything. Choosing white walls is like choosing nothing at all. At the very least, it’s opting for the path of least resistance. After all, everything goes with white, right? 

If you’ve been keeping up with my interior design work, you know that I tend to embrace dark and moody interiors layered with rich wood paneling, patterned wallpapers, and textured upholstery — anything except white sheetrock walls! Many of my Austin interior design clients (and myself) view white walls as the standard — something left by the builder for us to build upon. 

However, as I found out during my years at New York School of Interior Design in my design history lessons (my favorite subject in fact) white walls have not always been this way. In fact, white has a, dare I say, colorful history. The first all-white room wasn’t even painted until 1927, and it absolutely was groundbreaking at the time.

Let’s examine the history of white walls in home interiors, the wide variety of shades, and the impact this color has had on style over the decades. 

Syrie Maugham and the First All-White Room  

There are some folks out there who believe selecting a white paint swatch excuses them from the interior design process. No. Interior design affects us all, and the choices we believe to be “standard” come from innovative designers like Syrie Maugham. 

Syrie Maugham is dubbed the “Princess of Pale” for her daring all-white interiors, which were anything but standard. She was born Gwendoline Maud Syrie Barnardo in 1879 and raised in a wealthy evangelical household in London. However, her strict upbringing gave way to a rebellious character. 

She became a socialite known for her good taste (and multiple marriages). Her second husband, playwright William Somerset Maugham, gave her the surname under which she started her design career. However, he also gave her a miserable marriage, and she was looking for an escape. 

In 1921, Vogue published an article quoting, “Someone once said that a woman is happily married or an interior decorator.” In 1922, Syrie opened her own design studio, much to her husband’s disapproval. It became an overnight success. She owed her acclaim to her opposition to the traditional Victorian style of the time. Rather than decorating with dark wood paneling, deep colors, and heavy furnishings, she opted for light pickled wood stains and pale velvet upholstery.  

In 1927, Syrie decided to celebrate her long-awaited divorce from William with a surprise interior design room reveal that would cement her reputation in the design world and go on to influence millions of home interiors. London’s elite received invitations to a candlelit midnight party hosted at Syrie’s home. When she opened the doors to her newly redecorated music room, guests were shocked by a sight they’d never seen before — an all-white interior. 

The room’s wall paneling and trim were all painted white with matching white upholstered sofas, lilies, and area rug. Mirrored screens reflected the twinkling white candlesticks, enhancing the light and airy feel of the room. With one party, Syrie took the world out of the dark ages of design and into the light, bright, and white rooms we take for granted today. 

 

A Brief History of White Paint and Color Perceptions 

Syrie Maugham didn’t invent white paint, but she did completely change the world’s perception of the color. Her all-white room went on to influence other designers like Elsie de Wolfe, Jean-Michel Frank, and Frances Elkins, who began opting for lighter and brighter interior design schemes. Back in the Victorian era, white was revolutionary. So, why has our perception of the color dulled through the decades? 

Today, white is often seen as the absence of color, the opposite of black, and a “safe choice” in design. However, that has not been the case throughout history. In Michel Pastoureau’s book White: The History of a Color, he explains that white’s true status as a color was never contested before the 17th century. White isn’t the absence of color. It’s a color all to itself with a wide range of shades. In the Middle Ages, red was perceived to be the opposite of white. Not black. Before it was a standard wall color, white was seen as something pure and precious, reserved for forms of high art and visual symbolism. 

Going back even further, the color white was a favorite among the ancient Greeks. Grecian whitewash was developed for practical reasons. White exterior walls reflect the hot Mediterranean sun, keeping home interiors cool. Additionally, the Greeks developed white paint with the help of lead, which also increased the paint’s durability for easier maintenance — of course, with unforeseen health consequences. 

 

The Many Shades of White Interiors 

“Just keep it simple and paint my walls white.” Well, what shade? Cream, ivory, bone, seashell, smoke, eggshell, parchment…the list goes on and on. White looks so clean and simple on the surface, but the subtle undertones of the color could ultimately make or break your design. 

Interestingly enough, a “true white” did not yet exist when Syrie revealed her all-white music room. In the Victorian era, white wasn’t commonly used because it was difficult to produce. The closest shades you could get were ivory or bone, mainly because the lead used in white paint up into the 1970s had a subtle green-gray undertone. Many paint producers, like Farrow & Ball, now spend time painstakingly researching color pigments to reproduce the lead paint look (without the toxicity). The first true white wasn’t created until 1940 with the addition of the TiO2 compound. This pigment is better able to scatter visible light, yielding a brighter, whiter white. 

Today, there is almost no limit to the different shades of white available. Chances are, if you are truly averse to white, you haven’t found the right shade. Whites with cold blue undertones can feel sterile and builder-grade, whereas warmer hues with b”rown and gray undertones have a warmer, cozier feel that’s much more inviting. 

Don’t Worry, Everything’s All White 

I’ve been on the dark side for a while now, but I’m forming a deeper appreciation for the color white and all of its complexities. It all comes down to intentionality. Of course, a poorly painted sheetrock box will feel boring when painted white. It would feel boring in any color! With the proper application, white can highlight an art collection, create a serene retreat, or allow texture to take center stage. I think it’s time we gave white the attention and care it deserves. 

 

Because white is anything but boring.