Kinfolk & Soul

White is not a mere absence of color; it is a shining and affirmative thing, as fierce as red, as definite as black.    G.K. Chesterton – Atlanta Bartlett’s At Home With White I love white. I always have. I love how perfect it is, I love how clean its looks, but more than anything when it’s used right, I love how it brings a sense of comfort and peace to a home. Once upon a time white was considered a sterile color to decorate with and was banished to hospitals and ceilings throughout the land. The Scandinavians however were always adept at using white in the styling of their homes, they found endless inspiration in white. And born from it was the idea that design should be functional and simple, yet beautiful and inspired by nature, accentuating space and clean lines, transforming the Scandi look into the art of minimalism and sleekness. Using white for decorating doesn’t end with the Scandinavians. You can use it in a variety of different styles of decorating like shabby chic, coastal (I love love), modern, baroque, rococo, gustavian, and the list goes on. White goes with everything. I’m especially fond of using it with blues, greys, and black. It also looks fabulous with pastels. I love it for its versatility as it’s a blank slate color that you can layer any look over the top of. It has the power to be sophisticated and elegant, inviting and soul reviving, but it also has the power to be cold, empty and isolated, so be careful with it unless a nescient look is what you’re aiming for. White is one of the most abundant colors in nature like freshly fallen snow, pristine beaches, a gardenia flower, twinkling stars in the night sky, and radiant sunlight. It’s amazing how much inspiration you can draw from nature when trying to find ideas on decorating your home. When I was 12 we lived in Robinvale for a while, we lived in a property overlooking the Murray River and it started to rain. The raindrops were thick and heavy and the sun was out making them look like white sparkling diamonds hitting the water. It was one of the most beautiful things I’d ever seen and it made life feel magical, even if for just a few moments. Right then I knew I wanted to live in a world…