Practicality doesn’t always fit into my vocabulary when it comes to style. I do however think about what needs to be taken into consideration when I design our rooms at home.
Of course, there wouldn’t be a point in making a room picture perfect only for it to be left uninhabitable out of fear of marring that perfection. I am learning more and more as we slowly renovate our home that there are options to keep style in your design that ultimately stays true to your life and its needs.
Having an entire home with wall to wall pristine white flooring has always been my way of thinking that style would certainly override practicality. It would take living it one to really understand the degree of maintenance you decide to accord to it. I can imagine how vibrant and fun these homes must be though once you walk in and are really able to see each and every piece sitting in and against the most neutral kind of backdrop. Almost like a completely blank canvas. Each element lives on its own as if it’s being displayed in an art gallery.
There are so many variations of the look from white washed boards to modern concrete filled rooms. I haven’t seen a white floor that I have not loved. What are your favorites types?
Images from: katrine martensen-larsen, my scandinavian retreat, kitka, sköna hem, tinekhome, sköna hem, kitka, gitteandersen, melificient, dwell, decor8
another great post M. I’m know I couldn’t live with this much white, but I appreciate the beauty of the backdrop it creates…everything looks glorious on white. I LOVE that kitchen you found from Skona hem . . . LOVE. Thats probably as white as I could go on a floor . . . I would need a little bit of colour peeking thru…mostly to help disguise the bits…HAHAHA. Have a great weekend….xoxoxoxo
I love white floors – seeing the splash of color of that gumball looking carpet on the crisp shiny floor is so fun! I also noticed your favorite light fixture in one the pics – you will have to get it! It is also refreshing to see scandanavian design without it being from you know where. Lovely post!
love white floors in a high gloss, but with two chocolate labs and three kids they will never find their way into my home
I appreciate the stylish feel of these spaces, but you know me, deep down I love my colourful spaces! Hope you’ve had a fab weekend, M. xo
I love white rooms with beautiful intense punches of color, and a white floor is a great statement. Very stylish. I do imagine the upkeep to be a lot, but I could be wrong. I like the idea of a whitewashed wood floor. Elegant, but more homey. These photos and the stylings of the rooms are lovely.
Lovely collection of photos, so happy I found your blog!
Ohhh such a good question! I would say that you must really know your tolerance levels and have realisitic expectations. Very dark consistent flooring has very similar maintenance requirements as these gorgeous white floors. If you know going into the decision making process that frequent upkeep is required, you can make an informed decision based on your lifestyle. Tolerance for imperfection comes into play as well. Can you live in a space that is visually beautiful from a distance, only occasionally ‘perfect’? Or will any spec of dirt stand out like a neon ‘look at me’ sign? I know that I am willing to occasionally put up with higher maintenance to get the ‘look’ that I want, but others would sacrifice aesthetics for less upkeep.
We’ve had both very dark and now very white/light floors. The dark color floors are what’s hard to take care of. They show every scratch, hair, fuzzy and dust bunny. It drove me mad – to tears. By the time I was done washing the floor, something had settled upon it in the room I started cleaning in. A never.ending.cycle.
White, on the other hand is more forgiving. Our painters have even been wearing their shoes in my house and I have not been offended by what they track in = I am quite delighted!
Great post Michelle! As always, you select the most gorgeous photos.
xoABCD
P.S. our City rental has honey tone wood plank flooring it’s medium to light in color=also a breeze to take care of. It’s once you get into the darker shades that it becomes tedious.
I love the look of white floors…I’m trying to decide if I’m brave enough to do it in my own home. I’m always scared that it looks great in photos but in reality it will never look clean and will feel so cold and sterile. Seeing all these beautiful pictures really makes me want to give it a try though! Thanks for the inspiration.