Clear White Light

For this homeowner, living with white is a breeze. Here she shares her design secrets on how to make it work

- Elle Lovelock

why white?

“When we first moved in, the house was mustard!” says Romi Weinberg of the Sydney home she shares with her two daughters Bo, 12, and Tatum, eight. “But I wanted something that was holiday-like, calming, tranquil and summery.” The solution was to paint the entire place white – exterior, interior walls, floors, even the plasterwork in the kitchen and bathrooms is a fresh, clean non-hue. “Thankfully I’m naturally neat and tidy, as are my daughters, but I don’t mind seeing everything wear and age. I absolutely love that aged look,” Romi says.

dirty, sludgy colour

White on its own can look a little sterile, so to warm things up, Romi has layered her interior with touches of what she calls “dirty, sludgy, muted colour”. “I’m just not a bright colour person,” she says, “but a hint of muted colour in each room adds interest.” This could be in a rug, accessories or books, and always in very earthy tones. “It works well with the holiday vibe,” Romi adds.

mixed materials