Desired and Inspired :: 15 Reasons Why White is Always Right

Desired and Inspired :: White House Splendor Image via Giannetti Home

Yesterday I wrote a post publicly declaring my love for black houses. I think they're bold, elegant and in short, sublime. (You can read about them here.) Today I will write about my love for white houses. Perhaps a direct reflection of my own Gemini personality, I happen to adore both. Traditional and classic there's a reason why this color has remained a favorite since the Colonial times. Whether at the shore, in the desert or on top of the mountains, the simplicity of this effortless color choice speaks for itself. Unlike its darker counterpart, white paint fares better in the elements, as the darker colors can fade beneath the sun's bright rays, this is never a problem with a white home, (which may need a good power washing on an annual basis.) Although modern homes are very well insulated with eco-friendlier heating and cooling systems, the darker colors do tend to absorb the heat of the sun, whereas white homes do not.

In my town of Southport, Connecticut - a quiet, coastal hamlet located about an hour outside of New York City, white remains a popular choice among homeowners. Our architecture runs the gamut from Colonial to Cape Cod to Georgian, with a few VIctorian style homes. More modern-Colonials and Farm-style houses are starting to pop up in crisp white colors that seem to magnify the brilliance of the natural landscape. These white houses while no less sophisticated than the black ones I highlighted yesterday, do make a quieter statement, evoking a sense of calm and tranquility.

I've been noticing a few changes over the past couple of years in the newer as well as the older homes.

I've seen more homes removing their shutters and painting their trims the same color as the exterior paint (as opposed to a shade or two darker or lighter) or by complete contrast outlining the trim in black, which I also adore. As though piping has been added along the exterior of the home.

Windows are getting larger and many are starting to remove their shutters entirely. This is an easy update for an older home looking for a more modern look. In the case of the modern colonial, especially those with larger windows, I prefer the no shutter look, yet with the older homes, I'm torn - the jury's still out on that decision. I love the crisp, clean lines of the white home without shutters, yet there's nothing as charming and quintessential New England than driving through a historic down full of light color houses with dark shutters. If one has shutters on their home, I believe they should absolutely be a dark, classic color. What do you think?