The absence of color may be why this color is perceived by us to be so pristine, and in some environments so sterile. The truth is that there is very little white that is absent of color in the real world. This is fortunate because too much of this glaring color can lead one to a mental institution! However, if you take pure white and mix it with hints of other colors, primarily warm ones, it will provide you with some of the most elegant and livable colors around.

White kitchens were very important in the early 90's. If consumers mixed these whites with other colorful elements they seemed to survive well into the years, but if mixed with greys and blacks they became too harsh and cold for this decade. Initially, as the Nineties moved in with the Naturals theme, pure whites were dismissed as too clinical and harsh. Whites gave way to Natural Off Whites. Naturals are secure tones and create warmer environments with a sense of authenticity that's reflected in natural cottons, sand, stones, muslin and linens.

Colorful whites were necessary as a transition to the deeper tones of the mid-90's. Consequently we saw a blossoming of Off whites and Tinted whites in every tonality. As we moved into the Millennium we saw through these pales tones to note their interplay of colors in layered sheers. Soft whites and pales layered over one another to create new combinations and colorations in soft whispy tints of color were the important direction for this color range. Veiling of mid-tone colors, to create softer transparent colors, also played into white's influence on color. This will continue artfully. I say artfully because this can be difficult to achieve in product, but is inspirational when it does.

Some believe White to be today's perfect neutral color, as it is a foil for the bright tones in the market. It is also a good color to represent the month of December -- an optimistic view of a cynical world -- since whites connote celestial, heavenly, spiritual, peace, purity and innocence.

Will your whites be heavenly or will they fail to live up to their aspiring heights? Know which whites will ascend upward, call Nada Associates today for "design intervention"!

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