I have a huge collection of tear sheets from magazines tucked in my file drawer and an immense digital library of all my favorite rooms on my laptop. Once in a while I go through them and find inspiration for new designs. Most images call out to me because of a certain detail or style that I adore. However there are a handful of photos that I'm drawn to because of pure perfection. Those images of rooms that are just so darn beautiful that I wouldn't and couldn't change a thing. I've decided to feature a couple of my favorites . Let's start with my favorite white space. Just to be clear- we ditched the "no white after labor day" rule a long time ago.

White is my favorite decorating color alongside my signature gray. It's clean, it's fresh, it's timeless, and it's just practical. My living areas are bathed in white, my office is white, all my bed sheets and towels are white and I have big old comfortable couches in my living room fitted with white slipcovers - which I must say- are easier to maintain than you think (even with a toddler running around.....can you say Oxiclean?). For me it just makes more sense to have white than any other color because it's the only one that actually looks better over time. My white slipcovers have only gotten whiter and brighter after washing, as opposed to other colors that just fade and dull over time. 

The thing with white is - it's very tricky. Done completely wrong- it can feel sterile and cold. It can look clean in one light, yet extremely dirty alongside other colors. Most people associate it with extremely modern and sparse spaces like art galleries, museums, and also what you get when you purchase a cookie-cutter home. It's seen as the safest color. I've heard "you can't go wrong with white" too many times. But let me tell you - yes you CAN go wrong with white!  White is not just white. There are so many shades of white and each of them can either work with or against your space. There are the creamy, yellow based whites. There are the bluish whites, the pinkish whites....etc. It's a true gift to effortlessly and successfully design with white - specially when it is more than just an accent and an actual statement.

Well here is an example of one home that I think does white perfectly.  Monelle Totah's San Francisco flat is one of my dream homes. She's the head of design at Williams-Sonoma Home, and with good reason- she is a genius! Not only do I love the style of the space (this is what heaven looks like to me), there is not one thing I would like to change. It's cozy, bright, chic, laid-back, functional, and downright gorgeous. The combination of furniture styles, textures, artwork, and architectural details come together effortlessly. It's white with a smart sprinkling of color that gives off energy in appropriate doses. Here is one of my fantasy homes...white done right:

Monelle Totah's San Francisco flat featured in ElleDecor's July/August 2009 issue:























Photos: ElleDecor