Hello friends! My name is Bozica, and I’m a qualified interior designer and colour specialist. One of the most common questions I get on my YouTube channel is: “Should I use one white paint color throughout my whole house?”

The short answer is: no. And in this post, I’ll show you exactly why, using three different examples from real homes and explain how you can create a cohesive and professional color scheme.

Whether you are renovating or building a new home, understanding how whites work with your fixed elements like stones, cabinets, tiles, and carpets is essential to get a flawless finish.

1. Open Space Living

Modern homes often feature open-plan living areas, which include the kitchen, living room, and dining areas. Sometimes, connected spaces like a theater room or study without doors also count as part of your open space living.

When choosing a white for these spaces, the key is to let your fixed elements dictate your paint color. For example, your kitchen stone will heavily influence which whites you can choose.

• Example: A Caesarstone Organic White with a gray-green undertone.

• Two paint options work beautifully with this stone:

  1. White Verdict Full Strength – a warm white with a gray-green undertone, LRV 80.

  2. White Verdict Half Strength – a softer, slightly lighter version with the same undertone.

Both options create a warm, harmonious look. If you want contrast, you can introduce Vivid White for skirtings and doors, giving your open-plan area dimension while keeping the undertones consistent.

Tip: Never use more than two neutrals in one open space. This maintains cohesion and prevents your home from feeling chaotic.

2. Separate Rooms (e.g., Theater Rooms or Studies)

Rooms with doors, like a theater or study, can be treated as independent spaces. This gives you flexibility to introduce different whites based on fabrics, furnishings, or lighting.

• Example: A fabric with green undertones for curtains or upholstery.

• Suggested paint: Casper White Quarter Strength, a bright white with a subtle green undertone, LRV 86.

This white complements the fabrics and creates a seamless look without overwhelming the space. Using the same white for skirtings and doors keeps the room elegant, while allowing you to introduce additional accents through fabrics or décor items.

Tip: Testing your whites against fabrics and furnishings ensures your undertones work together beautifully.

3. Bedrooms

Bedrooms are usually more private, often upstairs, and should harmonize with flooring like carpet. Using a single bright white throughout bedrooms can clash if your carpet is dark or patterned.

• Example: A gray-blue carpet with variations of light and dark shades.

• Choose a white paint that matches the undertone of your carpet, such as a light gray-blue or soft neutral with complementary undertones.

You can then layer additional neutrals, such as slightly darker or lighter shades on skirtings, doors, or feature walls, creating depth while maintaining harmony.

Tip: Bedrooms can be more flexible with neutrals, but always test your whites with carpets and furniture.

Why One White Doesn’t Work

Using one white paint color throughout your entire home ignores the variations in light, fixed elements, and materials in each room.

• Open-plan areas may need a slightly warmer white to complement stone and cabinetry.

• Separate rooms may require a brighter or cooler white to work with fabrics or lighting.

• Bedrooms often benefit from matching whites to flooring rather than sticking to a one-size-fits-all approach.

By choosing whites strategically and testing them in each space, you create a cohesive, professional look while avoiding stark contrasts or mismatched undertones.

Bonus Tip: Bathrooms

Bathrooms are a special case. If your walls aren’t fully tiled, your paint needs to match the undertones in your tiles or stone. The white you use on your open-plan living might not work here, so always test your options with samples.

How to Make This Easy

I teach all of this and more in my online course: Create Your Perfect Colour Scheme. In the course, I show you how to:

• Understand undertones and LRV (Light Reflectance Value)

• Choose the right whites for every room

• Layer two to three neutrals throughout your home

• Pair whites with stones, tiles, cabinetry, fabrics, and carpets

• Test samples effectively to avoid mistakes

By following these rules, you can confidently select whites and neutrals for your entire home—just like a professional interior designer!

If you want to learn more feel free to check out my course: Link