While white provides a clean, neutral, and cool element to any living room collection, it may become a challenge when using the pieces – like an accent chair, a coffee table, or a sectional sofa – in daily life. The benefit of white is that it can be paired with any color. Its application is classic and timeless. Here, we’ll discuss the pros and cons of white living room furniture.
Advantages of White Living Room Furniture
The advantages of white, modern living room furniture are many. While the disadvantages cause people to shy away from this color, there are many things to enjoy about white in your living room.
White Looks Classy and Aesthetically Pleasing
White has always been a classic color. It used to be a popular color for walls because you could pair anything with it. Now, white is a popular color because you can pair it with any other color without it clashing.
The color is perfect for all seasons. Dark colors can feel too wintery, while pastels elude a summertime feel. White is a versatile color to cool a room down during summer and evoke a warm feeling in winter.
White Brightens Dark Walls/Flooring That Can’t be Updated
In this case, a room can appear significantly brighter when you add white rugs, furniture – like a leather sofa set or a club chair – or window coverings. This creates the illusion of light. If a room has too much light, you may want to avoid this as the room may appear to be too bright or washed out.
White Expands Your Space
This color will make your room appear larger, feel neater, and generates a bright, open sensation. It is great for small rooms or to increase resale value. White is a color that goes well with anything, so buyers can easily picture themselves in that room with their furniture.
Buyers may not have to be concerned with repainting the walls, so the sale may be easier in this case.
You Can Find White Anywhere
If you are painting a room white, you can find this color anywhere as it is not a special blend. It’s easy to do a quick touch-up or repair if the paint flakes or chips.
White Can Frame a Centerpiece
Large pieces of colorful art or possessions that you want to showcase will shine when surrounded by white. This may be a contrasting white couch or white walls. It is a color that is sure to make the decor pop.
Disadvantages of White Living Room Furniture
While white may be easy to pair with other objects, there are some disadvantages to this classic color. Some of them have caused people to move away from white furniture. Others may be overlooked or not considered when people are purchasing white furniture.
White Shows Stains and Discoloration
The biggest issue with anything white is that, while it gleams when you initially purchase it, after a while it will show signs of discoloration, stains, spills, and everyday wear. If you have children, you cannot guarantee that their hands won’t spread dirty messes all over your white furniture.
Even if your kids are older, or you don’t have children, just touching a white object can leave behind fingerprints. It will fade and turn yellow and show signs of aging no matter how well you take care of it.
White May Appear Too Pristine or Sterile to Guests
Visitors have concerns when entering a room with white furniture. They are aware that any spill or dirt will show up on the furniture. They want to be conscientious, so they will be very mindful.
This may be fine if it is a formal living room that is only used for entertaining guests. When considering white for a living room, you need to assess how it is being used and who is using it.
Your living room can contain white, but it needs to be comfortable in appearance. If guests are afraid to sit down or feel like they can’t touch anything, then it loses its appeal. White should provide a calmness to the room and feel homey.
Too Much White Can Make the Room Look Bland
Too much white in a room makes it look unappealing and reminiscent of a hospital ward. White should be used in a complementary fashion with pops of other colors. An all-white room is boring and sterile without added color to bring depth.
Not Ideal for a Family Room
As mentioned, little kids can get white dirty very quickly, including white wall decor. You can’t eliminate spills, accidents, or dirty footprints from entering the room. If you want white furniture, you will have to anticipate how you will handle these messes without getting upset at ruined furniture.
When adding white to your family home, you may want to consider items that are washable. White isn’t as high-maintenance if you are able to throw a white slipcover in the wash, wipe down white tiling, or clean the upholstery. Then, spills and accidents don’t matter as much. It becomes a simple cleanup.
You will want to avoid fabrics that are delicate or hold stains. They will become more of a high-maintenance piece and lose their visual appeal as time progresses.
Final Thoughts
When incorporating white, you need to use it strategically. While you can create an all-white room and everything will match nicely, the appearance will be cold and sterile. White is best used for walls if you are unsure of what color of furniture you want to use or for resale value.
White furniture should be used to accent different colored walls or else it will get lost in the room. Also, if you have kids, you need to consider how you will clean it. White shows every particle of dirt, and you may quickly become dismayed at how your previously pristine white decor now looks.
On the other hand, white living room furniture does create an illusion of light. It can make small rooms appear bigger and matches every season. As a homeowner, you need to decide where this color is best placed for maximum effect.
