How we choose a white

A white wall is never one colour. It is whatever the room does to it by four in the afternoon, which is why we never choose a white from a card.

We paint large boards, at least a metre square, and carry them into the room. Each board stays for a week. We look at them at eight in the morning, at noon, and again when the light turns amber. Most whites that look clean at noon go grey or yellow by evening.

What we look for

We look for a white that holds its character when the light changes. In a room facing north we usually choose something with a trace of warmth, so the wall does not feel cold in winter. In a south facing room we go the other way, a white with a little green or grey in it, so it does not glare.

We also check what sits next to the wall. A white beside oak looks different from the same white beside stone. Boards are leaned against the actual floor and the actual curtains for exactly this reason.

What we avoid

We avoid anything sold as pure. A white with no undertone looks flat, and flat walls make a room feel smaller. We would rather have a wall that moves a little through the day.

Once we have chosen, we paint the whole room and live with it for two weeks before touching the woodwork. The trim is almost always a shade lighter or darker than the wall, never a different white. It is a small decision and it changes how calm the room feels.