When it comes to interior design, white is king. White paint has been a symbol of purity, innocence, and spirituality since the classical Greco-Roman era. From ancient Rome to today, there's no color that signifies the absence of sin more than white.
According to painting experts, the earliest known pigments used in the paint were earth pigments such as red, yellow, brown, and black.
The paint that many people use today is made of pigments that are mixed with a binding agent. Different pigments produce different colors, and painters have always been interested in creating new colors.
In recent years, global color authority Pantone made a significant impact on how designers and consumers approach color. Its selections for the Color of the Year have become trendsetters in the fashion, home decor, cosmetics, and interior design markets. In 2022, Pantone’s choice for its Color of the Year is Very Peri.
"Displaying a carefree confidence and a daring curiosity that animates our creative spirit, inquisitive and intriguing PANTONE 17-3938 Very Peri helps us to embrace this altered landscape of possibilities, opening us up to a new vision as we rewrite our lives." (Pantone.com)
If you've ever played the video game Assassin's Creed Origins, you may have noticed that much of the architecture and scenery in the game had a cream-colored look to it, which is based on real-life depictions of ancient Egyptian buildings.
Greek and Roman architecture also relied heavily on white paint, marble, and other materials that looked white to add a sense of regality to their work. This can be seen in many examples of ancient Greek architecture such as the Parthenon. Many ancient styles such as neoclassicism maintained this tradition of using white materials as a means to make buildings look grander than they actually were.
The paint that is used on the interior and exterior surfaces of your home can come in a variety of finishes. These finishes include matte, flat, satin or eggshell, semigloss, and gloss. As an example, the sheen describes how shiny the paint finish is. The glossier it is, the more durable and easier to clean it can be. This also means that gloss paint has a higher level of a shine than other types of paints and makes for a great option for doors and trim inside your home as well as exterior window frames and doors.
Matte: 0 to 7 percent gloss
Flat (or matte): 10 to 25 percent gloss
Eggshell: 10 to 25 percent gloss
Satin: 25 to 40 percent gloss
Semigloss: 40 to 70 percent gloss
Glossy: 70 to 100 percent gloss
In Europe, during the Middle Ages, white was associated with cleanliness, purity, and sacredness. For this reason, it was a popular color for churches and monasteries in Medieval times. The same was true in Colonial America where churches were painted white both inside and out.
Outside of religious applications, white paint was still used to signify wealth and importance.
Painting has been used as a decorating tool since the ancient Egyptians. In fact, there were five known colors of paint in ancient Egypt: red, green, blue, yellow, and white. While many of these colors have come and gone in popularity as time has passed (like an avocado shag carpet or floral wallpaper), white paint has remained a popular choice of home decorators throughout the centuries.
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