Making it Modern: Whitewashed Wood
The photos above inspired some ideas for how to use a whitewashed finish to great effect in a stylish home:
• Use bright pops of color for contrast. Sleek textures like acrylic and powder-coated enamel will add an edgy feel.
• Whitewashed wood pieces sometimes look best in a room with minimal decoration overall (see the third and fourth photos). Keep your furnishings spare and you'll avoid that eighties look.
• If dark wood paneling or beams are too weighty, consider whitewash for a floor, ceiling, or wall. Light wood paneling tends to have a honey-colored finish, but whitewash is a good alternative if you want cooler tones.
• Consider using fixtures and accessories with an industrial feel to contrast with the countrified look of the whitewash. This idea is put to work nicely in the second photo, a kitchen from Marie Claire Maison, and in the bathroom in the seventh photo, designed by Ingrid Jansen.
• If you like the look but aren't ready for a big commitment, try subtle whitewash accents, like frames for artwork and mirrors.
How do you feel about whitewashed wood? Have you tried it in your home?
(Images: Decor8 / Ingrid Jansen; Marie Claire Maison; Desire to Inspire; Ulrika Ekblom; PointClickHome; Livingetc; Decor8 / Ingrid Jansen; Alicia B. Designs / James Michael Howard)
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inspiration, paints, stains & finishes, wood paneling, whitewash, pickled finishRelated Links
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- Ilse Crawford in Vogue Living Australia
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Slinks n. (slingks) Surreptitious web links to other good sites - Inspiration: Woven Privacy Wall
Dwell - Jimmy Schönning Stylish Apartment
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Very well done! Yay!
*although I did see a speck of dust on the far wall....lol*
view Laughing Tiger's profile
I prefer to see the natural wood color, but I can appreciate how this works. There's a lot you can do with it. BTW: Is the left leg of the desk doin' the Hokey Pokey?
view Laughing Tiger's profile
Off topic: I love that orange chair in the first photo so hard!
view BlackFrancine's profile
Instead of white-wash, I prefer the natural look or feel of wood. A nice stain can do wonders! I agree with BlackFrancine, the orange chair is a pop! :D
http://kirantarun.com
view Kirantarun 's profile
Swooning for the bathroom in the fifth photo!
view paintitbright's profile
I'm all for whitewashing. And bluewashing, and greenwashing, and yellowwashing ... With few exceptions, I think natural wood is boring.
view mirandabee's profile
Also loving the orange chair.
view michpc's profile
good tip i just learned thru a recent refinishing project; soak a piece of unused steel wool in white vinegar, let it soak for a day, and using a rag, rub a light coat into unfinished wood. the solution will grey the tannins in the wood. Depending on the kind of wood you have, it will turn the piece grey, charcoal, or grey
view redesign's profile
So what is the big deal about "looking shabby chic".
I like what I like to paraphrase popeye, and if I want to whitewash the bejesus out of things to make my house look the way I like it, and feel comfortable in it, I don't need a bunch of wannabe HGTV designers telling me that shabby chic is so "eighties".
view robienne's profile
I have already tried this tip. When I change my bedroom closet from wood to a white one everything else seems to be out of date so whitewashing was the easier and cheaper solution.
view gberriel's profile