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Carte Blanche
Color brightens our lives and enlivens our surroundings, but much can be said about a room that soothes the senses and calms the nerves. A room filled with a cool shade of white may just be the perfect antidote to a busy holiday season

“Sometimes no color is the best color of all,” writes celebrity potter Jonathan Adler in his wonderfully witty tome, My Prescription for Anti-Depressive Living. Granted, he offers but one subdued scheme in a book full of color—and on that page, he’s wearing tropical orange pants. But it’s a brilliant way to illustrate another one of his decorating dictums: A room designed in quiet hues allows the people in it to play a starring role.

In January 2008, at the Paris-based home show Maison et Objet, home-interiors forecaster François Bernard created a series of entirely white rooms for the biennial exhibition. Inspired by Bernard’s vision, and by the many gorgeous white furnishings and accessories in stores and showrooms around town, we layered monochromatic marvels for a white room of our own. Serene, elegant and soothing, it seems the perfect anecdote for the busy pace of our modern lives. Somehow it’s harder to rush when one’s room is so calm, cool and collected. White feels right today—and with a mix of sleek furnishings and beautiful textures, such as faux-crocodile wall covering from Valtekz and a white wool and silk “Anna” rug by Erreeme, it will feel right tomorrow, too.

Wall covering crocodile composite in Spinnaker White by Valtekz, available to the trade through Elinor & Verve, Seattle Design Center, Ste. P-268, (206) 767-6941. Rug “Anna” by Erreeme in wool and silk blend, custom, through Poliform Seattle,  2512 Second Ave., (206) 443-9546. Chair and sectional bi-cast leather, Retrofit Home, 1419 12th Ave., (206) 568-4663. Table Drake coffee table, Area 51, 401 E. Pine St., (206) 568-4782. Lamps Pablo Tube Top floor lamp by Peter Stathis and George Nelson Ball Bubble Lamp on Lotus table base, Velocity Art & Design, 251 Yale Ave. N., (206) 749-9575. Faux fur pillow and white box G.R. Hedges, Seattle Design Center, Ste. P-361, (206) 763-4884. Throw PanzaVerde, Polite Society, 1924 First Ave., (206) 441-4796. Pewter tray Match, J. Garner Home, Seattle Design Center, Ste. P-274, (206) 762-0597. Tulipieres available to the trade through Terris Draheim, Seattle Design Center, Ste. P-288, (206) 763-4100. Chair embossed acrylic crocodile pattern chair, Seva Home, 900 Lenora St., Ste. 116, (206) 323-9920. Console, Retrofit Home, 1419 12th Ave., (206) 568-4663.