Technically white is not a colour and has no hue as it consists of all the colours of the spectrum, reflecting none. In reality it is the ultimate neutral as it reflects all light and is the basis for all coloured tints. In any white room, one wall may appear greenish, reflecting the greens outside, or greyish if in a city; it might appear pale pink if the carpet is red, etc.
There is an ongoing debate surrounding the use of white in interiors: some adore it, others say it is never right and always a substitute for a decision. All white, and on its own, can be hard and unyielding, but there is no doubt that white works with everything: all colours, stones, woods and all materials. White sanitary ware and white bedlinen are design standards and white, or almost white, ceilings are universally chosen to reflect light.
White is also highly symbolic, representing purity, innocence and virginity; snow white and spring whites speak of new life and cleansing. With a mélange of other whites, such as cricket whites, oyster, stone, etc., they produce a calm and ordered space cognisant with purity of mind and thought.
The appelations of whites are evocative and sensual: milk, coconut, lime white, cloudy, snow, chalk, downy, vanilla, paper, parchment, seafoam…and then on to limestone, magnolia, barley, oyster, rye, cream, etc.