White color: symbols, chic shades and psychological meanings
Armocromia is the science of colors that allow us to enhance our beauty, through the understanding of colors. It makes us understand which colors give us the most, not only for clothing but also when it comes to choosing make-up right and hair dyes. Find out the main information on this topic right in the video you find below! Maybe your color is really white?
The white color: main characteristics
The white color is certainly one of the most particular in the rgb color table (in html language you can find it under the heading 255,255,255 or #FFFFFF): it is a color with high brightness but in fact it has no tint, which is why white is also called "achromatic color".
To be precise, white contains all the colors of the electromagnetic spectrum and is the opposite of black, which is determined by the absence of colors. With this color it shares some aspects: black is also without tint, and like white it is more a shade in relation to light (obviously to opposites, black in the absence and white in totality) than a real color.
It was the scientist Newton who first discovered these peculiarities of white; before it, scientists argued that white was the basic color of light, and that all the other colors in between were formed simply by adding something to the light. Newton had to arrive to prove that white was formed by the combination of others. colors.
The impression of white light is obtained by combining certain intensities of the primary colors of the spectrum: red, green and blue. The light of this shade is truly unique; you may remember from your high school studies that passing through a crystal prism goes to create a rainbow with the full range of colors.
The meaning of the color white
Widmann said "white is the very color of divinity”And he was more than right. White has always been associated with something otherworldly, divine. Just think of the most suggestive and powerful elements in nature: the moonlight and the solar dawn with all its brightness.
The white shade is primordial and timeless: you can find it in every season, from summer with all its freshness to winter, where it warms and envelops.
What does it express in different cultures? One thing that unites the spiritual currents around the world is that its meaning is the polar opposite of the color black, but each interprets it in a different way.
In Western culture the color white approaches the concept of purity, positivity and peace (think of the Pope's clothes ...), while in Slavic mythology there was Byelobog (white god) and in African lands Bumba and Faro were venerated. If you dig into the legends of the Druids, Egyptians and Hindus, white recalls the deities, but also Christmas.
In some Eastern countries, white resembles something totally different: death. It is in fact perceived as the color of angels and of paradise.
White really expresses many concepts, from hope to simplicity, from noble feelings to virginity. If you think of white in fashion for example, what do you see as the first image?
Probably an elegant wedding dress, the figure par excellence that symbolizes chastity and purity. But you may also have visualized a baby who is about to be baptized, a child approaching communion; in essence, at least for Western countries, white is in the common imagination of all religious ceremonies where there is a need to communicate a sense of candor and immaculate.
In fairy tales, white indicates the light of day, the salvation of the hero or the intervention of a beneficial (even divine) force; in short, it is good in all its forms. Black on the contrary is the shade of evil. In mythology, on the other hand, color is associated with something fantastic, such as fantasy creatures: unicorns, pegasus, Merlin's white dragon ... are just a few examples. In many cartoons it expresses the ideal of the pure girl, like the well-known Snow White, so desired by her mother with snow-white skin, lips as red as blood and hair as black as ebony.
In general, white is certainly a positive color, even if it can have some negative connotations, such as coldness, emptiness, detachment and extreme perfectionism. A total absence of warmth and emotion.
White in furniture: where and how to put it in the home
There are different shades of this non-color and one of the sectors that is very careful in choosing the correct nuance is that of furniture. Opting for this "pure" color when decorating the house and painting the walls is certainly a very trendy choice. because it is extremely suitable for any type of furniture.
It goes very well with contexts with a vintage soul, such as in minimal and industrial ones. The white color is an evergreen and never goes out of fashion; preferring one of its shades you never go wrong, but think carefully about what you want to combine it with.
In particular, on the walls, the choice of color must be made based on the size of the room, the sun exposure and the type of floor available (terracotta, parquet, marble ...), as well as obviously the color of the furniture and accessories. d "furniture.
If the feeling you want to have is that of cleanliness and freshness, you can also opt for a total white, which has the power to make spaces seem much larger and brighter. This style choice goes perfectly with country or minimalist, but if your furnishings are already all white, perhaps it is better to paint the walls with other shades, perhaps pastel.
As for the room where you can apply the white, there is no precise rule: the white color adapts to all styles and in every closet, in the bedroom as much as in the living room, in the children's bedrooms and in the kitchen.
Let's see together which are the best known types of white.
The shades of white
All white colors can be used ton sur ton to have a touch of chic in your home or on your clothes. Surely you will have some furnishing objects of this shade and in your closet; white is a must have!
Yes, but which white is better? The answer is it depends on the context and our ideas in terms of style. There is no universal ideal shade, but the one that goes best with what we want to furnish, communicate and dress. There are many white shades, ranging from the coldest to the warmest and least icy ones.
Today we analyze the most popular: off-white, ice white, pearl white, ivory white, antique white and zinc white.
Off-white color
Particular shade, soiled by a few drops of other colors, but the most common is yellow. It is a bright color, not dazzling and is usually used to convey relaxation, therefore perfect for bedrooms and bedrooms. It goes well with any type of furniture, but to make it work well there must be a contrast with the walls, perhaps colored according to the environment that surrounds you: blue furniture for the sea, green or ocher for the countryside and black for the city.
Ice white color
It is always a shade "soiled" by other colors, such as gray. It is reminiscent of frozen water in nature and goes very well with antique pink or lilac, as well as with all shades of green and blue. It is better to avoid red and orange tones. The ice white needs not to be combined with others. white tones, nevertheless it is perfect in any type of furniture and gives its best in the living areas of the house. We also recommend avoiding shiny and glass furniture because they highlight the feeling of coldness.
Pearl white color
Very elegant shade that contains the reflections of mother-of-pearl; it is a cold color but it is not gloomy. It can be used for sofas of the same color, provided that the furnishing accessories are in stark contrast. Among all the shades of white it is the most sophisticated, original and alternative one.
Ivory white color
Known as the color of elephant tusks, ivory white is a prized color, a kind of white that has yellowed with time. It brings to mind Africa, where the lands are lost visibly and the sun is scorching. Ivory illuminates the rooms and is useful in furnishing to warm them, so it is perfect for those corners where little natural light arrives. If you have the time and the desire, use ethnic furniture in combination with this shade, with yellowish, brown, sandy and beige colors. Don't forget to recreate your safari area with animal prints.
Antique white color
As the word suggests, it suits our grandmothers' clothes, faded by time. It is a color that in the imagination symbolizes authenticity and family traditions. It gives an elegant touch and makes the house particularly hospitable. Choose it if you love shabby chic style furniture, perhaps in rooms with wooden parquet flooring, especially if in dark colors or bamboo parquet. Where to use it? Both in the living area and in the bedroom, but also for a rustic or minimalist bathroom.
Zinc white color
Also called zinc flowers, it tends to yellow, but a very pale yellow. It is obtained synthetically and derives from the vapors of zinc when it is burned at high temperatures. Among the many that we have mentioned above it is perhaps the most unnatural, but certainly trendy and elegant. It goes very well with simple, clean furnishings. Match it with furniture in dark tones or with antique ones, made of solid wood.
Do you want to be even more modern? He opts for smoky white, a shade tending to gray but which retains all the versatility of its achromatic color. It is a bright color that manages to match many modern furnishing accessories. By choosing it for walls or furniture, the spaces will immediately become wider and clearer.
Personality according to the white color
Coloring your life white means being more open and inclined to the truth. Wearing it we are softer and more willing to dialogue. Who loves this color so what kind of person is he?
Usually a white lover is a positive and full of life individual, attentive to the needs of others. It can even seem cold and detached, because white still evokes a certain formality and elegance.
Those who love white usually feel a strong push for change, oriented as much as possible to perfection; people who particularly like this color are certainly not unkempt. They are not satisfied and try to excel in every area; they love order and perhaps are sometimes too critical of themselves and others, even if at the same time they have a constant need for lightness. Finally, those who prefer white have great confidence in others and in all that the future holds but can create illusions.
On the contrary, those who reject this color are characterized by not being very confident towards others, they do not like new things and do not tend to make significant changes in their life. It is no coincidence that those who do not love white prefer black, its opposite in symbolism and psychological meaning.
All people who do not love white are habitual and are also rational, not very sentimental and decidedly insecure. In short, they are all those who have low self-confidence and struggle to open up to the world.
Did you like this article? Read all the others dedicated to the world of colors and their meaning in psychology; we point out in particular the section on pink and orange.
