When decorating a room, expensive or difficult to change elements are best left neutral. For whites, consider the variety supplied by a creamy wool rug, white linen slipcovers, shiny silk pillows, and a furry throw. Contrast comes in the form of black accents, which can be as powerful as hot pink in an all white room.

Use white to separate and emphasize your forays into colorful decor. In this room, white walls and shapely textured furnishings set a chic neutral stage for vibrant ceramics, glass, and a collectible pink chair. A shelving unit creates a display grid on the white wall that adds dimension in the room and spreads the notes of pink and blue over a larger space.

Slipcovered in crisp white and dressed for dinner, modern chairs add a touch of minimalist formality to this white dining room. The shaded chandelier and simple window shades sum up the classic-modern style of the space. The white palette is enriched with a subtle ivory tone on the walls.

Layers keep a white room from being one-note. Prop framed mirrors against a wall or over a mantel. Look for interesting mirrors at thrift stores or tag sales and paint the frames in shades of cream and white. Slightly overlapped or placed against one another, the large mirrors will practically double the natural light in the room. Add another piece in front of the mirrors, preferably something with a similar tone and an interesting shape, such as this old French clock, to create depth.

Contemporary amenities are dressed in traditional design elements in this timelessly elegant white kitchen. Glass-front cabinets and thick marble counters confer period authenticity, while stainless steel appliances add a modern counterpoint. Oak plank flooring grounds the room and brings warm, natural color to the mostly white space.

White brings cohesion to a large room and its different layers of color and texture. In this bright and breezy living room, wide-plank pinewood floors and finishes emphasize the house's history, while the dark tones contrast with the contemporary white walls and slipcovered seating in an old-world/new-world combination.

Add signature flourish, intrigue, and even texture to an all-white bath. In this unique space, a quartz tile surface is embossed with a subtle wash of lace pattern that dances in the natural light. Augment the luxurious spa feeling with lots of white: towels, floor covering, and shower curtain it's a surefire way to refresh.

This Victorian flat was transformed to give it the ambience of a modern loft. White paint coats the formerly dark wood architectural elements such as the fireplace mantel, allowing the relief carvings to stand out in greater prominence. Using white and black on furnishings allows the modern and Victorian styles to blend seamlessly.

Springy greens in the fresh flowers and the muted sandy tones of timeworn accessories give this living area country charm. Slipcovers can be tossed into the laundry if spills threaten to ruin the pristine scene.

White in this space is interrupted only by an occasional plant or expanse of wood, and seems cool, calm, and collected. Subtle variations of white and cream add interest to this space, while fresh flowers and plants help unite the indoors to the outdoors.