Discover inspirational all-white and off-white color schemes from the pages of Cabana Magazine, and find out why bold color devotee, David Hicks, was equalled enamored by white.
Cy Twombly's house, Bassano in Teverina © Francois Halard, Cabana N17
"He always found something luxurious, fresh and delightful in white, and he splashed it about with abandon, knowing just how focusing its effect could be, how calming and simple an atmosphere it could produce." So writes the artist and designer, Ashley Hicks, of his father, the great English decorator, David Hicks.
Although known for his bold and expressive use of rich, deep color, declaring color, "one of the most exciting, rewarding and inexpensive things [that] can easily create a complete transformation in any room", David Hicks, like Cabana, was equally inspired by the transformative power of white. Whitewashed walls, white
Read on to discover some of our favorite all-white schemes and scenes.
Cy Twombly's house © Francois Halard, Cabana N17
Cy Twombly's house, Bassano in Teverina
The extraordinarily atmospheric home (pictured above, and below) of the late great American painter, Cy Twombly; a space where clean, soft whites lay the ground for quiet contemplation and artistic expression. Photographed by Francois Halard for Cabana.
Cy Twombly's house © Francois Halard, Cabana N17
Bunny Williams' drawing room © Ari Kellerman
Drawing room, Connecticut, Bunny Williams
This elegant all-white drawing room sits in the spectacular Connecticut home of American decorator, Bunny Williams. The designer embraces color throughout her schemes, but also understands the tranquil, palette-cleansing power of white.
Bedroom in the home of Bunny Williams © Ari Kellerman
Bedroom in Connecticut, Bunny Williams
Bunny Williams continues the all-white scheme in one of the bedrooms of her Connecticut home, adding color and texture through the drapery and textiles. The use of rich blues with the whites and marble floors creates a mood-enhancing Mediterranean atmosphere.
Image © David Hicks in color, written by Ashley Hicks, published by Cabana
A Sussex bedroom by David Hicks
A bedroom in the Sussex home of the movie director, John Schlesinger, designed by David Hicks and photographed 1971. The room’s old wooden beams and rustic wooden furniture provide the only touches of color in the otherwise all-white scheme.
A bedroom in Southampton, New York, by David Hicks
A grand bedroom in the modern Southampton, NY home of Lydia Farr, designed by David Hicks and photographed in 1969. It features a calming palette of white-glazed Provençal tiles and elegant, white drapery surrounding Hicks’ trademark bed. The clever design became one of the great decorator’s most-copied ideas on account of the curtains that hung from the ceiling, creating the drama of a four-poster without any need for posts.
The Duke of Beaufort's Worcester Lodge © Miguel Flores-Vianna
Worcester Lodge, Gloucestershire, England
Built in the 18th Century, within the grounds of the Badminton Estate, the all-white Worcester Lodge was a place from which to observe the hunt and entertain guests. Badminton House remains a private home today, owned by the Duke of Beaufort, and the Lodge is still used in a similar way. Designed by William Kent, Worcester Lodge was described by the prominent architectual historian, Nikolaus Pevsner, as one of the ten best buildings in England.
Image © David Hicks in color, written by Ashley Hicks, published by Cabana
A London Drawing Room by David Hicks
A London drawing room by David Hicks, designed for Lord and Lady John Cholmondeley in 1965, and almost unchanged when photographed in 2019. The all-white interior, including white textured rugs, made a perfect, aptly 1930s background for pieces from Lord John’s uncle Sir Philip Sassoon’s Trent Park.
