However, with an array of shades available, white can be everything from warm and welcoming to cosy and comforting to crisp and calming.

White-hot inspiration Anyone seeking inspiration on how to get it right with white should look to No 10, The Aston building, Dublin 2, which has just come onto the market through Savills Hamilton Osborne King Created by celebrated French designer Andree Putman, the 304.9sq m (3,282sq ft) penthouse apartment in the former Virgin Megastore building on Aston Quay is an expansive light-filled retreat, much of it open plan. A unified space flowing through the top floors of the four original buildings, it incorporates guest quarters on the floor below.

The high-octane glamour of the white scheme ensures instant escape from the flurry of city centre activity below.

While few of us have a plush pad with original Georgian windows, pillars and other period features at our disposal, there is plenty to be learned from Putman's radical revamp of the space.

Putman, who enjoys creating opposition between simple things and precious details, contrasted white walls, stairs and furnishings with natural elements such as custommade antique oak floor cobbles sourced from America's Great Lakes. The felt-coated doors which conceal lots of streamlined storage were chosen by Putman to mimic the heather and granite tones of the Irish countryside and flowing linen curtains add texture, softening the overall effect.

Whiter shades of pale White, in all its manifestations, plays an increasingly pivotal role in 21st-century interiors, observe Atlanta Bartlett and Karena Callen in their new book At Home With White (Ryland Peters & Small).

"Pure, simple, cool and serene, it possesses qualities that can transform an overcluttered, chaotic living space into a tranquil oasis of calm."

The array of whites developed by paint manufacturers from white cloud to bone and flint, open up limitless avenues for creating a variety of moods.

Chalky whites include icecream pastel whites that are perfect for a romantic interior.

Muted whites complement antiques. Neutrals, including buff, taupe and beige, have undertones of yellow, brown or grey and work well in elegant interiors, according to Bartlett and Callen.

"Creamy whites tend to be softer and warmer off-white tones that complement country settings. Cool whites have bluey undertones and lend themselves best to very crisp, clean and modern interiors.

Grey whites work well in cold daylight, hence their popularity in Scandinavian countries, and are a mix of black, red and green pigments."

Providing you stay within the same harmonious colour family, you can use white successfully throughout the home without it being bland. Crown colour consultant, head of DIT's interior design course and presenter of Showhouse on RTE, Neville Knott advises having a reference point of brilliant white on the ceiling where a number of whites are being used.

Working with white As white not only changes with the light but reflects it, it is indispensable in settings where natural light may be obscured by buildings or limited by small windows.

While families often shy away from white, dismissing it as impractical, wipe-clean surfaces and loose covers mean kids and all-white schemes aren't mutually exclusive.

While white floors may be unrealistic, a white scheme will work well with wooden floors, such as walnut, says Knott.

While No 10 is a shining example of how white is inextricably linked to luxurious living, it can also bring out the best in cramped rooms and narrow hallways.

White walls also provide the ideal blank canvas for artwork and collections. Knott suggests complementing an all-white room by going for a large, unframed, 3D canvas. Savvy shoppers will pick up original pieces for a song at BA fine-art degree shops. White's unique unifying quality means it can tie unrelated items together, such as furniture from different eras, which, painted white, will sit together perfectly, say Bartlett and Callen.

Accenting with colour Using a variety of white shades within a room and introducing colour accents can contribute to breaking up the flatness of white on white. However, it is texture that adds depth, dimension and, above all, definition, the authors advise.

Smooth, reflective items and surfaces will add to the light, airy effect created by white.

Roughly hewn features will provide a homely touch, while matt can create contrast.

Accents of colour can introduce vibrancy. The trick, according to Bartlett and Callen, is to stick to one or two hues that complement one another to ensure the room still feels . . . and looks . . . white.

Cooler colours such as grey can be perfect partners for white, Knott says. "Irish people tend to be terrified of grey but it can be used to pick out architectural forms within a space, " he remarks.

With the correct diffusion of light, fresh and clean white shades can create an air of misty magic, Knott says.

"Lighting is all-important in a white scheme. You need different types from ambient lighting to flood and spot-lighting to define and create different shadows."

The right amount of lowvoltage halogen lamps or uplighters will help promote different moods.

While finding the most suitable shade of white isn't easy . . .

tester pots don't cover a large enough area, he says . . . television programmes, showhouses and other people's homes can provide pots of inspiration.

NO 10
No 10, The Aston building is being sold for in excess of 4m through Savills Hamilton Osborne King, 01-618 1300. Visit www.10theastonbuilding. com for more information . Many of the custom-made pieces of furniture showcased in No 10 have been created by Putman and will be included in the sale, such as her famous sliding black and cream checkered A Vous de Jouer mirror . . . one of only 20 made . . . along with the custom-made origami tables, crafted in France.

GETTING WHITE RIGHT Maura Mulroe, interior architect with DesignWise Interiors shares her top tips for working with white
>> To gently bridge white and colours, try bringing in some varying tones of white, light tans and off-whites. This can be done using natural materials such as wood, sisal matting and warm tone stones.

>> Painting your walls white doesn't necessarily mean your room will always look bigger, as white walls in a dark room will look grey and will make the room look gloomy and uninviting, However, painting a bright room white will make it look fresh and airy.

>> If you want to do a room completely white, use different shades of white, such as off-white, eggshell, and ice white. The natural light from the window will change the tones in the room throughout the day.