I grew up begrudging my mother for keeping so many walls in our home white. I thought it was too plain, too boring, too conservative. I pushed for color, then pushed harder; painting several murals across the walls of my own bedroom, collaging over my door, covering every inch of wall with something, anything.

I am still a huge fan of color, of organized chaos, of walls and walls of books, of knick knacks and pieces of art and yes, of course I am still a fan of murals. Better Farm's got no shortage of color and personality and works of art and little keepsakes, each of which tells a story.

But the key is organized chaos; controlled color; disciplined design. And so as I plan the overhaul of two of our bathrooms at the farm, I'm struck by the many ways white (and its sneaky counterpart, off-white and cream) can be truly wonderful when done in a deliberate, decadent kind of way. Behold: The Wonderful World of Whites.

In living rooms: