When you’re looking to update your personal style – whether it be within the home or through your choice of fashion, it always pays to start with a blank canvas. With spring now upon us, a fresh white palette allows you to explore different looks to transcend your wardrobe and your abode.

I love a good spring clean. It’s the perfect opportunity to clear the cobwebs literally and figuratively, and help put that spring back into your step (pardon the pun).

When it comes to fashion, I wear a lot of neutrals, often gravitating towards black as it’s extremely versatile and flattering, but here on the Sunshine Coast, where we bask in the most glorious spring and summer days, white is a more suitable shade and leaves you feeling fresh.

Your sense of style is reflected not only in the clothes you wear, but also how you choose to decorate your home, from the choice of colours right through to artwork and furnishings. At this time of year, I’m not only often clearing out my wardrobe, but I revel in reconfiguring the layout of our home and purchasing a few new items to update my overall look.

I always sell unwanted clothing and homewares online, which not only provides me with some extra cash to afford such a seasonal luxury, but also declutters. Upcycling tired furniture with a quick sand and slick of white paint and a fresh coat on the walls also transforms a space quickly and easily.

But as anyone who has stepped foot into a hardware store or tried on a bridal gown knows – white is not just white, there are endless variations of the colour, with cool and warm hues to compliment your desired look.

To add a little inspo this change of season, I enlisted the expertise of the Dulux ambassadors, who reveal their approach to using white.

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Julia Green, Greenhouse Interiors

Think about how you want to feel in the space, then consider your surrounds and the amount of natural light that enters your space. Cool whites have a blue/black base and translate as sharp, fresh, crisp and contemporary on the walls. They also neutralise natural sunlight so work well in north facing rooms where sunlight is at its peak; whereas warmer whites have a yellow/brown base and throw off warmer hues making a room feel cozier.

Always trial a generous test patch first.

Speak to the professionals about the nuances of white.

How do you want to feel in the space? This will dictate your colour choice in the biggest way and help you decide between cool and warm whites based on their different properties.

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Lucy Feagins, The Design Files

I like bright, slightly blueish-toned whites in contemporary, open plan and industrial spaces. I find warmer whites are better suited to older spaces with period character, such as Victorian or Edwardian homes.

Always use a sample pot or a brush out; bringing your two to three favourite whites into the space you intend to paint, comparing them in the light at different times of the day.

It’s not just about the colour of the paint, it is also about the texture of the paint, how many coats is it going to need and the way it reflects light. It’s important that you trust the paint that you are working with.

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Lana Taylor and Bonnie Hindmarsh, Three Birds Renovations

Paint a large swatch of your shortlisted colours on the wall – immediately all is revealed about their differences and their nuances. Ensure you look at the painted swatches in the morning, the afternoon and at night to see how the colour changes under different light conditions.

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Amy Chamberlain-Primrose and Sara Chamberlain, The Real Estate Stylist

Don’t fall into the trap of trends when choosing a white. Think about your house and the space you are selecting the white for. If you have a light and bright space with a cooler colour scheme in carpet or cabinetry, then a cooler white may be for you. If you want to add some warmth to an older property that has a warmer scheme, such as cream carpet or tiling, then perhaps a warm white is the way to go. Think of your white as the backdrop to the rest of your house.