The houses that always have a white Christmas

In the season of darkness and mud, an all-white interior might seem mad - and if you have children, dogs or a taste for red wine, these homes may not be for you.

But there's a lot to be said for winter-white decor: it brings in the light, maximises space and always looks wonderfully stylish.

Here are seven properties on the market right now that show how to pull it off.


Chelsea, London

This extraordinary penthouse just off the King's Road boasts swooping ceilings and dramatic lines. It has four bedrooms and three bathrooms, with a bespoke Bulthaup kitchen/breakfast room, a powder room and large storage/plant room. The extraordinary reception room, roughly 30 feet square, leads to a west-facing terrace with wonderful views. It's on the market with Knight Frank, but you may go white when you see the price: an eye-watering £15,500,000.

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Taplow, Buckinghamshire

The show home for a riverside development, this four double bedroom, four bathroom house has a white colour scheme pretty much throughout. There are three reception rooms, including a study and a large kitchen/dining/family area with a breakfast bar and integrated Siemens integrated kitchen appliances. A first-floor drawing room spans the width of the house and leads to a south facing balcony. Outside, there's a single garage and gardens to the front and back. Developers are often happy to sell the furniture along with the show home, so if you love the all-white style, you could be looking at a ready-made home. It's for sale by Berkeley Homes for £1,140,000.

Llantwit Major, South Wales

This four-bedroom, three-bathroom barn conversion has been done up to the nines, with top-end kitchen and bathrooms. The white theme continues to the house's own detached leisure complex with heated indoor swimming pool, sauna, games room, solarium and hot tub. There's a dramatic bespoke white kitchen/breakfast room, as well as a 30-foot sitting room and an 18-foot dining room. Outside, a detached four-car garage with workshop sits in three acres of gardens and paddocks. It's on the market with PA Black for £1,250,000.

Stockwell, London

Pops of colour liven up the all-white spaces in this detached two/three bedroom new home. On the ground floor is an open-plan kitchen/dining/living space that overlooks a paved courtyard garden. Downstairs is the master bedroom with en-suite shower room, and a second bathroom, as well as a large room that was originally two bedrooms. There's access to a sunken courtyard. Unsurprisingly, the house, which is in the Lansdowne Gardens conservation area, has been shortlisted for a number of awards. It's for sale through The Modern House for £1,500,000.

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Ashton, Cornwall

Once upon a time, it was a traditional farmhouse; now it's a stunning architectural space, flooded with light thanks to huge windows, clever use of skylights and white porcelain tiles covering the floors. Areas of natural stonework break up the white walls. It has five bedrooms, four bath/shower rooms and two reception rooms with a high-quality kitchen complete with top-end appliances. The house sits in a small hamlet just a mile from the Cornish coast and is on the market with Olivers Estate Agents for £850,000.

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Marylebone, London

At more than four thousand square feet, this duplex penthouse is bigger than most houses - and seems even larger, thanks to its all-white decor and huge windows looking out over the London skyline. Newly-renovated, it has four bedrooms, a modern kitchen with separate utility room and a huge open-plan living space, as well as a media room. There's under-floor heating, air-conditioning and a fully-automated AV and Lutron lighting system throughout, and the building has 24-hour porterage and underground parking with room for up to five cars. The property's on the market with Harrods Estates for £7,950,000.

Upshire, Essex

The white walls of this brand new barn conversion set off soaring ceilings and ancient beams throughout. The most striking room by far is the double-height great hall, with its two sweeping staircases rising to galleried landings. There are six bedrooms altogether and a whole host of other rooms including two reception rooms, a study and a gym. The Rotpunkt German fitted kitchen has an extensive range of white gloss units with quartz worktops and a range of high-end fittings. It's priced at £1,500,000 and is available through agents John D Wood.