‘White Blight’ Not Alright

Readers fire back with passion following uproar over whitewashed MCM interiors
By Adriene Biondo
Fridays on the Homefront
We often wonder what Joe Eichler would say about some of the dramatic changes we see in Eichlers today, including the current trend to turn everything inside snowy white, as above. We'd be afraid to ask. The topic of whited-out interiors recently riled up the Eichler troops on Facebook, where whitewashing got a big thumbs down. Photo: courtesy Open Homes Photography Inc. Copyright © 2021.

If the comments on the Eichler Network's social media sites are any indicator, we're not the only ones cringing over the hugely popular home-improvement trend that has brought an avalanche of whited-out interiors to California's mid-century modern homes.

Last month, when we posted a link to our 'Fridays on the Homefront' story 'Heartbreak over White Paint' on Facebook, we naturally expected a wave of pushback.

But to our surprise, the reaction was just the opposite. From the overwhelmingly enthusiastic support received (including 300 thumbs up thus far!), we're happy to report that we're not alone in our distaste for splashing gallons of white paint over wood-paneled MCM interiors.

 

Fridays on the Homefront

Many of the commenters and homeowners made excellent points that resonated with us, and we have to tell you that scrolling through them, once the initial shock wore off, was rather heartening.

"Everything…they are painting everything interior white," remarked Facebook poster Tim Gray. "What used to be a warm and inviting home looks more like a dentist office waiting room."

It's tough to disagree with this point of view, especially when one considers the elements that make an MCM home special. Stark white can look sterile, whereas natural woods and carefully chosen colors add warmth and extend the indoor-outdoor feel of a modern home, harmonizing with nature's palette.

Another poster, also on point, suggested that homeowners "seem to be afflicted with severe chromophobia when it comes to paint."

 

Fridays on the Homefront
"What used to be a warm and inviting [Eichler] home looks more like a dentist office waiting room" (as above), laments Facebook poster Tim Gray.

"Yes, I just read the new Palm Springs-focused issue of Atomic Ranch, and every home they feature has all (or almost all) white walls! Thanks, I hate it," chimes in Virginia Shea.

Many of the whitewashed interiors we're seeing these days have been painted blinding, bright white, a color often referred to as ‘appliance white.'

One reader called out to "stop painting brick [fireplaces]!" while another simply wrote "soulless" and "way to rip the soul out of an Eichler."

This popular comment, from Linda L. Bay, added a touch of humor to the dilemma: "Cold, unfriendly and uncomfortable looking. Just want to bring over my grandkids after playing in the mud and let them run wild in there."

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