When Benjamin Moore unveiled its 2016 color of the year at a glittery fall gala event in New York City, reactions were black and white. "They phoned it in," sniffed a few designers. "Lame," offered some others. But more than a few voices echoed enthusiastically and succinctly: "Perfect!"

The color: white. Particularly, the shade Simply White, OC-117, which the paint manufacturer describes as timeless, "fresh as the first snowfall, clean, crisp." Its versatility is unrivaled, according to Ellen O'Neill, Benjamin Moore's creative director.

She continues: "From weathered wainscoting to crisp canvas shades, porcelain tile to picket fences, white is everywhere in every form -- that's why we chose it."

Taking cues from architecture, fashion, textiles, home furnishings and the arts, the Benjamin Moore Color Studio considers all in the context of research gleaned from attending major shows around the world.

In further explaining the rationale for white, O'Neill chose more generic references to the hue.

"The color white is transcendent, powerful and polarizing -- it is either taken for granted or obsessed over," says O'Neill. "White is not just a design trend, it is a design essential. The popularity of white, the necessity of white, the mystique of white is quantifiable in our industry. Of the top 10 best-selling Benjamin Moore colors, variants of white occupy five spots. (The paint manufacturer actually features more than 250 shades of white.) It was inevitable that we would ultimately recognize white."

There is an allure to snowy white interiors, especially when they're nuanced in tones and textures. When designer Paola Navone designed a memorable space for the Italian manufacturer Baxter, she teamed leather, lacquer, perforated metal and Tibetan lamb, all in modern forms. Though monochromatic, the result was rich as it was pristine.

For some, the all-reflective white is a prism through which to view modern decor. But many designers also like the way white can modernize traditional. It simplifies and encourages reducing clutter and all things heavy. It also makes older pieces feel more current. It magically adds life to small, dark spaces. It works equally well in rustic natural interiors, with weathered woods and linens, as it does with glamorous decor, often accented with gold.

It's no secret that many architects and designers love white.

"White (upholstery) shows off the lines of furniture," says Michelle Lamb, a Minneapolis-based internationally known trend forecaster and publisher of The Trend Curve for design professionals.

Lamb is intrigued with the newest infatuation with white, as she points out the difference between trend and basic -- the latter, an integral part of a home's wardrobe of furnishings.

"Gorgeous shapes in tableware can be a trend within a collection," says Lamb. "But even when white is no longer a trend, it is so usable, because it never stops being a basic."

Currently, Lamb says, white is trendy.

"Think back to the 1980s when for home decor there was nothing more important than layers of white," says Lamb, "differentiated only by texture. Black and white falls into the basic camp, but like white alone, (the scheme) jumps on the bell curve of trends from time to time."

As a trend in home product design, white is beginning to settle into starring role. It started percolating a few years back at the European furnishings shows like Maison & Objet in Paris, when the ever-present white upholstery took a back seat to white furniture frames -- in seating as well as casegoods such as cabinets, consoles and chests of drawers -- as big news. We saw both matte and high-gloss finishes and even textures, sometimes on the same piece. We saw fresh mixes with wood, from dark to light.

In tabletop, we saw single plates with shiny/dull combinations, often in geometric or asymmetric patterns, or matte or bisque dinnerware with embossed patterns.

The white even moved outdoors. This was most recently apparent at the September Casual Furniture Market in Chicago, in the striking Dansk collection from Gloster, which hit all the style and reference points: modern shape, combination of warm teak with white outdoor leather.

At the fall furniture market in High Point, North Carolina, there were more corroborations of the white trend, hitting some glamorous notes with a touch of luxe in teaming with gold. Shiny brass and matte gilt, not so unusual in lighting design, found expressions beyond jewelry-like hardware, trim and accessories.

Currey & Co. introduced an eye-catching, contemporary interpretation of Eastern style with its Zhin cabinet. Its white glossy surface is matched with equally statement-making gold hardware, and even the interiors vie for attention in a vivid red finish. As a chair or console frame, gold becomes an exclamation, as in sculptural seating by Koket. And very different from more fussy gilded baroque frames is Theodore Alexander's Renata accent chair, gilt framed but sleek, with only a few turns at the end of its arms and its feet, thoroughly modern.

Even the classic enamelware (oval or round) covered casserole from Le Creuset, got a dressed up look: its shiny white body topped with a metallic gold (or silver) knob.

The other face of white is in combination with woods, which Lamb says is more interesting when the pairing is with blonde or lighter-hued woods. "It makes the whole thing even more lightweight. We're not layering neutrals as much as we are layering neutralized colors, pale and complex peaches and blushes." Or even pale cappuccinos.

The seeming subtleties are exactly what appeal to some decorators. Washington designer Darryl Carter calls white rooms "more complex than they appear because there are no distractions. Every choice becomes critical."

Many designers have a favorite shade of white. For Allison Paladino, who designs for EJ Victor and whose firm is based in Jupiter, Florida, it's Benjamin Moore's Sugar Cookie. For Atlanta-based Suzanne Kasler, who has a line of furniture with Hickory Chair and Ballard Designs, it's White Dove.

For many designers, a real game changer has been more acceptability with white, especially in upholstery, due to the proliferation of performance fabrics. Not only are the offerings sturdy, but the finishes range from linen, velvet, chenille and leather lookalikes that no longer live in fear of red wine.

As a foundation for a room's design, white wields a lot of power without shouting -- as it makes colors pop.

No matter if we embrace 50 or more shades of white in a holistic monochromatic interiors scheme, there seems to be one element that's appealing to most. Just like organization in the new year, a cleansing of the palette can be downright restorative.

Sources

-- Alden Parkes, 336-885-2265, www.aldenparkes.com

-- BDI, 703-803-6900, www.bdiusa.com

-- Benjamin Moore, 855-724-6802, www.benjaminmoore.com

-- Bernhardt, 828-758-9811, www.bernhardt.com

-- Currey & Co., 877-768-6428, www.curreyco.com

-- Frederick Cooper at Wildwood Lamps, 252-446-3266, www.witdwoodtamps.com

-- Gloster, 434-575-1003, www.gloster.com

-- Grovemade, 971-229-0528, www.grovemade.com

-- Henredon, 800-444-3682, www.henredon.com

-- Hickory Chair, 800-225-0265, www.hickorychair.com

-- Jamie Young Co., 888-671-5883, www.jamieyoung.com

-- Jayson Home, 800-472-1885, www.jaysonhome.com

-- Joe Ruggiero at M/T Co., 336-885-7500, www.themtcompany.com

-- Koket, 703-369-3324, www.bykoket.com

-- LAUFEN, 866-696-2493, www.us.laufen.com

-- Le Creuset, 877-418-5547, www.lecreuset.com

-- Libby Langdon for Bradburn Gallery Home, 404-355-8624, www.bradburngallery.com

-- Theodore Alexander, 336-885-5005, www.theodorealexander.com

-- Universal Furniture, 336-822-8888, www.universalfurniture.com

-- Visual Comfort & Co., 866-344-3875, www.visualcomfortlightinglights.com

SIDEBAR

Metals and gilt finishes are not new in lamp design. But they're playing different roles, and in combinations with translucent stones such as quartz and marble, the design takes on a warmer glow and sophistication. The key to all: simple shapes.

(For editorial questions, please contact Clint Hooker at chooker@amuniversal.com.)

Both Christmas and Hanukkah are associated with lights -- sparkling on trees, illuminating home exteriors, nestled into evergreen garlands, flickering in symbolic candles. But in recent years, there's been much more thought given to holiday decorative lighting with a boost from technology, including the advent of LEDs, and many more design possibilities. A variety of seasonal favorites from trees to reindeer -- even menorahs -- in tabletop to large scale (five or six feet) are being pre-wired for lights.

LED and fiber-optic lights have expanded design options for Christmas decorations, especially outdoors. The more energy-efficient, durable light-emitting diodes may be more expensive up front, but they are longer lasting than incandescent bulbs. They also are brighter, which has made decorating schemes more brilliant and vivid in color.

Add to that battery-powered operation that extends the range and uses of Christmas trees, which were previously tethered to an outlet. In addition, wreaths, mantel garlands, tabletop tableaus, and amazing gift boxes and ornaments are so beautifully lit, they channel professional installations.

You may well notice a new category that covers seasonal lighting on retail websites, emerging from under the umbrella of all that holiday decor. Prices range from under $20 to several hundred dollars.

One particular trend that has really gained traction is that of mini string lights. Restoration Hardware was one of the first to feature the skinny strands of light in glass cloches. The effect is enchanting -- it's reminiscent of fireflies captured in a bottle. Set on a mantel, chest of drawers or sideboard, a glowing vessel dazzles. Add the light strands to bowls or cylinders filled with pine cones, ornaments or glittery tree branches. Or orbs or architectural pieces made of clear, crackled or mercury glass -- it's an easy way to add instant ambience and a romantic touch, like lighted candles.

The more pliable lighted strands also are being used as a decorating tool to outline objects. At a minimum, they can be manipulated into shapes, like giant circles at West Elm that can be incorporated into holiday decor. Or, taking a cue from larger theater-style lights that spell out holiday messages like "joy," they are used to decorate overscale packages at Frontgate, following the outer dimensions of boxes or ribbon ties, or the striping of a pattern -- an effective option for dressing up the front porch or stairs.

Also, dimensional objects like stars are especially dramatic when the scale is oversized.

The light-up trend also has boosted the natural decorating style, which is here to stay as a holiday category (think woodsy, whites, casual) that can be glammed up with metal, crystal or mirrored objects. Star shapes are striking in weathered wood outlined with lights at Pottery Barn, or in birch, whose primitive forms look like paper cutouts that children might make in school projects. Light strands woven through rattan provide an option for unexpected sparkle. In addition, lit birch branches stashed in a tall vase or bucket can illuminate a dark corner, lending a festive touch.

Another captivating application is incorporated into a live or synthetic wreath chandelier; at Terrain, the light strands are woven through, and fall as streamers for a magical touch.

Battery-operated LED lights also provide options for decorating spots that otherwise might be difficult, eliminating the need for outlets, cumbersome electrical cords and the challenge of disguising them so they don't take away from the display. Weave them into garlands swagged across a window or over a doorway, or across the top of a mantel to add a glow to an heirloom creche or seasonal evergreens and ornaments.

Even conventional hanging baskets for the outdoors are being treated to holiday lights. Brookstone sells one ready to hang, its moss-filled metal frame plumped with synthetic evergreens threaded with LED lights.

Color choices are noticeably richer, often with an option for warm or cool white light or multiple colors, with new alternatives such as pink and purple added to the mix. Some can create a sort of light show, covering several hues or offering the option to stay on one color. And at Frontgate and Brookstone, you can purchase remotes to quickly switch on and off.

Any medium that's reflective is especially effective with lights. That's why mercury glass vessels or small Christmas trees or globes, lit from within, are favorites. Now there are also mercury glass light strands, which have a retro look.

Also in the retro vein are theater-style lights with holiday messages. This year, there's a new twist at Pottery Barn. The bulbs outline bronze letters that anchor hooks for Christmas stockings. One especially poignant message: PEACE.

There are plenty of inspiring decorating ideas in home design magazines and blogs, as well as some of the retailer websites. To spruce up your own holiday decor this year, you might consider purchasing some new light strands. Besides the enormous range of unusual shades thanks to LED, there also are a variety of styles beyond just bulbs -- and even those offer a variety in scale and texture.

Perhaps taking a cue from perforated light fixtures and lanterns, there are metal globes in a range of patterns. Some lights are combined with other materials, like a hybrid garland.

With these new lighting options, you can be as subtle or as flamboyant as you wish. Create a tableau of trees as a backdrop to a sofa in a living room. Hang some lighted stars in the windows or from the ceiling in the foyer.

These lights may brighten homes and spirits with good wishes for the holiday season and a wonderful new year -- one filled with love and peace for all.

Sources

-- Baccarat, 800-215-1300, us.baccarat.com/lighting

-- Brookstone, 866-576-7337, www.brookstone.com

-- Crate and Barrel, 800-967-6696, www.crateandbarrel.com

-- Frontgate, 888-263-9850, www.frontgate.com

-- Pottery Barn, 888-779-5176, www.potterybarn.com

-- Restoration Hardware, 800-762-1005, www.restorationhardware.com

-- Terrain, 877-583-7724, www.shopterrain.com

-- West Elm, 888-922-4119, www.westelm.com

-- Wisteria, 800-320-9757, www.wisteria.com

Sidebar

Warm Any Room With Candlelight

The glancing of candlelight across a table and a grouping of votives or larger lanterns is a warm, romantic touch that appeals year-round. During the holidays, there are plenty of ways to ramp up the display.

Choose colorful votive holders in crystal or mercury glass for heightened effect because of their reflectivity. In addition, there are beautifully designed, shimmery Christmas trees that are molded candles with the flames at the tops.

Like old-fashioned little villages that entrance children, there are similar single houses or collections designed to be lit from within, as well as hurricane lamps of metal or porcelain with perforations for making light dance. A crafted quality is appealing.

And finally, there are the no-muss, no-fuss flameless candles, which are amazingly authentic looking, down to their real wax casings, some with gorgeous embellishments, like the white on cobalt damask design available at Brookstone.

(For editorial questions, please contact Clint Hooker at chooker@amuniversal.com.)

Tradition, with a hearty sense of nostalgia, guides so many of us as we get ready to entertain for the holidays. Whether it's giving thanks or sharing a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or cheers for the New Year, the celebrations often center around the table.

And just as you might tweak recipes or ingredients, adding to classical favorites, think about curating your table as well. Just a little freshening up, with an eye to what's new, can add immeasurably to the look, no matter what your style.

To that end, you're likely to identify with one (or more) of several strong trends in home design that correlate to table styles. It's always fun to blend family or vintage pieces with current designs. You might want to add dishes, serving pieces or glasses. Introduce something handcrafted, whether it's with serve ware or something a child has created. It may be part of a focus on accessories or a piece to enhance the dressing of the table -- like a conventional centerpiece.

That dress up, as with clothing, welcomes metal, much like adornment with jewelry. There are plenty of choices for tabletop -- from salt and pepper shakers to napkin rings, chargers or gravy boats. While gold tones are especially hot in home decor this year, silver lends its own cool luster, and copper and rose gold also offer a warm glow.

Whether you opt for drama, luxury or an understated look rooted in natural elements, think about ways to make your presentation special.

On Caroline Roehm's tables, you'll always find beautiful flowers. The former fashion designer, who has a passion for flowers, just released her latest book, "At Home in the Garden" (Potter Style). In September, she styled a magnificent table that celebrated crystal for Maison Baccarat in Paris, in three different palettes for place settings: red, green and plum -- all stunning on white.

Bunny Williams loves the mix of vintage and new, and drew from a collection of early French china pieces for inspiration for her most recent Gold Star collection for Ballard Designs. For Christmas, she likes things sparkly, with glittered reindeer and candles, for example.

"We did different patterns to give it that collected look," says Williams. "It's simple but a little elegant because it has the gold. But you really can use it all the time. After Christmas, you could use it with an Indian bedspread tablecloth to tone it down."

Style-maker, designer and TV personality Courtney Cachet is a huge believer in ramping everything up for the holidays.

"When it comes to setting a fabulous table for the holidays," says Cachet, "one phrase says it all: More is more. Minimalism just does not work here. Think about it. The prettiest, chic tables are always awash in color, depth, flowers, shiny objects and light."

For fall tables, Cachet likes starting off with an off-white base and building on it with a mix of vintage fine porcelain.

"Hermes Chasse Yellow is luxurious," she says, "but still unpretentious when layered with rich hued linens and crystal. Use gold flatware because it's special and everyone will have an 'oooh' moment when seated."

For the unexpected, Cachet suggests mixing in an animal print, "like Ralph Lauren's gorgeous leopard" border on the Hutchinson porcelain, for a casual chic dessert setting. "For Christmas, mix some mismatched vintage red china for an unfussy yet elegant vibe. Florals in rich reds and violets are perfect for winter holidays. Don't be afraid to mix up your dishes. French and Italian hostesses do this frequently with ease, and it's fabulous."

Cachet says she's seeing a return to "unabashed opulence" in home decor, which naturally extends to the table. "What better time to show it than during the holidays? If you have one very beautiful vase, dish or bowl, try to incorporate it onto your table. Beautiful things are useless if they aren't displayed and admired. And send paper invitations and use place cards (she designed a line for www.expressionery.com). In a digital world, this still is a tradition held closely by the most chic hostesses."

Here are just a few tips for setting the holiday table.

-- Simply white. Who doesn't have white dinnerware? And if not, why not? So versatile, it can be dressed up or down, teamed with bold or pastel colors.

-- Colors of the season. An autumnal palette draws guests to the Thanksgiving table, just like the complementary hues of squash, pumpkin, cranberries and the golden brown skin of turkey. Red and green spell Christmas, in poinsettias, candy canes, green boughs, Santas. But you don't have to be locked into only what's expected. Bring a little aubergine in with saffron and persimmon; amethyst or indigo also are vivid additions to the December table that can be very rich and elegant.

One of the settings that Carolyne Roehm designed for the Baccarat Museum in Paris took a cue from plum and cream Picasso calla lilies, which she teamed with floral-patterned porcelain from Bernardaud, Baccarat crystal glassware and charming amethyst butterflies.

-- Natural/rustic. Reclaimed wood, natural linen, greenery and pine cones complete a look that's casual and inviting. The appeal is that it's unfussy. It embraces nature. But it also can stand a touch of glamor or bling as a strong counterpoint.

-- Artisanal. Hand-craftsmanship is so appreciated in everything for the home. So hand-painted dinnerware depicting pumpkins and vegetables really is appreciated, especially with seasonal imagery.

-- Layering. It's especially fun to mix plates and their surrounding elements, and you can totally change up the style by doing so. A place mat of woven rattan or ruby beads might be teamed with a gold or silver charger, then a creamy white dinner plate, and topped with a shimmery metallic glass or patterned salad plate.

-- Seasonal shapes. Iconic symbols like turkeys, pumpkins, Santas, reindeer, angels and nutcrackers have risen above kitsch because many now are artist-drawn. Some have the look of vintage postcards, others possess a more modern vibe, and still others are so graphic, often with an image embedded in the design.

-- Metallic accents. What's great about gold, silver, copper and other metals is that their sparkle elevates the décor. Whether it's a gleaming, polished finish, hammered surface or texture, metals can be woven into tabletop modestly or lushly. Even pumpkins are getting gilded and "silverized." Imagine an all-white table setting. Now picture those white plates sandwiched in between textured gold and silver glass, topped with a napkin that's circled with a pretty gold beaded ring. A table runner sprinkled with fallen snowflakes, embroidered in silver and gold on ivory sateen cotton is an added treat, all thoughtfully put together at Crate and Barrel.

-- Make it your own. Whenever you can personalize, it will add warmth. Get creative -- perhaps starting with your table covering. Tap into unexpected patterns from lengths of fabric doubling as tablecloths. Something playful like stripes or polka dots, or even a shimmery brocade or beaded fabric. It can be beautiful or quirky, and totally reflect you. Your guests will love the personal touch.

Sources

-- Baccarat, 800-215-1300, www.baccarat.com

-- Ballard Design, 800-536-7551, www.ballarddesigns.com

-- Crate and Barrel, 800-967-6696, www.crateandbarrel.com

-- Horchow, 877-944-9888, www.horchow.com

-- Kim Seybert, 212-564-7850; product available at Neiman Marcus or visit www.kimseybert.com

-- Neiman Marcus, 888-888-4757, www.neimanmarcus.com

-- Pier I Imports, 800-245-4595, www.pier1.com

-- Pottery Barn, 888-779-5176, www.potterybarn.com

-- Villeroy & Boch, 212-213-8149, www.villeroy-boch.com

-- William-Sonoma, 877-812-6235, www.williams-sonoma.com

-- Z Gallerie, 800-908-6748, www.zgallerie.com

(For editorial questions, please contact Clint Hooker at chooker@amuniversal.com.)