Designing with white is not for the faint of heart. In addition to the sheer maintenance required of a white environment, the absence of color brings form sharply to the forefront, meaning you can think of, love or criticize nothing else.

Linda O'Keeffe, the former Creative Director of Metropolitan Home magazine, has assembled a photo-heavy tome called BRILLIANT: White in Design that "explores the full spectrum of colors and characteristics inherent in white, exploring how it is used and viewed in art, design, architecture and nature."

Containing more than 250 photographs showcasing a wide range of residences, retail stores, hotels, spas and offices worldwide, Brilliant: White in Design considers the different aspects of white, a color with unmatched versatility, in a collage of text and imagery. The angelic sister of beige, white is at once stark and glamorous, marrying design styles from different eras and sensibilities flawlessly....

Brilliant is a testament to a color that has retained vibrant appeal throughout the centuries, yet remains prominent in the architecture and design of the present. The book contains projects from across the globe, including France, Japan, Spain, England, Mexico, Canada, South Africa, and the United States. Featured architects and designers include Orlando Diaz-Azcuy, Barbara Barry, Tony Duquette, Anouska Hempel, Zaha Hadid, Syrie Maugham, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Richard Meier, Juan Montoya, Benjamin Noriega-Ortiz, Hugh Newell Jacobsen, Jean Nouvel, Oscar Niemeyer, John Pawson, Andree Putman, David Rockwell, Philippe Starck, Kelly Wearstler, Marcel Wanders and Vicente Wolf. Brilliant also celebrates both up-and-coming and established artists such as Lynn Davis, Andy Goldsworthy, Ann Hamilton, Robert Ryman, Martha Schwartz, John Waters and Rachel Whiteread.

The book is being released today, and should be available at the link above.