White 02 is a cool, crisp white, and the golden rule is simple: don't fight its temperature. Keep the scheme on the cool side by default, and make any warmth a deliberate, contained choice rather than an accident — buttery creams smeared through the whole room will read grubby rather than fresh.
For a soft, tonal scheme, Paint & Paper Library Slate IV (LRV 67.5) is a lovely partner — a pale stony grey with a soft olive-green cast, near-neutral rather than icy, quiet enough to drench across wall and trim with White 02. It keeps things light and airy while giving you just enough shadow to stop the room feeling flat.
When you want a bit more depth, reach for Mylands Artichoke BH.13 (LRV 27.6). It's a muted, greyed olive-green — warm in its undertone, truth be told, but so dusty and knocked-back that against a cool white it reads as one deliberate, earthy note rather than a clash. Think chimney breast, a panelled section, or cabinetry.
And if you're after a proper anchor — a deep, moody accent — Dulux Sapphire Springs 1 (LRV 6.4) is the one. It's a near-inky blue, gorgeous on a feature wall, joinery, or a downstairs loo where you can go bold. Against White 02 it reads sharp and architectural.
The "but what about a bit of warmth?" question always comes up. My honest answer: mostly through materials. Timber — pale ash or smoked oak flooring — and texture will warm the room without muddying the white; that greyed-down Artichoke note is about as far as I'd push warm paint against this white.
Metal finishes matter here too. Go for nickel, chrome or pewter on handles, taps and light fittings. Brass will pull the scheme warm and clash with the cool white you've worked to protect.
Practical tip: paint big sample boards, prop them against your floor and skirting, and check them in both daylight and lamplight before you commit. White 02 shifts with the light, and you want to see it doing its thing in your actual room.