Decorating Guides
How to Get an All-White Decor Right
Is your all-white decor simply lacking the bite? Here's what you need to do to go from clinical to a welcoming haven
White is refreshing, relaxing and the ideal blank canvas to paint your masterpiece of a home. Getting the white look just right can make a space feel bigger, brighter and lighter. Done the wrong way, you run the risk of making the space look bland, impersonal and sterile. To help you out, we came up with a few tips to keep you on the right side of white.
When designing with white, a major concern is to prevent it from looking too flat or too dazzling. To add layers to it, add structural elements with touches of darker shades. Here, the floor, woodwork and fabrics with beige rugs and deep hues for some of the cushions and furniture, gives this white room a welcome feeling of depth and interest.
Mix in a touch of opulence
Ceiling, floor, walls … think of your white room as a blank canvas waiting for you to do your thing. But the last thing you need is for your carefully crafted all-white scheme to look run-down. Mixing luxurious accents with the decor and using good-quality materials will help you avoid this major interior design faux pas. For instance, in this dining room by Sonali Shah, a crystal chandelier and a marble-legged dining table add that subtle bit of oomph to the space without going overboard.
Ceiling, floor, walls … think of your white room as a blank canvas waiting for you to do your thing. But the last thing you need is for your carefully crafted all-white scheme to look run-down. Mixing luxurious accents with the decor and using good-quality materials will help you avoid this major interior design faux pas. For instance, in this dining room by Sonali Shah, a crystal chandelier and a marble-legged dining table add that subtle bit of oomph to the space without going overboard.
Tip: Whether to create the illusion of space, or to tone down the drama of the design, white paired with mirrors is a match made in heaven. Here, founder of the Purple Backyard Kumpal Vaid brings in volume and keeps the setting easy on the eye by using mirrored glass shutters and single-toned materials, all white in different textures. The suspended light fixture is the only element that stands out here, exuding a subtle sense of opulence.
Read more about this house
Read more about this house
Let the view be your focus
White is one of those colours that doesn’t steal away the focus, it only subtly enhances the object of attention. With a killer view like this, Moriq Interiors keeps things simple in this almost all-white bathroom so the view can be the star of the show.
White is one of those colours that doesn’t steal away the focus, it only subtly enhances the object of attention. With a killer view like this, Moriq Interiors keeps things simple in this almost all-white bathroom so the view can be the star of the show.
Find a good combination – with metal…
White goes well with cool metals, such as silver or steel. For instance, the metallic sheen adds an all-important sparkle to this dining room by KNS Architects. Tiny accents like the transparent light fixtures, the ceramic vase and the oversized clock further complement the space while softening the Spartan look.
White goes well with cool metals, such as silver or steel. For instance, the metallic sheen adds an all-important sparkle to this dining room by KNS Architects. Tiny accents like the transparent light fixtures, the ceramic vase and the oversized clock further complement the space while softening the Spartan look.
…or wood
Although it has a strong tinge of yellow or brown, wood can be considered a neutral element when it comes to spaces. If you incorporate a beautiful piece of wood, whether a table or flooring, it adds a hint of colour without overpowering the clean, fresh look of an all-white decor.
Tip: Aged woods or those that have a rough finish or a pronounced grain, especially give a space a sense of softness. Try adding an antique coffee table or shelving unit to the mix.
Although it has a strong tinge of yellow or brown, wood can be considered a neutral element when it comes to spaces. If you incorporate a beautiful piece of wood, whether a table or flooring, it adds a hint of colour without overpowering the clean, fresh look of an all-white decor.
Tip: Aged woods or those that have a rough finish or a pronounced grain, especially give a space a sense of softness. Try adding an antique coffee table or shelving unit to the mix.
Pair with a black floor
Don’t want to constantly worry about muddy footprints? Then go to the dark side. This modern kitchen by Savio & Rupa Interior Concepts exemplifies how a black floor can ‘ground’ a white room, while adding loads of attitude to the space.
12 Beautiful & Dreamlike White Kitchens
Don’t want to constantly worry about muddy footprints? Then go to the dark side. This modern kitchen by Savio & Rupa Interior Concepts exemplifies how a black floor can ‘ground’ a white room, while adding loads of attitude to the space.
12 Beautiful & Dreamlike White Kitchens
Contrast with bold colour accents
To get the modern look, interrupt white with tiny splashes of colour. Any colour works, but bright oranges, reds and yellows look especially vibrant. However, remember to bring only one or two accents against the white. Here, the bright orange ensures that the white still looks sharp, yet there is a warm, inviting tone to the room.
To get the modern look, interrupt white with tiny splashes of colour. Any colour works, but bright oranges, reds and yellows look especially vibrant. However, remember to bring only one or two accents against the white. Here, the bright orange ensures that the white still looks sharp, yet there is a warm, inviting tone to the room.
Tip: You don’t have to stick to warm colours only. For that beachy vibe, pair blue (navy blue or turquoise) with bright white.
Rethink These 7 Decor Trends
Rethink These 7 Decor Trends
More detail the better
Although this living room accommodates so many white elements, the range of shapes and forms gives the space heaps of energy and attitude. The room is rich with detail, including the white sofa, side table and other seating, while the touches of red, black and metallic add contrast, without overriding the purity of the white room.
Although this living room accommodates so many white elements, the range of shapes and forms gives the space heaps of energy and attitude. The room is rich with detail, including the white sofa, side table and other seating, while the touches of red, black and metallic add contrast, without overriding the purity of the white room.
Details can make the difference between stark and sublime. Although this bathroom is compact with no real room for ornamentation, the all-white interior with its sharp lines, built-in ledge, half-mirrored wall and recessed lighting gives the space an interesting contemporary note.
Bring calm to your refuge
With its ability to add volume, an all-white room may not exactly seem cosy, but it can be calming and relaxing. A space like this is by nature a clutter-free zone because everything that isn’t white (or in its proper place) will pop right out.
Read more:
Houzz Tour: This Actor’s Getaway is Anything But Conventional
Architecture: Amazing 44 Houses From Around the Globe
Tell us:
What are the challenges in bringing white into your home? Share your thoughts in Comments below.
With its ability to add volume, an all-white room may not exactly seem cosy, but it can be calming and relaxing. A space like this is by nature a clutter-free zone because everything that isn’t white (or in its proper place) will pop right out.
Read more:
Houzz Tour: This Actor’s Getaway is Anything But Conventional
Architecture: Amazing 44 Houses From Around the Globe
Tell us:
What are the challenges in bringing white into your home? Share your thoughts in Comments below.
Sponsored
When your colour scheme consists of a single colour, it’s important to visually stimulate with textures. Play around with soft furnishings like rugs, cushions, pillows and curtains in a variety of finishes – rough or smooth, sheer or thick, shimmering or matte – to add depth to the space.
Tip: You don’t have to stick to one shade of white. Pick creamier or deeper tones to create a perfectly intimate space. The touch of green in this bedroom really brings out the airiness of the room, while keeping things indulgent and gorgeous.