We've been seeing a lot of all-white interiors lately; and as much as we like the look, we're wondering how to make one of these rooms interesting. Check out some tips from Living Etc. that shows off how to play around with white after the jump...
[ Photos from LivingEtc ]
Decorating A White Room
1. Play With Texture: Add interest to a white scheme by hanging subtle anaglypta paper and layering textures. Each surface absorbs light differently, creating a multitude of tones.
2. Go For Glamour: A pearlescent wallpaper creates an opulent backdrop in this open-plan dining room. Combine lacquer, glass and fabrics with elegant detailing to create a feel of understated sophistication.
3. Add Vibrant Color: White acts as a great foil for bright accents. Soften a plain white space by adding colourful cushions, rugs and accessories in a mix of contrasting patterns and textures - here sunshine yellow highlights add a fresh feel.
4. Warm Up With Wood: Create a striking contrast by pairing white with dark wood. Use intricate wooden veneer wallpaper along one wall, and keep the rest of the space light and bright. Balance the look by adding wooden pieces throughout the room.
5. Introduce a Vintage Vibe: Layer old linens, lace and soft damasks for a sense of romance and nostalgia, and add a dreamy feel to walls with greyish whites. For a rustic headboard, join together pieces of timber, then whitewash with diluted paint.
6. Play with Tone: There are hundreds of shades of white, ranging from bright hues with a cool milky feel to warmer historic shades that create depth. Paint different surfaces in slightly different tones for a tranquil spa atmosphere.
7. Opt for Minimal Magic: Use flooring that's the same colour as the walls for a seamless effect with a modern edge. Team with clean-lined furniture and accessories, and add just a few touches of texture.
8. Try Translucent Chic: Combine semi-transparent fabrics with clear, frosted or milky-coloured glassware for an ethereal look. For a radiant visual effect, hang filmy curtain panels at different depths.
Comments (10)
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Where is the chair in #4 from?
view DahliaCactus's profile
Ok.. I love white.. it may not be practical for a family, but the pearlescent wallpaper is too cool.
view sugarplum's profile
Why is all-white not pracical for a family?
Wouldn't an all-white room teach the kids to stay neat & help clean up?
view bepsf's profile
It really depends. A room can't teach a child to stay neat or be clean. If you tend to get hysterical when things don't stay clean, you can't really beg your kids to not make mistakes and be themselves. I think it can work if you have a disposition for it, easy to clean materials, and you're sure by doing so, you're not making rigid and nervous people out of your children, go for it.
view K T G's profile
Tip number 9: Add lots of books.
The variety of color and texture in books is a great contrast to a white room. Books are also very human (especially if you've actually read them) which a great antidote to the potentially antiseptic effect of comprehensive white.
view Easyenough's profile
My problem with all white - it looks great in a room with big windows during the daylight hours. At night, it looks really blah. Not good at all. The light and airy effect is completely lost and the whole thing just looks vaguely dingy.
But it does make for some pretty interiors magazine eye candy.
view RichardinLA's profile
Yay! Unmade beds are now stylish. I knew it. I knew I was ahead of the crowd in my hip, trend-setting ways.
:::goes in to look at bed proudly:::
"Aw, dang, it doesn't look at all like the magazine photo!"
:::kicks bed:::
:::hurts foot:::
:::cries:::
view TRUE BLUE's profile
hahah... yes, true blue, i too have been years ahead of the fashion troops with my unmade bed.
view aad's profile
I love the curtain panel in #8. Where can I find panels like that ?? relatively inexpensive. I would love them to contain some gray or light print. Any ideas would be much appreciated.
view yelena's profile
Spaces do teach us how to live, no matter how old we are. I disagree with the poster(s) who suggested that white spaces are impractical for children. Aesthetic sophistication takes time to build; may as well start 'em young.
view VLADCOLE's profile