Interior Design
Decorate an All-White Room With the Right Accents
These spaces may be devoid of colour but they're not boring thanks to creative accents
All-white rooms offer a clean backdrop for some clever play with accents. As the weather warms up, consider punctuating cool, crisp interiors with accessories in bold, striking colours that will energise your home. While white floors and walls are not the most overly practical choice, they offer a springboard for a wide variety of accents to take a room in just about any direction. Here are a few different ideas you can play with – from clashing accent colours to adding greenery –and a few tips on how you can make this simple concept work for you.
For a bolder look, add specimen plants to create an indoor garden. Vintage Djinn chairs by Olivier Mourgue are teamed with retro pop art add further interest that bursts out from the blank, white canvas.
2. Add a dash of paint
If you want to incorporate a bright paint job into your space but are unsure if you’re willing to commit to an entire feature wall, opt for an interesting finish to a singular area, such as the cabinet doors in this kitchen. To tie the paint into the room, complement with similar tones and colours in furniture, appliances or accessories.
Tip: Couple with tones that are a mid-way point between the feature paint and the surrounding colours, such as here with the red and the softer peach, for a winning look.
Peachy Keen: 10 Reasons to Love This Blushing Hue
If you want to incorporate a bright paint job into your space but are unsure if you’re willing to commit to an entire feature wall, opt for an interesting finish to a singular area, such as the cabinet doors in this kitchen. To tie the paint into the room, complement with similar tones and colours in furniture, appliances or accessories.
Tip: Couple with tones that are a mid-way point between the feature paint and the surrounding colours, such as here with the red and the softer peach, for a winning look.
Peachy Keen: 10 Reasons to Love This Blushing Hue
3. Mix and match
An all-white room allows for some serious creativity, but consider adding more than one accent to carry the space. Here, homeowner Jeanette Lunde has clashed patterns, textures and colours to create a joyous and mishmashed living room corner. Group similar tones together, such as pastels, to bring a sense of cohesiveness to the space.
An all-white room allows for some serious creativity, but consider adding more than one accent to carry the space. Here, homeowner Jeanette Lunde has clashed patterns, textures and colours to create a joyous and mishmashed living room corner. Group similar tones together, such as pastels, to bring a sense of cohesiveness to the space.
4. Help your favourite colour shine
Your favourite colour can be made all the more special by surrounding it with a wash of white. Here, the sofa is given the star treatment with an all-white setting. Accessories and artwork are derived from nature, adding organic interest without taking away from the sofa.
Your favourite colour can be made all the more special by surrounding it with a wash of white. Here, the sofa is given the star treatment with an all-white setting. Accessories and artwork are derived from nature, adding organic interest without taking away from the sofa.
Think outside the box when it comes to the different ways your favourite colour can own the room. This blue chair has a glossy finish to up the ante, and adds an eclectic edge to otherwise classic styling.
Tip: Not ready to commit to buying bright furniture? Try adding just a touch of colour with a simple stack of colourful books. Soften the all-white scheme with neutral tones to avoid a look that’s overly stark.
Decorating: What White Can Do For You in the Bedroom
Decorating: What White Can Do For You in the Bedroom
5. Wire the room for style
Something as simple as coloured wire or string is a clever accent to add to an all-white room. Here, the red lamp cord makes a quirky statement. Brightly coloured elements add warmth and life to a room that could otherwise feel a little clinical.
Something as simple as coloured wire or string is a clever accent to add to an all-white room. Here, the red lamp cord makes a quirky statement. Brightly coloured elements add warmth and life to a room that could otherwise feel a little clinical.
6. Curate a gallery
An all-white backdrop can be the perfect blank canvas to display your favourite collection of art pieces. With such a simple background, groupings work harmoniously together, no matter what their colour schemes.
An all-white backdrop can be the perfect blank canvas to display your favourite collection of art pieces. With such a simple background, groupings work harmoniously together, no matter what their colour schemes.
7. Add textural finishes
Apart from timber tones being a great way to warm up a mostly white room, their texture also adds something special. Create a story with other little textural additions, such as a wooden bowl, ribbed towel, or even dried flowers.
Browse more white bathroom photos
Apart from timber tones being a great way to warm up a mostly white room, their texture also adds something special. Create a story with other little textural additions, such as a wooden bowl, ribbed towel, or even dried flowers.
Browse more white bathroom photos
For a go-to feature accent that can be routinely updated, opt for plants or flowers. This room maintains its airy feel with a simple bouquet of greenery atop a pared-back, Scandi-style tabletop.