We will tell you how to choose the right shade of white, how to dilute monochrome, and what to pay attention to when decorating a bedroom in light colors.
White color visually enlarges the space, fills it with light and air, and most importantly, does not draw attention. It will fit any size room and blend seamlessly into any style. In this article, we will tell you what you need to consider when decorating the interior of a white bedroom and consider real projects.
Color Features
White is a true all-round soldier. Scandinavian style, classics, minimalism, Provence — it lives equally successfully in any style. At the same time, it performs several useful functions at once: it makes the room brighter and more spacious, and visually “raises” the ceilings. Achromat hides the boundaries of space, balancing proportions, and emphasizes the lines of contrasting elements, “illuminating” them, as in an art gallery. It also becomes a discreet background for the rest of the colors in the room.
At first glance, white seems harmless and easy to use, but this color has many opponents in the interior. The main argument against it is that it’s too boring, “like in a hospital.” You can avoid this effect by choosing the right shade and diluting the solid snow-white space with color accents. As in any monochrome interior, the lack of color is compensated by a variety of textures and attention to shapes.
How to choose the right white?
When choosing white for your walls, it’s important to choose the right tone. If you just buy any light paint in the store, there is a risk that the pure color will be too saturated and will cause the very feeling of a hospital room, for which total white interiors are scolded.
Here’s what you need to do:
- Determine the illumination parameters. If the windows face north, there is little light, so you need to choose warm shades. If the room is flooded with light all the time, the windows are large and there is a lot of free space, you can experiment with cooler colors.
- Order color palettes from several manufacturers. As a rule, this is a free service. Catalogs with paint samples will be brought to you, and at the first stage, you can select several shades you like, compare them with each other, and “try them on” to the future furnishings of the room.
- Make paints. It is relevant if you decorate the walls with paint. This is the most important point because paint always looks different on paper or on a picture on the Internet than in reality. Small jars can be ordered from the manufacturer or from a hardware store. Then paint a section of the wall (preferably at least a meter by a meter). This way you can see how the color behaves in a particular light, at different times of the day, in the sun, and when the lights are on. You can make paints with several shades at once to understand in practice which one is best for your room.
What to combine with
The achromatic tone goes well with other colors. Its classic companions are black, gray, and beige.
The combination of natural shades, complemented by natural materials and live plants, gives a feeling of coziness. A monochrome palette can also be diluted with brighter colors.
These can be:
- Muted shades of blue, green, and pastel colors are suitable for décor or textiles, as well as for larger objects (for example, the base of a bed, wall panels, or a chest of drawers).
- Wine, brick, sapphire blue, emerald, olive, lemon yellow, coral, terracotta, periwinkle, pink — these and other saturated shades are good for local accents.
Bedroom decoration in white
Let’s take a closer look at how to decorate a bedroom with white furniture, trim or accessories.
Trimming
A popular solution for decorating a bright bedroom is snow-white walls and ceilings plus a contrasting floor. A classic combination: wood and any shades of white. The floor outlines the boundaries and can be the only color accent in a snow-white room — this technique is often used by European designers. If you still want to dilute the upper light part of the room with darker elements, you can support the wooden floor with decorative panels on the walls or beams on the ceiling. Stone and marble also look good with white, but they are less common in the decoration of the recreation area.
Walls can be decorated in any way: they can be painted, plastered, wallpapered, or faced with any material – for example, painted light bricks. When choosing paint or wallpaper, you need to imagine the entire furnishing of the bedroom in white: what will be the frames and materials in it, what shades of furniture, textiles, flooring, and skirting boards will be? At this stage, it is important to choose such a subtone of white so that the finish is in harmony with the rest of the palette and favorably emphasizes all the elements of the interior.
As a rule, the ceiling is painted in the same tone as the walls. Thanks to this, the room visually seems higher and more spacious. Depending on the style, the ceiling can be either flat or with additional decorative finishing. For example, for classical and neoclassical styles, bas-reliefs, medallions, and stucco moldings on the ceiling are mandatory elements.
Furniture
There are two ways to select furniture for a bright interior. The first is to create additional contrast with it. The second is to choose furniture in light colors so that it supports the overall palette.
The protagonist of the bedroom is the bed. You can draw attention to it with the help of color, unusual shapes, or some contrasting element. A win-win option is a textured headboard made of wood or marble paneling, which attracts the eye and makes the bed the focal point of the interior.
In any style, a bedroom with white furniture looks spectacular. To prevent the design from appearing flat and monotonous, be sure to place accents. Compensate for the discreet color scheme with layered textiles, various shades of gray and beige, as well as self-sufficient materials such as gold, brass, marble, wood, concrete or brick.
Decor & Textiles
These finishing touches are especially important when decorating a seating area.
Textiles made of high-quality natural materials (linen, cotton, wool) will make the interior warm and cozy. Curtains can be both a contrast and an extension of a light finish. If the room is small, preference is given to light curtains made of light fabric, you can do only with tulle.
The décor in the rest and sleep room should not be excessive. The fewer distracting details there are, the better. However, you can’t do without accessories at all — they play the role of accent points and enliven the design of a bedroom with white furniture. Minimum set: a mirror, a bedside table, and a lamp. You can hang a few photos or a picture on the wall, and place small décor on a table or chest of drawers: candles, figurines, clocks.
Ideas for Different Styles
The style of a white bedroom can be anything: the achromat is versatile and looks equally good in both modern and traditional interiors.
Scandi
Scandinavian style and snow-white shades are made for each other. Light achromat is always at the heart of the palette, and this is true for any room. First of all, this is the decoration of the walls and ceiling: you can paint them in the same tone to visually erase the boundaries between the planes (especially if the room is small). The basic finish is complemented by laconic furniture, light or, for example, wooden. The atmosphere is created by textiles and décor. Natural fabrics and materials are welcome, there can be a lot of jewelry, but they should be restrained, and not too bright.
Contemporary
The modern direction involves the use of calm colors and environmentally friendly materials.
Functionality is at the forefront. There should not be too much furniture in the room, the bed must be comfortable, with a high-quality mattress. Storage systems are enough to store all your belongings and keep things organized. The palette can be both basic and contrasting: for example, a white finish and colored details on its background. In the contemporary style, pastel colors are often used, which also look great in the company of an achromat.
Minimalism
Minimalism has been one of the most popular trends for several years now. And it is definitely not going to give up its position.
Many people associate this style with half-empty rooms, a complete lack of decorations, and personal belongings as well. In fact, this is a very exaggerated association: minimalism is quite compatible with everyday life, and it can also be cozy. In private rooms, this manifests itself in the form of an abundance of textured textiles, warm natural shades, rounded shapes and softened corners. The bed can be illuminated at the bottom or with a soft headboard. The main thing is not to clutter the space and think about storage (it is desirable that it is as closed as possible).
Boho
The bright and spectacular boho style is the complete opposite of other modern trends.
It was born in the heyday of the hippie movement, and that’s saying a lot. Ideal for those who love original interiors and creative clutter, and are not afraid to deviate from the rules. In the recreation room, light shades, as elsewhere, should be made the basis of the palette. But you can supplement them with everything your heart desires: wicker and wooden decorations, decorative candles, paintings and photographs, a large number of indoor plants. The bed can be with a soft headboard, made of wood or with a wrought iron base. Bed linen is best chosen from natural fabrics. Or use them in other textiles: for example, lay a cotton rug on the floor, and a woolen blanket on the bed.
Country
The rustic style has many subtypes: Provence, rustic, English, Russian, etc. And each of them is suitable for decorating the interior of a white bedroom, as in the photo below.
Most often, such a design is used in private houses, since the very essence of the style involves living in the country. But it can also be implemented within the framework of an apartment by choosing the most striking characteristic features.
These include:
- Calm natural shades, mainly in white-beige-gray colors.
- Natural materials, the use of stone and wood in the decoration.
- The walls are usually made plain, in Provence it can be light wallpaper with floral ornaments. The ceiling is sometimes decorated with beams.
- Vintage or specially aged furniture is often used. For example, a wrought-iron bed or a large light chest of drawers with slightly cracked paint look beautiful and authentic in the bedroom.
Neoclassicism
Unlike the canonical classics, its modern interpretation is now used much more often.
To make the design of a white bedroom in a neoclassical style cozy enough for a private area, choose shades with pink or yellow undertones instead of cold snow-white shades. It is better to complement all this with beige, light brown and, for example, pastel paints. Bright classical elements include stucco moldings, symmetrical composition, and high-quality natural materials.
Examples of design projects
Finally, let’s look at photos of successful design projects. Let’s take a look at what techniques are used in them and what ideas can be taken into account.
Authentic Scandi
This project is an example of exemplary Scandinavian style. A small bedroom does not feel cramped or cluttered thanks to the light finish, and the windows painted in the same tone completely blur the boundaries between the room and the street. Textiles are lightweight, multi-layered and (should be) pleasant to the touch. There is no unnecessary décor. The room is dominated by natural materials, light wood on the floor is complemented by a cozy carpet. The only contrasting elements are a black vase on the bedside table and a rim on the ceiling lamp that echoes it.
Light Classics
This recreation area is decorated in the style of “light” classics: maximum light and space, minimum clutter. Shades of white flow into each other, then into creamy beige, bringing to the fore a variety of textures and light wood on the floor. A contrasting tone — deep green — dilutes the light landscape, appearing in textiles and jewelry. And plain walls look voluminous and interesting due to the traditional decorative decoration with moldings for the classic style.
Bedroom in white tones with bright accents
In this guest bedroom, we see several bright accents at once. A blue bed in the company of colored linens and gold-effect cabinets dilute the white surfaces and echo the décor. A picture on the unframed floor is a tribute to the modern style. A wardrobe without handles in the tone of the finish is perceived as an extension of the wall and does not clutter the space. Mirrors on both sides of the bed create additional volume.
