The ‘White’ Bedroom

Hey there –

Can we talk about the white elephant in the bedroom? While we’re all going around pinning and being inspired by moody, trendy and eclectic bedrooms, the mass majority of us get into our actual bedrooms and fall prey to the, ‘But I want restorative, restful, and serene. I’m going to paint it white.’

Let me be clear, I love a room that takes serious risks. I love a bedroom that plays with colors, patterns, textures, and the unexpected. But in reality, the majority of clients I have worked with all end up saying the same thing. ‘I want it to feel relaxing and calm. Let’s go neutral.’ And there is nothing wrong with that. Neutral rooms are calm, restful, gorgeous, and romantic. If you do it right.

Above is what most of us are starting with. A basic, white bedroom. You move in and purchase the investment staple, a white upholstered bed. It will go with anything and everything. But now you need to address the rest of the room to make it chic and serene. Not boring and white.

First - One does not simply say 'white'

There is no one white to rule them all. There are warm whites, cool whites, bright whites and creams. And when I say there is no one white to rule them all, I mean it. White can look different in every room in your home. White can look different depending on the season outside your window. White in your home will not look the same as it does in that magazine or pinterest board. It. Just. Won’t. I wish, oh how I wish it would. But it won’t.

Always, always, always get a range of whites to swatch up on your walls. Decide which temperature your style relates to (warm or cool) and then go ham on the swatches. I strongly recommend at least 5 whites to start getting you in the right direction. I love certain whites, designers have their favorites – Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace, Sherwin-Williams Alabaster, Farrow and Ball All White, Benjamin Moore White Dove to name a few – but I can guarantee no designer hears white room and says, ‘Yep! No questions asked, throw that one white we always use on the wall.’ There are too many factors playing into your white selection.

So, take a deep breath, grab your coffee, and a glass of wine (yes, because you need to see these colors specifically in morning and evening light as that is when you are primarily in your bedroom) and mull over your selections.

A personal favorite – Benjamin Moore Crisp Linen. It’s warm, creamy, and pairs well with other colors beautifully. I do have to be careful at times though, it can lean a little yellow.

If you are like me and can’t sit still with white trim, add some warmth with a off shade of white, think mushroom-y. In here, I increased the baseboard height to make it feel intentional, not an afterthought, and threw on Baby Fawn by Benjamin Moore just to give this white builder grade box a little something extra.

But for the love of all things holy, if you stick with white trim and doors, paint them to match. I don’t care that your partner says it’s a shade of white changing to another white, it absolutely matters.

Second - Your honest materials

Neutral does not mean WHITE. It means shades of white, cream, ivory, and usually some brown. This is the layer of some natural materials that bring in the warmth and range. Natural wood. A jute rug. A weathered terracotta pot. Brass or nickel hardware. Woven shades layered under cotton drapes. Alabaster lighting. The materials you need to add depth to your room can be found so readily in nature and there are so many options other than the wood dresser alone.

Implement these different materials to create a bedroom that feels lived in by you, not a hotel room that is lived in, and must appeal to, the masses.

Third - You know this one, it's texture

Years ago, after graduating college and working my odds and ends jobs, I landed at Anthro HQ. This was back in 2015 folks and around that time there was finally a shift to embrace and understand the importance of texture. This is not a trend, it’s a principle. You must incorporate texture into your room or it will be literally flat.

A white room with no texture leans hospital room. Designers who do white effortlessly are stacking textures and materials: linen against waffled cotton against leather against sheepskin against plaster. White is your canvas, texture makes the subject come to life.

Third.5 - Layers of texture and pattern on the bed

Crisp white sheets are my go-to. Even in a colored room, I struggle with the idea of a colored sheet in a primary. But, we can’t leave the white sheet and white duvet to do all the work in a neutral room. We need to layer with a multitude of textiles, textures and weights to have the bed sing in this neutral setting.

White sheets, cream colored linen duvet (with a subtle tonal print if you’re feeling feisty) with a seriously full comforter, a nubby coverlet or blanket, a leather or an embroidered lumbar – now it’s designed.

Fourth - Interesting Forms and Artwork

When the rest of the room is so calm and relaxing, hit it with some interesting shapes or objects. Sure! Stay in the same tone, but throw in that plastered hand chair. What about an easel in the corner with your favorite piece of art? I live for a sculptural lamp with a stunning shade. Have fun. Just because you want a bedroom that is neutral and timeless does NOT mean that it needs to be stuffy and boring. Infuse you into your bedroom space and it will allow this calm room to be a reflection of you.

And if you're bold...go all in

Folks, I couldn’t help myself because this room still felt like it was missing something to my eye. If you’re adventurous and white walls aren’t enough, bring in extra pattern and texture with rad wallpaper, something soft, that almost gets lost on the walls while making the room feel enveloping, soft and serene. I personally have lower ceilings in my bedroom, so wrapping the wallpaper onto the ceiling feels so luxurious a detail. Just be sure to give it a clean ending point.

White is not a safe or boring choice, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Implementing white well is incredibly tricky and can take a skilled hand to make it feel intentional and warm. You own that hand. Stretch that muscle and create your neutral haven. Because when it works, it’s the most timeless bedroom you’ll ever live in.

Until I babble again,
Carli

p.s. Still feeling overwhelmed and need some inspiration? Check out this Designer White Bedrooms post for inspiration and to see how designers get it right.

A Few Fun Finds to Add to Your Bedroom

So you don’t have to ask ‘where can I find that ___’, here’s a couple of my favorite items I integrated into the designs above.
Be sure to follow along on pinterest where I’m always pinning great finds.