A white wall is the industry standard when it comes to building new homes or having a blank canvas on which to build upon. However, white can be one of the most challenging colors to decorate. White has the capacity to make a room feel bright, open, and spacious, whilst on the other hand, white can look cold, bleak, and show every single particle of dirt in a room.
The good thing about playing with color on walls is that the color does a lot of the work for you with regard to creating the desired feel in a room. It’s no surprise that the most popular color of 2021 was a cozy and welcoming shade of teal. 2022 color trends bring periwinkle blues, warm neutrals, and earthy tones to our designs.
So, what can we do to dress up a plain white wall? Maybe this is your desire, or you’re in a rental property where you’re unable to paint the walls. No matter your circumstances, there are plenty of ways to create the space of your dreams using white walls as the foundation.
We have compiled our top 3 ways to decorate and build upon a white wall. It’s time to get creative!
White is responsive to light and other furniture in the room. White walls can look stark and bleak, it’s a cooler shade and therefore needs a bit of help when it comes to adding warmth and coziness.
Wooden accessories are a great pairing when it comes to decorating a space with white walls. Bringing the outside in, not only helps to make the space look cozy but also improves our overall sense of well-being. It’s a great way to create a boho and beachy effect in your space.
Wood comes in a lot of forms. For rooms with a lot of natural light, you can opt for darker wooden shades if that is your taste. Stick to lighter wooden shades and materials if your space lacks natural light. If your room has differing warm wooden tones, such as wooden paneling or a wooden floor, white walls can add brightness to the room and complement the earthy tones.
Speaking of earthy tones and bringing the outside in, opt for some warmer neutral shades to accessorize a room. This can extend into artwork you place on the wall, curtains, furnishings, and lighting. Accenting with additional earth tones and textures like cognac leather, and beige woven textures like cane, gold, and wool area rugs.
We’ve all heard of mood lighting, but what does it actually mean? Mood lighting essentially is the way we use artificial lights to create a certain mood or atmosphere. Rooms need a lot of flattering decor. Glowing light that is located at face level, not overhead, or recessed lighting can create harsh shadows making a room feel dark. White rooms, in particular, are subject to intense shadows, therefore lighting is a crucial part of the design process.
White walls look their best when flooded with light. During the day, we want bright, fresh, and open spaces. When the sun begins to set we want spaces that feel like an invitation to unwind or entertain. Paying careful attention to mood lighting can help with creating your desired feeling.
With a professional interior designer, we can decorate spaces with white walls with lights that help create both brightness and coziness. We focus on placement, design, color, and bulb type.
When painting a room white, consider the natural light source too. This is because a room that is painted all white can optimize the light of the space, so a room with poor natural lighting can benefit from all-white walls whereas a well-lit room may need some more warm infusions, such as wooden tones as previously mentioned, to ensure the room doesn’t seem too cool or chilly.
Artwork, mirrors, photographs, plants, wall hangings - there are plenty of opportunities to add color to your white walls. Whilst it can be tempting to fill your walls, finding the right balance between cozy and cluttered is key.
Whether you decorate with a bright color, a pastel, a neutral, or a bold and dramatic shade of blue, gray, or black, curtains and upholstery provide a strong, vertical slash of color that attracts the eye.
Although very popular right now, all-white walls and homes are far from a new trend and this is a testament to their timeless appeal. White can be simple and sophisticated, and when correctly used, white walls can give your rooms a crisp appearance that is ideal for a fresh design approach. Perfect as we move into lighter and brighter months.
Although painting your walls all-white can feel like a big leap of faith, if you have a sense of adventure and a willingness to try something new, white walls could be the look your home needs to add light and space this year.
It's time to decorate! Take a look at some of our interior design work for more inspiration.
