Stylish White Bedroom Schemes

Stylish white bedroom schemes are always a classic.  The simplicity of the colour white makes this the perfect choice to use in this all important room.

Calm and serene, white is a gentle colour to relax in and therefore perfect for this space.  Even if you have a neutral or a soft calming colour like blue or green for the walls and carpets, you can't go wrong with layers of white for the bedding.

A white bedroom scheme is timeless.  It is clean and crisp and just simply stylish.  Let me show you more here.

White bedroom schemes – how white do you want to go?

There is no doubt that this colour palette is the cleanest and crispest of them all.  The room above is a beautiful summery room with nothing to detract from the view outside.  A palette perfectly suited to the heat of Australia to keep you cool and serene throughout Summer.

Don't be fooled though into thinking this is the easy solution to your decorating dilemmas.

With an all white colour palette you have to be certain that you have selected the right white.  All whites have an undertone of colour.

• Some are clean crisp cool whites with a blue undertone.  And some of these will have more blue than others making them very cool whites.  One of the comments I hear the most is that people have used a blue based white and didn't realise and then are unhappy with the effect.
• Don't misunderstand, a blue based white can look great, you just have to ensure that is the effect you were looking for.  In a house with lots of sunlight, this is often the right choice.  Sometimes though if you don't have enough natural light, the look and more importantly, the feel, can be cold and gloomy.
• Other whites will have a creamier, yellow undertone.  Often people run from these as they are perceived as being a little out-dated.  However if you paint everything in the same white then all that happens is that you create a mood and feeling for the space that is warm and welcoming and unless you put another crisper white next to it you don't necessarily notice the creaminess of the white – it is just right for the space.
• These warmer, creamier whites are great for houses that don't get lots of natural sunlight.
• Some whites will have more of a neutral green undertone or others will have a slight touch of grey.  If this all sounds confusing you should read my related post below:

Related: How to find the right white

Adding some tonal variation

If you love white bedrooms but the all white palette is too much for you, then just a touch of stronger tonal variation can make all the difference to the look.

The black in the canopy bed, windows and curtain rods is just enough to break up the starkness of the white with a very soft grey in the rug and bedding, the effect is beautiful.  Therefore, it is the black elements define and almost frame the space.

Related: Monochromatic colour shemes – black and white

Bedrooms with cathedral ceilings

White bedrooms with soaring cathedral ceilings look stunning and lend themselves really well to an upmarket Hamptons/coastal look.  I usually recommend that you paint the ceiling a half or quarter strength of the walls but in this case I would just use the same white on the walls and ceiling.

Notice that in the image above the flooring is very light too and this white colour palette gives you a very calm environment.

Related: 5 tips to create a calm bedroom environment

The case for all white bedlinen

I have always bought white bedlinen.  I have some which I remember buying in Sloane Street in London over 25 years ago and I still love it and it still looks good.  A timeless classic, if you buy quality it only improves with age.  And the best part is that you don't tire of it and it always looks in fashion and is clean and crisp.

Here are my top reasons for having white bedlinen:

• White linen bedding is very effective against a dark grey upholstered bedhead.
• A good quality linen will soften every time you wash it.  It keeps you cool in the summer and warm in the winter and the best part is that it is 100% natural.
• By using white bedlinen you could change the colour of the bedhead, the artwork, the walls or flooring and the bedlinen will still look good.

Related: How to choose an upholstered bedhead

A tailored look or a more relaxed one?

If you prefer the tailored look for your bed then you can't go past a classic white bedspread with matching white pillowcases.  I have always used a bedspread like this and no matter how creased your bedlinen is, the bed, once made in the morning, always looks great.  You can cover a multitude of creases with a good quality, heavy bedspread.

Depending upon the look that you like you can buy them with floral designs, simple stripes or a geometric design.  Whichever one you go for it is only a slight textural design change as being all in white, the look remains classic and simple.

Finally, simple white bedding will either create a dreamy light white colour palette or, with added contrast from bedheads and bedside furniture, give you a great tonal contrast to define the space well.

If you feel you like a little more colour in your bedroom you will enjoy reading this article:

Related: Feminine Bedroom 101

I would love to hear your thoughts on this and answer any questions you may have.  Are white bedrooms a favourite look or do you prefer a little more colour?

Whichever way you decide to go you should always put together a mood board.  This will help to ensure that you get the balance of colour and texture right in your scheme.  I have a handy e-book to give you a step by step guide for how to put one together.  You can download it for FREE here.