21 White Bedroom Ideas for Creating the Most Restful Retreat
After a hectic day, an all-white bedroom is a soothing getaway, with serene expanses of white walls and linens that invite you to clear your mind and relax without distractions. (Even the president of the American Psychological Association’s Society for Environment, Population, and Conservation Psychology confirms that the color can calm us.) Whether the rest of your home is similarly minimalist or your living room is wallpapered, cluttered, and full-on maximalist, white paint and white bedroom decor packs a major punch. These spaces from the AD archives are tranquil all right, but they certainly aren’t boring. Luxe layers, shapely furniture, and attention-grabbing objects make these neutral bedrooms dream-worthy destinations. Read on to let design stars like Robert Couturier, Jean-Louis Deniot, and Victoria Hagan provide you with only the best white bedroom ideas.
Photo: Michael Moran1/21Paint the walls off-white
In a Lee F. Mindel–designed Manhattan duplex, off-white walls meet crisp white bedding in the primary bedroom, which displays three black-and-white photographs by Christopher Beane. A Harry Bertoia bench is at the foot of the bed, and a Warren Platner low table sits in front of the corner sofa.
Photo: Simon Watson2/21Add a unique architectural detail
Musicians Katia and Marielle Labèque collaborated with designer and longtime friend Axel Vervoordt on their apartment and studio in Rome. For Katia’s bedroom, on a mezzanine, Vervoordt designed the railing from antique metal rods once used as roof supports at the Louvre.
Photo: Thomas Loof3/21Frame views
With the help of architect Toshiko Mori, a tech-savvy couple built a Hudson Valley compound. The primary bedroom in the glass house overlooks a scenic rolling terrain; the bedding is by RH, the sheepskin rug is by CB2, and the standing Buddha—like much of the couple’s collection of Chinese art—was found at Tom Swope Gallery.
Photo: Roger Davies4/21Highlight a dramatic chandelier
For the head of Mansour carpets, designer Waldo Fernandez created a Beverly Hills home with British-inspired spaces. In the primary bedroom, Rose Tarlow Melrose House side tables flank the bed, which is upholstered in Holly Hunt leather, and a dramatic chandelier tops it all off.
Photo: Michael Moran5/21Opt for a dramatic headboard
Inside this chic downtown Manhattan loft, Shelton, Mindel & Assoc. built a floating wall that silhouettes a 1954 lamp by Max Ingrand for FontanaArte. The Mindel-designed headboard is covered in Holly Hunt Great Plains fabric (also used for the bed skirt), and the bed linens are by Pratesi. The chairs are by Aalto (foreground) and Kerstin Hörlin-Holmquist.
Photo: Douglas Friedman6/21Let a fireplace make a statement
In the primary bedroom of entrepreneur Donald Burns’s Nantucket, Massachusetts, residence by Jacobsen Architecture, textiles add tons of texture to the modern framework of the structure. A J.H. Dolph painting hangs above a fireplace with Creel and Gow selenite logs; the bedding by Nancy Stanley Waud Fine Linens is topped with a Dennis Basso fur coverlet, the sofa is by Flexform, and the Mies van der Rohe chair is from Knoll.
Photo: Richard Powers7/21Consider a canopy bed
In the primary bedroom of this London rowhouse by Veere Grenney, a 1970s Gaetano Sciolari light fixture from Galerie Yves Gastou joins a Veere Grenney Assoc. ebonized canopy bed and a Francis Sultana daybed. The curtains are made of a Zimmer + Rohde silk, and the carpet is by Tai Ping.
Photo: François Halard8/21Create a statement ceiling
At former art director Charles Churchwood’s Santa Fe, New Mexico, retreat, the primary bedroom furniture includes an Eileen Gray side table from Design Within Reach, Tizio lamps by Artemide, an Yves Delorme alpaca blanket, and an Edward Fields carpet. A Steven Klein photograph is propped on the bookcase.
Photo: Björn Wallander9/21Panel walls in parchment
In a New York apartment designed by the Rockwell Group, the walls and headboard in the primary bedroom are paneled in parchment, while the base of the bed frame is wood. The cerused oak nightstands with crackled-mirror tops are custom designs, and the chair is upholstered in a Manuel Canovas fabric.
Photo: Anita Calero10/21Use a folding screen as a headboard
Handbag designer Nancy Gonzalez’s western Colombia apartment was designed and decorated in collaboration with Jean-Louis Deniot. A 1970s C. Jeré brass sunburst hangs above the primary bedroom’s Modénature sofa, which is upholstered in fabric from Cowtan & Tout. At left is a vintage Willy Daro table lamp from On Site Antiques, and the Philippe Hiquily floor lamp is from Galerie Yves Gastou. A Romo fabric is used for the bed skirt and the folding screen that serves as a headboard. Deniot designed the patterned rug, which was made by Diurne.
Photo: Francesco Lagnese11/21Opt for neutral artwork
In the primary bedroom of designer Victoria Hagan’s Connecticut home, the bedside tables are by Victoria Hagan Home Collection, the headboard was custom made, the lamps are by Antony Todd, the bed linens are by Frette, and the white silk coverlet is by Calvin Klein Home. Artwork in neutral colors were chosen to add depth without overwhelming the space.
Photo: Michael Moran12/21Add texture with a wall covering and curtains
In the primary bedroom of a prewar New York apartment by Shelton, Mindel & Assoc., the headboard, by Jonas, and the Kerstin Hörlin-Holmquist daybed were upholstered in fabrics by Nobilis and Holland & Sherry, respectively. The wall covering is by Clarence House, and the bedding is by Pratesi.
Photo: Derry Moore13/21Splurge on lavish flooring
While building a home on the Greek island of Paros, Mark Gaudette and Ioannis Mamoulakis collaborated with architects Torsten Bessel and Dimitris Vathrakokoilis. An 18th-century Chinese cabinet hides a television in the primary bedroom, and the floors are tiled with Naxos marble. Throw pillows and urns bring blue in, a subtle (and perhaps inadvertent) nod to the colors of Greece’s flag.
Photo: Read McKendree / JBSA14/21Style aged mirrors
The bedroom design for this space by Workshop APD is informed by two major features: its curved wall and its wall of windows. The wall of aged mirrors adds a touch of glam, while the upholstered platform bed, large area rug, and pair of side chairs create a sense of coziness.
Photo: Nicolas Mathéus15/21Style a built-in bookshelf
Warm white creates a calm room feel in this relatively small space, the primary bedroom in fashion insider Clara Cornet’s natural light-filled Paris apartment. An artwork, vase, and small tchotchkes and books propped on the built-in bookshelves add pops of color to the white room.
Photo: Genevieve Garruppo16/21Incorporate strategic pops of color
In the modern bedroom of interior designer Fiona Byrne’s own apartment, a subtle blue and red color scheme is introduced with the addition of a bright red lamp, blue flowers, and blue artwork. Even the wood flooring was painted white—talk about commitment!
Photo: Manolo Langis17/21Add soft pastels
Designer Christine Markatos Lowe of AD PRO Directory firm Christine Markatos Design used textiles and wallpaper to add depth to this white bedroom. The wallpaper is a tone-on-tone stripe and the curtains and headboard are very pale shades of lavender and sage. “By having many of the main selections stay shades of white—the lamps, side tables, and backgrounds of most of the fabrics—a continuity was created,” Markatos explains. “By choosing soft textures rather than just a flat solid, color is enhanced more subtly.”
Photo: Lance Gerber18/21Design with existing architectural details
Designed by AD PRO Directory firm Another Human, this white bedroom was inspired by its natural surroundings. “The bedroom has large windows and doors looking out onto large mature trees outside, so I wanted to create a calming space that allows the focus to turn to the natural beauty outside,” Another Human principal Leah Ring explains. “This room is in a midcentury Buff, Straub and Hensman home, so we luckily had beautiful wood ceilings, trim, and built-ins to help warm up the neutral color palette.”
Photo: Dustin Halleck19/21Use a neutral backdrop to make textiles pop
Before AD PRO Directory firm Stone Textile Studio’s redesign of this room, the space was dark. White walls and accents were chosen to complement the light coming in from the large double doors. Then they brought in this blue area rug for a subtle but still impactful pop of color. “The neutral backdrop also allows the textures and materials—like the wood ceiling, delicate drapery, and layered textiles—to stand out without overwhelming the space,” says designer Elizabeth Mollen. “The rug was an intentional way to introduce color without disrupting the room’s tranquility.”
Photo: Christopher James Delaney20/21Consider an accent wall
For a client who travels almost non-stop, interior designer Doreen Chambers designed a calming bedroom that could balance her hectic lifestyle. “We transformed a basic room with four bare walls into a sumptuous sanctuary enveloped in soft off-white tones and textures,” Chambers explains. “The dusky grey accent wall and touches of black give an unexpected urban edge to an otherwise ethereal bedroom.” The neutral tones allow the client’s collection of African Diaspora contemporary art to serve as a focal point.
Photo: Spacecrafting Photography21/21Layer textures
This bedroom is located on a side of the house that gets less light than the opposite, so O’Hara Interiors senior designer Krystal Kellermann chose to make white the dominant color in the space. “When creating an all-white or heavily white space, it’s important to layer textures and use differing materials for a warmer, more interesting look,” says Kellermann. “For example, on the bed you can use white linens and a white wool blanket.”
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you make a white bedroom pop?
The best decor ideas to make a white bedroom pop depend on what specific mood you’re trying to evoke in your bedroom. If you’re hoping to create a more energetic space, you can pick a few bright accent colors and bring them in with a duvet, wall art, or smaller decor pieces. Otherwise “you can make a white bedroom pop with different accents of brighter colors mixed with softer ones,” says Markatos Lowe. “As an example, a white bedroom mixed with pale watery linens is very soothing, but adding a pop of cobalt blue in bedside lamps or accent pillows creates a focal point to pop off the paler palette.”
How do you add warmth to a white bedroom?
Consider your materials carefully to add warmth to a white bedroom. “One solution to add warmth to a white bedroom is to choose metal finishes such as unlacquered antique brass,” Markatos Lowe advises. “The patina of the brass works to offset the starkness of the white walls.”
What colors are best to decorate within a white bedroom?
The versatility of white is one of the best parts of decorating a white bedroom. “The world is your oyster! White works with everything, so if you want to have the space pop, choose from a brighter palette to mix with the white,” says Markatos Lowe. “If you want the space to feel soft, then keep the fabrics paler and more tonal to each other.”
Relatedly, you shouldn’t feel pressured to add loads of colors to a white bedroom if that’s not aligned with your own taste. Ring uses plenty of color in her projects, but she still respects the power of an all-white bedroom. “A white bedroom can be very meditative and point towards a calming feeling,” Ring shares. “Color is so personal and evokes different responses in different people, but a mostly white space I think feels universally calming.”
