While decorating in white and brights is a very popular design choice at the moment, creating an inviting space with such a colour scheme can be tricky. It is important to strike the right balance between having a predominantly white backdrop and adding a few invigorating splashes of colour.
Of course, you want your home to be a haven, a place to entertain friends and to cosy up to loved ones. As such, it is important to combat the harsher effects of so much white by consciously filling up empty spaces and avoiding configurations and materials that can be alienating. Here are some tips for decorating your space in white and brights.
Go for textured materials
The appearance of some kinds of materials such as wood, rattan, parquet and brick can look warmer and more approachable than materials such as steel, formica and marble. Decorating with materials in the first group can help to create texture even with a colour palette featuring lots of white. Play around with textures to create varied surfaces that don't look too clinical. For instance, a braided rug on bright parquet flooring will look considerably less harsh than cold marble.
Choose an interesting theme
Certain themes can make a home appear cosier and more eclectic, while others can create a distant or professional appearance. For instance, a minimalist look with a few splashes of colour can make your place look more like a museum than a home. On the other hand, a vintage theme can be very chic and breathe some life into your interior.
Add coloured prints to the walls
Large tracts of blank wall are a no-no in general, but should be avoided even more fastidiously when your decor features a lot of white, which can accentuate the emptiness of the walls. That doesn't mean you have to splash out on expensive art pieces. Adding coloured landscape prints to the walls is easy and affordable. Even stock photography of well-chosen scenery can add a pop of colour to the walls and turn your home into a place that your friends just can't stop visiting.
Harness the power of natural light
When decorating with white and brights, it's important to pay attention to how natural light enters the property. Catching the rays of the rising and setting sun can infuse an interior with life. Conversely, if your home doesn't get enough natural light, your walls might end up looking more sombre than bright, and the coloured accents you've chosen will not stand out. Translucent curtains rather than heavy ones can help to usher in more natural light and mitigate the entry of harsher and more piercing rays.
Decorate with eye-catching ornaments
The trick to making your property look more like a home than an office is to decorate generously with objects that are close to your heart. Crafts that you've picked up from a farmer's market, a painting by a dear friend, knick-knacks lovingly fashioned by the kids and photographs taken during your travels can be tastefully displayed on walls or shelves to give your home colour and, more importantly, a personality, one that is in sync with your own. No matter what the colour scheme, a home that's decorated in a deeply personal style cannot be anything less than inviting.
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