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Mad About … White Bedrooms

There’s nothing like a white bedroom for a really cool, serene space. Too often we clutter them up with stuff so that sleeping is the last thing you feel like doing when  you walk in at night. One of my favourite bedrooms was in a flat I rented about 15 years ago. It was painted completely white and we didn’t have a bed – just a mattress on the floor – with a white duvet cover. The only piece of furniture was a wooden chair and, occasionally, a bunch of flowers. It was almost monastic in its simplicity and always a good place to sleep. For those of you with a practical mindset, the clothes were kept in the cellar, which was billed as a walk-in closet and was, in reality, just as damp as you might have imagined.

from welke.nl. Those who know me will recognise the initials
from welke.nl. Those who know me will recognise the initials

Ever since that bedroom, I have tried to keep that space as simple as possible. Well there was a brief flirtation with blue but it didn’t last long.

79ideas_tinekhome bedroom
one of the bedrooms in Tine K’s house

And to be honest, all the white space in the world won’t help you sleep when a baby arrives on the scene. But perhaps that makes it all the more important the keep the colours serene and peaceful.

from homedecorarcade.com
from homedecorarcade.com

The key, if at all possible is to keep the clothes behind doors, or elsewhere if you can. I don’t even really have any books in the bedroom these days. Partly because I have a kindle admittedly, but also because I prefer to keep stimulation to a minimum in there.

79ideas.org
from 79ideas.org

I love this white child’s bedroom with the dinosaurs stalking the beams and the swing hanging down. Who needs colour when you can have a room like this?

Stoere-jongenskamer.1355061856-van-EssieEs
Stoere-jongenskamer

This room does have a desk and a computer but it’s a massive space. Having said that I would probably have taken it through to the gorgeous room next door.

from homeklondike.com
from homeklondike.com

Another view of this room.

indohomedesign.net
from indohomedesign.net

Wouldn’t it be lovely to have all these windows in your bedroom? Although there don’t appear to be any blinds so that might be less fun at 4am on a summer’s day.

from decordots.com
from decordots.com

Finally this lovely bedroom from photographer Paul Massey is a favourite of mine.

image by Paul Massey
image by Paul Massey

So there you have it. White bedrooms. Add texture with layers of different materials – velvet, cotton and linen (and perhaps the odd bit of fake fur  in winter). Remove tension by taking out the computer and some the books and make sure the clothes are hidden behind doors. It can also be bad feng shui to have a mirror in a bedroom so try tucking that out of sight too.

Sweet dreams.

Tags : Danishscandiwhite bedrooms
Kate Watson-Smyth

The author Kate Watson-Smyth

I’m a journalist who writes about interiors mainly for The Financial Times but I have also written regularly for The Independent and The Daily Mail. My house has been in Living Etc, HeartHome and featured in The Wall Street Journal & Corriere della Sera. I also run an interior styling consultancy Mad About Your House. Welcome to my Mad House.

1 Comment

  1. Yep…love all of the above for the Swedish style ‘fresh start’
    they’d bring you each morning. In summer and spring. Still
    fancy warmer womblike tones in winter…

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