White is the most reliable, easy-to-use, and comforting shade. Plus, the color offers huge benefits: it can make a space feel larger, brighter, and lighter. Introducing any other shade into the room is easy since all colors pair well with it.
That said, an all-white room can sometimes feel a bit boring or vanilla. A stark or true white can come across as sterile or lacking character — especially in a living room, which is often guest-facing and ideally should reflect some personality.
So, how do you make the most of a white living room? What textures, materials, and complementary living room color ideas can you incorporate? We asked top designers for their advice on the best white living room ideas, and here’s a big, inspiring list to help you decorate with white to elevate your space.
1. Choose soft textures for an all-white living room
To incorporate white room ideas into your living room that will ensure a cozy feel, consider furnishing it with soft textures. Bouclé, wool, and chunky knits on sofas, throws, and poufs will add a welcoming, warm touch to the room.
"Materials like linen, cotton, and wool in muted tones or earthy shades provide a foundation of calm and serenity," shares Guillaume Coutheillas, founder of frenchCALIFORNIA.
2. Inject a pop of color to uplift an all-white space
If you love a crisp, white, and elegant living room but want to add a slice of contrast, the best way is to inject a pop of color. A bright color helps keep the white feel fresh and clean, as the colors will stand out against each other. It might be prudent to use a bright tone on a non-permanent element like the pillows or curtains so you can switch them up if the contrast feels a bit too dated over time.
“The couch originally belonged to the client, and we just replaced the upholstery with a pure white fabric,” shares Diana Musakulov, co-founder of sdelaemremont. “But to give the room a little character, we added a splash of yellow via curtains that fit perfectly next to the green kitchen.”
3. Add freshness to the neutral scheme with plants
Another cozy living room idea is to bring nature into the space. The lush leaves of a houseplant sing out against a fresh white wall and add a welcome shot of living color against the pure backdrop.
You can further enhance your white living room design by incorporating more earthy elements such as a terracotta planter or a clay urn.
4. Add softness to a white living room with curves
Think carefully about your living room furniture — its shape, silhouette, and materials greatly influence the room's vibe. A curving, or round table or chair, can soften the visuals, especially if the room has a bold or muted palette.
“This living room was designed to exude modern serenity combined with high European style,” shares Guillaume. “By anchoring the space in soft, natural tones and incorporating tactile materials, we created an environment that feels both open and inviting. White living rooms offer a versatile canvas that allows light to play across the surfaces, enhancing the architectural features while maintaining a sense of calm. The choice of furnishings — sculptural yet understated — ensures the design is both functional and sophisticated, inviting relaxation without sacrificing style. To add depth and character, we incorporated carefully selected vintage pieces that bring a sense of history to the space.”
5. Create a grand feeling with deep toned seaters
There are so many colors that go with white — and purple and white make a wonderful pairing. The white lifts the purple, allowing the luxe tone to steal attention in this white living room idea.
"The foundation for this project was actually the merlot sofas," says interior designer Mary Patton. "I wanted those to shine, so I painted the walls a warm white (bright white would have been too stark), to create a background where they would really pop."
6. Sprinkle unique elements in your white living room
So many of the ingredients in this space are white (or cream), but the variety of shapes, forms, and elements gives it heaps of energy. The introduction of the standing lamp and vase imbue the space in rich detail. Plus touches of black (via the fireplace) add contrast but never threaten to overthrow the purity of this white living room idea.
"The design of my former Brooklyn townhouse fused ornate traditional architecture with my idea of modern living,” shares multidisciplinary designer, Athena Calderone. “I inserted old-world details of European apartments I had visited on my travels and married them to a Brooklyn sensibility, juxtaposing the grandeur and grit of the city's yesteryear. I knew that a clash of cultures in the decor was essential for this late 1800s Greek Revival — a mix of mostly Italian and French antiques from the 40s through the 70s, which you can see in my former living room. But I also desired the age and patina of the 18th century sprinkled in here and there to drive home a sense of history. "
7. Use white paint to make stand-out furniture pop
This white living room is a calm, serene space, with white painted walls and edited furniture. The pops of primary colors give the all-white space a focal point while not overly interrupting the neutral scheme.
You can find advice on the best white paint for interior walls on our dedicated page.
8. Hang antiqued mirrors for timeless elegance
Aged living room mirrors give this white living room design a sense of grandeur and work perfectly with the room's plasterwork, while modern furniture and a new fireplace keep the space looking fresh.
9. Punctuate a white scheme with black furniture
Black pieces punctuate this all-white living room. Found objects make this place a home, such as the painted Afghani chest, which rubs shoulders with heavyweight Danish designs.
10. Add interest with oversized lighting
In this space, a classic sofa is teamed with funky living room lighting and a sleek glass table. It makes sense to mix old with contemporary here. The pale wood flooring brings the whole space together. In addition, a monochrome palette forms the backdrop, and a tactile mix of natural materials, including linen, sisal, and marble, features throughout.
You can find a great selection of pendant lighting at Wayfair.
11. Go for linen upholstery for a relaxed and rustic space
The white walls, ceiling, linen living room sofa, curtains, and sanded floors, create a relaxed and rustic vibe in this space — the texture adds interest to this minimalist white living room idea.
12. Incorporate sculptural shapes
The curved sofa living room idea used here is a great way to add interest to a white scheme. The sculptural sofa and other accessories echo the shape of the living room bringing the space together.
The sinuous pieces of mid-century designer Vladimir Kagan inspired the design of the bespoke sofa.
13. Go for sharp angles and bold colors
The design of this white living room with blue accents is all about the balancing of shapes. The corners of the living room daybed are softened by the round mirror, side table, and cushions, and against the pastel rugs.
The fireplace is also inset with black tiles in a herringbone pattern, giving a traditional focal point with a twist.
14. Add wood paneling for texture
This space is a wonderful gray-and-white living room idea that uses wood wall paneling, linens, and natural materials to create a relaxed and rustic-inspired space. A squishy sofa and rustic bench subvert the grown-up paneling to give a relaxed take on Edwardian style.
The chunky oak floorboards also prevent the space from feeling too austere.
15. Modernize a rustic scheme with metallics
Brass wall lights lend a glam touch to this modern rustic living room scheme, contrasting against the stone fireplace, rattan chairs, and fluffy sheepskins while bringing together the side table.
"The lighting you choose can make a huge impact on a space," says Livingetc's managing editor, Debbie Black. "Choose carefully, and you can have lighting that will act as a feature on its own, lift the space to incorporate contrast and interest, and create that all-important ambiance. Wall sconces are a perfect way to light up — in more ones than one — a blank canvas."
16. Welcome Scandi-inspired style
Floor-to-ceiling glass windows flood this white living room with light, while the white walls and soft grey palette of the furniture create a calm and comfortable living room.
Incorporating large pendant shades within your living room lighting ideas is also a great way to add further interest and depth to your space.
17. Use a white backdrop as a blank canvas
What's so great about white living rooms is that they are a blank canvas to throw whatever colors and styles you like into the mix. So if you are fickle when it comes to interiors and like to switch up the look of your room frequently, white walls are the way to go.
Mid-century shapes and a classic Berber living room rug give this white living room a retro-inspired vibe.
18. Add bold color through artwork
Without the distracting details of period features on the walls, artwork can get top billing. The art and photography collection injects extra dashes of originality into this light, bright white living room. The large pendant light doesn’t feel overbearing — it just hovers elegantly, beautifully, and poised.
Living room wall art is another great way to add color to a white space.
19. Use gray accents for a calm space
White is a lovely color that goes with gray. In fact white and gray are a match made in interior design heaven; a total classic that works in any space of any size and suits any style too. Pair clean white walls with a soft gray sofa for a living room color scheme that's never going to go out of style.
In this white living room, clean-cut interiors are punctuated with covetable furniture and contemporary art. This family room mixes luxe seating with conceptual art from LA.
20. Punctuate a calm white scheme with angular pieces
Straight lines in the form of an angular floor lamp, the diamond chair, the shelving unit, and the modern sofa all work to make this light space feel modern and sophisticated.
Using pieces with unique shapes is in fact a big modern living room trend. The urban garden room is an inspired way to bring greenery into a slender city space.
21. Add shiplap for a rustic backdrop
Nothing says 'rustic white living room' like shiplap. And for those wondering if shiplap is out of style, this living room can be an inspiration. The wood-paneled white walls, jute rug, linen textures, and vintage furniture create the most welcoming lounging area.
22. Mix and match curated finds to add interest
Although a taxidermy lamb might not be to everybody's taste, it's this eclectic collection of decorative objects that create wit and whimsy in this white living room. It's a masterclass on how to add color and interest in rental properties.
23. Keep things simple but textured
The inside and outside merge in this gorgeous white living room, where the comfortable window seat is an ideal spot to perch and chat. Furnishings are spare, not spartan, with pieces — such as the vintage leather sofa and the bench — chosen for warmth and texture. This space is a great example of how to make a black-and-white living room idea work.
24. Let statement furniture do the talking
Keep it simple, and let quirky furniture and statement artwork be the focus of your living room. In this space, an animated video artwork, The Night of Perpetual Day, hangs over the sofa. It’s a rework of ancient Chinese landscapes — you can peer at it and see a different tiny event unfolding each time. A portrait of Philip Glass takes over the wall next to it.
However, it's the contrast of the textures and materials of the furniture pieces that make this white living room truly stand out — the glass table and wood floor and side table set against the multiple textures of the sofa and accent chairs add so much depth to the space.
25. Paint the floors white
The original oak parquet wood flooring was painted throughout this apartment white to enhance the low-key mood. The space is designed so that all the key living areas lead to the terraces at the back of the flat — it adds to that easy living feel and makes for a wonderful white living room idea.
26. Or paint the brickwork
This flat is all about space, luminosity, and tranquility rather than objects — though the white living room decor adds great interest, too. The less is more aesthetic stretches to every detail — the large white panel, for example, is a period roof tile discovered in an antique market in Girona.
27. Go for a Western inspired theme
This white living room was inspired by The Ranch at Rock Creek in Montana, known for its cowboy-luxe aesthetic. The hide rug, leather armchairs, and an antique water buffalo head help to recreate that look.
28. Add traditional details to a white living room
The interiors within this white living room radiate serenity, with design inspiration from Brazil’s Jader Almeida and 19th-century France, reflected in sumptuous leather and antiqued mirror glass. Antiques mix with contemporary designs such as the high-shine rocking chair with butter-soft leather.
The antiqued mirror and crystal chandelier complement the original marble fireplace and classical cornice detailing.
29. Go dark up above
To add some drama to a white living room, consider a deep gray painted ceiling. This will not only make the ceiling look higher but also imbue coziness to the room.
Try an eggshell or satin finish for a reflective sheen that will help to brighten the room. To create uniformity, sprinkle gray on furnishings around the room.
FAQs
What colors go with a white living room?
By its very nature, the colors that go with white are endless — so the best color to go with a white living room depends on the style you want to go for. For a soft and neutral look, white can look lovely paired with other neutrals like creams, beige, and gray. Layer them up and add plenty of textures too for a lovely rustic vibe.
If you want a bolder look, white is perfect for contrasting with dark or bright colors. Pair it with a deep navy for a very clean style or a blush pink for a soft look, you could go for a sage green for a classic combination or even primary colors like sunny yellows and bold reds would work too.
How can you make a white living room feel cozy?
White can be quite a stark color, especially if you are using it on all the walls and ceiling, so if you want to know how to make a white room feel cozy, you need to soften it and bring in plenty of texture. We're talking rugs, blankets, and throw pillows — all of which will make a white living room appear more inviting.
