White Bedroom Ideas
A white bedroom looks best when you choose the right white for your light and then add warmth through texture, wood and art. White walls are the easiest backdrop for prints of any colour, so the art becomes the main way to give the room character.
Below: warm white versus cool white, colours that go with white, how to stop a white room feeling cold, and how to choose art for white walls.
Prints for this look
The colour palette
Warm white vs cool white
Whites are not all the same. Warm whites have a touch of yellow, pink or grey-beige and feel soft and enveloping. They suit north-facing bedrooms, which get cooler light, and rooms with oak floors. Cool whites have a hint of blue or grey and feel crisp and clean. They work best in bright, south-facing rooms and with black, chrome and grey.
Brilliant white straight from the tin can look stark in a bedroom. If in doubt, choose a soft, slightly warm white, and paint ceilings and woodwork in the same shade or one step lighter.
Colours that go with white
- Natural oak and linen are the simplest way to warm up white.
- Soft black in frames, lamps and hardware adds definition.
- Sage, olive and blush give gentle colour without overpowering the calm.
- Navy and terracotta make a bolder accent for a more characterful room.
The 60-30-10 rule helps here too: 60% white, 30% wood and natural textiles, 10% accent colour in art and cushions. See our decorating rules for more.
Stop a white bedroom feeling cold
Layer textures. Washed linen or cotton bedding, a wool throw, a jute or sheepskin rug and a wooden or upholstered headboard make white feel cosy. Mix whites and creams on the bed rather than using one pure white set.
Add something living, such as a trailing plant or dried stems in a ceramic vase, and use warm bulbs in bedside lamps. Then let the art bring the colour: a white bedroom with one well-chosen print above the bed looks finished in a way that bare white walls never do.
Choosing art for white walls
White walls let almost any palette work, so start with the feeling you want. Calm and minimal suits black and white prints, line art and soft abstracts. Warm and relaxed suits landscapes, botanicals and earthy tones. Bright and playful suits graphic posters in strong colour, which look especially crisp against white.
Pick one colour from your bedding or cushions and repeat it in the print. Above the bed, go for one A1 above a double, or a pair of A2 prints above a king size, hung 15 to 25 cm above the headboard. Browse our white wall art or the black and white collection.
Sizes at a glance
| Size | Centimetres | Inches | Works for |
|---|---|---|---|
| A4 | 21 x 29.7 | 8.3 x 11.7 | Shelves, desks, small gaps, sets of 3 |
| A3 | 29.7 x 42 | 11.7 x 16.5 | Hallways, side walls, pairs |
| A2 | 42 x 59.4 | 16.5 x 23.4 | Above a sideboard or small sofa, the anchor of a gallery wall |
| A1 | 59.4 x 84.1 | 23.4 x 33.1 | Above a standard sofa or bed |
| A0 | 84.1 x 118.9 | 33.1 x 46.8 | Large walls, open-plan rooms, statement pieces |
All our A sizes fit standard off-the-shelf frames, and every print is made to order on museum-grade matte paper.
