Have you ever wondered how our stylists create their beautiful Room Ideas? Here, Vanessa Colyer Tay shares the inspiration behind her lush white living room, and reveals practical decorating tips for creating a white-on-white space.



Tell us about the brief for this room.
The brief was to create a beautiful, cosy, predominantly white living room. It meant that we couldn't rely too much on colour to generate interest, and had to come up with other ideas to make this a beautiful, comfortable and appealing space. 

What was your vision for this look?
The thing that you have to be careful about when styling with white is that it has the potential to feel cold and clinical, but I wanted to create a warm, comfortable and cosy realm. 

How did you go about pulling all the elements together?
Once I pulled together my visual inspiration, I used a Favourites board to curate everything that might work. It was about getting a beautiful combination of texture, tone and comfort, but also a sleek edge to contrast the surfaces and to enhance the warmth of the space.



Although this living room is about decorating with white, it was important to bring in tone to give the space depth which is achieved through the charcoal in the Milah handwoven wool rug, marble table bases and picture frames. Your eye needs somewhere to travel in a white space and you need to feel like there's something happening, so the hints of charcoal and pop of mustard allow you to do that.



How do you create a white room that doesn't feel bland and cold?
Selecting the right white paint can be an ordeal because there are so many types. Traditionally, cool whites create a modern look, while warm whites create a classic look. I opted for a cool white palette and went lighter on the majority of the wall, but darkened it by two shades on the lower part of the wall. It's very subtle, but it creates a space that envelops you like a hug. 



The key to making a white-on-white room work is, undoubtedly, texture. Creating a texture palette is just as important as creating a colour palette, so here, there is linen, velvet, wool, thick woven fabric, plus a touch of marble. 

How did you go about arranging the decor?
When it came to styling the Boras console table, I used objects that varied in height and shape to add interest and balance, and finished it off with some twigs to bring a wild and whimsical touch.



The coffee table is anchored with a large footed bowl which gives the table presence, and there are also a few secondary items like the coral and magazine for texture.

I love the Stone Cumulus Linen Slipcover Sofa and Slipcover Armchair because they feel and look so comfortable. I've arranged the cushions on the sofa in an asymettrical pattern, so that the space feels casual, and the sofa still looks like one that you're actually allowed to lie in. The tones of the cushions are alternated using creams, a grey and a mustard velvet. Each one has beautiful texture, so when they layer on top of each other, you get this lovely story of texture and tone.

Who might this look appeal to? 
Someone who wants an effortlessly beautiful living room that feels cosy, comfortable and timeless. 


"Accessories are so powerful in creating mood: they give interiors personality and can really liven things up. They're great to invest in because they're easy to shift around and restyle, and you can make a new statement with your accessories every season."

Shop our White Out collection now.