Ask Audrey: Warming Up White Walls

Dear Audrey: How can you add a warm, cozy feel to a basic white apartment?

Texture

I love neutral palates spiced up with some visually hefty textures. Anything extra soft or extra thick makes me happy. Some people think of patterns as an easy way to create texture, which can also work. Mixing patterns with a neutral palate is a great way to get interest without compromising the simple, lovely look of a basic white apartment.

Add Nature

There is nothing warmer than a natural item. I have manzanita branches in my home, but anything from the outdoors will do. An easy option is the air plant. They are wonderful fauna to have around the home - minimal maintenance for a large return on investment. Even easier are dried flowers - the bright colors of the live plant fade to a soft desaturated hue.

For accent colors, saturated colors are my favorite. I love pairing a minty green with emerald green or to throw in a strong mustard yellow pillow in a white room. It doesn't matter if the accents are neutral or hot pink - cranked up saturation of your neutrals will highlight your accent color even more.

Whatever you do, make sure you stick to a plan. Choose one color to be the base for everything else. That doesn’t mean you should buy everything in that color, just make sure this is the one that is your base or your guideline.

Choreograph

Then choreograph your stuff - don't stash it. I've spoken of Marie Kondo before, but the thing I really loved about that book (again) was her intention of making sure you love the "stuff" you have. If you’ve got a few lovely items that have sentimental value, show them off! It’s hard to see the important things in a room full of stuff - but adding key items to a blank slate allows you to really show who you are. This will warm up your basic white apartment more than anything!