3 striking colour combinations with white walls (in neutral tones)

I love white, especially white walls. Every time I start thinking about painting my walls a different colour, I get cold feet and stick to white. As much as I love white, it can look a bit too stark or clinical all on it’s own. A little bit of contrast actually makes white pop more. And besides, if you have kids and pets like me, living in an all white space isn’t practical.

White pairs well with almost any colour under the sun but since you’re here I’m guessing you love the pared back, Scandi interior style just like me. There are some striking yet neutral colour combinations with white walls that work so well. Of course I use the word ‘colour’ loosely because I’m not talking bold or bright colours here. So if you’ve got white walls and want to add a little warmth and interest to your space, one of these three combinations will do the trick.

WHITE WALLS WITH BLACK

Black and white is a timeless colour combo. It can look striking yet calm and cohesive. However I would always err on the side of more white and less black because too much black can start to look harsh and cold. Also, the use of textures is essential to make a black and white room feel cosy. Textures will immediately soften any black and white space and make it feel warm and welcoming. Black and white decor also benefits from wooden accents which again adds warmth. And finally, mixing in some natural stone like marble or limestone looks great and so chic too.

As you can see from the black and white rooms above, the overall look is minimalist and striking. All the rooms have texture and warmth, even the ones that have a more minimalist look. Also, each of the rooms has a far greater amount of white than black simply by having white walls which gives an abundance of white and acts almost like a white canvas for everything else. Finally, if you do want a subtle hint of colour, you can’t go wrong with a plant or two.

WHITE WITH BEIGE AND BLACK

White walls with beige decor are a match made in heaven, especially for those of us who love our neutrals. The colours look so stylish together and create a clean, understated look. While you could stop at white and beige, this colour combination really pops with black accents. Both the black and white really stand out against even the palest shades of beige and create a warm and cosy space.

There are a ton of beige shades out there from the palest to darker, deeper tones. Any and all of these shades work really well with white walls — it really comes down to personal preference. Ideally, you want to mix at least a couple of different shades of beige to create interest and avoid the room looking flat. Add in black accents and you’ll have a cohesive space in no time.

The amount of black you add is down to personal taste and what you already have. There is no right or wrong here, as long as the black doesn’t completely take over. As you can see from the rooms above, some have more black accents while some only have a few.

WHITE WITH GREY AND BLACK

White walls pair beautifully with all shades of grey, from light to dark. If you lean towards a more monochromatic look, but don’t want pure black and white, then grey is the perfect colour to add in to the mix. White and grey decor with black accents will give you a minimal yet cosy vibe as long as you add plenty of texture to your room.

As you can see from the pictures above, you can vary the amount of grey to have more of a white look with grey elements or you can do the opposite for a darker, moodier look. Much like all the other colour combinations with white walls, wood is essential to soften the look and add lots of warmth. The addition of black accents makes the grey and the white stand out, preventing it from looking boring. There is something very soothing and calm about grey and white rooms, don’t you think?

All of these colour combinations only use two or three colours as the palette, but you can still switch up the look so much. Each of the rooms looks so different, depending of the shades used and the amount of each colour. That’s probably what I love most about these colour combinations.

Which one is your favourite?