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Ecru, eggshell, off-white, bone—filling a room with these creamy neutrals is the design version of a weighted blanket: calming, warm, and cozy.
Which is probably why we gravitate toward the milky colors during times like this. “It makes sense with everything going on in the world at the moment that people are craving spaces that are quiet and meditative,” says Avril Nolan, cofounder of Form Atelier, whose Brooklyn apartment is swathed in ivory. “There’s also a certain nostalgia to a warm white color palette that can be comforting in times of extreme uncertainty.”
To make the tone-on-tone look work in your space, focus on texture. For example, Nolan’s sofa is upholstered in bone white calfskin, and it sits on an ivory silk rug. Also in the room? A parchment-covered coffee table. “When you see all three together, you really notice the slight shimmer of the silk, the subtle variations of the lambskin parchment, and the cool quality of the leather,” she says. The end result? A soulful mix of one shade.
There’s no one way to incorporate winter whites into a room at home. Whether it’s with a soft touch of alabaster linens or an almost-beige electric kettle, each of our picks is an instant soother, no matter where you put it.
In the Bedroom
Drift off in a room that’s all one chill hue and dimly lit. Both the table lamp and candle shown here emit a soft, soothing glow.
Pure Angora Ivory Tulu Rug
Form Atelier
SIG Steps Candle
Special Interest Goods
On a Bookshelf
Nothing makes assorted objects look more cohesive than when they’re all from the same color family. Here, a beige bookend mingles with a textured vase that would look great with—what else?—pampas grass.
u0022Reverent Figureu0022 Sculpture by Common Body
Loq
Ostrich Egg
Creel u0026 Gow
Eros Vase
Capra Designs
Isolated n.17 Vase
CANOA
Compile Bookend by Muuto
Knoll
Rope Tapers
Greentree Home
In a Cozy Corner
Warm up a minimalist space with a Peruvian alpaca throw and a speckled stone side table. Yes, even stone can be a comfy touch in the right shade of white.
Monti Lava Stone Side Table
West Elm
Lima Alpaca Throw
Kassatex
In Your Closet
One day we’ll be one of those people who only dresses in Nancy Meyers–approved creamy white outfits. Until then we’ll keep in mind that even one item in a snowy undertone goes with everything else in our closet.
Lynn and Lawrence The Hemingway Classic Hat
Clic
Annin Jumpsuit in Dirty White Denim
Rachel Comey
In the Kitchen
Salt, eggshells, and flour all serve up inspiration for the way you fill your cooking space. From vintage horn flatware to handmade pottery, each is a natural choice.
Mixing Bowl
Eastfork
Bourdon Tea Towel
Maison De Vacances
Cream on White Splatterware Oil and Vinegar Bowl
March
Rinka Bowl by Kaneko Kohyo
RW Guild
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