Nate Berkus Reveals How He Makes an All-White Space Interesting

“Sometimes color is not the way to go.”
all white living room

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Minimalism (shout-out to Marie Kondo) has its benefits, but we’ve seen so many all-white spaces that we’re reaching decorative fatigue. Lucky for us, Nate Berkusa lifelong fan of elevated neutrals (see: his go-to kitchen advice), always has a trick up his sleeve for making them interesting—and the latest is surprisingly simple. 

“Sometimes color is not the way to go,” he wrote in a recent Instagram post of a breezy, monochromatic living room. “These pieces all come from different eras/countries/styles, but blanketed in whites, they look great together.”

A ’70s Tobia Scarpa sofa is a welcome juxtaposition to the more traditional chairs. Mixed materials, like the marble tabletop and linen curtains, also play up the cozy, layered look. With this easy design mantra in mind, Berkus ensured the finished spot looks anything but boring—in fact, it’s the sunny enclave we want to spend every weekend morning in.

If your own cream-colored corner is feeling tired, the fix could be as straightforward as introducing some subtle contrast. Set a paper chandelier against a retro ’90s velvet sofa or bring in a shiny mosaic end table. Just be extra-careful about coffee spills.

Vintage Velvet Sofa

Chairish
$2200.0

Whipstich Rug, Anthropologie ($128+)

$None

Capiz Cutout Side Table

Urban Outfitters
$179.0

Saucer Pendant Lamp

HAY
$495.0

See more design tips: What Comes After Subway Tile? We Asked 5 Designers Cluttered Kitchen Counters Are a Non-Issue With This Clever Feature I Spent 5 Months Searching for the Perfect Sectional

Elly Leavitt

Writer and Editor

Elly enjoys covering anything from travel to funky design (tubular furniture, anyone?) to the latest cultural trend. Her dream apartment would exist on the Upper West Side and include a plethora of mismatched antique chairs, ceramic vessels, and floor-to-ceiling bookcases—essential to her goal of becoming a poor man’s Nora Ephron. You can probably find her in line at Trader Joe’s. You will never find her at SoulCycle.