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Color carries so much weight in interior design that decorating with a palette that technically has none can feel a little daunting. Black and white looks timeless in nearly any arrangement. Getting a truly balanced achromatic bedroom, though? That takes some vision.
Before you go shopping and pile up décor that may never make the cut, scroll through these black and white bedrooms you’ll want to copy from top to bottom. Whether you lean modern and minimal or your Pinterest boards are all boho, there’s a colorless room in here that will color you inspired.
01 Work With Texture
When you’re working in basic shades, let texture do the talking. Pillows with three-dimensional embroidery and textiles finished with tassels and pom-poms give a simple palette the extra oomph it needs to stand out.
02 Add Natural Fibers
On its own, black and white can read a little stark. Weave in natural fibers like warm woods, linen, and a bit of greenery for a touch that’s slightly rustic and completely sophisticated.
03 Light It Up
Great lighting highlights both the dark and light sides of a black and white room. A glass pendant flatters both colors at once, and it saves precious nightstand space while it’s at it.
04 Play With Prints
Who says a black and white bedroom has to be boring? If our eyes don’t deceive us, this achromatic room layers seven different patterns from the walls to the upholstery. Get the same lofty look with wallpaper, textiles, curtains, and custom upholstery, like a dual-patterned couch that’s impossible to stop staring at.
05 Don’t Shy Away From Pattern
The best thing about black and white is its graphic quality; no other palette has it. Run with that by layering black and white patterns and textures all through the room. And because the palette itself is so simple, you won’t overwhelm the space no matter how many patterns you pile on. Go all out.
06 Add Warm Wood Floors
Cool-toned black can feel intense in certain rooms. Balance it with a warm wood floor, like the blonde maple here. It heats the space up and keeps it feeling soft, even with dark tones running throughout.
07 Make It Eclectic
People assume eclectic style needs a riot of color. It doesn’t. The look is rooted in worldly collections, charming furniture, texture, and weathered textiles. An ornate headboard, a decorative pendant light, and a vintage rug carry the eclectic feel in this mostly black and white bedroom.
09 Go Bold With Black
People tend to avoid dark walls for fear of shrinking the room. This glamorous bedroom is proof of the opposite: black walls dress the whole space up without shrinking it in the slightest.
09 Go Window Shopping
One of the more unexpected ways to add black to your palette: black window frames. With the Roman shades drawn, this all-white bedroom shows off just the right amount of dark contrast.
10 Opt for Off White
Bright white against black reads modern, a softer cream reads classic and timeless. Modern furniture paired with traditional sconces ties the whole thing together.
11 Embrace Classic Charm
Black and white often skews modern, but this Spanish-style setup proves the minimal palette can carry plenty of cultural charm. Wrought iron details and a tile-print headboard are all it takes to turn the room into your own personal hacienda.
12 Try an Accent Wall
Colorful rooms can feel busy on their own, but a colorless one leaves the door wide open for a showstopping accent wall. Art-deco wallpaper behind the headboard makes this black and white bedroom feel anything but boring.
13 Consider Your Ratios
Some rooms look best split fifty-fifty, but this feminine bedroom goes mostly white with just a touch of black. A minimal midcentury pendant and a couple of black chairs deliver exactly the right amount of contrast.
14 Incorporate Beige Tones
Soften the palette with beige woven throughout. Soft linen accent pillows, a linen headboard, and a woven rug give this bedroom a serene, spa-like calm.
15 Soften Things Up
Sheer, flowy curtains bring both visual and literal softness. This room runs wall-to-wall drapes as a full curtain wall, which keeps everything bright and airy despite the darker tones.
16 Make It Shine
Hard to think of a better companion for black and white than shiny metallic gold. A metallic gold wallpaper print gives this achromatic bedroom an extra-special lift.
17 Enhance Your Bedding
Plain white bedding is the default in most rooms, whatever the palette. Swap in a hotel-style comforter and pillows with black trim and you keep the achromatic feel and the bed suddenly looks like it belongs in a nice hotel.
18 Curate a Collection of Sculptural Pieces
Some people read achromatic as boring (for the record, we are not those people). Give the simple palette a lift with décor that has real sculptural presence. A stone ring-stacked lamp base is the perfect example; the shape alone makes the case.
19 Stick With Stain
Working with wood? You can keep the modern palette without hiding the grain. Trade opaque paint for a black stain, like the one on this accent wall, and the wood’s character stays intact.
20 Bring in Greenery
Plants pop against black and white; case in point, the fresh palm clipping in this modern bedroom. Reach for tropical greens, leafy plants, and budding branches for a fresher take on the palette.
21 Add a Third Color
The best part of an achromatic palette is all the room it leaves for one more color. A third shade, like a pink-toned lavender, makes a common combination feel custom to you. Just keep it to small doses so black and white stay the stars.