White rooms can seem a bit daunting if you don’t know where to start. You may be wondering: How do I avoid creating a stark, cold space? How do I create something that’s actually useable, not just pretty to look at? As you draw inspiration from our collection of white living room ideas, keep in mind the following tips to help recreate your favorite spaces.

Surround Yourself with White

The best way to start achieving an all-white living room is with the walls and ceilings. Both should be white, regardless of the material. If you have ceiling detailing that you really want to keep, like wood panels or beams, make sure the walls are white at least. When it comes to paint color, try creamy, warmer whites to create a cozier space, and cool whites to bring a crisp, airy vibe. Keep windows uncovered as much as possible to let light reflect off the walls and ceilings; this will amplify the brightness. For window treatments, use white curtains, sheers or shades as needed.

Keep Color Grounded

It’s okay to introduce color into a white living room, but there are a few tricks to getting it right. Start with the floor — use a colored rug, carpet or wood flooring to ground the entire space. Muted colors and natural materials are ideal; they won’t steal the show but add just enough to break up the starkness of the white base you established. Materials like jute, wicker and leather are great ways to sneak in non-whites while adding texture. Pastel versions of your favorite colors are also excellent tonal additions. Jewel tones work well for small pops of color, as does black if you want to go a little more modern. Once you’ve decided on a color palette, inject small doses throughout the room in strategic places by using accessories and artwork. Try not to go overboard in order to maintain the all-white look you’re aiming for.

Layer, Layer, Layer

Now comes the fun part: layering. This is where you get to bring in decorative and functional accessories, like throw blankets, pillows, artwork and knicknacks. Focus on getting a good variety of textures in your white living room. Chunky knits, fluffy faux furs, rich cashmeres and crisp linens are all fun ways to mix and match materials. Look to your furniture to add texture as well, either with the upholstery you choose or in the frames and legs of sofas, chairs and tables. Wood and metal can break up the white without fighting it. Try to keep the major pieces white so you have a little wiggle room with the rest of the decor.

Slipcovers Are Your Friend

White is not known for its ability to stay clean. Save yourself the headache of having to get your sofas and chairs professionally cleaned multiple times a year and invest in machine washable, white slipcovers that you can strip and toss in the washer as needed. If you have kids or pets this will keep you sane. Slipcovers are the secret to keeping white living rooms white, and it’s one we don’t want to keep to ourselves!

Whether you want inspiration for planning a white living room renovation or are building a designer living room from scratch, Houzz has 51,146 images from the best designers, decorators, and architects in the country, including LUKAS MACHNIK INTERIOR DESIGN and Ezra Lee Design+Build. Look through living room pictures in different colors and styles and when you find a white living room design that inspires you, save it to an Ideabook or contact the Pro who made it happen to see what kind of design ideas they have for your home. Explore the beautiful white living room photo gallery and find out exactly why Houzz is the best experience for home renovation and design.