All White Nurseries: Bold or Bland?

I was working with an expecting mom the other day on her second nursery, and in selecting her bedding fabrics she said, “No color, I want everything calm and serene.” It got me thinking—does colorless really mean calm, or does it mean bland? As we started assembling looks for her room, it became obvious that all white nurseries are definitely not lifeless. In fact, an all white color palette makes a pretty powerful statement if done right.

Ivanka Trump’s all white nursery is definitely one of my favorites. It was featured in Elle Decor, and with so many fabulous details and a variety of shapes, this room has a ton of life despite the absence of any color other than white. It definitely feels calm and serene but not boring.

Ivanka Trump's All White Nursery

image from Kelly Behun Studio

This elegant and neutral nursery is one of the most pinned neutral spaces I’ve seen on Pinterest. Void of all color but filled with lots of textures, this room has a ton of dimension that is both sophisticated and serene.

Elegant Neutral Nursery

images from House of Wentworth

The statement-making star wallpaper and warm hardwood floors give this modern nursery an edge, while the all white and neutral color palette make it airy and bright.

Neutral Nursery with Star Wallpaper - Project Nursery

Oliver’s Neutral Nursery

This shabby chic nursery was inspired by a vintage white ottoman, and the thoughtful combination of antique finds and DIY projects brings a lot of life to an otherwise soft-spoken space.

Shabby Chic All White Nursery - Project Nursery

Alessandra’s All-White Nursery

I’d love to hear your thoughts—are all white nurseries bold or bland?

Bellini

Bellini

Michelle resides with her family in Upper Saddle River, NJ. Mom to Stella and Nate, Michelle is the owner of Bellini Baby & Teen Furniture in Greenwich CT, and Manhattan, NY, as well as the founder of baby gifting site TheBeansCloset.com. She is also a licensed clinical social worker.

Comments

  1. Hannah H

    October 13, 2014

    While white nurseries certainly are unique, and express an air of elegance (in my opinion), I’d have to say their on the bland side. I just think a baby’s room should be more cheerful with color & everything. I’d love to hear others thoughts on the subject!

  2. Megan Sever

    January 3, 2021

    Babies can only see in grayscale for the first few months of their lives and need high contrast to be able to distinguish items. And when they do start to see color they best see (and prefer) bright, bold colors. Regardless of what adults like, the baby is going to find that all white room (or all pastel room) terribly boring. It just isn’t visually or cognitively stimulating for them.

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