White is one of those colors that goes with just about anything. You aren’t as limited as you are with other colors, such as green or blue. That said, there are certainly some colors that are better than others against white.
If you’re having trouble choosing a color to go with your white desk or other furniture, fear not. We are here to help you pick the best color for your home or office. We have a lot of ideas to share with you, so you may want to take notes. After reading our guide, you should have a much better idea of which direction you want to go in.
Why a White Desk?
Provence White Painted Secretary Desk with Hutch
Why choose white at all? There was a time when white wasn’t very popular for home interiors. In fact, it only recently became so within the last two decades. Before that time, a wide variety of colors were used in homes across the United States and around the world.
You can go back to each preceding decade and find common colors in all of them. In the 1990s, for example, reds and greens were a big hit. In the ‘80s, beiges and browns adorned many homes on the inside.
And in the ‘70s, yellows and greens reigned supreme. Look at pictures from old photo albums or online. You will see a trend, with each decade sporting its own unique theme. Fast-forward to the 21st century, and much has changed in terms of décor. White is now a popular color choice. You will usually find clean lines and matching gadgetry nearby.
It’s interesting to note that color is often a sign of the times. White is known to make things look spacious. And yet, much of our modern technology shares this color option. Look at many smartphones and laptops. A lot of them consist of shiny white plastic. Perhaps that plays a role in the popularity of white in homes today.
Regardless, you will find white is used more and more in society. Retail stores have ditched subdued colors in favor of white. White cars are everywhere you look, as well. Even clothing is finding itself at the center of this phase. With more neutral clothing options taking over, you don’t have to look far to find white.
The choosing of white presents somewhat of a stylistic challenge. As we mentioned a moment ago, white indeed goes with just about anything. But one must also take into account current fads and preferences. If this is dizzying to you, don’t worry. We’re here to help make sense of it all.
With our help, you will know how to decorate around your bright furniture. Whether you have a white leather sofa or your entire room is white!
What Color Goes With White Furniture?
Provence White Painted Writing Desk
The possibilities really are endless. You can attempt to follow current trends in your decorating ventures. Or you can simply decorate with colors that you like the most. White is such a clean color option. It helps to bring a sense of freshness to your home. What you choose is ultimately up to you. But we have some excellent options that are sure to impress you.
By including these tips in your decorating, you will find that you get the most from your white furniture. Let’s begin with the best color options.
1. White on White
You might be thinking that white on white is too much of a good thing. Actually, this option looks lovely if done correctly.
When you choose to use white on white, it helps to make your home look chic. Although simple in appearance, white on white gives you a lot of room to flex your decorating muscle.
The idea here is to focus on certain hues of white. You don’t want to stick with all the same shade of white. Try working in décor with varying degrees of white, as this will provide a sense of diversity.
You’ll be surprised at the contrast you can get when you do this. It’s also very important to use different textures in your décor. Try painting with different white paints to draw attention to certain areas of your room. This will make things look uniform yet unique.
Using all-white decorations and furniture makes even the tiniest room look bigger. If you live in a small apartment, for example, white on white makes even more sense. Instead of feeling boxed in, white helps make your living space come alive. It’s like a breath of fresh air. Give it a try. You may find it changes your mood considerably.
2. Natural Wood/Brown
You don’t necessarily have to settle on specific colors. Sometimes, nature takes care of that for you. White and natural wood work well together. There’s a sense of warmth that wood provides that you can’t get in most colors.
Wood is a great option, especially if you prefer the warm, rustic look. You will find that wood helps bring out the best in your room. The key to this decorating tip is to ensure that you make wood the central piece. How do you do that, you ask?
It works best if you have a natural wood floor. Placing white furniture on wood helps bring out the luster of your fixtures. Think about how nice your white desk will look contrasted on a natural wood floor. The reverse of this works well, too.
If your room is all-white, place natural wood-colored furniture in the center. The two colors complement each other in a variety of ways, don't be afraid to get creative. Natural wood serves to keep things looking bright and airy. You may find that it offers just the touch you’ve been looking for.
3. Turquoise
Turquoise is often ideal for eliciting a sense of calm. It’s a beautiful color choice that works very well with white. What’s more, it opens the door to a whole new world of decorating ideas.
Most notably, you can find turquoise in sea-life. As such, you can center your décor on the sea and the creatures that live in it. Nowadays, turquoise is a popular choice for decorating bathrooms. But that doesn’t mean you have to limit yourself to that one room.
On the contrary, turquoise looks absolutely marvelous when you use it correctly. If you have a stunning white furniture piece that you adore, try painting the walls turquoise. This will make your white furniture stand out and pop. You can get really creative in how you use these two colors with one another.
We should mention that darker walls can have a negative effect on your white furniture, too. While it’s true that it makes it stand out, this is the case of your white furniture gets dirty. As such, you’ll want to be sure that you regularly clean it to keep it looking white and new. To offset this issue, use both white and turquoise on your walls.
It helps to add some white along the way, such as a charming lace pattern on top of the turquoise. A decorative board along the perimeter of your room or wainscoting helps a lot with this. Your furniture will still pop. But imperfections and blemishes won’t be quite as noticeable.
4. Deep Blue
This color is another fine choice for those looking to add a calming effect. It complements white furniture quite nicely. And yet it also serves to give your room wondrous appeal.
We encourage you to try deep blue if you are tired of the same old colors. Deep blue has such an elegant yet appealing attraction. Few colors come close to eliciting the emotions like this. Decorating with deep blue is a smart move if you like intricate patterns. You’ll be surprised how the smallest details stand out when you choose to use deep blue.
Even the tiniest knick-knacks will jump out at you when they consist of this rich color. There’s also something special about placing white furniture in front of deep blue walls. What’s more, you can get really creative with rugs, throw pillows, pictures, lamps, and more. Unlike lighter color options, deep blue really lets you know it’s there.
Your white furniture will look brighter than ever. But be warned. Like turquoise, the slightest imperfections in your white fixtures will stand out. Against deep blue, they can be even more noticeable. Such is the case when contrasting white with dark colors. But as long as you keep your white furniture glowing, deep blue is well worth the risk.
5. Reddish-Orange
This color option is nothing short of bold. That said, it’s also quite charming. Reddish orange promotes a sense of playfulness. Your home will scream creativity when you choose this color. Thanks to the warming nature of reddish-orange, it isn’t too overwhelming. And yet, it boasts excellent accenting qualities.
Like deep blue, the smallest details seem to jump out at you when reddish-orange is the focus. If you’ve been afraid to use bright, cheery colors, give this one a try. It offers just the right amount of zeal without being too much. Reddish orange provides just the right balance when it is contrasting white furniture.
6. Lavender
Lavender is a beautiful color option for white furniture. It works best in a bedroom. So if you have a little girl with white furniture in her bedroom, lavender will suit it well.
This color helps make any room come alive with character and happiness. Try using lots of lavender décors to balance out the different colors. What’s more, choosing lavender opens up some charming possibilities.
Imagine what you can do with floral arrangements! Place a bouquet of flowers on your white furniture for a truly exotic touch. You can use different shades of lavender throughout. This will help your white furniture stand out among the varied hues.
7. Grey
Grey is such a subtle color option to contrast your white fixtures. But when used correctly, it can have a considerable effect. If you prefer a vintage aesthetic, you will definitely want to consider using grey.
Perhaps best of all, grey can help keep your white furniture looking fresh and bright. The key is to use a light grey. Try to avoid the darker shades of grey in this case.
Just a slight touch of grey will provide the perfect contrast to your white furniture. Moreover, it would help if you tried surrounding your furniture with grey items. This helps draw attention to your prized white piece in the subtlest of ways.
If you have a smaller room that you wish to keep open, grey will go a long way in maintaining that feeling. Bolder colors can detract from the sense of openness that white provides. But with grey, you don’t really have to worry about this being a problem.
Other Helpful Tips
White With One Color
Provence White Dining Table 200cm
With this option, you’re still using all white colors in your furniture and décor. However, you want to choose one central piece of furniture that is a different solid color.
Imagine that your room is white throughout, but your coffee table is solid red. You may use this with virtually any color. Best of all, you can choose to focus on any piece of furniture you like. Want to draw attention to a lamp? What about a ceiling fan? Think of the possibilities! You don’t have to stick with just red, either.
What’s more, you can use this as a way of connecting other rooms in your home. Let’s say you have a blue kitchen, for example. You could have a blue piece of furniture in your all-white lounge. This serves as a connection between rooms. And in your blue kitchen, perhaps have a white high gloss sideboard.
You can do this throughout your entire home. Each room has a single piece of furniture or décor that acts as a conduit to the next room. It’s fun to see what kind of creative ideas you come up with. If you have a white hallway, think about hanging a picture outside of each connecting room.
This picture should represent the color of each of those rooms. For example, let’s assume your bedroom is red, and your hallway is white. Outside of your bedroom door, hang a red picture, or use a red picture frame. And in your red bedroom, you could have a white headboard. This would serve to signify the white hallway.
The possibilities really are endless. If you are struggling to come up with decorating ideas, you might be amazed at what this option does for you.
White With Two Colors
Provence Accent White Painted Console Table
If the rooms in your home all have their own unique color and theme, consider using two colors. This option works just like the one above. This time, though, you are implementing two colors in each room.
So if your kitchen features décor in red, you can place a single piece of furniture that represents the room next to it. Imagine that there is a blue living room on one side and a green dining room on the other. On the side nearest to the dining room, you might set a green coffee machine.
And on the side nearest to the living room, you could have a blue trash can. Get the idea? You can go as large or as small as you desire. It’s an excellent way to give your home some character and uniqueness. And if you find yourself limited on ideas, this will surely help.
Lighting
You don’t want to forget about lighting. The right lighting can do wonders for white furniture. You want to do all that you can to draw attention to your favorite piece, after all. Lighting is an excellent way to do that. You will need to take into account the type of room your white furniture is in, as well as the size.
If your furniture is small, you’ll want to ensure that your lighting complements it just right. Too much light might serve to drown out your white furniture. The last thing you want to do is overwhelm it.
Conversely, not enough light can make your piece easy to overlook. There is definitely a delicate balance to finding the right amount of light. But when you do, you will be surprised at the impact it has on your white furniture.
Conclusion
Picking the right color to complement your white desk will make it stand out better than ever. When you bring white furniture into your home, you have a lot of options in your decorating direction. And with the right color, your furniture will have the perfect balance and appeal.