A black and white interior decor scheme can appear severe and sterile or warm and inviting – it truly depends on how you use your own fresh home decorating ideas to soften a harsh monochromatic palette. Neutral design needs not be boring, it can be just as exciting as any other color scheme and twice as sophisticated!

Plenty of Prints

Standard black and white rooms without any patterns or decorations often end up looking like a showroom floor. Unless you want to feel like you’re living in an IKEA advertisement, consider getting a little funky with bold prints. Many designers choose to go with striking patterned wallpaper to tie every element together, but sometimes that’s just not achievable. Instead, try throwing down a large area rug that features organic shapes, like zebra stripes or floral prints.

Apply these home decorating ideas for patterns judiciously, though. Too much chaos can make the room look even more uninviting than an empty one. Instead of choosing bold upholstery for all pieces of furniture, try to limit your use of patterns to one chair or table – or use throw pillows or blankets with fun prints on simple furnishings. A large wall print can serve the same purpose while reducing the shock of a pure white or black wall.

Tone it Down or Pump it Up

A dash of colorful home decorating ideas can make all of the difference in a room filled with stark white and rich black. Neutrals beige and tan can work wonders when softening a monochromatic scheme. Grey is a popular and versatile choice – dark shades increase visual stability, while light grey seems to be open and carefree.

Limit yourself to just one or two accent colors. Too many hues cause the eyes to jump around the room leaving an impression of disorganization. Stick with the same tones – if you choose pastel, stick with pastel; if you decide on bright and vivid, make sure that you do not introduce a tone that is dull or faded!

Textures and Shapes

You can easily soften your black and white room by adding, you guessed it, soft textures. Light, billowy window curtains can make a world of difference – but not as much as a huge fluffy area rug. Get playful when you layer textures, there are no wrong answers! Introduce organic shapes wherever possible – sculptures, pieces of driftwood, a chandelier. If you have a garden or access to a nearby park, make sure to always have a vase of fresh flowers on hand for an instant room makeover. Wild flowers are the cheapest home decorating ideas to work with.

Your black and white room does not have to look like a laboratory! Monochromatic schemes can be just as interesting and playful as any other design – it just takes a little experimentation. One thing is for certain: your boring room will not brighten itself up! Use these home decorating ideas and make up some of your own to turn your black and white room into an oasis of personal expression.

Article originally published at Source by Monika Kay