Grey and white are often used as background or complementary colours. Muted, easy to design around and pair with Scandinavian style, they are often the supporting act, not the feature. What if your dream interior combined just those colours – just grey and white? These three Scandinavian-inspired homes show that grey and white need not fade into the background. Whether adorning kitchen tiles, comforter sets, living room walls, luxurious couches or simple wall streaks in the bathroom, grey can amplify white, and white can lighten a touch of grey. See more grey and white in our three house tours below.
Our first space is an apartment decorated in grey, white and green. Green peoples the space in an array of potted plants and canvas artwork. The lounge opens up, offering a Swiss Cheese Plant, cacti and a mini tree against an exposed brick wall painted in grey. Sleek concrete flooring holds a worded rug, making grey and white almost monochrome. A gorgeous quilted couch and banquet chandelier in white match blowing chiffon curtains, providing a level of contrast. Two leather ottomans make the contrast sharper, by pairing solid grey and white in two comfy items.
Towards the other side of the lounge, a TV emerges betwixt two plants. Backed by a range of leaning monochrome abstracts, a white cabinet alludes to the dining room beside it, with a row of dark-wooden handles. The space parades many different species of flora and fauna, including the Fiddle Leaf Fig in the bedroom to come.
The dining room offers an eclectic array of furniture, interspersed with plants. A spray of black and white LEDs create a monochromatic chandelier. A circular glass mirror and leaning ladder add a hint of the kooky; a stencil black bookcase, wicker cane baskets and a plant in a lightbulb-vase the hipster. Beside a beige panel wall, an all-wooden dining table and chairs allude to nature, while grey and white portraits create more contemporary chatter.
The bedroom is a sensual feast in grey and white. A standard design without the little details, the complexion of the room is easily changed by a white and grey comforter set, boldly-patterned rug and banquet lamp from the living room. Looking from the bed, artistic letters, pictures and numbers hang above another erotic work, TV cabinet and desk. The result is minimal Scandinavian with a natural twist.
Our second Scandinavian space makes a statement with a grey wooden floor extending through its rooms. Surrounded by white walls and grey kitchen cabinets, the main living space oscillates between grey and white, grey and white in a striped rug, grey couch and cushions. Coloured features pop out alternately, in white tables framed with gold and a mixture of lamps in differing colours. A few potted plants, a dangling copper lamp and deer hide add elements of difference.
Turning towards the bedroom, a large, winding Japanese partition window makes a stand across a large section of wall. Set off beside the copper lamp, the black-framed panel opens up the room and reflects natural light, setting off an array of coloured wall frames.
The bedroom, beautifully partitioned on the other side, is lit further by the window. Full white walls with a white-tiled panel juxtapose the painted wooden floor and matching cushions. A brown fur throw and patterned rug combine the two hues, while two simple wooden shelves hold trinkets.
The warm gold of the dining room adds warmth to the kitchen, a wall of grey with shiny appliances. Inlaid into a custom-made inlet, the wooden bench affords ample room for preparation, without encroaching on the wider room. Rough-shod metal chairs and a red-legged wooden cabinet add detail to the white dining table.
Our final space draws on lighter-toned grey to bring monochromes and greyscale elements together. No place is this better exemplified than the lounge’s six frames, a compilation of dreamy fades and illustrations each different in their artistry. A woollen grey rug foregrounds the scene, as a white leather sofa and matching tables hold roses below glass bubbles. The space opens to show a ceramic fireplace and greyscale kitchen with five-piece white chandelier. Two brown leather chairs shrink back the space, echoing hot air balloon decorations on the wall behind.
Three portrait windows across the main space’s wall let in light and hold on to modernity. Bathed in grey with white joinery, they unite the kitchen, dining and lounge areas. Beautifully-crafted cornice mouldings bring a French Renaissance feel, mirrored by a black antique mirror in the entrance.
The dining room and kitchen add a Scandinavian twist, as a wall of brick and idea lights populate the room. High, black wooden chairs sit around a grey slatted table, while white cabinetry makes a splash in a kitchen otherwise grey. A stack of three shelves hold crockery for guests; chrome, copper and living accessories add a natural touch.
A walk around the corner shows a decorated ceramic fireplace, hot air balloon ornaments (available on Amazon) and a silver hot rod – an entrance for a nursery. Its corridor space is made bright by grey paint and white joinery, alongside small white wall shelving and a matching cot.
Cute hipster accessories like the race track rug and cute bear storage basket are found from Amazon, while the wall bunting and name-branded cupboard join in a soft and sophisticated design.
The master bedroom offers a pretty place for relaxation. Pastel mint walls and cabinetry play with white, grey and berry hues upon the bed and across the room. A large window to the side lights up personal finds in photographs, cheesecutter hats and antique chandeliers, while a simple white bedside table rests candles and plants.
The bathroom echoes the kitchen in a wall of tiling with a stroke of grey. White amenities, shower curtains and cabinetry offer just enough space for a simple wooden stool and two mirrors, reflecting a glass-vased plant.
