Minimalists, hear me out: Ditch your white sheets. Now.
How to Transform Your Bedroom In Two Minutes Flat
Minimalists, hear me out: Ditch your white sheets. Now.
I’ve been a staunch minimalist for as long as I can remember, and while that mostly applies to my closet, it’s translated to my home decor, too. That means my cream-colored weighted blanket lies atop my pearl boucle cloud couch, which sits on my taupe checkered rug. (In case there’s any mystery, I don’t have kids yet.)
The bedroom is even more of a neutral oasis: My clothes are organized into my nine-draw credenza that’s finished in a cream lacquer. My semi-sheer curtains are oat-toned, which looks great with my ivory platform bed. As it goes, I can’t remember the last time I deviated from my go-to white sheets, complete with a matching white duvet cover. Some see it as boring, but I find it soothing and orderly. A neutral space usually feels less cluttered and overall more conducive to a relaxing sanctuary.
Still, in an effort to incorporate more color into my space this year, I finally ditched the white sheets (and oatmeal, and cream, and any other way you can say “off-white”) for something a bit more bold—and dare I say it, serene: sage green.
This development comes after I spent three weeks staring at paint swatches and researching wallpaper samples in varying shades of light blue, lavender, and yes, sage. But rather than swapping out a piece of furniture like a dresser—or investing in colorful artwork that’ll take me years to decide on—I figured more striking bed sheets are a great way to incorporate color in my room without the commitment of something as permanent as a cornflower blue accent wall.
Sure, sage green feels pretty neutral-adjacent to anyone who isn’t terrified of color. But it’s a deep departure from the fifty-shades-of-white I’d been used to. Despite feeling a bit of shock when I put the new linen sheet set on, I love the feeling I get when I walk into my room and see something with a bit more visual interest. I particularly love the way the sage green sheets look against my bed frame—as well as how my rug appears even more neutral than it did against the white. I’ve actually found myself hanging out in my bedroom more, using it as a quiet place to read or journal in the morning. While it took some getting used to, I don’t know that I’ll switch back to my white sheets for quite some time.
If you’re looking to add some color to your bedroom and don’t know where to start, here are a few tips:
Light Check
Consider how much light your room gets before making any drastic changes, especially if you generally favor white, cream, or any other neutral hue. Perhaps an entire navy blue sheet set will be too dark for a room that gets little light, but something like a pale yellow can help make a space feel more warm and inviting. And that said, if a full sheet set is too much, try swapping out just your pillowcases to see how a certain color looks during all times of the day.
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Think Small
Before you start replacing dressers and breaking out a bright orange carpet, think about some smaller ways you can play with color: A coffee table book with a colorful binding—or other accessories like a vase or a candle at your bedside—offer an easy, noncommittal way to incorporate a touch of pigment. If that feels too small, consider a throw blanket in a rich, saturated hue like olive or turmeric.
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Plant The Seed
Not interested in swapping out furniture or various accouterments? A great way to bring in color is with plants. A bright green philodendron or a flowering option like an anthurium offers a burst of color without stealing the show.
Either way, know that your bedroom, just like your closet, is a tool: It’s meant to evoke serenity and be a place to unwind. If color doesn’t usually do it for you, don’t force it—but definitely don’t knock it until you try it.
