I’m always so inspired by small-space living and the way the layout of a small apartment can fit together like a glove. It all comes down to selecting exactly the right furniture and accessories and finding a color palette that works in a small space.
This beautiful home is not quite as small as a studio space, since it has a separate bedroom, yet it still combines multiple functionalities in just two rooms. Head over to this blog post to find a list of the most inspiring studio homes and how you can make them work.
A living room with grey walls, beige soft furnishings, and a blue touch
The living kitchen of this apartment combines a sofa area, a kitchen, and a small dining table. The grey walls a give soft look to the daylight coming in through the windows and they add a bit of sophistication to the interior design of the space.
The beige color palette in the soft furnishings warms up the color palette and the beige wall-to-wall (or almost wall-to-wall but you get the gist) linen curtains by the window make the room appear wider. I love the way they contrast with the cool undertones in the grey paint on the walls.
The textured off-white area rug adds a soft touch to the sofa area with the beige sofa and lightens up the hardwood flooring, again making the space appear bigger. The rug also visually separates the sofa area from the rest of the space. The beige sofa is an older Ikea model, enhanced with a Bemz custom cover* and I love the way the Formakami ricepaper pendant* centers the coffee table in the space.
A blue dining table highlights the blue undertones in the gray paint
The blue table is definitely the point of interest in the room, as it’s a color you don’t often see on a dining table.
In my own home, I always try to play with the combination of cool and warm tones, as it tends to add so much interest to a space. You don’t even have to go for a big furniture piece like in this case, you can experiment with a blue pillowcase on a beige sofa, or integrate a blue vase into your setting to try it out.
A bedroom with an exposed brick wall
The bedroom has the same grey wall color as the living room, which appears a lot warmer because of the combination with the exposed brick wall.
While the exposed bricks already add so much texture to this bedroom, the rest of the decor has been kept quite simple. You can find a combination of linen throw pillows* in warm colors and a white linen bed skirt* on the bed and the same linen curtains as in the living room are used by the bedroom window.
Two mirrors decorate this small bedroom, reflecting the space from two separate angles and making the space look both bigger and lighter.
This beautiful Scandinavian interior in a turn-of-the-century Swedish apartment is decorated almost exclusively in tints of light grey, with a few beige, black and natural tones to bring in some variety in the color palette. This result in a very elegant and sophisticated look that matches the architectural style of the apartment well.
A classic gray kitchen in a Scandinavian interior design
Through the old sliding doors in the living room, you can take a peek into the kitchen with classic gray cabinet fronts in a minimal design, combined with a subway tile backsplash that goes all the way up to the ceiling.
The white of the subway tiles comes back in the dining table, which is warmed up with natural oak dining chairs. The kitchen gets a lot of natural light and the white table and tiled wall reflect this in a nice way.
The light grey walls in the space soften out the look and even the round arch going towards the hallway has been painted in light gray paint colors, which is a nice touch. The kitchen design itself is minimal, which you often see in a Scandinavian interior design, yet the classic elements of the space add a certain elegance to the space.
Light gray paint colors throughout the living room
The living room has been painted in a slightly darker shade of gray paint, which makes it a bit moodier. The natural light coming from the window can be dimmed by these heavy grey curtains that go wall-to-wall, and floor-to-ceiling and they give the Scandinavian interior design of the room a luxurious look and feel.
The sofas, area rug, and pouf have been picked out in a white and light gray palette, which brings out the cool undertones in the gray walls. The TV has been mounted on the wall and is matched up with a black bench and lamp for a bit of contrast in the space.
Different shades of grey in the bedroom
The bedroom has a warm gray paint on the wall that is a bit darker, which is matched by the gray linen curtains on the wall that filter out the natural light coming into the room.
The light gray palette has been matched with a soft beige headboard, white bedding, and a beige day cover on the bed. These warm tones warm up the space and I love the set of fabric pendant lights on the ceiling that provides a soft glow inside the space. The basic Ikea Ivar cabinet is painted in the same color as the wall and offers some extra storage space in the bedroom.
Just like in the living room, the black elements like the bedside tables and the wall lamps add a bit of contrast to the gray paint on the wall and give the space a bit of character.
I love the way this apartment (sold via Innerstadtspecialisten) with light greige (grey-beige) walls has been decorated in a modest color palette with variations in the textures and materials of the kitchen, in the furniture, and in the soft furnishings.
An oak kitchen with a limestone countertop
I think the combination of the light oak kitchen cabinets with the beige limestone countertops and the greige wall color works in a very warm and inviting way. Limestone countertops are really on-trend lately and I think they offer such a soft tone to any color of cabinets compared to the widely popular white marble.
The exhaust has been built-in and painted in the same color as the walls and together with the tall module against the wall, they are the only wall cabinets in this kitchen which makes for a very open and airy look in this L-shaped layout. The kitchen island with a waterfall countertop also provides lots of storage space, so rather than going for wall cabinets, an open shelving solution was picked out to display just a few items.
The black tones in the open shelving and in the pendant lighting above the kitchen island provide a lovely contrast to this otherwise warm look and a series of functional spots have been added on the ceiling to light the other side of the kitchen.
A living kitchen with a built-in TV cabinet
The decor of the living and dining room has been kept quite modest, with the black accents of the kitchen coming back in the dining chairs as well. The wall by the sofa has been turned into a TV wall with a custom-built cabinet for storage that has been painted in the same color as the wall for a tone-on-tone effect.
A minimal bedroom with dark grey elements
The bedroom is a lighter shade of warm grey on the walls, which has also been used on the built-in wardrobe for a subtle and elegant look. While the base palette of the bedroom is quite light, contrast is added by the dark grey bedding on the bed and the beautiful floor vases by the window.
This beautiful yet simple apartment in Sweden has the most delicate warm grey paint color on the walls in the living room and a cool pale blue paint color in the fresh bedroom. The apartment itself is quite simple and modest, yet I find the subtle decor minimal yet striking.
Warm grey walls and lots of textures in the living room
The living room of the apartment has been painted in a warm grey (try out a swatch of Farrow & Ball Pavillion Grey* if you are looking for something similar) and the warm undertones of the paint are brought out by the combination of warm beiges, off-whites, and browns in the accessories and soft furnishings.
The light linen sofa (It’s the Ikea Soderhamn model with a Bemz custom cover*) is decorated with a beautiful mixture of throw pillows in warm colors and above the sofa, you can find an arrangement of art prints in the same tints for a cohesive look.
Opposed to the sofa a vintage sideboard adds even more warmth to the space which has been decorated with tints of brown and beige as well for a lovely warm look.
Pale blue walls in the bedroom
While the walls of the living room provide the space with warm undertones, the bedroom has been painted in pale blue wall color (try a swatch of Farrow & Ball Oval room blue* if you are looking for something similar) which adds a cool atmosphere to the space.
The pale blue wall color is paired up with crisp white linen bedding* and beige linen throw pillows* and together with the art print on the wall these really add a lovely warmth to the setting. I love the play between the warm and cool tints in the space and the linen bed skirt* adds a bit of a romantic touch to the room.
This beautiful turn-of-the-century apartment in Sweden (via Sjöman Frisk) has been fully painted with different shades of dark grey for a moody effect that looks stylish and characterful. The open-plan living kitchen has a slightly lighter shade of dark grey walls, while the bedroom features a deep charcoal grey that is a few shades darker and almost seems black from some angles.
The bedroom and living room are adjacent to each other, which means you can see the gray paint colors throughout the space nicely complementing each other.
Rather than going for a feature wall, the owners of this apartment didn’t hold back and painted every single wall in dark grey, including the window and door frames for an impressive effect. Imagine this apartment with white walls and it would have a lot less depth wouldn’t it?
A living kitchen with dark gray walls
A living room area with grey walls and green accents
The asymmetric shape of the dark grey living room includes a sofa and a dining area, which all evolve around a dark grey color palette that is warmed up by the wood tones that add some warm undertones to the palette.
The living room works well in such a dark color scheme because of the abundance of natural light coming through those tall windows. Note that the wall space above the windows has been kept in the same color as the white ceiling, to make the space appear bigger.
The soft grey sofa is combined with a light grey area rug and green tints in both the throw pillows and the plants and the round mirror on the wall reflects the dining space from the living room area, which is such a nice touch.
A dining area with a mixture of dark grey, black, and oak wood
The large black dining table adds more depth to the dark grey walls, while the dining chairs soften out this palette. The large artwork on the wall is a great focal point in the living room altogether and lightens up the dark grey walls in the space. Rather than going for a gallery wall, you can select a big piece like this one to really break up dark gray walls, and you don’t have to hang all the individual picture frames in the right spot, which is a big plus.
The Flos AIM modular pendant lamp* above the table adds a little something special and ties the living room design together in such a nice way. This lamp works so nicely here because of the high ceilings and fits the color palette perfectly.
A white kitchen with a black countertop to accentuate the dark gray walls
While the lighter area rug and the white armchair in the living room brighten up the color palette slightly already, the white kitchen with black countertops really adds some contrast to the interior design of the living room.
The black laminate countertop and the black open shelving match nicely with the dark grey walls and the white subway tile backsplash and mimic the contrasting palette of the dining area. When you combine grey walls with black accents, it brings out the dramatic touch mid-grey or dark grey walls can add to a room, while if you combine it with tints of dark blue, it will have the same effect yet in a much cooler fashion.
A bedroom with charcoal gray walls and dark curtains
The dark gray walls in the bedroom are a few tints darker than in the living room, which makes this space even more dramatic. Since there is only one window in this narrow space bedroom, the daylight that comes in is far reduced, making gray walls a great choice to enhance the small-space look.
While the dark gray walls and the dark curtains add a lot of depth to the space, the single print above the bed, the light and white bedding, and the lighter gray paint color on the built-in wardrobe brighten up the wall color a bit which adds a lot of interest to the interior design.
A back bedroom home office space against the dark gray walls
A modular String shelf* in black has been added to the gray walls opposite of the bed to add a small spot to work from the bedroom. The deep color palette of the black shelving and the gray walls have been warmed up by the reds in the accessories and the art print on the wall.
How to achieve dark grey walls in your own interior design
Will dark grey walls work in my space?
While a dark shade of gray walls can look very impressive in a room of any size, this wall color tends to work better for more spacious, well-lit spaces. If you are working with a darker, smaller room, I would go for gray walls that are a few shades lighter to open up the space more.
Are gray walls difficult to style and decorate?
Gray, in all shades, is a neutral color, and even though you can vary on the warm or cool undertones, giving your walls a gray coat of paint will result in neutral walls, which can serve as a perfect backdrop for a wide range of colors and materials in your decor.
How do I select the right paint for my grey walls?
Selecting gray paint for your walls is not that tricky, yet you do have to try out samples first as the natural light and the materials in a room can highly influence the cool or warm undertones that are brought out.
A few paints swatches you can try out for your grey walls
If you want to achieve mid to dark-gray walls like in the living room of this apartment, try out Farrow & Ball Plummett*, which intensifies in smaller spaces and has a modern look and feel perfect for minimal living spaces.
If you want to go for really dark gray walls like in the bedroom of this apartment, go for Farrow & Ball Off-black* and add a dramatic touch to your space.
But as I always recommend to my interior design clients as well, always buy a tester of the paint and take a look at how the paint reacts to the space.
This small attic apartment decorated with blue elements throughout is full of both vintage and modern treasures that go so nicely with the exposed brick wall that adds character to the space. What speaks to me the most however in this space is the kitchen.
The custom-built kitchen is spread out from the main living area into the hallway, providing storage space in each section. If you would like to see more space-saving solutions for small homes, I recommend checking out my post about small studio apartments.
A grey and oak kitchen with extra storage space in the hallway
The section of the kitchen that holds the main functionality has been constructed out of oak wood cabinet fronts combined with a dark marble countertop. The upper cabinets are made out of a grey laminate and match the tall cupboards that continue towards the hallway. I think this is such an elegant storage solution that uses different materials in different sections.
The rest of the space includes a small dining area with a beautiful blue pendant light that contrasts so nicely against the exposed brick wall and I love the way the blue comes back in the stool with the lemon tree as well.
A bedroom in a similar color palette
The bedroom has the same combination of warm tints with elements of blue that can be found in the living room, which ties together both rooms in a nice way.
The subtle warm grey color on the wall (Farrow & Balls’ Old white* might give you a similar look) warms up the black accent pieces and spreads a soft light throughout the space.
When it comes to minimalist interior design, there is a scale ranging from empty and almost clinical spaces to interiors with some points of visual interest that make a room cozy and characterful. While I would still call myself a minimalist, I favor adding a few details and decor pieces to make the interior more personal. You can do so by still maintaining a minimalist interior look.
When it comes to the bedroom though, I like things clean and minimal, without too much fluff. With a few neutral tones in the textiles, accessories, or art prints, you can elevate a minimalist style and make it cozy and inviting.
Below you can find a collection of my favorite minimalist bedroom ideas that I find both cozy and minimal. You can find minimalist bedrooms in all sorts of sizes and shapes in the list.
10 minimalist bedrooms to take inspiration from
A spacious turn-of-the-century bedroom with black accents
Through those beautiful turn-of-the-century doors you can take a peek into this minimalist bedroom with white walls, high ceilings, and an abundance of natural light. The wall behind the bed hides away a walk-in closet and I love the way the white linen bedframe with the crisp bedding (H&M has a great and affordable option*) blends into the space.
The dark color palette in the soft furnishings and accessories adds a lot of power to this minimalist bedroom and the dark tones in the velvet throw pillows* and the velvet bench behind the bed really stand out against all the white.
This serene bedroom with lots of beige tints and white linen bedding* has been fitted inside a small niche space. The natural wood of the peg rail and the beige textiles really warm up the space, while the subtle black accents add character.
This beautiful bedroom has a slightly awkward layout, but it works well combined with the armchair in front of the window and the home office on the other wall. The beige linen bedding* matches so nicely with the crisp white walls and the paper Formakami lampshade*.
The two white linen bathrobes* on the wall hanging are both a functional and an aesthetical element in the space and the subtle art prints enhance this modest look.
Even though this minimalist bedroom has a lot of details, the base is very simple and consists of white walls, a simple white bed with a headboard, and a white wardrobe. The rustic bench behind the bed and the stool that is used as a bedside table gives the minimalist space a more rustic and laid-back look, which is enhanced by the beige tints in the accessories and the beige waffle throw* on the bed.
The low bed design gives this minimalist bedroom a modern look, which has been balanced out by the classic lampshade on the ceiling and the turn-of-the-century details in the space. The sparse furnishings and empty space around the bed make you pay attention to the muted tones in the branch and the art print and the side table on one side of the bed gives the look a modern, asymmetric touch.
This tiny bedroom really benefits from a minimalist approach and the fact that the walls have been kept white turns this space into a comfortable bedroom that looks and feels spacious.
The white walls continue in the white linen bedding*, which is enhanced with a black contrasting accent pillow and grey textiles. The wardrobe has been painted black and has become a true focal point in the all-white space.
A minimalist bedroom with a monochromatic palette and lots of textiles
The textiles enhance this minimalist bedroom in such a lovely way and give the space an airy feel. The sheer curtains (find affordable linen curtains here*) on both sides soften out the natural light coming in through the windows, while the mixture of textiles on the bed adds a lot of extra depth and texture to this look. The soft curves of the beautiful black wall lamp and the clean lines of the black bentwood chair add a few contrasting lines to the minimalist feel of this bedroom.
This small minimalist bedroom doesn’t seem to have any direct daylight coming in, which is why an all-white color palette with white wall lamps and white bedding* is a great choice that makes the space look more bright and spacious. This all-white look also has a very minimal effect which has been made interesting with the black throw pillows and the subtle black line art print on the wall.
Light grey walls and white details for a minimal look
The beautiful blue turn-of-the-century doors that come out into this minimalist bedroom are very characterful, especially combined with the warm wood flooring.
To make these beautiful features stand out in the best way, the design of the bedroom has been kept very simple and minimal, with white bedding with a subtle black trim*, a light grey paint color on the wall, and a natural rug that matches the color of the hardwood flooring.
Touches of beige and dark wood for a warm minimalist vibe
Rather than a side table on each side of the bed, this beautiful minimalist bedroom features a small cabinet in a dark wood on each side of the bed, combined with the same gold wall lamp above each.
The beige striped bedding matches the color palette in the art print on the wall and the rice paper shade adds a bit of a Japandi vibe to the space.
Accessories in the same color family for a minimal look
While this is definitely the least minimalist bedroom on the list, the minimal color palette and the neutral tones in the textiles, and the gallery wall above the bed have a very minimal look, yet with added character.
How can you create your own minimalist bedroom look?
Remove visual clutter
If you don’t yet have a very minimal look in your space right now, it’s easiest to start with removing things before you start to select decorative items to enhance your minimalist bedroom. Having fewer items in your bedroom altogether will make it easier to keep it clutter free and organized.
Make sure you have ample storage space
A great wardrobe that can hold all your clothes is an essential furniture piece (whether you place it in your bedroom or in a separate room) as it will allow you to keep all items that you don’t want to display organized and out of sight.
Look for a perfect balance of bright whites and neutral colors
White walls are a great and easy start for a simple bedroom design and they give you lots of options to work with a restrained palette, while still creating an interesting look within a minimalist bedroom.
Work with the biggest furniture pieces like the bed and wardrobe in a white or neutral color and finish off with details in subtle tones. You can add simple furniture pieces like bedside tables in black or wood tones and work with the textiles and accessories to create texture and visual points of interest. Remember that it’s easy to switch out a throw pillow, wall hanging, or art print, yet it’s a bit more challenging to change out the furniture in a space.
Before you start working with the accessories, it’s good to decide whether you want to work with dark accents, or warm tones to enhance your minimalist bedroom. Once you decide that you can not go wrong with experimenting until you get the perfect minimalist feel in your bedroom that you are happy with.
Norm Architects designed this pavilion house in Suffolk, UK, as a beautiful inside-out construction, where you can get a glimpse of the surrounding nature from every room. The minimal and tuned-back architecture makes you pay attention to the beautiful countryside and frames it in a lovely way.
What is a pavilion?
A pavilion building is a subsidiary building either attached to the main building or placed within its surroundings. Pavilions can range in size, from a small garden pavilion to an entire extension just like in this case.
A pavilion built to complement the main building
The steel construction, wooden window frames, and vertical cladding of the pavilion design correspond to the design of the existing building. Since the pavilion needed to stand out against the impressive park-like countryside surroundings, it was raised on a dark basalt foundation which introduces a shadow gap between the land and the pavilion, which has the effect of seemingly raising the pavilion from the land it stands on.
The pavilion interior
Transparency stands front and center in the design of the pavilion so that the surroundings become an integral part of the interior. The color palette of the interior is very modest, so it fits with the surroundings.
The pavilion house is planned in a very open way, with different functional areas. The wood-burning stove divides the kitchen from the living room and dining area, where people can come together for entertainment, and recreation, and enjoy a sense of community.
A subtle white kitchen
The modest and tranquil way of designing the pavilion so all the attention goes to the natural surroundings has been continued in the kitchen as well, which is seamlessly integrated into the walls, with slim grey countertops for an elegant look and wooden furniture to enhance the natural feeling of the interior.
A dark cement bathroom
While the rest of the pavilion has a white and light base palette, the bathrooms have darker cement walls, which create a sanctuary feeling of separation from the surroundings. Some windows have been carefully placed in strategic places to allow light to flow in and privacy to be ensured.
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Limewash paint is a great way to add texture to a modern and minimalist interior setting. The shadowy effect on the paint surface adds a textural effect to your interior. Moreover, it removes the need for a lot of wall decor.
You can create a subtle or expressive cloudy effect depending on the brush pattern. This effect will make the furniture pieces and accessories you place in front of your walls pop out.
Below, you can find my favorite limewash paint interiors and ideas. In this list, you will find inspiration for integrating limewashed walls in your home. Ranging from living rooms to bedrooms, kitchens, and even accent walls
What is limewash paint?
Limewash paint has been around for ages. Even though it was used in the old world, it has gained popularity in the last few years in modern homes as well.
Limewash paint consists of natural ingredients only. It’s a non-toxic paint with no volatile organic compounds and no chemicals. The environmentally friendly solution even absorbs carbon dioxide improving interior air quality in your space.
The production process is simple. Crushed limestone mixed with water and natural pigments forms a lime putty. You can apply this putty in thin coats on the wall, creating a beautiful texture.
Limewash paint is much thinner than Venetian plaster. Its consistency gives it a more relaxed impression, achieved by layering one coat on top of the other.
Limewash living room examples
A subtle lime wash treatment on the walls and ceiling details
The white soft furnishings pop out against the beige limewash paint on the living room walls. The lime surface forms the perfect backdrop for an elegant living room decor.
The texture of the lime paint evens out the irregular wall corners in the floor plan. A few selected pieces of wall decor suffice to decorate the textured walls in this modern space.
A rustic effect with half limewash walls in an attic apartment
When you are working with sloped ceilings, there are two ways to paint your walls. You can either stop the limewash paint where the ceiling starts or paint the ceiling as well. I have an example of that in the list below.
The interior designer of this attic home picked out a light grey limewash paint. The wall paint complements the white paint on the ceiling and adds a subtle textured effect.
Light grey limewash paint in an open-plan living room
The tick white trim below the ceilings contrasts against the light grey lime paint in this space. The complementary warm textiles add a warm and inviting atmosphere to the interior.
This beautiful living space has dark grey limewash paint on the walls. Against this dark tone, the white trim and tall floorboards stand out. This adds a strong contrast, yet the white surfaces lighten up the space a bit as well.
The dark color palette in the furniture pieces pops out from the light hardwood flooring.
Light grey limewash paint and black accents in a spacious bedroom
Where traditional paint will look flatter, limewash paints are great for adding extra dimension to an otherwise minimal interior. You can see the subtle brush strokes on the wall in the bedroom below. If you don’t like this many brush strokes, you add another coat.
The black lamps and the textiles on the bed contrast with the natural pigments in the paint. I love the warm tones on the duvet cover and the artwork on the wall. They contrast with the cool undertones of the grey limewash paint.
Warm grey lime wash paint paired with wood and brass accents
The warm grey limewash paint used in this bedroom adds a warm glow to this marvelous interior. The paint texture adds a cozy and inviting touch to the space, contrasted by a white baseboard on the bottom.
The gold candle wall scones and the mirror are the only decorations present on the wall. This scarcity allows the lime paint to shine in the bedroom interior.
A dark grey bedroom limewash wall stands out in a white interior
The darker color limewash walls are a real focal point in this interior with white living room walls. The dark grey contrasts with the natural wood double doors. Green plants connect both room styles and add a fresh touch.
A rustic effect with lime wash paint and a vintage sideboard
This cozy bedroom features a beautiful combination of different textures. The lime paint texture complements the distressed look of the vintage dresser. The darker backdrop makes the vintage piece stand out.
A subtle sage green bedroom with a limewash finish
This historic bedroom interior features sage-green walls with a limewash texture. The limewash makes the historic architectural features and the built-in wardrobe stand out.
Grey Limewash paint combined with white window frames and a burgundy linen curtain
I love the texture the limewash paint gives this beautiful bedroom with a warm color palette. The white-soaped floor and the white window frames stand out against this texture. Finally, the burgundy tint on the linen curtain and the lamp add even more character to this bedroom.
A grey limewash paint is the base for a sophisticated and elegant look
The grey texture on the wall makes for the perfect backdrop for the elegant textiles in the space. The white fabric pendant light and the light oak stool behind the bed stand out in this color palette. As the cherry on top, the elegant thin black table lamps add a lovely touch of contrast.
A peach limewash paint paired with a white wardrobe and ceiling
The peach limewash treatment covers the entire wall structure in this bedroom interior. This results in such an impressive effect. The negative space of the white ceiling section makes the room look taller. For added contrast, the off-white wardrobe doors stand out against the warm wall color.
A contrasting grey with blue undertones paired with a white wardrobe
The beautiful grey limewash paint on the wall in this bedroom has blue undertones. These cool tones contrast with the impressive white wardrobe against the wall.
The mirror and the wall lamps pop out against the backdrop of the lime paint.
A rich green lime paint contrasted by white textiles on the canopy bed
The rich green texture on the bedroom walls in the example below adds a dramatic look to the space. The white and beige textiles on the canopy bed light up the palette.
Blue limewash paint for a contrasting bedroom effect
Grey and beige are the most common color choices when picking out limewash paint. Yet this blue color variant looks so beautiful as well.
Blue is a perfect color for a bedroom, as it adds a fresh touch to the interior. This dark blue variant has a dramatic touch to it from which the lighter colors pop out.
Visible texture in the limewash paint brush strokes and a boho touch
The rattan headboard gives this bedroom a boho touch, complementing the limewash walls. The mixture of pink and peach textiles on the bed brings out the warm undertones of the limewash paint. Right below the ceiling, the moldings stand out against the wall.
A subtle grey lime paint with a matte finish and a light wood bed
Grey limewash paint can have a subtle industrial concrete touch to it. The resemblance with a concrete finish depends on the direction of the brush strokes.
This bedroom pairs a grey limewash paint with a wood bed for an industrial yet Scandinavian look.
This is the darkest tint of limewash paint on the list. This dark color has a dramatic effect on this attic bedroom space. The sloped walls also have paint on them, yet the ceiling is white so the look doesn’t become too heavy.
Beige limewash paint for a warm look with soft tonal variations
The warming color palette of this bedroom starts with the beige limewash paint as the basis for the look. Additionally, the vintage bedside tables, art prints, and warm textiles add more coziness.
The texture of the wall has an impressive effect on the space. This eliminates the need for a lot of details and accessories.
A limewash accent wall is a great way to accentuate an interior feature. Limewash paint makes the niche between a brick arch stand out even more in this bedroom.
The white shelving stands out against the beautiful textured backdrop. It’s the perfect spot for precious deco items.
Painting the entire interior with limewash paint is too much for some people. Alternatively, you can work with an accent wall in lime paint. In the example below, the grey limewash is paired with white paint. This creates an interesting effect in the room.
Beige limewash paint behind black kitchen cabinets
In this kitchen, the black cabinets pop out against a soft beige backdrop of limewash paint. The beige wall color softens the contrast between the cabinet color and the walls.
This spacious living kitchen has tall sloped ceilings. Both wall and ceiling surfaces have limewash paint on them for a monotone textured look.
The textural effect is much more impressive when you paint the entire space. The black furniture pieces and white kitchen stand out against this textured backdrop.
Styled by Copparstad, photographed by Boukari for Historiska Hem
A sage green limewash wall complements a sage green kitchen
The sage-green limewash paint on the walls complements the gorgeous sage-green kitchen cabinets. This tone-on-tone look has an impressive effect on the space.
The beige lime paint complements the brick wall surfaces in this living kitchen. Additionally, the limewash-painted walls make the crisp white kitchen cabinets stand out.
Limewash paint can be used in the interior and exterior of a home. It works on wood, masonry surfaces, previously painted surfaces, and plastered walls. Whether you need a primer depends on the porosity of your surface.
If you are painting limewash paint on drywall or previously painted surfaces you will need a base coat. A mineral-based primer or acrylic-based primer will create a microporous surface. Note that the amount of limewash paint you need will also depend on the surface porosity. Porous surfaces will need much more than non-porous surfaces.
How to apply limewash paint
Limewash paint should be applied using several coats with a big brush. By doing this, you can create the desired finish. The ‘up and down’ method will deliver a more plain result. Use the ‘x-strokes’ method for a cloudy effect and a mottled appearance. More info about that here.
There is no right or wrong way to apply limewash paint. You can work with several thin coats to get the desired effect. At least two coats are necessary, as one coat shows all the streaks.
Apply the first coat and then see if you want to make changes to the texture in the next coat.
Where to get Limewash paint
Kalklitir has a beautiful collection of eco-friendly limewash paints with a nuanced texture. I love browsing through the interior spaces with limewashed walls on their Instagram.
Bauwerk colour has one of the biggest color catalogs for limewashed walls in any color or shade. They have great examples on their website as well to get some color inspiration.
For those of you based in US, Portola Paints might be a great local option, you can have a look at their website here.
Can you DIY limewash paint?
While I haven’t tried this myself, it is possible to make your own limewash paint. You would need to make a lime putty from water mixed with hydrated lime. The last one can be purchased in the hardware store. You then use natural pigments to get the desired color.
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This beautiful turn-of-the-century apartment (for sale via Stadshem) has gorgeous white-soaped hardwood flooring, a white ceiling trim, and beautiful greige wall colors in the living room and bedroom.
A greige wall color is a gray-beige, or better said a warm, gray paint color with warm undertones. Greige paint colors come in a variety of shades and the amount of natural light the room gets will highly influence the red or yellow undertones in the paint.
Greige, or warm gray walls in the living and dining room
The living and dining room in this turn-of-the-century Swedish home has a beautiful greige wall color on the walls, which brings out the white trim on the ceiling, windows, and door frames in such a nice way. The white-soaped hardwood flooring has a very light color which complements nicely with the greige paint on the walls.
A white linen sofa (it’s an Ikea sofa with a Bemz custom cover in white linen*) in the living room lightens up the color palette and the warm tones in the linen throw pillows bring out the warm undertones in the greige wall color. The vintage cabinet by the wall is an ideal spot to store the firewood next to the fireplace and the black accents in the masks and the floor vases add a bit of character.
The dining table has these beautiful black accent chairs as well, which look very fresh in combination with the white linen tablecloth* and the green plants.
A white kitchen with wood countertops
The walls of the kitchen have been painted off-white, which matches nicely with the simple white kitchen cabinets and the warm wood tones on the countertops. The round kitchen dining table has the same chairs as in the main dining room, yet in wood tones that match the kitchen countertop.
The same greige paint color on the bedroom walls
The same greige wall color as in the living room has been used in the bedroom as well, where the gray-beige walls have been paired up with white fabric lampshades on the bedside tables and a paper shade pendant in the middle of the room.
The mixture of gray and beige textiles on the bed brings out the warm undertones in the paint color and just like in the living room, you can find some black accents in the form of the bedside tables to add some contrast.
The best greige paint colors to try to achieve this look
If you are looking to achieve this look on your walls, you could give a warm and mute gray like Charleston Gray from Farrow & Ball* a try, which has brown undertones that create a warm atmosphere. Note though that you should always try out a sample of the color in the room you are planning to paint so you can get an idea of the effect of the material and the natural light in the space on the undertones of the paint.
