18 Classic Ways to Decorate With Blue and White

Mark is a firm believer that most rooms need a touch of black to balance out the textures and the softness of fabrics in a room. "Black is especially nice in a blue-and-white space because it gives the classic color combination a bit of an edge," he says. Start small with matte lampshades (see kitchen, above) or add a little more drama with a black coffee table or bold artwork, like the charcoal-print botanicals. Mark even suggests using a dark stain on floors to allow everything else in the room to be highlighted.

Mark says your garden can be your best source of design inspiration. "I like to create interiors that are an extension of what you see just outside the window," he says. Here, he complements the blue-and-white French bistro stools and sky-blue walls (Borrowed Light by Farrow & Ball) with a mossy green island.

"Different geometrics—especially stripes—in similar tones [like this mix of inky indigos] add layers and richness to a room without becoming 'too much' pattern-wise," says Mark. In this bedroom, a striped textile over the headboard, a striped inset on the custom linen ottoman (with a bias stripe as the welt), and a trio of (yes!) striped vintage throw pillows play well together alongside a paisley block-print duvet.

For this home, designer Darryl Carter chose classic milky shades, as well as the palest robin's egg blue (Albermarle Blue by Darryl Carter Colors by Benjamin Moore) in the master bedroom. He even convinced the homeowners that their dark-brown four-poster bed could make the move from relic to marvel with light-gray paint. Benjamin Moore's Ashmead Gray transformed the master bedroom's mahogany Henkel Harris four-poster.

A pretty white plate rack gives easy access to blue dishes and mugs—perfect for grabbing while prepping food on the butcher-block-topped peninsula. A pendant light directly overhead provides the necessary task lighting.

The owners of this kitchen wanted to incorporate eco-friendly materials in their new kitchen and did so by installing cork flooring and using low-VOC (volatile organic compound) blue paint on the walls and white paint on the cabinets.

Here the blue-and-white palette is reversed: The walls become a bold blue while the fixtures and shower curtain remain white. A dark wall color is easier to handle in the bath, since time spent here is brief. With a chrome shower curtain rod—outfitted with two white terry-cloth curtains—this bath feels like a spa retreat.

Bring color into a bathroom not only through a bright wall hue, as seen here in this small space, but also through fresh flowers, like blue hydrangeas. They'll provide a pleasing pick-me-up every morning.

Designer Sarah Richardson, from HGTV's Sarah's House, used a wide-stripe fabric from Schumacher, aptly named Summerside, on the back of the armchairs in the lovely white dining room of her summer cottage. Richardson also piled on pillows in fanciful patterns, including a blue paisley.

A blue-and-white scheme works well when mixed with lots of natural texture—wicker, rattan, straw, old English pine, as in this kitchen and dining room.

This all-white bathroom benefits from a simple pop of color from blue planters and pretty hyacinth blooms.

Use an all-white bathroom as a backdrop for blue accents. Here, a shower curtain has three different white trims stitched on top of it—a theme that is picked up, in reverse, on the towels.

In this eating area, dish-towel stripes have been fashioned into chair covers and a bread bag, offering a graphic counterpoint to the toile wallpaper. The wood table and chairs lend a warm balance to cool blues.

A plaid blanket by L.L. Bean laid across an iron bed from Bear Mountain Mercantile adds color and pattern to the guest room.

A double-basin sink and separate commode room make this blue and white bath ideal for two people. The bead board on the walls create a nautical feeling.

Lemon-painted drawer fronts add zest to this sky blue bathroom without diminishing the peaceful vibe.

See 12 more updated twists on the blue and white color palette.