Ina Garten's Breakfast Room Proves Monochrome Can Be Cozy

Monochrome breakfast room and Ina Garten

(Image credit: Future / Getty Images – Amanda Edwards / Stringer)

I've never associated black and white with coziness and warmth, but Ina Garten's minimal breakfast room has made me think again.

While the modern black furniture and white walls say modern and chic, the Barefoot Contessa somehow brings a comforting touch to this quiet corner of her home, with a few simple design tricks, showing a new way to do monochrome color schemes.

Andrew Suvalsky, founder of New York-based firm Andrew Suvalsky Designs, explains why it works: 'Monochrome interiors, when done well, can feel warm by creating a calm, enveloping backdrop. A single color family reduces visual noise, so the room feels more grounded and cocoon-like rather than busy or sharp. Instead of relying on color contrast, build warmth through texture and finish by layering textiles, natural wood, and matte or plaster-like surfaces that add depth and softness.'

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Ina Garten-inspired Monochrome Breakfast Room Buys

Designer look

Terra Curved Back Dining Chair

No wonder this chair has a designer feel as it's designed with Studio McGee for Target's Threshold collection. It has the same curved silhouette as Ina Garten's chairs to add softness to the space.

Good match

Whitley Dining Table

Almost an exact match for Ina Garten's dining table, we love the sleek silhouette of this piece. Made from black ash, there's a subtle hint of texture from the wood grain and a a tactile finish.

Multi-purpose piece

Ullerslev Sheepskin

A sheepskin adds instant luxe and comfort with ski chalet vibes. Place it on your dining chairs as Ina Garten has in her breakfast room, or on a bench, or even the floor to define a cozy corner.

Natural light

Floating Glass Candle Holder

Candles aren't just for night time. A simple glass candle votive is enough to bring a touch of warmth and a comforting flicker of natural light to a breakfast table like Ina Garten's.

Designer lighting

Pendant by Poul Henningsen for Louis Poulsen

Statement lighting can bring another dimension to a room and that's certainly the case with this designer piece by Poul Henningsen for Louis Poulson – the same one Ina Garten hangs above her breakfast table.

Handwoven

Tava Rattan Rectangular Placemats

Add texture to an otherwise matte table surface with tablemats and linen, These woven mats in an off-black, paired with some linen off-white napkins, in the style of Ina Garten will add a lived-in feel.

Being filled with lots of natual light adds to the welcoming nature of this space but there are other tricks that Ina Garten has used here too. The most obvious is, of course, the addition of the sheepskin (this IKEA sheepskin is ideal for getting the look), which instantly ramps up the cozy factor.

Other clever additions involve using curves in interior design, namely furniture with curved edges, including the round dining table (like Rejuvenation's Whitely dining table), which brings a more tactile and inviting feel to the space than square pieces with sharp edges. Similarly, while Ina Garten's dining room lighting – a Louis Poulson pendant (available at Chairish) – may well feel modern, it also brings in those smooth curved lines.

Choosing textural table linens in natural materials is another way to make a monochrome scheme feel layered, rather than flat. Ina Garten uses black textured placemats (we like these Tava rattan placemats from Pottery Barn, as they vary the tone as well as the texture), along with white linen napkins, which have that signature slub texture.

Finishing touches such as a simple candle holder for some warm, natural light and a dash of personality injected through your choice of artwork on the walls – Ina Garten's Rodney Smoth Print is so iconic – help to hang the look together.

monochrome breakfast room with large bay window

Other easy additions such as as simple bunch of flowers on the table, some organic-shaped tableware or choosing seat covers in tactile fabrics such as velvet, can also help to root the look in a cozy, rather than stark aesthetic.

Sheer blinds in an off-white as seen in the above image and in Ina Garten's breakfast room, adds a softness by allowing natural light through and enhancing the texture of the fabric.

Additionally, wood flooring ideas, like Ina Garten's breakfast room floor, and the parquet flooring shown in the image above, add a natural and warm feel to the room, unlike harsh tiles or stone flooring.

If you are drawn to a monochrome interior but worry that it could feel too harsh or cold, take note of these ideas borrowed from Ina Garten's breakfast room, which instantly add warmth through texture, shape and material

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Katrina is Head of Living at Homes & Gardens, covering hosting and entertaining, seasonal styling ideas, sleep and wellbeing, along with a highly experienced team of writers and reviewers. With more than 15 years' experience in lifestyle content, Katrina was previously an editor at luxury lifestyle platform, Muddy Stilettos, has been a features writer at Sainsbury's magazine and has also written for a wealth of other food and lifestyle titles including Ideal Home, Waitrose Food, John Lewis' Edition and The Home Page. Katrina is passionate about heritage style and lives in a 100-year old cottage in rural Hertfordshire, where she enjoys finding creative ways to live and host stylishly.