Meg Ryan has graced our TV screens for many years as everyone's crush, from When Harry Met Sally to Prelude to a Kiss, Sleepless in Seattle, and You’ve Got Mail, the actress knows a thing or two about world-class style, especially when it comes to her home.
Actress Meg Ryan enlisted the expertise of designer Monique Gibson and architect Joel Barkley to help her reimagine a New York City home using a tried-and-tested color combination for rooms.
Decorating with black and white is a brave choice, as it requires careful editing and a strong design eye. This type of interior can also appear ‘flat’ if you don’t introduce texture and subtle tonal variety. But put together carefully, it’s a great way to add drama and style, as Meg's bathroom beautifully demonstrates.
While monochrome decorating can be tricky to get right, a considered approach will be rewarded by a simple but impactful scheme. This bathroom color scheme can work especially well in older homes, where a one-tone canvas serves to highlight and complement original features, or when you want statement bathroom tile ideas and fittings should stand to attention.
Depending on whether you choose equal measures of black and white, or more black, the combination can evoke different moods, lending itself to schemes that feel glamorous, moody, or bright and cheerful.
Choose furniture and fittings with strong shapes and clean lines that will stand out against a bold black-and-white scheme, and keep accessories simple for a modern look.
Contrasting black with white is the most effective way to create impact in a predominantly white bathroom, but the key is to vary proportions. A 50/50 split could feel too dramatic; instead pair black accessories and fixtures with white bathroom tiles and another vital ingredient: texture.
Shop the black-and-white bathroom edit
Black and white, the color combination so beloved by Meg Ryan, offers the perfect way to create a stylish bathroom. Shop our edit of the best monochrome accessories for bathrooms.
-
9 beautiful outdoor table lighting ideas for summer hostingWe've rounded up the experts to share their outdoor table ideas to bring ambiance to your summer evening gatherings
-
The “Dissolving” Caterpillar Decluttering Method encourages you to shed old patterns, not just get rid of stuff – here's why the experts encourage itAlign your space to your habits and goals with this mindful decluttering method
-
This 'dated 00s color trend' made Jennifer Aniston, Vanessa Hudgens, and Meg Ryan's decor look so chic – and it has made me rethink using it myselfDon't resign gray to the history bin. This sultry shade goes with every color and can be used to add depth and elegance to any room
-
Meg Ryan's unique lighting, wooden table, and sculptural pottery instantly elevate her farmhouse kitchen – and her technique is easily replicableThe kitchen in Ryan's Tribeca home embodies the popular farmhouse style to a tee, and it's full of lessons on styling the design
-
Meg Ryan upgrades her kitchen countertops with a bold, affordable accessory that makes cooking simple – shop the look to follow her easy trickKitchen accessories take center stage in the actress's black-and-white cooking space – it's a masterclass in how the little things can transform counter space
-
Meg Ryan's mantelpiece has changed my seasonal decor strategies – I can't get enough of how she stages her marble space
The actress's mantle features carefully arranged vases as decor – proving that seasonal accessories can easily be styled and modified
-
Meg Ryan's sunroom flows seamlessly into her Tuscan garden – I love her elevated twist on indoor-outdoor livingI adore the actress's stylish solarium and its interaction with her Italian-style yard – it's such an inspiring take on the bare-windows trend
-
Meg Ryan's simple but elegant kitchen island is unlike anything I've seen before – its welcoming design encourages conversational seatingI'm in love with the four-sided, pedestalled island in the actress's kitchen – it's a warm and inviting addition to her black-and-white space
-
Meg Ryan's enchanting sensory garden is one of the best I've ever seen – it is a great way to plant yourself happyGet away from it all with a space that is filled with alluring sounds, scents and textures
-
Before and after: Meg Ryan's kitchen went from outdated to fashionable – with a focus on 4 key trends for 2024A simple color change, contemporary cabinetry, and a focus on flooring and storage turned this space into a modern marvel
