White and cream are often dismissed as the safest possible decorating choices, but Maria Shriver’s Brentwood home makes a convincing case for the opposite. Her living space-turned-home-office shows how a restrained palette can feel layered and discreetly luxurious when the focus shifts from color to texture, materials, and proportion.
The success of the space comes from treating white as a foundation rather than a finished look. As Nuno Pires Da Silva, VP of Design at Arteriors, explains, decorating with neutrals – or more specifically, pale neutrals- works best when they allow other elements in the room to take the lead.
‘White has an enduring versatility because it gives every other piece in the room space to be noticed,’ Nuno says.
Shop the Maria Shriver-Inspired Edit
Just like the globe lamp sitting on the desk in Maria’s home, this piece relies on the power of juxtaposition. It features a beautifully dimensional, textured mercury glass sphere base that mimics the artisanal, hammered honeycomb pattern of Maria's lamp.
Sofiane Modern Ergonomic Office Chair
This chair's ribbed silhouette and creamy upholstery act as the perfect foundation for a luxurious home office. Just as Maria, who has one that looks the same. Offering both high-end design and ergonomic airbag lumbar support, it's chic but so functional.
How do you keep a neutral palette from feeling stark? Through warmth and subtle material pairings. As seen in Maria's workspace, pairing a simple cream pillar candle like this with the metallic table lamp creates an instant high-low contrast.
Inspired by Maria's warm, neutral palette, this piece proves that restraint is the ultimate design flex. Featuring a subtle woven texture in soft ivory, it brings rich materiality and quiet contrast to white furniture without overwhelming the space.
Serene Spaces Glazed Ceramic Bowl
Designed with an organic edge and a soft, muted finish, it embodies the designer rule of restraint. It proves that a single, carefully chosen ceramic accent can elevate an entire room, and the tone is so Maria-approved.
In her home, Maria proves that a neutral palette never has to fall flat if you know how to play with shape. In her office space, she uses structural curves to add visual weight and warmth to her room – and this piece has a similar impact. It's truly beautiful.
Nuno continues: ‘Rather than treating it as a finished look in itself, I see it as a blank canvas for introducing character through form, craftsmanship and materiality. We always want to create a coherent design language between different textures and materials, using juxtaposition to create contrast.’
In Maria's study, that approach becomes especially effective. The room never feels flat because the palette changes with the light throughout the day. Linen, wood, stone, glass, and metal each catch and reflect light differently, creating depth without relying on bold color. If you've recently wondered if white is out of style, this space has a convincing answer otherwise.
‘White also responds well to changing light, with various surfaces and textures becoming more visible at different moments throughout the day,’ Nuno says. ‘A white sofa can act as a perfect anchor. Against this quieter foundation, it introduces dynamism through careful pairing of contrasting materials such as natural stone, richly grained woods, glass, or metal.’
What makes Maria Shriver’s space particularly successful is its practice of restraint. The home office feels considered rather than decorated, with each piece contributing to the overall composition. That is often what separates a neutral space that feels expensive from one that feels unfinished.
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‘The key is not to overcompensate for a neutral palette by adding too much,’ Nuno says. ‘Restraint is often the harder choice, and editing a scheme down to the right pieces can make a room feel much stronger. We might ask ourselves, “Do we need five materials, or would three have more impact?” A white backdrop gives you freedom to be bold, but allowing space around carefully chosen pieces keeps the room feeling timeless and lived-in rather than overly trend-led.’
Maria's home is a reminder that a neutral palette is not about playing it safe. When the emphasis is on texture, craftsmanship, and careful editing, white and cream become some of the most sophisticated tools in a designer’s repertoire.
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