11 beautiful bedroom colour ideas to inspire a makeover
Choosing the right colour for your bedroom can be a welcome exercise in self-expression. Where a busy hallway might need satin paint to better protect against scuffs, or a humid bathroom might need something mould and mildew resistant, there are fewer practical decisions in a bedroom. Your choice of paint can largely be dictated by taste, and, with a nod towards colour psychology, a palette that helps you rest and relax.
Marianne Shillingford, creative director at Dulux, suggests building a versatile palette that can be updated as your tastes change. 'We don’t want to commit to putting just one shade on the walls in case we want to change other elements of the room like the bedding and accessories in the future – the solution is to fall in love with a palette and to have fun with details like adding bands and stripes of current favourites.'
Below, we've looked at 11 beautiful bedroom colours to inspire, with design advice and styling tips from interior experts.
1. BLUSH PINK
Blush pink is a nurturing colour that represents femininity and warmth. It soothes and balances, and works with other colours of similar tones – a warm grey or off white for instance.
'Pink is a great way to add a touch of luxury to a room,' says Sarah Lloyd, paint and interior specialist at Valspar. 'Typically associated with – but not limited to – feminine spaces, pink instigates feelings of love and kindness. Shade is key here; soft pinks like Valspar’s Wisteria Whisper are subtle and add gentle glamour, whilst their vivid Dance the Flamenco encourages passion and romance. Avoid over-using bright pinks if you’re looking for a calmer environment, as too much intense colour can create a sense of urgency and overwhelm a space.'
A pink bedroom certainly doesn't have to look too sugary or juvenile, as long as you avoid brighter primary colours, and finish with lots of pattern and texture.
2. DARK GREEN
Refreshing and peaceful, green represents restoration and harmony. It falls in the middle of the colour spectrum and offers a comfortable balance between stimulating warm colours and calming cool colours.
For the deepest of greens, counter with metallic finishes, lots of glass, or furniture in a lacquer or gloss to reflect some of the light that a dark shade can absorb. 'You can set off these deep, moodier tones with some on trend copper accessories to give a more contemporary look to your room,' says Adam Black, co-founder of Button & Sprung.
3. ORANGE
Orange, and its more muted variations like terracotta and ochre, can hint at Mediterranean influences in a bedroom, which can be emphasised with lovely woods and drier plants like olive trees.
'Add a little terracotta through soft furnishings, like your window dressings or cushions,' says Yvonne Keal, senior product manager at Hillarys. 'The splash of terracotta provides visual interest to a room, not only warming up the space but making it feel positive and welcoming for entering guests.'
There is a great design device here in choosing a four poster with a wonderful draped canopy. This can be fashioned easily from a length of material – a soft cotton or linen would be a good choice and the orange makes it all the more dramatic.
'Inject shades of bold orange like Valspar’s Vitamin C or Orange Marmalade onto a feature wall or in your soft interiors to embrace warmth and project positivity,' says Sarah.
4. GREY
In colour psychology, grey represents neutrality and balance, and provides a great base from which to build a classic colour palette.
'Darker shades of grey look fab with muted sludgy pale accents – a pink that has brown base notes will really warm up a dark grey room,' says Amy Wilson, interior designer at 247 Curtains. 'Consider painting a contrasting ceiling for a quick and easy way to add impact, or adding soft furnishings such as cushions or throws in your chosen colour.'
Grey is also a good choice for a feature wall, or used as a faux painted headboard – impactful enough, without being too distracting or bright in a peaceful space. 'Use grey paint to break up expanses of wall in large rooms,' says Ruth Mottershead, marketing director at Paint & Paper Library. 'This looks especially sophisticated in bedrooms as the colour block serves as a visual headboard and focal point in the room.'
5. WARM YELLOW
In colour psychology, warm yellows share the same properties as orange, in that they are joyful, comforting, and vibrant – a great one if you find it difficult to jump out of bed in the morning.
'Choose a beautiful versatile neutral like Spiced Honey as a backdrop which will work with everything and paint one or two vertical stripes in colours that you have a crush on right now,' says Marianne.
'In rooms that struggle with lack of daylight especially, adding a sunshine shade is a great way to add brightness to boost your mood,' says Amy.
Paler yellows make a great companion to soft pinks – you might assume that the combination is only appropriate in a child's room or that it lacks sophistication, but as you can see here, neither are true.
6. MIDNIGHT HUES
Sometimes it’s worth being brave and going for a dark shade. In colour psychology, blue represents stability, harmony and peace, and a midnight blue is said to calm a busy mind and lower the heart rate.
'Blue is often used to promote a tranquil, calming environment and is regularly used in bedrooms and bathrooms for this reason,' says Sarah. 'It also helps to de-stress; using tonal and uniform blue combinations when decorating your space helps to declutter the room and the mind.'
Much like your dark greens, you want brightening aspects to counter such a light-absorbing shade – the wooden floors and crisp white paint on the left does a great job, so too do the gentle pink and orange motifs in the Little Greene wallpaper on the right.
7. SOFT SAGE
Sage is a soft green with a good amount of white added. It's easy on the eye and goes with a myriad of other colours – grey, pink, sea greens, yellow and turquoise, to name but a few. In colour psychology, sage represents tranquility and balance.
'Our desire to connect to the outdoors is still so strong – serene shades of sage, citrine and moss help bring this feeling into your home,' says Sarah Keady, House Beautiful's style and interiors director. 'Use alongside plants and natural wood for maximum effect.'
8. WARM RED
Passionate and energising, warm reds can be a sophisticated choice and according to the colour wheel, pair well with citrusy yellows and greens.
For the fearless decorator, layer with pinks and purples for a warm and enveloping design scheme, while the more moderate decorator can take notes from this Little Greene bedroom, and use red in colour blocking, painting just to the half – a pale blue would make a happy match here.
'It should be used sparingly when decorating, or interspersed with calmer colours, as too much can overwhelm a space,' says Sarah Lloyd.
9. SOFT CREAMS
'Choose soothing colours that are relaxing to be around,' says Joanna Ross, general manager of design at Sheridan. 'Warm neutrals and pastels are the perfect starting point. Creams, gentle beiges and soft spiced shades are the perfect starting point for relaxing bedroom ideas.'
This is a great choice too for those who struggle to sleep.
'For an optimal sleep environment, neutral colours can provide a very calming effect,' says Martin Seeley, sleep expert and CEO of MattressNextDay. 'This type of colour can limit distraction and create balance in your bedroom, meaning it has the potential to influence your sleep. As the colour is so light, it balances well with the brighter colour trends, meaning you can dabble in different colours without compromising your sleep.'
10. VARIATIONS ON PURPLE
Here are different takes on a purple bedroom, in a modern two-tone on the left and a richer and grander mauve on the right.
This pastel lilac works beautifully as a feature wall – especially with the exposed floorboards offsetting some of the chalkiness. The addition of a deep purple adds to the effect, creating something altogether more grown up. Combining variations of a single colour like this can be really impactful. You can choose three or four colours from within the same family, but it is most effective if you have at least one strong contrast.
The mauve bedroom on the right leans into the richness and regal connotations of purple with the grand full height curtains, the luxurious velvets and gleaming chandelier. This would be a wonderful choice for bedrooms with high ceilings and a good dose of natural light.
11. GOLD
As popular as neutrals are in the bedroom, there is an argument for drenching your whole room – ceilings included – in cocooning colour.
Even the most expertly applied neutrals will struggle to match the warmth and richness of a deep mustard yellow, for instance.
This fabulous gold bedroom really leans into the theme. The sheen on this paint is a great choice too – glossy or metallic finishes always come to life in rooms with plenty of natural light, creating dynamic highlights and shadows.
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