When deciding between bedroom paint colors, it can be difficult to envision exactly how the color scheme will work with the lighting, furniture, and overall bedroom decor.
It’s important to note that different color shades bring about different atmospheres. Warm, neutral shades evoke comfort and relaxation. While Cool, light tones offer a feeling of calm and restfulness in a bedroom. Read on to learn how to determine the best bedroom color for your design vision.
The 10 best bedroom colors of 2023
1. Lavender
Shades of lavender and light lilac exude serenity while providing a vibrant, yet understated, color palette. Softer tones of lavender can provide a calming atmosphere in a bedroom, which can also make it a great choice for the kid’s bedroom. Complement lavender with lighter grays, whites, and yellows.
According to Mylands House of Colour, “Lavender is known for its therapeutic, relaxing qualities. We often associate that with the plant’s scent, but the same is true of the color. Gray is another calming, restful color. So the combination of the two shades makes a wonderfully serene ambiance in a bedroom.”
2. Terracotta
Terracotta gives earthiness to a bedroom and blends well with greenery and dark furniture. Shades of orange can provide a room with a desirable warm feeling. Reds can make a bedroom feel too lively and overwhelming, especially in smaller bedrooms. And yellow may feel a bit too soft. This makes terracotta the perfect happy medium. Terracotta pairs well with shades of white, red, green, and cream.
3. Royal purple
Deep shades of purple offer an elegant, edgy look to a bedroom. Royal purple is a regal bedroom color that makes a big statement. While certainly a more challenging color to implement, there’s no denying the dignified, sophisticated vibe royal purple brings to a room. Royal purple is an excellent bedroom color to try out if you’re a purple fan, along with shades of gold, silver, copper, and white to complete the elegant look.
4. Dark gray
Looking for a more modern bedroom look? Rich shades of dark gray add deep, warm tones and a modern appeal. Dark gray creates a relaxing and easy-to-sleep-in atmosphere, while also giving out subtle undertones and putting emphasis on other colors in the room.
According to Dulux, “With grey, there are many shades you can explore to help achieve your desired look. While shades on the lighter side of dark grey offer space and light, darker tones bring a certain warmth and depth to a room that would be hard to achieve any other way. Think about how bold you want your walls to be and the overall style you want to achieve.”
It may not look like it at surface level, but dark gray is a pretty flexible color. If you decide to go with a darker gray for your new bedroom color, consider using shades of red, green, blue, brown, and purple in your room as well.
5. Light green
Green has always been a popular bedroom color. But softer tones of light green evokes clean, earthy tones, making a room feel a bit more soothing. Anyone looking to make their room feel natural and a bit whysical should give a tone of light green a shot. Sage green, mint green, and pale green are a few popular choices. With purple, white, blue, and orange being amazing accent colors to use.
6. Rose pink
Pink doubles as a fun and comforting color. However, darker, vibrant shades of pink can get overwhelming, so lighter shades of pink, like rose pink, are the way to go. The right shade of pink can also make a room feel elegant and classy. Light shades of rose pink blend well with warm copper or light gold accents, along with blues, greens, and grays.
7. White
If you’re wanting an energizing bedroom color to wake up to every morning, consider different shades of white. White walls open the space and make a room appear larger than it is. It also provides a great palette for adding splashes of color in the décor. And since white is such a versatile color, you can use just about any accent color you want.
8. Light gray
Light gray tones enhance a room’s natural light and creates a dreamy, relaxing vibe. Lighter grays also work really well as guestroom colors to create a relaxing atmosphere. This color pairs well with green, blue, purple, and white décor.
According to Benjamin Moore, “If your ultimate goal is simply a tranquil bedroom, you can never go wrong with neutrals, off-white and soft gray paint colors. Keep this in mind while decorating guest rooms, as well: Balanced, relaxed hues are perfect for welcoming guests into your home, no matter how long they stay.”
9. Light yellow
When you think of cheerful colors, yellow likely comes to mind. By implementing yellow into a bedroom, it can create a happy, energetic space. A standard yellow may be a bit too energetic for a bedroom, but lighter shades of yellow find a perfect balance between soothing and cheerful. Green, black, grey, purple, orange, and red are all colors that would complement yellow nicely.
10. Viva Magenta
If a louder, vivid, and stronger color is more your style, a distinct shade of red is a great option. Crowned as PANTONE’s color of the year, viva magenta is a bold shade of red that’s full of personality. And if you feel it’s a bit too bold for a bedroom, it’s a great color to liven up any shared living space.
According to PANTONE, viva magenta is “a shade rooted in nature descending from the red family and expressive of a new signal of strength. Viva Magenta is brave and fearless, and a pulsating color whose exuberance promotes a joyous and optimistic celebration, writing a new narrative.”
The bottom line
With so many different tones and shades of colors to choose from, you have endless bedroom color options. But remember, it’s your home – choose whatever makes you feel the most comfortable and matches your furniture the best.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I choose a color for my bedroom?
Start by assessing the furniture you have in your room. If most of your furniture is white or light wood, adhering to that lighter design palette may work best. Darker furniture often pairs well with deeper, richer tones. After you have a general color idea in mind, explore color ideas on interior design blogs.
After narrowing down some color options, visit your local paint store and request a sample that you can bring home. Test a small area in your room with the paint sample to help visualize how it will look. If you like it, you’re ready to paint!
What is the best color to paint a bedroom for sleep?
Blue is usually considered the best color for sleep because it has calming qualities. There are special receptors in the eye’s retina (called ganglion cells) that are particularly receptive to blue, making it best for sleep.
Which colors should I avoid in my bedroom?
Red, orange, dark brown, bright lemony yellow, and lime green are colors that should be avoided when deciding on a bedroom color. Red tends to increase heart rate while orange evokes enthusiasm, making it ideal for a fitness room or home office.
Dark brown and black tend to close in a room, making it appear smaller than it is. Bright shades of lemon yellow and lime green can be distracting and make the walls appear to have a neon-like hue.
What is the best paint color for a children’s bedroom?
Fun, vibrant colors such as aqua, sea blue, light green, beige, and cerulean blue are great colors to pair with a children’s design palette. It is typically best to steer clear from white, beige, and other light colors as children tend to beat up their walls. Adding a chalkboard wall is a fun idea for a children’s bedroom as well.
