Bedroom Colours

The average person spends a lot of time in their bedroom. It’s not just the place that we sleep, it’s where we lose ourselves in our favourite books, enjoy an occasional breakfast in bed, and unwind at the end of a long, stressful day. The bedroom is an integral part of the house, so it’s important that you make a space that works for you.

Colour is an integral part of any interior design, and one of the biggest decisions when it comes to creating a look you love. But choosing the right bedroom colours isn’t always easy. Here is our guide to choosing colours for your bedroom, from the walls to the bedding and everything in between.

Walls

The colour you choose to paint your bedroom walls will have a knock-on effect on what you choose to fill it with. What you decide on will not only depend on your personal taste and how you want your bedroom to feel, but also on more practical considerations like the size and scale of your space. Here are a few things to consider.

Mood

Research has shown that colour can have a direct impact on our mood and even has the power to prompt physiological reactions like increasing our blood pressure. The bedroom is a place we go to relax, and so choosing colours that are in keeping with this idea will create a much more restful space. Colours that have a calming effect on our mood include:

• Soft blues
• Beige-greens and yellow-greens
• Blush pink
• Violet
• Grey
• Taupe
• White

With that being said, what works for one person might not work for another. You might prefer for your bedroom to make you feel energised and alert, helping you to start your day off on the right foot. If that sounds like you, colours such as butter yellow and bold red will help bring some energy to the room. You might be surprised by how much of a difference it makes!

Size

As a general rule, if your bedroom is on the smaller side you will want to avoid dark colours. That’s because darker shades absorb light, making small spaces feel cramped. However, if you decide to go for a deeper colour, there are a few things you can do to help stop the space feeling small. Here are some ideas:

• Bring in some reflective materials, either through glass furniture and decor or mirrors. For example, Adding mirror doors to the wardrobes in your bedroom can make a huge difference, helping to bounce light around the room and making it feel much bigger.
• Keep your bedroom as neat and uncluttered as possible, making sure your clothes are stored behind closed doors and relegating any superfluous decor to other rooms in the house.
• Make sure that there is nothing blocking off light from the windows and try to keep them as clean as you can and always opt for light window treatments over dark.

Style

Colour and interior design are both highly subjective. As you spend time in your bedroom every single day, it’s important to go for colours that reflect your personal style and that you won’t get fed up of looking at. So if you are more drawn to bright, bold colours, don’t feel like you need to tone things down just to get a more typical bedroom look. Using atypical colours in the bedroom can give it a real sense of character and lend it a statement look. However, if you are really stepping outside of the box it’s a good idea to test out your colour first to make sure it’s the right fit for you.

Equally, there’s nothing wrong with a plain white wall! Sticking with neutrals is simple and versatile, making the rest of the decorating process a breeze. Plus, as we touch on a little later, it makes changing up your interior much easier and more affordable. You can always express your personal tastes through smaller objects in the room, like artwork or decorative accessories.

Bedroom Colour Combinations

You needn’t feel restricted to just one colour when it comes to painting your bedroom. An accent wall is not only a flexible choice but can also add a really stylish element to the room. In the bedroom, a different coloured wall directly behind the bed creates a striking focal point and is an easy way to update the room.

An accent wall doesn’t have to be a bold colour and can work equally well as a neutral shade that compliments or contrasts the rest of the walls. If you would prefer to make more of a design statement, there is also the option of patterned wallpaper that will bring a sense of depth and a bit of personality. These days there are even wallpapers out there that can be peeled off when you’re done with them, making this a viable option even if you are renting.

Bedding

Once you have the colour of your bedroom walls decided, then comes the challenge of what colour bedding to go for. The bed serves as the focal point of the room, so making a wrong decision here could completely throw off the balance of the interior. Luckily, there is a simple rule you can use to help you on your way.

The 60-30-10 Colour Rule

This timeless decorating rule will set you well on your way to a perfectly balanced interior. Here is a breakdown of how it works:

• The primary colour that takes up 60{477b05d2bc2f78b2ae981e3c31a288385e62cd4fcbdd4bd436917efc0e86eaaa} of the room is likely the colour of your walls. The idea for this colour is that it serves as a backdrop and is the one that ties everything else together.
• The colour that takes up 30{477b05d2bc2f78b2ae981e3c31a288385e62cd4fcbdd4bd436917efc0e86eaaa} is your secondary colour, used half as much as your primary colour. This is what you will use for your bedding. The goal here is to support your primary colour by choosing a tone that compliments it.
• The colour that takes up 10{477b05d2bc2f78b2ae981e3c31a288385e62cd4fcbdd4bd436917efc0e86eaaa} of the room is where you can have a little fun. This is the accent colour that you will use for cushions and decorative items and artwork.

Though your secondary colour will be informed by the colour of your walls, you’ll no doubt find a long list of combinations that will work beautifully together. If you have a neutral interior then the possibilities are almost endless, and will really just depend on what colours you like most.

If you have decided on a bolder colour for your walls, then there are some handy tools out there that can help. This colour wheel will help you find all different kinds of colour combinations with just a few clicks of a mouse. Once you’ve found your ideal palette, you can simply screenshot it on your phone or print it out to take when you go shopping.

Undecided?

If in doubt, you could always opt for plain white bedding that you can easily change the look of through cushions and blankets. This is a particularly good option if you find that your tastes change frequently or if you often get bored of your interior. There are plenty of beautiful soft furnishings out there that don’t cost the earth, giving you the freedom to mix things up as often as you like.

Or, you can simply leave your white bedding as it is. An all-white look has a tranquil and soothing effect that will go a long way in creating a relaxing bedroom sanctuary. If you have children or pets this may not seem like the most sensible option. But bear in mind that white bedding can withstand being washed at much higher temperatures than their coloured counterparts, making it easier to clean than you might think.

Conclusion

Giving any room a makeover can be a challenge, and the bedroom is one of the most important rooms in the house. It will take some careful thought and a bit of strategic planning, but put in the time and you will be left with a bedroom you can be proud of. We hope that this guide has given you some useful guidelines for how to navigate colour in the bedroom and find a style that works for you.

If you would like to add the finishing touch to your bedroom makeover with some made to measure mirror doors, we would be delighted to help. Head over to our shop page to take a look at your options or get in touch with any questions and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.