What is a good color for your bedroom?
‘Whatever color I like!’ we hear you cry.
While technically, you could choose any color for your bedroom, there are certain things that are worth considering. For starters, there's a whole field of color psychology designed to help us understand how colors can affect mood and behavior.
Sure, your favorite color might well be Appletini Green or Rave Red (both real shades, by the way) but is an Appletini Rave really conducive to a restful bedroom? No. Read on, and we'll help you find the perfect shade for a perfect night’s sleep.
How To Choose Bedroom Color
The main purpose of a bedroom is sleeping. Okay, one of the main purposes of a bedroom is sleeping; the other is obviously passionate discourse. Applying color psychology principles to your bedroom color choice can enable you to create the ideal space to help promote healthy, deep sleep.
First off, primary colors are less helpful for a relaxing atmosphere than toned down or softer shades. This softness can also be accentuated with flat paint finishes as opposed to glossy.
Based on this, we’d recommend selecting your bedroom color from a range of toned down, soft shades with a flat finish. The colors themselves are not prescriptive, but there are some that have been found to promote longer, deeper sleep.
Most people aim for calming colors in their bedroom (as opposed to LuLaRoe colors). Choosing the right color, in combination with using other techniques to promote a more relaxing bedroom space, is key in creating the right environment for your bedroom - which is, after all, a sanctuary, a private space that allows you to unwind and disconnect from other areas of your life (like your LuLaRoe hustle).
What Is A Good Color For A Master Bedroom?
When it comes to your main bedroom, there are several colors that may work best.
Muted shades of blue are considered the most effective when it comes to a good night’s sleep. These calming and soothing colors can help promote feelings of calm.
We don't recommend painting your walls with eucalyptus sheets.
If blue isn’t your thing, yellow is also a great choice for your master bedroom color. As mentioned, try to keep away from bright, primary yellow, and instead try softer, more muted shades which can help bring a sense of warmth and comfort to the room.
Similarly, orange is another warm option which can promote feelings of comfort and relaxation. Perfect for when you want to unwind at the end of a busy day and pretend your inside a well-appointed pumpkin.
Finally, an organic or mossy green is another wonderful choice for the main bedroom. As with all these colors, there’s a huge variety of shades available but we recommend choosing a muted or softer shade to help imbue the room with a sense of calm.
What Is A Good Neutral Color For A Bedroom?
As shown above, while there are certain guidelines to bear in mind when picking a color for your bedroom, it doesn’t mean you have limited choices. As well as the colors we’ve discussed, there is a whole palette of neutral colors that you can choose from which will achieve the same calming, relaxing effect that most people aim for in the bedroom.
Everything from white and off-white, all the way through vanilla and cream colors fall under the ‘neutral’ heading. There are also lots of warm colors in this range, all of which can be easily paired with other, warm neutral colors to create some visual interest.
Remember that neutral doesn’t just mean white or beige - while neutrals do encompass these colors, they also extend through the spectrum, taking in grays, silvers, stone shades, ivory, platinum, pewter, all the way through to black. If you choose a darker color, it’s important to contrast it with lighter colors on the ceiling, other walls and soft furnishings to make sure you avoid creating an oppressive or claustrophobic feeling.
This particular bedroom was painted in the trendy color known as "Austin, Texas."
What Is A Good Paint Color For A Small Bedroom?
With a smaller bedroom, you should take into account the size of the room and make sure you do what you can to increase the feeling of spaciousness. (Choosing the right size furniture can help here, as can choosing an appropriate shade of paint for the walls.)
The best colors for a smaller bedroom can turn a potentially cramped space into something that feels larger, or cozier - depending on the feel that you’re going for.
As most people know, white is an excellent color for creating a feeling of light and space in a smaller room, and generally ‘brightening it up’. It has the potential to create a cold feel though, so be sure to pair it with warmer shades in the furnishings.
A good tip is not to break up the space too much in a smaller room - keep the same color, as opposed to having feature walls. This reduction in contrast helps create a feeling of space - you could even paint wardrobes a similar color to extend this illusion.
What is the most soothing color for a bedroom?
Well, there are some great color options for smaller bedrooms, like soft shades of pink - they create a warm, welcoming feeling and help reflect light to further enhance the feeling of space.
However, don’t assume that a small room means you have to stick to whites, creams and pastel pinks - using dark paint might seem counterintuitive, but done well it can still make a small room feel larger. How? Darker colors (including on the ceiling) can blur the harder edges of the room so it feels less enclosed, while at the same time creating a more cocoon-like space for restful sleep.
Hopefully that gives you something to sleep on when it comes to choosing a color for your bedroom. There are loads of options, all of which can contribute to a soothing space for relaxation. We have lots of other ideas for bedroom decor ideas that can create a soothing space too, so be sure to check them out.
Harvey prefers light purple walls in "his" bedroom.