5 Calming Colours for a Restful Bedroom
Stressed? Can't sleep? Consider one of these cool, soothing hues for your walls
Jennifer Ott
17 March 2019
San Francisco-based architectural color specialist and design writer. Jennifer's work has been featured in many print and online publications. Her recently-published book, "1000 Ideas for Color Schemes," is a beautifully illustrated and easy-to-navigate guide that takes the guesswork out of selecting the perfect color palette for your home or special event. For more information on Jennifer Ott Design, visit http://jenottdesign.com/.
San Francisco-based architectural color specialist and design writer. Jennifer's... More
One of the easiest ways to create a calming, cozy and intimate/romantic vibe in the bedroom is through colour. Here we focus on a handful of hues that can bring a peaceful quality to your bedroom and help you sleep and unwind better.
For a relaxing atmosphere in your bedroom, look to cooler hues – shades of grey, blue, green and purple – to lend a hand. These colours have been shown to reduce stress and anxiety. They can also make a space seem more expansive, so they’re a great choice if your bedroom is on the smaller side.
1. Dark grey-blue
Of course, soothing needn’t equal boring. One of my favourite colours for bedroom walls is a dark grey-blue. It’s dramatic but still retains a calm, cool and collected vibe. If you have concerns about introducing such a deep colour to your room, think about how you can break it up with a large piece of artwork or decorative headboard.
1. Dark grey-blue
Of course, soothing needn’t equal boring. One of my favourite colours for bedroom walls is a dark grey-blue. It’s dramatic but still retains a calm, cool and collected vibe. If you have concerns about introducing such a deep colour to your room, think about how you can break it up with a large piece of artwork or decorative headboard.
To help bounce light around a room that has dark grey-blue walls, inject plenty of white elements and perhaps go for a classic bright white ceiling. One of the best ways to warm up a cool colour palette is to include warm-hued materials such as wood plus natural fibres like sisal, sea grass and jute.
2. Soft grey
For a lighter option, consider soft grey. Rooms with pure white walls and ceilings can sometimes have a cold and stark feeling. By adding a bit of grey tint to one or the other, you still get a light and bright space, but the slight contrast between the grey and the white gives a more finished and less institutional look.
See how these 7 spaces shine because of grey
For a lighter option, consider soft grey. Rooms with pure white walls and ceilings can sometimes have a cold and stark feeling. By adding a bit of grey tint to one or the other, you still get a light and bright space, but the slight contrast between the grey and the white gives a more finished and less institutional look.
See how these 7 spaces shine because of grey
This bedroom could easily pass for a high-end hotel room. The soft grey wall colour is the perfect background to the darker grey elements. Even though this space is chock-full of cool hues, it doesn’t feel impersonal.
3. Icy blue
In the quest for colours that soothe and relax, I always recommend turning to nature for inspiration. One such hue is the colour of the sky on a crisp, clear day. This is one of my favourite bedroom shades for folks who want something a little more colourful than grey but don’t want anything too dark. Look for a light blue with just a hint of grey to avoid a pastel baby blue that’s more appropriate for a nursery.
In the quest for colours that soothe and relax, I always recommend turning to nature for inspiration. One such hue is the colour of the sky on a crisp, clear day. This is one of my favourite bedroom shades for folks who want something a little more colourful than grey but don’t want anything too dark. Look for a light blue with just a hint of grey to avoid a pastel baby blue that’s more appropriate for a nursery.
Because of the touch of grey, icy blue can serve as a neutral in your palette, so you can pair it with almost any other colour you like. If your goal is to create a restful feeling in the space, combine the hue with other neutrals such as chocolate brown or warm greys and taupes, as shown here.
Wondering what colour you should paint your bedroom walls?
Wondering what colour you should paint your bedroom walls?
4. Soft neutral green
Think sage, celery or a light pistachio hue. These are also colours taken from nature, and being surrounded by them while inside your home can elicit feelings of serenity and contentment. What I like about these greens is that you can go with a barely there whisper of colour, and it still feels grounded and elegant and not at all pastel. Again, the trick is to find a green that has a good bit of grey in it.
Think sage, celery or a light pistachio hue. These are also colours taken from nature, and being surrounded by them while inside your home can elicit feelings of serenity and contentment. What I like about these greens is that you can go with a barely there whisper of colour, and it still feels grounded and elegant and not at all pastel. Again, the trick is to find a green that has a good bit of grey in it.
While the previous soft neutral green has warm undertones, this one is a bit cooler. Both look wonderful with medium to dark woods.
Check out these tried and tested colours for your walls
Check out these tried and tested colours for your walls
5. Lavender
This isn’t your teenager’s purple bedroom. A muted lavender wall colour is a sophisticated option for a master bedroom. Purple hues are thought to be stress-reducing, so this super soft one is sure to lend a calming aura. It’s definitely a chilly hue, though, so think about how you can counter that coolness with warm wood floors or a warm-hued carpet.
This isn’t your teenager’s purple bedroom. A muted lavender wall colour is a sophisticated option for a master bedroom. Purple hues are thought to be stress-reducing, so this super soft one is sure to lend a calming aura. It’s definitely a chilly hue, though, so think about how you can counter that coolness with warm wood floors or a warm-hued carpet.
To ensure a grown-up atmosphere, try pairing lavender with dark greys and blacks. It also sings when partnered with silver tones, as shown here.
Read more:
Bedroom Colour: The Secret to More Sex and More Sleep
Tell us:
Have a calming hue in your bedroom? Post a photo in the Comments below and share how it affects your mood.
Read more:
Bedroom Colour: The Secret to More Sex and More Sleep
Tell us:
Have a calming hue in your bedroom? Post a photo in the Comments below and share how it affects your mood.
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good one
Been researching this..interesting. Watch out if your suffer from S.A.D. Color choice is very important..need some warmth.. In that case most of the above colors would be hell in winter. Most of those colors are too cool in tone for me and cool tones are heading "out" fairly fast. More warm tones in color coming in..seeing lots of yellow lately?? Apple green?
They did research in Britain and this is what they found were the colors that produced the most sleep among 2000 people. #1. Aqua/Azure #2. Yellow!! #3. Green #4. Orange(warms and relaxes muscles) and the color that produced the least amount of sleep=Purple!!! Pretty interesting..
I'm having a hard time feeling restful in my bedroom. Pale periwinkle or it could be too many windows and I need curtains/drapes etc. it is a big room. It needs too feel more cozy. Onward in my search.
I want to interior home from front