Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 3: Find a starting point
• Method 2 of 3: Choosing a color family
• Method 3 of 3: Try different techniques
• Tips

Choosing the perfect paint color for your bedroom may seem a bit tricky. Fortunately, you can make the decision easier by thinking about the environment you want to create in your room and then choosing a color that evokes that feeling. You may be able to choose a shade of blue if you want a cozy, calming room, or you may go for yellow if you want a more cheerful atmosphere. Start by looking for style inspiration and then choose a color family and shade. You can also try different painting techniques to make your room pop!

To step

Method 1 of 3: Find a starting point

1. Search online or in magazines for pictures to determine your style. When you're overwhelmed by an endless array of color choices, create an inspiration board. Either you collect pictures from design magazines and paste them on a whiteboard or pin board, or you use a website like Pinterest to save pictures you find while browsing. Once you have collected about 10-15 images, choose the colors you see most often to make your decision easier.
   • You often notice that you are constantly drawn to similar pictures. If your inspiration board is very varied, you might want to go for a neutral paint color, then check out flea markets, thrift stores, and home improvement stores for unique, fun art and wall decorations.
2. Base your color scheme on your furniture for a cohesive look. Unless you're decorating your bedroom from scratch, it's a good idea to look at your furniture, bedding, and decorations that you already have when choosing a color of paint. For example, if you have a painting in your bedroom that you love, you might want to take a subtle hue from the painting as inspiration for your walls. You can also use colors from other dominant pieces like your rug, your comforter, and choose paint colors to match those shades.
   • You will often find that it is easier to match your paint color to the things you already have than to try and buy new things that match your paint.
   • Introducing a brand new color that doesn't match your furniture may make your bedroom too busy or chaotic. The color of your wall does not have to match your furniture exactly, but it must be a smooth whole.
   • For example, if you have white furniture, you can choose serene colors like light blue or lavender to complement the calm feeling. With brown furniture you can consider a beige color wall.

   Did you know this? If you have a small bedroom, choosing light colors can make the space feel bigger. If your room is larger, dark colors can help create a more cozy and intimate atmosphere.

   
   
3. Choose neutral colors if you want to focus on your furniture and decor. Neutral colors are white, gray and light brown, although very light shades of other colors can also be included, such as green, yellow, pink and blue. Neutral colors usually fade into the background, so they are great for creating a subtle atmosphere. You can then use your furnishings, bedding and decorations to add color to your room.
   • For example, if you have dark wood furniture, you can paint your walls a warm beige and look for bedding in a warm floral pattern that you really like. Then you can add a cool rug, curtains and art in colors that reflect the hues in the bedding to get a cozy and cheerful feeling.
   • If you prefer a more modern bedroom, you can paint your room a sophisticated gray and then furnish it with industrial-inspired furniture and little-but-striking decorations. However, you can also use colors like teal, lavender, and yellow to brighten up the room and make it cozier.
   • You can use soft white bedding and natural tones to transform white walls into an inviting and romantic atmosphere, or you can use the white background as a strong contrast for bold art and patterned bedding.
4. Don't use colors that are too overpowering in your bedroom. Primary colors and too strong color nuances can be overwhelming in a bedroom. It is better to use colors that have been softened a little, such as red with a gray or blue tone mixed with a little white. Then you can apply brighter colors to the rest of your decoration, such as your bedding or whatever you hang on the wall.
   • For example, instead of using bright red in your room, you can opt for a slightly darker shade of ruby ​​red for a more sophisticated look.

Method 2 of 3: Choosing a color family

1. Paint your room blue to make it feel like a peaceful escape from the world. Blue is a soothing color, so it's perfect for helping you unwind at the end of a long day. Choose light blue and aqua blue for a carefree, calming atmosphere, or choose medium to deep blue shades for a calmer feel.
   • For example, you can paint your walls a soft blue-green color, then add warm wooden furniture and graphic black and white prints for a timeless, fresh room.
   • If you have a bold, sophisticated and modern style, paint 3 of your walls in a sand color and then add a navy blue accent. Contrast that with copper wall cladding and an industrial lamp.
2. Choose green paint to create a nurturing atmosphere. Spending time in nature can be very relaxing and therefore painting your room green will make it very peaceful. Light green is perfect for creating an earthy background that will remind you of spring and renewal, medium green can make your room feel like a cozy escape, and deep green tones evoke the whimsical mood of the forest.
   • For example, you can paint your walls dark green and then brighten up the room with light wood furniture, white bedding, and wood and brass decorations.
   • Pale green is a perfect choice for a peaceful nature-themed nursery.
3. Play with soft shades of yellow for a cozy, happy bedroom. Golden tones create warmth, while pale tones open up the space and give the illusion of extra light. However, you should not use bright green-based yellows, which can be too dramatic as a color on your bedroom wall.
   • Using yellow on your walls is a great way to get you in a good mood at the end of the day and also energizes you when you wake up in the morning.
   • Paint your walls a sunny buff and then decorate with white, light brown and even fun bits of nature-based colors like teal or lilac.
4. Add passion with rich shades of red or orange. While painting your walls in such bright colors is certainly a bold choice, shades like burgundy and red-orange can stimulate warmth and passion in your bedroom. However, choose the shades wisely, as too red and orange shades are too energizing, making it difficult to sleep at night.
   • If you're concerned that using bold colors will be too overwhelming in your bedroom, consider painting a wall behind your bed in a red accent. You can then use a calming gray or light brown on the other walls to soften the effect.
   • Combine dark furnishings, bed linen and curtains with a rich red-orange for an atmospheric and refined effect.
   • These refreshing colors are a great choice if you have a hard time waking up in the morning as they give you an instant boost.
5. Use purple for a serene and romantic look. Painting your walls purple can make your bedroom feel vintage and romantic. Cooler purples, such as lilac and palm blue, are perfect if you want a peaceful, harmonious look, and warmer purples, such as magenta, lavender and aubergine, are more cheerful and eye-catching.
   • Deep purple colors look great paired with other jewel colors such as sapphire blue, emerald green and ruby ​​red.
   • Accentuate soft lilac walls with natural wood furnishings and areas of a cool, strong color like maroon to make your room feel fresh and comforting.

Method 3 of 3: Try different techniques

1. Paint an accent on a wall to give your walls depth and variety. If there's a color you love but is a little too intense to use throughout your bedroom, try painting just one wall in that color instead. You can paint the wall behind your bed, or choose a different wall, such as the side of your room with a closet or a window. Then choose a coordinating color for the rest of the walls.
   • An accent of magenta, for example, is perfectly complemented by sand-colored paint.
   • If your style is really bold, you might even be able to paint an all-black wall as an accent! Use metallic accents and bold colors to add contrast and movement.
   • You can even paint the accent wall a different value of the color on your other walls. For example, if your walls are light gray, you might want to choose a gray-blue accent wall for a monochrome look.
2. Paint the ceiling to add color to the room. Many people only think about the color on the walls, but you can also paint the ceiling of your bedroom to create a completely different atmosphere. Choose a color that goes well with the colors on your walls and don't use dark colors on your ceiling, as this can make your bedroom feel claustrophobic.
   • If you have a low ceiling, make it more spacious by painting it sparkling white or light blue.
   • If you have a high ceiling, you can create a warmer, more closed space by painting it one or two shades darker than the colors on your walls.
3. Paint samples before committing to a color. The lighting in your bedroom can make a color look dramatically different from the store's. Once you have 3 or 4 paint colors that you are considering buying, buy a small sample tin of each color and paint a 12 by 12 inch square on your wall. Then observe for a few days how the colors look at different times of the day with different light and then choose the color that you like best.
   • The lamps and lights you use in the room also affect how the walls look during the day.
   EXPERT TIP

   

   Katherine Tlapa

   
   
   Interior designer Katherine Tlapa is an interior designer and currently works as a design specialist for Modsy, a San Francisco-based design firm. She also has her own interior design blog called My Eclectic Grace. She received her bachelor's degree in interior design from Ohio University in 2016.

   Katherine Tlapa
   Interior designer

   Katherine Tlapa, interior designer, recommends: "Go to the paint shop and buy up to 6 samples. Paint blocks of 12 by 12 inches on your wall in the colors of the samples. From here you can delete colors and choose the color you like."

Tips

• Add depth with a decorative finish. Once you have your base paint on the wall, consider painting over it with textured paint or colored glaze. For example, mineral and metal finishes such as mica, copper, pewter, bronze, antique gold and antique silver can reflect light in a subtle yet effective way.
• You can also use paint as part of a decorative accent. Add a stripe to your wall or just paint the ceiling to give old colors some new life.
• Choose a matte paint, matte paint or satin paint if you paint yourself and you don't have much experience. Matte paint masks flaws, while high-gloss paint makes brush strokes and drops more visible.