Picking out bedroom colours can be as easy as heading down to B&Q and selecting a few swatches to try at home, but it's easy to get things wrong and waste money on a tin of paint that looked great in a small patch but not so much everywhere else.

Super bright and bold shades like intense reds, magentas, and royal blues may look cool, but they create a visual tension that makes it harder to chill out. Save those for other rooms.

On the flip side, very cold colours like stark greys, blacks, and other dark shades can make your bedroom feel unfriendly rather than warm and inviting.

Plain white seems like an easy default, but it can come across as cold, bland, and impersonal on bedroom walls. If you love white, consider using it on just 1-3 walls and livening things up with an accent colour to add visual interest.

Colours to Consider

Neutral tones are a timeless choice that emits a sense of calm and cosiness. Think soft beiges, caramels, taupe, and gentle earthy shades. Our picks: Lick 02 Brown for a mid-tone neutral or Soho Farmhouse for something lighter.


Pictured: Recommended earthy sample colours from Lick.com

Aquas and blues are naturally soothing and tranquil, making them one of the most popular bedroom colours. We love Farrow & Ball Selvedge (pastel blue) for a stunning light blue-green or Dulux Ink Well for a moodier affair.


Pictured: Recommended blue sample colours from Dulux and Farrow and Ball (pastel blue).

Orange probably isn't the first colour you think of for bedrooms, but muted clay-like shades and soft creamsicle tints can add warmth and cheer – check out Lick Orange 04 Eggshell and Farrow & Ball No 64. Red Earth.



Pictured: Recommended warmth sample colours from Farrow and Ball (red earth) and Lick.com.

Start With Your Bed

Your bed frame dictates what colours will work in your bedroom because it's the biggest piece of furniture. Black bed frames call for lighter wall colours and vice versa, while brass bed frames do well with strong, neutral textures.

Pictured: Birlea Atlas 4FT 6 Double Metal Bed Frame – Black. Priced £249 (50% OFF at Bedstar).

If you have a bed frame in rich espresso wood or white or cream, lighter wall colours can help balance things out and keep your bedroom from feeling too heavy. On the other hand, if your bed is a pale wood or a breezy upholstered style in a light fabric, deeper wall colours can add nice contrast and visual interest.

Pictured: Bedmr Chester 4FT 6 Double Wooden Bed Frame. Priced £329 (Save £114 on RRP with Bedstar).

Use the 60-30-10 Rule

The hardest part about picking out the perfect bedroom colour scheme is finding the right balance. Even if you pick out the most sumptuous colour, it can get lost in a sea of neutrals or overpower everything else.

Our favourite trick to keep everything on point is with the 60-30-10 colour rule where 60% of your room is a dominant colour like bright yellow, 30% is a secondary colour like charcoal grey, and the last 10% is an accent colour like mint green.

Mood and Ambience

Colours evoke different emotions and moods - blues and greens have calming and relaxing effects, making them ideal for a bedroom, while yellow and orange can create a warm and cosy feel perfect for the winter months.

Giving your bedroom a dark backdrop with a charcoal grey feature wall is perfect if you have a light bed frame or bright upholstery to create a sophisticated vibe. You can then add more personality with colourful décor and wall art.

Pictured: The 60/30/10 rule, bedroom interior design colour concept, Bedstar.

Consider Lighting

Colours change under different lighting conditions. The most obvious example is the difference in colour between artificial and natural light, but you can also get very different tones with different light bulbs.

If your bedroom gets a lot of natural light, there's no risk of darker colours creating a miserable space. If your bedroom gets little natural light, lighter colours can help brighten up the space without much effort.

Complementary Textures

Smooth and rough textures go together beautifully – think smooth velvet and jute rugs, basket weave curtains and chalk paint. Rough textures add visual depth to smooth walls and ceilings to give your bedroom a stylish atmosphere.

You can also combine colours and textures with wallpaper and install décor so that it catches the sun's light in interesting ways at different times of the day.

*Collaborative post