I think it’s fair to say that most of us reading this blog are adults (or so says our birth certificates even if our minds “partially” disagree:)) So because of this likely fact, I think that wanting your home to feel like it’s an “adult space” especially when it comes to the master bedroom, is pretty relatable. That’s not to say that adding in whimsical and even child-like elements isn’t highly encouraged (we are the “let’s get weird” blog after all). So since we are here to teach, the easiest and most cost-effective way to get your adult space in order is by choosing the right bedroom paint color. And for this post we actually mean color.
Just so we’re clear, this is not a post that is going to condemn white walls because in the right room white walls can be magical. BUT what if you are craving something more for your bedroom? What if you want to create an oasis of color, be it moody or light/fresh? Now THAT is what this post is here for.
You may notice that the yellows, reds, and oranges of the color wheel are not in this post (even though we of course encourage and do not discriminate against them). But, in our experience and in our little bit of research, cooler tones simply tend to be more calming and don’t you want to be calm in your bedroom? I think so.
Now, to make sure we were giving you the best info possible for you to make an educated paint decision, I scoured the internet and Instagram to find the colors we love in actual bedrooms (well mostly bedrooms). Because a simple paint blob on a graphic doesn’t quite cut it. Let’s dive into these colors, starting with the most natural of them all – green.
Green Bedroom Paint Colors
Mizzle – Farrow & Ball
Everyone in the office immediately fell for this very light, cool mint paint color as soon as they saw the post (also one of this year’s color trends). So I guess there’s no need to continue. JK. This is just the beginning, my friends. I love this soothing color being the accent wall in this room because of how subtle and neutral it is, but I also think it would be so pretty on all four of those walls. Options, people!
Highland – Portola Paint & Glazes
This room is a SHOWSTOPPER and you all agreed when Julie featured it last year. But the quiet hero of this space is that muted, calm green roman clay. The color helps to softly ground the space and because of its plaster-like finish it creates so much visual texture
Roman clay is not really paint but actually a plaster-like finish. So unless you have experience or like a good ole fashion DIY challenge, hiring a professional is encouraged.
Calke Green – Farrow & Ball
For those you looking for a more “happy” and saturated green paint color, let me introduce you to this wonderful hue. Aside from my initial love of that integrated sconce action, I love that this green makes this otherwise very modern master bedroom, playful. It’s all about balance.
Oakmoss – Sherwin-Williams
Ok I know this is a kid’s room and we are trying to be very adult in this post but that color is too good to not mention. It’s both a little moody and happy. The perfect muted forest green. Also, I still can’t get over that ceiling.
Rainy Afternoon – Benjamin Moore
When I first saw this photo, I physically felt the need to immediately curl up with a book and a cup of tea while wearing softest pajamas ever and never leave this bed. If you are looking for a rich, moody green then here you are. Cozy accessories sold separately.
Warm Bedroom Paint Colors aka Blush
Tissue Pink – Benjamin Moore
Again I know this isn’t a “bedroom” but if cooler-toned paint colors aren’t your thing then consider this delightful, pale blush. It’s both modern and warm and I dare you to wake up unhappy.
Setting Plaster – Farrow & Ball
Or if you wanted a deeper, “modern” dusty blush then this one is perfect. It looks like the paint equivalent to a warm hug (but one that’s still neutral enough for everyday life).
Odessa Pink – Benjamin Moore
This calm, warm bedroom went viral a few years ago because it’s basically a tonal lover’s minimalist’s dream. I myself still love it and the paint color as much as I did when I first laid my eyes on it. I also wanted to add it because it’s a similar but much more affordable option to the setting plaster color:) Everyone wins.
Grey and Black Bedroom Paint Colors
Sleigh Bells – Benjamin Moore
You may recognize this bedroom from the Orcondo days and when I was looking back I couldn’t help but ogle over the soft grey (almost green) paint color. It looks like how a spa feels.
Railings – Farrow & Ball
This very beautiful and luxe color is one we have loved for some time now. Check out this wall paneling post to see what I mean. But as luck would have it, the craftsman house we just featured has it all over as the perfect accent color. It’s one of those soft blacks that screams sophistication.
Iron Mountain – Benjamin Moore
When I saw this color on Remodelista I knew I had to include it. Iron Mountain is a slightly warmer (brown undertones) version of Railings. So if you want to go dark and moody but a little warm then this is your guy.
Blue Bedroom Paint Colors
Marquee Myth – Behr
Grey-blue I can’t quit you! Rhymes aside this color is heaven. Moody without being too dark and mature without being stuffy. Can you say EHD approved?
Dark Night – Sherwin-Williams
This color is for the true blue lover (especially if you follow in Sarah Sherman Samuel’s footsteps and go the tonal route). I also love that it almost has a hint of dark teal in there. The only word that really comes to mind is delicious. If there was ever a sexy bedroom, this would be it.
Hague Blue – Farrow & Ball
This blue is our tried and true (that’s the last of the rhyming, I promise). My eyes can’t get enough. The color is so beautiful that you don’t even need art. The color is the masterpiece of this master bedroom. And in case you wanted to know where we have used it here you go: The Reading Nook | The Final Big Kitchen Makeover Post | My Best Friend’s Los Feliz Home (the dining room)
French Beret – Benjamin Moore
Last but certainly not least is this moody dark grey-blue. This stunning room was designed by the incredibly talented William Hunter Collective and then styled and staged by us. So we can attest that this color in both pictures and in person is stunning. Only very coolest adults could handle this color:)
Ok, soooo I think it’s about time to get painting, no? I hope that if you were thinking of upgrading your bedroom and painting it into the relaxing oasis you deserve, that you are fully on board now. Remember that paint can and will transform your space. The best part is that if it’s not right then it’s just paint and you can always try another color:)
Love you, mean it.
Want more paint posts? We’ve really got you: 15 of Our Absolute Favorite Go-To White & Gray Paint Colors | 12 Bold Blue and Green Paint Colors We’ve Tested (& Approved) So You Don’t Have To | My Go-To Neutral Paint Colors | My Favorite Non-Neutral Paint Colors | Are We Done With Gray? We Explore + A “How Do You Pick The ‘Right’ Gray Paint” Tutorial | Shop Our Favorite Pastel Paint Colors (For Grown-Ups) | My 10 Go-To Paint Colors | 2019 Paint Color Trends | Painting Soon? Here’s a Crash Course on Paint Finishes So You Get It Right the First Time | Trend Alert (?) Is The Accent Ceiling The New Accent Wall? | The Painted Trim
Love these ideas and am inspired to finally paint my bedroom a dark and moody blue! But what does that mean for the rest of the house? How do I create a feeling of harmony if I’m making a bold color choice in one room?
Good question! I wonder as well. It might flow if you had the color in a pattern of a throw pillow and vase in the adjoining room. Or maybe that shock of opening the door into a completely different space is okay.
Beth has the right idea! If you are worried about flow then you can pull from the color palette of your overall home. But really if the room isn’t a part of an open plan space then we say go for it. We love the surprise of a moody room:)
Check your spelling: HAGUE blue by Farrow and Ball
fixed! thanks for bringing that to our attention 🙂
Oh wow. French Beret is so beautiful and rich. I would have leaned toward contrasting bedding initially, but I love the monochrome look you guys achieved.
The color is truly so awesome and the design team nailed it on the monochrome. Every time is see it I consider doing the same thing in my room.
Seems like the links at the end of the article are broken.
Thank you for letting us know! Launching a new site is full of fun new discoveries every day 🙂 Our tech team is on it now.
My dining room is painted Railings and it’s just extremely cool. Everyone loves it IRL!
Thanks for the personal rec!
Does anyone know if Farrow and Ball colors can be matched at paint stores with cheaper $/gallon outcomes?
Well, any color can be color-matched at a large home improvement store that sells paint. But we will say from personal experience that the quality of the physical Farrow & Ball paint is nearly unmatched. I know the price tag is hefty but if you can swing it you won’t regret it.
Definitely. I’ve had their colors put into other paints before (I think SW both times). As far as I can tell the color has stayed true.
You could probably buy a Farrow and Ball samples, paint a sample board with it and ask for it to be matched?
Yes. The clerk in the paint store can look it up. I’ve used Farrow and Ball paints a few times but actually found the quality to be less than the Benjamin Moore Aura line.
BM’s Aura line is good but compared to F&B, particularly when it is not that much cheaper than F&B, no contest. The color looks like plastic compared to the depth of F&B and you need to use a lot more to get the same coverage. I painted apartments for picky NYer’s through grad school, I could write a dissertation on the subject.
Agree with Jess. Of course they can match F&B colors but there is no comparison in paint quality. F&B is superior, its chalk base reflects light differently throughout the day, looks better and lasts longer. I think it works out to be cheaper than less expensive paint because I use less, particularly when I tint the primer.
This post has such perfect timing! We’re remodeling and will be painting 3 bedrooms soon. AND I was actually thinking of a dark green for the master and a light blush pink for one of the guest rooms! Now I’m eyeing Rainy Afternoon and Tissue Pink HARD.
That’s awesome! I am also SO into Tissue Pink which is shocking. I never thought I’d even consider a pink color but I have been #emfluenced
I am head over heels in love with “Rainy Afternoon.” Thank you for introducing us. Absolutely loved this post.
I love all of this except for the “love you mean it” at the end. I cringe every time I read this closing. Great article otherwise though!
In love with all of these bold choices ? it’s like music to my eyes ? I’m so indecisive when it comes to finding a paint color, it’s ridiculous ??♀️
Sleigh Bells is similar to the color we recently painted our master (Stone White by Glisten). I kept decorations and other colors minimal (completely different from the rest of the house), and it is an absolute respite.
I would *love* to incorporate the blush color into my daughter’s room. It’s the perfect ballet pink!
Long time lurker here, hoping to soon redecorate the master bedroom of my 1920s home (first time home buyer right here—let’s hope the furnace and water heater behave a while longer so I can do fun stuff!). Any thoughts on a monochrome bedroom that incorporates purple? I can’t figure out whether blue, grey, or blush tones provide the right backdrop.
I love them all to be honest. Blues, greens, blushes, greys… they all work so well in a bedroom. I have a preference for dark moody colours though – I feel like the whole room embraces you then. Rainy Afternoon, Railings and Dark Night are definitely my favourites.
Have a lovely day.
Renaud
http://blogbyrenaud.wordpress.com
Putting in votes for Inchyra Blue (F&B)- a dark/stormy teal blue, Pink Ground (F&B), a dusty blush pink, Coastal Cottage (BM)- a beige-y peach.
Boy oh boy, these are all so great. I can attest that Mizzle is so so calming. We painted my fiance’s office that color and it’s beautiful.
Also, that Rainy Afternoon looks INCREDIBLE as an exterior paint color (at least in the photos on Benjamin Moore’s website). May have to consider when we eventually repaint our house! Give me allllll the greens 🙂
All great depending on your art, curtain & duvet colors. In art school we learned there are no “ugly” colors because there is always a complement. Painting my bedroom now with Crepe (a deep butternut) from Glidden Premium/PPG which finishes beautifully and has a lower price point if you’ve got a lot of walls to cover. I love how medium to dark tones make the light colors pop! Very aesthetically satisfying!