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• colour crush
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How to pick the perfect colour for your bedroom

Picking the perfect colour palette for any room is often a daunting task but crucial when scheming a bedroom. As with every room in your home you need to start thinking of the feeling you want to create as undoubtedly this will affect what colour palette you choose. In this post I take you through a few key colour options, and using the theory of Colour Psychology, help you pick the right one for you and enhance that feel good feeling. Since discovering the total game changing powers of Colour Psychology, and running courses for interior designers on how to use it to stream line the design process, I’m up for everyone getting their colour palette spot on. It makes it so easy to pull a scheme together and makes a room feel brilliant.

BLUE

This has to be one of my favourite hues for bedrooms as it’s so restful and calming. It’s a soothing hue that has a lovely clear clarity to it too. Picking your right tone though can be a mind field. Personally like to err on the warmer shades of blue (because I’m a Spring Autumn Colour personality!) but on a practical level beware that cool blues can feel chilly. Maybe  spare these hues for a sunny south facing room that needs cooling down. Otherwise pick a rich teal, soft duck egg if you want to warm cool room up. My personal choice is a deep blue with a bit of red in it like Lazuli which is what I’ve used for my recent bed linen range for Secret Linen Store. The lighter tones appear more serene and reflective but then the deep bottom of the pool blues can feel so deliciously dramatic and cosseting. Blues also pair up really well with hints warmer tones like coral, pink and yellow which is what I’ve done here.

Dazzling blue 100% linen by Sophie Robinson for Secret linen store

RED

Not a popular choice for bedrooms as it’s a high-energy colour that can feel agitating and aggressive if it’s too full on all-over-the-walls. However theirs no denying it’s connotations with all things oo-er sexy so if you want an element of the boudoir in your bedroom a hint of red might just be the cheeky hint you need. Instead I’d maybe look at the warmer deeper tones of red like burgundy or claret. Dare I say it reds that appear more brown. They feel more sensuous than kiss me quick sexy. This image below works well as the velvet button upholstery bigs up the sensuous feel while the cool grey blue on the walls stops it feeling suffocating. Ravishing!

Knightsbridge double bed in Pumice house basket weave, sofa.com

PINK

Unlike red pink is the perfect colour for bedrooms. The soft warm fleshy tones are the most flattering wall colour for, err, viewing oneself in the nude don’t you know! From a colour psychology perspective pink is all things nurturing, soothing, intimate and reassuring. I think the blush tones have a real touch of glamour although its feminine connotations can make it a total no go for men. Just call it a nude neutral, tell him it’ll make you look hot in the buff, and see how you get on. I think it looks lovely with more masculine tones like navy or grey so you could always get around it that way

Walls painted in Nevada 6 by Dulux. Holly bed in midnight by Button and Sprung. Breaking dawn lamp by Anna Jacobs.

YELLOW

Generally I don’t think yellow is a great choice for bedrooms. Rolled out on all four walls and it’s going to make you look sallow. Not a look anyone is channeling I’m sure. Also like red it’s a very upbeat and energising colour so not conducive to rest. So unless you want to get out of bed with a hop skip and a jump then yellow is best avoided. However it’s a very positive feel good colour so I think it makes a good accent. For example a yellow headboard will give the room a cheering vibe but you don’t have to look at it when you are actually relaxing in bed. Team with cool blues or soft greys to balance the look.

Rose King Size Divan in Bespoke Zimmer and Rhode Saga Velvet Fabric by Button and Sprung

ORANGE

Think of soft peach, coral, and apricot and you can see how orange could create a very soft, warm and positive bedroom scheme. Another passionate colour it’s possibly more effective if you go for the pinker tones of orange rather than the red. It can also be a really luxurious hue. Just think of Hermes packaging with a sharp hint of charcoal grey to make a room feel special.

Orange wall painted in Charlottes Locks by Farrow and Ball. IStyled and designed by Sophie Robinson for Ideal Home.

GREEN

Green is the Doctor Feelgood of the colour spectrum. The colour of Mother Nature it always imbues the feel good vibes. It’s a great color for rest and recuperation and can bring a real sense of balance and wellness to a scheme. Again I’d be wary of using too much green in any room scheme, as it can quickly appear stagnant. Not so great for getting out of bed in the morning! Instead freshen it up with crisp white or make it feel pretty with its perfect partner pink.

Bug Print Bedding Set, Watercolour stripe bed set, all Marks & Spencer

PURPLE

This should be a real contender for bedrooms. In terms of colour psychology it communicates luxury on the deeper end of the spectrum and spirituality when you get towards violets. It’s a bit of a marmite colour for most that dips in and out of fashion but currently lilac is very de rigour and the bedroom could be the perfect place for it. In my mind it can err towards tacky so keep purple classy and only invest in quality to stop it looking down market. And no crushed velvet anywhere!

Floral print duvet cover and basic percale duvet cover, Zara Home

GREY

Still such a popular decorating colour grey is the go to neutral for many schemes. Its paler tones can make for a very sophisticated bedroom while the deeper ‘Downpipe’ shades can look robust and dramatic. Grey can look instantly chic and is easy to pull together. On the downside it can look flat and lifeless. I think it works best when teamed with other colours. Be that a sharp slice of black and white to add clarity and definition of softened with an accent colour like pink, yellow or purple. Also like any neutral scheme consider pepping it up with plenty of texture and metallic’s. Both gold’s and chrome metallic’s work equally well with grey.

Andes Deco upholstered bed, West Elm

WHITE

The colour of purity one would think this is an obvious choice for bedrooms. In it’s purest form I would say it’s too stark and could actually feel rather draining. In science terms white is all the colours reflected back at you and consequently rather exhausting to look at. Instead if you want that fresh and pure look consider an off white. There are too many to mention here but my go-to is the designer paint brands who are experts at mixing the right whites for our North European light. That all said there’s nothing more alluring than some clean crisp white cotton sheets.

Wall in Bedford Square wallpaper and Portland Stone Pale, Little Greene

BLACK

The clichéd teenage Goths bedroom just got universally acceptable. Thanks in part no doubt to designer Abigail Ahern and her fearless approach to decorating on the dark side people have been daubing their walls inky dark shades up and down the land. It’s a gutsy approach to decorating and only really works when you go all out, ceilings floors and all. It makes a great space to be enjoyed at night with plenty of subtle mood lighting. Just good luck finding your socks in the morning!

Panelled wall in Railings Estate Eggshell, Farrow & Ball

For more insight and priceless pearls of wisdom on how to concoct your own knock out colour schemes join me for one of my sell out Colour workshops. Totally geared towards helping you formulate your own unique colour palette that’s perfect for you and your home, I take you through my creative processes on how to decorate powerfully.  I’m hosting my next event in London on the 2^nd October. You can book your spot here