Colors to avoid in a bedroom – 7 shades never to paint your sleep space
We are always asking designers and paint experts for their advice on the best colors for certain rooms, how to get the right tone for the lighting levels, the right shade for the size of room and all the color psychology behind choosing the perfect hue.
But it can be just as important to know what colors to avoid in a bedroom – for example, what colors are known to prevent sleep and relaxation or make a bedroom feel stark and cold? What shades will sap your energy of a morning or absorb all the natural light in the room?
We asked the experts what their no-go bedroom color ideas are when it comes to painting the space. Should we all be sticking with soft and gentle neutrals of can you go bolder with a magenta pink or vivid green? And what are the rules you should always play by when choosing the best bedroom colors?
7 COLORS TO AVOID IN A BEDROOM
Avoiding whole colors on the color wheel sounds a bit limiting right? And surely it all comes down to tastes and personality anyways? Which is totally true and why while some colors are a total no go when it comes to bedroom ideas (good luck to you trying to make a bright red work) it's actually more about shades and what shades are best avoided if you want to create a serene, calming sleep space.
As designer and founder of A New Day(opens in new tab) Andrew Griffith explains, ‘As with any room, when choosing a color you need to give careful consideration to which way it faces. This helps you understand the amount and type of light the space gets, and you can then choose shades that play into that.’
‘So if you’ve got a room with little light, avoid cool tones and either opt for something warm and light or lean into the lack of light with a dark and moody color.’
‘Bedrooms are a very personal space, there are no ‘wrong’ colors, but there will likely be colors that don’t work for how you want the space to feel. I find that people broadly fall into a camp of either wanting to wake up in a bright, light bedroom and those who really want a cozy, cocoon-type space to relax and escape to. Have a think about which of those you are, and plan colors that speak to that rather than jumping to a color you love on paper.’
So with that in mind, here are the shades to avoid and tips on what colors to opt for instead.
1. RED
Red was by far the most common color to avoid in a bedroom and while we have seen examples of it working it is a very tricky color to get right. Red by its very nature is invigorating, bold, brave and while we love it for all those reasons, it's not really the vibe you want to be going for in a bedroom.
Designer Marie Flanigan(opens in new tab) explains, ‘Colors to be avoided in a bedroom are often colors that don’t offer a sense of calm. Reds, oranges, and yellows are colors I tend to leave out of bedroom designs.’
‘Red paint in bedrooms can be a little too brothel and pure hot red won’t be conducive to a peaceful night’s sleep,’ explains color and paint expert Annie Sloan(opens in new tab). ‘Alternatively, a neutral bedroom scheme will give your room the illusion of being bigger and brighter, while creating a soothing space for sweet dreams and lazy Sunday mornings. To avoid a clinical look, introduce a disrupter color on a focal piece such as a bed frame. A burst of your favorite statement shade will add personality and really pop against the clean gallery-style backdrop.’
Want to make red work in your bedroom? Take note from this gorgeous cocooning space and opt for a terracotta tone paired with plenty of crisp clean whites.
2. YELLOW
Yellow is famed for its lovely sunny properties, and while we have seen it gaining traction in kitchens (the room where we believe all color experimentation should happen) it came up frequently as one to avoid in a bedroom. But as we have mentioned it does all come down to the shade you choose, we'd recommend avoiding those bold, very primary yellows as they won't help induce a calming, sleep-encouraging environment. Instead pick a soft, soothing creamy yellow as seen in this lovely bedroom designed by Albion Nord(opens in new tab).
‘As with every room in your home think about how it will respond to the natural light in your bedroom, if chilly & north facing err towards warmer tones, and remember, true yellows can be quite energetic so not necessarily what you want in a place of calm but if yellow is your thing, look towards browner caramel shades or deep ochres,’ explains Patrick O’Donnell of Farrow & Ball(opens in new tab).
It can work well when paired with other shades too, you just have to choose the right color that goes with yellow that will tone down its vivid properties, and yet you still get that lovely sunny warmth.
3. GREY
Shook. Grey is one of the most popular bedroom colors and yet designers often recommend avoiding it in a bedroom. Tash Bradley, color expert at Lick Home(opens in new tab) says that ‘when you wake up to a grey bedroom, it’s almost like waking up to a grey day every morning. It makes you not want to get out from underneath the covers. When I look out the window and see a grey day my energy levels slump so I avoid ever recommended grey in bedrooms.' Which of course makes total sense.
Helen Shaw, Director of Benjamin Moore(opens in new tab) agrees that there are ‘Three colors you should keep to accents only in a bedroom are red, yellow and – perhaps surprisingly, grey. Why? Well, red promotes energy, and interaction and can even raise our blood pressure, making sleep difficult; yellow is great for pops of color but not on every wall of a bedroom as it can over-stimulate the nervous system; and grey, although initially calming, will eventually sap energy.’
If you just can't part with your grey bedroom scheme, what we would recommend is opting for warmer, beige-toned greys and avoiding any shades that have a cool, blue undertone. Or as seen here, pair greys with warm brown tones and wooden accents.
4. BOLD BLUES
