7 Bedroom Paint Color Trends to Try, From Calm Blues to Warm Reds and Yellows

We spoke to interior paint experts to learn what colors are going to be big in the bedroom this year.

Red Earth color painted on bedroom wall
Photo:

Farrow & Ball

Bedrooms are rarely just for sleeping anymore: They often play multiple roles as a reading room, home office, landing space, and even workout area. But using paint to define your space—whether you opt for a rich, warm color that inspires a cocoon-like atmosphere (just right for a good night's sleep!) or create a palette of complementary hues for different functions—can make this hard-working room one of your most stylish.

"Defining spaces that are used at different times has become increasingly important so that we can change the mood at the end of our working day," says Joa Studholme, color curator at Farrow and Ball. Keep this in mind if you're planning on giving your bedroom a makeover in 2024—and be sure to bookmark the defining paint colors and must-try accent techniques that will dominate the design world this year.

Calming Blues

bedroom paint colors

Rebecca McAlpin / Design: Michelle Gage Interior Design

Blue is having a major moment this year—several different paint companies used various shades of blue as their 2024 color of the year. Blues can be calming and tranquil, which is perfect for your bedroom space. There are also so many shades to try—from a more traditional blue like Benjamin Moore's Newbury Port Blue featured in this bedroom to a brighter option like Benjamin Moore's Santa Monica Blue.

Sunny Shades

Mock up poster, mustard color bedroom interior with patterned bed, Bohemian style
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Create a warm atmosphere in your room—almost literally—with shades inspired by crackling fires and soothing sunsets. "We still want soothing bedrooms, but there's a need for warmth and refuge," says Annie Sloan, creator of Chalk Paint. "Bedrooms are getting cozier, so look at gentle firelight colors which will glow through winter mornings and reflect summer sunsets fabulously."

Choose earthy, desert-inspired red-tinged shades like Riad Terracotta, Sloan says, for a "sunshiney" space. Or any cozy color "that feels like a hug," she says.

Neutrals With Warm Undertones

Abstract black oil painting in frame on empty beige wall of cozy bedroom
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If you aren't ready to embrace bolder tones, look for neutrals with warm undertones. "The transformative power of neutral shades can be leveraged on their own to create monochromatic looks, or can be paired with pops of color to personalize any space," says Erika Woelfel, vice president of color and creative services at Behr. "For example, paired with cool tones, the warmth of Blank Canvas creates balance in restful spaces, such as bathrooms and bedrooms. Other great neutral choices are Tranquil Gray and Even Better Beige, a versatile neutral that imparts a warm, distinctive feeling wherever it's used."

Nicole Gibbons, founder of Clare, says clients gravitate toward calming colors, like Chill, in their primary bedroom. "In bedrooms, pretty consistently, people want them to feel really calming—people want their bedrooms to feel like a sanctuary," she says.

Warm Colors on Ceilings and Structural Details

deep yellow painted ceiling

Michael Mundy

Since you don't spend as much waking time in the bedroom as you do in a shared space, like the living room or kitchen, accenting woodwork and other architectural elements in your personal oasis with paint can add personality without feeling overwhelming—plus, it's an ideal way to test out new-to-you colors, says Sloan. "Warm colors splashed on structural details—dado rails, painted ceilings, and painted cornicing—will help you play more confidently with less traditional bedroom shades, like earthy Carnaby Yellow," she says.

Richer Shades for Back Walls

Modern interior of bedroom with colored wall
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The popularity of accent walls in other rooms may be declining, but they will always be a feature that works especially well in the bedroom, say our experts. "Although the fashion for the feature wall has waned, for those who are wary of using stronger colors in the bedroom, it is best to paint the wall behind your bed in a stronger tone," says Studholme. "This grounds the room and means you don't have to look at it when you are in bed!"

Gibbons also sees Clare customers pairing complementary shades to create their own unique palettes—like Turbinado alongside Like Buttah. "[It creates] a very neutral space, but warmer, richer shades on the back wall give a little more depth and richness," she says.

Nature-Inspired Reds and Greens

Red Earth color painted on bedroom wall

Farrow & Ball

Using deeper tones in your bedroom can help shift your mindset at the end of the day, says Studholme. "Most of us prefer to be in light rooms during the day and darker spaces in the evening or night, subconsciously working with the natural light," she says. "Warm and earthy colors like Red Earth and Card Room Green will be very popular in bedrooms for those who like to embrace dark, womb-like shades—especially when taken over the ceiling."

These colors are warm, welcoming, and surprisingly easy to live with, says Studhome—they allow for rest and rejuvenation, add intimacy, and connote comfort. One caution: If you opt for a deeper color on the walls or ceiling, avoid bright, contrasting trim that can interrupt the serenity of your space. For these structural elements, a tonal companion shade is best.

More-Vibrant Accent Shapes

Pastel blue, pink and orange bedding on double bed in chic bedroom interior
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Instead of painting an entire wall, employ your accent color more intentionally. "Use earthy tones on the baseboards and the bottom 3 feet of the wall, leaving your existing color above," says Studholme. "You will benefit from the new colors when you are lying down, but it will be way below the eyeline when standing up—so much easier to live with! If you have a white room, then you could just use new delicate Tailor Tack, which makes for a warmer space."

Another rising trend is painted shapes, says Gibbons. "People do lots of arches behind the bed," she says. "In those micro-moments—where it's not even the whole wall, but more like a shape—we're seeing more vibrant color."

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