Home Color Palettes & Paint The Dreamiest Bedroom Paint Colors for Creating a Soothing Escape By Katherine Owen Katherine Owen Katherine Owen is a writer and editor with a passion for home design. In her 10+ years of experience, she's covered everything from cozy Southern cottages to fresh farmhouses to sprawling mountain retreats. Her areas of expertise include home design and construction, gardening and pets. Her work has been featured in Southern Living, Birmingham Magazine, The Atlantic, Boulder Lifestyle, Log & Timber Home Living, and more. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on December 9, 2021 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos For many, the bedroom is the very first place you ever got to flex your design muscles. That first time you got to choose your own paint color was an early taste of tweenage freedom. Luckily, it's just as joyful as an adult. (Until you have to choose between 10 seemingly similar shades of white....) Plus, it's still the easiest, quickest, and often, cheapest way to update your space. A quick swipe of color on the wall (or even just the trim!) can transform a whole room. The best bedroom paint colors check multiple boxes. They express your personal style, they set the tone for restful relaxation, and they pull the whole scheme together. Whether you want to go bold with a deep blue or keep it breezy and bright with white, there's a plethora of perfectly good choices. With these shades by your side, sweet dreams are guaranteed. 01 of 20 Nautical Blues Photo: Max Kim-Bee; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas Designer Andrew Howard used Topsail (SW 6217) by Sherwin-Williams for the walls and All White (No. 2005) by Farrow & Ball for the trim and ceiling in this Florida bedroom. 02 of 20 Perfect Plum Hector Manuel Sanchez Natasha Lawler proves bold color belongs in the bedroom with a few coats of Bottle of Bordéaux (1357) by Benjamin Moore dressing the walls. See more of her Charlottesville, Virginia, home here. 03 of 20 Soothing Hues Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Liz Strong For our 2019 Idea House, designer Heather Chadduck Hillegas used Sherwin-Williams (9136) Lullaby on the walls and Sherwin-Williams' (7757) High Reflective White on the trim to create a soothing oasis in the guest bedroom. Find more neutral paint ideas here. 04 of 20 Luxe Lavender Benjamin Moore If you're looking for a lavender that's just right, designer Margaret Donaldson recommends Pebble Creek (1453) by Benjamin Moore. "This soothing lavender in a satin finish reminds me of Lowcountry sunsets. I complement it with taupe, white, celadon green, and matte brass accents," she says. 05 of 20 Rust or Bust Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller This spice-colored guest room by designer Meredith Ellis in our 2018 Idea House can thank Sherwin-Williams' Cavern Clay (SW 7701) for its flavor. See the before and after photos here. 06 of 20 Layer Up Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Liz Strong Details take center stage in this bedroom from our 2019 Idea House, where designer Heather Chadduck Hillegas used Sherwin-Williams' (7008) Alabaster on the walls and crown, Sherwin-Williams' (9133) Jasper Stone on the window trim, and Sherwin-Williams' (6204) Sea Salt on the ceiling. Tour the full home here. 07 of 20 Nature's Best Blues Photo: Laurey W.Glenn Benjamin Moore's Marina Gray (1599) and Pebble Beach (1597) make this room as serene as a misty day on the beach. Check out more blue bedroom inspiration here. 08 of 20 Stately Green Photo: Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller PPG's Evening Emerald (PPG1144-6) gives this children's bedroom the look of a formal library, perfect for an avid young reader. 09 of 20 Tried-and-True Neutral Benjamin Moore For a warm off-white, Georgia designer Anna Booth says to try Ashwood (OC-47) from Benjamin Moore: "This off-white is a perfect neutral. Thanks to gray-green undertones, instead of cool blue ones, there's a warmth to it. I use the color in an eggshell finish on the walls and semigloss on the trim." 10 of 20 Calm and Collected Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Elly Poston Cooper Blue-gray walls painted Benjamin Moore's Mountain Mist (868) create the perfect backdrop for an elegant mix of antiques in this bedroom by Hanna Seabrook. See more of her Louisville, Kentucky, home. 11 of 20 Make it Moody Ngoc Minh Ngo In Ashley Putman's Texas home, Farrow and Ball's Brinjal (No. 222) puts an equally edgy yet earthy spin on the idea of a purple bedroom. 12 of 20 Try Out Teal Photo: Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller Deep teal, in the form of PPG's Scarborough (PPG1145-5) adds instant coziness to this Alabama bedroom. 13 of 20 Pretty Purple David Grail Photography Take a cue from designer Lindsey Coral Harper, who designed this space using Pale Iris (2073-60) by Benjamin Moore. "Lavender creates calm and tranquil spaces. It's also light and airy, which helps because this room could feel like it doesn't have a ton of ceiling height! Here, I complemented the lavender with pops of green, but gray and aubergine also make great partners," she says. Get even more purple paint color ideas here. 14 of 20 Going Dark Nashville designer Julie Couch recommends Dark Night (SW 6237) by Sherwin-Williams. "For an enveloping effect, paint walls, ceiling, and trim this deep sapphire. Keep other elements simple: plain white bedding; natural-texture rugs; and luxe cashmere, velvet, or silk fabrics," she says. 15 of 20 On Island Time Peter Murdock; Styling: Liz Strong In her Palm Beach, Florida, home, designer Emily Painter coated the walls of the guest bedroom in her favorite island coral—Salmon Peach (2013-50) by Benjamin Moore—to make the space feel like a true tropical getaway. Tour her colorful 1,300-square-foot rental. 16 of 20 Just Barely Blue Photo: Laurey W. Glenn Designer Phoebe Howard used Sherwin-Williams' Olympus White (SW 6253) to create this tranquil retreat. 17 of 20 Bright Blue Photo: Hector Sanchez Designer Nathan Drewes used Farrow and Ball's Sugar Bag Light (No. 29) to make a big statement in a small space. 18 of 20 Perfectly Blush Farrow & Ball For a shade that's undeniably pink but not too sugary-sweet, North Carolina designer Christi Barbour suggests Calamine (No. 230) by Farrow and Ball: "We painted the low ceiling of a bedroom a blush tone in a semi gloss finish to lighten it. For a masculine touch, we painted the walls a pale gray, Farrow & Ball's Cornforth White." 19 of 20 Brightest White Kay Volmar Florida homeowner Kay Volmar knows just how to make a room sing with white paint. For her bedroom, she used Ultra Pure White (1850) by Behr. See her whole cottage here. 20 of 20 Do-It-All Blue Benjamin Moore Charleston, South Carolina, designer Sandra Ericksen turns to Benjamin Moore Palladian Blue (HC-144) for a color that can do no wrong. "I haven't found a color palette that won't work with this peaceful shade. This hue goes just as well with deep reds and greens as it does with grays and peacock blues," she says. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit