Painting Your Bedroom? Designers Swear By These Soothing Shades

A soft-yet-supportive mattress and plump pillows are non-negotiables in any bedroom, but if you want to make your personal quarters feel like a serene sanctuary, it all starts with your wall paint. Without fail, a fresh coat can completely transform the look and feel of your room.

So that means a versatile white or cream is the perfect match for your boudoir, right? Well, not necessarily. Turns out, the right shade isn’t as obvious as you’d think. 

For Los Angeles designer Peter Dunham, it’s crucial to select a paint color that reflects the bedroom’s occupant. “Everyone has what I call their ‘come hither’ color—a tone that highlights someone’s bright blue eyes or complements their unique complexion,” he says. “In the bedroom, you want to look flattering from morning until night.”

From easy, breezy neutrals, to moody hues, to unexpected brights, here are the paint shades west coast designers think are downright dreamy.

Farrow & Ball Yellow Ground 218

Design by Peter Dunham; Photo by Victoria Pearson

Yellow may not be the most obvious choice for a bedroom, but Dunham says Farrow & Ball’s Yellow Ground was perfectly suited for a sunny project in Napa. “It echoes the warm California sunshine that streams between the oaks right through the window,” he explains. “Drop this room in another location, and I’d choose a different color!” The statement shade has a slightly muted quality—less highlighter, more mustard—making this a cheerful, cringe-free choice.

Sydney Harbor Paint Company Lake House

Design by Thecla Glueck; Photo by Vivian Johnson

We don’t know who needs to hear this, but baby blue can exist outside of a nursery. In fact, Thecla Glueck says it’s one of the best shades to “calm your mind and body and can even transport you out of the everyday.” Though the San Francisco-based designer drenched this bedroom in a custom color she created with the Australian paint company, it looks very similar to the brand’s store-bought shade, Lake House.

Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace OC-65

Design by Courtney B. Smith; Photo by Bess Friday

If you’re looking for a safe choice, you can’t go wrong with a crisp white like Benjamin Moore’s Chantilly Lace. California designer Courtney B. Smith loves this option because it’s a “pure white,” one without yellow or blue undertones. “Swathing walls in clean white creates a serene foundation and allows the focus to be somewhere else,” she shares. “Whether an oversized French blue check, a special piece of art, or a beautiful rug.”

Sherwin-Williams Urban Bronze SW 7048

Design by Grounded Homes; Photo by Hugo Landa Garcia

That said, not everyone is on board with all-white bedrooms. “Gone are the days of white walls being the only way to achieve a serene space,” explains Alex Kinion of Grounded Homes in Orange County, California. Instead, she ventures to the dark side and enlist a moody hue like Sherwin-Williams Urbane Bronze. Kinion likens this grayish brown to a “deep breath exhale.” “It’s restful, relaxing, and feels like you’re in a massage room at a luxury spa,” she says. “What could be better than feeling like you’re stepping into a hug every time you enter your bedroom?”

Sherwin-Williams Pewter Green SW 6208

Design by Élan Design House; Photo by Charlotte Lea Photography

Torn between light and dark? It’s possible to find the best of both worlds. Kilian Camp and Alison Greene of Élan Design House in San Diego are partial to Pewter Green by Sherwin-Williams—and for good reason. Not only do the designers say this soft green is “very soothing and relaxing,” but it also offers more visual intrigue than a standard white wall.

Benjamin Moore Ocean Air 2123-50

Design by Nadia Watts; Photo by Emily Minton-Redfield

Similarly, Nadia Watts says Benjamin Moore’s Ocean Air strikes a balance between subtle and statement. While this blue-green is rife with chill vibes, the Colorado designer often uses accessories to play up this choice: “Continuity is everything. Carrying a cohesive thread throughout a room quiets the mind and creates an environment that feels truly restful.” Here, jute flooring and a suzani bedskirt bring texture and warmth to this cool-tinged crib.