12 Paint Color Ideas for Bedrooms

"I tend to like colors with a bit of gray in them. They're more sophisticated. This can look blue or gray or green depending on the time of day. It's got that Swedish thing — a tranquil, soft elegance. Beautiful with chalky-white wood and a bit of gilt. Red and aqua would also be divine." —Alex Papachristidis

Benjamin Moore Healing Aloe 1562

"It's hot here in Atlanta, and this gray-brown-green is peaceful and cool. I used it in my own bedroom with a four-poster bed dressed in white embroidered linen and a collection of creamware chargers hung on the walls. I love cream, white, gilt, and silver, and all those things look so pretty against this color." —Jackye Lanham

Glidden Khaki Green 60YY 33/130

"I always consider the time of day that the occupant will be in a room, and in this case, the client was an early riser. This lavender feels good with the clear morning light. It has a drop of gray, which muddies it a bit and makes it more appealing to both sexes. Just don't use peachy or overly floral things. That's what takes it to granny town." —Tim Clarke

Pratt & Lambert Quartz Moon 31-29

"I know, I know, you're thinking, No man wants to sleep in a pink bedroom. But there's nothing baby or bubblegum about this pink. You could say it's the ultimate aphrodisiac, because there's not a woman alive who wouldn't feel pretty surrounded by this color. That's incentive enough for any man to go along with it, don't you think?" —Shea Soucie

Fine Paints of Europe Camellia Pink

"A bedroom is your refuge, your private space. When I walk into a room painted this color, I instantly feel the stresses and hassles of my day fall away. It's easy to let go, relax, and drift into dreaming, enveloped by this green-blue-gray. It's like a calm, cloudless sky. And it changes with the light." —Michelle Allman

Martin Senour Bleached Piling 1125-A

"From the moment I open my eyes to the moment I shut them, my mind is going 100 miles an hour. So I want simplicity in my bedroom, not stimulation. This taupe invokes calm, and the hint of gray adds longevity. I'd pull out all the tones that are inherent in the color — brown, cream, white, gray — and use them for the furnishings." —Jill Goldberg

Farrow & Ball Joa's White 226

"This is the silvery-greeny gray of a leaf of lamb's ear. It's so delicate and so soft. I'm especially drawn to it because of those silver undertones, which make it a little dressy and more mercurial. Keep the rest of the room monochromatic, with just a splash of bright Chinese yellow or orange." —Elizabeth Dinkel

Benjamin Moore Iced Cube Silver 2121-50

"Blue is light and airy, and this pale blue with bright white undertones sets off antique pieces in a way that makes them feel fresh again. It looks fabulous with any color. I love it paired with vibrant oranges and fiery reds. The effect is classic yet exotic — like an Hermès scarf. And who could resist that?" —Jennifer Beek

Benjamin Moore Blue Bonnet 2050-70

"Even if you're nowhere near the sea, this color makes you feel as if you're being lulled to sleep by the waves. It's not blue, not green, but somewhere in between. You will sleep soundly and wake up refreshed." —Susan Zises Green

Farrow & Ball Ballroom Blue 24

"I like real colors, as opposed to those that are just a hint of something. I love clarity, and this is a clear blue. Anything you put against it — a black bamboo bed, a bright abstract painting — will pop. And the light in the room takes on a wonderful atmospheric quality. You feel good in it." —Harry Heissmann

Valspar Lyndhurst Celestial Blue 5003-9C

"I wouldn't normally think of using red for a bedroom, but this burnt red is so subtle and complex that you can't help but feel embraced by its warmth. There's an echo of Pompeii — but it also has a totally contemporary vibe that makes it right for today." —Timothy Corrigan

Behr Rodeo Red 200D-7

"This is a quiet green, like that pale green that you see in a hydrangea. It makes me think of summers in Nantucket. It would feel very serene in the soft light of a bedside lamp, as you unwind in the evening. Then when the sun comes up, it has enough color to give you some energy to start the day." —Marika Meyer

BBenjamin Moore Thornton Sage 464