Best Bedroom Paint Colors and How to Choose One

The color of your walls plays a huge role in how your bedroom looks and feels. Whether you want a neutral space, a coastal oasis, or a modern escape, the best bedroom paint colors can help create your desired vibe. No matter the lighting or size of your room, here are the best bedroom paint colors and top-rated paint choices.

1. Peaceful White

Your bedroom is where you should feel relaxed and ready for sleep. A white or off-white hue can be the perfect backdrop for breathing easily and dozing off. With white paint, you can add subtle art and a range of furniture styles to build your bedroom’s color palette and aesthetic. A neutral paint color also lends flexibility to adjust your interior design choices over time, and it pairs beautifully with live plants to create a comfortable space to unwind.

White paint can make a space feel larger, too, especially if there’s ample natural light in your bedroom. For extra help selecting your bedroom paint color, talk with local interior painters who can ensure you get the right shade and finish for your space.

For inspiration: 

• Sherwin-Williams® Pure White

• Benjamin Moore® White Dove

• Benjamin Moore® Chantilly Lace

• Farrow & Ball® Wimborne White

2. Serene Green

Green often tops the charts of the most popular bedroom paint colors, year after year. Why? Many people believe green is one of the most calming colors, creating a natural feel and allowing the nervous system to relax when entering the bedroom.

Green tones also mimic nature and its soothing effect on our moods. Drawing inspiration from trees, flowers, and the lush outdoors, you can create a natural oasis in your own bedroom. Incorporate wood furniture and other earth-tones for a luscious palette. 

For inspiration: 

• Farrow & Ball® Green Smoke

• Benjamin Moore® Soft Fern

• Benjamin Moore® Mediterranean Teal

• Sherwin-Williams® Softened Green

3. Sky Blue

A soft, subtle blue can give your room a relaxing feel—as if you're floating among the clouds. Depending on the undertones, blue can offer warmth or bright energy. With room to customize blue paint can provide a splash of personality without overpowering the space.

Pair your blue walls with cozy furniture, painted trim, and artwork that enhances the vibe you're trying to create, whether that's a coastal oasis or a modern retreat. Incorporate shades of tan and white for a beach-like energy and darker contrasts for a more contemporary vibe.

For inspiration: 

• Benjamin Moore® Palladian Blue

• Portola Paints® Sharkskin

• BEHR® Alice White

• Benjamin Moore® Smoke

4. Moody Navy

For a more compelling bedroom, opt for a rich navy hue. Navy gives way to dramatic, cozy moods, where you'll feel extra nestled for a nightly read. If you don't want to commit to the navy color on every wall, consider a navy blue accent wall behind your bed. The stunning contrast with lighter colors on the other walls brings depth and beauty to the room without the darker hue overwhelming the space.

For inspiration: 

• Benjamin Moore® Polo Blue

• Sherwin-Williams® Naval

• Benjamin Moore® Hale Navy

• Benjamin Moore® Mysterious

5. Soothing Gray

Try a soft gray hue if you want a relaxing color but aren’t fond of white. A soothing gray color offers a touch of warmth while maintaining a neutral background.

Before choosing a gray paint for your bedroom, paint sample strokes in several colors on your wall to see how it makes your space feel. Green, blue, and purple undertones often give an airy feel. Red, yellow, and brown undertones offer a warmer vibe. Lighting plays a big role in how different paint types appear, too. With gray walls in a bedroom, you want to ensure it is soft and cozy instead of dreary. Like a gray living room, pick a tone that brightens the space.

For inspiration: 

• Benjamin Moore® Moonshine

• Sherwin-Williams® Alpaca

• Benjamin Moore® Himalayan Trek

• Sherwin-Williams® On the Rocks

6. Rosey Pink

Whether you’re painting a primary bedroom or a child’s bedroom, pink walls can create a soft, playful touch. Shy away from overly red pinks for a more timeless look, and consider hiring a painter to help choose a color that’ll stay in style for years to come.

A stroke of pink goes a long way to add life to a room, so there's no need to overdo it. Aim instead for a soothing color that can mix and match with your furniture and artwork.

For inspiration:

• Farrow & Ball® Pink Ground

• Benjamin Moore® Melted Ice Cream

• Portola® El Mirage

• Benjamin Moore® Love & Happiness

7. Comforting Greige

A mix between gray and beige, greige paint colors have risen to popularity—and they seem to be here to stay. Greige brings depth and warmth to a bedroom while still remaining neutral. Plus, since it’s a popular option, this is often a safe paint color to add value to your home.

Like our other best bedroom paint colors, you can pair greige with a mix of interior design styles and colors. You have flexibility with your decor, so nothing needs to feel too permanent or restrictive. Choose dark wood furniture or accents to add some modern flare and mystery, or dress it up with lighter woods and bright decor to keep the feeling more relaxed and airy.

Similar to selecting a gray, trying sample strokes of greige on your wall is essential. Examine how the colors appear at different points of the day to pick a hue that sets the right mood for your bedroom.

For inspiration:

• Benjamin Moore® Revere Pewter

• Sherwin-Williams® Agreeable Gray

• Sherwin-Williams® Drift of Mist

• Sherwin-Williams® Dumpling

8. Compelling Dark Green

Add moodiness with an earthy undertone to your bedroom with a rich, dark green hue. Consider painting the color for your entire space or saving money by just opting for the cost to paint an accent wall. Similar to soft greens, darker hues on this spectrum bring a sense of calm.

Accent the room with wood furniture and white trim for an earth-tone vibe, or bring in metallics in your light fixtures and hardware for a more modern, contemporary look.

For inspiration:

• Benjamin Moore® Essex Green

• Dunn-Edwards® Black Spruce

• Benjamin Moore® Black Forest

• Sherwin-Williams® Ripe Olive

How to Choose the Right Bedroom Paint Color

Choosing the best bedroom paint colors can feel overwhelming, especially since there are thousands of options waiting for you in the paint aisle at your local hardware store. Check out the following tips to make sure you pick the best of the bunch.

Focus On Creating a Mood

Start by thinking about how you want your bedroom to feel. If you prefer a light, relaxing space that makes you feel balanced and calm, go with a cooler color, like light green, light blue, or a neutral gray. If you want your space to feel inviting and a little energizing, pick a warmer color, like red, orange, or yellow.

Consider the Square Footage

Think about how big your bedroom actually is but also how big it feels. Choosing a lighter color can make your room feel larger, especially if you plan to go with a darker shade on an accent wall. Choosing a darker color all around can make a larger room feel a bit more cozy and secluded.

Use Color to Accent Design Elements or Decor

If you have a piece of decor, furniture, or an architectural component you want to highlight, bring attention to it by choosing a contrasting shade. A white column or archway can really pop with darker walls around it, and your favorite piece of dark furniture can draw more attention if you surround it with a lighter wall color.

Don’t Forget About Lighting

The best time to paint indoors is during full sunlight when you can see imperfections more easily. Consider how much natural light your finished bedroom will get during different times of the day. Brighter colors can make a room feel lighter and sunnier if you don’t get much direct sunlight, and a darker color can help balance abundant natural light while helping to keep your room a bit darker and more conducive to sleeping in.

Think About Hard Finishes and Furniture

It’s a good idea to choose a bedroom paint color that complements the hard finishes in your room. If you’re not keen on refinishing the wood floors, swapping out your carpet, or replacing bulky furniture, pick a wall color that matches them so that you only need to budget for the cost of painting the room.

Lean On Color Psychology

Colors affect how we think and feel in a space, so use color psychology to your advantage. Blues tend to produce a feeling of calm and tranquility, purples and lavenders can introduce some mystery and intrigue, and yellow inspires happiness and joy.

Ease Into Your Selection

Try to avoid making a snap decision and buying a few gallons of paint. Start by picking up some swatches or even buying small containers of a few colors and painting areas of the wall to see how they look. Pay attention to how the changing natural light in your room throughout the day makes each color look and feel before deciding.