Designers Warn These 4 Bedroom Colors Are Going Out of Style in 2026 — "We're Making Way for a More Grown-Up Approach"
Hint: it's anything too stark or flat. Here are the colors to avoid in the bedroom and what to decorate with instead
Now, a bedroom is a personal space, so I want to start by acknowledging that whatever you like will always be best. Colors that promote serenity will never truly be out of style, so rather than taking this as a strict avoid-at-all-costs situation, think of it instead as a guide when planning a color palette that will feel both contemporary and timeless.
Soothing whites and calming blues are some of the most popular bedroom paint color ideas, but they're not one-size-fits-all. Whites with undertones that feel too cool and blues that read as one-dimensional can make your bedroom feel boring. Basically, it's a space where you don't want to tiptoe around color too much, as playing it safe can often come at the cost of style.
So, to avoid designing a space that will end up feeling dated, I've asked designers what bedroom colors are falling out of favor in 2026. And of course, advice around what colors will bring a timeless style to your bedroom while also hitting the hottest contemporary bedroom trends. A better and more stylish sleep may be just a few shades away. Here's what you need to know.
Article continues below1. Minimal Whites
DO INSTEAD: Lean into pink-toned neutrals for a warmer and cozier space.
It's common design knowledge by now that stark whites can be a dangerous territory when planning your home's color scheme. Decorating with white in the bedroom may bring serenity and create a clean slate for rest and unwinding, but when you pick a white paint that's too stark, it can quickly read as slightly austere.
"We are seeing a switch from starch minimal whites moving towards more pink-toned neutrals," says Paula Taylor, stylist at UK-based paint company Graham & Brown. "Shades of neutral pinks and colors with warm undertones create a more comforting, authentic atmosphere that calms the senses."
Think colors like Graham & Brown's Whispering Rose or Pillow Talk. Even terracotta can be a lively alternative to white if you want your bedroom color palette to stay calming and neutral, but with more personality and color.
Paula is the senior stylist and trend specialist at Graham & Brown. Graham & Brown is a family-run, UK-based paint and wallpaper company that was founded in 1946. Graham & Brown offers new and exciting patterns every year, working on vibrant color palettes, adding exquisite elements, and expanding into soft furnishings and textiles.
2. Chartruese
Perhaps one of the most divisive color trends for 2026, it doesn't come as a huge surprise that designers are saying that chartreuse is a color that will date your bedroom.
"Brighter greens on the chartreuse scale, whilst not boring by any means, aren't the best for bedroom settings," says Paula. That said, they are making way for a more grown-up approach to greens. "Think olive greens with warm undertones — shades that are reconnecting us to nature by creating a grounding biophilic feeling in the space," she adds, recommending Forest by Graham & Brown.
But just because chartreuse paint colors may be a little too bright for the bedroom, that doesn't mean you should revert to tired greens. Doing green as a bedroom color idea in 2026 is about finding a stylish middle ground — a bright olive or a forest green with warmth and depth.
3. Pastels That Look "Too Clean"
DO INSTEAD: If you're going to do color in the bedroom, it works better when you really embrace it.
Admittedly, I'm not the biggest fan of decorating with pastels. But when done well, they can really become a fabulous palette; it's just a hard palette to get right. That said, you might still want to avoid them in your bedroom. Pale pinks and baby blues might be popular right now, but in the bedroom, it's better to dial them up a notch to increase the visual impact.
"Clean pastel pinks and blues in a sleeping space are shifting towards earthier tones of a similar variety," says Paula. Think clay and terracotta, while blues are becoming more complex and muted, creating a calmer, more restorative feel. These slightly deeper, earthier shades are often better for promoting sleep, as well.
Rather than feeling too pale, bright, or stark, they create a grounding space connected with nature. Plus, an earthy color palette means more to mix and match — terracottas, mustard yellows, clays, tans, muted blues; they all live within the same world.
4. Gray
DO INSTEAD: Make grays feel warmer and more luxe by adding textures and creamy whites.
When it comes to outdated bedroom colors, gray tends to always make the list. "If they were on their way out before, they're definitely out now — especially the flat, builder-grade grays we saw everywhere for years," says interior designer Rayana Schmitz of Firefinish Interior.
That said, it's not completely impossible to make gray bedroom ideas feel stylish; it's just that cooler grays tend to read as a bit sterile or impersonal, which is the opposite of how you want a bedroom to feel. Right now, "people are gravitating toward warmth — spaces that feel layered, soft, and inviting," says Rayana. "Warmer tones naturally create that sense of comfort we all want in a bedroom."
If you are drawn to the minimalism of gray, it's all about how you balance it. Pairing gray with warmer elements can completely shift the mood. "Think gray layered with cognac leather, warm woods, or creamy textiles," says Rayana. "You can also lean into greiges or warmer, muddier grays that don’t feel as cold." Even a subtle gray could work in your space.
Rayana Schmitz is a South-Florida-based interior designer and the founder of Firefinish Interiors. Rayana works on everything from full home renovations to bespoke furnishings and landscape-driven outdoor retreats, blending elevated ease, sculptural form, and richly layered organic textures.
When it comes to finding bedroom colors that feel both 'in-style' and timeless, instead of focusing on trends, focus on feeling. "Look for colors that have a bit of warmth and depth — nothing too stark or overly saturated," Rayana says.
You never want to accidentally pick an outdated color (and hopefully this list helps with that), but the true goal is a color that feels calm, grounding, and personal, not something that feels like it was chosen just because it's 'in'.
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