14 brilliant blue bedroom ideas that show how versatile this shade truly is

With these blue bedroom ideas, you can transform your sleep sanctuary. No matter what kind of look you might be going for in the bedroom, from dark and sultry, to light and calming, you can count on blue as a timeless shade, sure to transform your space with just a lick of blue paint or a color pop accessory. 

Blue's very qualities can create the feeling of space, a sense of lightness, plus it has calming properties too. 'It's a meditative color which encourages us to breathe in and out, creating a psychological and spiritual sense of space as well as the physical illusion,' says color and paint expert Annie Sloan.

For the best ways to include this versatile shade in your restful retreat, we talk to the interiors and color experts to find out the best blue bedroom color schemes for your home.

1. Get creative with blue paint

If you have a smaller bedroom, you might be tempted to keep the scheme white or pale to try and reflect any natural light you have coming in through the windows, but this doesn't mean you can't have fun with colored paint on the walls.

Instead of going over the walls and ceilings in blue, do as Studio Nato have done in this Brooklyn home, going just a third up the wall while keeping the ceiling and upper part of the walls white and bright. The blue of the walls is complemented by the bedding choice, and helps cement the wider theme of this Park Slope brownstone home, which is a vibrant, 80s pop design.

Feeling blue

Oval room blue, Farrow & Ball

If you're tempted to give your walls a lick of blue paint, this muted blue makes for a beautiful choice.

2. Go for a bold blue four poster bed

Blue bedroom ideas aren't just about paint, why not go bold with your use of blue in the bedroom with a brilliant canopy frame like this, by designer Shawn Henderson? This four-poster bed idea adds drama and interest to the room and can make for a beautiful focal point in the center of the space. Four poster beds aren't just about using metal, it can be a great way to add a color pop and texture. 

Here, this electric blue upholstered frame works beautifully against the elegant crown molding details, and the ottoman at the end of the bed adds to the color theme. Although draping fabric over the canopy softens the look, leaving the structure bare is even more striking.

Sweet dreams

Franklin Four Poster Bed - Raffia Coastal Blue from Serena & Lily

An upholstered four poster bed adds a touch of luxury and softness to the room. This from Serena & Lily is in a pale coastal blue as opposed to this bold blue look, but still brings the drama. 

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3. Consider blue fitted storage

Storage is typically fitted in inoffensive creams, greys, and neutral colors, tones that are flexible over time, adjusting nicely to any interior design changes you might make in your bedroom. But why not go for blue fitted storage, as seen here in a beautiful dusky, grey-blue shade from LEMA? 

This makes for a good look if you are wanting a bit of color in a pared-back scheme. Invest in beautiful bronze or brass handles - T-bars or edge pulls to give the door a beautiful shine, and go floor-to-ceiling height to make the most of the space. Yes - it’s a difficult-to-reach space, but the simple addition of a ladder can help you out and make for a charming, rustic addition to your room. In terms of sizing, we’re seeing wardrobes gradually increasing in size, dominating walls and wrapping around rooms. ‘More than materials and colors, today’s general trend is to favor wardrobes that can fully maximize the spatial layout of a specific living environ,’ says Steve Leung of Steve Leung Design. ’Generally speaking, we have the feeling that fitted wardrobes are now taking the centre stage.’  

4. Pick a grey toned blue for a cool contemporary look

Cool, denim blues that almost verge into grey have a very calming laid-back look that's perfect for bedrooms. Paint the walls with a grey/blue and then add in depth by layering up deeper, indigo tones and steely grey shades. If the space is then feeling a little too cool, be inspired by this blue bedroom and add in a few accents of deep red. 

'Colors have psychological effects - it's science. The overall color and shade chosen can make a big difference to how you feel in a space. We're huge fans of blue, as it's so versatile and spans a lot of shades, from pale baby blue through to mid blues, and right up to the darkest blues that are almost black,' say Rob Abrahams and Rob Green of COAT Paints.

5. Pair blue with tones taken from the color wheel

If you have a neutral bedroom but want to add a touch of color, a soft pale blue makes for a beautiful addition. In this Upper East Side home designed by Ries Hayes, the rust-red tints and browns in the room balance beautifully with the choice of blue on the walls and the ottoman at the end of the bed, creating a layered and relaxed scheme. 

6. Go for a classic blue and white combo

You can't go wrong with a classic blue and white bedroom combination. It's fresh, light, and breezy, perfect for a bedroom. However, don't just stick with one tone of blue, bring in lots of different shades so the white and blue that doesn't feel too flat and there's depth to the room. 

And mix patterns too. With such a simple color scheme you can afford to be a bit bold with your prints, as can be seen here with the ornate details of the paneled walls, the bold botanical bedding and matching headboard, and the more traditional floral print of the throw pillows.

'Blue and white is a truly classic color combination,' says Helen Shaw, Director of Benjamin Moore. 'Usually associated with a nautical look and aspiring to evoke a sense of the freedom associated with holidays/vacations and the allure of nature. With hundreds of shades to choose from blue and white can be paired to create a breadth of interior styles. Deep rich colors such as deep navy and dark blue look fantastic against a crisp white as the contrast between them create a dramatic, yet calming effect. Lighter shades of blue also work well with whites, especially when trying to create an airy, clean feel.

7. Add depth to a blue bedroom with forest green 

Blue and green should never be seen is something we all have seem to internalized and yet it's just not true. Blue and green come from the same side of the color wheel
in color theory, so it makes sense that these cooler tones would in fact complement each other as this bedroom proves. 

Pair cool-toned blue walls with touches of deep forest green for a serene space, and bring in plenty of crisp white to add some contrast and to lift those deeper tones. Up that calming feel by choosing soft textured fabrics like linens and velvet. 

8. Pick a barely there sky blue for a light and airy feel

A barely-there blue can almost act as a neutral in a bedroom, adding just a very subtle swathe of color, however, it's when you pair it with bolder colors the scheme really comes alive. There are lots of colors that go with light blue, but we have our favorites. 

In this bedroom splashes of pink and accents of dark red really pop against the pale blue walls in a way they just wouldn't if the walls were kept white. Blue is the perfect color that goes with pink. The blue is calming and cooling and the pink adds some punch but also warms up those cooler tones – it's the perfect balance.

9. Paint the ceiling as an alternative feature wall

Far more statement and on-trend than a feature wall, painted ceilings are everywhere right now. Say goodbye to a bland white ceiling and get creative with color. A blue ceiling, whether you opt for something dark and dramatic or light and airy will create an instant calming, cocooning feel. This works particularly well in smaller bedrooms, or ones that lack natural light as you can keep the walls light and bright and add the more dramatic hues on the ceiling. 

10. Choose dark and moody blues for a enveloping scheme 

Let's not ignore the other end of the spectrum, those dark moody blues that are having a bit of a moment right now. Despite being quite dramatic, a deep blue is actually a far more livable shade than you might first think, especially if instead of going in with a dark blue paint pick a wallpaper instead filled with soft inky blues, so the walls feel less two dimensional. 

And don't be afraid to go dark in a small space either, in fact, these moodier hues are some of the best colors for small bedrooms. As Rob Abrahams and Rob Green, founders of COAT Paints say, 'Contrary to what people think, darker blues can actually make a small bedroom feel bigger, as they blur the hard edges of a space by absorbing the light, so you can actually get a really cozy feel with these darker shades.'

11. Design a blue scheme with prints and furnishings

Speaking of bedroom wallpaper ideas, design a stylish blue bedroom isn't all about the paint. You can bring in those blue tones with prints, decor, and furniture too. Pick a wallpaper that has hints of blue and choose a blue headboard to be the focal point of your space. Having just these accents of color creates a color scheme that feels bluer without overwhelming the space with solid blue walls. 

12. Warm up cool toned blues with rusty red shades

Red is having a bit of a renaissance in the world of interiors right now, and while it can be a bold shade to decorate with, especially in the bedroom, you can balance out this fiery shade as a color that goes with blue. To get this pairing right, avoid a 50/50 split, you want the room to be more blue than red, and choose more rusty reds rather than anything too primary.

This blue bedroom gets it spot on. Simple sky blue walls with a lovely traditional muted red brought in subtly with the striped headboard and matching lampshade. There's a vintage feel here that makes this bold combination more calming and suitable for a bedroom. 

13. Make bright colors pop against darker walls

Dark colour schemes walls often use bolder, brighter colors pop as demonstrated here with the accents of yellow and orange. While, yellow and blue may sound like a bold combination, you can easily tone it down by adding in some neutral shades, as the grey headboard and bedlinen do in this bedroom. You still get that vibrant mix of colors but it keeps that overall calming vibe. 

14. Create a soothing sophisticated space with blue and grey

Lean into blues cool tones and create a space that feels really soothing and sophisticated by pairing blue with grey. Pale greys and deep indigo blues work beautifully together in this space. It's a steely color palette, but as this bedroom shows that doesn't mean it can't be cozy and inviting too – it's all about adding in plenty of texture. Tactile fabrics like rich velvet and slubby linen, plus the raw edges of the throw, soften the cool tones creating a cocooning, inviting space. 

What shade of blue is good for a bedroom?

The best shade of blue for a bedroom will depend on the overall look you want to achieve, plus the size and aspect of your space should be taken into consideration too. 

If your room is filled with light and you want to embrace that bright and airy feel, stick with light blues and pair them with whites and layers of neutral tones for a classic, calming look. If you prefer a more dramatic look, opting for deep navy blues and midnight hues will create a cozy cocooning space that actually works perfectly in a smaller bedroom or in spaces that lacks natural light. Just be sure to order samples so you can test out different shades in your space and see how it looks in different lights at different times of the day. 

What color goes with blue in a bedroom?

Blue pairs well with so many different colors since there are so many variations to choose from. It means you can quite easily pair it with most other shades on the color wheel. However,  there are some pairings work that better than others, and you do want to be just a bit wary of how certain undertones will work together.

White and blue are a classic combination that's always going to work and despite its traditionally nautical feel it can be adapted to suit any style. Orange and blues can create a gorgeous bedroom color scheme too, with those warmer tones adding some vibrancy into a cool color palette. And of course, there's everyone's favorite, pink and blue, these rosy tones work wonderfully with a dark blue, for a look that's both bold and timeless.