Q: I am trying to decide what direction to take in my bedroom. All of my interior walls are white and I am very pleased with the overall look. Somehow that does not carry over to the bedroom. It has poor lighting at the moment and also receives minimal natural light. I'm considering three deep blue walls, four deep blue walls, dark rug near the end of the bed and pendant lighting. Any suggestions?



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Comments (17)
If the room has poor lighting I would not choose a dark color. The wallpaper that you have is sooo gorgeous, I would not cover it. What about painting the other walls light to medium yellow? Yellow in combination with black, white, gold and grey accents..
Place the mirror (paint it black or gold) in the middle above the headboard and add two sconces on each side for more lighting.
"If the room has poor lighting I would not choose a dark color"
I disagree - Contrast makes a space special, and clearly there isn't enough as it is...
...and dark walls make a bedroom especially cozy - perfect for resting.
I like the 3 walls dark blue with the remaining wall wallpapered for the contrast. Just be sure to invest in a pair of great lamps for your bedside tables and another lamp for your desk or on top of the dresser to alleviate your lighting issue - EBay is a great resource for groovy lighting.
In general, dark colors will suck any light that you have, so I'd recommend choosing lighter colors or the room will feel pretty cave like and you'll need a lot of lighting to see. The mocked up photos show some kind of tray ceiling...does that have lighting?
Anyway, if you go with a darker color, use more lighter colors (like white) on the bed, drapes and other furniture. It won't feel so heavy. Good luck!
I like the third mock-up.
I love the dark color for the bedroom - it will be nice contract to the lightness of the rest of your house! The dark blue is really nice and peaceful and compliments the birch bark wallpaper very well. Love the 3rd mock-up.
I like the 3rd mock-up too and your floors are obviously very light, so I don't agree at all you'd end up with anything "cave-like." I've been obsessing over navy blue walls lately. Obsessing. I think it's such a gorgeous color for a warm room!!
I painted a bedroom indigo once and LOVED it. I would suggest switching all your bedding to mostly white though - it made for a crisp contrast. You should also use a reflecting paint finish - not matte, but satin finish. The darkness didn't feel oppressive or cavelike at all, rather it felt cozy and peaceful.
I like the first picture (all blue walls). With fluffy white bedding and more glam side tables. Midnight blue, white, and silver look awesome together.
But then, I'm almost always on the "If you have little natural light, go dark" side of things. Don't fight what you've got. Enhance it.
I am enjoying reading the comments about my bedroom. The ceiling is inset, would the term be catherdral? I have a ceiling fan with light. Installing recessed lights would definitely make a great change.
The quilt is something I am currently sewing together! Multi-colored yoyos on a charcoal quilt. So I can't let it go...but I clearly see that dark bed and bedding with dark walls may not work.
Now I'm considering a mid blue or gray with varied white and birch shelving:)
I really appreciate the ideas and tips, this is my first house to decorate and my knowledge is limited.
I also would not go for dark walls if lighting is limited.
PS Love the quilt coming along, any more details or pics? I like the idea of lighter grey or blue for the walls, say a shade like Kona Ash? Let the quilt and the wallpaper sing.
"The ceiling is inset, would the term be catherdral?"
Nope - "Cathedral" is a ceiling that's sloped in two directions coming to a point at the top like a church...
...this is a "Tray Ceiling"
Love the dark walls.
The midnight blue may be a little bit of an overreaction. Why not take the blue in the drapes and use that on the three walls?
I'd also suggest getting another one of those glossy blue bedside tables to balance the bed. Then try to edit the colours in the rest of the room down to the blues, greys and pinks in the quilt. The chair cushion, for example, would be more harmonious in a light soft pink than it is in green.
The last image appeals to me most.
I would definitely go for something less light consuming than dark blue.
What is the light like in your bedroom? It looks pretty gloomy on the photos. Also the ceiling seems low. Is your mind made up on that dark colour? I would paint it white, leave some strong colour around the wallpaper so it would work as frame and decorate with accessories in strong, bright colours. If you want something darker go rather for dark rug, it will give a depth to the room as the ceiling is low and ad a structure as it looks off centre. I hope it helps!
The birch wall paper and the intracacy of the quilt (not to mention the scale of the mirror) are competing. I'd suggest you forgo the detailed wallpaper. OR, move the bed to a solid colored wall and let the wallpaper provide a contrast to the blue side table and a chair.
As for color, our guest room is slate/gray and it is really very calming and not depressing. however, we have three windows and west-facing exposure, so that probably explains it.
I'm reminded of the Coco Chanel quote: “Before leaving the house, a lady should stop, look in the mirror, and remove one piece of jewelry.”
The room would benefit from some editing. Focus on one star element (the quilt methinks) and play it up. Incorporate colors from it around the room, etc. The mirror and the detailed wallpaper distract.
good luck! you're on a roll.