Bedroom color palettes

Bedrooms are seen mostly at the two ends of the day, in warm lamplight and flat morning light. These twelve were chosen to stay pleasant in both.

Taking a palette onto walls

  • Test the wall colour on the wall, not on a chart: paint two coats on A3 paper and move it around the room for a day.
  • Keep the strongest colour for textiles you can change — cushions, throws, a headboard — and the quietest for the walls.
  • North-facing rooms cool every colour down. Pick one step warmer than looks right on screen.

The text colour under each palette is whichever of near-black or white reaches the higher contrast ratio against its first colour — check any other pairing before using it for body text.

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