Snuggly Shades: How to Choose Bedding Colors
Dream in color.
Beds are the largest visual elements in bedrooms and instantly set the tone – which is why it’s so important to get the color right. Continue reading for tips on how to choose the perfect bedding color and coordinate a beautiful color scheme for your space.
1. Determine Your Desired Ambience
(Shop this image: pink bed frames, blue accent chairs, pink benches, blue area rugs, and green nightstands)
You want to incorporate bedding colors that will balance and enhance your bedroom’s atmosphere. When choosing your color scheme, keep in mind these properties and how they will shape the ambience:
Saturation: Bright, fully saturated colors will have an energizing effect, while pastels and muted tones will be more calming.
Brightness: Light shades go well in small, dark bedrooms because they help the room feel more open and airy. On the other hand, dark colors can ground a large room and make it feel smaller and cozier.
Temperature: Cool colors like blue, green, and gray promote serenity and relaxation, while warm colors like red, yellow, and brown make a space feel cozy and intimate.
Contrast: Patterned bedding with high-contrast colors (like black and white stripes) will add energy and drama to a room but can overwhelm small spaces. Low-contrast patterns (like pastel florals) have a subtler effect that promote a calming environment.
(Shop this image: green bed frames, striped bedding, blue accent chairs, and abstract area rugs)
Certain colors go better with specific interior design styles. Depending on the style you are trying to achieve in your room, here are some bedding color ideas to consider:
Glam: Complement this bold style with jewel toned bedding like emerald green, deep purple, peacock blue, and burgundy.
Boho: Consider bright, patterned bedding with colors like mustard yellow, terracotta orange, hot pink, and teal for a free-spirited feel.
Coastal: Choose bedding with sea-inspired shades of blue, turquoise, sea foam green, or even coral pink.
Rustic: Opt for saturated earthy tones like rust red, chocolate brown, and forest green, or choose warm beige for a light option.
Industrial: Look for bedding with grounded cool tones like slate gray and black with pops of brick red or olive green for color.
Farmhouse: Keep the bedding light and organic with colors like sage green, dusty blue, light brown, and soft pink.
French Country: Choose fabric in dreamy pastel colors like dusty rose, baby blue, and pale yellow.
Traditional: Find bedding with timeless colors like muted red, navy blue, and olive green, or choose ivory for a neutral base.
Modern: Keep your base color palette neutral with a white, beige, or gray bedding set.
Tip!
For more help deciding on bedding colors and pattern, take our Quiz: What Bedding Matches Your Personality?.
3. Choose a Base Color
(Shop this image: orange bedding, ivory coverlets, wicker dressers, wicker nightstands, and yellow table lamps)
When choosing a base color for your bedding, look at the color palette already used in your bedroom. Unless you’re completing a bedroom remodel from scratch, it’s helpful to consider the color of your walls, floor, and large furniture fixtures so you can choose bedding that complements your existing space.
If you have a relatively neutral room, bedding offers the perfect opportunity to introduce a pop of color. On the other hand, if your room is already full of color and bright patterns, you may want to choose a more neutral bedding set to tie everything together. Either way, keeping your bedding basics (like sheets and pillowcases) neutral gives you freedom to use color in more impactful ways.
(Shop this image: yellow bed frames, white quilts, pink throw pillows, jute area rugs, and blue table lamps)
Other bedding accessories like decorative pillows, throw blankets, and bed runners are great ways to include more color in your space. If you have a patterned bedding, simply pick out your favorite colors to use throughout the setup. You can also pull colors from your area rug, artwork, and decor to spruce up a neutral bedding set and make the room feel cohesive and curated.
To create a more subtle and low-contrast look, choose your sheets, comforter, and accents in various shades from the same color family. For example, cream, beige, and camel are a perfect trio for a neutral color scheme. Choose a combination of sage, olive, and moss greens for an earthy look, or layer ice, cobalt, and navy blue for a nautical vibe.
(Shop this image: blue wallpaper, green bed frames, checkered area rugs, wicker nightstands, and gold table lamps)
You may want to consider investing in multiple bedding sets to swap out depending on the season. For colder months, choose a heavier bedding with dark colors to emphasize a warm, cozy feeling in the room. In the summer months, opt for something lightweight and lightly colored to keep your bedroom feeling breezy and bright.
