Dulux Tranquil Dawn and Bright Skies Bedroom

Spotlight On: Bedroom Colour Ideas in Calm, Soothing Hues to Enhance your Sleep Sanctuary

Every one of us wants and deserves a good night’s sleep. But to achieve that, we have to look beyond a comfy bed, and at the power that colour can have in creating a calming, relaxing and tranquil environment.

There’s more to getting a good night’s sleep than a comfy bed. To achieve the sleep of your dreams, it’s important to create a relaxing and comfortable environment.

And this means harnessing the power of colour. Decorating your bedroom sanctuary with calming colours will help you to drift off to sleep and wake up more refreshed.

With that said, we’ve put together our best bedroom colour ideas, and other things you can do at home to enhance your sleep environment.

7 tips for getting a better night’s sleep

1. Choose a calming colour scheme
You might expect white to be the optimum colour for a bedroom sanctuary, however there are lots of calming colours, such as soft pinks and dark purples, that can help soothe you to sleep.

Here we contrasted Cornflower White with the deep, rich Acai Berry to make it feel as if you’re wrapped up in a comforting cocoon. Darker colours like Acai Berry also help to absorb the light entering the room, which only adds to the cosy vibes. You needn't be so afraid of the dark, after all!

You’ll also notice that we’ve used the split wall technique so create the illusion of a headboard. This stylish bedroom colour idea is simple to achieve, watch this handy video to find out how.

We chose Simply Refresh paint for this bedroom sanctuary, and you should too! You only need to apply one coat, meaning you’ll save time and money designing your dream oasis.

2. Pare back on displays and accessories

To complement your calming bedroom colours, a top tip is to keep your space clear from clutter. Busy rooms stimulate the senses, so we’d suggest pared-back displays.

For example, a small shelf painted in a similar tone to the wall means it won’t stand out but gives you space to accessorise. We used a neutral grey – Polished Pebble Dulux Quick Dry Satinwood on this shelving.

You can still add pops of colour if you wish, you just need to get crafty in unexpected places. Try painting the inside of drawers, wardrobes, or cupboards. We used fresh-feeling pastel tones – Mineral Mist and Pretty Pink in Dulux Quick Dry Satinwood.

3. Sound Insulation

If you're one of those people who regularly sleep through their alarm clock, you clearly don't need to worry about noise disturbing your slumber. For light sleepers, however, external noise can be somewhat of a problem – especially if you live in an urban area, a flat or a terraced property. Adding rugs and soft textiles to your floors will help muffle external noise, as will having thick curtains and plenty of cushions to soften the acoustics in your bedroom sanctuary. As if you needed an excuse to buy more cushions.

4. Type of Light

It sounds obvious, but bright overhead lighting isn’t conducive to a sleep sanctuary. Use low-wattage lightbulbs after sundown to help your body’s circadian rhythm and choose soft, yellow or red-toned lighting for the bedroom. Be sparing with lighting too – only illuminate the areas you need at night, and use lights that project a soft downward cone of light.

5. Tech-free Zone

We know indulging in a Netflix marathon in bed is tempting, but try not to have laptops, tablets, or a TV in your sleeping environment. Using devices such as these before you go to sleep can reduce melatonin levels, as the light emitted from screens is ‘blue light’, which resembles daylight and makes us more alert. Try to avoid using them the hour before you go to bed if possible.

6. Bed Elevation

A bed that has legs or that’s elevated up off of the floor will help air to circulate around your mattress and therefore help it to breathe. Try not to store things under the bed as this will reduce air circulation.

6. Natural Materials

Just like choosing fabrics for your wardrobe, the fabrics we sleep on play an important role. Opt for natural materials for everything if you can – from your bedding, duvets and pillows, to sleepwear and even your mattress. This will help keep your body at its optimum temperature as well as feeling comfortable against your skin.

To try out calming bedroom colours in your bedroom, download the free Visualizer app to help you create your sleep haven. Sweet dreams, indeed.