Dreaming in Color: 5 Fab Not-Beige Bedroom Neutrals
Let me start off by saying that I am in no way looking to bash beige. There are many beautiful shades of the neutral hue that are appropriate and look fantastic in and on homes. But when I am hired to do a paint color consultation, I often avoid suggesting beige. And clients even ask to avoid it, which leads me to believe that many homeowners are tired of the hue, or they see it as a crutch to fall back on when they’d really prefer something different, something with a little more oomph.
For those of you who just aren’t a fan of bold, intense color but want to move beyond white and beige, I’ve pulled together some of my favorite not-beige neutrals that I think look fantastic in bedrooms. These are softer, more soothing hues that work well with a variety of other colors, materials and styles of decor. Yet they still look fresh and current.
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1. Light Purples
Whether you go for a cool lavender or a warmer mauve, the trick to making this color appear sophisticated rather than sugary is to go with a shade that has a good amount of neutralizing gray or brown in it. The paint color here contains both gray and brown, which neutralizes the purple. You get the best of both worlds — a neutral hue with just a hint of color.
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Get a similar look with Beguiling Mauve from Sherwin-Williams
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This lavender has less gray in it than the previous color, but it still has an iciness, which keeps it soft and soothing.
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Get a similar look with North Cascades from Benjamin Moore
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This pretty wall color has more red and brown in it, which adds warmth. The hint of brown also nudges it toward neutral territory.
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Get a similar look with Plum Frost from Behr.
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2. Blue-Grays
A soft blue with a hint of gray is a fantastic choice to create a soothing, relaxing vibe in a bedroom. Those who live in areas where cool and overcast days outnumber warm and sunny ones may want to opt for a hue with more blue and less gray.
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Get a similar look with Woodlawn Silver Brook from Valspar.
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This is a fairly deep blue, but it also has plenty of gray in it, which tones it down and mellows it out.
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Get the look with Stonybrook from Benjamin Moore.
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A light gray-blue wall color plays well with a variety of other hues. Think of it like a chambray shirt that you can pair with clothing in any other color. This palette of soft grayish blue with browns, creams and off-whites is supersophisticated.
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Get a similar look with Chambray from Pittsburgh Paints.
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3. Blue-Gray-Greens
Add some green to soft blue and you get a wonderful watery hue that has a spa-like feel.
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Get a similar look with Gentle Tide from Glidden.
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I imagine this grayish blue-green wall color reads as a different hue depending on the time of day as well as the time of year. It’s a terrific base color that you can add small bits of bold color to.
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Get a similar look with Valley Hills from Behr.
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Here’s a soft grayish green that has a bit of brown in it, so it reads almost as a khaki. The dark wood tones also add warmth to this handsome bedroom.
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Get a similar look with Juleen from Mythic Paint.
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4. Greenish Golds
I am a huge fan of chartreuse, but that’s a pretty bold color for a bedroom. Try going a few shades lighter, more toward celery or a springtime yellow, for a softer effect.
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Get a similar look with Moonraker from Sherwin-Williams.
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This room simply glows because of its beautiful gold color that has just a small touch of green. It really gives the room a fresh feel.
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Get a similar look with Sprig of Sage from Kelly-Moore.
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5. Warm Grays
With the cold, dark days of winter quickly advancing upon us, I’m sure many of you are loath to deck out your bedroom in a cold gray hue. Keep the chill at bay by going for a gray with plenty of brown to warm it up. This is my go-to neutral for those who need a change from beige.
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Get the look with Amherst Gray from Benjamin Moore.
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This is one of my favorite dark gray colors, as it really adds drama. Pair it with a mix of light hues to keep it from feeling too heavy.
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Get the look with Kendall Charcoal from Benjamin Moore.
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This beautiful soft gray wall color has a bit of blue, but, again, there’s also enough brown to keep it from feeling gloomy or chilly.
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Get a similar look with Gray Shingle from Sherwin-Williams
Tell us: What’s your favorite neutral hue?
More: The Case for In-Between Colors