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This article has been written byAndrei Vasilief– a professional architect and interior designer – to ensure maximum factual accuracy and to provide unique content.
Blue is one of the most popular colors to use in bedrooms because it is very calming and can help you to relax.
However, using too much blue – or going too dark – can make the room feel oppressive.
So what’s the best way to integrate blue into your bedroom?
The most basic way to add blue to your bedroom is to paint the walls a light blue to create a calm and relaxing ambiance without overwhelming the senses. Panel molding, an accent wall, rugs, carpets, curtains, painting the ceiling, artwork, and wallpaper offers more intricate options.
In the rest of this article, I have provided you with 18 blue bedroom designs to inspire you.
All of these ideas have been created using the knowledge that I have acquired as a professional architect and interior designer over the years – using the same quality advice that I give my clients.
Related: be bold and daring with these 18 navy blue bedroom design ideas.
18 Professional Blue Bedroom Ideas
Here are 18 blue bedroom design ideas that you can copy or adapt as you see fit – watch the video above to see these designs brought to life in 3D.
1: Paint the Walls a Light Blue Color for a Unique Design
Blue is an incredibly versatile color that can work in a large variety of interior designs.
Painting the walls a light blue color is the simplest approach and is less daunting than using a darker, navy blue.
Light blue is ideal to use in your bedroom because this soothing shade can create a relaxing atmosphere and inject a sense of wellbeing into your sleeping space.
Although such versatile colors generally fade into the background, light blue stands out, making it an excellent choice for a lot of situations.
How to Copy This Look:
Start by finding a shade of light blue that you like.
A medium shade works best, but ideally, you should visit suppliers and ask to see samples.
Paints look very different on screen than they do in real life, so seeing it in person is pretty much mandatory before making a choice.
Suppliers will either have an actual sample for you to see or can show you specially printed samples that match the way the color will look on the walls.
Once you’ve chosen a shade, you can paint all the walls of the room in that color.
If you have a baseboard on the wall, you can either leave it white or paint it the same light blue shade.
For further inspiration, check out these 21 light blue bedroom ideas.
2: Pair Blue Paint With White Panel Molding for a Classic Look
Panel molding is incredibly versatile and can make any space stand out.
More specifically, pairing white panel molding with blue wall paint can create an amazing-looking interior design that elevates almost any room from average to classical-looking.
Panel molding is inspired by the decorative trims and features of classical architecture, and has become very popular due to the overall ease of implementation and affordability.
They come in long strips that can be cut to size, and installed on the wall.
They generally fall into three categories: the baseboard, located at the base of the wall; the crown molding, located at the top of the wall; and the panel molding, located between the two.
The baseboard is generally a standard in almost any residential interior, and the crown only works in certain instances, so focusing on just the panel molding is the best course of action in most circ*mstances.
How to Copy This Look:
Start by finding a style that works best for you.
The general principle is that the smaller the room, the simpler the panel molding should be.
Unless the room is very big, the crown is not necessary, as it just clutters the wall further.
The panel molding should always be installed in a rectangular pattern, with space between the rectangles.
The size of the pattern will, again, depend on the size of the room.
The smaller the room, the larger the rectangles should be.
A good combination is to paint the wall a darker shade of blue, such as navy blue, and then paint the panel pure white.
This will create an amazing contrast between the two and will look great.
Installation can be tricky, as you need to align everything correctly, as well as cut the panels to size.
Because of this, unless you are familiar with this type of work, it would be best to have a professional handle it.
Ideally, the baseboard should also be painted in white, identical to the panels, for a coherent style.
Check out these 15 pro tips for decorating a bedroom with white walls.
3: Create a Focal Point With a Blue Wallpaper Accent Wall
Accent walls are simple to implement and create impact.
An accent wall is styled in contrast with the other walls in the room, creating a focal point.
Blue is an ideal color for an accent wall in the bedroom because it contrasts perfectly with most colors – especially white.
Accent walls are quite simple to implement because they only require alteration to one wall – typically the wall behind the bed (this frames the bed and creates a focal point).
Both paint and wallpaper are good choices, but wallpaper affords more stylistic options – allowing you to play with texture and patterns if you so choose.
You can find a large selection of various types of wallpaper to suit pretty much any budget.
How to Copy This Look:
Start by choosing a wallpaper style that suits your bedroom.
The larger the room, the more ornate the wallpaper can be, and the smaller the room, the simpler the wallpaper should be.
Avoid wallpapers that are overly simple or overly decorative.
Ideally, you want something in navy blue, with some interesting accents.
The accents can be gold, silver, or green – which are the go-to options – but any color that complements blue can work.
The best place to install your wallpaper is the wall behind the bed, as that is a natural focal point of any bedroom.
You can also keep the baseboard of the wall as is, as that grounds the design.
Click here to see 10 stunning modern farmhouse bedroom design ideas.
4: Introduce Dark Blue Textiles to Add a Unique Touch
Textiles are a simple way to make your bedroom look interesting without having to make any complex renovations.
The two most important types of textiles in a bedroom are the carpet and the curtains.
A carpet – working in conjunction with a wooden floor – can be a great design intervention in any room, creating a sense of space and defining the room further.
This works very well in a bedroom, where everything orbits around the bed.
Curtains act in the same way, providing a dynamic element that can contrast with the walls.
They are also very beneficial in adding an extra layer of privacy, as well as enhancing the height of a room.
How to Copy This Look:
The best way to approach this is to have both the carpet and drapes in the same shade of blue.
A darker shade will work perfectly in this instance.
Dark blue is easy to find and is also much simpler to clean and maintain.
For the carpet, you should opt for something in a solid color.
It should be as large as possible, and certainly larger than the bed so that it can extend outwards from underneath it.
Don’t go with a very fluffy carpet – as these can become real dirt magnets in time and require constant vacuuming.
Instead, go for a simple, flat carpet.
The drapes should be identical in color to the carpet, or as close as possible if it is difficult to find curtains in the same color.
The drapes should extend from the top of the wall (as close as possible to the ceiling) to about 2 inches above the floor.
This means you may require a tailor to cut them, but this is a small investment that is very much worth it.
You can pair the dark blue drapes with simple white curtains for the best effect.
Try these 10 emerald green bedroom ideas to create a tranquil sleeping space.
5: Paint the Ceiling Light Blue for a Relaxed Ambience
Painting the ceiling is more difficult than painting the walls due to its position.
It is mostly for this reason that ceilings, in the overwhelming majority of apartments, are almost always white.
Painted ceilings are such a rarity that simply having one makes the design stand out drastically.
So, if you are looking for a unique design trick to make your bedroom one of a kind, this may be the best option for you.
How to Copy This Look:
For this idea, it’s best to use a really light shade of blue.
Avoid a dark shade, as it can make the ceiling feel lower than it actually is.
The lower the ceiling, the lighter the color should be.
A very high ceiling can be painted a slightly darker color.
This idea also works very well with white-painted walls.
While it is possible to paint the entire room the same light blue, it can end up feeling overwhelming, depending on the size of the room.
While it can work quite well in large rooms, a light blue ceiling paired with white walls will work best in the majority of circ*mstances.
Here’s how to paint a small bedroom with a high ceiling.
6: Add Large Blue Artwork for a Simple and Creative Look
Just like using textiles, adding artwork to your design can be a simple and cost-effective way to add a personal and decorative touch to your bedroom.
Artwork is one of the most straightforward options when it comes to interiors, and a great piece can make all the difference in a room.
While it has been overused in the past, adding art is still a great option, as long as it is done in a manner that works for your bedroom interior.
The biggest drawback with this approach was that when multiple smaller artworks were added to an interior, it could lead to clutter.
However, this is completely avoidable by following a few simple steps and principles.
How to Copy This Look:
The most important thing to keep in mind for this idea is to go with either large artwork pieces or to group smaller pieces in a single place.
It’s very important to avoid spreading multiple small artwork pieces throughout the room, as it can make the space feel cluttered and somewhat cheap.
By far the best approach is to have a large, blue artwork in the bedroom, placed on a white wall.
This looks good, as the blue of the artwork will contrast with the white wall.
Also, having a single large piece will make the bedroom feel more premium.
Check out these 9 calming sage green bedroom ideas.
7: Mix Blue and Green for a Calm and Cozy Design
Blue and certain shades of green can go well together, and mixing them also creates a great overall theme for the bedroom.
They both have roots in the natural elements, which is why they work well together.
Creating a color palette for your bedroom is a very good approach.
A mistake many people make when designing their spaces is to approach the whole situation in a piecemeal method – looking for ways to tackle individual components, such as the floor, walls, or decorations.
While this can seem intuitive, it’s not very effective, as it can lead to a patchwork design.
Architects and interior designers approach projects differently – starting with a general idea for everything, which is then defined in gradual steps as the project progresses.
Creating a color palette is among the first steps that should be taken when tackling a design.
How to Copy This Look:
As we’ve mentioned, it’s important to create a color palette.
The simplest way to do that is to select a dominant color – which in this case is blue – a secondary color, green in this instance, and one or two accent colors.
Starting from this, we can create the design.
We can opt to paint the walls blue and to use green fabrics to combine the two.
For the walls, we could go with a navy blue, and for the green, we can choose green bed pillows, linens, and curtains, in a medium shade.
This will then create a balance between the two colors.
The important thing to keep in mind is that you want to use the green strategically, in controlled doses – so avoid using something large, like a green carpet.
This combination of tones is a good option for creating a vibrant, but relaxing environment for your bedroom.
Here are 11 dark green accent wall ideas for your bedroom.
8: Match Dark Blue With Gold Accents for an Ornate Interior
If you wish to go for a design that feels more ornate and premium, using a color palette with dark blue as the dominant color and gold as your accent color can be an excellent way of doing this.
Blue and gold go very well together, but they need to be balanced, so they do not feel overwhelming.
Accent colors need to be restrained, only appearing in small doses, and in strategic areas where they work best.
They can be added in using wallpaper, furniture, or fixtures.
Décor pieces, such as drapes, don’t work well as accent pieces, simply because they are too large and present.
How to Copy This Look:
The simplest way of introducing gold accents is by using secondary furniture with gold detailing – like bedside tables, or by using a blue wallpaper with gold accents, or by including small gold light fixtures.
This idea also works best with a dominant shade like dark or navy blue.
So you could choose to paint the walls in dark blue, for example, as it creates the best contrast with a gold accent.
Certain bedside table models will have light gold detailing, making them ideal for this design choice.
In conjunction with this, you can add small gold bedside lamps, either resting on the bedside table or hanging from the ceiling.
If you don’t wish to paint the walls, then using navy blue wallpaper with gold detailing is also a great choice.
Here are 15 ways to light your small bedroom.
9: Combine Light Blue Walls with a Dark Blue Velvet Headboard
Blue lends itself very well to both minimalist and high-end interior design, making it very versatile.
Velvet is a sumptuous material that can make any bedroom feel high-end when used properly.
Similar to using gold accents, velvet is an accent fabric.
It can be very dominant, as well as expensive, and laborious to maintain.
For these reasons, it should be used rather strategically – applied only to certain elements.
It can also be easy to damage, making it unsuitable for curtains and carpets, and leaving you with only a few options.
How to Copy This Look:
The most straightforward way of integrating velvet into your bedroom is by using it for the headboard of the bed and pairing it with either light blue walls or a blue accent wall.
Choose a bed with a large and ornate headboard.
Keep in mind that this will not work for every bedroom; your space should be larger for the bed to integrate properly.
Ideally, only the headboard should be covered in velvet, and it should be in a dark blue shade.
Finding a bed that has all these characteristics is difficult, so the simplest option is to either re-upholster a bed or buy the headboard separately.
Then you can pair it with light blue painted walls for the best combination.
The headboard will act almost like an accent wall, in this case, attracting the eye.
Click here to see the best headboards to buy online now.
10: Replace Black With Dark Blue for a Softer Feeling
Black furniture is incredibly nice looking, but it has the detrimental effect of only working in large rooms.
Dark blue furniture, instead of black, will offer far more versatility and will work well even in smaller rooms.
The attraction interior designers and architects have towards black has become a running joke over time, but this fascination is not without reason.
It’s a fascinating color that is timeless, and incredibly stylish.
Unfortunately, it’s also difficult to use, and many people either want to use it, but struggle, or simply don’t know how to approach it.
Blue, on the other hand, is much friendlier and easier to use, making it simpler to integrate.
Dark blue is also very close to black, making it a potentially great substitute.
How to Copy This Look:
The most popular way of using black in a bedroom is by choosing a black bed, black side tables, or a black carpet.
All these can be replaced with dark blue, but you should never use all of them in conjunction.
At most, you could pick two.
A dark blue bed can work with either dark blue side tables or a dark blue carpet.
Similarly, dark blue side tables work with either a dark blue bed or carpet.
Having all three of them will make the space feel smaller, especially in a small bedroom.
Use only two of them at once, to avoid this.
These are the top 10 colors that go with black bedroom furniture.
11: Combine Turquoise Shades with Navy Blue for Contrast
Similar to using green in combination with blue, using turquoise in combination with a darker shade of blue – like navy blue – can be a really stylish design choice.
Turquoise is similar to blue, so the color palette, as well as the hierarchy between the two, will be much more dynamic.
Because blue and turquoise are similar, it changes the approach a bit, as the standard dominant and secondary color method is no longer valid.
While one of them will have to be the dominant color, the secondary color will be much more present in the room, compared to green, for example.
How to Copy This Look:
You can go with navy blue as the dominant color, as that is simpler to implement when compared to turquoise.
Also, because turquoise is quite strong, we won’t use either color in large quantities, to maintain a balance.
You can opt to have a large, navy blue carpet, as well as potentially adding a blue accent wall, which can be wallpapered.
This should spread the blue around the room just enough to allow you to use the turquoise to complement it.
You can then add turquoise bed linens, with decorative pillows, paired with turquoise drapes, to create the design.
Afterward, maybe add a turquoise artwork, if you feel that it can work.
Here are 7 olive green bedroom ideas to inspire you.
12: Use Blue and Gold Wallpaper for Uniqueness
Navy blue and gold can go incredibly well together, almost to the point of being their own color palette.
For this reason, navy blue wallpaper with gold accents will always be a solid choice for a fabulous interior.
Navy blue and gold are a classic combination that works very well.
As such, you can find a multitude of wallpaper options that use the two colors in a variety of combinations.
While it is an excellent choice for an accent wall, it can also work very well when using it for the entire bedroom.
The only thing to keep in mind is the price of the wallpaper.
High-quality blue and gold wallpaper can be expensive, and it may be difficult to find an affordable option.
How to Copy This Look:
Start by finding a wallpaper that you like.
Ideally, it should be navy blue, with gold accents used sparingly.
Keep in mind that the smaller the room, the lighter the shade of blue you will want the wallpaper to be.
If you use very dark wallpaper for a small room, it will have the effect of making the room feel smaller.
Apply it to all the walls, and leave the ceiling a simple white color, for the best contrast.
Also, if you wish to go one step further, you could have the wall baseboard pure white.
Here are 11 white bedroom ideas that use color pops.
13: Add Blue Textile Decoration Pieces for a Cozier Atmosphere
A very simple approach to introducing blue into your bedroom is to use a variety of decorative textile pieces, colored in blue, sprinkled around the bedroom.
While it is a limited choice, it can be a great solution for someone who is not looking to do complicated changes or interventions.
You can find a wide variety of such pieces, from simple decorative pillows, to linens, rugs, and blankets, as well as other various blue accessories.
These work in almost any bedroom design, and you can always make changes later, as needed.
This approach is ideal for rentals, where the changes you can make are quite limited.
How to Copy This Look:
The main principle with this approach is to make sure to not clutter the room with too many items.
The number of items should be directly proportional to the size of the room.
It’s also important to choose pieces that are useful, avoiding buying pieces that will never be used.
So start by considering what type of decorative pieces you would use.
For example, a blanket might be useful, as well as a piece of art.
On the other hand, more pillows might be less useful.
It’s very important to only buy things that are useful to you, rather than just filling the room.
Here’s how to decorate your bedroom to use as an Airbnb.
14: Pair Blue Walls With Large Plants for a Natural Theme
Introducing plants into your bedroom is an excellent way to bring the outdoors inside.
Plants have a strong positive impact on the quality of air and our overall wellbeing, making them very useful for any home.
There are numerous studies that show the positive effects of plants indoors, and because of this, you should always take into account their value.
You can find plants that require minimal care, and there are numerous systems available to further automate their maintenance.
Green works very well with many shades of blue, so this pairing is highly flexible in most situations.
How to Copy This Look:
This idea can work well, either with having all the walls painted or wallpapered in blue, or with a single blue accent wall.
It also works with any shade of blue, making it very versatile.
The best way to approach this is to either use one large plant, or a grouping of multiple smaller ones.
Large plants, although very beautiful, can also be quite expensive, so they may not always be an option.
As an alternative to this, you can opt to group a few smaller plants together.
The simplest way to group them is to find a plant holder that can hold a few of them together.
Stylistically, this will make them act as one, having a similar effect to a larger plant.
Once you have everything ready, find a corner of the room to place it in.
A good idea is to place your plants beside the bed, as that way they will also have an impact on your wellbeing.
Try these 9 natural oak furniture ideas for your bedroom.
15: Blue Panel Molding Will Make the Room Feel More Spacious
Panel molding is a favorite choice for bringing some classically inspired style to your bedroom.
Panel molding has become quite popular thanks to the unique designs it can be used to create.
It’s also not very complicated or expensive to install, which further helped its rise in popularity.
Panel moldings are decorative strips of hard plastic, inspired by classical European design features, that are attached to the wall.
Contrasting blue panels with white walls is an excellent way to make it stand out further, and create a truly unique design.
How to Copy This Look:
Start by finding the panel style that you like.
As mentioned before, the larger the room, the more ornate the style can be.
However, avoid going too ornate, as that rarely works.
Also, focus on using the panels along with the baseboard, and forgo the crown, as it will just make the bedroom feel busier.
Once you have the style, you need to install the panels on the wall.
Their size will depend on the size of the room.
The smaller the room, the larger the panels have to be.
Once all of this is in place, and the panels are installed, you can paint both them and the walls at the same time.
Medium blue or dark blue work quite well with this idea.
Here are 10 colors that go well with dark green bedroom walls.
16: Match Blue Shades with Silver Accents for an Energetic Look
Similar to gold, silver also works well as an accent with shades of blue – particularly lighter ones.
Compared to gold accents, silver has a much more subtle effect – being a bit more restrained, which also makes it more versatile and easier to work with.
This idea also follows the concept of a color palette, with blue being the dominant color, and silver acting as an accent color.
Because it can be quite strong if used on large surfaces, it’s not really viable as a secondary color.
Another important aspect to consider is the type of material.
Silver can be very shiny when used on certain materials and surfaces.
This can make the design feel cheap, so it’s best to avoid it as much as possible.
Matte or light-absorbing surfaces work best in silver.
Finally, it’s important to remember that what determines the position of color in the hierarchy is the amount that is used.
So, you can opt to use silver in larger quantities if the blue is also proportional.
But in a bedroom, the areas where you can apply certain colors are quite finite, so keep this balance in mind when applying this design.
How to Copy This Look:
This option works best with medium or dark blue walls – either in a simple, solid wallpaper, or painted.
It also works very well with a wooden floor, which is standard in many bedrooms.
Covering the walls is the first step, then you can start looking for décor pieces in silver.
A silver carpet can work very well.
Avoid using silver drapes, as they can end up looking quite tacky.
Next, look for furniture with silver detailing, making sure that your chosen pieces are not overly large.
Bedside tables work really well for this style.
Finally, we have the light fixture, which you could also choose in silver, again, keeping the size in mind.
If you wish to add an additional step, you can also look for a bed with a blue bed frame and silver accents, but that will be both more difficult to find, and more expensive to purchase.
Follow these 10 steps to turn your bedroom into an office.
17: Mix Dark Blue Walls and Textures for a Clean and Stylish Look
Having an all-blue room is feasible, but it is also difficult to get right.
This idea is more complex and difficult to implement, but it can also end up looking amazing if pulled off correctly.
The basic principle is to mix various blue textures together.
Every surface in a room has its own texture – whether it is paint, wallpaper, furniture, fabric, etc.
The texture is primarily given by the material used, or the applied finishes.
While it’s not really noticeable if you don’t look for it, every room is made up of a multitude of textures.
Unlike color and pattern – which are far simpler to combine – picking and mixing textures is much more nuanced and difficult.
It’s also time-consuming and costly, as you need to search for the appropriate pieces.
This idea relies on using the same color, but applying it through different textures, taking your design to the next level.
How to Copy This Look:
The easiest way to implement this idea is by using it on the walls, drapes, and carpet.
You can also forgo painting the walls blue, instead opting to use a blue-framed bed with a generous headboard.
All of these elements need to be in the same shade of blue, with medium and navy blue working the best in this instance.
What this means is that you will need to spend some time finding pieces that share the same shade of blue.
This is very important to get right, as it’s the entire point of the idea.
Please note that painting the walls a shade of blue that matches the décor pieces is also tricky, and time needs to be spent getting it right.
It is for this reason that this idea is difficult to integrate, as creating this level of coordination can be quite complex.
Check out these 18 small bedroom and living room combo ideas.
18: Mix Blue and Dark Gray for a Subtle Look
Blue and gray can go really well together and has the advantage of being simple to integrate.
A blue bed frame and headboard – juxtaposed with a gray accent wall – is one of the simplest and most impactful combinations.
Because of the similarities between them, blue and gray – particularly medium gray – work very well and seamlessly together.
The one principle to keep in mind is that gray should be the secondary color in most situations.
The reason for this is that when used on larger areas, it can have a slight impact on our well-being.
While this is usually not the case, it’s important to keep in mind.
How to Copy This Look:
As mentioned before, the most straightforward way of implementing this is to use the combination of a gray accent wall with a blue bed frame and headboard.
Let’s start with the accent wall.
Find a wallpaper that you like.
Ideally, it should be a medium gray with a slight texture.
Avoid simple matte wallpaper, or even paint, as a solid gray wall can look quite dull.
Then apply this to the wall situated behind the bed.
Finally, you can choose the bed.
The most important aspect is to choose a piece with a large headboard, ideally in a medium or dark blue shade, with a slight texture.
Fabric would work very well, but avoid leather, as it can look tacky.
Place the bed head against the gray wall to complete the effect.
You can also consider adding a gray textured carpet to the bedroom, as well, if you feel it would suit the look.
Up next: 10 dark bedroom accent wall ideas.
Image Attribution and Licensing
Main image: ‘Blue retro master bedroom’ by archideaphoto – (used with permission and commercially licensed through Envato Elements).
Dan
Dan is the founder and head content creator at Bedroom Style Reviews.
He has been working as a professional online product reviewer since 2015 and was inspired to start this website when he ended up sleeping on a memory foam mattress that was too soft and gave him backache.
Through in-depth research and analysis, Dan’s goal with this website is to help others avoid such pitfalls by creating the best online resource for helping you find your ideal mattress, bedding, and bedroom furniture.
Dan is a qualified NVQ Level 2 Fitness Instructor with 6 years’ experience helping clients improve their health through diet, exercise, and proper sleep hygiene.
He also holds several college and university-level qualifications in health sciences, psychology, mathematics, art, and digital media creation – which helps him to publish well researched and informative product reviews as well as articles on sleep, health, wellbeing, and home decor.
Dan also has direct personal experience with insomnia, anxiety, misophonia (hypersensitivity to sounds), and pain from both acute and long-standing sporting injuries – he enjoys writing insightful articles around these subjects to help fellow sufferers of such conditions.
Learn more about Dan here.
