Bedroom wall design 

We spend at least a third of our lives in a single room – the bedroom. So it’s important that not only are they an accurate reflection of our personality, but that they are restful, tranquil spaces too. Bedroom wall décor ideas should reflect these principles, taking into account colour, pattern, and the design of the rest of the home. 

Décor should flow naturally, so consider that your hallway or corridor is the entry point into your bedroom. The best way to achieve that flow is to use your bedroom walls to pick up on motifs or design features that run throughout your interior design plan, linking one area to another. Here are a few tips on how to decorate your bedroom walls.

Block colour 

Block colours can create a dramatic effect in a bedroom, but it’s important to achieve a sense of balance in your bedroom wall décor. So if you do decide to use block colour then ensure that it’s a colour you can live with! Dark colours may feel a little overwhelming so if you do want to use a rich ruby red or deep blue, for example, then keep it to a single ‘feature’ wall and balance the depth of colour with a corresponding lighter tone. These lighter colours should complement the deeper tonal values of your feature wall.

Cool bedroom wall designs

Cooler colours may seem to be at odds with what you’re trying to achieve in a bedroom, but pick the right cool tone and you’ll actually find it far more restful than deeper, more intense warm colours. Pale blue or green can be uplifting colours that can easily be complemented by patterned feature walls that pick out the primary tone and add interesting elements to it. 

One of the commonest cool bedroom colours is, surprisingly, white. The problem with white is if you use it too much it can make your bedroom look like the inside of an igloo! So use white as a base for embellishments that bring light and personality into the room, stopping it from feeling too cold or ‘clinical’.

Feature walls

Feature walls are single walls that have real design impact, usually through the use of bold designs or patterns. Again, you need to balance a feature wall with calmer, more tranquil complementary colours otherwise it will overwhelm the design. Don’t forget that texture is just as important as colour or design, so why not choose something really unusual such as flock wallpaper? It may be a little ‘retro’ for some, but textured wallpapers can add an entirely new dimension to your bedroom walls. 

If you are using bold patterns in your design then consider the scale of your bedroom. If it is a small space then big, bold colours, stripes and swirls will make it seem even smaller. Choose a simpler design in lighter, more neutral tones and then bring pops of colour into the décor with bright furnishings, colourful bed throws and patterned fabric headboards. If your ceilings are low then make sure stripes are vertical to give the illusion of a more lofty space, while horizontal stripes can make a larger room feel smaller and cosier by drawing the design inwards.

Using a neutral tone for painting your bedroom walls means that you have a little more freedom to personalise a space with colourful cushions and wall art. However, remember that a bedroom should be a serene, calming place, so factor in clever storage solutions such as divan beds and ottomans or fitted wardrobes to keep clutter down to an absolute minimum. 

There are hundreds of ideas on great bedroom wall décor ideas at Crate and Barrel. Check out the Bedroom section for more great tips and hints.