As much as we at House Beautiful love vibrant colors, there's just something about a neutral bedroom that trumps all other color schemes. Your bedroom is where you go to recharge and rest, so being able to do so in a calm setting with nature-inspired earth tones or quiet creams is preferable. Whether you're starting from scratch and need some help figuring out what direction to go in with your bedroom design, or you want to tone down your current space to reflect a softer, quieter, less busy atmosphere, you're in the right place. Ahead, get inspired by 20 neutral bedrooms straight from our favorite designers.
1
Modern Sand and Cement
Cement tile flooring gives this bedroom designed by Akin Atelier an industrial edge while the loose linens and cream and sand-tone pieces make it feel laidback and beachy. Together, the colors evoke a misty morning by the sea.
2
Gray-Green and Off-White
Sarah Solis used dark gray-green and a rich, near-black shade of red as her neutral accent colors in this contemporary Mediterranean revival bedroom. While subtle, both of the accent colors bring just a touch of vibrance to the otherwise black and off-white bedroom. A framed photograph brings the palette together.
3
Minimalist Dark Green and Burnt Orange
Dark green and rich burnt orange function together as neutrals in this context, where only essential items are on display. Designed by Shapeless Studio, this bedroom strikes a nice balance between urban sophistication and laidback country style.
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4
Gray, Light Wood, and White
Minimalism doesn't have to be cold! In this farmhouse bedroom designed by British firm McLaren.Excell, the loft bedroom features tons of warm wood and laidback linens in a grayscale color scheme for a casual, welcoming mood.
5
Cream and Light Gray
Here's a more formal take on neutral bedroom design: Victoria Hagan incorporated plenty of textiles to soften and humanize the scale of the space. The high ceilings bring drama, but the warm greige colors ensure that it doesn't feel austere nor cavernous.
6
Fawn and Navy
AP Design House's neutral bedroom is punctuated by eye-catching metal sculptures and chrome accents that play up the cool tones and contrast the warmer neutrals. The rich layers of texture make it a cozy and inviting yet modern and sleek respite.
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7
Clay and Navy
In this eclectic bedroom designed by Heidi Caillier, the dynamic layers of prints, materials, and styles make a unique and personality-packed impression. Yet, the neutral, more muted colors help keep the space from becoming overtly bold. The scheme of navy and rose clay works especially well with the modern black accents and classic wood furniture.
8
Pale Yellow and White
If you want to lean a little yellower but don't want to go full-on sunny, consider a buttercream approach, as Anne Pyne did in her New York City bedroom.
9
Dark Green
David Frazier took a moody and earthy approach in his New York City apartment bedroom. While the color (Studio Green from Farrow & Ball) is worth praising, it's also the texture-rich finish that elevates the walls. "We wanted to showcase the movement in the plaster, so we had the walls painted in a satin finish," he explains. "it gives a certain depth that we wouldn’t have been able to achieve with a flat paint."
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10
Costal Blue and White
Sky blue is a neutral everywhere, in our books, but especially in seaside locales. A preppy blue and white striped slipcover brightens up the headboard in this coastal bedroom by AP Design House. The rattan and woven pieces are also great beach house staples.
11
Brown and Honey
This chocolate color is more calming than it is energizing, so if you're looking for a saturated neutral, this is a great source of inspiration. Designer Fiona Lynch felt the color, Rich Biscuit by Dulux, was perfect for a bedroom, and especially when paired with offbeat accents for an eclectic elegance.
12
Modern Blue, Black, and White
In this primary bedroom, designer Andy Beers of Ore Studios opted for less saturated versions of the colors used in the common rooms for a calming but continuous design. Crisp whites contrast with inky blacks and are united by a deep midnight blue tone.
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13
Red and Light Gray
Red can be surprisingly neutral when paired with the right colors and materials. Tamsin Johnson Interiors used the modern photograph as a jumping-off point for the color scheme.
14
Black, White, and Gray
Wall-to-wall gray carpeting provides a soft landing for cold mornings and the floor-to-ceiling steel and glass windows allow the forest view to set the scene for this bedroom designed by Kathleen McCormick. Midcentury monochrome details suit the architectural bones of the bedroom beautifully, too.
15
Blue, Ochre, and Gray
Phillip Smith opted for a soft gray color on the walls and then brightened up the room with burn orange and blue bedding. A Les Indiennes throw distinguishes the headboard.
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16
Dark Wood and White
For a moodier take on neutral decorating, take note of this bedroom designed by NicoleHollis. The dark stain of the wood as well as the slate gray bedding and pewter decor make this room sophisticated, sleek, and calming all at once.
17
Sage and Orange
"I wanted to create a bedroom full of personality," designer Jae Joo says of the main bedroom in this Boston Rowhouse. Though classic and understated, the room brims with character thanks to a shrunken photo gallery, curved furniture, and colorful accents. The light gray walls look blue in some lighting and green in others; either way, they're a welcome departure from the go-to white canvas most bedrooms feature.
18
Sophisticated Black and Light Gray
"I'm a big believer that within a home, different rooms should evoke different feelings and purposes,” says designer Nanette Brown. The rest of the rooms in this NYC home are painted in deep, dark tones, while the bedroom features the opposite approach. Despite the varying colors, each room shares a sense of refined elegance and restraint.
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19
Mauve and White
Light mauve pink bedding and artwork add a sweet and playful quality to this neutral and contemporary bedroom designed by Studio Robert McKinley.