When it comes to the bedroom, don't we all dream (pardon the pun) of a space that instantly calms us, makes us feel relaxed and helps us drift off to sleep? Well, that's exactly what a light blue bedroom can do.
'According to color psychology, certain colors are proven to evoke certain emotions, moods and behaviours,' says Genevieve Rosen Biller, founder of Bed Threads. 'Light blue is associated with making you feel relaxed and peaceful as it evokes elements of the sea and sky, making it an ideal color for creating a calm sleep space.'
Whether you decide to drench your bedroom in swathes of baby blue, or add a pale pop in small doses, light blue is no longer confined to the walls of a nursery or kids bedroom (although it does, of course, still work there), and the shade has shed any gender stereotypes formerly attached to it.
From color-drenched to classic coastal, we've found six light blue bedroom ideas that show you how you can stylishly introduce this soft shade into your sleep spaces.
Is light blue a good color for a bedroom?
But before showing you how to incorporate light blue into your bedroom, let's quickly discuss why you should. As a student of Neuroaesthetics — a relatively new science around how the brain perceives and responds to art, beauty, and design — renowned designer Christiane Lemieux claims light blue offers significant benefits in the bedroom. 'This tranquil hue is known to lower heart rates, reduce blood pressure, and alleviate stress, promoting a sense of calm and relaxation,' she says.
Not only is light blue one of the best colors for sleep, but it's also incredibly versatile. Seamlessly slipping into a variety of interior styles — whether it be traditional or modern, colorful or neutral — light blue can help make a room feel bigger and brighter.
As close as blue gets to a neutral, soft baby or powder blue shades also complement a wide range of other colors, meaning it can easily be incorporated into existing spaces and styles. Here are a few ideas.
1. GO ALL OUT WITH COLOR
When it comes to making a statement with style, it's often better to fully commit to something rather than play it safe. Take this color-drenched bedroom by New York and Los Angeles-based studio Charlap Hyman & Herrero, for example, where the same dusty baby blue has been painted on the ceiling and walls, and for the bedding and decor choices.
It doesn't feel cold or childish. It feels enveloping, warm and utterly modern. Rather than using different colors, the designers have employed a mixture of textures — the washed wall, the velvet bedcover — to create depth and complexity in a way that wouldn't have worked as well had they not completely committed to the color.
2. PAIR BABY BLUE WITH POPS OF RED
If there is one trending combination we've discovered this year, it's that pale blue is definitely a color that goes with red. This bedroom scheme, designed by London-based interior designer Brooke Copp Barton is testament to that.
Filled with textures like rattan and brass, playful patterns and various shades of the two colors, it shows just how easy it is to make light blue feel warm and inviting for a bedroom scheme.
3. EMBRACE A COASTAL-STYLE SCHEME
Blues of all shades are core to any traditional coastal color scheme. Reflecting the sky and sea outside, they are a way of bringing the outdoors in, but in a seaside locale. Soothing shades of blue help to make a space feel light, bright and airy, and embody the sort of relaxed and calming energy you get from being by the sea.
The coastal color palette in the bedroom shown above, by Austin-based interior design firm Meredith Owens Interiors, reflects all of this. While blue has been used throughout the entire home, in the bedroom it's used in soft and light shades, creating a calming ambience more conducive to sleep.
4. MAKE IT AN ACCENT IN THE SPACE
Light blue has traditionally been used as a popular kids bedroom paint color for a reason. It's soft but also playful. Interior designer Chris McGovern, founder of New York-based design studio McGovern Project, incorporated the shade into this space in a fun way, color blocking the walls with Benjamin Moore's 'Jet Stream' paint color.
Tying together the confetti-style ceiling wallpaper design, as well as the colorful gallery wall frames and bedding, the sky blue feels fresh and whimsical. 'For the daughter's room, we wanted something that inspired creativity and reflected her vibrant personality,' explains Chris.
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Description: A buoyant sky blue distinguished by a touch of lilac.
5. MAKE IT FEEL MORE MATURE WITH TEXTURE
A room they can grow in to? Now, that's the dream. This soothing kids bedroom by Brooklyn-based residential design studio Chango & Co feels young and fresh but the textured limewash paint gives its it a more mature and timeless look.
'We chose to do this boy's bedroom in an all-over blue limewash — the color is Portola's Waved. The method has a real calming effect, adds dimension to the room, and will beautifully transition the space as he grows older,' says Susana Simonpietri, creative director of Chango & Co.
6. ADD LIGHT BLUE WALLPAPER
Wallpaper is another wonderful idea when it comes to experimenting with light blue bedroom ideas. Whether you choose to cover an accent wall, the entire room or even the just the ceiling, choosing a wallpaper with a pattern or print lets you embrace color without it being a solid block, making it the perfect place to start.
Interior designer Regan Barker, founder of San Francisco-based interior design firm Regan Barker Design, chose to incorporate a painterly light blue and green wallpaper into one of the kids bedrooms in the home shown above. Her client loves wallpaper and rooms that have a sense of movement, and this organic print brought exactly that to the space.
What colors go with light blue in a bedroom?
'There are few, if any, colours that don't pair well with this shade,' says Bed Threads' founder Genevieve Rosen Biller when asked about colors that go with light blue. She recommends styling your bed with all light blue bedding for a monochrome look, or pairing it with neutral hues such as charcoal, white, oatmeal or gray.
'I also love light blue with other cooler tones such as lavender, lilac or sage for a fresh and unexpected yet harmonious aesthetic,' she adds.
How do you warm up a light blue bedroom?
For those who may shy away from a light blue bedroom for fear it will come across too cold, there are plenty of ways to make the cool hue feel warm and inviting. Genevieve recommends pairing it with neutrals with warm undertones, as well as natural textures like wood, rattan furniture, and even houseplants, that can 'balance out the icy tones.'
'Lighting can also make a huge difference to how warm a room looks and feels, so incorporate plenty of natural light during the day as well as light fixtures and table lamps with warm bulbs for a cozy vibe when the sun goes down' she suggests.
