Asked on Jul 08, 2012

I need advice on paint colors for my master bedroom and bath.

Lorrie R
by Lorrie R
I want a coastal feel in both my master bedroom and bath; something between casual and formal--no flamingos; just some seashells and maybe a picture of a saliboat or a sandy beach. Both are fairly large rooms with high ceilings and there are white shutters on the bottom half of all the windows. The bath also has white shutters at the windows with all white fixtures and white cabinets. Other than a blue bed covering and the style of my furniture (picture attached) there is nothing to dictate color. It is pretty much a blank canvas and I think I can handle the decorating but I know that the paint color is crucial. I think what I am looking for is a warm neutral color in the bedroom and a light shade of blue in the bath but I an open to suggestions.
Any other suggestions (curtains) would also be appreciated. I was thinking simple linen panels? In addition, when we purchased the king size bed, I lost my queen size headboard so I am also looking for a headboard that would blend with my furniture.
Thank you for the help.
Lorrie (lorierichards@bellsouth.net)
Sample of furniture style.
Windows. Want to get rid of the blinds completely. Privacy is not an issue.
Shade of blue bed covering.
  21 answers
  • Rhoda V Rhoda V on Jul 08, 2012
    HI, Lorrie, I think panels would look nice on your windows and you could do a pretty stencil on them in a darker blue that would tie in with your current bedding. I think a pretty striped rug would help to tie in those coastal colors too, so look for something that draws your eye. I would do a creamy neutral on the walls, like Sand Beach by Sherwin Williams or the soft gray/blues that are so popular now. Oyster Bay & Sea Salt are both great colors from Sherwin Williams & are on the same strip with Comfort Gray, all 3 good colors. If you stay neutral on the walls and bedding, you will need to bring in some color with pillows. You could add a punch of color (green or coral) to add some color to the bedding. Artwork will also bring in color and add lots of fun to your room. It's a pretty room and has lots of potential.
  • Lorrie, I too have some cherry colored pieces but want something fresher and more open with blues and browns. So I pinned a bunch of inspiration here (http://pinterest.com/iaswp/master-bedroom-remodel/) ... hopefully it can give some ideas. I love the idea of all that romantic whitewashed and white distressed furniture. But I don't think my husband would appreciate all that girly. I think my pins help marry the male and female so we can keep our marriage healthy and strong!
  • Jeanette S Jeanette S on Jul 09, 2012
    Painting your room in a light bluish gray color would go a long way toward adding that beach look. You might also want to take an accent wall (or the whole room if you desire) and put up beadboard at the bottom...3-4' tall...and paint it white, topped with molding and even a small shelf if you desire. You could even accent the wall behind the bed with this, adding shelves beside the bed for endtables. Nothing says coastal more than beadboard! Please DO NOT paint out that beautiful cherry furniture. Move it to be used in another part of the house or another bedroom and use some repurposed furniture in your bedroom if you feel you have to have lighter furniture.
  • Lori T Lori T on Jun 21, 2014
    If it was mine it would be a greenish blue kinda like teal. but a little bit more blue.
  • Lori T Lori T on Jun 21, 2014
    Double up the shutters. get rid of the blinds and change out that bed spread .
  • Cindi Cindi on Jun 25, 2014
    I would do the walls in a seafoam. Keeping all white trim and shutters. I would focus on matching the wood tone of furniture into my decor. To give balance to room. So I would do some bamboo shades in the colors of the wood. And instead of adding curtains. I would have a small shelf put over each window, with beachy decor. And I would build a head board made of an old door, or shutters, but stain to match other furniture. Then of course do all decor in shades of teal, seafoam, and a splash of cobolt blue. Using at least four diff. shades of blue. Good luck
  • Michele Eures Michele Eures on Jun 25, 2014
    If you do panel curtains, I would bring them all the way up to the ceiling. Don't paint your furniture, it will look more balanced if it stays the wood tone. Example:
    • See 3 previous
    • B. Enne B. Enne on Jun 29, 2015
      @Michele Eures Great pic, and room.
  • Diane Davis Diane Davis on Feb 17, 2015
    Sherwin Williams has two luminous easy to live with colors I'm using now. Copen Blue and Lake Placid. Beautiful!
  • Mary Byrne Mary Byrne on Apr 18, 2015
    @Lorrie R I think that @Jeanette S and others have some good ideas, I would love to see the end result with pictures, love the coastal theme.
  • MaryStLouis MaryStLouis on Apr 18, 2015
    That cherry furniture is gorgeous! To balance the rich tones of the wood I would go with silver-gray drapes like these and a soft blue-green on the walls. http://www.westelm.com/products/crosshatch-velvet-curtain-feather-gray-t1372/?pkey=e%7Ccrosshatch%2Bvelvet%2Bcurtain%7C2%7Cbest%7C0%7C1%7C24%7C%7C1&cm_src=PRODUCTSEARCH||NoFacet-_-NoFacet-_-NoMerchRules
  • Marsha Marsha on Jun 13, 2015
    Oh Michele that room is gorgeous. Thanks for the name of the BM color. I love BM paint.
  • Barbara Barbara on Oct 15, 2015
    You are so fortunate to have such a large space and those lovely high ceilings! I too would hang draperies at ceiling level to lift the eye to the coved ceiling. Soft blues for the walls for an airy feel and warmer tones (peach, cranberry or soft tan?) for bed linen to keep it cozier. I wouldn't touch a brush to your furniture, it's beautiful and fits beautifully into the traditional architecture of the room. As for headboards, check out Amazon. I recently purchased a black iron style headboard for our master bedroom (I'm into cottage decor) but they have a wide variety of headboards in all sizes and styles, usually lower prices than even Walmart. Warm-colored art on the walls will soften and warm the space\Home Goods has some nice framed art from time to time. It's already a lovely room, now it's time to add your personality. Good Luck!
  • Jo Jo on Dec 09, 2015
    I used a color called FROSTED JADE it is a soft greenish . That we just love.
  • Mickey Baron Mickey Baron on Dec 15, 2015
    You're on the right track. Doing your homework is half the struggle. & that room has TONS of potential. It's awesome. For your window coverings, may I suggest sheers? They add an open airey feel to any room. J.C. Penneys has a great selection. Good luck with your quest. I hope you post after shots.
  • Karol Karol on May 28, 2016
    How you doing on that bed bath makeover? That cabinet will continue to stand out unless you paint it the same color as the walls. Ocean blue, sage, light jade, tan, sand, light peach, somewhere along that line. Take off the handles and replace with rope or twisted ropelike trim( make knots and hot glue ends). I would go wood on the floor, light would match netter and any leftover you use for your haedboard. A couple of scatter rugs, on each side of the bed. I would start looking at shower curtains first though and buy the paint and rugs to coordinate.
  • Kzi10407906 Kzi10407906 on Sep 03, 2016
    We used Sherwin Williams "Sea Salt" on the walls in both the bedroom and bath. I love the soft grey-blue-green color depending on the light. Truly coastal feel
  • Annie Doherty Annie Doherty on Sep 29, 2016
    I like the suggestions so far, you have lots to choose from. Have you considered a greige shade, or Farrow and Ball do wonderful colours like light blue which isn't blue but a beautiful soft grey. Their colours have such a depth to them and although heritage colours, they look wonderful and so up-to-date maybe this would suit your rooms? Good luck in your choice, you have good bones to work with.
  • Ese8934807 Ese8934807 on Oct 20, 2016
    So many colors you can go with I know it's just hard to make up your mind , I can see maybe a pale blue for the bedroom an a light green plush comfort set with green set of pillows an a blue set to tie in with the wall color the windows I will have white sheers in back with green in front tied back for the bath maybe a light green as comfort set so the colors flow from one roon to the other oh yes I really like to see the sheers cover the window to make it look like its one big window an remove the ceiling fan an put up a lovely chandelier, hope everything works out for you
  • Cherol Cherol on Oct 21, 2016
    If you want a costal look then choose sea glass colors. Sherwin Williams Valspar, and other have great colors in the range. I would paint the wall with a sea glass color, trim white, the ceiling sea glass color, and then the tray part of the ceiling the sea glass color. I would get rid of the shutters because they date the room. I would all trim white. I would use side panels on both sides of the windows; in a print that picks-up the sea glass color on the walls. Then I would add clothe roman shades possibly in a accent color. I would purchase a new bedding set that coordinates with white and sea glass color, but that also has another accent color. Y did not show a picture of you bathroom., but you did say that that the cabinets were white. I would carry the sea glass color into the bath room. They have great glass tiles at the home improvement stores that have sea glass color which could use as an backsplash. If you have a window in the bathroom and a standard tub/shower combo; then you could find some washable curtains that picks-up the sea glass colors. I would buy two panels for the window and hem them to a shorter length. Also, you can utilize one panel as a show curtain; you need to make grommets in the panel and use a shower liner with it.
  • Eroque022810 Eroque022810 on Oct 25, 2016
    I would leave the top part of room the sandy color and the bottom part I would paint in a deeper blue than you might think I wouldn't leave it in the same hue which is what is usually suggested. I would pick a color of a beach you love,although this would be a reverse beach with sand on top and water on bottom it would allow the room to continue looking airy. Just take blinds down and leave open to nature. The bathroom I would continue in the same blue ,although it may look darker due to size and ceiling height I think it would make the white pop and that would always look fresh and airy. I'm not a fan of painted furniture so I would only paint vanity if in poor condition. Then you can have fun with bed colors. Layer shades of blue but through in a sandy shade of tan maybe a throw or decorative pillows. If you want curtains go for gauze in pure white. Have fun you spend a lot of time in your space.