Asked on Jan 20, 2015

How to design our bedroom colors with different painted furniture

Karil G.
by Karil G.
I am trying to design my master bedroom makeover. I am going to paint the walls and do new window treatments and possibly makeover some furniture if needed. I am having trouble figuring out what colors will work together. I don't want matchy matchy but I don't want everything totally mismatched like I feel it is now. Years ago when all my furniture was matcha matchy wood stain all I had to think about was the wall color coordinating with fabrics-- the linens and window treatments. Now that I have embraced the trend of painted furniture I am really stumped! I would really love to keep my grey bed linens. I would also love to keep the headboard which is Annie Sloan old white (distressed) and the mirrored dresser which is Annie Sloan Paris grey. I want all yellow gone. I love blues, grays, and natural elements. Along with all things light and beachy/french/farm/rustic. If that makes sense?! I would love ideas for what colors to paint the walls, what to do for window fabric and I'm not opposed to painting the other furniture pieces or changing them out for something else. My first attempt (3 years ago) was not terrible as you can see , but it's a very random attempt to make things "work together" by painting the furniture pieces either gray, off white or just wood, very randomly. ( I promise I didn't close my eyes and say "eeny meeny miney mo"!) Should I find night stands that match? What color should they be? I want neutral walls but can I do that with a gray dresser and off- white headboard? Won't that be too many different neutrals? How can I bring in some blue? Please help! Thanks much!!!
Nightstand ASCP Paris Grey
Nightstand ASCP Old White
Jewelry armoire ASCP Old White
Bed and tall dresser . Headboard is ASCP Old White
Mirror dresser ASCP Paris Grey
  17 answers
  • Vicki K Vicki K on Jan 21, 2015
    All you need to do is paint your walls and get rid of that yellow pillow. You have a gray and white scheme going now. Add coral? in pillows, valances, decor pieces? I'd get textury white straight to the floor draperies for your windows, a panel on each side (saw some at Walmart for $11 each panel) and mount them wide with rod and clip rings so when open, the whole window is exposed. Valance straight across at top over the decorative rod (black) with fringe or tassels? (or not) and fastened at each side with safety pins, mine is; swagged at the bottom. I didn't even hem it. Nobody can tell. The main decision is what to paint the walls. Try the computer at the paint store and try different colors until you find one you like. You need a warm color tho, w/ all the gray. I think the yellow is quite nice, but if you had it awhile, I can see where you want a change. Good luck.
  • Vicki K Vicki K on Jan 21, 2015
    Another thought for the walls is a Color for 2015 called Merlot, it's the color of Merlot wine, kind of lighter redder softer than burgundy. That would make your bedroom sultry! What do you think?? Another Color for 2015 is Persian Blue, kind of a dark warm turquoise, that would work too. Google the Colors of 2015. But of course that would date them, too.
  • Patsy McQuade Patsy McQuade on Jan 21, 2015
    I agree with Vicki,,,change out the yellow and go with pink tone (coral, merlot) and blues (Persian Blue, teal). The grey and white base is great. To finish the room, you could get a white bed skirt (that will 'match' the new white drapes) and taller lamps for the nightstands. fun!
  • MBLori MBLori on Jan 21, 2015
    I think what may be frustrating you is the imbalance of where you used your colors. You have one dark brown wood dresser which is a "heavy" looking piece. But there is nothing similarly colored across the room to balance it. I'm not crazy about the headboard blocking part of the window, but I realize it's a smallish room, so you have limitations. You mention liking greys and blues. I would pick a several paint chips with soft blues and set them in the room, on the grey dresser and on the brown dresser. Look at them different times of day and night for different lighting. Eliminate the ones that you don't like. Narrow it down that way. I would go with a plain color on your bed cover, the one you have is awfully busy for the room. Even just white would give your eye a rest. On your grey dresser, you have grey things. That's a place for some natural dark wood to match the other dresser and do some grey on the other side of the room. You could add a pop of color with larger lamps (the grey ones are teenie!) Maybe try and orange or pink and one pillow to match that color. Let us know how things look when you're done!
  • Barbara Barbara on Jan 21, 2015
    Teal, or aqua. I like the painted furniture, but maybe paint the dresser in a color. Also the grey dresser needs some sparkle or color on it. Bigger lamps are a great idea.
  • Wanda.ll Wanda.ll on Jan 21, 2015
    How about Aqua and beach stuff. Maybe use different shades of it along with beach stuff. All kinds of star fish, sand dollars , even some metal stuff( birds) spray painted in bright silver, use metal stuff you would use at beach in different shades of blues and silvers.
  • Karil G. Karil G. on Jan 21, 2015
    Thanks so much for all the help!! Bigger lamps, YES! and I get the room balance stuff too, totally makes sense! I really appreciate all the ideas! I'll let you know whow it turns out!
  • Taylor @ TayRose Design Taylor @ TayRose Design on Jan 21, 2015
    If you are going for the beachy feel, a pretty light aqua/turquoise color would be pretty on the walls, and fresh with white accents and maybe some minty green.
  • Gretchen Mercer Gretchen Mercer on Jan 21, 2015
    I am drawn to more of a monochromatic pallet with textures. I see your room painted in a pale gray or cottage white. Let your furniture colors/linens/textured pieces/art be the focus.
  • Vicki K Vicki K on Jan 21, 2015
    There's too much white and gray furniture to paint the walls white or gray! She needs some soft color in there. You always use THREE colors at least. And the color in the bigger lamps, perfect!! I like all these suggestions. She may not be a beachy person but she can translate those colors into a theme she DOES like. These are all good. Be sure to let us see it when you're done. You can spray paint old thrift brass lamps with "Rustoleum metal" spray paint to look like any color of ceramic to update them, did you know that? So go to the thrift stores, they are full of out of date brass lamps!
  • Leeann Berry Leeann Berry on Jan 21, 2015
    Just a thought... If it bothers you at all that the window is covered by the head board a bit. Extend your curtain past the headboard on the opposite side as far as it is on the right hand side so it looks like one big wall of windows even though it is not. As for colour of walls, if you tire of colours quickly paint them a neutral. And add in pops of colour in your accessories. Definitely go get some paint chips and do what others have said to look at how they appear in you room in different times of day and different light conditions.
    • See 1 previous
    • Leeann Berry Leeann Berry on Jan 27, 2015
      I did not see the second curtain/window in the pictures. I was suggesting that you extend the curtain on the window next to the bed all the way across to the other side of the bed to make it look like a larger feature window even though it's not.
  • Cindy Cindy on Jan 21, 2015
    You said you like blues and I don't see why you could not paint your walls blue.I would definitely keep it on the lighter side. In my opinion, if you went with Merlot or any darker color it would close in your bedroom and make it feel smaller than it already is. Like they call said get paint chips but, once you narrow it down to two or three you should get sample pots and paint actual test strips on the wall. To me, the brown dresser looks out of place. You have two items painted grey and two white, why don't you paint it either grey or white, to tie it in with the other furniture. Now that you have your base colors picked, go with a nice bright accent color which could be used in your curtains, lamp shades and pillows.
    • See 1 previous
    • Laurie Harry Laurie Harry on Apr 19, 2016
      @Karil G. I would paint the chest of drawers the same grey as the dresser - make it look like a set.
  • Karil G. Karil G. on Jan 27, 2015
    Thanks everyone so much for all the suggestions I've been shopping around for lamps and paint colors. I love the idea of painting the bedroom blue however I'd prefer to go with a neutral just so it's easier to change out the color scheme. My problem is what neutral is going to go since I have gray and off-white furniture???
    • @Karil G. ....I believe going with a ' neutral ' for walls, and the color being in the details. As you stated, makes changing things out easier if that becomes something one wants to do in the future. ..I have Paris Grey and white and off - white furniture; My walls are a soft creamy white. Why , do you ask ? Well....My drapes are white patterned sheers and I wanted to make the windows seem bigger and longer, so I have white that sort of ' blends into the walls , and the curtains are extended a few inches PAST the windows, on each side. My accent colors are Dark Purple , silvery gray and a PALE apple green. I like my walls neutral so that if I ever choose to change out my color choices, its easy to do so. :) Happy decorating. ..! I love your color choices.
  • Cindy Cindy on Jan 27, 2015
    What about doing a white wash, like you headboard?
  • Grace Grace on Apr 23, 2015
    The room color is soft yellow, curtains are soft grey and cream. What type of art can I decorate with....help!!!
  • Dmg3224724 Dmg3224724 on May 09, 2016
    Your furniture is very unique and I love it. I would paint the master dresser the same as the gray one with the mirror, and get matching style nightstands, and do them the same color; maybe white and gray? Another thing you can do to the wall behind your headboard is put up mirrors across, like your window, then cover the whole wall with some type of semi opaque curtain. The mirror will brighten the room up, even covered with curtains. And finally, I would change the yellow to a soft seafoam gray green wall color. That color is so peaceful in a bedroom, and it will make your white pieces pop.
  • Swinnen Lisette Swinnen Lisette on Oct 30, 2016
    What do you think of this color of the wall? Imagine your grey bedstands and Annie Sloan 's headboard... I find this terrific