Apartment Decor Ideas
Open the styler
Paint colors

Small Bedroom Paint Colors and Ideas

The best small bedroom paint colors are light, warm tints chosen for the light your window gets. North light turns every color cooler and south light warms it all day, so one can of paint looks different in two rooms. Pick a color family first, then test it on two walls before you buy.

Try wall colors in 3DFree, no sign-up
3D styler render of a bedroom with one gray wall and one cream wall, an iron bed between two dark nightstands, a wooden bench on a beige rug and a rocking chair

What color makes a small bedroom look bigger?

Light colors with a warm or neutral undertone make a small bedroom look bigger, because they reflect the most light back into the room. Paint makers measure this as light reflectance value (LRV). Sherwin-Williams prints it on every color chip, on a scale from 0 (absorbs all light) to 100 (reflects all light).

Color familyWhat it does in a small bedroomBest withWatch for
Warm whites and creamsBounce the most light and soften the cornersNorth-facing and dim roomsStark bright whites read cold in north light
Soft grays and greigeGive a calm backdrop for wood and fabricSouth- and west-facing roomsCool grays turn flat and blue in north light
Muted blues and sage greensRead cool and quietSouth-facing rooms with warm lightPick a gray-leaning blue for north light
Blush and warm pastelsAdd warmth without darkening the wallsNorth- and east-facing roomsMid-tone pinks look heavy on four walls
Navy, charcoal, forest greenPull the walls in for a cocooned feelOne wall behind the bedFour dark walls need light bedding and lamps

How does window direction change a paint color?

Window direction sets the color of the daylight, and daylight shifts every paint color toward it. Sherwin-Williams describes north light as cool and bluish all day, east light as warm and yellow before noon, west light as orange-red after noon, and south light as warm orange-yellow all day.

Window facesDaylight (Sherwin-Williams)What to paint
NorthCool, bluish, all dayWarm whites, creams, blush; skip cool grays
EastWarm yellow before noonSoft grays or muted blues that still hold up under lamps at night
WestWarm orange-red after noonCooler grays, sage or muted blue to calm the evening glow
SouthWarm orange-yellow, all dayCool blues, greens and grays, which the warm light balances

Bulbs shift color too. Sherwin-Williams notes that yellow incandescent light intensifies warm colors and dulls cool ones, while cool fluorescent light amplifies blues and greens. Check every sample at night under your own bedside lamps, because that is when you use the room most.

Can you use a dark color in a small bedroom?

Yes: a dark color on one wall, usually the wall behind the bed, gives a small bedroom depth without closing it in. Sherwin-Williams suggests limiting darker accent colors to a single wall in a room you want to stay bright. Benjamin Moore points to rich hues such as its deep chocolate Wenge for a small bedroom with a moody feel.

  • Headboard wall: the first wall you see from the door, and behind you when you sit up in bed.
  • Color drenching: walls, trim and ceiling in one deep color blur the corners; pair it with light bedding and two lamps.
  • Lighter ceiling: Benjamin Moore suggests a ceiling a shade lighter than the walls, or a slight variation of their color, to make the walls look taller.
3D styler render of a bedroom with deep navy walls, white trim and white bedding, a carved dark wood bed, two brass table lamps and a gilt-framed painting
Deep navy on every wall, with white bedding and trim to keep the edges visible.

Which named paint colors suit small rooms?

Benjamin Moore's own small-rooms guide names light colors such as White Dove OC-17, Cloud Nine 2144-60 and Palest Pistachio 2122-60, and deep ones such as Hunter Green 2041-10 and Wenge AF-180. The table repeats the maker's picks as published, grouped by family.

FamilyBenjamin Moore picks for small spaces
Whites and off-whitesWhite Dove OC-17, Chantilly Lace OC-65, Decorator's White OC-149, Cloud Cover 855
Pale tintsCloud Nine 2144-60, Hint of Pink 884, Palest Pistachio 2122-60
Soft grays and greigeEdgecomb Gray HC-173, Revere Pewter HC-172
Deep and moodyWenge AF-180, Hunter Green 2041-10, Vintage Wine 2116-20, Amherst Gray HC-167

Benjamin Moore's page warns that screen and printer colors differ from the actual paint. Treat any online swatch as a shortlist, and decide with a sample on your wall.

How do you test paint colors before you commit?

Test in two steps: narrow the color family on screen, then live with real samples on two walls for a few days. Benjamin Moore recommends viewing samples in the room over a few days before you decide.

  1. Open the 3D styler's bedroom and click through its eight preset wall swatches, from warm off-white and sage gray to dusty blue, blush, deep navy and charcoal.
  2. Switch between day and night lighting to see how each family behaves after dark.
  3. Pick one light family and one deep family, then buy samples in two or three shades of each.
  4. Put the samples on the window wall and the wall across from it, and look at them morning, afternoon and night.
  5. Keep the shade that still looks right under your bedside lamps.

Click through eight wall swatches with day and night lighting in a styled bedroom.

Try wall colors in 3D

The styler shows color families, not brand paints, so the sample on your wall makes the final call.

What if you rent?

Renters bring color into a small bedroom through fabric and art first, and through paint only with written permission. Whether you can paint is a lease question, covered on our renter-friendly decor ideas page.

  • Bedding and a throw in your chosen color family
  • Floor-length curtains on the rod already in place
  • One large leaned print or a removable wallpaper panel on the headboard wall

To hang art without nails, see renter-friendly wall decor. For the rest of the room, start with small apartment bedroom ideas.

Questions people ask

What is the best paint color for a small bedroom?

A light, warm-leaning color matched to your window is the best start: warm white or blush for north light, soft gray or muted blue for south and west light. Test it under your own lamps before you buy.

Do dark colors make a small bedroom look smaller?

Dark colors make the walls feel closer, which reads as cozy when bedding, trim and lamps stay light. Keep a deep color to one wall if the room gets little daylight.

Should the ceiling be white in a small bedroom?

A white ceiling, or one a shade lighter than the walls, keeps a small bedroom looking taller. Benjamin Moore suggests a lighter shade or a slight variation of the wall color for this effect.

What paint finish suits a small bedroom?

Glossier paint reflects more light than matte paint, according to Sherwin-Williams. For that reason, an eggshell or satin finish brightens a dim small bedroom more than flat paint does.

Try the look in the free 3D styler before you buy anything.

Try wall colors in 3D

Keep reading

Sources