Colour wheel: Create your perfect bedroom palette

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by colour, you’ve come to the right place. Simply click on a colour you’d love to decorate with, tell us which colour theory you’re using (there’s a useful guide below!) and we’ll do the rest.

Choose your lead colour to start creating the bedroom colour palette of your dreams.

Colour Theory

6 colour theories used by interior designers

Orange cushion on grey Charlie Upholstered Ottoman Bed Frame

1. Complementary

Complementary colours sit opposite one another on the colour wheel you can see above, such as red and green. They’re best used to create impact and drama in a space.

In an often confusing turn of events, complementary colours are also known as “contrasting” colours (no, we don’t understand why either).

Image credit: @heathhome_

2. Analogous

Analogous colours can be found next to each other on the colour wheel, like blue and purple. Use this colour theory to create a space that feels calm and relaxing.

A yellow sofa bed in a pink room with blue accents

3. Triadic

Using the colour wheel above, find three colours that are evenly spaced apart from each other. That’s a triadic colour scheme. If you were to connect them, they’d form a triangle, such as red, yellow and blue. This palette is vibrant and varied, without using too many contrasting tones.

Image credit: @that_berry_house

4. Split-complementary

A split-complementary colour palette uses one base colour, paired with the two colours next to its complementary colour (its opposite). Taking the colour wheel above, if you were to choose green as your base colour, its split-complementary colours would be orange-red and red-purple. This scheme is perfect for creating more muted contrast.

Soft grey bed and green walls

5. Tetradic

Tetradic (also known as double-complementary) schemes use four total colours, made up of two pairs of complementary colours. For example, you might use blue and orange alongside green and red. This is perfect for those of us who love colour!

Image credit: @oneageanisinengland

6. Square

As the name suggests, square colour schemes use four colours spaced evenly around the wheel, which could connect to form a square. Using the wheel above, you’d select every third colour. Like tetradic schemes, this creates a colourful palette, but with more balance due to the spacing of the shades.

But what about neutrals?

These classic colours don’t appear on the wheel, but that doesn’t mean they’re any less important. Tones of black, grey, white, and beige can all be used and layered together, without pulling focus from one another.

How to use our colour wheel tool

It’s super simple to create a colour palette and make decorating your bedroom a breeze. To get started, simply select the colour you’d most like to use in your bedroom, such as blue, green, yellow or pink. Then, use the drop down on the right hand side to select different colour theories, such as complementary, analogous and triadic (scroll up to find out more about these!). This will determine what colours your primary pick is paired with, based on the rules of that colour theory.

Our nifty tool will then show a visual representation of how these colours work together, helping you create a harmonious and inviting bedroom.

Understanding the colour wheel

We’ve all heard of primary and secondary colours, but the colour wheel can be a little baffling if it’s your first time using it. It’s a fundamental design tool, used for centuries to help us understand the relationships between colours.

First created by Sir Isaac Newton in 1666, the colour wheel makes it easy to quickly identify what colours work well together, and which clash. Since then, designers have been using different colour theories to interpret the wheel and create stunning designs. Now it’s your turn to apply these ideas to your home.

Choosing the right colours for your bedroom

The right colour for your bedroom will be personal to you, but there are a few things we’d advise given the impact colour can have on your mood and sleep quality. If you’re longing for a bedroom that feels instantly calming, consider cool colours like blue and green. For warm and cosy spaces, it’ll come as no surprise that warm tones such as red and orange work best.

To ensure these hues are well balanced, use our colour wheel tool to create a harmonious palette.

Most popular bedroom colour combinations

Here are some beloved colour combinations that go down a treat in a cosy bedroom:

  • Complementary: Blue and orange
  • Analogous: Purple, indigo and blue
  • Split-complementary: Pink, green and yellow

The impact of colour on sleep

Experts in colour psychology have long believed that different colours can have significantly different impacts on our senses and mood. Some hues, like blue and green, make us feel relaxed, while others, like red and purple, make us feel alert and therefore less likely to snooze peacefully. Balancing your use of colour to invoke different moods is crucial for the bedroom, a space where we unwind and feel at peace.

Don’t forget the impact of lighting on your colour choice, too! Artificial lighting may increase the intensity of deep colours, whereas natural lighting can bring through warm tones in neutrals.

Best colour combinations for a restful night’s sleep

  • Complementary: Pink and green
  • Analogous: Blue, blue-green, and green
  • Split-complementary: Yellow-orange, purple and blue

Interested to learn more? Dive into our complete guide to colour psychology and sleep.

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