Blue bedroom ideas – see how shades from teal to navy can create a restful retreat

Blue is the perfect colour for your bedroom. Able to contrast and complement other shades beautifully, it also has a deeply calming effect, as a colour that chimes with the sky and sea. Blue falls within a wide spectrum of shades, from the palest dusky blues that can create a coastal feel to deep inky blue-blacks that will cocoon you.

How you introduce blue into your decorating scheme can be guided by a few key factors. If you have high ceilings and/or large windows that will allow in plenty of light, you can dare to paint the walls with a dark blue, and add modern accent tones of pale pink or grey.

However, if you're trying to create an airy feel – perhaps in a smaller space – a muted theme will suit better, based on a palette of aquamarine or dusky bluebell and white.

If blue isn't for you, check our our bedroom colour schemes for more options

To add a rustic feel to your bedroom, beech, oak and walnut all contrast fantastically with shades of blue. Marry a wooden double bed and furniture with sky-blue bedlinen, add plump white pillows with a subtle blue stripe.

A beach-inspired makeover is also wonderfully effective and simple to achieve. Transform a simple divan bed with an oversized fabric-covered headboard with a nautical stripe, and dress the bed with complementing striped bedlinen.

Read on to discover more of our blue bedroom ideas.

1. Paint the ceiling night-sky blue

There's no hard and fast rule that says your bedroom ceiling has to be white. Thinking of the ceiling as a fifth wall and painting it a deep blue instead will help you feel cocooned in a calming, restful sanctuary.

2. Choose a soothing blue that won't fade

We all associate denim for its hardwearing and casual look, so it seems a fitting colour choice for a room geared towards relaxation. Layer indigo fabrics in soft linens and textured weaves to enhance the soft, slouchy look, and throw in some raw edges for good measure.

Also, make sure your walls are as hardwearing as your fabric choices. This Blue Gravel Easyclean matt emulsion, £25 for 2.5ltr, Crown, is 200 times tougher and more washable than a normal matt paint. You can wipe down walls quickly and easily to keep them free from dirt and spills, so they will appear as immaculate two years in as the day you painted them. 

3. Roll with ocean blue in the bedroom on a seascape wallpaper

Drift off into a deep sleep surrounded by rolling waves thanks to a seascape wallpaper. The line-drawing print is enough to make a statement but gentle enough still to retain a tranquil vibe. Paired with driftwood furniture and dreamy blue fabrics, this bedroom scene is the perfect calming coast inspired retreat.

4. Paint the walls deep blue for an inspiring bedroom-cum-workspace

With a day bed for deep-thinking (or sleeping) and simple shelving for doing make-up (and business), a space like this can be dual-purpose and stylish. Deep blue walls and whimsical wallpaper make it calm but also inspire creativity.

The sofa-by-day, guest-bed-by-night is dressed in pretty tones of blush pink – lilac would also work as an accent colour here.

5. Co-ordinate your shelves in a blue bedroom

Perfect for a kids room, or a study, use calming blues in different depths of its palette on walls, shelving and even flooring. Use between three and five shades of blue, from the same colour family (you could go by the paint strip on a colour chart), for a totally balanced scheme.

Related: Bedroom storage ideas that are smart, ingenious and versatile

6. Introduce coastal stripes in blues, greys and neutrals

Immerse yourself in a laid-back scheme influenced by the seashore, featuring fluid outlines and coastal colours such as pebble grey, marine blue and sand. A painterly striped wallpaper in soothing blues and greys echoes the calming feel of the waterside – perfect for creating a welcoming place of escape.

Mirror the wallpaper design with striped accessories. Stick to horizontal stripes and soft ombre effects. The painted floor echoes the deep blue sea, while textures like rustic driftwood, woman sisal and soft, crumpled linen build ambience.

Get the look
Buy now: Similar Chelsea Stripe Night Sky wallpaper, £60 a roll, Graham & Brown
Buy now: Similar Ideal Home Harmony bed frame with mattress, from £239, Very

7. Mix deep turquoise with green accents

If you have a small bedroom don't feel like you have to stick to pale blue shades. Take the plunge and create a room filled with gemstone colours such as turquoise and emerald.

To make sure this room is filled with plenty of natural light as well as sumptuous colours, keep the decadent wallpaper to one feature wall at the head of the bed. Paint the rest of the walls in a more neutral shade of blue and decorate with green and blue wall decorations.

8. Combine lupin and cornflower blues

For a gentler look in a bedroom scheme, team a deep indigo blue with purplish coneflower blues, adding textural woods and plenty of soft textiles for a comfortable, lived-in look. Add a vintage feel with a heritage print from William Morris or Liberty. Small bursts of lemon yellow will make an instant but not jarring impact.

Get the look
Buy now: Similar Ideal Home Gael bed frame, from £399, Very

9. Go tropical with a mix of blue and green

So the song goes, 'in the jungle, the mighty jungle, the lion sleeps tonight...' so why not use a jungle print as a backdrop to your own rainforest retreat? The look combines leafy greens, indigo blues and burnt orange and features a clever trick – as wallpaper can be pricey, the bottom third of the wall has been painted in a complementary teal.

Increase the sense of luxury with an upholstered bedstead in a rich velvet fabric, then layer with co-ordinating linen bedding. Create the feeling of a luxe treehouse retreat by introducing rustic wood and woven rattan lampshades.

Related: Green living room ideas – redecorate with the colour of the season

10. Use a deep all-American blue as the backdrop for a global look

Collect characterful, well-designed items of furniture and they'll carry off any trend – like this bold, American-inspired look – with ease. A mellow grey-blue is the perfect relaxing backdrop that ties together the cool grey bed and the warm tan chest and orange accents.

A wall-mounts lamp saves surface space and lends the room a slightly industrial feel, as does the studded headboard and that fabulous multi-purpose trunk.

11. Combine chartreuse and steel blue for an energising look

Create a vibrant Mid-century scheme by combining abstract patterns with curvy furniture in a retro palette of chartreuse, steel blue and grey. Don't be afraid to clash prints. if a full wall is too bold for you, frame a section of wallpaper instead.

If you use one room for multiple activities (for example study and sleep) consider using paint to distinguish between the areas.

12. Use blue almost as a neutral

Maximalism is huge right now, but the clashing of prints and patterns can be daunting. You could play it safe by using a white backstop, but we think multicoloured fabrics have more impact against a deep blue like this one. You'll also find it more calming against the chaos.

13. Style a serene sleep space in turquoise and coral

Go modern with fresh whites and bright accents that evoke the Caribbean or Miami Beach – you'll wake up feeling like you're on holiday all year round.

Use the height of the room to maximise bedside storage. Pick a pair of tall units to frame the bed and look for solutions with both cupboard space (for unpretty essentials) and open shelves for versatility. Insert smart boxes into cubbies for further organisation. A laminate floor with a rustic grain adds depth.

Pull things together by painting the walls and a piece of furniture in the same shade. Here, a coffee table at the foot of the bed is handy a place to put books, throws and decorative pillows just before you fall asleep.

14. Work around a duck egg feature wall

A pretty wallpaper was the starting point for this dreamy duck egg scheme. Accessories in shades of grey, biscuit and lavender give a more grown-up look than pinks. Mismatched lamps and bedside tables ensure the overall scheme isn't too contrived.

15. Embrace a classic combo of white and midnight blue

Combine traditional tile patterns with fresh white walls and co-ordinating painted furniture. For this look, more is more. Layer Moroccan-style patterns, from geometric latticework to decorative Persian knots. The only rule is to stick to a strict colour palette.

Make a statement by painting a piece of furniture deep blue for a bold contrast against the blue-and-white patterned walls. For a classic, rustic look, leave the top unpainted but simply sand and oil it.

16. Paint focal a feature blue

If  you don't fancy painting your whole room blue, and don't even want a full feature wall, you can introduce the colour in a clever way - and paint your framework, like a fireplace or a door frame, this gorgeous, rich green.

17. Add blue with matching soft furnishings

If you're looking to create a blue bedroom, don't limit yourself to the walls introduce it into your room with blue patterned curtains, cushions and a blanket. In this room the walls have been white washed and paired with pristine white bedding. The matching blue patterned curtains and Venetian blind are left to make a soft statement.

Love blue? Blue living room ideas – from midnight to duck egg, see how sophisticated blue can be

Will you be embracing blue for your bedroom?