by Susan Hibberd

Created on: July 30, 2008   Last Updated: January 15, 2012

Taking time to choose a colour for your bedroom will always repay you manyfold, and revamping your existing colour scheme can give your mood a boost that you didn't even know you needed!

Firstly, take a look at all the home styling magazines that are out there, and make notes (after you've looked at a few, you'll begin to forget what you've seen). A lot of them are quite expensive, so go to the library, share with a friend, or even just flick through them in the newsagents! (Don't look at the ones in the doctor's waiting room, as they will more than likely be out-of-date!)

You will need to choose one basic color for the room, and one (or possibly two) highlight colors. Once you have this decision made, you can play about with adding in variations of these two.

Your base color should be neutral or pale. Although a lot of people choose bright colors for their main color, it isn't very restful. A bedroom is a place to chill out, and should be serene and/or opulent. If you want a bright or dark color, put it on one wall only.

You highlight color, or accent color, can be a darker, brighter shade of the main color, or it can be a contrasting color. A complimentary color would go well - this is one that is at the opposite side of the color wheel. Print one off from the internet, or find a book with one in. A contrasting color is one that doesn't go with the base color, but which is still pleasant to look at and livens up a room, such as lime green with navy. You wouldn't want too much of this contrasting color just enough to give your room some zing'.

If you choose a neutral shade for your base color, then you can add almost any other color to it. Blue, green, pink, peach and mocha all go with cream. Accent colors can be rich, deep colors like navy or old gold, or can be bright, like acid green, Barbie pink or turquoise.

These accent colors can be added as gloss paint on the woodwork, single walls, stripes or borders.

Once you have some ideas, make a mood board. An interior designer will do this for every room he/she designs. They will glue pieces of fabric and bits of wallpaper onto a big metre-square board to check that everything goes together well. You don't have to do this - you can just pile everything up in a heap and stand back to look.

You don't have to go and get swatches of fabric or paper to make your mood board, just find things that are the colors that you are considering. Look through your wardrobe, for example, and find scarves in the right shade.

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>