Grey bedroom design: the perfect palette for all styles

For the calm and serene bedroom space. For the sophisticated and contemporary retreat. For the person who wants their zen middle ground. No matter which camp you may fall into, one thing is clear: grey is fabulous.

From deep hues of charcoal to cool shades of slate, grey lives somewhere between black and white. With a multitude of shades and undertones, there’s something for every style from traditional to modern, making it flexible for your bedroom palette. And here, we’re celebrating its timeless versatility and showing you how to use grey in your bedroom.

The colour psychology of grey

Grey is the colour of balance. It represents neutrality.

And that means it doesn’t have any particular emotional association, but it can be used to relieve stress and create a sense of calm.

That’s why we love grey in bedrooms. It doesn’t clash with any other colours, so it’s easy to pair with tones and shades without having to worry about things looking unbalanced or chaotic.

Grey is also associated with wisdom and guidance, perfect for your home office or working bedrooms where knowledge is shared and absorbed.

Cool vs warm grey

Before designing your private retreat, it’s important to learn the basics of tone.

When colours don’t look right together, temperature or undertone incompatibility is almost always to blame. So, finding a colour palette that works for your space will be much easier with a little bit of know-how…

– Cool greys have a blue, purple, and green undertone. They are great for creating light and enhancing a clean, crisp, and modern space. Cool greys pair best with other chilly tones: navy blue, cool whites, and sage green.

– Warm greys evoke yellow, red, or brown undertones. This makes them more inviting and cosier than cool greys. They are sophisticated and pair well with other warm colours such as burnt orange, taupe, blush pink and sun-kissed yellows.

A lick of grey paint

Grey creates a stunning neutral backdrop.

If you want your room to feel cosy, it’s best not to go with an intense shade of grey. Instead, opt for something more like dove grey or light grey. These colours will give you a sense of calmness and relaxation that makes it easy for you to unwind at the end of the day.

For drama, consider painting your walls a warm grey tone (think charcoal or dull silver). Dark colours are known for being energy-efficient, so if you want your bedroom to feel like a cosy cocoon where no chills can creep in, this is the way to go!

Consider carefully before committing to inky walls, however, with colours such as midnight black. If they’re too dark, it may feel like they are closing in on you instead of opening up the space. The same goes for your ceiling—if it’s too dark, it can make the space feel smaller and more intimate than it needs to be for snoozing and relaxing.

Beautiful grey bedroom design ideas

Let us inspire you to design a grey sleep space.

1. The warm grey combo

For the graceful traditionalist, the Sana Velvet-finish Ottoman bed frame with a beautifully detailed buttoned headboard combined with blush pink bedding and walls. And to add some texture, pair with a throw, patterned scatter cushions and a rug.

2. Elegant charcoal greys

Luxurious dark grey, geometric detailing, and soft texture – the Ellis bed frame emits everything that’s great about grey. Style. Warmth. Charm. Paired with warm earthy neutrals on walls and golden accents, you can create hotel-style bedroom décor straight out of a magazine.

3. The grey minimalist

Grey is an amazing neutral for a sophisticated, minimalist space.

Characterised by the simplification, clean lines, and monochromatic palettes with a touch of colour – minimalism and grey work hand in hand. It’s so subtle that it doesn’t distract from other elements of the room. This means that you can use it for walls, functional bedroom furniture, headboards, and accents without feeling cluttered by too much colour or pattern.

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” – Leonardo Da Vinci

4. Greige – a balance of grey and beige

You may have seen “greige” make a huge impact in the world of interior design over the past decade. And that’s because it’s so calm, earthy, and versatile.

This simple grey has a hint of beige or brown in it, making it warmer than your classic grey. If you’re worried that grey will be too cold for your bedroom space, greige is the neutral for you. We love greige, and we think you will too.

5. Greys working in harmony

A cohesive bedroom encased with all-grey everything can look rich, sophisticated, and ever so alluring.

So inviting, in fact, you’ll never want to leave your clouded sanctuary. This look can be achieved by embracing a warm or cool grey palette, layering materials and textures, and keeping your bedroom furniture coordinated with everything around it. Start with a grey bed, and go from there.