Choosing to be more pared back with your colour palette doesn’t mean your bedroom will feel empty or cold – quite the opposite, in fact.

When I started working for Kitchens Bedrooms & Bathrooms magazine, neutral meant neutral – sans couleur. But it seems this ever-popular interior look now embraces lots of shades on the spectrum. Yes, you really can have pink in your pared-back designs.

Intrigued? I’ve asked five experts to share how they’ve used more muted tones to create these beautiful bedrooms…

Engage the five senses

This pied à terre in London required a quiet scheme that would allow visiting friends and family to feel comfortable and at ease. We considered all the senses – and in a bedroom, sound, touch, and smell take priority. To do this, we looked at introducing textures and soft furnishings, noise insulation and light management – both natural and artificial,” says Céline Erlam, founder and director of Indie & Co.

“We believe neutrals have changed over the years. They used to be cold whites and greys. Now, we like our neutrals warm, ranging from off-white to browns. I would even go as far as saying that pale blues, greens and pinks are neutrals.”

Focus on tone, texture, and pattern

“The owner of this master suite renovation wanted a space that resonated more with her style. Originally a blank (and particularly blue) canvas, the brief was to create a warmer, more inviting, mid-century bedroom. Opting for a warm natural oak gave the room a sense of unity and neutrality against the dark green replace and marble terrazzo floor tiles. Combined with a deep, warm white on the walls and ambient lighting, a cosy hotel-like vibe was created,” explains Molly Fern, senior interior designer at NW3 Interiors.

“Neutral doesn’t have to mean cold or boring. A tip for creating an inviting scheme would be to focus on tone, texture, and pattern. With tone, if you want a warmer space, opt for warmer woods such as walnut or red oak. Use paints with warmer undertones, such as Farrow & Ball’s Skimming Stone, Dimity or Joa’s White. With texture, you want to choose a mix of flatter weaves, such as plain linen or cotton, paired with heavier weaves such as bouclé or velvet.”

Calm colour palettes

“At the time of designing this project, the homeowners were craving calm, which the colour palette reflects. The house is a beautiful Georgian townhouse in Bath, and the warmth of the exterior stone is echoed in this lovely paint colour: Hoxton Grey from Mylands. The views from this bedroom across the city were made even more special because of the tonal link,” says interior designer Laura Butler-Madden.

Warm neutral bedrooms

Cathy Dean, founder of Studio Dean, says the homeowners of this apartment have exceptionally busy professional lives, so they needed a tranquil, calming sanctuary to come home to. “We created this with a minimalist, one-tone approach – using Benjamin Moore’s Pale Oak throughout the property, for continuity,” she says.

“As for using neutrals in your scheme, it’s bye-bye grey – finally. Now, it’s becoming all about warm, calming shades that feel like a hug as you walk through the door. Moody blues, deep greens and calming stone-based tones can feel divine in a bedroom. Look to nature to create warmth with earthy, stony colours, natural materials and layered textures.”

Less is more

“Muted colours, understated elegance and relaxed textures make for a restful master bedroom that feels like a warm hug – a soothing, tranquil sanctuary from a busy world,” says Victoria Newall, founder of Drawn London. “One of the main ways we achieved this was by wrapping the whole room in Farrow & Ball’s Setting Plaster – a favourite of the homeowner. Less is more when it comes to creating calm interiors, so ample storage frees the room of visual clutter. Carefully chosen, pared-back vintage textures also add pops of interest that don’t shout.”

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