When painting a bedroom for yourself, any color that makes you feel relaxed is appropriate. As the article "Psychology of Color" points out, the meaning of color is cultural and personal--while red may soothe one person's nerves, it may make another feel jumpy. However, if you are painting a small bedroom for possible resale, your goals are to make the space look as large as possible and to appeal to the widest audience. Speak to your real estate agent for more information about the best paint colors for your area.
Earth tones technically include any color that occurs in nature; however, in design the term typically refers to muted tones of beige, brown, orange and yellow. Earth tones are frequently used in craftsman, bungalow and modern architecture. Light earth tones in shades of sand or beige help a small bedroom look larger and brighter. As neutral colors, they appeal to a large number of potential buyers.
Shades of blue and green are often chosen for a bedroom because they are thought to invoke a feeling of peace and relaxation. Avoid deeply saturated shades of blue or green in a small bedroom as too much color can make a small room appear cramped and busy. Colors like sage green and sky blue are are more likely to have mass appeal than bolder choices such as pine or turquoise.
White and Off-White
Shades of white and off-white are useful in a small bedroom because of the light and and sense of space they create in a room. However, a white room can also look cold and stark. Consider off-white shades such as cream, ivory, light gray and pearl instead of pure white if you want to make the bedroom appear cozier. In all cases, a white ceiling is useful in a small room for creating an illusion of greater height.
- interior a bedroom image by Leonid Nyshko from Fotolia.com