Photography Simon Bevan, Styling Jennifer Haslam, Direction Sarah Keady
When designing a room, colour is one of the most important considerations, and every other design decision, from lighting to materials, window treatments to flooring, follows suit. In a bedroom, colour should be chosen first and foremost to create a restful environment, and for this purpose, green is one of your safest bets.
In colour psychology, green is associated with balance and harmony, and acts as the bridge between stimulating warm colours and calming cool colours. A green bedroom has strong links to nature, and its revitalising aspects.
'Our desire to connect to the outdoors is still so strong,' says Sarah Keady, House Beautiful's Style and Interiors Director. 'Serene shades of sage, citrine and moss help bring this feeling into your home. Use alongside plants and natural wood for maximum effect.'
Here, we look at a spectrum of green shades and colour combinations, from the classic pairing of green and pink, to tips and tricks for mixing jewel tones, how green can work in small bedrooms, and the best uses for teal.
Finding inspiration from some of our favourite brands and retailers, from John Lewis to Habitat and Dreams, read on for 23 of the best green bedroom ideas to steal...
1
Matching your shades
Richard Kiely/Topology Interiors
Wall panelling will always create a lovely faux headboard effect, and can be used really successfully in lieu of an actual headboard. Topology Interiors – the designers behind this fabulous bedroom – have created a clever dual effect by matching the soft sage green of the headboard to blend with the wall panelling behind.
Modernist design favours these lovely cherry red woods – you'll find an abundance in vintage and antique stores – which sit so nicely with richer shades of green like a deep sage or forest. The whole scheme looks best if colours are more saturated than crisp, so go more towards a cream over a white, or teal over a blue.
Feature walls are a common choice in a bedroom, where a wash of colour on all four walls might be too much. We’d usually recommend choosing the wall against which your bed sits to create a focal point – a design treatment that is even more effective if you have an interesting headboard or eye-catching four poster bed.
4
All over green
Photography Simon Bevan, Styling Jennifer Haslam, Direction Sarah Keady
A total masterclass in doing green in a big way. This bedroom is interesting in that it doesn't vary its shades – all sit within a pale sage and have a soft washed effect. The shock of blue is an important counter here and a bright pink would work in much the same way. The tiled headboard is a great feature too.
Pink and green are a really safe colour combination, just be sure to choose similar tones like a sage and blush pink. The bed linen is from Bed Threads who make them with 100 per cent flax which gives this lovely soft and lived-in effect.
This matcha green room is playful and modern, mixing abstract prints with a statement floor lamp. Neutral bedding softens the overall look, but the geometric rug from Ruggable ties everything together to create a striking and unique space.
Photography Rachel Whiting, Styling Hannah Deacon, Production Sarah Keady
This fabulous bedroom is a great lesson in resourcefulness. A DIY headboard has been fashioned from simple plywood, forming a shelf for bud vases and a celebration of colourful flowers. Some subtle geometric patterns on the bedding and strict shape of the Gubi floor lamp offset a little of the organic display above – a clever trick that will always make a room look slightly more contemporary.
This green bedroom provides a comprehensive country bedroom checklist: the quaint ticking to the headboard, the pretty display of plates – a totally innovative decorative tool for a bedroom – and the sink-in layers on the bed. Replicating the same in your own home won't steer you far wrong.
There's a few clever design ideas in this green bedroom, ready to steal – the metal four poster bed is a great old-meets-new element, the limewash on the walls has a softening effect (and so refreshing to see it used on grey rather than pink,) and the slick of navy on the window creates a really bold frame. All simple to recreate.
This John Lewis bedroom is a great lesson in successfully mixing bold colours by picking up matching undertones – here all of the colours are rich jewel shades. These tones will usually create a luxurious feel, especially if used on heavy upholstery like velvet. It's a great choice if you want to create a boutique hotel feel.
Green floral wallpaper doesn't sound terribly appealing until you see it in this joyful vintage-inspired bedroom. The coral pink is the perfect accent here, and if you look close enough, the wardrobe doors are wallpapered too – one of our favourite treatments for integrated wardrobes.
You might not instinctively pair your greens with browns for fear of creating something akin to a pile of compost, but nature-inspired shades are great if you’re looking for a calming bedroom sanctuary. The darker the wood the better in this instance – a blonde wood laminate would detract from the organic nature of this bedroom, so too would more modern materials or anything too metallic – brushed brass would be a brilliant accent here.
A gallery wall that frames your bed is a great option if your existing bed frame is especially plain. Gallery walls work most effectively when they’re fairly full with an eclectic mix of styles, but you can offset some of the busyness by choosing calming green and neutral tones.
There is a design argument for dark colours in smaller rooms, as long as it is well executed. A deep forest green like this will absorb light and blur the boundaries of a space, so you're less likely to notice imposing walls and poky proportions.
For those who favour a bold look, clashing prints in different shades of blue and blue-green provide a vibrant contrast. Add in contrasting colours, like this playful orange lamp and textured throw, to add more depth to a maximalist look.
Cabins are designed to help you get away from it all – an apt reference when decorating a bedroom. We love the wood panelled wall – if it's too much for your bedroom, a wood feature wall makes a great compromise.
If you like to mix a lot of different colours in your bedroom, go for pastels. They all have matching white undertones, so a myriad of chalky pastel shades will always sit happily together. This is a great way to add colour without detracting from the airy and bright feel of a bedroom.
Without warming elements, industrial design can occasionally become a bit too cold and sterile. The introduction of a vivid emerald green feature wall and rich burgundy accents offset this. We especially love this double height leaded glass partition used as a zoning device.
Black and white is something of an underrated base palette but it can support – and more importantly highlight – almost any number of colour combinations. Pairing with green makes for a playful safari-inspired scheme.
Green is a bold shade that works well with contrasting colours like this bold dusky pink. Bringing muted tones into the room with cushions and throws creates a softer finish.