Finding the perfect bedroom paint colors when you have dark furniture can feel daunting, but don’t worry – you have plenty of options!
Oftentimes, the hardest part is determining the ambiance, or the mood, you’d like to create for your space.
With dark furniture, you’re definitely not going to get a light-and-airy feel, but it’s still up to you whether to go for a lighter, brighter look or something more “moody”.
That will be your first task. Before we get to the list of paint colors that go with your dark bedroom furniture, we’re going to talk about how to choose a paint color.
So let’s get started!
This post may contain affiliate links and we may earn commissions when you click on the links at no additional cost to you. See our disclosure policy for more details.
How to Choose a Paint Color For Your Bedroom
There are thousands of paint colors out there, so how exactly do you go about choosing the perfect one for your space?
The endless options can be overwhelming, for sure. Which is why we need to narrow it down before we even start to look at paint chips.
Find Your Inspiration
The first thing I do when I start a new project: Scour Pinterest and save all of my favorites to a designated board. (Follow my Pinterest account here!) Then I look through all of my saved pins and figure out what styles and elements the photos have in common so I can get started designing the room.
The next thing I do is decide on my inspiration piece, or the one thing I want to design my entire color scheme around. It should be something you absolutely love with a color palette that you can envision in your space.
Grab a copy of my How to Choose Paint Colors With Confidence five-step action guide, where I walk you through this process in a little more detail.
Sample, Sample, Sample!
If you’ve read any of my other posts, then you know exactly what I’m going to say. 😉
Testing paint colors is crucial if you don’t want to regret the color you choose. You can test one of several different ways:
- Buy a small can of paint and brush or roll at least two coats (a 12″ square minimum) directly onto your wall(s). Although a little tedious, it’s the most accurate option.
- Paint directly onto a piece of sheetrock that you can move around your room.
- Order 12″x`12″ peel-and-stick samples from Samplize that will deliver directly to your door. They use two coats of the actual paint, so the color is accurate.
For your convenience, I’ll include Samplize links to each of the recommended paint colors.
Use code FIRSTFIVE for a discount on your first Samplize order!
Once you have your samples, be sure to try them out next to any permanent materials, such as flooring and trim, to be sure you like how they look together.
Hopefully by now the process of deciding on a paint color is clear. Let’s move on to that list of bedroom paint colors that go with dark furniture.
1. White or Off-White
Worried that bright white walls will look too stark against darker colored furniture? Totally understandable, which is why I’m sharing off-white as an option, as well.
Off-white walls will brighten up the space without feeling cold, yet will provide the perfect backdrop for some fun artwork.
Best White & Off-White
2. Light Gray
Light gray is another nice option, whether you have dark brown or black furniture in the bedroom.
“Gray and brown…are you sure?” Absolutely! While it can be hard to imagine a cool gray with warm brown wood, it just somehow works – especially if you’re leaning toward a warmer gray.
Oh, and… If you decide to go with gray, head over to my article on curtain colors that go with gray walls and brown furniture!
Best Light Gray
3. Creamy Yellow
A light creamy or golden yellow looks stunning next to a deep brown headboard and nightstand, and it helps to brighten up a dark bedroom with little natural light. Be careful to avoid going too bright with the yellow, though, since bedrooms should feel restful rather than energizing (or worse, agitating!).
Best Creamy Yellow
4. Golden Tan
A lovely tan looks so warm and rich next to darker furniture and gives the space a cozy ambiance. The wonderful thing about tan? It has so much warmth, you won’t get that tiresome blah vibe, even when it’s paired with deep brown furniture.
Best Golden Tan
5. Sage Green
Sage green is a soft, soothing hue, which is why it’s such a popular bedroom color. It’s a lighter green with subtle blue undertones, lending to a cooler vibe – absolutely stunning against rich brown furniture!
Best Sage Green
6. Yellow-Green
Perhaps not a hugely popular choice in bedrooms (yet!), a deep yellow-green wall presents a beautifully moody backdrop for dark bedroom furniture. If you’re worried that your room will feel too dark, by all means – use it as an accent wall color.
But if you’d love to be enveloped in a cozy hug when you go to bed, why not paint the entire room in a lovely yellow-green? Oh, and if you do, be sure to send me a photo (I’m playing around with the idea for my own bedroom!).
Best Yellow Green
7. Blue-Gray
Although blue-gray paint colors seem like they would clash with dark brown furniture, the right bluish gray can look absolutely stunning against it. In fact, blue-gray walls against dark brown or black furniture is perfect for those who are looking to create a more sophisticated or masculine feel.
Best Blue-Gray
8. Greige
If you’ve never heard the term “greige”, it’s simply a blend of gray and beige. So if you love gray but feel like it’s just too cool for your room, greige could be a nice compromise.
Best Greige
9. Navy
Navy is one of my favorite wall colors, and it’s just the perfect “dark neutral” for nearly any room in the house. As with blue-gray, navy is a sophisticated color choice for the bedroom, and it can lend a more masculine vibe to your space.
Best Navy
How Can I Brighten My Bedroom With Dark Furniture?
Lighting is the key to making ANY room brighter, so if your bedroom is dark, the best way to remedy that is to improve your lighting.
With the proper lighting, you can absolutely have dark furniture (and even dark walls) in your bedroom.
Natural outdoor light is, naturally, the best option if you can make that happen. But I realize that large windows are not always possible in every space. Here are a few additional tricks to brighten a dark bedroom:
- Add lighting in the form of lamps, sconces, or simply swap out your old ceiling light for something a little larger.
- Replace dim incandescent bulbs with halogen bulbs.
- Strategically place a large mirror where it will reflect the most light or where it will help to expand the space.
- Add plenty of colorful textiles and accessories to brighten up a dreary bedroom.
- Choose a lighter or brighter wall color.
Hopefully you can utilize a few of these tricks to brighten up your bedroom so that the dark colored furniture is not an issue.
Bedroom Paint Colors for Dark Furniture
Thoughts on the bedroom paint colors in this article? Is your dark furniture a concern, or do you love it even more now that we’ve gone over some of the best colors for rooms with darker bedroom furniture?
Hopefully by now you have something amazing planned for your bedroom design! I’d love to hear about it below.
Read More:
13 Stylish Ideas for Decorating the Wall Behind Your Headboard