The best paint colors for small bedrooms are light, high-LRV shades that make the walls recede. Four wall colors here sit between LRV 65 and 73, and two deep browns are kept for one accent wall, trim or a ceiling.
Quick answer
Use the pale green or the warm cream on all four walls, and keep dark coffee or caramel brown for the wall behind the bed or for trim.
Every color on this page was measured from one of these public-domain paintings.
Wall colors
#DAE1CDLRV 73
Soft Green Mist
The lightest wall color here at LRV 73, with a gentle green undertone that keeps a small bedroom calm. Measured from Renoir's "Young Woman Sewing" (1879, The Art Institute of Chicago); use it on all four walls.
Sherwin-Williams SW 6435 Gratifying Green
Near-identical
Behr N350-2 Sawgrass
Very close
Valspar 5007-3A Glowing Green
Very close
Farrow & Ball No. 204 Pale Powder
Close
#EBDAC5LRV 72
Warm Cream Sand
LRV 72 with a warm yellow undertone, good for a bedroom that gets cool north light. Measured from Bernat Martorell's "Saint George and the Dragon" (1434-35, The Art Institute of Chicago); also a good shade for bedding and curtains.
At LRV 71 with no clear undertone, this is the nearest thing to a soft white in the group. Measured from Renoir's "The Laundress" (1877-79, The Art Institute of Chicago); choose it when you want neutral walls that suit any bedding.
The deepest of the wall shades at LRV 65, with a warm yellow undertone. Measured from Renoir's "Acrobats at the Cirque Fernando (Francisca and Angelina Wartenberg)" (1879, The Art Institute of Chicago); works on walls in a sunny room or on a chair or bench.
Very dark at LRV 3, with a warm red-orange undertone. Measured from Nicholas Dixon's "Portrait of Mary of Modena" (c. 1673, The Art Institute of Chicago); keep it to one wall behind the bed, a door or trim.
Deep at LRV 14, with a warm red-orange undertone that reads softer than the darkest brown. Measured from Albert Besnard's "Woman's Head" (c. 1890, The Art Institute of Chicago); use it on a dresser, headboard wall or trim.
The same paint reads differently in cool north light, warm south sun and under evening lamps. Find the column closest to your room.
Color
Neutral daylight
North light
South light
Evening lamps
Soft Green Mist
Warm Cream Sand
Quiet Gray White
Light Straw Beige
Try these colors in a room
Pick which color goes on the walls, the big furniture and the bold piece. Floors, shadows and trim follow your choice.
The framed picture on the wall is Young Woman Sewing.
What is the best color for a small bedroom?
Start with the light in the room, then choose among the four light shades. All four have an LRV of 65 or higher, so they bounce light and let the walls recede.
If the room gets cool, bluish north light, the warm shades help. Warm cream sand (LRV 72) and light straw beige (LRV 65) add warmth without getting dark. In a bright south or west room, soft green mist (LRV 73) and quiet gray white (LRV 71) stay calm and fresh. The green is the most restful of the four for sleeping.
None of these is a pure white. If you are looking for the best white paint for a small bedroom, the gray white is the closest, and it will read softer than a bright white. Between two shades you like, pick the one with the higher LRV, since it will bounce more light.
Can you use a dark accent wall in a small bedroom?
Yes, on one wall. Put the deepest color behind the bed. You see it from the doorway, and the headboard and bedding already break up the surface. Dark coffee brown (LRV 3) is very dark and can read nearly black in dim light. Warm caramel brown (LRV 14) is also deep, but it shows its red-orange warmth more clearly, so it is the gentler choice for a first dark wall.
Keep the other three walls light. Both browns have a warm undertone, so they sit most easily beside warm cream sand or light straw beige. They also work against the green mist.
Avoid painting the wall that holds the window. Bright glass against dark paint creates glare, and the room feels smaller. If a full dark wall feels like too much, use the brown on the door, the trim or a single piece of furniture instead.
What colors go with these paints: trim, ceiling and floor?
For a small bedroom color scheme, keep it to a light wall, one deep color and one or two soft accents. A simple combination: soft green mist on the walls, warm caramel brown on the main furniture, light straw beige for one bold piece such as a bench, and warm cream sand for curtains and bedding.
For trim, you can paint it the same as the wall so the edges disappear, or use a deep brown on the door and baseboards for contrast against cream or gray white. Keep the ceiling light. The wall color or a lighter shade from this group stops the ceiling from pressing down. A deep brown ceiling suits only a room with good height.
Mid-tone wood floors, such as a warm brown near #8B6B4A, sit well with all four wall colors. Lay a light rug on a dark floor to keep the room open.
How do you test small bedroom paint colors?
Screens only approximate color, so test on the wall. Paint a patch about two feet square, or use a large sample board, and move it around the room. Put one on the wall with the window and one on the wall opposite.
Look at the patch in morning light, in the afternoon and at night under your bedroom lamps. A light color can look cooler in the morning and warmer under bulbs. Check it next to your bedding, floor and curtains, not alone.
The paint matches on this page are the closest ones measured, not exact copies. Compare the sample with the swatch and with the LRV before you buy. For a dark accent, test it on the wall behind the bed and stand at the door to see how it reads against the light walls. Live with the samples for at least a day before painting the room.
FAQ
What is the best paint color for a small bedroom?
A light shade with an LRV above 60 is the safest choice. Soft green mist (LRV 73) and warm cream sand (LRV 72) are the lightest options here.
What are calming colors for small bedrooms?
The pale green (LRV 73) and the neutral gray white (LRV 71) are the quietest on this page. Both are light, so they keep the walls soft and the room open.
Should I paint an accent wall in a small bedroom?
One accent wall is fine, and the wall behind the bed is the best place. Keep the other walls light, and avoid the window wall.
What is the best white paint for a small bedroom?
None of the colors here is pure white. Quiet gray white (LRV 71) is the nearest, with no clear undertone, and it reads softer than a bright white.
What is a good small bedroom color combination?
Pair a light wall with one deep color and a soft accent. For example, soft green mist walls, warm caramel brown furniture and warm cream sand textiles.
Save these colors
A card with every color on this page, its LRV and the paintings it comes from. Pin it, or take it to the paint store.
Painting images: The Art Institute of Chicago, public domain (CC0).
Colors measured by Light & Pigment. Paint names belong to their brands and matches are approximate. Colors look different on screen than on a wall, so always test a sample.
From Young Woman Sewing, Pierre-Auguste Renoir
