One of the added advantages of going on holiday and staying in a beautiful hotel bedroom with an en-suite is being inspired to redecorate our bedroom back home.
For most of us, our bedroom décor doesn’t reach the five star standards. But hope is at hand; the secret to a luxury bedroom décor could be found in the colour grey. Grey is one of the best-suited colours for bedroom décor thanks to its versatility and restful tones. The colour manages to be both trendy and timeless because there are so many shades and tones that fall within the grey spectrum. The following article gathers together 5 ideas and suggestions for how best to feature grey in the bedroom, including floor tiles and wall finishes.
Orobico Dark Polished 150X300 (Available in-store)
Grey is the new grey
For several years now, interior designers have been aware of the great potential of grey. In reality, the colour has been a popular choice for interior décor through the decades. As a colour, it straddles two classic ends of the spectrum, black and white. Grey is a great choice for interiors because of its wide variety of shades that range from the darker classic charcoal and almost black greys to the lighter shades of grey. Unlike most other colours, grey can be both neutral and characterful depending on the way it is treated and the selected tone.
Keeping colour under control in the bedroom
The bedroom requires special attention when it comes to its décor. The number one priority is achieving a quiet and restful space that provides the right conditions for sleep and relaxation. Everything else must be subservient to that basic tenet. Grey is one of those colour choices that can fade into the background and provide a neutral backdrop, allowing other elements to shine.
Vancouver Moka 25×150 (Available in-store)
Artic 45×120 (Available in-store)
#01 Grey flooring & walls, colour coordinating
Ensuring that there is a coordinated colour scheme in the bedroom helps establish a sense of calm and wellbeing. Given the versatility of grey, it is ideal for integrating very different materials, typical of bedroom floor tiles and wall finishes. The following combinations will provide very different results:
- A darker grey tone of floor tile combined with a light grey wall paint or wallpaper, for instance, lends a bedroom gravitas while reflecting any available light.
- Alternatively, if the bedroom has a taller than average ceiling height, is under an attic space or has a larger than normal floor area, a light shade of grey flooring with a darker grey wall finish creates a sense of enclosure and cosiness.
- To achieve a more contemporary bedroom décor, match the flooring to the wall colour, using contrasting materials to add texture.
Urban Gloss 45×120 (Available in-store)
Urban Acero 100×100 (Available in-store)
RELATED PRODUCTS
Grey tiles
Grey tiles lend spaces a special depth, without sacrificing an atmosphere of visual cleanliness and a neutral appearance.
(Available online & in-store)
(Available online & in-store)
#02 Grey headboard; upholstered fabrics & other materials
The headboard is an essential element of any bedroom. It protects the walls and provides support for pillows and cushions. Normally, the design is an extension of the actual bed itself but can be a stand-alone separate piece of furniture. The headboard is generally upholstered to provide an additional layer of comfort and protection for the head while sleeping. Grey works well with the following headboards:
- Grey fabrics are a good choice for the upholstered headboard because the colour provides just the right contrast for crisp bed linen and more colourful bedclothes.
- An alternative design approach is to exaggerate the headboard volume as a feature with a contrasting shade of grey to the background wall finish. This might be a hard material like timber or tiling. If coordinated with reading light fittings and bedside tables the various elements can occupy an entire bedroom wall.
- A grey headboard, either soft or hard, can be converted into a bedroom installation by cladding the wall directly behind with a different material, i.e. wood effect porcelain tiles or some other material.
Noa Tanzania Wine 59,6X59,6 (Available in-store)
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Headboard ideas
Here we consider different materials, ideas and what’s trending in headboard designs.
#03 Grey bedspreads and bed linen
Solid grey tones for bed throws and over blankets perfectly complement crisp white cotton sheets. In fact, the bed represents the greatest surface after the flooring for making a colour statement. The idea of changing bedclothes with the different seasons is another example of how the décor can adapt over the year. A charcoal grey bed cover evokes cosy warmth while a light grey cover sets the bedroom mood for spring and summer.
Tivoli Beige Nature 120X250 (Available in-store)
#04 Grey cushions and soft furnishings
The typical soft furnishings of the bedroom will include everything from the cushion covers on a bed to the window blinds and curtains, floor rugs, bed linen, mattresses etc. Grey is one of the very few shades which no matter what the predominant colour of the surrounding décor works with any colour scheme.
TIP:
Mix and match different shades of grey with contrasting textures to add depth and visual interest to the bedroom. Linens, cotton and leathers have very different tactile qualities, which adds to the cosy and wrap-around sensation.
Dubai White 25X44.3 (Available in-store)
#05 Grey accessories: decorative elements, bedroom furniture & light fittings
Apart from the bed and headboard, a few other key accessories complete the bedroom décor, items of furniture and decorative objects. These elements present another opportunity to use grey, which can be mixed and matched in different tones and textures, including a free-standing wardrobe, bedroom storage chest, an upholstered bench at the end of a bed, bedside tables, storage drawers, an armchair and artworks. To keep these disparate elements coordinated, grey lends a unifying choice of tones and helps avoid visual clutter.
TIP:
For tired-looking period bedside tables, a coat of dark grey paint will provide an instant decorative lift.
Newport White 33.3X100 (Available in-store)
FAQs regarding grey bedroom décor
Because grey is a background colour it provides the ideal canvas for introducing more colourful touches, such as art objects, lighting features and soft furnishings. Pops of bright colours and fabric patterns are easily integrated with grey and in fact look brighter and are more eye catching. Grey is also a colour that combines beautifully with timber flooring, light or darker shades. Combine contrasting shades of grey to provide visual interest and added depth in the bedroom.
Dark greys are recommended for highlighting architectural details in bedrooms. A dark grey colour draws attention to a white coving, cornices and ceiling mouldings. Timber wall panelling, when painted grey, takes on a classic aesthetic. For a more contemporary look lighter greys are great for creating character with pictures and shelving displaying decorative objects. Warm grey walls up or cool them down with colour coordinated accessories.
