Palatable Palettes: 8 Cool Blue Bedrooms

Lots of folks who confidently select colors for other rooms in their house often struggle when it comes to picking a palette for their bedroom. After all, this room serves as a private sanctuary. It's where we sleep, laze about, dress and even read or watch TV. We want to personalize it and make it an expression of who we are.

But it's also important that we make it a soothing and restful space for a good night's sleep. Soothing doesn't necessarily have to mean boring beige or white for every surface, however. A great go-to color for bedrooms is blue. Purported to be a stress-reducing color, blue can stand on its own or be used in concert with many other colors — brights and neutrals alike. One survey found that people with blue bedrooms tend to sleep better .

Blue With Green

This bedroom, with its liberal dose of aqua blue and spring green, is such a happy space. I would love to curl up in that green chair with a good book — even the dreariest day couldn't bring me down. Another bonus to using such vibrant colors is that this room needs no additional artwork or accessories. It's very clean and simple, but in no way dull or lifeless.

Example palette: These perky blues and the leafy-green color work well together in small doses, such as on fabrics, accessories or painted furniture. The lighter cucumber green is a great choice for the walls. Clockwise from top left (all from Sherwin- Williams): Mariner SW 6766, Cucumber SW 6722, Oceanside SW 6496 and Picnic SW 6731.

Blue With Orange

Turquoise is a popular color right now, and here it is paired with another color of the moment — intense orange. These two colors are opposite each other on the color wheel , making them a striking and attention-getting combo. But because the walls, ceiling and floor are white, the effect is cool instead of cacophonous.

Example palette: Punches of bright blue and orange used sparingly, perhaps through a thick vertical stripe painted on the walls or easily changed-out bedding, look fantastic against a white backdrop. Clockwise from top left: Light My Fire AC211-5 and Cool Turquoise KM3238-2, both from Kelly Moore, and Castaway DE 5738 and Tangerine Dream DE 5160, both from Dunn Edwards .

Blue With Brown

Pale blue and chocolate brown were a ubiquitous color combination for interior furnishings a few years back, and I'd argue that turquoise blue is the updated tweak to the popular duo. This room has a lovely retro-yet-modern vibe to it.

Example palette: A couple of palette options for a hip blue and brown bedroom, clockwise from top left: How Blue Am I? 752 and Benchport Brown HC-72, both from Benjamin Moore, and Espresso Beans UL160-23 and Maiden Voyage 530D-4, both from Behr.

Blue With Gray

Blue also works well with gray, and to me this can be one of the most soothing palettes you can get. This is great for a sanctuary bedroom in a blistering-hot climate.

Example palette: Use the blue hues sparingly for an elegant and serene bedroom. Clockwise from top left (all from Valspar): Exotic Sea 5004-10B, Grey Mist WV35006, Peek-a-Boo Blue 400710 and Almost Charcoal 40082B.

Royal Blue

Darker shades of blue can be tricky to work with as they, like all dark hues, tend to suck all the light from a room and make it feel cavelike. This room, however, with its wall of windows and its white walls, can accommodate the deep, intense blue cabinetry. The result is a brilliantly modern sleeping space.

Example palette: This shade of blue is intense, but adding in a cool gray takes off a bit of the edge. Add a dash of yellow for more drama. Clockwise from top left (all from Mythic Paint ): Quiet Cameroon 136-3, Sunny Spot 083-5 and By the Sea 028-6.

Soothing Blue-Green

When a touch of gray is added to a hue, you get what's called a tone. Using tones of your favorite hue is a great way to achieve a colorful room that remains calm and soothing — perfect for a bedroom. I was so drawn into this pretty room with its watery blue-greens and warm grays, I barely noticed the fabulous view out the window!

Example palette: Another soothing and serene palette, this time with soft blue-green tones and warm grays. Clockwise from top left (all from Glidden): Tropical Lagoon GLB20 D8, Silver Birch GLDN35 D8, Wood Smoke GLN40 D8 and Deepest Aqua GLB24 D8.

In the Navy

Navy is a versatile blue hue in that it acts as a neutral. Similar to how you can pair a shirt of any color with dark denim jeans, paint a full or partial accent wall navy blue and you can work in almost any other color. However, for a sophisticated, tranquil bedroom, such as the one pictured here, pair navy with lighter shades of grayish blue.

Example palette: If you want to make a statement with color in your bedroom but don't want anything too loud, consider a palette of deep navy blue with lighter shades of gray- blue. The result will be calm and cool. Clockwise from top left (all from Benjamin Moore): Mineral Alloy 1622, Silver Mist 1619 and Hudson Bay 1680.

Sky Blue

Finally, you can never go wrong with a fetching shade of sky blue. This is the perfect color to set off rich wood floors. Grassy-green accents keep the look fresh and crisp.

Example palette: Another great option for a bedroom in a warmer climate, this palette has a very natural, organic feel with the combination of sky blue and grass green. Both colors look fantastic against a caramel-colored wood or bamboo floor. Clockwise from top left (both from Olympic): Serenity B522 and Grassy Meadow B675, with strand woven bamboo flooring.