Love blue and grey in the bedroom but don't want to commit to blue walls? Here's a decorating scheme that uses this classic color combination in subtle ways.

We haven't had much sunlight over this long winter which makes everything feel kind of dreary. I was in the mood to combat those winter blues and give our primary bedroom a refresh and make it, well, more blue! 

Do you love blue? I'm pretty sure it's the world's favorite color. Paired with gray, it's a color combination that is timeless and works beautifully in any space. If you're searching for grey and blue bedroom ideas, I've got just the thing for you. 

When it comes to bedrooms, I like mine bright and airy. I'm not drawn to moody hues or darker tones on the walls. Instead, give me abundant natural light and a calming color to wake up to. For me, blue is that calm colour. It feels soothing and peaceful yet has a bit of depth. So how do you create a blue and gray bedroom without making it feel too dark? 

We renovated our bedroom a few years ago and created a serene and neutral space. It was mostly a warm white with a few soft green accents. Funny enough, when we first moved into this home, the primary bedroom featured royal blue and light blue walls and I thought, "I cannot live with this much blue color!". 

As a wall color, blue is one of those bold shades that you find you either love or hate over time. It's intense and in your face. It overpowers lighter colors and sets a cool tone in whatever room it's placed in. 

In terms of interior design, the first question you should ask yourself is HOW blue do you want this grey and blue bedroom design? Do you want to treat blue as the focal point in your master bedroom, or as more of an accent color? 

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In my case, I wanted the latter. I would keep our white walls (Wimborne White by Farrow & Ball) and use different shades of blue and grey throughout. 

This would bring enough color to make the room feel interesting without having to fully commit to a blue and grey color scheme. It's much easier to change out blue accent pillows than it is to repaint blue walls! Here's the different ways I've used blue and gray shades in our bedroom decor: 

The simplest way to add in blue hues is to outfit your bed or sitting areas with blue pillows. On the bed, I've paired very light blue and white striped toss pillows with a large and dramatic navy blue lumbar pillow. I sewed this pillow myself for use in our coastal basement but it looks just right in our bedroom. 

The dark blue color and bold block print pattern really draw your eye in. We've had to place our large upholstered bed in front of the window which is not ideal, so having an eye-catching pillow is a great way to detract from the headboard. 

PRO TIP: In a room full of light shades, use a single dark shade to create sharp contrast and grab your attention. 

The gorgeous blue, white and grey duvet cover was a recent birthday present from my husband and I couldn't love it more. The toile pattern is reminiscent of my home office wallpaper and I love this dreamy, almost ethereal take on the classic pattern. 

Paired with crisp white bedding and light grey sheets, it creates a bed that is balance of masculine & feminine style. The duvet is also large and noticeable so it really sets the tone for the room's color palette. You can see all the different colors in this one piece. 

What are your thoughts on having a statement wall in a bedroom? I felt it was necessary to have one in this room. This bedroom has a coved ceiling where instead of a right angle between the wall and ceiling, there is a curved transition. 

I'm not a fan of this feature. It makes this room feel like a small bedroom with lower ceilings and it makes it very difficult to paint as there is no clear place to stop and start your wall color and ceiling color. 

To make this feature less apparent, we painted three of our walls plus the ceiling in white and added this playful yet neutral wallpaper (Aranami by Farrow & Ball) to the fourth wall. The accent wall provides a nice view when you're sitting on the bed. The beige and grey tones in the wallpaper also blend in with the rest of the room and make the space feel cohesive. 

Sticking to grey-toned furniture also helps to create a calm and peaceful space. My grey and gold vanity and striped chair, the cool white dresser, and even the plaid ottoman blend right in with the wallpaper and white bedroom walls. 

The grey colors are muted and soft. If the dresser were a dark color, you can imagine how much more prominent it would feel in this room. Even my wood pieces have a grey undertone. The side tables and bed frame feature a subtle grey wash. 

On the other side of the room, a dark charcoal grey pinstripe bench provides a spot for sitting (or piling clothes, ha!). Again, repeating grey shades throughout helps pull the room together. 

For me, window coverings can make or break a room. They are the best way to make a room feel finished. You can opt for inexpensive window coverings but when you decorate with custom shades or drapes, you really enhance the sophistication of your room. 

Custom window coverings are one of things I believe are worth investing in. Here, I used custom curtain panels from Tonic Living (sadly, they don't do custom drapes anymore!). The mix of darker and lighter shades of grey in a plaid pattern is timeless and versatile; I can easily reuse these curtains in a different room. I also like how the geometric pattern balances the curviness of the headboard. 

You'll notice too that I've kept the window coverings consistent for both windows. The repetition of pattern and color keeps your eye moving around the room and enhances the classic color scheme. 

Given that we previously had a rug here in mostly light and dark gray colors, I didn't think changing it would make a big difference. But it did! 

This gorgeous oriental style rug from the Amber Interiors x Loloi collection adds a liveliness to this room and is an excellent choice for grounding the blue and grey color scheme. The color combo of blues, greys, ivory, and a hint of coppery red tie in with the wood furniture and other accents. 

It makes the case too for mixing patterns. In this room, I have an oriental rug, toile, stripes, block print and plaids, all working together. By varying the scale of the patterns and mixing different tones of blue and grey, you create a pleasing decorating style. 

Apart from the blue and grey bedding and furnishings, you'll notice that the rest of my accessories are mostly black or white. From the white table lamps, to the topiaries in black pots and the neutral art on the walls, the rest of the room recedes into the background. This techniques allows the color in the room to really take center stage. 

Creating a blue and grey bedroom doesn't mean you have to clad your walls in blue wallpaper or have blue curtains. The decor can be more neutral with a tasteful blend of pale shade and deep shade, darker blues and lighter blues. 

This subtle approach makes this white bedroom feel blue and grey. It's exactly the refresh I was looking for!

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