Everyone can agree that white walls are versatile and chic (and certainly aren’t going out of style anytime soon) but they can also appear stark and, well, a little blasé. Sifting through endless piles of indistinguishable white paint chips with names like “snow” and “cloud” can be tedious and overwhelming, so we propose a solution: non-white neutrals for your bedroom walls. Contrary to popular belief, painting your bedroom in a hue other than white won’t hinder the airy, fresh aesthetic of your dreams. Instead, neutrals with subtle undertones will add interest to your bedroom and make your sleeping quarters feel cozier than a pure white ever could. Here are some of our favourite non-white hues:
Wimborne White
For those not quite ready to stray from white walls, here’s one for you. Wimborne White is described by Farrow & Ball as “just off white” as it is just a shade away from pure white. This milky hue has a hint of yellow pigment which gives it more warmth than white and more subtlety than cream. If you’re familiar with our Thread Count Bar, this tone reminds us of the “Milk” option we carry in many of our Percale and Satin sheets.
Keep your look streamlined with Wimborne walls and Duet Grey/Milk sheets:
Gray Owl
Grey walls are another trend that seems to be here to stay. Grey is grown-up, neutral, and when you pick the right shade, it goes with practically anything. Unfortunately, selecting the ideal grey for your bedroom is easier said than done. When choosing a grey, search for the undertones of the hues you’ve pulled by comparing paint chips to one another. In this case, Grey Owl has a warm, green undertone and is loved by many designers for its sophisticated, sage-y appearance.
Try this paint colour with our hotel-esque Loft 1 Line collection with Oyster or Pumice embroidery:
Proposal
This Benjamin Moore hue is unique in its ability to make pink accessible to all. Proposal reads more blush than pink and positions itself as the mature older sister of the baby pink we all divorced decades ago. Pink has been reclaimed with the growing popularity of “millennial pink” and has been endorsed as a colour that can provide a neutral backdrop in interior spaces. Proposal is the perfect way to incorporate a trend into your bedroom without going overboard; this paint tone is trendy enough to satisfy your current colour craving and neutral enough to stand the test of time.
For a casual, feminine look, set Proposal against Lavato Linen White:
Calluna
If Proposal is too feminine for your taste (or your partner’s), Calluna may be the bedroom shade you’re looking for. Farrow & Ball says Calluna is a “tranquil lilac” that reads as sophisticated and calm (making it the ideal wall colour for a bedroom). Calluna is a complex neutral that can read as grey or lavender depending on the space its applied within and the viewer’s eye. This luxurious hue compliments many bedding options and would look ravishing against upscale sheets.
Pair Calluna with our glam Gouache collection:
Skylight
This shade is an Au Lit favourite; we love it so much we painted most of our store’s interior in this hue! This paint colour is optimal for an airy oasis as its articulated by Farrow & Ball as a “pale and traditional blue.” Interestingly, the paint colour takes on different properties depending on the space it lives within. For example, in small spaces Skylight reads as a cool blue while in larger rooms the colour appears more pale and grey. Skylight is a classic, calming blue-grey that when paired with crisp white sheets induces the feeling of sleeping on a cloud.
Compliment your grey-blue walls with the textured Rafael Silver: