Why Gray Is the Most Versatile Bedroom Color (2024)

Rather than wallpaper the guest bedroom of their Montreal apartment, Maxime Vandal and Richard Ouellette—the founders of design-and-construction firm Les Ensembliers—cut and framed panels of Zoffany wallcovering to hang on the soft gray walls.

To combat the bright light that pours into his California cottage’s bedroom (“you almost need sunglasses 24 hours a day”), Stephen Shubel opted for a no-fail combination of charcoal walls and blackout curtains. The faux-book wallpaper creates the illusion of more space.

From the leather accents to the fur throw, it doesn’t get much cozier than this Chicago bedroom designed by Windy City Rehab star Alison Victoria. “I wanted it to feel like the Four Seasons in Paris,” she says.

In an industrial Tribeca loft, Robert Stilin lined master bedroom walls in rich wool flannel from Holland & Sherry.

A neutral-toned bedroom by Frances Merrill of Reath Designs captures Ojai, California’s laid-back vibe. “This couple made it clear that they wanted a very calm bedroom,” she says. “It’s quiet, but with a focus on texture. It really does feel like such an escape.”

With Hermosa Beach, California, as the backdrop, Joe Lucas opted for an ocean-inspired palette of gray, cerulean and indigo in this bedroom.

Featuring shiplap walls and brass ladder, the same California house’s bunk room—which sleeps seven—feels like the interior of a ship (with a surfer-chic twist, that is).

Designer David Mann wanted his client’s New York City bedroom to be a “spa-like retreat from the busy world,” painting the walls and ceiling in a rich gray with a hint of metallic silver. “It gives off a nice, soothing glow,” he says.

Designer Liliane Hart transformed a seaside Victorian home in Sag Harbor, New York, with lots of Scandinavian touches—including this soft gray Engblad & Co. wallpaper in the guest bedroom.

Boston designer Nina Farmer used rich tones of brown and sepia to warm up the Phlip Jeffries silk-and-abaca-clad bedroom of this historic Boston house.

“In this house everything looks washed out—on purpose,” says Susan Ferrier, who used rough-cut plank pine walls in the bedroom of this rural Alabama lake house. Velvet bed hangings add a touch of elegance.

Shades of soft blue, weathered wood furniture, and bed curtains in an Idarica Gazzoni fabric make this Los Angeles bedroom designed by Joe Lucas feel extra dreamy.

Apartment Therapy founder Maxwell Ryan and designer Rebecca Robertson used a linen canopy (sourced on Etsy) to add airy softness to his neutral master bedroom in the Hamptons.

Vern Yip punched up this Florida guest house’s gray-and-tan color palette with pops of citrine yellow inspired by his travels.“It’s a color you see all over the world, from India and Thailand to Portugal and France,” he says. “It’s joyful and happy, which is exactly how you want to feel at a beach house!"

In the bedroom of her 100-year-old farmhouse in Birmingham, Alabama, designer Heather Chadduck Hillegas combined classic elements—pleated lamp shades, a four-posted bed—with soft fabrics to create a relaxing haven.

Celebrity designer Jeff Andrews chose a textured wallcovering for actress Kaley Cuoco’s guest bedroom. “She wanted it to be really cozy—beautiful, comfortable bedding, and nothing too fussy—with good doses of both masculinity and femininity,” he says. “Kaley’s a lover of wallpaper, and we used it in nearly every room in the house.”

In his own Los Angeles home, Andrews chose a blue-gray paint for the bedroom walls, layering on slate and charcoal furniture and accents.

A client’s antique flag provided the patriotic color inspiration for this red, white and blue room designed by Alexandra Angle, which features wainscoting in Farrow & Ball’s Lamp Room Gray.

“Classic pieces, clean lines and subtle patterns” were the keywords used by designers Kirsten Fitzgibbons and Kelli Ford to describe this New York apartment. They chose a contemporary floral wallpaper in pale, taupe-y gray for the master bedroom, pairing it with a gingham check “to keep the floral from feeling too feminine.”