Men’s Bedroom Colors (Paint Ideas For Different Room Styles)
Statistically, most men have different decor tastes from women. This means that recommendations for details such as paint color need to be addressed from different points of view. What types of colors draw men in? While every man is an individual who has different preferences, certain statistics hold for this gender as a whole. We can use these trends to find the best options for men’s bedroom colors.
First, men are more likely to lean towards achromatic colors. These are colors that have no hue, such as gray or white. This is, in part, the reason that men aren’t as drawn towards the want for accent colors as women are. Another idea that at first glance might seem to clash with the fact about achromatic colors is that men will lean towards brighter tones than women. This means that when a man and a woman are presented with a bright color like purple compared to a softer tone like lavender, it’s likely that the man will choose purple and the woman will choose lavender.
There is also the comparison of tints vs shades. Tints are colors with white added, while shades are those with black added. Men are more likely to lean towards shades compared to women’s likelihood to lean towards tints. Finally, it is important to note that men and women are likely to describe colors differently. When describing paint colors they want, a woman might refer to a light blue as “baby blue” or “periwinkle”, a man is more likely to simply refer to the range of hues as “blue” while possibly adding to the phrase by describing it as “light blue” or “dark blue”. Below, we’ll share some of our favorite masculine bedroom ideas and designs.
Men’s Bedroom Paint Colors Comparison
Picking between these colors gets easier when you can see them side by side. Here’s how each one performs, with a paint pick for each. LRV is the light reflectance value. The lower the number, the darker the color looks, and anything under 10 needs decent natural light to work better.
| Color | Proven Paint Pick (LRV) | Best Sheen | Works Best In | Style Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White | Sherwin-Williams Pure White SW 7005 (LRV 84) | Flat or matte | Small rooms and rooms with little natural light | Contemporary, minimalist |
| Black | Sherwin-Williams Tricorn Black SW 6258 (LRV 3) | Matte, eggshell on an accent wall | Large rooms with big south-facing windows | Luxurious, modern |
| Gray | Sherwin-Williams Peppercorn SW 7674 (LRV 10) | Matte or eggshell | Medium to large rooms, south or west facing | Contemporary, industrial |
| Brown | Sherwin-Williams Urbane Bronze SW 7048 (LRV 8) | Matte | Rooms with warm wood floors or furniture | Rustic, luxurious |
| Blue | Benjamin Moore Hale Navy HC-154 (LRV 8) | Matte or eggshell | Bedrooms where sleep is the priority, any size | Contemporary, loft, coastal |
A quick note on sheen, when you use matte and flat finishes they hide wall imperfections and keep dark colors from looking too plasticky. Eggshell works well for accent walls and in rooms that see more scuffs than average. Room orientation matters more with the dark picks. A north-facing bedroom gets cool, gray light all day, and it’ll push charcoal or navy toward gloomy. If that’s your situation, paint one wall instead of four and keep the bedding light. Problem solved, and you still get the moody look.
Men’s Bedroom Paint Colors
First, consider your room style. Certain colors lend themselves to certain styles, whereas others might clash with your desired style. To help you out, let’s look at some styles and designs you might choose.
Contemporary
Contemporary design is very focused on a clean look. This type of design is well-tailored for men interested in minimalist design. In other words, you don’t want your possessions and furniture to look too bulky or take up too much space. When contemporary design is broken down, it is based on geometry and symmetry. This is a great choice for many men, as many men have analytical minds, so they notice these minute details. For a contemporary bedroom, a good idea is to use darker colors with white accents. The worst thing you can do here is to pick ostentatious or loud tones, as these will contrast directly with the clean design. For instance, a bright green room doesn’t lend itself to a contemporary design.
Luxurious
Many men also lean towards a room that feels and looks luxurious. This usually means using fabrics and materials that represent wealth and comfort. For instance, a luxurious bedroom might use soft leathers, high-count comforters, silk sheets, and high-quality pillows. These designs also lend themselves to dark woods and heavy tapestries. As for colors, you will once again want to avoid anything too garish. Instead, you might want to lean toward more subtle hues such as grays, tans, browns, or whites. See more tan bedroom designs here.
Rustic
Another style to consider is a more rustic look in your room. This is a great choice for a man who loves a look more comparable to a ranch house. These rooms use a lot of bare wood and elements associated with nature. These rooms are also meant to be a little rough around the edges. They don’t depend on crisp lines and a perfectly clean look. However, these rooms aren’t designed to be messy either. To keep the natural theme of a rustic bedroom, the utilization of paint colors in shades of browns and tans. For a pop of color, deep reds are a great choice.
Best Paint Colors
Now that we have an idea of which colors might complement your design style, let’s take a look at some for those who aren’t sure where to start with a design style. Don’t worry if you aren’t sure of your design style either – many people choose to start with a single bedroom paint color and build their room around it.
White
Let’s start with something simple—white. Like lighter colors, white will make your room look more open and, of course, bright. It’s easy to contrast white with darker decor such as brown, gray, or black. Some find pure white to be a little too sterile or bright for their design tastes. You can soften the look by using off-white or cream colors.
Black
On the opposite end of the scale, there is black. Black isn’t often used in bedrooms because, unless the decor is done right and the color suits the bedroom itself, the result can look rather small and desolate. Done right, black paint can evoke a sense of elegance. If you have a large bedroom that lets in a lot of natural light, black might be just the color for you. You can tone it down with light accents such as a white comforter, light curtains, or even a few red accents. See more pictures of black bedrooms here.
Gray
Gray is a nice compromise between white and black. It offers the same elegance as black without quite as much dramatic flair. Pale grays can be complemented with darker accents, while dark grays, such as charcoal, go well with lighter accents.
Brown
Brown is another neutral color that is a fantastic choice for many bedrooms. When a bedroom is done in brown tones, it helps to make it look warm and inviting. You can also use shades of brown to suit your tastes and complement any wood accents you use.
Blue
Finally, let’s take a look at a brighter option – blue. In general, blue is supposed to evoke a sense of calm. This makes it a perfect color for your place of rest. Blue also ranges widely in tones, so you can find exactly the style that fits your design and personality. Many men prefer to lean towards darker blues, such as navy. Remember, though, that dark colors need light accents.
For more interior designs, check out our page about masculine living room ideas here.
To showcase highly specific designs, some images on this website use advanced AI-generation software to illustrate ideas and room inspiration. See our editorial policy to learn more.
