I agree the bed looks pink. While it may not look that way in real life, it MAY look that way in comparison to the wall color. That is what you have to watch for, and make sure that if you go with the neutral wall, it isn't going to make the bed look pink in comparison.

If you are going blue-grey. be sure the blue tones don't also make the bed read pink.

Of the two colors you have posted, I prefer the grey. With the right accessories and lighting, the room doesn't have to feel cold.

I prefer the contrast with the grey. Too washed out looking with the cream and it doesn't go with the bed color either.

Not a fan of the cream either. Personally, I think the bed looks best against the darker grey of the drapes, so would tend to lean more in that direction.

I like the blue gray too. It is nice to see that you painted both colors and have your things next to the colors. It is so much easier to look at over the next few days to see what you like as the day and evening change lighting. When I was picking colors, some I didn't like in the day but were ok in the evening with artificial lighting, while others were the reverse.

I vote for the gray, too.

I like the gray, too. The other color is too similar to the bed color. I have had cool colors in my bedroom for years and it doesn't feel cold, it's very soothing.

I have mostly warm colors in my home except in our master bedroom. We have gray wisp by bm and it is a beautiful soft color.

I think gray would look nice with your bed.

Its funny they call it grey because it looks blue. I prefer that one, I like the contrast with the bed.

The grey is really nice. I like it in combination with the drapes and the bed. The bed isn't highlighted with the other color. It looks sort of blah.

Gray is better against your bed color.

I forgot about the creams and am focusing on blue gray. I was kind of concerned that BM Silver Gray (on the left) would be too gray and not enough color, so I also sampled SW Upward, which is designer Libby Langdon's favorite pale blue. It has a touch of red so it leans ever so slightly violet, more of a sky blue. It also has a bit more chroma than Silver Gray. I kind of like both of them, and I'm stuck!

Opinions, please!

Silver Gray on the left, Upward on the right. Silver Gray leans slightly green and is more grayed out, Upward has a whisper of violet and is more of a true sky blue. I would think the shot of red in Upward would also help to knock down any pink tint that might show in the bed.

Here is another pic. For some reason the last one I posted was made too small.

i definitely prefer a darker color than the cream...i would probably go even alittle darker than what you have up for the contrast against the light bed---but, your bed does look pinkish, so it would really be hard to give exact color advise if we're not seeing the color accurately.

It would help to see a couple of different views of the color in your room and shown also with your bedding. One suggestion would be to put the pillows more upright instead of lying flat how they are in the pictures.

I just had my DR and LR painted quietude and I love it. Betw the 2 u have, I like upward better. Another blue I used in my powder Rm which i am so in love w/ is SW copen blue, one of their new colors. It has a bit of magenta in it like upward. It looks nothing like the sample card.

Sorry, but I am not crazy about either color with the green drapery. Or is the drapery grey, in which case the two colors make the drapery look green, at least on my monitor.

I don't think adding red to the blue paint is going to make the headboard look less pink. I think you will just end up with a pink beige against a more purple blue.

I would take your drapery fabric as the starting point, take a panel with you to the pain store (or fabric from the drapery if you have some) and match it, then work up the card about two shades.

Now that the Quietude is gone from behind the bed, any pinky tones have disappeared. The drapes are Pottery Barn in the "Blue Smoke" color, which is a blue-green that leans more green. I could switch that out if it doesn't work. I just don't know what to do! I know what I like, but paint colors just drive me insane!

I just looked at the Upward and it's fantastic, I'd use that will no worries. Very complimentary.

A cooler color will feel more serene and restful, and you can warm it up with some accessories in a warm color. Any blue or green will work with your headboard, as long as it's not too clean a color, which will make the bed color look dirty in comparison. Grayed blue or green, navy, if you are willing to go that dark, turqoise if it's a bit muted.
If you want a cozy look, go with something warmer, a beige with a pink undertone that is dark enough to contrast a bit with your bed would work. Chocolate brown, if you want dark. With beige or natural colored drapes, or a print that includes the bed and walls colors.

A color that is similar to the bed will make the bed less of a focal point, and your artwork will pop instead. Depends on the effect you're after.

One way to choose the colors to go with the bed is to find a fabric that you like that has the bed color in it, and then pull out the other colors for wall, drapes, and accessories, even if you don't actually use the fabric in the room. If the fabric goes well with your bed, the colors in it will likely work well as solids, too.

I would find a room photo or fabric to use as inspiration and decide on bedding, drapes, accessories, rugs if you need them, first, and then pick a paint color that goes with the stuff you chose. There are zillions of paint colors to choose from, but harder to find bedding and accessories to go with paint once it's on the walls, so choose the paint last, even if you have the color in your head while you're choosing other items.

I am really just so sick of this! I have spent the better part of the last 3 days(!!!) painting huge sample after sample, really liking none of them! Upward so far is the front runner, but I really don't want to be boxed in with having to use things that match with an icy blue like that. I really wanted to use a grayed cream like Edgecomb Gray, but it just doesn't really go with the headboard. The headboard does have some sort of faint pink or peach undertone. I don't see it everytime I look at the bed, but sometimes I do and it drives me crazy. I could see absolutely none of this in the sample! I got the bed made in a very light cream so that it would go with everything, and now it is messing everything up. Another problem is my lighting--the stupid ceiling fan with the 4 lights does such a horrible job lighting the room. Lamps help, but I wish I could just flip a switch and have decent lighting without having to turn on all the lamps every time. I wish I wasn't so sensitive to colors and lighting. Everyone thinks I'm crazy!

Unfortunately, I don't have the bedding yet. I want to use euro shams in something like maybe a navy ikat pattern which would cover most of the headboard, but finding something I like is REALLY hard to find. In one of the pics below, you will see a large oriental painting that I would like to use over the headboard (which would also minimize the headboard). Problem is, if I hang it where the bottom clears the headboard, it is too high. Is it totally stupid to hang the painting where some of the bottom frame and mat is actually obscured by the top of the headboard?

Please help me!

Upward on left, BM Silver Gray on right:

Edgecomb Gray on left, Upward on right (headboard doesn't look nearly this pink in real life):

This probably isn't helpful, Jock....but I would pick a dark sand wall color and use the blue/gray for accessories.

Jock,

My vote is for Upward. Blue actually are pretty neutral these days. What color do you believe blue does not work with that you may want to incorporate?

The reason I am asking is that I have RH Atmosphere Blue in our powder room that has been up now for 4 years. Our rug in that room has teal, brown, a wasabi type green (a little brighter) and blue (similar to the walls). The combination of all those colors works fine. You can also add gray to colors that match blue.

I think Loribee makes a good point about picking a color in the beige family, if you are having a hard of time getting what you heart was set on.

I just attached a picture of the rug so you can get an idea of colors that match blue.

Hopefully, this will shed some light on your frustration.

Here is a link that might be useful: Island Rug.

Here's my thought, sorry if this isn't helpful at all.

Mount those curtains (actually you will need longer ones) up at the ceiling, and mount the shades up there too. Then at the very least, paint the area that is now definded between the windows very dark charcoal gray. Paint the rest of the room a few shades lighter. This will really make that beautiful bed pop!

Check out my favorite warm grays that I am addicted to: They are on the BM strip that includes Baltic Gray.

Good luck.

Beed

i really don't care for upward with either your drapes or the bed...i think you need to go for more depth in color if you want to go in the blue direction...that lightish grayish blue clashes with your bed, imo.
i agree, a deeper nuetral sand or taupe color might be a nice way to go....something which contrasts more with the light bed.....and if you want a light color, i would experiment with paints that don't have gray undertones and see what might complement you bed abit more.

Another problem is my lighting--the stupid ceiling fan with the 4 lights does such a horrible job lighting the room. Lamps help, but I wish I could just flip a switch and have decent lighting without having to turn on all the lamps every time. I wish I wasn't so sensitive to colors and lighting. Everyone thinks I'm crazy!

I don't think you are crazy - I'm the same way. I had the same frustrating experience in a bedroom of a former house. The ceiling fan light fixture had tinted glass around it. If I had remained there, I would have changed out the fan or at least the lighting part of it.

In my opinion, between the beige/creams and the blue/grays, you have to go with the blue/grays. The beige creams are bringing out the pink in the bed. Of the blue/grays, it looks like you need a flip of a coin to decide.

I don't believe that painting the room blue is as limiting as you think it is. You can throw in all kinds of accent colors. For example, I have Ellen Kennon's Gustavian Gray in my bedroom (very similar to your choices) and have a red accent piece in the room that I plan to build on.

Don't think you should hang the art with the bottom obscured by the headboard. If you really want to use that piece there, take down your drapes, hang the print and see if looks balanced above the bed. If so and you like it there, follow bee's advice and hang new drapes just under the crown using less obtrusive rods, or paint the existing rods to match the wall color once decided. By going up to the crown you should have enough space to make the print work. If you don't like the print there you can opt to keep the drapes in current position.

Do change out the fan. I'd get a halogen fan with separate lights, one for up and another for down lighting that can be lit simultaneously or individually, with a wall dimmer and a remote so you don't have to get out of bed. Or if you don't use the fan, get a chandelier. Switch out your lighting before continuing with the paint exploration so you'll have a consistent basis to judge.

If you don't have a wall control for one of the outlets in your bedroom, get a remote controlled extension cord for your lamps so that you can easily set the lighting you want upon entering the room.

Jock, since you're willing to consider other drapes, take down the existing ones now as they really throw off your paint selection. Then you will be better able to evaluate paint color, whether you decide to go with cream, greys or blues.

A luxe look you wanted at one time is tone on tone. If you're willing to try that still, take the sample of the headboard fabric and have it matched, then adjust 50% either lighter or darker. You can introduce subtle textures and patterns within the limited palette for quiet drama. Or you can use the neutral backdrop and bring in strong colors through accessories. You will not be locked in with a neutral backdrop.

If you want to stick with greys, look again at the edgecomb grey without the drapes and cover the existing bedding with a white or cream sheet since on my monitor the existing pillows fight with the paint and the headboard. Try painting the entire area behind the bed edgecomb so that you don't have it fighting with all those different blues in the drapes, sheets, pillow and sample paint. From there you can decide if you want to go darker or not. I can't tell on my monitor if the edgecomb looks nice with the headboard, but it's usually neutral enough. I suspect going considerably darker toward a charcoal, with brown not blue undertones, will look great, but how will you feel in a dark room?

You've lived with blue a while now. Forget the headboatd issue for a moment. How do you respond to a blue bedroom? If you want blue and if you like the color of the existing drapes, have it matched and again go at least 50% lighter. If you're going for less green, finding a clearer blue that looks good with the headboard will be easier once the various blues are temporarily out of the picture.

I'm very color and light sensitive too, so I know what a headache it can be to find a good hue. In the end, only you can decide what makes you go ahhh!!! when you walk in your bedroom.

I like the Silver Gray better than Upward, and the Edgecomb Gray, which I think has a slight pink undertone as well, will work too, with the right accessories to add texture and/or color so it's not boring.

I replaced the tile in my bathroom last year, and ended up with a pinky beige floor by accident. I wanted a cream color, but that would no longer work with the floor tile. BM Quiet Moments looked great with it, but was more blue than I wanted. I'm going to redo with BM Gray Wisp, which I used in the bedroom, it's just slightly greener than Quiet Moments. Ignore the clutter, I didn't stage this before shooting. Quiet Moments in the bath.
{{gwi:1751135}}

One other consideration: are you still planning to use your old LR rug in this room? If so, putting it in there now may help decide which direction to go.

I took the blue sheets off the bed and got rid of the pillows and changed to a plain white sheet to see how that would look. All along I have planned on moving the drapes up to the ceiling and replacing those rods with thinner rods, probably in a silver or pewter color. I want this room to be a soothing oasis and somewhat luxe looking. Originally I had planned on going with a grayish cream for versatility and because I have so much blue in other parts of my house. I also find that the warmer colors don't look so bad with the poor lighting, for some reason.

Unfortunately, this headboard is just giving me fits with the warm neutrals! It is a Bernhardt bed, and I went through every fabric sample (5 books worth) the furniture store said I could choose from. I picked the lightest fabric with no evident undertone for the specific purpose of having something that would work with just about any color scheme I ever wanted to use, and now what I thought would be no problem is the biggest stumbling block. I am starting to think I should just quit worrying about the stupid bed as when the entire room is painted, I have some nice euro shams covering most of the headboard, and there is art above the bed, I won't really notice. I am thinking I will probably end up using mostly white sheets with a duvet and shams with some navy and perhaps touches of yellow?

Here is a pic with BM Sweet Innocence on the left, which is a gray with a touch of blue and a tad of violet (which I like), and Upward on the right. I used a different camera this time and it looks more like real life without so much pink. I just hung some random artwork up to see how it would look.

Agree with beekeeperswife to use a darker color. Right now the bed is lost in the room. A darker color would make the beautiful headboard pop.

You may not want to cover your gorgeous headboard with pillows once you get your bearing. Right now, you're just frustrated, but it will come together and be beautiful.

Of the two, Sweet Innocence is more neutral and will be easier to work with. What about the rug? Has the credenza arrived and will it go in the LR or this room where the dresser is?

I am now thinking of going with my original instinct and using the BM Silver Gray. I think it will be fine once the room is all painted and dressed with art and bedding. Everything looks like crap when the room is all disheveled from painting splotches everywhere. Here are some pics I found of BM Silver Gray used by designer S. Russell Groves in the Kips Bay show house:

I like the feeling of this color--it seems to have enough blue without being too washed out while not feeling at all like baby blue. The daybed and chair used in the room also has a fabric the it somewhat similar to the headboard and it seems to work. Silver Gray also has a tad of green in it so it isn't as cold as the Upward. That coldness was scaring me. I think a color like Silver Gray will probably act as a good foil to just about anything.

Now if I just had a huge, lit art piece like the one in this room and one of those cool lamps, I'd be set!

I like the sweet innocence with your headboard.

I also like BM Sweet Innocence, and the purple undertone is really pretty.

Okay, here is BM Smoke on the left and Silver Gray on the right. I liked the Silver Gray once I painted a whole wall, but it was still a tad too cold for me. So I found a similar color in the deck with a tad more color and maybe more green for warmth. I found Smoke and had it lightened to 75%. It probably is indistinguishable in the picture, but it does look a little greener and slightly warmer in person. I think that's what I'm gonna go with:

I think that last photo is beautiful, it all looks like the same color to me. I am not sure if it is one color on left and another on right.
Or if it is your new color smoke but it is very nice.
I also love your shades,can you tell me the name of them,
.

Yeah! Success! I ended up going with BM Smoke at 75%. BM Silver Gray just looked a bit too cold for me, so I chose Smoke because it had just a little bit of green to warm up the color. Now the pinky tones that sometimes came out of the headboard are just about gone. I will post pics when I get all the pictures hung and everything put back in place.

The LRV of Smoke is 56.3. I wonder what the LRV is now that I only used it at 75%? Comparing to the fan deck, the 75% Smoke it a little bit lighter than the 100%, but not even close to as light as the next color up on the strip, Iceberg, which has an LRV of 73.4.

I think Smoke is one of the neutral blue/gray/greens. Just about every other color works with it. It seems like more and more designers are using these "neutral blues" as a backdrop that will go with about anything but is so much more interesting that your standard beige.

Does anyone have recommendations for sites with great bedding? I really like some of the stuff Dwell does, but nothing they currently have on their site right now would work for me. I really think I would like to use something that has some navy in it, and I would like to add some little pillows with some red or yellow, or even kelly green to spice things up.

Lyban,

The shades are just from Home Depot. They were very inexpensive, maybe 30-40 bucks a piece. I think the style is called "Palisades"? Don't know the brand. They are bamboo, alternating wide strips of bamboo with matchsticks.

Jockewing,

Thanks for that info on the blinds. I think your choice is going to be lovely.
I have never shopped here but you might like some of the bedding . Here is one example which I like, but not the navy you are looking for. Take a look there are many choices here.

Here is a link that might be useful: Click here

I'm partial toward Croscill for bedding. Very well made and you can find it for 50% off at discount bedding websites.

How does BM Smoke (at 75%) compare to Healing Aloe (I can't keep on running back to the store for samples :)

nosoccermom, I haven't personally used Healing Aloe, but from pictures I've seen, Healing Aloe has more green and is significantly lighter than Smoke, even at 75%.

The color of your room is really dependent on what color bedding set you have. If you have wanted gray for a long time- go for it, because if you paint it any other color, you will always wonder what the gray would have looked like.

Here is a link that might be useful: My Favorite Bedding