It's a Color Symbolic of Dreams, so These Purple Bedroom Ideas Almost Guarantee a Good Night's Sleep, Right?

Purple bedroom ideas aren't a typical go-to for most designers, unless they're working with spaces belonging to younger children. But there's something so inherently calming about the tone, which makes us second guess how we're using (or rather, not using) it in our own sleep spaces.

As a bedroom color idea, it can be rich and dark, giving your bedroom an elevated, indulgent aesthetic, or can feel more pared-back when you opt for a paler hue. Interior designer Bynn Esmond says purple is the perfect color because it's a combination of warm and cool colors.

"Think about how rare a purple sky is — when we see one, it’s magical," she says. "Its mysterious beauty naturally draws us in, inviting us to pause, take it in, relax and experience a sense of tranquility."

Whether you're thinking of decorating with purple in a monochromatic way or paired with complementary shades, on trims or in small touches, there are a myriad of purple bedroom ideas to choose from. Here are 10 of our favorite.

1. Go for a Monochromatic, Cocooning Aesthetic

For Stockholm-based designer, Emma Vo Gårdh of interior design studio, Voghardh, purple bedroom ideas work best when used in a monochromatic color scheme. Using this deep color on the walls and for the bedding creates a calming, cocooning and enveloping space.

"Someone once told me that purple symbolizes dreams, which felt like the perfect choice for a bedroom," she adds.

The dark tone also absorbs the light in the evening, making the room feel softer and more restful. "For me, purple is both warm and cooling — two qualities I want in a bedroom. And if purple really does symbolize dreams, then I can’t think of a more fitting color to surround myself with at night," she says.

Emma Vo Gårdh

Emma Vo Gårdh is a Stockholm based artist, designer and interior architect with a passion for color and design. She is interested in how color, art, and design can contribute to and enhance various ambiances in a room.

2. Try an Analogous Color Scheme

An analogous color scheme is also a good way to ensure your purple bedroom ideas feel perfectly balanced, as shown in the space above by Ana Engelhorn. "The palette works because it’s tonal and harmonious," she explains.

Ana used Piedmontese Aubergine by Francesca's Paints on the walls, and paired it with deeper accents in the upholstery and artwork, while grounding everything with cooler blue tones in the bedding, sofa, and doorway trim.

"These analogous colors are close on the color wheel, so they create flow and calm rather than contrast," she explains. "The velvets, natural light, and tactile materials soften the overall look, making the space feel grounded and tranquil despite the bold palette.

"Purple felt like a natural choice for this bedroom because it’s both bold and serene — a color with depth, history, and quiet luxury," she continues. "For this project, we wanted to create a place to retreat to, but also to dream in."

3. Go for a Lavender Shade

Lavender bedroom ideas feel oh-so-soothing. In this instance, the designers picked Benjamin Moore Spring Iris for a tranquil vibe in a child's bedroom.

"When working with the homeowners on the interior design of the home, we wanted their children to have a say in how they wanted to feel in their own room," explains Bynn Esmond of Bynn Esmond Designs.

"This teen in particular, is an artist and musician who loved color, with purple being the favorite with blue next in line, and wanted something fun and different."

The designers incorporated the two colors and gave it a fun artistic flair with the asymmetrical balance of the bedroom headboard, while grounding the space by combining purple with the warmth of natural wood.

"I felt this color was the perfect match for the teen’s personality, as purple is considered a rare color in nature and evokes mystery, intrigue, creativity, imagination — all characteristics that describe this artistic, creative teen."

Bynn Esmond

Bynn Esmond Designs is a full-service interior design and interior architectural firm based in the Peninsula Bay Area. The firm believes exceptional design is deeply personal, bringing calm, joy, and inspiration.

4. Pair With Sultry Gray Tones

Alternatively, go for something deeper and darker that feels indulgent and magical. "This color is Benjamin Moore Galaxy 2117-20," explains Kimblery Peck. "The clients selected this color as they were looking for a dark bedroom. They liked the mystery of the color, and practically the dark color is conducive to sleeping."

Purple is one of the best colors for sleep because tonally, the blue undertones have a soothing effect, which can help lower heart rate and blood pressure and have a calming effect on the body and the mind.

To accent the space, Kimblery added a built-in wooden bed with headboard in oak which was stained in a gray undertone to blend well with the purple palette and create a mystical, enigmatic vibe.

5. Pick Split-Complementary Color for Purple

While green wouldn't typically be a first choice when it comes to colors that go with purple, the pair are a great example of a split-complementary color scheme, which means using color theory to select shades either side of its direct complement. The result in this instance, using bright mint and Valspar Magical Poetry's shade of purple, is a bright and joyful space.

"We went for purple and mint green, a great color combination," says Emma Merry, founder of Home Milk. "The room gets a lot of daylight as its at the top of the house and I wanted a color that would light up in the sunshine."

For a fairly bright color, it's surprisingly calming, the carpet is also purple so you feel somewhat cocooned in the color.

"The combination is very complementary and in lighter shades, its both uplifting and calming, it's not so vibrant that it's off-putting," she adds. "It's light and airy, as well as happy. So a lovely combination to be in both night and day."

6. Introduce Purple in Small, Decorative Doses

The designers of this bedroom, Plaid Fox, wanted the space to feel soft and restful, without too much visual clutter. Lavender accents felt like the perfect touch — a hopeful, optimistic hue that brought warmth and personality to the space.

"Situated by the ocean, with sweeping views of the Vancouver skyline and the blurred inlet beyond, we knew the bedroom had to reflect the natural beauty around it," explains one half of Plaid Fox, Ben Leavitt. "Our goal was to create a space that felt casual and effortless, avoiding the clichéd all-white beachside aesthetic, while still embracing the calm serenity of the coastal setting."

"Purple, especially in its lavender form, has always felt inherently soothing to me," adds Ben. "It’s a calming color that resonates on a deeper, almost subconscious level — perhaps because it’s a shade I associate with relaxation." Unlike the cooler tones of blue, which often feel a bit too crisp and distant, lavender exudes a warmth that invites you to settle in and unwind.

"In this room, we wove purple accents throughout — the bedding, decor, and the handmade Moroccan rug, allowing the color to flow seamlessly across the space."

7. Add Purple to Built-in Storage Around the Bed

Designed by Hannaford Design Studio, the team sought to balance playful, quirkiness with rich textures, brass accents and jolts of color in every room of this home.

Seamless bedroom storage frames the bed in the space above, and the wall of fitted storage around the bed frees up floor space so there is no need for clunky freestanding chests of drawers.

The niche was painted a striking purple, creating a focal point of the room and pairing perfectly with the pale green paint used on the wall.

8. Create Contrast by Pairing Deep Purple With Brickwork

A deep, dark purple can feel modern and sophisticated, but when paired with more traditional and warming tones of brickwork or even natural wood, the result is a striking balance of old and new.

This bedroom designed by Paul Archer Design does exactly this, with a deep purple statement wall contrasting well against the exposed brick bedroom accent wall.

9. Go for a Statement Contrasting Headboard

When it comes to purple bedroom ideas, it's best to embrace the jewel-tones, as per this stand-out space from interior designer, Rachel Chudley.

With a wow-factor headboard in a bold shade of red that deliberately clashes against the purple wall, plus the irregular shape, the space feels dramatic and distinctly personal.

"I like to lean into the darkness and explore the depths of color," says Rachel. "Clashing colors makes my heart sing."

10. Color Block the Space With Purple Curtains

Purple bedroom ideas needn't just be reliant on paint, though. You can add a wall of color through fabric and texture.

In this space, when the bedroom curtains are drawn, the room transforms with a color block of deep purple. When they are open, the purple essentially disappears from the room's color scheme, helping the space feel lighter, brighter and filled with daylight.

"Color blocking is present in the form of a violet curtain, serving both as a visual anchor and a reflection of the occupant’s personality," explains Amit Khanolkar, founder of Mumbai-based DIG Architects. "In the master bedroom, a deep, vibrant purple was employed as the accent hue."

FAQs

Is Purple a Good Color for a Bedroom?

Purple is a reliable shade to use in the bedroom as it has calming, peaceful qualities which helps our bodies relax, retreat and recharge.

"Using a softer or muted shade of purple can create a sense of calm, as lighter colors tend to be relaxing, and when applied on walls, it creates the perfect backdrop for a relaxing space," says Bynn Esmond.

Purple is unexpected in a bedroom, but it’s wonderfully suited to the space, adds Ana Engelhorn. "It evokes calm and stillness, yet has an emotional richness that brings personality," she says. "It’s also incredibly flattering in different types of light—warm and cozy in the evening, soft and fresh by morning.