Monochromatic Bedroom Design Inspirations

A monochromatic room—bold, eye-catching, unabashedly intentional—is the opposite of timid. But for those just straying from a polychromatic path, the thought of actually creating one can be downright intimidating. Where to start? How much color is too much? What can be done to prevent a limited palette from feeling stiff or stagnant? Whether you're aiming for subtle or ultrasaturated, neutral or neon, seven interior experts weigh in below on what’s most important to remember when going monochrome.

Start small.

For monochromatic newcomers, a small space—like a bathroom—can be an ideal starting ground. Less daunting than, say, a living or dining room, a bathroom's diminutive dimensions benefit from a clean, monochromatic scheme. “Using one color is calming, and generally, it’s nice to have a bathroom feel somewhat Zen,” says Sasha Bikoff, a New York designer whose decision to cloak a client’s master bath in a cool mint green helped her achieve the Italian villa look she was after—and also made the room feel larger. “Incorporating too many other colors can make a small space feel busy,” she says.

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Think texture—times ten.

“The number one tip I’d give someone creating a monochromatic space is texture,” says New York City designer Doug Meyer, whose work in a color-drenched duplex includes this floor-to-ceiling study in blue (and "an orchestra of texture and finishes,” as he puts it). The variation in texture keeps the color from falling flat—though the brazen tone helps with that, too. “Using strong colors in this way is no different than creating an all-white room or a room using variations of beige or gray,” Meyer says, "and sometimes the richer and deeper the color, the more relaxing it is.”

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Pay attention to details.

White may seem like the easiest option when it comes to committing to a color (or lack thereof), but according to designer Alyssa Kapito—whose New York firm was responsible for the design of the Madison Avenue kitchen below—it often presents more challenges. “When you remove all color from a space, texture, tone, and lines become so much more important,” she says. To add personality to a simplified palette, Kapito zeroed in on the room’s smaller details, right down to the reflection of light on its polished nickel hardware.

“The Calacatta gold marble countertops were honed to give a really soft effect. We purposely chose a sculptural chair for the banquette. And a kitchen that’s too white has no warmth and feels dull, so finding the perfect paint color was key,” she adds. “Here, we used Wimborne White by Farrow & Ball. It reads white, but it’s actually ivory.”

Add a contrasting tone.

Not ready to go all in on a room bathed in blue or awash in orange? Not to fret. A statement piece in a contrasting color adds visual interest—and an energizing element of surprise to an otherwise streamlined scheme. “A strong pop of contrasting color livens things up a lot,” says New York designer (and former fashion editor) Lilly Bunn, who once placed a bright orange sofa at the center of a room dominated by purple, to striking effect. It’s a technique that bends the rules of a strictly monochromatic look; still, “it’s fun,” she says, “and less formulaic. Nothing should be too perfect. You can't put coffee and the newspaper down in a ‘perfect’ room.”