Barely-there-blue is having a moment, and interior experts say it’s *the* colour to decorate your bedroom in this year.
Why? Because in a summer that’s seen temperatures soar (and so many of us struggle to sleep as a result), this subtle shade visually cools a bedroom down and creates a calm, soothing, and restful sleep space.
When it comes to bedroom design ideas that can help you to sleep better, that certainly sounds like exactly what this hot sleeper needs in her life right now.
As Natalie Prince, interiors expert at Sharps, explains, ‘Featured at some of this year’s most talked-about fashion events – including Dua Lipa’s recent wedding – this subtle shade is set to dominate both fashion and interiors this summer.’
(Image credit: COAT)
‘Google searches for barely-there-blue have surged by 2,637% over the past year,’ says Natalie, ‘while searches for pale blue bedroom are up 1,775% in the same period.’
‘Light blue bedroom searches climbed a further 42% in the past 3 months, and on Pinterest, blue bedroom decor searches have grown 20% in the last month alone,’ continues Natalie.
And with the UK now in the midst of the third heatwave this year, it’s little wonder. I’m currently debating bedroom paint colours, and as the temperature has climbed, the cool-toned blues on my shortlist have definitely become more and more appealing.
‘Beyond aesthetics, there’s a practical case for blue too,’ agrees Natalie. ‘Cool-toned shades are widely associated with lowering the perceived temperature of a room, making barely-there blues a particularly smart choice as UK summers get warmer.’
(Image credit: Piglet in Bed)
This shade also ties in with one of this year’s biggest bedroom trends: the desire for sleep spaces that offer somewhere to retreat to, unwind and de-stress from the fast-paced world outside of our own four walls.
‘We’ve seen a real appetite from customers wanting to create a bedroom that helps them switch off,’ explains Natalie. ‘Pale, barely there blues are extremely popular right now – they bring a sense of calm and airiness that no other colour quite achieves in a bedroom setting.’
‘Barely-there blue’ is one of those shades that instantly makes a bedroom feel lighter and more restful,’ agrees Marianne Shillingford, creative director and colour expert at paint brand Dulux.
So which shades in particular are best for bedrooms? ‘The palette driving the trend sits at the softer, more restrained end of the blue spectrum,’ says Natalie.
(Image credit: Paint & Paper Library)
‘Think powdery pastels, hazy duck eggs, and the kind of barely-there sky tones that sit somewhere between blue and white,’ says Natalie. ‘These are shades that work with natural light rather than fighting it, making a bedroom feel larger and more restful at once.’
COAT
‘Slept Through’ Flat Matt 2.5L
Dunelm
‘Pale Sky’ Matt Emulsion Paint
‘These subtle tones have a really understated elegance,’ agrees Marianne. ‘Plus, they work beautifully alongside warm neutrals, soft linens and natural wood to create a scheme that feels calm, timeless and easy to live with.’
In a bid to sleep more comfortably this summer, I’ve already invested in the best cooling mattress topper, a hot-weather duvet alternative, the best linen bedding for breathability, and a lightweight dohar for the very hottest nights.
Now, I’m definitely convinced that colour-of-the-moment barely-there-blue is the final piece of the puzzle in making my sleep setup as cool, calm, and restful as possible.