Colors for Boy’s Rooms

Written on October 23, 2012 at 3:00 pm , by Kate

I remember asking my little boy (who was five at the time) what colors he wanted for his big boy room and wasn’t surprised when he said “blue and green”.  Boys are often drawn to greens and blues, oranges and reds, for their bedroom spaces, and gray or black as they get older. 

Boy’s rooms should be spaces that encourage a child’s imagination and transition over time as boys grow from adolescents to teenagers.   Here are a few fun color palettes to inspire your boy’s room design.  

Wood + Blue.  Blue is a popular choice among the lads and thankfully so much kid decor comes in shades of navy or mid tone blue.  Mix these shades with honey wood for a classic boy’s room combination you’ll both be fond of year after year.

Red + Blue.   This palette is a great one for boys since its reminiscent of superheroes and also a classic combination inspired by the American flag.  Mix linens in stripes and plaids and add furniture painted in either a bold shade of red or blue.  

Orange + Green.   Against a pale blue backdrop, orange furnishings and green accents come together in a playful combination for a growing imaginative boy.  

Green + Blue.   The cooler tones of green and blue are a no fail combination when decorating a boy’s space.  Pull in masculine accents in shades of black or gray for contrast.

Blue + Orange.    Blue and orange are complements on the color wheel and a favorite among boys.  How about a bright orange accent wall with navy blue furniture or bold blue stripes on the wall with an orange headboard or bedding?

A touch of brown is a third color to consider when combining blue and orange – the striped duvet covers establish the tiered palette in this shared boy’s bedroom space. 

Blue + White.   Stripes are a favorite in both kid and grown up spaces.   For a ‘collected over time’ look, mix several patterns in a combination of blue and white for timeless appeal.

Gray + Red.    Gray continues to be a popular neutral and works for both younger boys and teenagers.  Add pops of red in the form of toys, colorful bins, or sports themed bedding for a fresh dose of color. 

Blue + Black.   Adding a chalkboard wall is a clever way to encourage creativity in a boy’s room.  Avoid the dark overload of a four black walls by establishing a two tone paint combination with contrasting shades of blue or gray above and below. 

Muted + Multicolored.   Kid spaces are a great opportunity to add multiple layers of color to a room, but resist the urge to go overboard with too many saturated tones.  Take color cues from a quilt or cheerful striped rug which layer several muted shades together but do not overwhelm with too many competing colors of the rainbow.

So many of these color combinations work well for girl’s rooms or shared rooms as well, and next week so we’ll take a peek at other color palettes for girl’s rooms and playrooms.  

What color palettes have you used to decorate boy’s spaces in your home? 

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