As busy entrepreneurs, Clare Collective ambassador Lauren Hom and her partner found painting the bedroom in their loft gradually slipping further and further down their home to-do list. It’s a common predicament. Bedrooms typically feel like “private” spaces, so they don’t always get the most (immediate) love. 

Before 

“We threw some posters up on the wall, got some lights. I think the most decorating we did was picking our bedding color,” Lauren explains. “It was just a very functional room.” But after a few years went by, just “functional” wasn’t cutting it anymore–the couple wanted a cozier space where they could truly unwind. 

After

Lauren’s solution? Creating one of her signature murals, with a specially curated palette designed to evoke a soothing mood. “We wanted it to be a really special, sacred space,” Lauren explains. Read on to see how she made it happen and score tips for refreshing your own room.

Pick a Perfect Palette for Painting the Bedroom

If you’re not sure where to start with paint colors, consider how you want to feel when you’re in the space. “We were going for a cozy, sleek, monochromatic feel,” Lauren tells us. “Most of what we do in the bedroom is sleeping or winding down for the day, so dark colors really worked for the mood that I wanted to create.” Our strong midnight blue, Goodnight Moon, paired with deep greens like Field Trip and Current Mood and offset by lighter accents of Make Waves and Turbinado created just the right relaxing vibe. Lauren also took cues from the dark blue bedding she and her partner had already picked out. “I like to find something–a piece of furniture, or artwork–that I feel a connection with, and then build the palette off of that,” she explains. 

Work With The Space You Have

 If there’s anyone who knows how to get creative with unconventional rooms, it’s Lauren. “I know oftentimes lighter colors are supposed to make the room feel bigger,” she tells us, “but since we have lofted ceilings–about 14 feet–I knew that the room could handle a darker color.” Lauren also designed around existing elements of the space, like her closet. “I chose not to paint the darker blue background color all the way up to the ceiling, because we have different levels going on in the apartment,” she says. Instead, Lauren made the top of her closet the endpoint for the dark blue, creating a visual cohesion that feels natural to the space. 

Set Yourself Up for Success

If, like Lauren, you’ve been putting off painting the bedroom, she has some tips to keep the motivation flowing. First, she suggests getting all the supplies you need so there’s nothing holding you back. “It’s like when people put out their gym clothes the night before so they can just get up and go in the morning,” Lauren explains. 

She also recommends putting the painting session on your calendar to help hold yourself accountable. “The more you keep it in the abstract, the easier it is to put off,” Lauren says. “But once you actually get going, it goes quickly and you get really into it.” And the feeling once the project’s finally completed? That makes it all worth it. 

Looking for more bedroom inspo? We’ve got you covered.

• This Dark Green Bedroom is a Lesson in Small-Space Design
• How to Master the Perfect All-White Bedroom
• Three Bedroom Paint Colors for a Stylish Decor Update