My bedroom was looking tired and needed redecorating. Previously painted white, there were a lot of marks on the walls from being knocked by the hoover and the windows were peeling from the sun (this southeast-facing room gets all-day sunshine). While I wanted to keep this room painted in a neutral tone as it is such a light and bright space, I also wanted to bring in colour both in subtle and fun ways to warm it up a bit. The previously white walls made the room feel light and fresh, but it didn’t make it feel particularly inviting or cosy. This time with the redecoration, I wanted to pick shades that complemented the light that streamed through. As it was summertime when I redecorated this space, I was influenced by the tones of the late evening sunsets that were at that time filling this room with a hazy, pinkish hue.

I decided that what this bedroom required were shades with red pigments and undertones that would warm up the space and make it feel cosier. I was drawn to using pink on the walls, but I really did not want to go ‘pink’: pastel pinks or baby pinks I am not keen on and wanted to avoid, while I wasn’t feeling the dusky, plaster pinks, either. After testing out a few colours, I discovered ‘Hammock’ by Little Greene Paint Company: a warm neutral with a pink base that is not overtly a pink shade. I painted the walls, woodwork, window shutters and built-in wardrobes in this colour while using ‘Ferdinand’ - a pink-tinged white - on the ceiling for contrast.

To add in a bit of fun and some real depth, I decided to paint the sash window frames in ‘Arras’, a deep reddish-brown shade and a colour that I’ve wanted to use in my home for a long time! While I had a few raised eyebrows when I told people what colour I wanted the windows to be, I totally think my gamble paid off. I love the look and the red windows lift the whole scheme.

I loved ‘Arras’ so much that I also painted two plain, wooden lamp bases in the same shade for the bedside tables. I added some small, chocolate-hued candle shade light shades from Mrs Alice to match.

To bring everything together, I hung up some artwork in pinky-red hues via a vintage print by Print Sisters Archive. I also made a new lumbar cushion for my bed using some Fuschia-print surplus fabric that I purchased from eco fabric seller Haines Collection.

I just love the new look - it feels really warm and inviting and I like the balance of it being pretty and slightly vintage in style, while still being modern.

Let me know what you think of my new pink and red bedroom scheme in the comments!