'It helps me feel grounded' - A clever paint technique transformed this bedroom into the ultimate relaxing haven

There is something about a green bedroom colour scheme that will always feel instantly soothing. However, this pretty ombre bedroom makeover proves that it isn't just about nailing the perfect shade for your green bedroom ideas, but how you use it that can create the perfect calming retreat.

London-based Bianca Brown wanted to give her bedroom a fresh new look. However, this wasn't just about a simple styling update. Bianca has been battling cancer since her diagnosis over a decade ago, and it was important to her to have somewhere uplifting to escape to. 

‘I’ve been through a lot in my bedroom – it's where I contemplated my diagnosis, and where I’ve dealt with round after round of chemotherapy,’ she says. ‘It got to the stage where I didn’t want my bedroom to represent the difficulties of being a cancer patient anymore, and it needed a transformation.’ 

Step in Dulux Colour of the Year 2024 ambassador and keen DIY-er Stacey Solomon and Dulux’s Creative Director Marianne Shillingford, who were on hand to choose the perfect calming shade.

Before

Although modern and unoffensive, the plain white walls did nothing to enhance Bianca’s bedroom.

After

A range of paint ideas was used to transform the space, however, it is the ombre effect that plays a staring role. Behind the bed, a deep green frames an ombre effect, created using Dulux’s Sweet Embrace (Colour of the Year for 2024), Tranquil Dawn and Pea Shoot. 

But what is so special about the ombre paint effect? ‘Think back to your favourite memories of watching the sunset over the rippling waves of a dreamy seascape, or imagine seeing it rise the next morning over mountains and promising your best day yet,’ says Marianne.

‘It’s this gradient effect, so rooted in nature and physically grounding, that we find so soothing, and can be easily replicated in our homes. With lighter tones at the top of our walls gradually dissolving into deeper, stronger hues, the colours we use physically bring us back down to earth – it’s so cathartic, and the perfect paint technique to use in spaces where you like to unwind and recentre after busy days. This makes it a great option for bedrooms, and using soothing blues and greens within the feature can have you drifting off to sleep in no time.’

‘We’ve used the ombre technique in a lot of our Colour of the Year 2024 imagery, and so many people have really taken to this,’ says Marianne. ‘It’s easy to see why – the effect is unique and expressive, it’s like leaving a paint fingerprint on a wall. The best part is you decide the colours and how many you want to combine to create a space that is distinctively yours.'

The same furniture has taken on a whole new look when set against this colour palette, with the woods becoming warmer and tying in with the feeling of nature. Dark green bedding and a smattering of plants complements the look further. 

At the other end of the room, Dulux’s Nordic Hills paint was used to bring more green into the room, with a painted rounded edge in one corner adding interest.

‘Working with Stacey and Dulux on my bedroom renovation, and using Sweet Embrace™ on my walls, has totally changed the way I feel about the space,’ says Bianca. 

‘As an artist, I express myself a lot through colour, and having my bedroom as a canvas has been so much fun – its allowed me to feel at peace in my own space, and really shown the influence even such a delicate colour can have on completely changing how a room feels. The ombre effect is particularly soothing to me – it helps me feel grounded as I get into bed every night.’