Decorating with Indigo: How to Use the New Neutral in Your Bedroom

Blue is often called the world’s favorite color, but Indigo brings a depth that standard navy just can’t match.

Blue has long been thought of as the world’s favorite color, but the deeper hues of Indigo provide a richness that plain Navy cannot match. Indigo represents that special time in the sky when Twilight ends and Night begins, giving it an aura of both the past and the future. Designers in the interior design world have begun to refer to Indigo as the new neutral.

Unlike Grey and Beige, which may have previously been popular choices for color schemes because of their ability to convey a sense of calm and serenity, Indigo has the characteristics of being both a neutral color for grounding stability and a primary color, thus providing power and harmony to the soul. Whether dreaming about coastal luxury bedrooms or dark and sultry dens, learn how to use Indigo Blue Bedroom Ideas to create the look you want to convey in your bedroom space.

Why Indigo is the Ultimate Bedroom Anchor

Indigo’s versatility is what makes it magical. It’s a color that can either blend in or stand out based on the surrounding colors and materials. When used as a primary color with bright white linens, it can evoke Mediterranean luxury; when layered with vintage wood and brass materials, it can create an environment reminiscent of an old library. Indigo also contains both warm and cool tones, making it easy to combine with most metal finishes and wood tones.

Indigo can be a neutral without painting all the walls dark. Indigo is best used as the main color/base of a color scheme. By pairing indigo with calming colors/light tones like pale grey, sandy beige, and cream, you can create the look of a highly curated space rather than the cluttered chaos that so often accompanies mixed palettes.

The “Blue Mood”: Three Ways to Style Indigo

To assist you in envisioning this transition, we created three separate “moods” with our Focused line. Each mood is an alternative approach toward achieving the look of designer-level products.

1. The Contemporary Block: The Cash Quilt Indigo

The Cash Quilt Indigo is an ideal starting point for those who prefer clean lines, modern architecture, and the like. The Cash Quilt Indigo features a modern, best-selling grid style pattern and takes the “traditional blue blanket” to a higher level by incorporating both texture and geometry.
The intricate stitching pattern provides visual rhythm and prevents the darker-colored bedsheets from creating a “black hole” effect in your bedroom. When adding dark blue quilts such as Cash, the surrounding elements should be understated. Consider using minimalist bedside table lamps and one oversized framed piece of abstract art.

2. The Global Print: The Marshall Quilt Indigo

If you prefer a more adventurous style with a touch of bohemian flair rather than a simple, modern look, the Marshall Quilt Indigo may be the perfect choice for you. This beautiful quilt resembles those traditionally created using hand-dyed fabrics purchased at markets worldwide. Its beautiful detailing and design pay homage to the skillful artistry and long-standing history behind many global textile traditions, with a focus on preserving cultural heritage.

Throughout history, indigo has been used in a variety of global textiles, including Japanese Shibori and West African Batik; the Marshall Quilt acknowledges and celebrates many of these traditions. For example, if you wish to create a “globetrotter” style in your bedroom, you may wish to use natural textures such as grass, jute, or rattan alongside this quilt to achieve a sense of authenticity. Additionally, the deep indigo provides a cohesive foundation for all these prints, helping to bring order to the room by keeping it grounded rather than chaotic.

3. The Solid Anchor: The Jerome Duvet Cover

The Jerome Duvet Cover creates a strong sense of weight and grounding, with its rich indigo blue creating an elegant and sophisticated appearance, thus getting full use out of what is known as the “New Neutral.” It gives you an easy focal point to add additional decorative elements around it—including vintage rugs or rich velvet headboards.

In a coastal luxury bedroom setting, the Jerome Duvet Cover offers a deep blue layering with crisp white and blue accents in the bedding, evoking the deep Atlantic Ocean meeting the white, foaming beaches of the shore. It is an overall timeless, expensive-looking, and calming step away in design and style.

The Secret to Balance: Indigo and Light

Many people are reluctant to use indigo because they associate dark blue with making a room feel small or too dark. In reality, the reverse is usually true. Dark hues recede, so a wall that is painted in indigo or a large indigo quilt would create the illusion of greater room height, visually extending far beyond the actual borders of the room.

When decorating with extremely saturated colors such as dark blue, it is important, in addition to using an accent wall or quilt as previously described, to use “horizontal lighting,” which may mitigate the dark effect of the color. Another common practice, if unsure how to achieve this balance, is to refer to our article titled “The Right Amount of Indigo: A Guide to Coordinating Neutral, Indigo, and Ivory Tones on Your Bed.” This article describes a common design formula of creating 60% indigo (main bedding or wall color), 30% bright white or ivory (sheets, pillows, and trim), and 10% an additional warm accent (examples: cognac leather, brushed gold).

Layering for Texture and Comfort

In terms of design, luxury bedrooms rely heavily on dynamic layering. Indigo is no exception and looks best when presented in a variety of textures and fabrics. For example, using an Indigo linen duvet as the base, topped with a Velvet Indigo lumbar pillow and a chunky knitted Indigo throw at the foot of the bed, creates a visually appealing, layered effect where the relationship between the color and the way light reacts with the different textures provides a visual tone landscape, which can be easily accomplished to achieve a professional style.

The nautical-inspired design of Indigo and white bedding has been around for centuries and will continue to do so. Blue and white bedding is a classic design staple and has remained a popular choice due to its clean and fresh appearance; however, if you’d like to create a more contemporary look, consider using a “Warm Ivory” or “Light Greige” shade for your sheets, thereby creating less contrast with the Indigo color, thus making the entire room feel more inviting and less like a showroom.

Final Thoughts: Dive into the Deep End

Indigo is a color to help you create a peaceful environment that allows you to escape from the stress and chaos of everyday living. The Cash Quilt, Marshall Quilt, and Jerome Quilt are examples of different styles of indigo. 

These are all timeless colors; however, indigo provides an opportunity to express your individuality and style while also promoting relaxation and restful sleep. Indigo provides a sense of tranquility. It feels like a cool breeze on a spring day, the silence of the deep sea, and the comfort of a long night’s rest.