When it comes time to think about a paint color for your guest room, there is a world of possibilities to consider. After all, this isn’t your primary sleep space, so you don’t need to worry about committing to a super safe color that you’ll be laying eyes on day in and day out. Why not take a bit of a risk when it comes to choosing a hue?
At the same time, you also don’t want to veer too off the beaten path when selecting a guest room wall color, designers explain. There is still a specific mood that you’re going to want your guest room to convey, and choosing the wrong color may disrupt that.
“It’s best for guest spaces to feel light, airy, and elevated,” Andrea Seymour, the co-founder of Springdale Custom Builders, says.
Below, interior designers chime in regarding the paint colors that they would never use in a guest room and why.
Red
Can you picture using red in a guest room? While some people may be eager to do so, the general consensus among designers is that this is a smart color to forgo in such a space.
Although Cami Weinstein, an interior designer and founder of Cami Weinstein Designs, loves the color red, she would not use it in a guest room for a few different reasons.
“It feels so energetic that I would not feel relaxed,” Weinstein says. “Red has such a strong personality, it would be hard to make a red room cozy.”
Instead, think about bringing red in as an accent color—for example, a red armchair would suit a guest room nicely without overwhelming the space.
Yellow
Yellow is another bright color that designers just aren’t wild about when painting a sleep space for adults.
Weinstein notes that while many people appreciate the color yellow, she would not advise using it in a guest room unless the hue is quite light since it can come across too bold or intense.
Seymour agrees that yellow isn’t an outstanding paint color pick for the guest room.
“In its many forms, it isn’t the right fit,” she says. “A bright yellow will feel alarming, like a shock to the system, while a paler yellow could feel juvenile.”
Love yellow regardless? Try it in a powder bath or nursery, where it will truly shine.
Orange
In the same family as red and yellow is cheerful orange, a color that we don’t see used on the walls all too often, especially when it comes to bedrooms.
Ashley Fiocco, the founder of Ashley Fiocco Designs, recommends avoiding orange walls in a guest room.
“It may be a bit too vibrant and impactful for most overnight guests to get a good night’s sleep,” Fiocco says.
On the contrary, the color orange could be a great choice for a playroom or exercise room, where you’re looking for a bit of a boost since it’s an uplifting and energizing hue, the interior designer says.
Black
On the total opposite end of the spectrum from red, orange, and yellow, is classic, dark black.
While you may think you’re embracing a mod, moody look by painting your guest room walls black, Seymour recommends steering clear of this color in order to create more of a universally pleasing room.
“Black can feel uninviting in a space where guests stay,” she says. “It can feel dark and uninspired, especially in a space generally intended for rest.”
If you really love the color black and can’t imagine not incorporating the hue into your home in some form, consider it in another area of the home, like a basement bar, where the setting will feel a bit more appropriate. You can also bring the dark hue through decor accents to bring some drama.