Want to quickly brighten up bedroom mid century style

[MrBobLobLaw]

We're currently going through the process of purchasing a flat which has been renovated but is very much a white box. I'm due to give birth to DC2 realistically a few weeks after we move in so we won't have long to make it look cosy.

It's a flat in a mid century 60s tower block and I really want to furnish and style it in a way that reflects this. It has the most amazing (and impractical) original Crittal windows and the rooms are really bright and spacious.

I know what I want to do in DC1s bedroom but am stuck for ideas for our bedroom. What colour could we do on the walls? I quite like the idea of dark but I'm open!

We'll have all our Ikea furniture in it for a while but I'm wanting to replace when funds allow with mid century furniture. Our bed though will remain and is a dark wood (can post a pic of it if needed).

Anyway any ideas are so welcome. I'll attach a pic of the room and some stuff I've pinned on Pinterest too so you know what I'm going for.

THANK YOU!!

Dark walls.. dunno if I could convince DP of this though!

Teal. Ceiling too...

I've a dark charcoal wall in my bedroom, 2 walls are white and one is a biscuit colour and I love it. It's fantastic for hanging pictures on as it really boosts colours. However I'm seriously thinking of when I decorate again, going for a midnight blue colour.

Do you have any photos @GiveMyHeadPeaceffs ? Sounds lovely. Does it make the room feel darker? probably a stupid question.

Definitely not brave enough to paint the ceiling @PhonicTheHedgehog but I like the sound of teal.

Any other soft furnishings advice? Was thinking a really big flat rug to go under the bed and soften up the flooring a bit?

I live in one of those blocks! We’ve painted most of our flat white and then have some block colours - a mossy green and a mustardy colour. There’s an amazing paint shop in West Norwood. Our flat is actually quite dark because of all the trees so we had to be quite careful.

Ahh well we'll be neighbours soon @wowsaidtheowl

Is that the shop near the bus stop outside of Tesco? Will have to pay a visit.

This flat is 6th floor so no trees to worry about. The current owners have done a lovely job but it's a bit plain atm. Do you like living there? Everyone raves about it. I'll be moving in with a toddler and a newborn, nervous about the lift breaking!!

I have a very dark almost beetroot wall in my bedroom with a very soft ivory on the others, mixed with muted shades of mushroom, I love it.

But then I do like to experiment with colours, have painted a ceiling light gold and replaced the gold leaf as well (this was a period house though)

@MrBobLobLaw no photos I'm afraid (bit messy!) I don't think it makes it feel darker as I'm not lying in bed looking at it iyswim? I brighten the feel of the room in Spring/summer with pale bedclothes and then in Autumn/winter cosy it up with darker brushed cotton bedding and a big throw. Honestly I love it.

We love it! I have two children and they’re always out playing with the children from the other blocks. It’s very sociable - street parties, bbqs etc. The lifts can be an issue, sorry! Our’s being replaced soon but we’re all a bit sad to be losing the 60s design!

I’d go for a Navy wall, keep some of the white and then add some mustard throws and a Berber style rug.

This is our wall in the main room.

Love the colour @wowsaidtheowl and the shelving unit too, where's that from?

Got some disappointing news that our vendors onward has fallen through so we're now unlikely to move anywhere at this rate, unless they find somewhere new super quick (I'm due DC2 in 8 1/2 weeks!!). Really gutted, was so looking forward to living there.

Oh no! You should leaflet drop some flats or put notices up by the lifts - sometimes people are tempted by private sales. There is usually a lot of movement as there are so many blocks.
We tend to get all our furniture from from eBay and Etsy. They shelves were a bargain from a man in Brighton - they’re Interflex which is much cheaper than ladderax! We look around the very overpriced shops in CP and then source elsewhere!
I hope you find somewhere soon - it really is an amazing place to live.

In the 60s we had wall paper on the walls, or patterned wallpaper on one wall.
I would check out wallpaper for one wall first, see if something catches your eye. That might be enough to make the difference, then a bed cover to pick up any colour introduced.