When it comes to colours, we all have our own opinions and favourite palettes. While some may favour the bright and bold, others may prefer more muted and neutral. From the roaring rich tones of dark red to the soothing softness of sky blue, it can take time choosing the perfect colour for your home.
While our living rooms and kitchens tend to be more sociable areas with a range of purposes and uses that might change day to day; our bedrooms should always remain a peaceful and relaxing space. Somewhere we go to unwind and prepare our bodies – and minds – for a restful night’s sleep.
What calming colour should I choose for my bedroom?
It’s no secret that colour can affect our mood, so it makes sense it can have a positive or detrimental effect on our sleeping patterns too.
While colour is incredibly subjective, we’re sharing a few of the colours that have been tried, tested and proven to help you feel calm and relaxed – making them perfect hues for your bedroom.
- Blue – considered the number one calming colour for a restful night’s sleep, blue is soothing and serene; evoking notions of peace, blue skies and days spent beside sea. These feelings of calm and relaxation are picked up by receptors in your retinas that are particularly sensitive to blue hues. They then deliver this message back to your brain that tells it you are in a calm and peaceful environment. This wonderful feeling of serenity can subconsciously help to lower blood pressure and heart rate, so you’ll feel relaxed and content, just before bed.
With such a wide choice of hues to choose from, sticking to the lighter, more subtle shades of blue will help to induce these feelings of calm. It’s a colour we see a lot in hotels and B&Bs too, no doubt to help ensure guests feel calm and rested during their stay.
- Green – thanks to its association to nature and the great outdoors, green is considered a positive and peaceful colour for your bedroom.
- Yellow – similarly, yellow also ranks highly amongst the most calming colours for its connection to happiness and the weather.
- A neutral palette – From blue to soft cream, opting for a more neutral palette is a timeless and popular choice. Often considered a safer option, they are incredibly versatile, allowing you to be braver with patterns and accessories. From bedlinen to cushions, rugs to curtains, you can add colour and texture to complement more muted walls.
Providing a solid and flexible base to build upon, neutrals are often chosen for the calm and tranquil atmosphere they provide. This thought links to the traditional practice of Feng Shui and the theory that soft, muted colours can help to promote a positive energy flow.
What’s more, there is a plethora of neutral shades to choose from – with numerous shades of white, greige and cream, and softer pastels, all offering slightly different tones for your bedroom.
- A dark palette – If you opt for an off white on your walls, a richer shade, like our Westcote Inky Blue range or slightly darker, like Chantilly Charcoal, can add a point of interest and stylish nod to contemporary interior design. These darker shades add an element of cosy too, perfect for the bedroom. You can opt for a little pop of colour, with a pair of bedsides, or – which works particularly well in a bigger space – choose the full suite for a complementing blend of light and dark.
What colours should I avoid?
It goes without saying, that you should go with what you love. Ultimately, you’ll be the one spending your time there, so if you find a particular colour or shade comforting and inviting, this will in turn, encourage feelings of calm and relaxation.
However, just as there are recommended colours for your bedroom, there are certain shades to avoid too, especially if you are looking to create a space that induces calm and serenity.
- Red, orange and purple – brighter colours like these are discouraged as they are known to stimulate and excite – not what we’re looking for when preparing for sleep.
A few things to consider before painting your bedroom
A good tip, when you’ve narrowed your paint samples down, is to check them in the evening under artificial light. While you may pop in and out of your bedroom during the day, we spend most of our time here once the sun has gone down, so you need to love the colour under these conditions too.
Considering your bedroom size is also an important step when it comes to choosing the perfect colour. A more muted palette brings light and the illusion of space to a smaller room. Although, opting for dark, rich tones – like a smoky dark blue – can create a sense of cosiness too. Both of which are tonics for a restful sleep.
When you’ve finally decided on the paint colour for your bedroom, it’s recommended that you use an emulsion finish, rather than an eggshell or gloss on the walls. This will give a flat, more matte finish, helping to make the room feel cosier, while an eggshell finish reflects the light.
Adding texture
Accessories are a wonderful way to add a little – or a lot – of colour. For subtly, choosing a spot of blush or hint of green will help to bring a more neutral wall colour paired with wooden furniture, for example, together beautifully. Or, if you love a pop of red, but want to avoid using it on the walls, a pair of deep red velvet cushions won’t cause too much ‘excitement’ but will still bring a vibrancy to your scheme. Accessories are a brilliant way to incorporate the seasons too, or to introduce more trend-led colours – deeper, jewel tones in autumn and softer pastels in spring.
Lighting can really help to set the tone for a calm and relaxing atmosphere. Rather than relying on your ceiling light, try table lamps with a warm white bulb for a glow that isn’t too bright before bed.
Ultimately, our bedrooms are very personal spaces, and colour alone won’t dictate how peacefully you sleep; but it can certainly play an important role. Think about sounds, smells and comfort too. Scents of lavender are known to help destress and relax the body, while a good mattress can provide the support and comfort for helping ensure you get a restful night’s sleep, every night.
