Choosing a relaxing color to paint your bedroom is an important decision that can affect how restful your sleep is at night. The color of your walls sets the tone and ambiance of the room, so you’ll want to pick a hue that makes you feel calm and peaceful. When selecting a relaxing color, it’s important to consider the psychology behind color and how different shades can impact your mood. In this article, we’ll explore the most relaxing colors for bedroom walls and how to create a tranquil vibe that will help you unwind at the end of each day.
The Importance of Relaxing Colors in the Bedroom
Your bedroom should be your personal sanctuary for rest and relaxation. After a long and stressful day, you want your bedroom to promote tranquility and prepare you for a sound night’s sleep. Color psychology suggests that certain hues evoke feelings of calmness and serenity. Painting your walls in these restful shades can help create an environment that reduces anxiety and makes your body and mind feel at ease.
Relaxing colors also make the bedroom feel soft, welcoming, and cozy. They help transform your bedroom into a space you look forward to retreating to at night. Cool, muted shades tend to work best for relaxation, as they have a calming and soothing effect. Choosing the right tranquil colors for your walls can even enhance the quality of your sleep. Surrounding yourself in relaxing hues sends signals to your brain to help you unwind, potentially resulting in deeper and more restorative sleep.
The Most Relaxing Colors for Bedroom Walls
When considering relaxing paint colors for your bedroom walls, you’ll want to steer towards soft, muted, cooler shades that evoke feelings of tranquility and peace. Here are some of the best options to consider:
Light Blue
Light or sky blue is one of the most commonly recommended relaxing colors for bedroom walls. The cool, airy shade evokes thoughts of clear blue skies and serene waters. Light blue can create a soothing ambiance that makes the room feel calm, peaceful, and well-suited for restful sleep. Studies have even found that light blue can lower heart rate and blood pressure, further promoting relaxation. When using light blue, opt for muted shades rather than bright or bold hues. Soft pastel shades of light blue work perfectly for bedroom walls.
Lavender
With its soft, cool undertone, lavender is an ideal relaxing color for bedroom walls. Often associated with aromatherapy, lavender evokes a sense of tranquility and harmony. The light purple shade feels graceful and feminine and can help make any bedroom feel like a relaxing oasis. Lavender also has some great psychological benefits. The color has been shown to reduce heart rate and lower blood pressure, perfect for destressing at the end of the day. The soothing essence of lavender will help prepare both your mind and body for sleep.
Green
Earthy, muted shades of green can bring relaxing qualities to a bedroom. Green is associated with nature, freshness, renewal, and growth, all of which can promote feelings of tranquility. Opt for soft green hues like sage, seafoam, or muted olive greens. These natural greens will make your bedroom walls feel calm, inviting, and peaceful. Bring the serenity of the outdoors into your bedroom with this color.
Gray
Gray is a popular neutral shade for bedrooms, but lighter hues work especially well for creating a relaxing feel. Very cool-toned grays, like moonstone or cadet gray, have a calming effect that can decrease stress. Gray bedroom walls project a subtle, soothing ambiance without being too overwhelming. And because gray is a neutral, it’s easy to pair it with other accent colors and decor. Overall, gray is a versatile base color that can establish the peaceful atmosphere you want in a bedroom.
Factors to Consider When Choosing Relaxing Colors
Along with a color’s psychological impact, there are a few additional factors to consider when selecting a relaxing shade for your bedroom:
Personal Preference
First and foremost, make sure you choose colors that appeal to you. The relaxation benefits will be maximized if you genuinely like and feel comfortable with the hues on your walls. Think about colors that you find beautiful, calming, or uplifting. Don’t just choose a shade because it’s recommended for relaxation if you don’t truly love it.
Amount of Natural Light
The amount of sunlight your bedroom gets should help guide your color choice. Darker shades like navy or charcoal may feel too dark and cavelike in a room with minimal natural light. On the other hand, lighter muted colors are great for darker bedrooms because they make the space feel open and airy.
Size of Room
Bigger bedrooms can more easily handle deeper, bolder shades while smaller rooms are better suited for lighter, airy hues. Bold colors can sometimes make a small space feel cramped and overwhelming. Soft, neutral relaxing colors are great for opening up a smaller bedroom.
Coordination With Other Decor
Make sure to consider how your relaxing wall color will coordinate with other decor and furniture in the space. You’ll usually want a relaxing color scheme that complements your bedding, accent pieces, floors, and other features. The entire decor palette should promote tranquility.
Calming Color Combinations for Bedroom Walls
One way to add extra visual interest and soothing atmosphere to your bedroom walls is by using a calming color combination. If a single relaxing color feels too plain, incorporate an accent wall or mix and match paint shades. Here are some tranquil color schemes to consider:
Light Blue and White
Pair airy light blue walls with clean, bright white trim and accents. White helps enhance the soothing appeal of light blue. Crisp white bedding and white decor details will pop against the blue backdrop.
Lavender and Sage Green
Bring two relaxing nature-inspired shades together with lavender and sage green. Use one color on the main bedroom walls and the other as the accent wall color. Add in some neutral white or wood tones as well to warm it up.
Light Gray and Pale Yellow
Cool gray and pale yellow are colors that perfectly complement each other. The gray establishes a calm, peaceful base while pale yellow adds a cheerful yet muted dash of color. Accent with white for an extra soothing feel.
Seafoam Green and Tan
For a beachy vibe, pair soft seafoam walls with warm tan accents and decor. The tan can be used on trim, headboards, furniture, or accent walls to provide an earthy complement to the cool green.
Pale Pink and Mint Green
If you want something a little brighter while still being relaxing, blend pale pink with mint green for a cheery yet peaceful aesthetic. Use the pink on the main walls and mint green for bedding, seating, accents.
Relaxing Paint Finishes
In addition to color, the finish of the paint also impacts the overall ambiance and relaxation factor of bedroom walls. Here are some top paint finishes and techniques for creating extra tranquility:
Matte
Matte or flat paint has no shine and helps absorb excess light. The muted, velvety texture has a calming effect that works perfectly on bedroom walls. Matte finishes can minimizes busy patterns and creates a peaceful atmosphere.
Eggshell
Slightly more luminous than matte, eggshell finishes provide subtle sheen while still being soft and light-absorbing. The velvety texture adds coziness to the bedroom walls.
Sponge Painting
Using a sea sponge to apply paint creates a mottled, textured look. The effect adds visual interest and a soft uniqueness to bedroom walls.
Wash Technique
Diluting paint with water and brushing it onto the walls creates a delicate washed out appearance. The hazy, ethereal effect results in a relaxed aura.
Hand Painting
For intimacy, use your hands to directly apply and blend paint onto the bedroom walls. The imperfections add a personal touch.
Getting the Lighting Right
Proper lighting is key for enhancing the relaxing atmosphere of your bedroom. Here are some lighting tips:
– Use dimmers on lamps and overhead fixtures to control brightness and create a soothing ambiance at night.
– Incorporate table and floor lamps for warmer, localized lighting. This avoids the harshness of overhead lighting.
– If using cool-toned relaxing colors, install full spectrum light bulbs which have a warmer tone. This balances out the cooler paint shades.
– Layer lighting to get the right mix. Outfit fixtures with lower wattage bulbs and supplement with table/floor lamps as needed.
– Install blackout curtains to block early morning and street lights which can disrupt sleep.
– Position lighting thoughtfully to avoid glare. Side tables lamps or wall sconces by the bed are ideal placements.
The Most Relaxing Bedroom Color Schemes
Now that we’ve covered the basics for choosing colors, here are some full relaxing color scheme ideas that would be ideal for bedroom walls:
1. Lavender and White
– Main walls painted in soft lavender
– Crisp white trim and ceilings
– White bedding and linens
– Natural wood toned furniture and accents
2. Seafoam and Tan
– Seafoam green walls
– Warm toned wood furniture
– Tan upholstered headboard
– White and tan bedding
– Rattan and wood accessories
3. Light Gray and Sage Green
– Very light gray walls
– Decorative sage green wall behind bed
– White bedding with green and gray accents
– Gray upholstered bench at the end of the bed
– Rustic wood nightstands
4. Light Blue and White
– Baby blue walls
– Bright white trim and ceiling
– White furniture with blue accent pillows
– White and blue patterned headboard
– Sheer white curtains
– Wood flooring
5. Muted Yellow and Pale Pink
– Buttery yellow walls
– Blush pink upholstered headboard
– White and pink pinstripe bedding
– Bronze table lamps and wall sconces
– Pinkthrow pillows and area rug
Relaxing Bedrooms Inspiration
For additional inspiration, below are examples of beautifully designed bedrooms using relaxing color schemes:
Light Blue Bedroom
This light blue bedroom features walls painted in a soft robin’s egg blue. White trim contrasts crisply against the blue walls. The white bedding matches the trim and blue accent pillows tie the palette together. A white pendant light brightens the space.
Lavender and Blush Bedroom
This bedroom features lavender walls and pink accents. The walls are painted in a muted purple, while the upholstered headboard introduces a blush pink color. White and pink pillows and a warm neutral rug complete the soothing color palette.
Seafoam and Gray Bedroom
Cool seafoam green walls establish a serene backdrop in this bedroom. The walls are complemented by gray linens, curtains, and rug. White trim and nightstands keep the room feeling bright and spacious.
Sage Green and Cream Bedroom
Sage green walls fill this bedroom with earthy tranquility. To balance out the green, the bedding incorporates cream and white linens. Golden accent decor warms up the space. A large painting over the bed adds a pop of color.
Conclusion
The color you choose for your bedroom walls can greatly impact your ability to relax and unwind in your personal space. When selecting bedroom colors, look for soft, muted, cooler hues that will evoke feelings of calm. Recommended relaxing colors include shades like light blue, lavender, pale green, gray, and muted yellow. Combine your chosen relaxing color with clean whites and natural wood tones to enhance the peaceful ambiance. Consider paint finish as well, opting for delicate, light-diffusing finishes like matte. With the right soothing colors and ambiance, you can transform your bedroom into your own personal sanctuary. The ideal tranquil color palette will help you relax and prepare for a night of restful sleep.