Whether you’re having a baby and are wondering about how to decorate the nursery, or whether your toddler’s room needs a bit of a touch up because his or her preferences have changed. Painting your little ones’ room can be one of the most joyful and satisfying, but also challenging tasks. How much colour should I use? Will my baby get bored if I leave the walls white? Or will it get overstimulated if I choose colours that are bright and bold?
It’s not an easy decision. After all, you and your little one are probably going to spend a great deal in the nursery, especially during those first few months, so you want to get it just right. Looking at how colours can affect your moods and taking likes and dislikes into consideration if the room is being painted for older children can help you make a choice that will keep everyone happy for years to come.
The natural look
Painting walls in white or neutral tones has tradition and helps to declutter and avoid overstimulation. However, white is also prone to stains and can indeed become boring over time. It’s best used with splashes of colour to evoke positive emotions and offer eye-catchers for the developing mind. The same goes for grey which can lead to feelings of loneliness and sadness.
Brown is probably the most earthy and grounded colour and a good choice for the nursery if used in dark chocolate or light beige tones. However, avoid anything in between as it might just look a bit too much like, you guessed it, poo. On the other hand, brown mixed with other earthy colours such as green and yellow can create a beautiful gender-neutral landscape.
A touch of jewel
If you prefer a bit of colour but would still like to create a warm and peaceful atmosphere, try a hint of jewel. Painting walls in a subtle tone of emerald, sapphire or ruby will turn your baby’s nursery into a tranquil slumber wonderland. Especially green tones are known to have a calming and nurturing effect on our brains and are therefore the best colours to use in learning and sleeping environments. After all, Mother Nature has given us varieties of green in abundance and it’s not a coincidence that we usually feel more relaxed and refreshed after a walk in the park.
Blue is also known to have healing properties, but you need to be more careful which shade you are using. A hint too much grey and it can evoke feelings of sadness, and dark hues can easily lead to coldness. Choose warm or bright blue colours for the nursery to create a calm atmosphere. Because blue has a cooling effect it can help with babies who tend to get hot easily.
Your Royal Highness
Another fabulous colour that promotes calmness and serenity is purple. It has also long been associated with royalty and when used as wall paint, can leave you feeling with a sense of luxury. Choose pastel purples like lavender or lilac or mix it up with whites and other neutral colours. If you have a girl, throw some pink into the mix. Not only is pink a very feminine colour, it is also known to have a calming effect particularly on children prone to temper tantrums and fits.
Brightness alert
Too much colour or choosing the wrong colour can indeed create overstimulation not only in babies and toddlers. One of the most volatile colours is red and should therefore not be used for entire walls within a nursery. It screams excitement and is known to trigger an emotional overkill. It is, however, a great way to set some bold nuances or accents. The same goes for yellow. It may look sunny, bright and happy but, if used too much, can easily agitate a baby. In a subtle version, however, it can promote emotive thoughts and concentration.
Orange, on the other hand, is a warm and comforting colour and can create a feeling of welcome and cosiness. It’s known as a friendly colour that has a calming effect and can be used both in subtle or darker tones for traditionalists as well as in brighter versions for a more modern look.
Whatever colour you paint your baby’s nursery with, let your intuition and instincts guide you. You may feel different about colours based on your own upbringing, so as long as you and your little one are happy, you have made the right choice.
