Calming Nursery Colors for Your Newborn
It’s a known fact that colors play a vital role in our lives. From making us feel bold and powerful, to calm and refreshed. Did you know that the colors red and yellow make you hungry? It is one of the reasons why plenty of fast-food restaurants use these colors in their branding.
Colors provide an emotional experience for adults and, it does the same for nor newborns- it conveys the same feelings.
If you are preparing your home for the arrival of a newborn, choosing specific colors will help make your newborn feel safe, calm, and protected. So, where do you start?
Choosing colors for your nursery does not always have to be blue or pink- the conventional colors to determine a boy’s room or a girl’s room. The thing is, newborns, don’t perceive colors correctly in the first few weeks so any color works, and besides, breaking away from the norm of gender-associated colors is a good thing. A newborn’s ability to identify colors improves around 18 months but the colors you create around them can affect their mood and feelings.
A newborn’s ability to identify colors improves around 18 months but the colors you create around them can affect their mood and feelings. Finding the right colorful furniture and baby accessories to match the mood of the wall color is also key, such as a multi-colored baby swing or a pastel crib.
Here’s a quick guide to help you with choosing colors for your child or newborn’s room:
Subtle hues of blue
Many people love the color blue especially the softer tones of blue simply because it reminds us of the simple things in life like the clear blue sky and the deep blue sea. This color evokes calm and relaxing vibes and when we look at these colors, we feel that all is right in this world. Color psychology theory suggests that the color blue lowers feelings of anxiety, decreases blood pressure, and slows down the heart rate, cooling the body, reducing aggression, and preparing it for sleep.
Painting your newborn’s room blue- be it a girl or a boy, can be a natural way of making them less nervous. It works well for toddlers prone to tantrums and outbursts.
When it comes to blue, go for the softer, pastel-like blues instead of the deeper shades of blue. Light to medium shares promote calmness and sleep whereas the more dramatic, deeper shades evoke energy. From the blue spectrum, if your goal is sleep-centered, you can choose shares of pastel turquoise, aqua, powder blue, and celeste.
The soothing presence of green
It’s no surprise that green is the color of Mother Nature. When we see the color green, we feel a deep sense of instinctual security, we feel growth and we also feel that we can thrive. The color green is used to evoke the feeling of healing, health, well-being, and wellness. It’s also the color that helps to reduce feelings of anxiety and aids in reading ability and increased concentration. Bring in the calmness of nature to your newborn’s nursery by opting for soft furnishings using the color green such as crib sheets https://www.lewisishome.com/collections/crib-sheets in mint or soft rugs in seafoam.
Spirituality of purple
A color associated with spirituality and wisdom, purple is an excellent complement to the colors blue and green. The color purple is a little tricky to get right. It always appears darker on the wall so if you do have a shade you love, pick a hue that is one shade lighter than your original choice. Too dark of a shade and you’ll end up with a nursery looking gloomy.
For the color purple, you can take your pick from soft lilac to soothing lavender, periwinkle, and soft mauve.
Loveliness of pink
A color most associated with love and compassion, it’s no wonder that it’s a choice for a baby’s room. Pink evokes the feeling of comfort and warmth, another great color to make your anxious little one feel more relaxed and calm. Like purple, choosing the right type of pink is crucial- too dark and you’ll end up creating agitation and anxiety. A calm and happy environment calls for pale to peachy pinks. A dusty pastel pink works well too. You can even create a subtle color block pattern in the nursery to balance out the colors in your nursery. Pink is a good complement for mint green.
Balance of neutrals
If you’re not crazy on the color spectrum for a nursery or you’re still undecided on which color works best then opting for the warm and fuzzy effect of neutral shades is a good way to go. It’s easy on the eye and you can mix and match it with any color down the road. Soft beige and brown will help a baby get much-needed rest as it helps them wind down and sleep.
Softness of white
An all-white room is helpful if you want to furnish it with other colorful items such as a rug or a statement wall. White nurseries evoke a sense of serenity and peace and it creates a very soothing effect on your newborn. Creamier shades of white such as soft ivory, oatmeal, and cream will add a subtle sense of warmth to the entire nursery. Colorful accents in the form of dusty pink or soft turquoise or even pastel blues will help create just the right amount of stimulation for your little one.
Glacial grays
Not many would think that grays are a suitable color for a nursery. But added the right way, the color gray evokes thought and calmness too. Just like the other colors mentioned in this list- always opt for softer, pastel tones. Too harsh and it can be overstimulation for your little one, evoking a sense of dread and sadness.
Go for the cheery end of the gray spectrum with blue grays and clouds. Pairing the color gray with white trim and pops of color with decorations will bring in just the right amount of emotional balance the room needs. Colors paired the right way will have the right effect on you and your newborn. There is an endless combination of colors that you can choose from to paint the nursery. All you need is a little bit of research to see what works well and what fits your needs.
