When you decide to redecorate a room, the color is often the first decision, and the shade you choose can have a bigger effect on the overall feel of the room, than any single piece of furniture or piece of wall decor.
Some tones can give you a calm and balanced atmosphere, while others can make the room feel harsher, colder or more visually busy than you’d want in a calming bedroom.
Why Color Choice Matters In A Bedroom
The color of the walls sets the emotional temperature of your bedroom, before you notice the furniture or decor. When you walk in, your brain instantly reads the walls and textiles, and this triggers an emotional response you might not even be aware of. Color psychology shapes how easily you unwind, fall asleep and wake up too.
Certain colors can support mood enhancement by calming your nervous system, while others can make you feel more alert when you wake up in the mornings.
Color also changes your spatial perception, with light, cool shades making a smaller room feel more open, whereas darker colors can make a room feel smaller and more secure.
Your personal preferences obviously matter, but they’ll work best when you align them with how you want the room to function.
Colors That Disrupt A Calm Atmosphere
Mood psychology shows that harsh blacks, aggressive reds and neon-leaning colors can trigger alertness, rather than rest. Strong color associations like warning signs, traffic lights or nightlife keep your brain turned “on”, even when you’re feeling tired.
You also need to consider the light influences, as under warm bulbs, some colors can turn muddy or look too intense, but under cool LEDs they can feel clinical. Gray colors that look soothing in daylight can look cold and stormy at night.
If a color makes you feel tense, rushes or overly energized, skip it entirely, as it’s not the vibe you want for your bedroom.
Bright Shades That Can Overwhelm The Space
While a lively pop of color can energize a room, fully covering your walls or large surfaces with bright shades can be overwhelming.
If every wall is a bright or vivid color, your bedroom loses its relaxing and calming vibe. Neon accents in particular, bounce light aggressively and keep your vision constantly alert, which is the opposite to what you want in a bedroom.
High contrast colors like an electric blue against a pure white or vivid orange are too much of a contrast. You want your eyes to feel relaxed, and not jumping from one area to another, and the same applies with bold patterns.
These kinds of colors and patterns work in a living room or kitchen, but not in your sleeping space, as it’ll make it difficult to switch off.
Creating A Bedroom That Feels Restful And Balanced
When you know which bold colors to avoid, you can focus on a calming bedroom color palette that will help you to relax.
Start with soft neutrals or muted tones on your walls, then you can layer in some soft textiles like cotton, linen or washed sateen for your bedding and curtains.
Go for ambient lighting rather than one single harsh overhead bulb. Combine a dimmable ceiling fixture, some bedside lamps and floor lamp to create gentle pools of light.
Add in some natural elements like wood, stone or plants, and combine them with calming artwork in harmonious colors above your bed, or opposite the door.
