If you want your kids to feel calm to go to sleep, the right colours may help.
Sometimes, as parents, we love to decorate kids rooms with the bright colours they love, and are used so much on kids toys. Too much bright colour, and too much colour can keep the mind and body active, be too stimulating, not allowing kids (or adults) to sleep.
Using lighter coloured walls, splashes of colour in furniture or soft furnishings can create a calming and friendly place for your kids to retreat to. Having a clear space with toys and clothes away, also helps to create a calmness. Being a Mum, I understand the messiness of kids and the persistence with teaching kids to put their toys away – I’m still persisting! Look to nature and the soft colours, and the feelings of calm that come when outdoors looking a the blue sky and green trees.
Things to think about choosing colours
Do you want neutral walls so you can add splashes of colour as your children grow up?
Or are you happy to change the wall colour after a few years for a complete new look?
Is there a lot of natural light?
What direction does the light come from? Strong sunlight will bleach out the colour and make it appear lighter.
I love the overall softness and calmness of this room using tones of off white and soft olive greens, like the olive tree below. Green is being with nature, and we often feel calmer being outside with nature around us. Yes, it is missing the messiness of kids and toys! There is a lot of storage in this room so great for putting toys away. You may not have a room this big, if you use lighter tones like one, the room will feel bigger and brighter.
Another great bedroom with twin beds. The walls are neutral and the your eyes are drawn from the orange of the quilts to the orange “smile” cushions to the bright blue behind the bedhead. The “smile” is a great positive thought. The orange is carried through to the coral lamp stand between the beds. The neutral walls and blue are calming, the orange gives warmth the the white walls. From the photo, it appears to be a small room, and if the dark timber floor was showing, it would feel darker and smaller. By adding the light coloured rug, you add softness, texture and lightness. Blue and orange in the right hues work well together, like the Bird of Paradise on the right.
This room is great, neutral walls to appear more light filled, as we can see one small window. Different textures in the cushions, pom poms on the walls, and the silver lamp stands. The base is neutral so easy to change the accessories as this girl grows up. It feels soft with the light tones of the cushions and inviting as a place to sleep.
All of the images above show lighter coloured walls and some great bright colours with accessories and soft furnishings. The rooms feel calm because of the colours and the lack of clutter, which is how we want to feel before going to bed.
If you’re decorating a nursery for your new baby to come home to, think that you’ll be spending a fair amount of time in the room, settling your newborn and you will feel tired at times. If you have a room with soft colours and calmness, it will help keep you relaxed when you’re exhausted and feeding your baby, as well as your baby.
Try using some softer colours in your kids rooms, and having most of the toys put away, with small pockets of bright colours. Surrounding yourself and your family with the right colours can make a difference to how you feel, sleep and wake up each day.
Happy decorating!