How much color should I put in the nursery? Will it be too bright? Will it be stimulating enough? We want to know how color affects babies. While there is still much scientific debate about how color affects babies, there is endless evidence of how color affects adults. It's no coincidence that most fast food restaurants are red and yellow, and that these colors make people feel hungrier.
Why not take advantage of all this research and use it to choose your nursery colors? While your baby may not be able to perceive colors correctly for a while, they will when they grow up, and as those marketing executives have proven - colors do affect us. Here's a quick rundown of some color theory and how it can help you choose the right paint color for your child's nursery.
Red - Passionate, exciting, emotional - Red is bold and attracts a lot of attention. It can be used as an accent in a nursery, but should be avoided on the walls. Red is the "hottest" color and may stand out by evoking unstable personality traits.
Orange - warm, cozy, comfortable - Orange is a very comforting color. It promotes a feeling of welcome and inspires conversation between people. Orange is friendly and reassuring. Use a darker orange to create a super cozy atmosphere or a bright orange for a modern feel.
Yellow - Lively, energetic and cheerful. Yellow is sunny and bright, but use it with care. Too much or too bright a yellow can agitate babies. Subtle yellows can promote concentration and emotional thinking.Active babies and yellow toddler blankets go better together,
Green - Calming, refreshing and nourishing - green is the perfect color for a learning environment. It promotes a calm and focused mind. It is also very serene, calm and natural. Green is one of the best colors to use for decorating because it is so abundant in nature - you can't go wrong!
Blue - Healing, subtle - Blue is calming, but be careful with your choice of shades. A grayish blue can make people feel sad. Blue can increase productivity, but should not be used around food. If you have a child who refuses to eat, avoid using blue plates. In the nursery, use warm or bright blues and avoid excessive use of navy or dark shades. Blue is also cool, which is good for babies who get hot easily.
Purple - stately, mysterious, luxurious - has long been associated with royalty, and still is. The jewel-colored purple is as majestic as it gets. Softer purples like lavender and lilac are more calming and tranquil, but still have that luxurious feel to them. Purple is rare in nature, making it the most "unnatural" color.
White - clean, pure, innocent - white is angelic and sweet, but it also promotes secrecy. Stay away from all white - use splashes of color to evoke emotion and openness. And be careful - white is definitely stain-prone!
Pink - romantic, cute, feminine - it's no coincidence that little girls love pink. It is the universal color for all girls. Pink is also very calming, especially for children who are prone to tantrums. Feel free to use pink in a girl's nursery - the only negative effect might be a bit of a princess-like attitude!
Gray - introspective, intuitive, emotional - gray can inspire contemplation - just like you can feel a little down on a cloudy day (that's why raincoats are yellow). Be careful with gray. It has the advantage of promoting reflection and emotion, but that includes sadness and loneliness. Many famous poets and writers have retreated to cloudy places to write, like Seattle. If you want to use gray, use warm tones and mix in some brighter colors.
Brown - earthy and grounding - Brown is the color of our planet, which makes it a great choice for nurseries. However, brown is also the color of other things, so use it with caution. Choose a dark chocolate or very light beige/brown color. Avoid any intermediate shades, as they tend to look, well, poopy.
There is an endless amount of information about color. If you're planning the color of your nursery, take a few minutes to do a little research - after all, your baby will be in this room until you decide to repaint it, and in addition to nursery colors, don't choose overly bright colors for baby bedding - light pink and light blue muslin baby blankets are options to consider, where is light and soft and won't be a burden to the skin.