A Guide To Choosing The Perfect Palette for Your Baby’s Nursery
The time has come, and you’re ready to start painting and decorating your baby’s nursery. This is an exciting time! In this blog post, “How To Choose The Best Colors For Your Baby’s Nursery,” I give you tips on color psychology, and how to choose the best nursery paint colors for your baby’s room.
One of my favorite things to do when I was pregnant was decorate my kid’s nurseries. So much time and thought went into each of their rooms. I wanted to pick the best colors since we wouldn’t be changing it for a few years.
A baby’s nursery should feel warm, and welcoming, and have a calming effect upon walking in. Think creams, pastels, warm tones, neutral colors, and so on. Bright rooms can also work when adding accent walls or a wallpapered touch. This is why choosing the perfect colors is so important.
You don’t want to be raising your blood pressure when you walk into your baby’s room, which is why color psychology plays a huge role on the best color for your room.
What is Color Psychology?
Color psychology can be described as the effect colors have on human behavior, emotions, and perceptions. You probably haven’t noticed (or maybe you did), that color psychology is all around us.
Colors have the power to evoke specific emotional responses in humans and animals! Some of the ways color psychology plays a role in our lives include:
- Symbolism
- Color Harmony
- Cultural Significance
- Emotional Responses
- Marketing and Branding
How Colors Can Impact Our Mood
Did you know that certain colors can literally affect our mood and behavior? Here are the emotions that primary colors convey:
- Red: passion, excitement, love, power, courage, and strength, while also being attention-grabbing and can increase heart rate.
- Orange: enthusiasm, vitality, warmth, creativity, energy, fun, adventure, while being playful and can stimulate appetite and attention.
- Yellow: happiness, optimism, creativity, energy, sunshine, warmth, cheerfulness, while being energetic, uplifting and can enhance one’s mood.
- Green: growth, harmony, balance, renewal, nature, health, and freshness, while being balanced with stability.
- Blue: calmness, tranquility, serenity, stability, trust, loyalty, while being a soothing, peaceful sense of security.
- Purple: royalty, luxury, creativity, wealth, mystery, wisdom, and ambition while being regal, and introspective.
- Pink: love, compassion, sweetness, sensitivity, romance, nurturing, and innocence, while being associated with tenderness.
- Black: sophistication, elegance, formality, mystery, power, authority, depth, while being dramatic with a sense of seriousness.
- White: purity, simplicity, cleanliness, freshness, innocence, peace, clarity, and simplicity while being associated with a sense of openness and purity.
Pretty cool, right? It’s interesting that after going down the list of colors, you probably already associate them with their attributes. Think marketing- campaigns, and ads know how to appeal to clients through their colors. Interior design is very similar.
How Colors Have Different Effects On The Developing Brain
Different colors evoke different emotions in babies, just as they do in adults. A new baby is attracted to high-contrast colors, such as black, red, and white. This is why a lot of newborn toys are in black and white! These bold contrasting colors help newborns focus their attention and improve visible tracking abilities.
Psychological studies show that calming colors such as pastel yellows, greens, pinks and blues are considered calming and promote relaxation. This can promote better sleep patterns for babies too! Win win.
Stimulating colors such as red, orange, and yellow can be energizing and stimulating for your baby’s brain.
Popular Nursery Colors Palettes
Consider this article from Benjamin Moore on the perfect nursery hues.
Soft Pastels
When you think of a baby room, you may already think of soft colors such as subtle yellows, pastel pinks, powder blue, pale blue, and so on. These colors are a popular choice because of the calmness they can bring to an entire room.
Pastel shades are a great option for any little girl or little boy room. They are visually gentle and non-intrusive. This is a great option to add softness, versatility, and timeless qualities to any room.
Brighter Colors and Bold Shades
While soft pastel shades are a popular choice, some expectant parents may opt for more playful colors such as orange, red, green, and bright yellow. These high-contrast colors can add vibrance and style to any room.
These vibrant colors can also transition well as your baby grows into a toddler and child. These colors are engaging, fun, and easily transition into another style.
Neutral Color Schemes and White Nurseries
These neutral tones can be described as white, gray, black, beige, taupe, and ivory.
Neutral tones can be a great color choice for a nursery because it gives you a lot to work with. A blank canvas, if you will. Neutrals are a good idea especially for small rooms, as they can open up a small space with a simple accent wall or accent decor (think of a bright-colored rocking chair or artwork).
Neutral tones give a minimalistic and modern feel, while also being calm and inviting. This a great gender-neutral option for parents or caregivers who choose not to find out the gender before birth, or want to keep things neutral for a space that is shared with multiple children.
This is a timeless option as it doesn’t go out of style, and you can easily change the entire vibe of the room by simply switching out a few pieces.
Earth Tones
Earth tones can be considered as colors inspired by nature. Think deep greens, olive, taupe, blue and gray. Popular amongst interior designers for their timeless and versatile properties. It creates a tranquil, soothing effect and would be a great choice for a nursery.
Earth tones are a great way to incorporate beautiful wood decor and plants. This is a timeless style that remains lavish for years to come. Incorporating different textures in an Earth toned room can create a really unique atmosphere.
Key Takeaway
Choosing the right colors for your new baby’s nursery should be a fun, exciting time. With a plethora of different color palettes to choose from, there is a style for everyone. Enjoy picking out different textures, lighting, and decor when putting your room together.
You might also enjoy:
• Kids Room Spring Cleaning Checklist
• 100 Engaging Open-Ended Kids Toys For Development
Perfect guide to help parents choose colors for their nursery! I wish this was around when my baby’s were young. Thank you!
Thank you so much for your comment, Kristine!
This post is so helpful for parents! I personally love the earth tones!
This is really helpful for parents, I personally love the earth tones!! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much!