Choosing Nursery Colours

When selecting colours for your Nursery or Child's bedroom it is important to consider the varying psychological and physical affects that a colour can influence.

From the earliest of times, colour has been used to heal and influence behaviour.

When choosing colours to decorate a child's room, its important to think and plan about the type of space you want to create. The following summary of colours
will help you to create a room that will convey calm, sleep and good behaviour.

Pink:
 

Is usually associated with love, it is a cooler colour than Red.
Small amounts of Pink have a calming affect. (One shade known as Drunk Tank Pink is sometimes used in prisons to calm inmates.)
Being exposed to large amounts of Pink has the opposite affect and can cause agitation.

Pink is emotionally soothing and calming, it represents, warmth, femininity, romance, nurturing and protection.

Using Pink Decorating Tip!
Pink is best used as a feature or accent, team it with pale lilac or cream for a perfect balance and to create a stunning feminine room.

Purple:
 

Is the symbol of royalty and wealth it is a also physic colour used to stimulate intuition and imagination.
Represents wisdom, healing & spirituality.
Dark Purple can create emotions of frustration and sadness, where as light shades of purple can create a peaceful and healing atmosphere.

Light shades of purple (lavender & lilac) is a great choice for little girls bedrooms. It will create a peaceful, healing and safe atmosphere while
stimulating imagination, creativity and spirituality.

Using Purple Decorating Tip!
Use shades of lilac or lavender in your nursery or child's bedroom. Matched with Grey or cream can look very delicate and sophisticated while still healing & spiritual.

Yellow:

Bright Yellow is a sunny, cheerful, bright and uplifting colour, it will bring warmth to a cold room and will brighten dark rooms.
Being over exposed to yellow can create feelings of frustration and anger.

Yellow helps to stimulate, creativity, clarify memory, organisation and self confidence.

Use yellow in study's to help with concentration.

Yellow is a great colour choice for play areas. It is very uplifting and will help your little ones to create and be active. It can be difficult to sleep in and it is well known that babies tend to cry more in yellow rooms.

Using Yellow Decorating Tip!
Pale yellow can make small rooms look larger. Best teamed up with pale blues and mints is a popular unisex room colour.

Blue:

Blue represents loyalty, peace, protection, clarity, harmony and creativity. It is a great colour choice for bedrooms as it creates a calming effect and can prepare the body for sleep.

Blue is a cool colour and can help to cool a naturally hot room and soften bright rooms.

Dark Blue can be depressing and often takes on the same features as Black.

Soft blue can create a protective atmosphere which helps with settling and is an ideal colour for nursery's & bedrooms.

Using Blue Decorating Tip!

Blue is not just for Boys! Shades of Blue influenced by the ocean are perfect for Under the Sea themes and suitable for both Boys and Girls. It is a colour that will see you from Baby to Teenager and is easily adapted with other colours. Blue and White themed bedrooms give a clean, fresh, stylish and laid back feel.

Green:

Green represents nature, health, balance and abundance, it is also the most restful colour on the eye.

Light Green is a refreshing colour which makes dark rooms lighter and more vibrant. It is a popular and positive choice for bedrooms as it creates natural and healing environment.

Dark green on the other hand represents unassertiveness,

Green helps to soothe and relax and creates an environment of calmness, space and lessened stress.

Using Green Decorating Tip!

Pale green is fantastic choice for a Childs nursery or bedroom, it is not only a healthy and calming colour to sleep in but can also be adapted once the baby is born with pale lilac or pale blue. Blue-Greens used in a bedroom can create a stylish sanctuary perfect for newborn babies and growing toddlers.

Orange:

Orange stimulates the mind, lifts the spirits and is a wonderful anti-depressant.

It represents spirituality, happiness and optimism, and is a wonderful colour choice for a playroom.

Brownie orange will create a warm environment while bright orange is fun and will brighten up a room.

Orange Decreases irritability and hostility it is a fun and lively colour but maybe difficult to sleep in as its a very active colour.

Using Orange Decorating Tip!

Bright orange is a great choice for decorating a playroom but if you love orange and want to use it in a bedroom, tone it down to a peach or apricot colour to create a warm yet relaxing atmosphere. It looks fantastic teamed with cream and light tan shades.

Red:

Red symbolises strength, happiness, warmth and good luck.

Decorating a bedroom in Red can create a sense of warmth however will also stimulate and energize so it is not recommended for bedrooms.

If we have too much of the colour red surrounding us it can lead to feeling irritable, uncomfortable and impatient.

Red can increase blood pressure and increase energy and strength, use it in areas you wish to life energy and bring attention to, eg Front Door or Letter Box.

Using Red Decorating Tip!

Painting a child's bedroom Red will be over stimulating and can add to problems of hyperactive children, however if used in small areas to counterbalance neutral colours can bring, life, warmth and sparkle to a bedroom.

White:

White represents faith, joy, purity and cleanliness. It is associated with Weddings, Spirituality and Peace.

If painting with white it will make small rooms seem brighter & larger however it tends to mark easily so keep your sugar soap handy!

White can encourage optimism, individualism, hope & cleanliness.

White is a colour that represents protection and brings peace & comfort.

Using White Decorating Tip!

White is a great anchor colour and can be used with other colours to make kids rooms fun and inviting. By itself can be cold and sterile so try a slight tint of maybe eggshell white or off white.

Black:

Black represents darkness, despair, sorrow and mourning and is strongly associated with death. It is a total absence of colour and is not recommended for kids bedrooms.

It is associated with dormant energy, silence & depression it can also cause fatigue.

Using Black Decorating Tip!

If used in the correct way, Black can bring sophistication & mystery to a room, however it is best used in small areas such as accents or accessories.