Wednesday, August 24, 2011

What Colors Should I Use In My Bedroom To Help Me Relax & Sleep

Soft neutrals in a bedroom evoke serenity.


After a long, hard day at work, nothing feels better than being able to fall into bed and curl up in your own home sanctuary. A cushy bed and soft pillows help make your bedroom a relaxing oasis, but you can take a step beyond by really pushing the relaxation envelope. For an ideally relaxing bedroom, use wall paint to evoke sensations of peace, calmness and serenity. With the right paint color, your bedroom could feel like an in-home resort. This helps lead to a better night's sleep and a boost in your overall mood.


Shades to Use


When attempting to produce feelings of relaxation, look no further than colors found readily within nature. Cool hues like those within the green or blue color families provide a peaceful tone to a room. These shades can evoke a seaside feeling, with calming ocean waters to help put you in a tranquil mood.


Pastels create a calming feeling within a room as well. Choose shades like lavender or powder blue to evoke a little peace within. If you want a calming room but aren't a fan of ocean colors or pastels, neutral shades could be right up your alley. Neutrals provide less stimulation and therefore give a room the sense of peace. This includes colors like browns, tans and grays.


Colors to Avoid


Certain colors act in the opposite way of calming shades. Rather than allow you to relax and feel peaceful, these hues stimulate your eyes and, in turn, your brain. Bright colors may make it harder to sleep, since there is so much for your eyes to focus on. Colors in the red family should be avoided for decoration if you want to have a relaxing room because the boldness of red or orange stimulates the senses.


While white may seem like a good choice for a peaceful room, white walls reflect a lot of light and can make it hard for eyes to focus. White within the decorating scheme, however, such as white bookshelves or end tables, may work well when paired with calming colors.


Ceiling Paint








When considering creating the perfect room environment, one key location often gets overlooked. Having the right shade on your ceiling completes the peaceful, tranquil hideaway look you desire. Most ceilings receive white paint and little else is thought about them. However, "This Old House" suggests painting your ceiling a shade or two lighter than the color on your walls to create a warm, cozy environment.








In addition, because there is less contrast between the walls and the ceiling color, the room appears bigger. If you want the room to seem a bit smaller, try using a color like robin's egg blue to bring the walls in and add more calm sensations.


Other Calming Ideas


Lighting in conjunction with paint and d cor can create a more cozy, relaxing room. Try finding lights that are slightly tinted and avoid harsh bright lighting. Use furniture colors that complement the shades found on the walls.


Wood furniture creates a tranquil setting, since the deep browns are a relaxing shade. Avoid using lots of patterns within the d cor, especially bright-colored patterns.

Tags: color your, eyes focus, relaxing room, with calming, your bedroom, your ceiling, your eyes