Baby Room Colors: How To Select The Right Ones

By Sherrie Le Masurier

With so many baby room colors to select from how does an expectant mom know what to pick? Do you have any ideas?

With so many baby room colors available on the market today it’s easy to become overwhelmed however incorporating color in your baby’s room doesn’t have to a challenge.

Your first step in selecting the right baby room colors is to decide on a base color. If you don’t know where to begin consider looking to the six colors of the rainbow for a little inspiration.

Select one or two colors from the rainbow – red, orange, yellow, green, blue or violet and then make a trip to your local paint store for an array of paint chips in your selected color or colors.

Paint chips are a great tool for narrowing down your choices of baby room colors within the same color family. Since paint chips are laid out from light to dark they also allow you at a quick glance compare the intensity of the shades to determine the right combination.

Another good way to select a baby room colors is to find inspiration in a cherished keepsake.

Before painting your baby’s room, it’s wise to consider the affect certain baby room colors may have on your child. Starting as early as two to three months old, babies perceive color and become more aware of their sensory world.

As a key visual element in your baby’s world – carefully selected baby room colors will stimulate brain development and positively affect her emotions.

Research has proven that when a child’s senses are stimulated during the early years of development they have a heightened predisposition to learning.  

The amount of light in your baby’s nursery can also play a role in how your child will respond to a certain baby room colors.

Selecting baby room colors is a very personal thing. Just like we all respond differently to various types of music and sound levels, the same is true about our personal color preferences.

Bright and lively colors like oranges and yellows are very expressive baby room colors that lend themselves well to creativity. Orange not only stimulates the mind but offers up a sense of joy. Yellow is another ‘happy’ color which is often associated with the intellectual side of the mind.

Remember the process of selecting baby room colors doesn’t have to be overwhelming. All you really need is a little forethought and some basic knowledge from which to base the room on.

When looking for the right baby room colors for your child’s nursery you may want to take the following into consideration:

Warm Baby Room Colors
Located on the red side of the color wheel, warm colors have a tendency to communicate warmth, intimacy and relaxation. These colors seem to advance closer to the viewer creating a sense of closeness and comfort. That said intense warm colors like reds and oranges tend to stimulate and excite so a toned down warm color would be the wisest choice.

Cool Baby Room Colors
For a calming baby nursery, consider the cool colors on the blue side of the color wheel. Be careful though as intense cool colors like navy when overused can be depressing.

Since cool colors in general tend open up a room and draw itself away from view some children may find it lacks the warmth they need to feel cosy and at home. If this is the case, but blue is still a favored color consider light cool colors like blue green, light blue, blue violet or try painting one wall a light blue shade and another wall a warm white. 

Earth Tones
Ground colors like grays, browns, and beige and even muted yellow can create a sense of stability and security in your baby’s nursery. Earth tones are a great choice if you’re looking to create a sense of warmth, comfort and relaxation.

Muted tones are best. Just look outside for examples of the browns and grays found in squirrels, trees, and the earth.

Red
While reds can create a sense of warmth, they can also stimulate and energize your baby which may not be such a good thing at nap time. That said when used to counterbalance neutral colors red can add a real zest to your baby’s room.

Orange
Orange combines the energy of red with the happiness of yellow. Brownish oranges create warm and cozy vibes while brighter oranges are fun and lively, and a good choice for play rooms. The brightest of oranges are non-relaxing while softer oranges are warm, welcoming, satisfying and can add a positive sense of energy to your child’s environment.

Yellow
Yellow stimulates, energizes and is sunny and cheerful. Pale yellows make baby rooms appear larger while stronger yellows create warmth and brighten dim rooms.  If overused yellow tends to stimulate muscle activity and can become unsettling.

Green
Said to reinforce self-esteem and suggest hope, peace and calmness, green is a refreshing color that makes a room appear more spacious, vibrant and alive. The key is to select a shade of green that isn’t too dark otherwise the walls may give your baby the sense of being closed in.

Blue
Blue often signifies harmony, loyalty, wisdom, confidence and stability. It’s a great baby room color as it slows the human nervous system and produces a calming effect that prepares the body to nod off to sleep. A light blue can also soften a bright nursery and create a sense of comfort and peace.

Violet
Combining the stability of blue and the energy of red, violet can take on the characteristics of blue or red depending on the shade. Violet is often considered to be a risky, powerful color. The feeling it evokes all depends on the particular shade.

Traditionally violet signifies royalty, power, justice, nobility and luxury yet it is also associated with depression and suffering. Darker shades can encourage sadness and frustration while lighter shades of violet are peaceful, romantic and nostalgic, and a popular choice for baby girl nurseries.

Now that you have more insight into colors, I’m confident you’ll be able to select the right baby room colors for your infant’s nursery.