Creating a calming environment in a child’s playroom can have many benefits. The colors you choose for the walls, furniture, and decor can affect a child’s mood, behavior, and focus. When selecting playroom colors, it’s important to consider your child’s age, gender, and personality. Calmer colors like blues, greens, and neutrals are ideal for creating a relaxing play space. Brighter, more stimulating colors can be incorporated in moderation. Here are some of the most calming colors to use in a playroom and how they benefit kids.
Soothing Blues
Blue is one of the most universally calming colors. The blue color spectrum can create feelings of relaxation, tranquility, and focus. Lighter blues give a room an airy, peaceful feeling. Darker shades of blue feel cozier and more comforting. Blue is a top choice for playrooms because of its ability to relax children. Here’s a look at the calming benefits of different shades of blue:
– Baby blue: This light, soft blue evokes feelings of innocence and comfort. It’s very soothing. Baby blue is ideal for nurseries.
– Sky blue: With its association with clear skies, sky blue promotes clarity, serenity, and refreshment. It’s calming but not too subdued.
– Aqua: The tranquil qualities of water are reflected in this cool, airy shade. Aqua creates feelings of refreshment and rejuvenation.
– Navy blue: Darker shades of blue are cozy and promote concentration. Navy blue is a nice, calming neutral for playrooms.
– Royal blue: Vibrant yet still cool, royal blue can stimulate the imagination while also having a calming effect. It’s bright but not overstimulating.
Soothing Greens
Like blue, green is considered a cool, calming color. The verdant shades of green symbolize nature, growth, and renewal. Green has a positive effect on mood and concentration. Light greens create a tranquil background, while bolder greens add vibrancy. Here are some relaxing shades of green for playrooms:
– Mint green: Crisp and refreshing like a mint leaf, this pale green is peaceful and uplifting. Use it on walls or decor accents.
– Seafoam green: The soothing look of sea glass is reflected in this pale green with bluish undertones. It’s a versatile neutral for playrooms.
– Sage green: With its association with herbs and healing, earthy sage green promotes stability, wisdom, and calmness.
– Emerald green: Vibrant but not neon, emerald green relaxes the mind while adding dose of visual interest.
– Moss green: Deep and woodsy, moss green connects to nature and encourages imagination and creativity.
Soothing Neutrals
Neutral colors like whites, grays, browns, and beiges provide a blank canvas and relaxing backdrop. They allow brighter accent colors to pop without becoming visually distracting. Here are some calming neutral shades for playrooms:
– White: Crisp, bright white keeps things light and airy. Stark white can be uninspiring alone, so pair with splashes of color.
– Beige: Warm and soft, beige is a nurturing neutral reminiscent of sand and natural fibers. Use as a base color.
– Tan: Like beige, tan creates warmth. It’s cozy but also feels laidback. Use tan on walls or larger furniture pieces.
– Gray: From light dove gray to charcoal, gray is versatile while mute and calming. It allows bolder colors to shine.
– Ivory: Softer and warmer than white, ivory is tranquil and elegant. It provides flexibility for decor.
Calming Accent Colors
While cool, lighter colors create peaceful backgrounds, not every element in a playroom should be muted. Thoughtfully adding brighter, warmer accent colors can provide visual interest and stimulate active play. Here are some vibrant yet still harmonious accent colors to pair with calming base hues:
– Yellow: Cheerful without being overwhelming, soft yellow accents inspire joy and optimism. Use in moderation.
– Peach: Soft peach radiates warmth and nostalgia. Use to soften blues and greens.
– Lavender: Soothing and sweet, like its floral namesake. Lavender accents relax the mind.
– Turquoise: The tropical splash of ocean-inspired turquoise uplifts without overstimulating.
– Plum: sophisticated and calming, rich plum accents inspire creativity and imagination.
Tween & Teen Playrooms
As a child gets older, their color preferences will likely mature and change. The calming colors appropriate for a toddler may not suit a tween or teen. Here are some soothing hues tailored for older kids:
– Navy blue: A versatile neutral that promotes concentration. Works for any age group.
– Olive green: Sophisticated yet calm earth tone. Complements neutrals without being dull.
– Light gray: Allows bright accent colors to stand out while muting the background.
– Charcoal: Cool and stylish, charcoal gray is modern yet soothing.
– Purple: Calming and creative without being childish. Darker shades work for teen rooms.
Experiment with different shades and combinations until you find the right balance of stimulating, soothing and age-appropriate. Don’t be afraid to let your child take the lead in choosing colors. Allowing them input creates engagement and ownership over their special space.
Color Psychology
There’s an entire field dedicated to studying how colors affect moods, feelings and behaviors. This color psychology provides insight into creating calming environments. Here’s a look at how some research-backed qualities of certain colors make them relaxing choices for playrooms:
| Color | Psychological Effect |
|---|---|
| Blue | Stable, soothing, aids concentration |
| Green | Balancing, refreshing, stabilizes mood |
| Violet | Calming, promotes imagination |
| White | Pure, airy, clears clutter visually |
| Gray | Muting, promotes relaxation |
While reactions to color are somewhat subjective, the general consensus is that cooler shades create a more relaxing environment than warm ones do. Bright, intense colors in large doses can become visually distracting. Soft, muted colors recede into the background, letting a child’s play take center stage.
Gender Considerations
There are few hard-set rules anymore about color and gender when it comes to kids’ rooms. You can certainly create a soothing space using stereotypical “girl” or “boy” colors, but it’s not a must. Focus more on your child’s natural preferences and reactions to color over gender norms. Keep in mind:
– Boys: Lean towards blue, green, gray and orange but incorporate any color
– Girls: Lean towards pinks, purples, lavender but incorporate any color
The main guideline is to use muted, softer versions of colors rather than vivid brights for maximum relaxation and calm. Neutrals work for either gender as well.
Wall Color
The shade you use on the walls sets the overall mood of a playroom. Since it has the largest surface area, stick to calming, neutral background colors. Some soothing options:
– Light blue
– Soft green
– Beige
– Light gray
– Eggshell white
Consider painting one accent wall in a different color to break up large expanses. Just don’t use stimulating colors like neon red or orange on large walls.
Furniture
The furniture pieces in a playroom should also revolve around tranquil, neutral hues. However, you can get away with a little more color variation here over the walls. Good soothing choices include:
– White
– Cream
– Light wood tones
– Navy or denim blue
– Charcoal gray
– Tan or sand
Incorporate colorful chairs, pillows, blankets and accessories to inject visual interest without chaos.
Rugs
Rugs anchor a playroom with comfort underfoot and visual appeal. Without being bold, patterned area rugs can inject color, texture and softness. Calming rug colors and styles include:
– Solid light blue or green
– Natural jute or fiber
– Subtle geometric patterns in muted colors
– Minimalist lines and shapes in cool tones
Avoid busy patterns and neon hues. Solid color rugs or simple patterns have the most relaxing effect alongside lively decor.
Decorations & Accessories
This is where you can have the most color flexibility in a playroom. Use calming neutrals for the backdrop then layer in pops of brighter, cheery accent colors. Some ideas:
– Throw pillows
– Blankets
– Storage bins
– Table lamps
– Wall art
– Shelving
– Window curtains
– Toy boxes
Aim for colors pulled from the palette you’re using in the rest of the room. Tie everything together with blue throw pillows on a neutral couch or lime green storage bins for navy built-ins, for example.
Lighting
Proper lighting is crucial for creating a relaxed yet functional play space. Combine ambient and task lighting. Go easy on overhead lights, which can feel harsh. Ideal playroom lighting includes:
– Table and floor lamps: Provide a warm glow for playing. Choose calming colors like amber, cream or sky blue.
– String lights: Give a cozy feel and accent the space. Opt for white or warm LEDs.
– Natural light: Flood the space with relaxation by using sheer curtains over windows.
Keep lighting on the softer side with dimmers as needed. Avoid fluorescent overheads when possible.
Conclusion
The colors you choose for a kids’ playroom can really set the tone for the entire space. Cooler shades of blue, green and neutral tones promote relaxation and concentration. Allow bright pops of color in accessories and decor. Take cues from your child’s preferences and gender but focus on soothing muted shades. Bring in natural light, limiting harsh overheads. With the right calming color palette, you can design a play space that helps them relax and focus. The ambiance you create can make all the difference in how a child experiences the room. Use color psychology and decorative elements mindfully, and you’ll have a serene playroom that kids and parents adore.
