Here Are The Colors You Should Use To Create A Calming Room

Rather than meditate your day away in order to achieve a calmer state of mind, painting your room a certain color can erase your stress — with so many of us dealing with anxiety right now, this suggestion couldn't come at a better time. As Sue Wadden — the director of color marketing at Sherwin-William — told Better Homes & Gardens, certain colors can transform any space into a tranquil haven. "Color can help shape our day-to-day environments and impact our mood," Wadden said. "So when selecting colors, people should think about how they want the space to make them feel and let their emotions guide their decisions."

Decking a space out in any shade of blue is sure to be your best bet to achieve a sense of serenity. Blue is especially calming and cool, according to TrueValue Paint. In fact, as Nicole Gibbons — the founder of Clare Paint — told Better Homes & Gardens, any shade of blue or neutral variant has the power to instantly transform your space. "I love using serene, understated blue and neutral shades to create a sense of instant calm in a space," Gibbons said. "Blue-greens and soft grays can feel especially tranquil and instantly put you at ease."

If shades of blue aren't exactly your thing, there's no need to fret — plenty of other colors have the power to evoke the same sense of calm.

While purple and pink tend to bring a more energetic and creative feel to a space, lighter shades of these popular colors have the potential to be more calming than their darker counterparts. Due to its blue base, lavender is instantly calming, according to Decorist. Lilac also possesses the same color balance and calming effect. When shopping for light purple shades, it's important to look for more muted colors and to steer clear of shades of purple with any black hues.

Additionally, compared to passionate red, pink is much more tranquil and innocent. And, according to TrueValue Paint, pink is a perfect color to splash across the walls in your bedroom due to its tendency to inspire a bit of romance (but be sure to avoid these bedroom colors). 

Similar to the color blue, green is also incredibly beneficial for creating a relaxing environment. In fact, the healthcare industry will often paint their walls a shade of green to keep patients calm. "Green, similar to blue, is soothing to the eyes, and is often a most preferred option for interior design, given the availability of multiple shades," Mitra Silva, the founder and CEO of Simour Design, wrote for her company's blog. "Designers use the color green as a blend of multiple shades or in combination with other calm and soothing colors, to create a restorative effect."

So you heard it here, go to the hardware store and pick up a soothing paint color as soon as you can.