Gone are the days of a pink nursery for a baby girl and a blue one for a baby boy. These days, most parents opt for gender-neutral colors. They prefer a more scientific approach to selecting colors, keeping eco-friendliness and sustainability in mind. They also consider the impact of a particular color on the psychology of the baby.
Before choosing the color, remember to assess the size, shape, and natural lighting of the room. The rule is simple—dark colors make a small room feel smaller, light colors make the room feel bigger. Also, the color you choose should be soothing for your baby. Usually, a primary color with some accent colors work best for a nursery.
The common colors that are considered ideal for a nursery are the ones that have a calming and nurturing impact on the baby. Some popular options are:
Blue is a calming and soothing color. Blue is believed to reduce anxiety and aggression. If your child throws tantrums often and has problems falling asleep, then they can benefit from a blue environment. Blue also physically cools the body. If you live in a hot and humid region then blue can be a cooling color. However, avoid blue that has a tinge of gray as that can make a person sad.
Having said that, if the aim is to create a sleep-centered space, try to avoid dark blues. Deep or dramatic shades give an energetic feeling, making the child feel sleep-deprived.
Therefore, while choosing a shade blue for your child’s nursery, it is always better that you go for powder or aqua blue or even softer shades. Something that will have a calming effect over the mind and body of the child.
If you love nature then green could be your go-to color. Green creates a serene and natural ambiance. Science suggests that the green color promotes good health and concentration. It is calming to the body and mind. It has been found that exposure to the color green has increased the reading ability of a child. Early learners who are exposed to the color green learn to read and comprehend earlier than others.
So, while choosing a green colour for your child’s nursery, opt for earthy hues of green like sage, olive, apple, moss, etc. Shades of blue green, such as, mint or seafoam is also a very good option.
Though branded as a girlie color, pink is equally calming and cheering for boys. Branding colors for girls and boys is a mere marketing gimmick that you should avoid. Pink, mostly associated with unconditional love and compassion, is one of the best colors for babies who are prone to throwing tantrums. Therefore, this color tends to give a calming effect to your little one.
So, continue giving your little one this feeling of warmth by opting pale or peachy shades of pink or dusty pastel.
Shades of purple such as lavender and lilac are a good choice for a nursery. Purple is considered the color of wisdom and spirituality. It is a combination of red and blue and has the energy of red and the calmness of blue. In one word, this color brings stability. Purple also brings a luxurious and royal feel to the room. Therefore, this can be a good choice for your little prince or princess.
White has an angelic impact; it is again a soothing and relaxing color. White is ideal to avoid overstimulation and can induce good sleep in your baby. However, try to use white as a base and create an accent wall with a warm color to avoid monotony. The only issue with white is that it gets dirty quickly and shows off stains easily. It could be a difficult color to maintain with an active toddler in the house.
Choosing a color for your baby’s nursery is just like many other decisions you take for your maybe. Sometimes it is the rule and what’s popular, and sometimes you go with your instinct. Nobody would know what your baby prefers more than you. So, just go with the flow.
Author Bio: Prapti Chauhan is a professor of Genetics in Bangalore. She has contributed to several online research papers. However, she passionately develops content on pregnancy, childbirth, childcare, benefits of cord blood banking, and umbilical cord lining, and more.