The Importance of Color in the Bedroom

The bedroom is an environment which is particularly important for your psychological health and well being. The place where you both relax into sleep, and awaken to face the world, the bedroom has a symbolic significance in our lives. The colors that you choose for this space can affect your mood and outlook throughout the entire day. By contemplating the meaning and effect of various hues you can to some extent control this environment, creating a haven that cradles your psychological needs in whatever manner necessary.

One of the best ways to use color in a bedroom is to set a tone for the energy of the space. If you are a lethargic person, that finds it difficult to get going in the morning, then you may want to use bright and exciting colors in the bedroom. When you wake up the first thing you see will be stimulating tones, coming at you from the entire environment, instantly engaging your cognitive functions. In this way you can get a positive and vigorous start to your day, the second your eye lids crack.

If on the other hand you are an excitable person, that finds it difficult to fall asleep at night you might want to take a different approach, choosing softer, more soothing colors and tones for the space. Darker colors will tend to elicit calmer psychological responses in most people.

Red tones are particularly interesting in a bedroom. Red is a color that is associated with energy, heat, and vigor. These tones can be applied to someone suffering from lethargy, and looking for a boost in the morning, as mentioned above. Having a lot of red in an environment also tends to make people feel hungry, so you have to consider any tendencies you may have towards midnight snacking.

Often people will use red in the bedroom to create a more amorous atmosphere. On the other hand red is also an excitable and angry color, so if you are prone to fighting with a spouse it may not be a good choice for you. In general, red is such a volatile color that it should probably be used in accent pieces, such as pillows and wall clocks, rather than being the main theme of the entire space.

Green and blue tones are generally considered to be rather serene, and are useful when trying to create a relaxed atmosphere in the bedroom. Green usually has a little more vigor than blue, bringing to mind thoughts of woods, and fields, and life in general. Meanwhile blue tones tend to call up images of the depths of the sea, or a sky on a cloudless day. Even when blue tones get dark and stormy there is still something deep and peaceful about them, and so they are perfect for creating a tranquil paradise in your bedroom setting.

Earth tones fall half way between manic and morose. They are vigorous industrial colors such as orange and amber, and even some shades of light red, but they also have more stolid and resigned hues such as brown and gray tones, to dampen their lively effects. In general earth tones in the bedroom will make the space feel cozier and more inviting. People often associate these colors with family, love, and security.

By far the most important reference to consult when choosing colors for a bedroom is you. Everybody reacts differently to hue and tone, based on personality as well as experiences you may have had in your life. The important thing is that you start paying attention to color in the bedroom, in order to create a space which pampers your particular psychological needs.