A lot of questions come into mind when creating a nursery for your new family addition. One important factor that brings a lot of questions to mind is color. Is one too bright or another too dull? What will be best for my baby?
Psychologically colors do have an affect on adults, so why would they not influence infants? Marketing tycoons pour out millions of dollars for researching the effect of colors on consumers. On some level color seems to have an effect on everything. From hospitals to shopping malls color is used to influence how we act and think. A baby, in my mind, is no less immune to these influences than we adults are.
When I was painting my nursery I tried to think of the meaning of colors. I thought about what colors seemed to influence me in a positive way and then use those colors for nursery design.
I decided to use all the research that had already been done and create the best possible nursery I could. Even though a baby doesn't know what color they're looking at, the human mind is like a never-ending camcorder, recording things, even though it's on a subconscious level. Here are some of the established color influences and what they symbolize psychologically according to scientific research -
RED
This is a bold color that grabs your attention quickly. It symbolized excitement, emotion, and passion (sometimes in the form of anger and hostility). Too much of this may not be a good idea for your nursery but a hint here and there may be fine.
ORANGE
This color glows with warmth. It gives off a friendly 'vibe' and sets a peaceful mood in its darker shades.
YELLOW
This color is bright, cheerful, sunny, and energetic. Too much may agitate your baby but used in a subtle manner it can promote concentration and emotional thoughts.
GREEN
This color is nurturing, refreshing, and calming. It promotes learning and is very serene. Green is natural and is good to have in the nursery as well.
BLUE
This color is amazingly calming, however, it provokes different moods with different shades. A gray-blue (like a cloudy sky) can evoke sadness and gloom. It can be depressing. Always try to steer your nursery colors toward shades that are warm and inviting.
PURPLE
This is the color of royalty. It is mysterious and beautiful, majestic. The pastel shades of purple like lilac and lavender have a very serene and calming effect that can relax your baby as they learn about the world around them.
WHITE
This color is angelic, clean, pure, and innocent. It is not a good one to overuse in a nursery. It's too generic and not as mood-provocative as other colors.
PINK
This color is feminine and romantic. No wonder little girls love the color pink. It represents all things pertaining to 'girls'. It is calming and is an excellent color for a nursery.
GRAY
This color provokes emotions that are introspective and thoughtful. It can also infuse feelings of loneliness and sadness. It should be used sparingly and only when surrounded by colors that accent it in a way that gives it a positive vibe.
BROWN
This one is earthy and goes great in a nursery, especially among greens, certain shades of blue, and even small amounts of yellow and dark orange.
BLACK
This is not a color to be used in bulk but only sparingly, mostly to accentuate another color to get a desired effect. It has power for bringing other colors to the forefront, but is only an 'outliner' or 'accent color' and not a main color for any nursery.
The information about colors and their effects on humans is endless. If you plan on painting your own nursery you should take the time to understand the psychological influences behind colors first. You want your baby's room to have a positive effect on the newest addition to the family.