Why you should paint your baby’s nursery green or purple… but DEFINITELY steer clear of red
GETTING ready to welcome a new baby is an exciting and fun time, with mums-to-be painstakingly selecting furniture and décor for the nursery.
Some parents opt for the traditional colours of blue and pink and others are embracing trendy grey, but experts have revealed the best colours to choose - and which you should avoid.
Interior design specialists homedit.com and psychologist, Lee Chambers, explained why green and purple should be the top choices among parents.
Lee said green was a hit as it's "the colour of nature" and the one we see most often - and it has the biggest variety of shades.
He said: “With its connotations to growth and the outdoors, it takes some of the happiness from yellow and some of the calming of blue.
“It promotes concentration and soothes the mind, but it doesn’t motivate or inspire energy or communication.”
Colours to avoid
- Red
- Bright yellow
- Certain shades of blue
- Pink
Meanwhile "wise and regal" purple is a ‘grown up’ colour, which can help keep a child balanced.
Lee noted: “Combining the fire of the red, with the relaxed nature of blue, it can create a nice balance, or can be tailored towards more energy or more serenity by changing the shade.
“It does have an element of grown up about it, which may take the childish edge off.”
Colours to consider
- Green
- Purple
- Orange
- Certain shades of blue
- Pastel yellow
Red is a colour parents should always avoid, as the vibrant shade can bring out negative feelings in children.
Lee explained: “The highly emotive colour of energy and anger, likely to lead to an excitable, confident child willing to push the limits.
“However, it is also likely to increase aggression, decrease concentration and overstimulate children.”
While a red nursery is rare, Lee revealed some other popular colours can also cause trouble.
Yellow might be associated with warmth and happiness, but Lee claimed certain tones could upset children.
He said: “A happy aura comes from a room the colour of the sun, and it can increase focus and motivation.
“The brighter the yellow, however, the more it stimulates frustration, and in research yellow made babies cry more than any other colour.”
And while pink is a popular choice among parents who are expecting girls, the traditional colour can lead to problems later on.
Lee said: “Pink takes some of the benefits of red and takes the edge off the stimulation.
In research yellow made babies cry more than any other colour
Lee Chambers
"It is calming initially, and can increase compassion, but over time it can become irritating, leading to a disruptive child.”
Blue is another popular colour among parents expecting a boy, but Lee warned varying tones can have different effects.
He said: “Blue creates a calming atmosphere that reduces stimulation and helps children to settle.
“It also invokes a sense of the body cooling, which helps when children fall asleep.
“It’s worth being mindful of the tone, too dark can become almost gloomy and uninspiring, but too pale reduces some of the benefits.”
And for any parents who might be having trouble with their child’s speech, it turns out that orange could be a helpful colour.
Lee outlined: “It is the colour for inspiring communication if you want to promote chatter, but again is a colour that generates underlying anxiety that decreases children’s attention.”
For those still unsure of what shade to pick, Lee shared some styling tips to help indecisive parents.
He added: "You can bring out the value of colours by pairing darker colours with more vibrant neutral colours.
"With bold colours, consider utilising them through accessories and balance them with cooler colours.”
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