Looking for some colors that are relaxing? Then you’ll love this list with ten beautiful and peaceful colors to surround yourself with.
Work overload. Long list of to-dos. Social media updates. Bills to pay. In a world with so many impulses and demands, it doesn’t take much to make us feel anxious and stressed out.
However, by choosing the right wall (decor or outfit) color, you can reduce your stress levels and calm yourself down. The best part is you don’t have to give up aesthetic appeal to achieve a sense of calm.
Science has proved color psychology, although ambiguous, is real, and colors have a massive effect on us emotionally, physically, and psychologically. Therefore, simply looking at some colors that are relaxing might reduce your anxiety. Let’s get to them.
10 Colors That Are Relaxing
While bright colors might make you anxious because they stimulate your brain, light and soft pastel colors are peaceful and calming and can do wonders to help you achieve the ultimate relaxation.
1. Blue
Calm and relaxing, blue is a soothing color that is a classic choice for many homeowners. It’s isn’t just a safe choice but also a truly peaceful color.
Multiple studies[1] have concluded blue lowers blood pressure, slows down heart rate, and reduces anxiety.
With so many positive effects on us, it isn’t a surprise blue is one of the most popular colors that are relaxing.
As a comfortable color to look at, blue is perfect for serene bedrooms. So if you’re looking for the best color to paint your bedroom, consider coloring one wall dark blue and experience the relaxation the color provides you.
For children, pastel, light, and baby are some shades of blue that have not only a calming effect but also an uplifting one on the little ones.
2. Green
Imagine an enjoyable stroll in the park or in a quiet forest or chilling in your backyard. What color would you associate with these places?
Because of this clear association with nature, green is a calm color that fills us with harmonious feelings. Unsurprisingly, green is an excellent healing color broadly used in color therapy.
Not only that, but green strikes the eyes in such a way as to require no adjustment whatsoever, as red does. Therefore, it is restful and pleasing to the eyes.
As a comforting color, this hue is refreshing and soothing, perfect for rooms where you want your family to feel at ease.
When choosing shades of green for your home decor, go for pale and pastel tones with little saturation and beige with green undertones.
3. Teal
Teal combines the calming properties of blue with the renewal qualities of green. It is a revitalizing and rejuvenating color that soothes and that also represents clarity of thought.
Therefore, teal is an eye-pleasing color perfect for home offices since it enhances open communication and helps you stay relaxed in a work environment.
4. Pink
Many people frown upon the thought of pink as a calming color, but light and pale pink shades definitely soothe those in its presence.
Unlike the Baker-Miller experiment, which proved to temporarily calm down inmates in American prisons, light pink is actually a peaceful color that can do wonders when used in moderation.
Because pink is made of red and white, it combines the energetic properties of red and the peaceful qualities of white. In lighter shades, it has more white which proves to make the environment more relaxing.
5. White
As one of the most peaceful colors that are relaxing, white is present in almost every house in western societies.
Symbolizing clarity and freshness, white is a timeless and versatile color that is sure to help you relax as long as you go for the right shade.
Dull shades of white might make you feel down, while the stark ones might have the opposite effect that you’re looking for and stress you out because of their clinical look.
Instead, go for warm undertones or a white color that mimics the sun’s glow with red and yellow undertones, ideal for any space lacking natural light.
6. Gray
Gray conjures images of dull and cloudy days, and because of that, many people consider it a dull and depressing color.
However, lighter shades of gray are great colors that are relaxing as they don’t have strong psychological effects on us. It is a color that goes unperceived. In other words, it’s a non-stimulating color.
In the same breath, gray is easy on the eyes as it is a non-distractive color. Hence why many creative professionals choose gray walls in their offices.
Neutral and subtle, gray is a soothing and cooling shade perfect for yoga and meditation rooms too.
7. Lavender
Lavender is perhaps one of the most relaxing colors of the visible spectrum. Floral and feminine, lavender earned its name from the beautiful flower covering many fields during summer. Its hue is a mixture of red and blue in their palest shades.
As such, this eye-pleasing color is a lighter and more gentle color than purple. Considered the floral symbol of love at first sight, lavender lends a softness when used in tandem with other colors that are calming.
8. Violet
Another beautiful shade of purple, violet, is the last color in the visible spectrum of color, between the wavelengths of ultraviolet light and blue light.
With such a solid blue base, it makes sense that violet has calming properties. A soft violet or lilac tone is perfect for channeling balance and inner peace.
If you’re looking for a shade of violet for your bedroom, look for something soft without too much black in it. Violet is not only relaxing but may also spice up your marital life.
That’s because a study by online retailer Littlewoods.com shows that couples who have purple bedrooms make love an average of 3.49 a week.
Considering the American national average is 2.55 a week, maybe we should rethink the bedroom decor.
9. Yellow
Uplifting and warm, yellow is a welcoming color that is often described as sunshine in a bottle.
Painting a wall yellow in the kitchen or living room will add the right amount of happiness and lightness to the environment as long as you choose the right color.
Since it is the most noticeable color of the spectrum, you’ll want to pick pale, soft pastel, and beige shades of yellow to avoid fatiguing the eye. To be clear, steer away from bright yellows.
The right yellow can leave you feeling like you’re being bathed in warm rays of sunshine. It certainly doesn’t get much more relaxing than that!
10. Tan
Neutral and calming, tan is a light shade of brown that evokes security and warmth. This warmth mirror the warmness of a candlelit room, which is an incredibly relaxing feeling.
While this neutral color might not be the first that comes to mind, tan is an excellent base for highlighting other colors and creates a classy and calming color palette when paired with white.
Beyond that, tan is one of the most welcoming colors, together with yellow.
Wrapping Up on Peaceful Colors That Are Relaxing
There are many peaceful colors that can create a relaxing environment for you and your family.
However, the most soothing color is certainly blue, the color of the never-ending sky and the deep seas. Its intangibility gives us an incredibly calming feeling.
Either way, we hope this article with the best colors that are relaxing can help you pick the right color for your interior design and create a relaxing atmosphere where you want people to feel at ease.
After all, colors have powerful effects and can create different reactions in people!
Did you enjoy this article about relaxing colors? Share it with a friend who might enjoy the read as well.
Stella A
Thursday 10th of August 2023
This was very helpful in trying to choose colors for massage room and equipment.