6 Colors You Shouldn’t Have in Your Bedroom

Article by Emma Taubenfeld for Reader’s Digest

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Matte or eggshell?

A bedroom is a sanctuary where we can be our most authentic selves. Most people want the colors of their bedroom to feel intimate and to reflect who they truly are. But at the same time, a bedroom should feel cozy and provide the best night’s sleep. Believe it or not, color choices in your bedroom can largely affect how calm you feel and how well you rest in the evenings. According to experts, keep these colors out of the bedroom. 

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Black

Besides just darkening a room, a color such as black will create an illusion that a room looks smaller than it actually is. While the darkness may aide in falling asleep at night, it will consequently inhibit your ability to get up in the morning. The darkness will psychologically decrease your energy. “I suggest avoiding painting all four walls top to bottom and instead getting creative with paint placement and choosing a feature wall or leaving the trims out etc,” said Home Décor Designer, Shani Moran.

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Neon

“You should always avoid using neon colors such as electric lime and magenta as they bring excitement and energy into the bedroom,” explained Shad Elia. The vibrance will create a space that makes it more challenging to wind down, which is the whole purpose of a bedroom. Instead, Elia recommends using lighter shades of grey and beige. “These colors are warm and help the body relax when it comes time to sleeping.” 

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Yellow

Yellow is a highly stimulating color as we mostly associate the brightness with the sun and mornings, a time when we are most alert. “While the cheerful tone may be great for daytime, those who opt for a lemon-hued room are more likely to experience difficulty falling asleep at night,” claimed Kimberly Smith, a marketing manager.

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Red

Like yellow, red is a striking color. While bold colors, particularly warm-toned reds and bright pinks, can look stylish, they can also evoke feelings of unrest or agitation. “These colors are often used in marketing as they stimulate the senses, and this is not something you want when trying to fall asleep,” explained Karin Sun. These colors are better suited for places that encourage activity, like a gym, or a warmth, like a family room. In the bedroom, it is too much of a reminder of daytime.

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Orange

“In the early days of our marriage, my wife and I thought it would be a good idea to paint our bedroom orange,” said Daniel Carter. “Not the bright, saturated shade you’d normally see on the fruit of the same name, but a lighter hue. We then added green and purple accents. It looked cool and eclectic. We loved how it turned out until we actually had to go to sleep. The room still looked bright even when we only had a night lamp on, so we had to pull the shades down and have all the lights switched off come bedtime, not always an ideal situation. After six months, we repainted it with a muted shade of blue and have been able to arrive at snooze town a lot faster.” 

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Dark Brown

The darkness of the color provides a sense of heaviness and gloom. This may decrease the motivation of waking up in the morning. “However, if your heart is set on painting your bedroom walls with a color that is deemed not wise, you can opt for their muted counterparts instead, or use them as an accent color, instead of the main color,” claimed Tal Shelef.

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