Create Calming Rooms with Shades of Blue

Blue is a popular choice for calming room colours but why exactly do shades of blue create such a soothing colour palette? Discover colour with Dulux.

Decorating your home with shades of blue might be the answer to living a stress-free, tranquil life. Here’s why.

It’s not surprising that the colour of the ocean and the sky is a perennial favourite when it comes to home decorating. Blue is, quite simply, beautiful and the appeal goes far beyond its pretty face. Numerous studies have pointed towards substantial benefits to the mind and body when you surround yourself with soothing colours, and blue is the reigning hue.

Shades of blue to the rescue

If you feel like time is speeding up and you’re always searching for a moment to catch your breath, you’re not alone. Most of us live incredibly fast-paced lives, with technology ensuring we never truly disconnect from the world long enough to de-stress and experience tranquillity. At one end of the spectrum, this results in minor levels of anxiety, impatience and frustration. However, if we don’t make it a priority to unplug from the rat race, health issues often follow.

On top of making time for exercise, eating well, holidays and getting enough sleep, colour psychology might just be the way forward to finding inner peace. The term refers to studies based on how colours have the power to affect our moods and emotions. This is easy to prove to yourself, by taking a moment to acknowledge how you feel in the presence of certain shades. For example, bright red might give you a burst of energy, which is great for motivation. However, if you’re already feeling stressed, it could increase your breathing rates all the more, or signify danger. Blue, on the other hand, is shown to help lower breathing rates, slow down metabolism and reduce blood pressure. Such is the power of soothing colours.

Soothing colours to calm the mind

All colours offer benefits with regard to enhancing the mood you’re aiming for, and sometimes that’s to feel energetic, stimulated and playful. When you need to take it down a notch though, especially if it’s time to relax, soothing colour schemes in your home invite you to kick off your shoes and indulge in peace. Calming colours include soft greens, lavender, cosy beige, off-whites, greys and, of course, shades of blue.

Various shades of blue offer different meanings and, therefore, wide-ranging benefits. Imagine sinking into a pool of water and simply allowing yourself to float peacefully in the depths. Colours like Mineral Mist remind you of the sensation, producing happy memories for an instant lift. Shades of blue-green, such as Teal Facade and Blue Reflection, offer calming influences combined with a rejuvenating quality for clarity of thought.

Decorating with shades of blue

In keeping with its calming influence, blue is really easy to work with when you’re decorating the home. It pairs beautifully with neutrals, but also makes a splash when combined with complementary colours. To choose the right shades for you, consider what type of feeling you want to evoke throughout your rooms. In terms of calming bedroom colours, pale shades with grey undertones are among the most popular. Use a shade like Quintessential Blue and mix it with one or two other tonal hues for a streamlined, monochromatic colour scheme.

Calming bedroom colours don’t necessarily have to be pale or subdued, either. For a child’s bedroom, you might like to consider a more playful, rich shade, such as Blue Babe. It’s soothing and relaxing on the eyes, while also promoting a refreshing, bright feeling, making it perfect for both day and night activities. If you love the freshness of a predominantly white bedroom, use blue for accents like a feature wall, motifs or trim, to enhance that fresh feeling while introducing soothing depth to your design.

Creating a calm living room might be at the top of your priority list, as the space most often used to relax after a long day. From subtle and soft to bold and bright, there’s a blue colour scheme to both enhance a calm living room and suit your personality. For an elegant, contemporary look, consider using a range of darker blues on a backdrop of white and cream. To create that beachy, breezy vibe, combine shades such as Blue Lagoon with those reminiscent of the sand, like Evening Barley.

Colours to complement blue

We all know that the timeless combination of white and blue never goes out of style, but what if you want to introduce other colours for certain spaces? For example, although you may want your home office to feel tranquil, a pop of colour brings an infusion of energy when needed. Orange sits opposite to blue on the colour wheel and proves that opposites really do attract. Therefore, highlighting soothing blue walls with orange accessories or statement furniture pieces gives you the best of both worlds.

Blues and greens are cool colours and neighbours on the colour wheel that pair beautifully to create a nature-inspired, fresh feeling of calm. Blue’s other neighbour, purple, brings a feminine, playful appeal to a blue colour scheme, especially when you combine tonal shades like Sugared Lilac and Blue Babe. For pure elegance, greys and blues partner up perfectly to add a dash of sophistication to your serene haven.

No matter how you choose to use shades of blue to decorate your home, you can look forward to coming home to a stunning space that also enhances the peace of mind you’re searching for.

Looking for more blue paint inspiration? Discover your perfect shade of blue with our blue decorating ideas.