Bathroom
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Choosing a Calming Paint Color

Choosing a paint color that you find soothing and calming is a matter of personal taste. Psychologists who have studied the effects of color on mood recommend certain shades to achieve a relaxing effect, but in the end, your response to color is subjective. Your personal reactions to color, your memories and your preferences will all contribute to how you feel about paint colors. If you're transforming your bathroom into a personal retreat, consider your own preferences as well as widespread opinions about which colors are most calming.

Cool and Soothing Palettes

Green, blue and purple are known as the cool shades on the color wheel. Many homeowners associate these cool shades with feelings of serenity, peace, tranquility and harmony. Variations of green may make you think of a deep, cool forest, a lush jungle or a fresh spring meadow. You may associate blue with a spring sky, a swimming pool or a robin's egg. Purple can be a profoundly calming color or a more vibrant shade, depending on the tone and your personal reaction to this rich hue.

Home improvement outlets and paint stores offer entire rainbows of sample cards that you can use to explore the different paint colors on the market. Take your favorite cards home and hold them up to the light in the bathroom that you want to paint. You may have a different response to a color when you actually see it in the room. The lighting in your bathroom, whether it's natural or artificial, may make a paint chip look completely different than it appears under the fluorescent lights in a paint store.

When you're choosing a calming color, you don't have to limit yourself to the shades commonly used in custom bathrooms. If you love deep, relaxing blues and purples, experiment with these shades in your bathroom. In a small bathroom, darker shades may overwhelm your space and make the area appear smaller. If your bathroom is tiny but you don't want to settle for pale, neutral colors, painting one wall in your favorite shade of blue.

Warm and Comforting Colors

Some homeowners find that warm palettes are more calming than cool colors. Yellows, oranges and reds can be comforting and reassuring. A pale, buttery yellow can lift your spirits first thing in the morning and welcome you warmly at night when you come home from work. Colors on the warm side of the spectrum may remind you of spring flowers, fresh baked goods and sunshine. Brighter shades of yellow can be energizing and uplifting. If you need that lift in your personal space, try a buttercup yellow combined with creamy shades of white or eggshell.

Red is considered to be a deeply energizing color. A darker red may have a calming effect, while a warm pink that reminds you of childhood may make you happy after a stressful day. Fuchsia and hot pink may not have a calming effect on you, but your teenager may love these bright, bold shades. In a family bathroom, choosing a calming color may require some compromises to find a shade that appeals to everyone's tastes.

When you're choosing calming paint colors, keep in mind that the type of paint you choose should be suitable for your bathroom. Matte paint can be attractive in a half-bath or powder room, but it doesn't hold up well in high traffic bathrooms that have extensive exposure to moisture. The color you choose should have a visually appealing, calming effect in a semi-glossy paint. Glossy and semi-glossy products are more resistant to the warmth and moisture of a bathroom.

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