Colors To Pick If You Want Your Home To Feel Calm

Escaping from the hustle and bustle of work, errands, and life's long list of to-dos is so much better when that escape is into a home that feels like a peaceful retreat. The right colors are essential to creating a calm abode.

Pale, soft shades like pastel pink, light sage, subtle blues, and warm whites are excellent picks for a calm home, as are moodier options. Mixing any of these with various neutrals adds interest without compromising the peaceful feeling. Other colors can become calmer by lightening them and reducing the intensity to achieve more subdued tones.

Of course, there are many ways to make your home feel calm, but it starts with color. After all, how peaceful are classical music and lavender incense going to make you feel if you're surrounded by vibrant, clashing reds and oranges at every turn?

Does It Have To Be All Or Nothing?

If you enjoy vivid hues, you don't have to avoid them completely to make your home feel calm. But you do need to be intentional with their use. For example, painting your bedroom walls bright yellow might not be the most relaxing choice. However, using the color in a smaller space that's not meant for sleeping, like a laundry room, could be fun. Then, you can soften it a bit with more neutral decor.

Or flip-flop it and keep your utility room's walls neutral, using bright yellow accents, like curtains, a fun container for detergent, and a hamper. These examples show that creating a calm home with color doesn't mean you have to give up on more energetic hues. But to achieve an overall sense of peacefulness, you'll likely want to stick to a palette composed mostly of calmer colors.

The Calm Side Of Color

Almost any color can become calm if it's at the right saturation and intensity. Typically, subtler shades or lighter tints and tones feel calmer than bright colors or overly saturated ones. Pastels are good examples, like lavender, pale yellow, or a hint of green. Softening a bright blue with white or gray tones could bring down its vibrancy, making it calmer. If you find a color you love that doesn't quite deliver the relaxed vibe you're looking for, don't ditch it.

Instead, consider whether you can make some adjustments to transform it into a subtler shade. You can see this concept in practice with paint swatch cards. These color swatches usually feature several shades, tones, and tints of a base color that demonstrate how it can go from calm to vibrant.

Six Popular Colors That Create A Calm Home

Some colors effortlessly evoke a sense of calm, making them top choices for homeowners seeking a comfortable sanctuary. Choosing a monochromatic color scheme or color-drenching a room in one of these hues is one way to create a calm vibe. However, it's okay to use a more varied palette that combines two or three calm colors in one space.

Beautiful Blues

Blue is a classic, calming color that makes spaces feel cozy, welcoming, and serene. For the ultimate peaceful essence, choose lighter shades or moodier tones. Remember, dark isn’t off-limits if you want a calm space; it’s all in how you use it. Moody, dramatic shades are perfect choices for creating cozy, intimate environments that make people feel secure and comfortable. Several examples of calming blues:

• Behr ( Aerial View) S530-3
• Sherwin-Williams ( Upward) SW 6239
• Sherwin-Williams ( Azure Tide) SW 9684
• Glidden ( Graceful) PPG1152-3

Some popular spots for calming blues are bedrooms, bathrooms, and nurseries. It pairs well with neutrals like cream, light tan, warm whites, and soft grays.

Soft Greens

Green typically stirs up happy feelings, and when used in softer, paler shades, it also helps create a sense of calm. Variations of green are often synonymous with nature, which contributes to a sense of serenity and freshness. Also, many greens include hints of blue, creating subtle blue-green hues that work well for manifesting restful feelings.  Examples of greens that create a calming atmosphere:

• Benjamin Moore ( Raindance) 1572
• Glidden ( Calming Green Waters) 30GG 29/108
• Behr ( Dragonfly) PPU12-03
• Sherwin-Williams ( Halcyon Green) SW 6213

Calm green shades work well if you’re craving that retreat feel in your bedroom, a spa-like bathroom, or a restful living area. Warm neutrals, such as cream, beige, and ivory, are good complements.

Pale Purples

If you’re looking for a cheery, calm space with perhaps a dash of whimsy, consider a light lavender or pale violet. Muted lilacs and mauves give a space a tranquil spirit while maintaining a hint of playfulness. A few options for calmer colors in the purple family are:

• Behr ( Aroma) M100-1
• Sherwin-Williams ( Modern Lavender) SW 9688
• Glidden ( Antique Violet) 50BB 46/091

Subtle purples work for a cozy, calm in bedrooms and living spaces. It’s also a good pick for transitional spaces, such as hallways. Pair it with warm grays or whites to keep the space softened, or couple it with soft greens.

Pastel And Rosy Pinks

Pink is a close cousin to purple, with many hues incorporating undertones of aubergine or tinges of violet. Pastel pinks, subtle shades of rose, and cozy blushes make spaces feel calm and can even be romantic or glam (especially with a few metallic accents). A few examples of calm pink colors are: 

• Glidden ( Santolina Blooms) PPG1045-3
• Benjamin Moore ( Batik) AF-610
• Sherwin-Williams ( Charming Pink) SW 6309
• Sherwin-Williams ( Pink Shadow) SW 0070

Warm Whites And Grays

Although many of the above colors pair well with neutrals to create calming designs, some neutrals also stand alone as a peaceful color scheme. Warmer neutrals tend to exude a cozier, softer ambiance that can bring instant serenity to a space. If using all neutrals, consider getting different sheens to add visual interest. For example, satin on the walls, semi-gloss on the trim, and high-gloss on cabinets. Also, many warm neutrals that convey a calming vibe feature undertones of other calming colors, like blue or green. Here are several examples of warm neutrals that cater to a calmer design:

• Benjamin Moore ( Ballet White) OC-9
• Sherwin-Williams ( Shoji White) SW 7042
• Behr ( Silent White) PPU26-13
• Sherwin-Williams ( Gray Screen) SW 7071
• Behr ( Tranquil Gray) DC-007
• Glidden ( Whirlwind) PPG1013-3

An all-neutral color scheme can work anywhere, from living spaces to bedrooms and even work spaces, like craft rooms or home offices. It also provides a perfect backdrop for layering in colors and textures when you want to change up the mood of a space, whether permanently or temporarily.

Other Ways To Enhance Your Home's Calm Mood

After determining your best calming color palette, carry on with the calm, because there are even more ways to make your home feel peaceful.

Soft Lighting

Keep the same color temperature throughout your home to avoid visual imbalance. Warmer whites tend to support calm feelings over harsher, brighter whites. Use various light sources in rooms to have more control over the amount of light in the space. For example, a lamp creates a cozy glow when you don’t want bright overhead lighting. Ambient light from wall sconces, floor lamps, or even LEDs under cabinets or inside bookshelves adds a cozy charm that enhances an aura of peace.

Cohesiveness

No matter what color scheme you choose, carry it throughout your home to create a cohesive look. When you can walk from one room to another and see a similar color palette, it keeps things flowing visually. This continuity typically adds to calm, whereas drastic color changes from one space to another can be more jarring or overly stimulating.

Cozy Textures

Texture is another way to contribute to a calm home. Plush fabrics, layered rugs, soft blankets, and other materials invite you to settle in and relax. Fabrics also help absorb sounds, which is another way to support a quieter mood.

Limited Clutter

Get rid of anything that’s creating too much visual chaos in your home. If your eyes don’t know where to land because there’s too much stuff, no amount of calming colors will make you feel relaxed.

Sounds And Scents

Yes, there is a time and place for lavender and classical music, or perhaps some light jazz. Pleasant aromas that evoke warmth and sounds that help you relax are excellent ways to engage more of the senses.

Effortless Function

Design is all about form and function, and spaces have to function well if you want them to feel put together and well-designed. As you plan your space, make sure you lay out furniture in a way that supports how you use the room. Pay attention to the flow throughout your home. Make design choices that enhance how you live rather than merely chasing a Pinterest-inspired photo.

Craving Calm? There’s No Place Like Home

Calm starts with color when it comes to a home that welcomes you with open arms. Choose hues like soft greens, moody blues, warm neutrals, or pale pastels to bring serenity to your spaces. Try out samples before committing, and assess how they make you feel, not just how they look. When you look at them, do you feel calm? If so, that’s a good indicator that you’ve found the color you’ve been searching for. So, flip through those color swatches, and see which ones make you say, “Aaaah.”

Related Guides:

• How To Choose The Right Color Scheme For Your Home
• Design Your Home For How You Want To Feel, Not Just How It Looks
• Easy Feng Shui Rules To Transform Your Home