20 Calming Paint Colors to Make Your Home Your Happy Place
Because your home should be a sanctuary.
Designing a space that truly promotes relaxation involves more than just selecting comfy furniture. In fact, the paint color you choose for your walls is just as important—and choosing the right shade can have a huge impact on your mood at home. Take some inspiration from these calming examples, from bedrooms to living rooms and everything in between, which will inspire rest and relaxation without sacrificing style.
Oh and when that's all set, make sure you do everything you can to really make your space a place to destress–get rid of clutter, have soft pillows nearby, and light your favorite candle.
Aubergine
Ariane Bethea designed this office to have plenty of workspace with a wraparound desk for two people. An abundance of closed storage houses all the practical but less pretty components of office work, while open shelving above shows off a collection of objects and books. A rich yet relaxing shade of aubergine paint blankets the entire room for a soothing backdrop.
Lavender
A 19th-century Virginia home gets a lovely refresh from designer JD Ireland Interior architecture design with a soft shade of purple. It looks both subtle and sweet juxtaposed against the wood and gilt pieces.
Deep Turquoise
This dark, blue-green color in a sitting room designed by Avery Cox creates a serene atmosphere, perfect for reading and studying. Cox only painted one of the walls along with the door and moldings so that a complementary wallpaper could be applied on the opposite side, completing the pattern-packed approach.
Sage Gray
Choose a deep yet muted gray with a bit of a green undertone for a spa-like sensation when you enter the room. This kitchen designed by Marshall Watson gives off a tranquil vibe.
Soft Green
The coziness of a soft green is unparalleled. Paired with neutral bedding and decor, it's the epitome of stress relief.
Peach
"The bedroom gets great light throughout the day, so we wanted to go for a peachy color on the walls that would give it a nice glow with the sunlight," explains Another Human founder Leah Ring of this room her firm designed. The calming bedroom "feels layered in a comfortable way but not too busy—[you] feel very serene when you’re in the room," Ring says. The plexiglass butterfly artwork brings a touch of whimsy.
Pale Yellow
Yellow gives off energy and warmth. Plus, science is behind it as a color that's bound to make you feel happy. This room designed by Steven Gambrel is all the evidence you need.
Sky Blue
This ethereal shade of blue in a bedroom by Ellie Cullman is both calming and cheerful. Surrounded by classic accents and refined furnishings, it adds just the right amount of energy. We love how it mimics the sky applied in a high gloss on the ceiling.
Classic White
Nothing gives a clean, crisp vibe better than the color white. "It sets the tone for my whole morning," says Analisse Taft-Gersten of starting her days in this white master bath.
Blush
A blush-painted room filled with plants and natural decor screams relaxation. It's the perfect space to sit back and get lost in a good book.
Tan
A calming tan will warm up the room and make it feel more inviting, as Sarah Anderson-Magness proves in this bright breakfast nook at her Frank Lloyd Wright home.
Deep Blue
This shade of blue is vibrant yet tranquil. It's almost as if you're staring straight into the sea. The gloss makes it even better, according to Sean Leffers, who designed this room.
Lilac
Choose a purple with gray undertones, like lilac, so it doesn't feel too bold and vibrant. For accents, use creams and blues, like Mark Sikes did here.
Off-White
This off-white with a tinge of pink will have you wanting to lounge all day long. Pair it with other neutrals with fun patterns like Jonathan Berger did in this room.
Mauve
Not too gray, not too violet, mauve is totally soothing. Its gracefulness and subtlety are perfect for a dining room, like this one designed by Kristin Kong.
Teal
This blue-green mix gives a living room by Thomas Jayne just the right amount of liveliness without being too overbearing.
Light Blue
A room drenched in a pale blue shade will have you feeling like you're almost in a fairytale. This room designed by Rivers Spencer is no exception.
Dark Green
A dark green will make you feel like you're relaxing among nature, whether it's a park or the jungle. Look to this room in Ricky Strauss's home for inspo.
Dark Gray
With the right accessories, a dark gray can instantly bring you into a relaxed state Add a few lit candles to set the tranquil mood, and it's the perfect space to meditate, take a nap, or enjoy a meal.
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