12 Calming Colors for a Serene Home

With life more stressful than ever, many of us are eager to fashion our homes as restful, relaxing sanctuaries. Thoughtful color selection is an effective way to achieve serenity. To find a shade that soothes, Sue Wadden, director of color marketing for Sherwin-Williams, recommends painting large swatches of your two or three favorite shades so you can observe how the colors shift as the natural light changes and how they look under artificial lighting. “Once you’ve spent time with each color, you’ll better understand what creates a calming mood in a room and be able to make your final choice,” says Wadden.

Click through for paint colors that radiate a sense of calm, helping you regroup, recharge, and face each day with renewed energy.

A light gray is the perfect base for a calm room. The subtle shade softens a room without making it too dim, and the room can be decorated any way you wish. Clare’s Seize the Gray is a perfect choice for a calm gray. Since it doesn’t have undertones, it is versatile for any style room and can adapt to various lighting types.

RELATED: 8 Colors You Didn’t Know Were Trademarked

Light blue instantly brightens up a space. The appropriately named Headspace by Clare is a universal favorite for being soft and airy, which creates a calm, uplifting atmosphere.

RELATED: 13 Reasons We Love Blue Bedrooms

Taupe is a mix of brown and gray, but don’t confuse it for beige. This shade is typically richer and darker, with warm undertones. Wadden recommends the “cocoon feeling” that a taupe paint can convey. Truly Taupe is warm and easy to coordinate with neutral-colored furniture and Valspar’s Alabaster or Nice White.

Pale purple, such as lavender or lilac, is a great option if you want to break away from neutral colors. A shade like Euphoric Lilac by Valspar soothes while still offering a pop of color and a happy vibe. Paint this satin finish on your bedroom or sitting room walls for a calming retreat.

White paint provides the blank slate you need to relax. A natural white, like Pure White by Sherwin-Williams, brightens a room and helps you stay focused.

RELATED: 7 Things You Need to Know Before Painting Your Walls White

You might not be able to live at the beach or see waves from your house, but that doesn’t mean you can’t bring that breezy vibe to your home. Clare’s Make Waves is a cool green blue that, like ocean waves, ebbs and flows with your house’s natural lighting.

RELATED: Buyer’s Guide: The Best Paint Brands to Update Your Home

Pick beige for a light, peaceful neutral that lets your furniture and decor take center stage. With yellow undertones, a beige paint such as Bona Fide Beige by Sherwin-Williams is a softer, cozy alternative to white.

RELATED: 19 Rooms That Prove That Beige Isn’t Boring

Pink isn’t just for little girls’ bedrooms anymore. From millennial pink to dusty rose, these subdued shades rejuvenate a space without being shocking. Consider Petunia Pink by Benjamin Moore for a muted pink pastel that dances around the edge of plum.

RELATED: The Best Paint Colors for a Home Office

Bring the peace and serenity of daybreak indoors with Morning Sunshine by Benjamin Moore. A cheerful color that adds brightness while banishing the blahs, Morning Sunshine is not, however, so loud that it disrupts the calm. Richer than a banana peel, more muted than a child’s rain slicker, this lovely shade is the Goldilocks of yellows: just right.

RELATED: 7 Ways Your Paint Picks Affect Your Mood

Greige has cool undertones while still being gentle and warm. Chill by Clare (which has the perfect name for a calming paint color) has subtle green undertones, which makes for a light, airy space.

RELATED: Beyond White: 15 Alternative Hues to Color Your Bath

A whisper of color in the warmest of tones cannot help but contribute to a sense of serenity. A lovely, neutral backdrop for cherished furnishings and art, Intricate Ivory from HGTV Home by Sherwin Williams ensures that tranquility reigns in a home that feels like, well, home. This comforting cream welcomes accessories in a similar palette or accents in bursts of contrast for just a bit of excitement.

RELATED: 10 Expert Tips for Bringing Biophilic Elements Into the Home

For those seeking a verdant vibe, perhaps something minty and mossy is the answer. Consider Valspar Pale Tidepool, a smooth and modern hue that offers a placid perspective for dwellers seeking a serene setting. Refreshing and leaning toward cool, Pale Tidepool conjures early spring days at the shore, waffle cones replete with pistachio ice cream in hand.