The Best Colours For Your Bedroom Are Not What You Think

Hi, my name is Laurel Colins, and it is my pleasure to guest post for Maria today. I am The Beautiful Living Coach, and I live in Nelson B.C. I specialize in transformation through decoration. I use Feng Shui, colour, styling, and coaching to create environments that support the life you want to be living.

What is your favourite colour and why?

Pink! I have always loved most shades of pink.

I grew up in a heritage house built by my great grandparents in Nelson B.C., and my mother liked to create environments reminiscent of the magical musical movies she adored as a child.

This meant my bedroom (with its large, floor-to-ceiling bay windows) was draped in pink ruffled curtain panels, and the vintage-style wallpaper had a creamy background with trailing pretty pink floral patterns. There was a chandelier over my head that I would gaze at every night as I crawled under my white chenille bedspread with all the pretty pink cushions.

reminiscent of my childhood bedroom, soft and pretty with a touch of pink. source

Although not extravagant, that bedroom certainly gave me a love for crystals and romantic pretty pinks. I still love and use pink because it is pretty and fresh.

I’m a Shabby Chic kind of gal (and that’s no wonder based on what I grew up surrounded by), so it works perfectly with most of my furnishings.

In my line of work, pink is a great colour for giving people a sense of trust and comfort. It’s also good for receptivity, which is why I have painted my office door 2009-40 Peach Pink from Benjamin Moore.

Benjamin Moore Pink Peach 2009-40 source

I want my clients to know there is a safe space behind that door, whether they’re coming in for life coaching, feng shui, or to source a vintage treasure for a design project.

Gorgeous office with a great use of vintage style and pink. source

When it comes to colour, what’s hot?

Well, over the last several years and going forward at least into 2017, I have found pink to be very hot. Surprise!!!

I am not the only pink lover out there, and so I see shades of pink are very popular now. Picture the fuschia of an eco-friendly garden, the soft pink of a vintage floral, and the twilight tints found in a sunset. These colours are fresh, frosty, or soothing, and they can add just the right mood to most palettes.

You could find some pretty fabulous shades of pink in this sunset! source

I can’t resist a pink door! source

Vintage bark cloth floral print as inspiration. source

Pink florals and white walls source

Which colour do you think is timeless?

For me, creams and whites are timeless, and I still choose the whites I decorated with over a decade ago. My current home has Benjamin Moore Delaware Putty CC-230 throughout, and it works beautifully with my abundance of natural light, all the all the creamy shades of my accent pieces, and the crisp whites of my trim (Benjamin Moore Decorator’s White CC-20). I like to throw in some putty colours, like Benjamin Moore Florentine Plaster CC-530, for a touch of warm grey as well.

Benjamin Moore Decorator’s White CC-20 source

Benjamin Moore Delaware Putty CC-230 source

Benjamin Moore Florentine Plaster CC-520 source

What do you think is the biggest mistake homeowners make and why?

The biggest mistake I know people make is not testing their colours before painting.

I was speaking with a friend of my mom’s the other day, and she said she hates the colour of her whole living area. I asked why she didn’t repaint, but she said, “No way! I paid $5000 to have it painted, so I am living with it.” Imagine if she had first hired a colour consultant to help her choose a great shade, and if she’d bought a sample pot to test that shade before painting everything.

Colour is SOOO important, and it can evoke all kinds of emotions. It can make you feel wonderful, relaxed, peaceful, creative, and happy … or it can make you angry that you hate it and it cost you $5000.

You deserve to feel good in your home, your haven. The impact of living with colour(s) you hate is much deeper that you realize, but you can avoid this massive mistake very easily.

Even (ESPECIALLY) if you are choosing a white, and you think it will be a simple selection, you risk choosing the wrong undertone, which will create dingy shadows, not work with your ceiling colour or trim, and either clash or not have enough contrast.

Stop the insanity. Test your colours.

What is the best colour to use for a bedroom using Feng Shui principles?

Feng Shui tells us that bedrooms should be painted in flesh tones, but I don’t mean just that peachy cream colour. Flesh tones reflect all the races of world, giving us a broad range of shades.

Consider that this is the room you retreat to and rejuvenate in, so colours that seem to envelope you like loving arms feel right.

Flesh tones can be stunning as here with the beautiful textures and tufting. source

This grey would be considered flesh tone. So romantic and inviting. source

Imagine being an artist, and think of all the true colours it takes to create natural skin tones.

These are all the shades that make are found in true flesh tones. source

Flesh tones range in colour from creamy whites to yellow to shades of red and purple, and up to rich coffee browns. Check out this awesome comparison of skin tones to pantone. When you really think about it, there are a multitude of shades.

Another great example of the varied flesh tones. source

The main point here is to think in terms of colours that feel warm and organic, very much like the original, all-natural paint colours.

Also in Feng Shui, we recommend you avoid pure white or black for a bedroom. There is no nurturing warmth found in these colours. Bedrooms decorated in pure white or black will not feel relaxing and inviting. Although it may be striking to look at, it is not restful, which is the primary function for this room.

Which part of participating in Specify Colour with Confidence™ created the biggest breakthrough/aha moment/insight for your business, and how did it help you move forward?

Aside from learning how to identify undertones and to confidently make selections for myself and my clients, I learned how to get my business started.

Maria’s training was integral in my decision to create my own blog/website. I may have waited to implement that for myself, but she helped me realize the importance of having a place to send people, and that we didn’t need to spend a fortune on branding like she did. She took the fear and mystery out of it, and so I jumped in and did it.

Starting my blog/website before I even knew I was ready was the catalyst to have a business. It gave me a place to direct people and made me feel confident as a professional just by simply having my domain name and a landing page. It started simply, but it started, and all it takes is a first step. Maria gave me that nudge to make the step.

People have enjoyed my blog posts and have found them informative and often transformational. My website really shows my love for flowers and rustic paint finishes, and it seems there are lots of people just like me.

Since then, I have taken other awesome trainings with Maria that have demystified a lot of things or issues that we decorators come up against. She gives us tools to use for success that go beyond colour.

Thanks for having me, Maria! This has been fun to share some of my decorating philosophy with you all. I believe colour and great design are an essential part of what creates Beautiful Living and making the most out of every moment of every day. I would love to invite all of you to come to my website and grab my free gift: Find out the 10 Incredibly Simple Ways to Change Your Life in 10 Minutes or Less

Thanks Laurel for this beautiful post!

What do you think? Is it time to repaint your bedroom?

If you’d like to become the next True Colour Expert™ in your area register here.

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