Should You Avoid Certain Colors In A Nursery? Science Explains

My father wasn't much for home improvement, but I remember the weekend he painted my bedroom yellow. At the time, yellow was the color that my 6-year-old self loved most. I remember how he beamed as he tucked me into my bed to spend my first night in my freshly-painted room. Unfortunately, I couldn't sleep. The yellow was too yellow. Think highlighters and neon chalk. It was enough to keep anyone awake, let alone a 6-year-old. When it comes to your baby, sleep is precious. So what colors should you avoid in a nursery? I know from experience that color can affect you in unexpected ways, but I also understand my dad's impulse to show his love with a colorful (if misguided) gesture. The pressure's on with a baby, though, and you might have to skip your Pinterest dream for more sleep.

Babies learn to distinguish color categories early, The Guardian reported. Where they struggle is in distinguishing more subtle differences in shade. So if you're going for a two-color scheme, think stark contrasts, not ombré blends. Also avoid anything washed out, like pastels or mossy greens, because, well, your baby won't notice it — at least for awhile. On the other end of the spectrum, loud colors like day glow brights might be too stimulating, according to an article on Behr.com. And you do want your baby to sleep.

On that note, Baby Sleep Site recommended cool colors over warm — think blue, purple, green — for their soothing effect. According to Cognitive Daily, a study showed that 3-month-old babies prefer blues and purples over other colors. No one knows exactly where this preference comes from, but I assume that's the color most mothers paint their wombs. I mean, didn't you?

In the final tally, your baby will respond more to you than to the colors on the wall. When choosing your nursery color, it may well be your likes (and dislikes) that matter most. Behr.com wisely recommended avoiding yellow and brown in the nursery — because you'll be seeing enough of that inside a Huggies to last a lifetime. Personally, I suggest you avoid bright yellows, and anything you find too stimulating. After all, caring for a newborn is stimulating enough, and one day, you might want to take a nap in there.