Calming colours: how to decorate for easy living
Colour has the power to change and influence your mood from energising and happy tones to productive and energising brights or, as in this case, soothing and tranquil tones. To create peace and harmony in your home, choose your colours wisely. The trick is to blend the calming colours you like into a pleasing combination to create a cool, calm space that can turn your home into total haven for easy living. A calm and amicable home doesn’t have to be bland and monotonous, there are many combinations from the colour wheel that can create harmony and peace in every room what ever your taste and personality.
Probably the most common easy living colours are the ever popular neutrals; the basic and easy backdrop to every decorators tool kit. All-neutral schemes fall in and out of fashion, but their value lies in their flexibility: leave alone for super easy living or add gentle accent colours to add depth and interest which can then be easily changed and updated. If you love feeling close to nature, the natural colour palette and textures that are key to calming room schemes will sooth your soul. Perfect for fresh summer style it also easily translates into a winter look with the addition of cosier fabrics.
For the ultimate tranquil yet refreshing scheme stick to soft-white tones. Avoid modern stark whites and instead go for faded tones to evoke a soft and cooling feel. Team casual upholstery and whitewashed furniture with cosy textures, then add depth using accessories made from natural fibres such as hessian and wood.
Or bring a more wistful feel to your calming scheme using colours and textures of a stormy seascape as inspiration: subtle pebble shades of pale grey, sand and stone; the rough warmth of weathered wood and warm linen and fresh hues of sea, sky and cloud, then finish with the delicate beauty of pearlescent shells.
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Calming colours: how to decorate for easy living
With so many more harmonious and low-key looks to choose from such as pretty pastels, soft blues and on-trend shades of grey, take a look at our gallery of calming colour schemes for easy living, there is sure to be one to suit.
Faded white living room with cosy textures (pictured)
Use faded whites for walls for and furniture, then add subtle colour with wooden and natural-fibre accessories. Add interest with an eye-catching wall display using different styles of frame but in the same shade. Keep the look consistent and tranquil by only using black and white prints.
Similar sofa
Ikea
Similar pendant light
B&Q
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Calming aqua and blush dining room
Seaside colours are ideal for a family dining area, giving it a cool, laid-back freshness to what can often be a hectic and cluttered space. Think simple, with flat blue-grey walls and ship's deck-style plank flooring. Mid-century-inspired furniture will give shapely elegance to this rough-edged look, while a mixture of glossy and textured ceramics in a palette of grey, white and pale pink will add soft colour and subtle detail to the scheme.
Shelf ladder
Garden Trading
Table and chairs
Blusuntree
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Calming cool grey hallway
Soft grey can be ultra calming and so is a great choice in your hallway and pleasing to come home to. Add a display of subtle prints in natural wood frames and upgrade the simple scheme with unexpected hits of highly polished copper accessories to finish the look with relaxed glamour and elegance.
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Calming peppermint and pink kitchen
Make the the heart of your home a beautiful space for entertaining with a calming scheme of peppermint and soft lilac. Contemporary with a hint of county cottage, the top units add character in white gloss while pale wood-effect cupboards are subtle and stylish. Mint-coloured wall tiles, glass worktops and lilac accessories offset the units beautifully. The finished look is soft, fresh and welcoming.
Similar units
Magnet
Wall tiles
Johnson Tiles
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Calming pale blue and white home office
Create a calming and productive home office environment with duck-egg walls, white wooden panelling and flooring and then add pretty pattern for a harmonious Scandinavian-inspired scheme. Keep your mind clutter free with a tidy space; line up magazine files on a high shelf to keep paperwork off the desk.
Paint in Celestial Blue matt emulsion
The Little Greene Paint Company
Desk
John Lewis
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Calming pale and soothing bathroom
The bathroom should always be a sanctuary of calm and you can easily achieve this with pale tones, wooden accessories and lightweight textiles. The key is a traditional roll-top bath, which adds glamour and luxury to a simple space. Place a screen painted in soft grey nearby for an intimate vibe and decorative touch. Exotic hammam towels are a lightweight alternative to standard towelling. Body brushes and pumice stones are rustic details that complete the natural look.
Similar bath
Drummonds
Similar decorative screen
Maisons Du Monde
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Calming coastal bleached bedroom
Coastal schemes lend themselves well to calming, easy-living rooms as the combinations usually feel light, breezy and refreshing by day and cosy and cocooning at night. Choose sun-bleached colours and faint seaside motifs layered on a mix of contrasting textures, such as woven fabrics and fine linens, to create a relaxing, nature-inspired look.
Bed
Mobius Living
Drawers
Barker and Stonehouse
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Calming neutral living room
Neutrals are the obvious colour choice when creating a calming scheme, but when used as the main colour can feel a little on the chilly or flat side. For a wash of warmth bring in a few earthy accessories such as terracotta cushions on a laid-back sofa and a warm orange table lamp on olive-wood furniture. Try not overwhelm the look with too much colour so keep to just a few accents as this will defeat the room's calming effect.
Similar sofa
Sofas and Stuff
Similar lighting
Dunelm
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Calming and contemporary grey kitchen
Make a small space calming and practical with good design and cool colour. With its glass ceiling section streaming plenty of light and neutral colour palette, this compact open-plan kitchen has a serene and contemporary style. Marble worktops, minimal unit design and painted brickwork creates an industrial, yet welcoming and pared-back feel. Open treads on the staircase filter yet more light and give the sense that they are effortless floating against the wall.
Floor
The Solid Wood Flooring Company
Similar stools
Habitat
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Calming Mediterranean blue bedroom
Take inspiration from the laid-back Mediterranean with shades of airy white and lagoon blue teamed with eclectic rustic pieces for effortless style. Start with a plain white backdrop and add a focal yet simple four-poster bed for subtle luxury then add naturally weathered wood accessories, floating fabrics and a hit of turquoise blue bed linen to evoke relaxed and island style that instantly soothes the soul.
Similar bed
The Natural Bed Company
Similar bed linen
Zara Home
