After changing the theme of my house I wondered, what color bed sheets should I get? If that's your question too, this article will help you out. The color of your bedsheets might not feel like the first priority when choosing your bedding, but should it be?
Color plays a big role in how our moods are formed, and the right colors can be the difference between a good night's sleep and a sleepless night.
How Does Color Impact Your Mood, and What Does That Have to do With Bedsheets?
According to the London Image Institute, color psychology “is an area of color theory that assigns emotional and psychological connotations between colors and emotions”.
Different colors can have an actual measurable effect on our moods and how we perceive a certain situation (red, for instance, has been known to increase the heart rate and is associated with energy and power).
However, not all color associations come directly from our brains – sometimes we associate different emotions with color based on our culture.
For instance, Craven Funeral Directors notes that western countries often associate black with death and consider it a color of mourning, whereas, in East Asia, it's actually the color white that's associated with mourning.
In short, we may have a physical response to certain colors, and for others, our reactions may be based more on how we were raised and act more like a placebo.
This is all to say that the color you choose for your bedsheets could have a real impact on your overall sleep quality, as well as your mood upon waking up.
Even if this effect is mostly a placebo caused by your cultural association with a certain color, your choice could have a direct impact on how you sleep.
Once you choose the right color and pattern for you, you should also do your research when it comes to the thread count, style, and quality of the fabric to help you choose the right bed sheets.
What Colors Work Best for Your Style? How do you Determine Your Style?
According to Blake Cooley for Overstock Sheet Club, a California-based bedding retailer, a great way to determine your personal style and preferences is to take a look in your closet! People gravitate towards certain colors, even if it's just subconsciously.
Do you like light or dark colors? Neutrals or bright colors? Also, take a moment to notice what patterns (if any) you enjoy wearing. Do you like florals, stripes, or animal prints? Or are you more inclined towards solids?
You can also look around at your home and the colors you choose to surround yourself with. What color did you choose for your sofa? What about the throw pillows? Consider the overall atmosphere you want to try and create in your home and how you want to feel.
One good strategy is to plan to make your bedroom a similar color scheme to the rest of your house, but more toned down and subdued. Also, consider the theme of your bedroom and the overall tone you want to set, both when you doze off and when you first wake up.
Do you want your room to be romantic? Reds, pinks, and purples are classic choices. If you want that spa-like calm, opt for soft greens, blues, and browns. Black is a great color if you want to be lulled to sleep quickly.
Warm vs. Cool Color Tones: What Color Bed Sheets Should I Get?
Graphic designer and web design teacher Jacci Howard Bear writes tells Lifewire that cool colors help soothe us.
They're cold and impersonal, which is why they're used often in professional environments and in areas that are meant to be calming (think a therapist's office). Warm colors, on the other hand, are full of energy and help get our blood pumping.
But they can also give off a feeling of warmth and comfort, which might feel soothing to the right person. Plus, you can always choose a warm neutral if you're worried about your sheets being too bright.
It may seem obvious at first that you'd want to choose a cool color over a warm color if you want to sleep better. But this isn't always the case. You may feel more comforted in a warm color scheme, and that might help you sleep soundly.
Also, keep in mind that warm colors can also have cool undertones, and vice versa (think bright red vs. a burgundy or a teal green vs. lime).
Neutrals vs. Bright Colors: What Will Help You Sleep at Night?
Danielle McLeod of The Sleep Judge notes that although light-colored neutrals like whites, beiges, and soft grays are not the most practical sheet colors when it comes to stains, they're still the most popular colors that people choose for their bedding.
That's because they fit in classic, traditional home decor design and blend in well with just about any bedroom theme. Bright colors, on the other hand, are less popular because they aren't as soothing. While neutrals feel pulled from nature, brights are less organic.
For many, it may make it harder to fall asleep in the morning. On the other hand, if you're a morning person and love waking up with lots of energy, you might want to consider bright colors like pinks, oranges, and reds.
If you want to incorporate bright colors into your bedroom theme without overwhelming your senses with bright bedsheets, there is a solution. White is an excellent compromise, because not only can it work well with a brightly-colored bedding set, it also feels crisp, clean, and refreshing.
It works perfectly as a neutral in its own right. White is also an excellent option if you want a low-maintenance sheet set. No worries about tough stains, just run it through the washer with some bleach!
Final Thoughts
Colors play a huge part in determining how we feel. Since we spend 1/3 of our lives in bed, we should take the time to find bedsheets that make us feel calm and peaceful to help ensure a restful night's sleep.
Warm colors can make you feel energized, or they can give you a sense of warmth and comfort. Cool colors can make you feel calmer, but the wrong shade can bring your mood down and make you feel sad.
Neutrals are a nice middle-of-the-road choice if you're looking for a classic bedroom theme. If your style is more contemporary, don't be afraid to get creative with colors.
Once you're ready to find the perfect bedsheet for you, follow these steps:
- Go through your closet and home to determine your personal style and what colors you gravitate towards
- Do some research about what thread count and fabric are right for your bedding
- Once you've got a general idea of the color and fabric you want, try to shop for sheets in person where you can touch the sheets and see them in realistic lighting (Remember that screen settings can vary and products look different online than they do in person!)
- Lastly, don't forget to wash your new sheets!