The Role of Color in Children’s Interior Design Photo by Tatiana Syrikova

The idea that children’s spaces should be stimulating and educational emerged following the Industrial Revolution. Families who could afford to were able to give children their own rooms – and by the late 19th Century many children of middle and upper-class households had their own nurseries, complete with decorative friezes with entertaining or educational themes.

While historically the design of children’s spaces (both in the home and classroom) had a tendency to be influenced by current decor trends of the time (for example the earthy tones popularized in the 1970s, versus the bold Memphis-inspired brights of the 1980s), this idea of “stimulating young minds” with color has remained at the forefront.

Color Theory

Wolfgang Von Goethe is credited with conceptualizing the color wheel used by artists and designers today, yet he also expanded on another color theory originating in Ancient Egypt; one that noted the effects of color on mood.

This idea (later explored by Carl Jung) is often attributed to colors found in nature: blues and greens were associated with tranquility, while red is frequently interpreted as action-oriented or even dangerous.

In 1994 (when the trend for polychromatic children’s rooms was at its peak), a study showed that children expressed similar emotional responses to color, with darker hues having more of a negative effect than bright colors.

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The Return of Neutral Decor

The phrase “sad beige” originally began as a satirical take on social media of the trend for parents decorating their children’s spaces in neutral tones, yet there are a number of reasons behind the pushback against technicolor toys and stimulating spaces.

Besides the shift from rigid gender-based pink-and-blue color schemes, there was also a shift towards a more eco-friendly, minimalist aesthetic that appeared austere, yet primarily centered on wealth and luxury.

The resurgence of beige minimalism (previously seen during the mid-2010s) was also viewed as a response to a collective sense of exhaustion in the wake of the pandemic, with parents (many of whom were spending more time at home with their children) opting for calmer, more serene color schemes in their home.

Colorful Spaces: Too Much of a Good Thing?

In many ways, this pushback against brightly-colored children’s spaces with plainer, neutral colored rooms was typical of instances on social media where opinions are frequently divisive and the logical response is to act in direct opposition, even when the situation calls for a more balanced, nuanced response.

The same can be said for the effects of color on children; while very young babies and children can be overstimulated by bright colors, for older children they can be useful for sparking creativity, imagination and for nurturing overall development. Rather than removing color altogether, it’s worth considering its use depending on the situation, the age of the child and their individual needs.

A Rainbow of Possibilities

For an individual child’s room, this may have to do with their personal preference (for example, neurodivergent children can be more sensitive to colors). In the classroom, a happy medium may be reached with softer, less-saturated colors and consideration of the room’s purpose using color psychology.

As we gain greater awareness of how environment affects children’s emotional and mental wellbeing, this suggests an expansion of the color palette beyond beige towards hues that expand the mind and boost creativity – minus the overwhelm.

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