Unlike any other room in your home, your bedroom is not only used for daily tasks like dressing, relaxing or simply a place to store your personal belongings, but is also the space in which you rest and rejuvenate to face another day.

Most colours are naturally stimulating and while you may want to decorate your private space in the trendiest of colours, research has shown that this may not be good for your sleeping patterns. Some people are afraid to experiment with colour and rightly so as mistakes can be costly to correct, but by understanding the basic elements of colour you will have a clearer idea as to what colours are appropriate for the bedrooms in your home.

Colour schemes
A hue is the actual colour that appears on the colour wheel. When white is added to this colour it is called a tint and when black is added it is called a shade. All colour schemes can incorporate the hue, tint and shade.

Monochromatic colour schemes use three colours directly next to each other, like red, orange-red and yellow.

Complimentary colour schemes use colours from opposite sides of the colour wheel to create a scheme like red and green.

Split-complimentary colour schemes match one main colour to its opposite colour and one of the colours next to this colour. An example is purple matching to its opposite yellow and adding green, which lies next to yellow.

Triad colour schemes use three colours that are equidistant from each other on the colour wheel ? like red, yellow and blue.

Then and now
The people of yesteryear had little to worry about when choosing colour schemes for their homes, but today we are bombarded by thousands of different colours though television, computers and advertising. Experts estimate that our brains are stimulated by colour and sound for about sixteen hours each day ? eight more than our forefathers.

They also estimate that the human eye can identity as many as 10 million colours, so it's no surprise that a visit to your local hardware store to choose a new paint colour for the guest bedroom can send you scurrying back home in fright! Why all these colours and where do you begin?

Sensing colour
Different colours are simply different wavelengths of light. We do not actually see the colour but rather the light that is reflected from the object.

Colour initiates the mood and character of a room and brings to the forefront how one would feel inside that space. One person might be drawn to the cool, relaxing and reassuring hues of blue. Another may find it terrifying and icy cold. Colours are not only visual but embrace all the senses and can be touched, tasted and even smelt. The shape and size of the room also give important clues to colour scheme. Warmer colours make a sunless, cold room look brighter and feel warmer, while the cooler colours make a small room look larger.

Be careful when selecting colours for carpets or walls. Some colours look perfect in small quantities but can look out of place when used over a large area. Artists and interior decorators often look to nature for inspiration. Colours in nature seem to perfectly harmonise.

White is the colour of freshly fallen snow. Orange and yellow are colours that draw warmth to them, they reflect the light of the sun. The cooler colours like soft tans, creams and blues of the seaside evoke tranquil and serene feelings. Your bedroom is the perfect place to mimic nature. In what natural setting do you feel most comfortable?

Different room, different feel
Each bedroom in your home will need unique treatment based on the personality and age of the owner.

Main


Earthy tones create a restful feel
As long as you consider your partner's taste you can put your individual stamp on a main bedroom. Many men are overlooked in the scheme of things so don't opt for an entirely feminine look but rather a good combination of both. You may wish to add a couch or a few easy chairs for added colour if space allows. This will also provide you with a private spot to read or relax.

Take the location of the room into account too. A very warm room can be successfully cooled with shades like blue, cool greens, aqua and turquoise. Researchers suggest that if you battle to get up in the morning a vivacious yellow, orange or red room should do the trick!

Children
Children's rooms should be bold, vibrant and practical. In this room creativity can reign supreme. Let your child help in choosing the duvet and curtains and be lenient even if it isn't what you had in mind. It's also good to think ahead and opt for a scheme that is easily adaptable as the child gets older. For a younger child, murals painted directly on the wall will add colour and can accentuate any theme in the room.

Guest
Muted colours are not too dark or light or as colourless as some pastel shades. These shades are essentially colours with grey added to them. They respond well to the early morning light and take on a dark look as the daylight fades. They are perfect colours for a guest bedroom as they are not overpowering and should appeal to most personalities. They also provide the decorator with a chance to experiment with a few different colours. Natural tans, biscuit, rose, mushroom, peach, dusty pink and grey-blue are colours that fall into this category.