The limewash painting technique has been around for centuries, but both TikTok and Pinterest have given new life to the trend and made it go viral.
With this in mind, the interior experts at Happy Beds have given the low down on all things limewashing, including its brilliant benefits for sleep and the colours you should choose to gain the maximum sleep-related benefits.
What is limewashing, you ask? Quite simply, it’s a painting technique that creates cloud-like strokes (see below), therefore, creating a serene environment perfect for the bedroom.
To carry out the technique, you can buy ready mixed limewash paint or do it yourself by creating a mixture of equal parts lime putty and water and adding powder pigment for colour. Then using a block brush, you paint the mixture onto your walls in a crisscross motion, achieving the desired brush stroke effect.
But, how can limewashing improve your sleep? The experts at Happy Beds reveal all:
The colours are incredibly calming making it easier to drift off at night
Did you know that having harsh-coloured walls, such as red or purple, can make it harder for you to fall asleep? This is because the colours are associated with high energy and activity, therefore, raising your heart rate and causing you to become more alert. On the other hand, the colours used in limewashing are known to be a lot more soothing, making it easier for you to relax and unwind at night.
This eco-friendly paint can actually improve the air quality in your bedroom
Did you know that the high pH level of lime used in limewashing makes your paint hypoallergenic? In turn, this means it has a chemical makeup that can remove distracting odours and harmful Co2, improving the overall air quality of your bedroom, which is incredibly important at night. This is because poor air quality can cause coughing and congestion, which prevents you from getting enough restorative sleep to function well the next day.
It can create an impact in a bedroom but without being as distracting as wallpaper
If you’re sick of the plain painted walls in your bedroom, you may be tempted to add wallpaper, however, this can make your room feel cluttered and busy, which is distracting for the mind when trying to fall asleep. Limewashing, however, is a great alternative as the stroke-like textures add that impact but in a more soothing way.
Fancy trying limewashing? These are the top five paint colours for promoting better sleep
Now that you know that certain colours are more sleep-inducing than others, here are the top five colours that are calming and suit the limewashing effect:
- Light coral
When you think of limewashing, you might think of the popular light coral colour. More muted than a regular coral shade and part of the terracotta family but with a pink hue, it is the perfect shade for limewashing. It’s light enough to not be dark and too heavy for sleep, but it is a great pop of colour that still has calming tones to it making it ideal for a bedroom.
- Sage green
The earthy tones in sage green combined with the limewash technique are a match made in heaven. The colour makes us feel relaxed, whilst bringing a peaceful air to the room creating a perfect environment for sleep. You may also see this colour used a lot in beauty therapy rooms and spas due to its calming properties.
- Pastel pink
Pastel pinks are great for sleep because they aren’t too boisterous and in-your-face when compared to the popular bright pink making its way around the interior world at the moment due to Barbiecore. Instead, pastel pink is a great colour to add a brighter ambience to a bedroom whilst still remaining dreamy looking and giving off a calming aura.
- Terracotta
This beautiful shade of orange/brown is a great way to bring an authentic, earthy feel into your bedroom. This shade often reminds us of being on holiday and warmth, both feelings that will set you up for a great night’s sleep. Whilst still being on the brighter side, it is more muted than a standard orange and in a limewash style, it looks extremely stylish. Also, don’t panic if this colour looks too dark when you initially apply it. It will dry much lighter than you think, so we recommend applying two coats to start with, and then you can darken it as it dries.
- Beige
Pinterest love a beige limewashed wall, and so do we as it’s great for sleep. Neutral-toned and equally stylish, it has both benefits for the interior design of a room as well as sleeping. Beige is a great option for those who don’t like colour in bedrooms as it possesses all of those calming hues that are perfect to create a tranquil environment.
Why has limewashing become such a big trend?
Whilst limewashing has been around for centuries, it’s recently seen a huge uptake thanks to both Pinterest and TikTok. The interior experts at Happy Beds have discovered that on TikTok, the hashtag #limewashbedroom has 2.1 million views and counting, with 58% of views coming from those aged between 25-34. The hashtag #limewashwall as a general home improvement has seen 8.3 million views up to now, and Pinterest has seen a 102% increase in searches for limewash walls since February 2022.
As a trend, limewash is also getting the most search interest it’s ever had over the last 5 years on Google, with searches sitting at an all-time high of 23,000 in the last month across the world, so it is definitely here to stay.
