The 8 Best Colors for a Calming Boy's Nursery

Benjamin Moore Cushing Green

This mossy green color, Cushing Green (HC-125) by Benjamin Moore, is considered a neutral, but one that adds a subtle bit of drama to a nursery. Use it with subtle gray tones for a calming effect. Its deep hunter green base is tempered with soothing blue-gray undertones. Pair this green with crisp white trim and natural textures for a clean, wholesome, and organic look.

The Spruce Best Home Cosmic Sapphire

Bold, and yet surprisingly neutral navy blue never fails to make a statement. Still, finding just the right navy shade for a nursery can be a challenge.

Cosmic Sapphire ( SPR-18) by The Spruce Best Home is a weighty, color-saturated hue. Its deep blues and subtle violet undertones add a touch of modern sophistication to the traditional blue nursery palette. The color is also an ideal tone that will easily mature with your baby boy into the teen years.

Sherwin-Williams Peppercorn

Looking for a nursery-worthy gray? Thanks to a healthy dose of cool blue undertones, Peppercorn (SW 7674) by Sherwin Williams is a charcoal paint color that's versatile and looks sharp against white, light gray, and icy blue hues. It also pairs nicely with bright and lively contemporary citrus tones, like yellow or orange, for a burst of energy.

Behr Teal Zeal

A fresh teal is an excellent choice for a baby boy's nursery because of its mix of calming green and blue undertones. This rich medium tone, Teal Zeal (500D-5) by Behr, is bold but also includes a subtle hint of gray to further cool the color. Pair it with gray, white, or navy accents for an all-boy look.

Behr Chic Taupe

If you're craving a warm and sweet nursery neutral, try Behr’s Chic Taupe (N230-4). This smooth, chocolate milk-inspired color looks perfectly delicious with creamy white accents and candy-colored shades of pastel blue and green. Best of all, it can be easily updated with more sophisticated accents, like red or navy, as your baby boy grows older.

Sherwin-Williams Repose Gray

Whether your nursery is bright and airy or a little on the darker side, you can’t go wrong with a versatile, almost-greige color like Sherwin-Williams’ Repose Gray (SW 7015). It's not quite brown enough to be considered greige, but this light gray shade includes subtle touches of brown and purple undertones that are just enough to add a little warmth to a bright or dark space.

Benjamin Moore Lime Sorbet

Lime Sorbet (2032-70) by Benjamin Moore has the perfect blend of blue and yellow tones. The combination results in a fresh and inviting green that’s somewhat minty but not overly pastel. Pair the color with a rich navy or a gray accent hue for a healthy dose of boyish charm.

The Spruce Best Home Paint Blue Marlin

A striking, medium blue-gray, The Spruce Best Home's Blue Marlin (SPR-16) has a cooling, calming effect. Set the color against light greys and clean white accents for a softly hushed nursery. If you like the vintage industrial chic style for a boy's nursery, pair the color with rustic, medium-tone woods and metal accents. It's a color combination that will also mature along with your little boy.

Determine how much paint you need with The Spruce's Paint Calculator.