'Not what you want before bed': HGTV's Jenny Marrs warns against this energizing color in the bedroom
The HGTV designer is on a mission to help us sleep better – and success starts by avoiding this controversial hue


Fixer to Fabulous star Jenny Marrs may be recognized for large-scale renovations, but her interests also lie in more intimate design projects – starting with the bedroom.
The designer recently sat down with H&G to discuss how to sleep better following a partnership with Natrol, and bedroom colors were at the top of her agenda.
'I love to have fun with design, but I really avoid loud paint colors and patterns in the bedroom because I want to promote a calming sensation the minute you walk into the room,' Jenny says.
The opposite of calm, according to Jenny, is red. 'You shouldn't paint your bedroom red because the color is associated with energy and social interactions – and it can raise your blood pressure. That is not what you want before bed when you're trying to wind down.'

Designer Jenny Marrs is the star of HGTV's Fixer to Fabulous and Almost Home. She also appears on Rock the Block (alongside designers including Jasmine Roth and Leanne Ford) and Design At Your Door (with Tamara Day and Tiffany Brooks). Jenny lives and works with her husband and co-star, Dave, in a restored farmhouse in Northwest Arkansas.
And Jenny is not alone in her observations. Geoff McKinnen, certified sleep coach at Amerisleep, describes red as an 'invigorating color' that will increase your heart rate before your sleep. 'One study found the color red increases brain activity and boosts alertness, something you don't want when trying to relax and fall asleep,' he adds.
When it comes to promoting a calming sleep sanctuary, sleep experts and designers agree that you should never paint your bedroom red – but this isn't the only hue on Jenny's banned list.
'Additionally, I always avoid painting bedrooms with extremely dark colors because they make a space feel and look and feel much smaller,' she says.
Sign up to the Homes & Gardens newsletter
Design expertise in your inbox – from inspiring decorating ideas and beautiful celebrity homes to practical gardening advice and shopping round-ups.
'Dark colors are also difficult to use in warmer climates because dark colors hold heat better than light colors. This can make your bedroom hotter than other rooms in the house, making it more difficult to sleep.'
Alongside being a poor choice for small bedrooms, Geoff adds that purple, in particular, should be avoided due to their similarities with red.
'Bright purple hues have reddish undertones, increasing energy levels and keeping you alert, but softer purple shades may boost sleepiness,' he warns. However, 'if you're set on painting your bedroom purple, try to choose a more muted tone, like lavender, because of its cool undertones.'
Alongside lavender, Jenny Marrs recommends choosing more neutral wall colors' such as creams or light grays, to help the space feel spacious' and more therapeutic. 'Leave the bright, bold patterns for other parts of the home,' she says.
You can read about Jenny's work with Natrol (and join their Sweepstake to win a $10,000 bedroom makeover) via their website.
Modern Bedroom Ideas – $14.99 on Amazon
For more layout inspiration, we recommend this book which explores many different aesthetics – including Mediterranean-style bedrooms, cottage bedrooms, and more.

Megan is the Head of Celebrity Style News at Homes & Gardens, where she leads the celebrity/ news team. She has a history in interior design, travel, and news journalism, having lived and worked in New York, Paris, and, currently, London. Megan has bylines in Livingetc, The Telegraph, and IRK Magazine, and has interviewed the likes of Drew Barrymore, Ayesha Curry, Michelle Keegan, and Tan France, among others. She lives in a London apartment with her antique typewriter and an eclectic espresso cup collection, and dreams of a Kelly Wearstler-designed home.
-
These are the 6 things designers say you should never put in a small living room
The items that should be banned from a small living room are right here along with what you should opt for instead
By Sarah Warwick
-
I always get my small space storage from Wayfair – and these discounted $35 Martha Stewart storage boxes are the perfect fix for my tiny vanity
I'm going vertical for tiny space storage success with this Early Way Day 2025 bargain
By Punteha van Terheyden