Interior Design
Best of the Week: 23 Pastel-Pretty Spaces That Soothe and Refresh
These are not the saccharine sugar-hues of the 1980s; these contemporary pastel palettes visually cool down a room
Pastels used to be relegated to nurseries and pre-teen bedrooms. In the 1980s, they tended towards overly sweet – think the saturated peaches, baby blues and mint greens of that era. They lose their fresh look pretty quickly. The pastels of this era, however, have a cooler tone and an almost-watercolour opacity, as these spaces show. Scroll through and be refreshed.
And remember, you can get more details of a project and see more of a professional’s work by clicking on a photo.
And remember, you can get more details of a project and see more of a professional’s work by clicking on a photo.
2. Location: Singapore
Designer: STYLEDBYPT - STYLED BY PRISCILLA TAN
Features: The soft blue-grey walls of this bedroom create the illusion that it’s a cool, cocooning space.
Designer: STYLEDBYPT - STYLED BY PRISCILLA TAN
Features: The soft blue-grey walls of this bedroom create the illusion that it’s a cool, cocooning space.
3. Location: London, UK
Designer: Mowlem & Co
Features: Pale, powder blue cabinets add softness to the linear design of this kitchen.
Find a local interior designer or decorator on Houzz to revamp your home
Designer: Mowlem & Co
Features: Pale, powder blue cabinets add softness to the linear design of this kitchen.
Find a local interior designer or decorator on Houzz to revamp your home
4. Location: Charleston, USA
Designer: Allison Elebash Interior Design
Features: The backing of the open shelves that flank the TV/fireplace is painted a soft apricot that echoes the upholstery of the dining chairs (you can see a bit of it in the lower left-hand edge of the photo). Contrasting pale blue cushions bring out the subtle apricot touch.
Designer: Allison Elebash Interior Design
Features: The backing of the open shelves that flank the TV/fireplace is painted a soft apricot that echoes the upholstery of the dining chairs (you can see a bit of it in the lower left-hand edge of the photo). Contrasting pale blue cushions bring out the subtle apricot touch.
5. Location: Singapore
Designer: Mr Shopper Studio
Features: A custom-designed rose-print wallpaper sets the tone for this feminine bedroom.
Read more about this home
Designer: Mr Shopper Studio
Features: A custom-designed rose-print wallpaper sets the tone for this feminine bedroom.
Read more about this home
6. Location: Mumbai, India
Designer: loc design house
Features: The pale celadon green cushions on the built-in banquette seating enlivens the otherwise neutral palette of this dining room.
Designer: loc design house
Features: The pale celadon green cushions on the built-in banquette seating enlivens the otherwise neutral palette of this dining room.
7. Location: Orange County, USA
Designer: Grace Blu Interior Design
Features: Powder blue works really well with modern-Shaker-style cabinetry.
Browse more coastal style kitchens
Designer: Grace Blu Interior Design
Features: Powder blue works really well with modern-Shaker-style cabinetry.
Browse more coastal style kitchens
8. Location: Moscow, Russia
Designer: Студия интерьерного дизайна LemonLine
Features: Because the pastels used in this room have a similar shade and opacity, even when they’re used on the floor, wall and ceiling in different formats, the room looks cohesive and calming.
Designer: Студия интерьерного дизайна LemonLine
Features: Because the pastels used in this room have a similar shade and opacity, even when they’re used on the floor, wall and ceiling in different formats, the room looks cohesive and calming.
3. Location: Singapore
Designer: STYLEDBYPT - STYLED BY PRISCILLA TAN
Features: A cold white is paired with a very subtle warm grey to create the cool, almost icy-blue ambience in this kitchen.
Designer: STYLEDBYPT - STYLED BY PRISCILLA TAN
Features: A cold white is paired with a very subtle warm grey to create the cool, almost icy-blue ambience in this kitchen.
10. Location: Oregon, USA
Designer: JulieO Design
Features: The softest green gives the preppy blue-yellow-green palette a fresh update.
Designer: JulieO Design
Features: The softest green gives the preppy blue-yellow-green palette a fresh update.
11. Location: Austin, USA
Designer: BANDD DESIGN
Features: The clever thing about a pastel palette is because they’re so pale, you can use as many shades as the blue wall, pink sheets, green cushion and coral wallpaper.
Designer: BANDD DESIGN
Features: The clever thing about a pastel palette is because they’re so pale, you can use as many shades as the blue wall, pink sheets, green cushion and coral wallpaper.
12. Location: Dallas, USA
Designer: Emily Johnston Larkin
Features: Seafoam green and a contemporary shell-inspired wallpaper add freshness and fun to this otherwise-traditional dining room.
Designer: Emily Johnston Larkin
Features: Seafoam green and a contemporary shell-inspired wallpaper add freshness and fun to this otherwise-traditional dining room.
13. Location: Rome, Italy
Designer: Carola Vannini Architecture
Features: Soft pinks bring out the warmth of the aged wood ceiling and brick wall of this renovated Roman apartment.
Designer: Carola Vannini Architecture
Features: Soft pinks bring out the warmth of the aged wood ceiling and brick wall of this renovated Roman apartment.
14. Location: Sydney, Australia
Designer: Shaynna Blaze and Kitchen Makeovers. Don’t Replace It, Reface It!
Features: A pastel violet that looks contemporary has more grey in it – like the cabinets in this gorgeous kitchen.
Designer: Shaynna Blaze and Kitchen Makeovers. Don’t Replace It, Reface It!
Features: A pastel violet that looks contemporary has more grey in it – like the cabinets in this gorgeous kitchen.
15. Location: Los Angeles, USA
Designer: LA Design Build
Features: Grey with a violet undertone adds the softest colour to this luxurious bathroom.
Designer: LA Design Build
Features: Grey with a violet undertone adds the softest colour to this luxurious bathroom.
16. Location: Mumbai, India
Features: A patterned celadon-green feature wall draws the eye to the apricot headboard of this bed.
Features: A patterned celadon-green feature wall draws the eye to the apricot headboard of this bed.
17. Location: Atlanta, USA
Designer: Hue Interiors Inc.
Features: The palest robin egg blue paired with grey tiles and other shiny surfaces creates a little Tiffany&Co look in this bathroom.
Designer: Hue Interiors Inc.
Features: The palest robin egg blue paired with grey tiles and other shiny surfaces creates a little Tiffany&Co look in this bathroom.
18. Location: Toronto, Canada
Designer: Decor by Christine Interior Decorating & Design
Features: This grey bedroom gets a controlled sprinkling of millennial pink.
Millennial Pink and How to Use This Colour
Designer: Decor by Christine Interior Decorating & Design
Features: This grey bedroom gets a controlled sprinkling of millennial pink.
Millennial Pink and How to Use This Colour
19. Location: London, UK
Designer: Jones Associates Architects
Features: The pale green-grey of the cabinets call the fresh green outdoors into this glass-walled kitchen, for an extra helping of freshness.
Designer: Jones Associates Architects
Features: The pale green-grey of the cabinets call the fresh green outdoors into this glass-walled kitchen, for an extra helping of freshness.
20. Location: Nashville, USA
Designer: Becky Rose Design
Features: Mint Shaker-style cabinets freshen up this laundry.
8 Hardware Choices for Shaker Kitchen Cabinets
Designer: Becky Rose Design
Features: Mint Shaker-style cabinets freshen up this laundry.
8 Hardware Choices for Shaker Kitchen Cabinets
21. Location: Perth, Australia
Designer: Bella Life Style
Features: Pale blue cabinetry creates a relaxed ambience in this laundry that doubles as a home office – just the kind of atmosphere needed to do the dreaded tasks of laundry and work!
Designer: Bella Life Style
Features: Pale blue cabinetry creates a relaxed ambience in this laundry that doubles as a home office – just the kind of atmosphere needed to do the dreaded tasks of laundry and work!
22. Location: Toronto, Canada
Designer: Wanda Ely Architect Inc.
Features: Pale green is generously used on the wallpaper and headboard-divider in this relaxing bedroom.
Designer: Wanda Ely Architect Inc.
Features: Pale green is generously used on the wallpaper and headboard-divider in this relaxing bedroom.
23. Location: London, UK
Designer: Fraher and Findlay
Features: Warm grey on the skirting and doors is paired with the palest pink on the wall of this hallway study. A punchier pink on the chair seat brings out the soft shade of the walls.
Tell us
Which of these 20 cornice treatments is your pick of the bunch? Tell us your favourites in the Comments below, like this story, save the images, and join the conversation.
Designer: Fraher and Findlay
Features: Warm grey on the skirting and doors is paired with the palest pink on the wall of this hallway study. A punchier pink on the chair seat brings out the soft shade of the walls.
Tell us
Which of these 20 cornice treatments is your pick of the bunch? Tell us your favourites in the Comments below, like this story, save the images, and join the conversation.
Designer: Studio FortyFour
Features: A pale green laminate clads the cabinets of this apartment kitchen, beautifully contrasting the wood finish of the floor tiles and countertops, and softening the harsh tropical sun streaming through the window.
Read more about this home