New flash! Baby pink, powder blue and sherbet lemon are back in the building and they’re all grown up. With a sense of style and sophistication that they’ve never had before, pastel colours are flying the nest from the nurseries and twee tea rooms they have long since been associated with. You will now find pastels sitting pretty in high-profile commercial spaces, contemporary public zones and modern-day domestic interiors alike so it’s about time you got to know the new hue.
Bearing this in mind, I thought it would be useful to impart a few of my own pearls of wisdom to help you nail this Spring/Summer 2016 interior design trend. When it comes to changeable fashions, statement shades and expansive spaces, you really do need to get it right so here’s my holy trinity of pointers to guide you in the right direction.
Pick your pastels wisely
If you’re thinking of diving into the toy box and playing around with pastels for your next interior project then my biggest piece of advice would be to stick to no more than 3 or 4 colours. If you love pastel hues as much as I do then you’re bound to be left feeling super spoilt for choice but reign it in, buddy, or you’ll end up creating something even Willy Wonka would raise an eyebrow at.
Avoid the dreaded Pick ’n’ Mix problem by opting for a handful of gradient shades in one colourway - pink, blue and grey are looking to be the most popular this season - and work within these complimentary tones. However if your creative juices are overflowing and you’re just itching to do something different then by all means, throw a clever contrast colour in the mix. Green will look particularly pretty with lilacs and creams for a seasonal floral finish.
Strike the perfect balance
Once you’ve found the perfect pastels to match your personal preferences or project brief, it’s time to think about styling them up with some darker interior embellishments for a boost of attitude and balance. Copper light fixtures, heavy wooden furniture and chunky, black picture frames are the motifs that keep cropping up this season and will all add a bit of edge and dimension to an otherwise soft and subtle style.
Just a hint of pastel here and there
As much as I love this current passion for pastel, I will be the first to remind you that you can have too much of a good thing. Just because Elle Decoration and Vogue Living say marshmallow pinks and chalky greys are the new ‘in thing’ doesn’t mean you have to set about building your very own pastel palace. Incorporate pastel colours into your existing design scheme or create pastel-based accents for a truly individual take on something every man and his architect is going to be jumping on the back of.
A great way to do this is by investing in some nice pastel-coloured cushions, throws, ornaments or curtains because this will provide a nod to the a la mode without going overboard. An even better way to do it is with modular carpet tiles! I would say that though, right? Seriously though, carpet tiles are the perfect way to create bespoke flooring arrangements, feature rugs or accent borders so the world really is your oyster.
Here are some of our most precious pastels…
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