Let me show you how to use Pink in an interior scheme

Now I understand that for many of you the colour pink is one that you reserve for girls bedrooms – soft pink for children and hot pink for teenagers and there the colour and the story ends.  This is a terrible shame as this very misunderstood colour can bring grace and elegance to living areas and comfort and serenity to adult bedrooms.  Let me show you the pinks that are on trend and will help you to see this often maligned colour in a new light.

Using pink in an interior scheme

The key to using this colour to any great extent is to use a dusky pink that is relatively pale and contains a touch of grey. 

This ensures the colour is sophisticated and less sugary than the usual pink that you reach for when decorating a children’s space.  Team the pink with timber flooring and furniture rather than fresh whites to create an upmarket look.  These pinks suit classic decorating schemes and work well on panelled walls which create a touch of shadow and add to the elegance.

If you are a lover of hot pink, do not despair!  The Boho craze is here and if you love this and like to introduce a shock of colour into your schemes then you can certainly get away with a touch of hot magenta. 

Related: 4 key elements of contemporary Bohemian style

Feature walls have pretty much had their day.  I do sometimes like them behind a bed but generally I’m not a fan of selecting a wall in a living room and painting it a different colour for the sake of it.  There has to be a design reason.  

Therefore if you do love the idea of a statement pink, consider introducing it with an occasional chair or a painted chest of drawers.  This is far more effective and classy than a stand alone wall.

Anna Spiro really understands and loves to use colour.  It is so refreshing to see her schemes and her adventurous use of colour partnerships.  A pink sofa here is partnered with a range of blues which really lifts the colour and also makes a very contemporary statement as traditionally we see pink partnered with green. 

Pink and blue together is an extended related colour palette – the purple in between has been skipped and the outcome is really eye catching.

If you are more of a traditionalist you will love the colour pairing of pink and green.  This duo is often used in chintz patterns to great effect to create a beautiful pretty look. 

The Pegasus range from James Dunlop demonstrates this perfectly and their touch of lime green gives the textile a contemporary twist on the traditional.  Shown here with comfortable leather armchairs, sofas, shutters and palms, this space is a great updated British Colonial room. 

The addition of the pink in the fabric does bring a soft feminine touch to the scheme but this does not detract from it at all – I believe it enhances it greatly.

Related: British Colonial Style

A stronger, deeper pink works well with colours of a similar depth, for example chocolate brown, dark greys and walnut timber.  Just an accent lifts these strong, plain neutrals and brings personality and warmth to a scheme.

As you can see from just some of these beautiful textiles, the hard work of colour partnerships has already been done for you.  Textile designers have a wealth of knowledge, talent and style and therefore if you are at a loss for a colour scheme then simply find a fabric that you fall in love with and pull out the colours to create a perfect ready make palette. 

So if you love pink, but just want it as an accent, take your cue from a fabric design and use the other more neutral colours for the majority of the room. 

This fabulous image from Lewis & Wood demonstrates this perfectly.  The range of subtle dusky pinks and whites in their Deer Park range translates really well to the walls and trim in this room. 

I also love to turn to nature for my colour palettes and this photograph really caught my eye.  Pink and grey is a classic retro palette from the 1980s – think Miami Vice!  Thankfully it has come back into fashion in a more acceptable format for today’s standards and I hope you will agree that this look is beautiful. 

For these hot pinks I would use predominantly greys and whites in the room, some neutral green and a shock of pink as an accent.

• Colour 1: Hex—9aa0a5, Benjamin Moore—Delray Gray, Dulux UK—Steel Symphony 3, Dulux Australia —Endless Dusk, Resene—Grey Chateau
• Colour 2: Hex—6c6958, Benjamin Moore—Castle Peak Gray, Dulux UK—10GY, Dulux Australia—Jungle Cloak, Resene—Chain Reaction
• Colour 3: Hex—ce7ead, Benjamin Moore—Raspberry Moose, Dulux UK —Sexy Pink, Dulux Australia, Rose Shower, Resene—Hopskotch
• Colour 4: Hex—974364, Benjamin Moore—Berry Fizz, Dulux UK—40RR, Dulux Australia—Grand Poobah, Resene—Bordello
• Colour 5: Hex—6e0122, Benjamin Moore—Caliente, Dulux UK—Red Stallion 1, Dulux Australia—Henna Red, Resene—Salsa

So, I hope I have converted you or at least given you food for thought and if you are a lover of pink you should take a look at my Pinterest Board – Pink Interiors – for heaps more inspiration.  If you have used pink recently or have any questions at all, I would love to hear from you in the Comments section below.

If you feel overwhelmed with putting together a decorating scheme you should start with a mood board.  I have a free e-book on how to put together a mood board in my Free Resource Library.  This and other great resources can be found here.

A contemporary take on pink is to partner it with black and white.  You can read more about this stunning colour combination in this article:

Related: Let me show you how to use Pink, Black and White