No longer just for nurseries and Edwardian boudoirs, the colour pink has had a rebranding (thanks to the Millennial Pink colour trend that's still going strong) and suddenly everything is looking rosy again. Using pink in a living room is much easier than you think as it’s so incredibly versatile. It can be used to create a number of different moods and works in almost every type of living space and for every personality… unless you’re a 14-year-old doom metal fan. You’re not, are you?
Here are a few ways to use the colour pink in your living space.
1. Buddy it up with other shades.
Whether you pair your pink with other colours of wall paint or paper, or bring in paired shades in accessories, pink is a colour that other colours just ‘like’ and the shade you pair with can really change the way it looks.
Pink and sage green are huge right now (pro tip: try YesColours’ Mellow Green for this), but an emerald will add depth to a pink scheme, too. If you want to take the sugar down a bit, pair with black; this works well with woodwork in a sophisticated pink living room - think black skirting boards and window frames with Joyful Pink walls.
If black feels too stark, and you want a softer look, grey also pairs beautifully but quietly with pink. Or go bold or go home and colour-block a Passionate Pink with our bestselling Electric Blue or Joyful Orange paint colours.
Forever one of our favourite colour combinations: Joyful Pink and Friendly Green in the colourful living room of Heather @heatherscolourfulhome.
2. Start small.
If you aren’t sure you can live with four colour-drenched walls, begin with just one. The early nineties still has a lot to answer for, we’ll admit, but there’s no shame in a feature wall. It gives you the chance to see if you like a colour and lets you go that bit bolder than you might otherwise have done. Or go pink inside a cupboard or alcove for a bold, candyfloss-coloured surprise.
The other way to bring vibrant pinks into your home without going full Barbie Dreamhouse is colour-blocking. Simply use masking tape to ‘tape off’ a shape on one wall, and fill it with pink. Try a trompe l’oeil alcove either side of the fireplace, or an area in front of a writing desk to act as a focal point. We’re seeing a gorgeous Calming Pink arch above our desks to melt into during moments of inspiration. But whatever works for you.
Our brand new Calming Pink paint colour is a powdery pink shade with enough muted undertones to keep it restful. It looks great paired with greens, teals and yellows, and it’s perfect for warming up shadier living rooms and bedrooms.
3. Go pink on pink.
As with ‘double denim’, we think breaking style rules pays, and pink ‘layered up’ looks amazing. If the thought scares you a little, that’s good. But remember, you don’t have to do it all in one go. Get your living room walls painted, then add pieces as you go and simply stop when you think you’ve reached Peak Pink.
We’d go for a single wall paint colour, and then layer the pinks up with furniture and accessories in various tonal shades. Think curtains, armchairs, tiles and rugs. Pink also really loves texture so look for occasional chairs or chaise longues in dusky pink velvet or woven rugs and throws in coral pink slubby cottons. Somehow texture gives pink even more depth and range of colour, which is just what you want in your living space.
4. Use it as a neutral.
Yep, that’s what we said. Pink can absolutely be a neutral shade. Clearly we’re not talking about bubblegum shades here, but many pinks are pale enough or earthy enough to be neutrals. Think of pale petal shades, or the inside of a shell at the seaside. Or the very matte colour of a newly plastered wall.
YesColours’ Serene Pink paint colour is so light and airy it acts like a really pretty, warm white and looks fabulous with lots of house plants and natural materials around it. A really pale, neutral pink sits well with rich, jewel shades to brighten the look, or keep the palette light and neutral for a calming feel. With a really earthy pink, add browns, muted greens and natural textures such as wood, rattan and linens to create a natural, outdoorsy look. Pink as neutral is such an easy look to live with and creates a really relaxing living space, but with plenty of warmth.
5. Read the room.
Living rooms can be all kinds of things today. That’s why we call them ‘living rooms’ and not just ‘sitting rooms’. Yes, they can be for TV watching or good book lounging, but they can also be areas where we eat, work, entertain and enjoy hobbies. Think about how you use your living room and how you want it to make you feel before picking your pink.
Deeper, moodier pinks like YesColours’ Loving Pink have all the warmth and sophistication of a large glass of red, making them perfect for a living/dining space, for example. If you want a relaxed feel, try a welcoming pink that speaks of blousy bouquets of peonies, a really rosy shade works well and Friendly Pink fits that bill perfectly. Pale pastels bring a sense of room to breathe. Muted salmons, corals and duskier shades feel restful if it’s a quiet, ladies’ drawing room feel you’re after, while bright, bubblegum and flamingo shades will energise a room - and all its inhabitants.
'Nostalgia Reinvented' is one of the four themes we created together with Habitat as part of our 2023 home decor and colour schemes, inspired by cultural trends. This living room space is a great example of how cosy and cocooning our Loving Pink paint colour looks and feels... especially when combined with wooden or rattan furniture. Who said 'cottagecore'?
If you’re looking for a little help with introducing pink to your existing interior colour palette, book a colour consultation with us. It's easy, it's fun... and there's a free option available too.
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