9 Downright Modern Ways With Pastels

No longer relegated to pretty princess bedrooms, pastels today are being used in fresh, simple ways that makes the most of their uplifting nature. Whether paired with lots of white, muddied with a bit of gray or grounded with earthy accents, there are plenty of ways to make pastels work in real life. Here are nine of them.

1. Balance pastels with plenty of white space. White walls and floors create a serene envelope for a room filled with pops of pastels. The living space shown here manages to feel calm — even though a range of hues is used — thanks to the light wooden furniture and white paint.


2. Fill a sunny morning room with traditional prints in fresh pastel hues. Pastel colors are unabashedly cheerful, so what better place to put them than the room you sip your coffee in? Classic prints like checks, lattice and seersucker work well in pastels and keep the space here from feeling buttoned-up.



3. Try a different kind of pastel. Pastels do not have to mean pink and purple — if girly colors are not for you, don’t discount pastels altogether. A pale mustard or chalky blue can be incredibly chic when paired with black, white and charcoal.



4. Use earthy pieces to ground girly pastels. Love pastels, but don’t want your space to look like the bedroom of a 6-year-old girl with a unicorn obsession? Add something a bit rough to contrast the light hues — try a beat-up leather chair, rustic wood table, hide rug or cool, sculptural lamp.



5. Try a “dirty” pastel for a sophisticated look. Pastels with a bit of gray or brown, like the spearmint shown here, make especially serene wall colors. For a seamless look, paint the trim to match the walls instead of making them standard-issue white.

The Case for In-Between Colors


6. Add a more vibrant shade of the same hue. An easy strategy to use with any pastel color is to surround it with white and accent it with a deeper, more saturated shade of the same color. In the room shown here, pale pastel pink is paired with deeper coral for a clean yet romantic look.


7. Increase drama with a contrasting color. Periwinkle walls provide a nice foil for lively red accessories in the space shown here. To follow the same pattern, choose a pastel paint color for the walls and finish the room with accessories in a stronger hue across from it on the color wheel.

Try pastel pink walls with turquoise accents or lavender walls with chartreuse accents. Warning: This look is definitely not for the color-shy!


8. Liven up the kitchen with pastel cupboards. Why stick with plain old white when pale mint or pink is so much more fun? True pastels in the kitchen will give a retro vibe; if you are looking for something more sophisticated (but still fun) try a dirty pastel (see No. 5).


9. Go for a pastel exterior. Pastel pink may be a bit ill advised, but pale minty green can look fresh and unexpected on an exterior. Try it with a white or metal roof on a modern farmhouse, or pair it with navy shutters on a classic colonial.

Tell us: Are you a fan of pastels?

More: 15 Colors You May Not Know About

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