Pink color palette designers use for expensive rooms

Pink color palettes are what designers turn to when they want to create dreamy decors that are adult, calming, relaxing and sophisticated. Because if you layer pink in the right way, you’re moving away from the Barbiecore movement and all its saccharine side and entering a world where pink is neutral, it loses its ties to babies and instead becomes a very adult shade .

“Roses are incredibly versatile and rich in shades,” says designer and color expert Dagny Thurmann-Moe of Koi Color Studio. As for the colors that go with pink, she associates them with reds, or other pastels, greens or even burgundy. The trick is finding the right tone for both.

These eight pink color palettes are the ones designers are loving the most right now, tapping into color trends for refined schemes. So more than just pretty in pink, these rooms set the tone for decor right now.

1. Pink with red and mustard

pink living room and studio bedroom

(Image credit: George Barberis. Styling: Jorie Garcia. Design: Casework Interior Design)

On paper it might look like pink with red and mustard is not a palette for the faint of heart. But wait! Because this studio designed by Portland, Oregon-based design studio Casework manages to use them in a space where there is no escape (the owner literally lives and sleeps in the same room) and it seems rather dreamy and warm. , plush.

“When designing the pied-à-terre, we wanted it to be bold, powerful and timeless rather than young, soft and innocent,” says Casey Keasler, founder of the design studio. “Pink is paired with warm tones of orange, gold and red, as well as graphic patterns, warm neutral walls and black borders. The warmth of pink and its saturation result in a more sophisticated palette.

Because the pink used on the sofa is blush rather than Barbie, its peachy side is highlighted by the mustard pillow and fabric on the sofa, with the red behind the bed bringing out its richness. It’s a neat look – just make sure you start with an orange pink rather than a gray.

2. Pink with gray and bright accents

living room with pink sofa

(Image credit: Studio Sven)

In all pink color palettes, pink is not used equally, and in this open kitchen living space by Chicago-based design firm Studio Sven, the emphasis is on bluer tones visible in the soft gray of the walls and the vibrant hue of the artwork. Why does it work? In color theory, because pink and blue are fairly close together on the color wheel, with only purple separating them, meaning they contain tones that work in harmony if you work on a sliding scale (or also have a soft blue). as the most daring).

“Hazy blue walls and a neutral ceiling mural allow you to add pops of color to the artwork and furniture to create a distinct dialogue,” says Lauren Svenstrup, studio director and founder. “The palette of this bachelor pad goes against the rules and invites the unexpected. Why not have a hot pink sofa, jade green dining chairs and Klein blue artwork? The palette offers a collected gallery feel allowing viewers to stop and observe the design of each individual piece of furniture to appreciate the value of the sum of its parts.

3. Pink with black and white

pink dining room with black curtains and chairs

(Image credit: En Masse Architecture and Design)

Pink has been called the “new neutral” for so long that it’s essentially an oldie, having taken over from gray and off-white for years. It’s perfect for use on walls with a base color for stronger settings, like this otherwise monochrome dining space from Chicago-based studio En Masse Architecture and Design.

“The wide-plank white oak flooring and pink walls are pale, becoming neutral against the stronger contrasting colors,” says Lucas Golbach, partner and design director of the studio. “Not wanting the space to be too soft, the warm glow of sunset pink is offset by charcoal and black. This contrast gives the space a clean, modern feel. The pops of blue on the banquettes and paintwork could appear juvenile if not balanced with the natural wood and dark tones.

4. Pink with fuchsia and purple

pink bedroom

(Image credit: Reading McKendree. Design by Chango)

Of course, if you really love pink color palettes, there is an option to go all out. Pink comes in many shades, from lightly grayed versions to eye-catching fuchsia, and with the right design eye, they can work together. Renowned design studio Chango created this pink bedroom that manages not to be overwhelming thanks to the contemporary touches of the nightstand and lamp.

“The key to mixing pinks like this is to have a variety of saturations and hues,” says Susana Simonpietri, creative director of Chango. “This room features rosy pink, peachy pink, and dark pink accented by the bold highlighter pink nightstand. Small window displays, lighting, artwork and accessories are where we will tend to be bolder with color and all those layers of pink are what make the room interesting and united.

5. Pink with yellow and green

pink living room with yellow and green chairs

(Image credit: Aimée Mazzenga. Design by Alexandra Kaehler)

In anyone else’s hands, this living room color palette created by Illinois-based designer Alexandra Kaehler might have looked ridiculous. The pale pink, primrose yellow and green might have looked like a box of candy, or not had enough layers to make a room for adults to relax in.

But luckily, Alexandra used the right tones to create a sunny space that also reads as sophisticated, with the green and pink being a perfect match, both sharing the same amount of subtle gray tones, while the brighter yellow offers the contrast. “We were very conscious that this piece didn’t feel juvenile,” says Alexandra. “In an effort to have a level of sophistication, we used a more saturated yellow with soft pink, to ensure the piece didn’t look like an Easter egg.”

6. Pink with accents of yellow, purple and mint

pink bedroom

(Image credit: Carmel Brantley)

Designer Nina Magon took the sumptuous features of this bedroom and layered a palette of fresh pinks, tinged with pops of yellow and purple in the artwork. The two colors are on either side of pink on the color wheel, sharing pigments and bringing out different characteristics of the main hue. Next, green is the direct opposite of red, meaning the mint in the artwork above the bed makes for a perfect contrast. It’s a smart approach that paid off in creating a project that is both sumptuous and modern.

“Nina’s goal was to create her own version of a classic Palm Beach bedroom using a coral pink – Rosy Tan by Benjamin Moore – that we associate with the island, paired with an accent of mint green in the photography “Nina imagined the young blonde Italian contessa in Horst’s photograph, retreating to her bedroom in her Italianate villa in Palm Beach, yearning to her lost love. All of Nina’s interiors are greatly influenced by her love of all things Italian design, particularly the work of the great Gio Ponti. While in Milan a few years ago, she visited some of. her historic and iconic private homes and took inspiration from the classic ceilings and moldings that contributed to the beauty of her interiors. When approaching the design of Contessa’s bedroom, she incorporated all of these classic elements and merged them into one. modern and futuristic design with distinguished furniture, to create the Nina Magon version of a Palm Beach interior.

7. Pink with grey-blue and green

living room with green curved sofa, pink walls and striped coffee table

(Image credit: Roberto Garcia)

It seems like there’s a lot going on in this stylishly contemporary living room from LALA Reimagined, but if you look closely, it’s a pretty tight color palette, and no shade appears even once. The olive green and gray blue are supported by the plaster pink of the walls, which reappears in one of the stripes of the coffee table.

“Our intention was to use the coffee table – which was our initial design focal point in the room – and build the additional inspired elements around it,” explains Azar Fattahi, one of the studio’s co-founders. The wall is painted in Bardot Roman Clay from Portola Paints, which gives it the attractive texture of a plaster effect and allows the other colors to layer. Why do they work? Because they are all as gray as the pink of the walls, meaning the eye moves effortlessly through the space.

8. Pink and red

pink living room with red accent colors

(Image credit: Margaret de Lange. Copyright: Koi Color and Design Studio)

Anyone who has been close to the decorating corner of social media will be familiar with the “unexpected red” theory. It’s gone viral all year, claiming that a pop of red is the perfect enhancing touch to perk up any other color palette – just like a lipstick will do to an outfit.

The theory is certainly confirmed by this pink living room created by Koi Color Studio. “The idea that red and pink don’t go together is what I consider ‘fake news’! » says the studio’s creative director, Dagny Thurmann-Moe. “The reason is that red and pink are actually the same color! Pink is a lighter shade of red and most monochrome palettes work. I work with red and pink all the time, and it’s one of my favorite combinations.

Less is more when it comes to incorporating red into a pink color palette: a little flash has more impact than using it in the same proportion as pink.