7 ways to decorate your home with pastels
Pastels are having a moment. After all, gelato-inspired shades are perfect for spring-summer. But pastel decor can be tricky to get right. Overdo it and your interior scheme can go from South Beach chic to kid’s bedroom in an instant.
So how do you create a scheme that’s more calming sorbet than sickly sweet? Good Homes picks out some of our best pastel decor ideas…
1. Pick a tonal pastel palette
To create a more mature pastel decor scheme, combine a spectrum of shades. Bridging the gaps between contrast colours gives a softer, layered finish and adds extra depth to this palette, perfectly demonstrated by this styling from Sofa.com, from £1,704.

Photo: Bluebell sofa in Taupe, sofa.com
2. Make it monochromatic
Keep your pastels within one colour palette and you’ll create a sophisticated monochromatic scheme. In the purple pastel living room by Next, below, varying shades of lilac on the curtains, sofa, rug and flowers create depth, with each of the shades slightly darker or lighter than the others.

Gosford large sofa in plush velvet purple, £1,675; Sloane coffee table, £425; Palais Vintage 6-light chandelier, £285; Mayfair rug, from £140; Cotton curtains in Lilac Purple, from £45, all Next
3. Choose modern muted pastels
The latest pastel decor trends see us steering away from the more candy-coloured pinks and overtly girlie shades and replacing them with muted colours like softened coral and dreamy sea blues. Add in a few stronger pops of colour and some pattern (shown below in the accessories and floor tiles) and you’ve got yourself a stylish pastel bathroom scheme to be proud of.

Made-to-measure One CF worktop in Abstract Blue, £7.47 per linear cm, Acquabella
4. Opt for less saturated hues
Super saturated pink and blue tones can sometimes set the wrong tone for a room, giving it a more child-like feel than the sophisticated yet playful ideal you’re after. This beautiful pastel kitchen from Day True uses a combination of blue and pink, but in barely-there hues teamed with luxurious finishes such as marble and brass.

Photo: Day True
5. Ground with natural finishes
One way to keep a pastel colour palette feeling grown-up is to combine with stylish natural finishes. Whether it’s this wooden vanity alongside these Ted Baker Stepped Up Pastel tiles, or simply introducing rattan, jute and natural stone finishes into your design, it’s sure to ground the design.

Photo: Luxury Tiles UK
6. Combine pastels with neutrals
Prevent your pastel decor scheme from feeling too feminine by teaming them with neutrals. Just one pastel piece can add that element of warmth, without being overpowering, while a neutral backdrop and flooring will keep your scheme beautifully pared back.

Canterbury Luxury velvet snuggler chair in Lilypad, £1,099; Mila rug, from £69; Tapestry Oriental floor cushion, £35, all Dunelm
7. Mix it up
Combine a few sorbet shades together for a pastel decor scheme that feels fresh and summery. Pale pink, lemon, coral, lilac and mint all work well together, so all you need to decide is whether you stick to just two of these colours, or incorporate them all. The muted pink and yellow chairs in this dining room create enough contrast to keep the scheme visually engaging, while a brighter yellow pendant overhead adds an extra colour pop.

Houston chandelier, £340, with 14cm tall tapered shades in Yellow jute with pink lining, and Navy jute with yellow lining, £28 each, all Pooky
MORE ON PASTEL DECOR
- Colour palette: lavender décor ideas
- Freshen up your kitchen with pastel shades
- 5 real homes that have embraced pink décor
Pastel decor buys
- Pastel Figure No1 poster, from £8.97 for a 30 x 40cm, Desenio
- Column candlestick holders in pink, £40 for a set of three, iamfy.co
- Sunflower cushion, £7, George Home
- Pastel Figure No1 poster, from £8.97 for a 30 x 40cm, Desenio
- Column candlestick holders in pink, £40 for a set of three, iamfy.co
- Sunflower cushion, £7, George Home