Wondering what shade to pick for your next home design project? Here's why and how you should bring some pink into your home

I don’t know about you, but I love a glance through the catwalk looks each time fashion week swings around. The recent Spring / Summer shows showcased plenty of formal, simple black and white looks. 

 Monochrome is all well and good for clothing, but the look is definitely on the cold side. We’re not living in a sun drenched climate, and all my clients tell me they want to create a cosy, homely space. So we need to include plenty of warm shades in our schemes.

 Cue, my favourite colour of all time. Wait for it - it’s pink.

 The sheer joy I’ve felt seeing the Barbie movie trailer drop this week is real. The internet has been awash with stills and clips from the upcoming movie. You couldn’t scroll the gram without being bombarded by fifty shades of bright, happy, bold, fun (but some might say garish) Barbie pink.

 I love wearing pink. I just find it so full of joy. I love accessorising with it and more than anything, I find it the most satisfying shade to decorate with.

 Pink in varying tones is the ‘red thread’ running through our home. My husband genuinely accepts it as I'm not talking baby pink or barbie pink here. More dusky, earthy tones with the occasional splash of cerise if we’re going bold.

 Pink is not necessarily a feminine colour, despite assumptions to the contrary. Why not explore terracottas, greyish dusky pinks or peachy shades. Ever so subtle off-white tones, or pinks with hints of orange or lilac.

 Pink is incredibly versatile. In its pale form it’s a soothing shade, so great for bedrooms. Choose a deep, bold cerise in small quantities if you want a vibrant, uplifting feel. Pink goes gorgeously with green, it's stunning alongside deep teals and blues. It warms up black, white and greys, and I love it with oranges and yellows too. Include pops in a patterned wallpaper or tiles, choose it instead of white paint on the ceiling. Try it on your doorframes, skirting boards or bannisters.

 So while I’m not suggesting that we all start living in a Barbie world, I urge you to consider a shade of pink in your next home scheme. 

 And to help you get started, here are my top five pink paints from Farrow & Ball…

  1. Calamine. A calm, slightly dusky, but fresh pink, with hints of grey. This gorgeous shade is my go-to and it's great for bedrooms or women's dressing rooms.

  2. Setting Plaster. A terracotta, peachy paint with yellowy undertones which make it lovely and warm and cosy. This one's super versatile as it's not the slightest bit feminine. A great one for kitchens.

  3. Peignoir. A fabulously sophisticated, subtle shade of pink which contains some black pigment, so it's quite grey looking. It can even look slightly lilac-y in certain light. Goes great with green and gorgeous in living rooms, especially those which enjoy lots of natural light.

  4. Cinder Rose is gorgeous in a bedroom. It's romantic, pretty and works beautifully in a garden room too, paired with sage green tones. Nice and vibrant without being too full on.

  5. Sulking Room Pink. This ultra warm, deep, moody, desaturated colour is perfect for creating cosy, warm snug spaces. Gorgeous with burgundy and lovely with warm, stoney grey shades.

If you need some help putting colours together for your home, pink or otherwise, book in a free discovery call and let’s chat about how I can help you transform your home. Reply to this email if you want to get in touch.

Claire Bromley