Inspiring Pastels

With all the inspiration summer has to offer, pastels are a key update to lighten the mood of any interior. We show you how to dress each room of your home in sweet and sophisticated shades.

Fresh start: door Some say the first impression of your home is the most lasting, and since the hallway is the first thing your visitors lay their eyes on, you can freshen it up in this season’s most charming pastel shades. We suggest a combination of mint green and baby blue hues for an inviting entrance. Try ‘Ocean’ and ‘Celadon’ from Designers Guild, ‘Aero Blue’ and ‘Dawn Blue’ by Sanderson and ‘Parma Gray’ and ‘Pale Powder’ from Farrow and Ball.

(designersguild.com)
(sanderson-uk.com)
(farrow-ball.com)

Sweet surrender: bedroom Layering textiles are a chic and easy way to introduce pastels into your bedroom. Luxury Italian bedlinen brand Society offers a covetable collection of artfully crumpled bedlinens in a gloriously sophisticated palette of rich and powdery pastels.

The brand’s new season collection includes whimsical printed pillowcases featuring nostalgic watercolour illustrations of circus scenes and single coloured bed sheets in rich corals and mints all of which can add a touch of luxury to basic white sheets.

(societylimonta.com)

Wholesome hues: kitchen Create a nurturing environment in your kitchen by surrounding yourself in fresh, wholesome pastels and pared back craftsmanship. British-made kitchen company Plain English offers bespoke Shaker-style kitchens in contemporary hues. The brand’s signature smoky blue colourway is an on-trend update to the traditional pastel.

We think ceramicist Derek Wilson’s smart stoneware storage vessels in a duck egg blue and zingy sorbet lemon would make a perfect addition to either of these kitchens.

(plainenglishdesign.co.uk)
(derekwilsonceramics.com)

Hint of colour: bathroom accessories Use pastel accessories to update a minimalist bathroom with candy-coloured gloss cabinets and pale fluffy towels. Also try large vintage blooms from our favourite Marylebone florist By Appointment Only. A cluster of in season full-bodied pink peonies add a gentle and natural colour palette into the space.

(byappointmentonlydesign.com)

Stylish sanctuary: bathroom floors A functional space in the home – bathrooms don’t usually get a lot of love with décor often restricted to the occasional accessory. A place to reflect and relax, we think it deserves a permanent style statement in the form of inspiring floor or wall tiles. We love Swedish design studio Claesson Koivisto Rune’s super sweet collaboration with Marrakech Design resulting in a contemporary collection of handmade floor tiles in candy-coloured hues and geometric patterns.

(ckr.se)

Artful eating: dining Perhaps the most fun room to accessorise when updating – there is a plethora of glorious tableware on the market to adorn and play with for your perfect pastel dining settings. One of our most unusual finds are lusciously painted ceramics by Italian Potomak Studio. These beautifully imperfect bone china cups and generous platters are washed in delicate pastels and are perfect for layering up, adding a touch of sweetness to any meal.

(potomak.it)

Elegant additions: living When investing in furniture, seasonal colours aren’t always the first port of call but we think our choices of occasional pieces are so considered and elegant that they have staying power. German brand E15 launched Enoki, a collection of playful side tables earlier this year. A combination of rich marble and powder-coloured steel – the tables are available with an array of bases including pale coral and mint green. We also think Muuto’s new collection of pared back oak dining chairs in simple silhouettes and with a touch of faded pink upholstery is a surefire future classic.

(e15.com)
(muuto.com)

© 2012 Dalani Home & Living - written by Rohini Wahi
Photos courtesy of Narratives/Jan Baldwin, courtesy of Society, Plain English, Derek Wilson, Claesson Koivisto Rune, Potomak Studio, E15, and Muuto