Pantone’s colour trends for Spring/Summer 21 highlights a contrast between gentle and dynamic shades, with pastels such as floral pink, turquoise and soft marigold coming to the fore.
As these colours make their presence felt in fashion, branding and design - here’s how this cheerful palette can brighten home interiors, capturing the vivacity and hope of spring flowers.
Rebecca Snowden, Interior Style Advisor at Furniture And Choice (FurnitureChoice.co.uk), shares 4 fresh ideas for styling bright pastels at home.
1. Bright, contrasting pops of colour
Pantone’s Spring 2021 palette takes a cue from the lively, floral tones of the season, with colours such as burnt coral and French blue providing touches of glamour and warmth against a soothing buttercream base. Introduce these hues into the home with accessories and soft furnishings.
“Bringing a mix of soft pastels and energetic colours into the home can be as easy as picking the right accessories,” Rebecca advises. “Cushions and throws work really well here, as they can be moved around to achieve the most pleasing combination and look.”
“Beyond that, art, glassware, and even a bouquet of flowers, can add a dash of stunning colour. Here, French blue vases, soft pink walls and marigold pillows add vibrance and style - when everything else is kept minimal and neutral, a thoughtful use of pastels will give a boost of life and freshness to your room.”
2. Pastel colour blocking
The secret to putting together a bright, chic outfit is contrast, whether between strong lines and gentle colours, or softer patterns and punchy shades - and the same rules apply to interiors.
Pastels shine when paired with colour blocking and graphic looks, providing character and vibrance without being overwhelming. Even the simplest of designs, like an arc or circle, can make an impact in the right colour.
“A colour blocked feature wall is a creative way to incorporate vivid pastels,” says Rebecca. “The key is balance. Here, a marigold arc pulls most of the focus, with its sunny energy. To make sure the room feels cosy and relaxing, offset it with soft pink and cream walls and some grounding touches of blue, with a cerulean cushion and dark blue throw.”
3. Hop on the ombré trend with statement DIY furniture
For an editorial, fashion-forward take, an ombré look is an elegant, striking way to introduce this spring palette to the home. This can easily be done with a fun, high-impact DIY project: painting a sideboard or chest of drawers, to create a statement, one-of-a-kind piece!
“We went with an ombré approach to simultaneously highlight and tone down a vibrant colour like pink,” Rebecca says. “Pantone’s spring palette has a rich selection of colours - from turquoise and yellow, to pink and lavender - so pick your favourite and use varying shades of it to create the effect you want. It’s also good to choose an item with a clean silhouette so it won’t feel too busy.”
For more information on this DIY, visit our website for a step by step guide. To download hi-res images for this project, please visit our DIY image bank.
4. Create impact with tone-on-tone styling
Pastels are a good entry point when working with colour, as they’re easier on the eye than more saturated hues and have a restful quality. This translates well when styling a tonal, pastel room - much like a monochrome outfit - evoking the personality and character of the colour without being garish.
“While a bright kelly green may be a bit much for a dining room, an airy turquoise is a modern choice, especially with a strong centrepiece as an anchor,” Rebecca advises. “A white wooden dining set retains the breezy, relaxing feel that turquoise brings while also keeping it clean and simple, bringing everything together.”
And just as accessories can be the perfect finishing touch for a great outfit, complete the look with darker tonal accents such as French blue pendant lamps and Carnival Glass vases and glassware. This layering of colours and texture gives variety, depth and visual interest.
ENDS
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