Add Pastels to Your Interior Design with Coastal Decor

Spring is a great time to throw a few pastels into your interior decor. If you’re someone who cringes at the thought of pastels, thinking it will make your home look like a baby’s room and cause you to go running back to the safe gray your spouse begged you to use, you are not alone.

Rather than head to divorce court, or worse, be confined to a safe gray palette, take into consideration the type of pastel and how you use it. Think South Beach or the Caribbean and let your imagination set sail with soft pastels. Open yourself up to a world of color that will bring a little spring freshness into your home.

Use a Pastel on the Walls

Choose a light, bright pastel, such as a pretty blue for the walls of your bedroom. It brings a little sophistication to a neutral palette, while still keeping it in the neutral range. Choose simple white furniture, such as the Seabrook Bedroom Group by Broyhill Furniture. The simple lines keep the room squarely in the adult world despite the pastel shade. This is just an example of how a light, borderline pastel can give a room a look and feel that is far from childish.

If pink is more your style, look for a pretty blush that is fairly saturated. Admittedly, this is a choice not everyone would make, but if you do the results can be stunning in a dining room. Mix-and-match your dining room table and chair (white table, dark chairs) to keep the fresh look.

When looking for a pastel green, choose one with a rich blue base and soft green undertones. This combination results in a warm green that has a calming and therapeutic effect. Add a little turquoise in the room to pick up the blue notes and a pop of unexpected yellow will make a statement.

Mix it up a little and use a muted yellow as a substitute for white. It's subtle and reflects sunlight. And you'll see subtle differences as the light move across its surface.

Add Pastels with Accessories

Throw pillows are the transformation agents of the design world. Changing out, or adding, pillows and throws can instantly update the look of a room. Create a mix of pastel pillows in floral and striped patterns with a few solids thrown in to tone things down if necessary.

When adding pillows, you can use many colors and patterns in various sizes for interest. Just make sure there is a common color in all your patterns to create continuity among the pillows.

You can also use other accessories such as lamps, area rugs, and decorative items. This lets you mix and match easily without making a commitment. For example, the linen-like bluff finish of the Paula Deen Bungalow Dining Set by Universal creates a foundation for the mix of pastels on the area rug. The other accessories can be changed up seasonally to create several different looks.

Mixing Pastels for Impact

Pastels play well together, so once you've singled out the pastels that appeal to you, find combinations that go well together. Look to nature for inspiration as pale greens, soft yellows, and pretty lilacs are all found growing together in nature. They can coexist equally well in your home.

Calming the mind and soothing the senses, these delicate colors make dusk the most tranquil time of day. Try the same peaceful palette indoors for rooms that feel restful all day long.