Decorating with Pastels: From Muted Tones to Bold Pops of Colour

Harriet Goodacre

April 09, 2024

Pastels in interiors are nothing new. In recent years, we’ve seen this trend evolve to be greatly influenced by the stunning interiors of California’s Palm Springs where the elite mix in bold pops of colour contrast with those sugary pastel shades.

Pastel shades can help evoke the feeling of calmness and tranquillity and are a great alternative to simplistic neutrals. Pastel shades work great in any space and their soft, muted tones make them a great way to lighten up a room, making them ideal for small and larger spaces with little natural sunlight.

There are so many ways to incorporate pastels into your home, from bold pops of colour to subtle muted tones. In this article, we’ll cover the nine ways you can incorporate pastels into your home.

What are pastel colours?

Pastel colours are colours which have been heavily mixed with white which helps to reduce their saturation. Put simply, the more white that you add, the paler the pastel will be. Popular pastel colours include baby blue, peach, lavender, mint green, light pink and whimsy yellow.

9 interior design ideas to incorporate pastels into your home

Combining pastels with neutrals

If you're just starting out and looking for a way to begin introducing pastels into your home, mixing pastels with neutrals is a great place to begin. Combining pastels with neutrals is a good way to introduce colour into your design without going overboard.

Combining pastels with neutral tones helps to keep the room light and inviting by opening up the space and adding that much-needed pop of colour.

Using our Diamante Pastel Mint tile against a neutral-painted wall and pale-toned wood effect tiles we were able to create this spa-esque vibe.

The Diamante Pastel Mint Tile styled in a bathroom with wooden accents and accessories.

Pastels and wood

Pairing pastels with wood helps to achieve a warm and balanced look. Pastels when paired with wood and rustic accessories are a good choice for those looking to achieve an effortless country scheme.

Pastel tiles and complementary painted walls pair perfectly with rustic wooden shelving units and accessories. Including gold or brass hardware helps to elevate this design further for a more 'grown-up' vintage look.

Scandinavian design and pastels

Pastels are perfect for creating a hygge-inspired space which is beautifully reflected through Scandinavian design.

The cool tones of our Skandi wood effect tiles complement warmer pastel tones such as pink and amber which help to create an inviting space which offers both comfort and a grown-up elegance.

The Skandi Birch Plank tile paired with the Skandi Birch Slat Decor tile and pastel pink tiles in a kitchen.

The candy effect

Matching the colour of your furniture and fittings to the colour of your walls and floors may feel like a bold move, but with pastels, it can create a lovely candy effect.

This works particularly well with pastel greens, blues and pinks. We've gone bolder and paired green mint walls and kitchen cabinets with our rich Minton Hollins Country Rustic Raspberry tile. Just ensure to ground the look with some neutrals so it doesn't become overpowering or twee.

Minton Hollins Country Rustic Raspberry tile and Suburbia™ Natural tile paired with mint green kitchen cabinets.

The pop effect

If mixing lots of pastels feels too much but you want to keep your room within the same colour scheme, pairing your pastel of choice with a more saturated version of the colour is a great way to make a statement too. It'll add more depth to your design and can stop pastels from feeling too sweet.

Our range of Blossom tiles demonstrates this perfectly. Available in a variety of colours, these tiles allow you to mix and match tones as you please to create the perfect look for your bathroom or kitchen.

Blossom tiles in snow, stone, shadow, steel blue and sky blue in a bathroom with gold shower fittings.

Glossy pastels

For a more glossy, elegant design, including pastel gloss tiles can be a great way to add a touch of elegance and style to your home. Unsurprisingly, this look works particularly well in bathrooms and kitchens because it provides a practical, wipeable surface too.

Linear Rose Gloss tile in a bathroom and kitchen paired with a pale green sink and wall mirror.

Maximalist

For those looking to achieve a maximalist look, you should consider including pastels within your design. Pastel colours can form the basis of your design and be the underpinning base colour that helps to create the design flow. As we've explored, pastels pair perfectly with more vibrant bold tones and darker colours too.

Opposites attract with pastels

If maximalism isn't your thing, but you're still looking for a fun and eclectic design, mixing pastels is a good option. There isn't a right or wrong when it comes to mixing pastels as it always comes down to personal preference. But if you are worried about it becoming a mismatch of colours, you can try to incorporate elements of wood and neutral ceramics to break it up.

Matrix Sky Blue Gloss Tile combined with the spring mint, primrose yellow and burnt amber tiles in a block laying pattern.

Modern pastels

If you’re looking to keep the look contemporary then ground the pastels with accents of black. The dark tone harnesses all the different colours and ties the look together with a quirky touch. This look works particularly well in bathrooms, cloakrooms and kitchens.

Blush pink metro tile laid in a basketweave pattern with a brown contrasting grout line

Which pastel colours go together?

Whilst there are endless colour combinations to choose from when pairing pastels, there are certainly some that marry together particularly well.

Pastel pink and light green

Pastel pink and light green shades are the perfect combination to create a happy and calming space, making it ideal for bedrooms and home offices alike. This pastel pairing is perhaps one of the least eccentric choices

Pale greens can also be introduced through the use of house plants if you’d rather reserve pastel pink shades for the walls and floors.

Olive Green Berkeley Essence Tile styled in a kitchen

Pastel yellow and pale green

Nothing says spring like pastel yellow and pale green. When balanced correctly, combining these colours evokes feelings of freshness and newness that spring brings.

Pale green was particularly popular in the 1960s and it can help to give any room in your home a refined, vintage feel like this typical 60s styled bathroom. Pairing pastel green with gold accents can mimic this scheme if pastel yellow is not quite to your taste.

Powder blue and pastel pink

Powder blue and pastel pink aren’t just reserved for nurseries and children’s bedrooms. These colours are synonymous with French shabby chic designs combining elegant style with a playful nature. Introduce sleek matt surface finishes to contrast with the kitsch element of a floral design.

Minton Hollins seaweed decorative wall tiles arranged behind a marble cabinat with flowers and champagne glasses.

Incorporate pastels into your home with Topps Tiles

Bringing both sophistication and charm, there are so many reasons why you should consider incorporating pastels into your home and interior design plan.

From delicate baby pinks to cool pastel blues, we have a whole range of pastel wall and floor tiles for every mood and style. Found the tile you like? Use our visualiser to visualise our tiles in your home.

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