Traditionally, pastels evoke the colours of nurseries – baby pinks, blues and creamy lemon yellows that hush the children in your family. But pastels have another side. Full of light, soft and oh-so-sophisticated, pastel greys can turn the longest of curved walls into a dreamscape. The most delicate shades of mauve can colour block couches; the faintest of baby blues partition your space. Pastels can ever-so-subtly direct your eye to teal bathroom cabinets, or drench your kitchen splashback in light blue. Whatever the size or scale of your apartment or interior, take a peek at these designs by visualizers for some pastel inspiration.
Sitting at a modest 105sqm, this apartment in Dnepr, Ukraine, uses shades of mauve and grey to create a dreamy yet elegant space. Welcoming us into the sitting room, two white are surrounded by a mauve L-sofa and lightly-chequered one-seater. Wall heaters hidden in white and a tall sprig of a house plant add interest.
Separating from the lounge, a large white plinth creates a simple corridor. Camera lights peer down from the ceiling, while a Scandinavian standing mirror draws a white frame. A statement bench in teal provides a place for tired visitors.
As the interior winds round to the dining table, a trio of , designed in the Muuto Ambit style, squiggle their wires towards the wooden flooring. Their soft shades of light mauve illuminate a small plant in silver and a host of white cubby chairs, each facing each other against punctured baby blue.
On the other side of the dining table, six mid-grey shelves open up to the kitchen. Another round-potted tree suns itself by the window, while another stack of shelving holds more books, ornaments and pot plants.
The kitchen shows itself in the same pastel blue, a shade so light it appears almost grey. As shared ornaments peek through the dining room’s shelving, a row of stencil-bottomed stools catch more rays. A matching light-wooden bench ties into the floor.
A seat on one of three wooden stools boasts a view of the city, partially obscured and displayed by oscillating window shades. A keeps watch beside the fern opposing.
Leaning to the left, another corridor opens up beside the kitchen counter. A small space for preparation with speckled splashback is lit by three bulbs.
A 180 degree-turn reveals more room for spices, more room for preparation, and a few kitchen appliances.
The master bedroom offers a more muted pastel palette. A chequered headboard sets the scene and reveals the bed, a medley of teal green, darker mauve and grey and white shades. LED lights add drama to a light beige wallpaper, while a long white bench stretches from end to end. A and hanging pendant offer warmth.
Looking from the side, more textures reveal themselves. A velvet ottoman in pastel blue shimmers grey, matching with an aluminium thread running through the feature wall. Mauve hugs the bed’s mattress, as the opposing wall wears it in strong, stitched panelling. Simple cotton sheeting ties in with the thick gingham headboard.
Stepping to the side, an enclave in pastel blue awaits. A nook of a powder room, decked out with a in the style, faces a circular mirror that just screams Scandinavian. A simple white desktop mirrors the bedside benches, while a white cube beneath houses the essentials. A small display of cosmetics sits high beside what could double as a .
Tying in to the bedroom’s headboard, a grey gingham couch nestles in another corner, beside a potted tree and . A leaning long photograph pretends there’s stairs out the hallway. A stencil TV table harks back to the kitchen’s stools.
Hidden behind the curtain, a spacious office lurks in the same pastel blue. A linen cubby chair provides a view to a Mac.
Using the same colour scheme, the master bathroom props up a range of shelving, mirrors and towel rails, some drenched in a darker shade of mauve. A cathedral-shaped mirror offers something different afront a tiled panel, while two bathrobes come hither.
The other side of the bathroom boasts a similar mauve cabinet, with a toilet and bidet formed by small porcelain cubes. The shower blocks out a side in glass, while a lights the space in two.
In the ensuite, a semi-circular mirror draws in the eye. Toiletry cabinets in teal mimic those in mauve in the master bathroom, colour-coding each space. A lozenge-shaped sink and stencil table take on a life of their own beside a single leaf.
The apartment closes with a walled-in bath, similar in design to the master bathroom’s shower. Grey wallpapered uppers and an inset shelf keep the space modern. An industrial pipe acting as a towel rail adds punctuation.
Our next apartment shows how temperature changes in colour can create a completely different mood. Opening up to the central lounge, this interior’s more traditional baby blue strikes us on tiled walls, while a cacophony of white and grey makes abstracts on the wall beside. A more subtle teal covers the quilted couch and smaller coffee table, while white and wood lie low in the background.
Three stripes of light face our gaze as we look towards the kitchen, a maze of blue and grey amidst large swathes of white cabinetry. A couple of butterfly lamps hang from the ceiling.
Some monkey lights from Seletti add personality to the space, a bit of cheek beside the cityscape. Find cheaper versions on to save a pretty penny.
The blues of the living space become more subtle in the bedroom, as they mingle between the bedsheets and wall. A Scandinavian clothing rack with built-in cabinet easily showcases clothes. , an and petal-bottomed curtains add finishing touches.
The walk-in wardrobe offers a lozenge-shaped mirror, greeting ‘Hi’ in stage lighting. A simple line of LEDs and bronzed piping hang clothes. A simple white cabinet offers storage for slippers.
The entrance mirrors the tricks of the wardrobe, with a coat rack doubling as a geometric wall feature. A row of benching hides necessities and offers shoe storage. A circular mirror adds design, a potted fern flair.
As we face the door, a baby blue, white and wood cabinet makes stencils out of framing. A few vases, prints and books serve as final reminders of this well-curated space.
Our third and final space boasts bolder colours, using pastels as its background. The living room puts its best foot forward with a burgundy rug and green leaf abstract, accompanied by a navy dining chair. frame their digits on the wall, as a shifting bookcase relaxes the space in grey. A mirrored cabinet and beige couch add less dominant decoration.
From the couch, a catches the eye above a marble table and four navy chairs. A reflective acrylic panel makes the TV a feature. A sprig of green on the dining table adds additional life.
The space’s little features make all the difference. A lights the space beside the couch, illuminating conversation. Blocked and free wall shelves hold a variety of treasures. Intricate patterning in the marble dining table and lampshade inner introduce elegance.
Through the sliding bookcase we lead into the kitchen, a grey and white dream with marbled benches and acrylic splashbacks. A line of subtle LEDs hide beneath the cabinets, making its clean white shine bright.
The bedroom reinforces grey and white, with a bed frame, cushions and sheets in the hue. Subtle hints of blue show in the rug; blue and green in the curtaining. Mini grasses chill on the shelves beside .
A foray into the bathroom shows more grey, white and wood, this time in slabs of stone and porcelain. Circles steal the show in a mini mirror and standing basin, while a LED-lit rectangular mirror catches our focus.
A view back from the shower reveals a thick black towel rail, a surprising feature in an ultra-modern bathroom. Darker grey lines around the shower help tie the bolder lines in.
A built-in shampoo inlet shows off soaps, potions and conditioners, linking back to the inlet in the main space’s cabinet. Thick plumbing reminds of the towel rail.
A pop to the rumpus room reintroduces more striking purples and blues, with a wall and floor in the same colour. A knitted ottoman, standing and an exposed brick wall add detail.
The way out is paved in white and beige, a single fern leaf the last colourful relic.
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