Playful Pastels
Pastel hues offer a fresh and playful approach to wallcoverings. Far from being overly sweet, these wallpapers introduce a sense of warmth and depth, creating inviting, uplifting spaces.
Above: Foxglove Garden by Isabelle Boxall
One of our all-time favourite florals is this beautifully detailed wallpaper design celebrating English country garden flowers, with elegant foxgloves, hollyhocks, verbena and daisies. Dew covered spiders web, like pieces of jewellery, are hidden in the detail.
When using highly patterned wallpapers it is always good to contrast with plain upholstery. Beautifully styled in this sitting room, the plush velvet seating, in dusky pink and blush hues, bring a softness to the space while providing a luxurious contrast to the intricate wallpaper. The vintage-style gilded console table adds a touch of grandeur, while the sculptural glass vase and fresh floral arrangement echo the wallpaper’s delicate florals.
Above: Trellis Leaves from Boråstapeter
We love the simple styling in this serene and engaging kitchen, the wallpaper’s understated, trellis design brings a touch of vintage charm and a fresh, airy aesthetic. Its subtle pastel-blue hue enhances the room’s light-filled atmosphere, making it an ideal backdrop for a classic kitchen design.
Small-scale trellis designs are ideal for all four walls of a room, providing a restrained backdrop for all other details.
Above: Miami Beach mural from ARTist
Miami Beach is synonymous with pastel hues due to its iconic Art Deco architecture, which defines much of the city’s aesthetic. The Art Deco Historic District, particularly along Ocean Drive and South Beach, features hundreds of buildings painted in soft pinks, mint greens, sky blues, and buttery yellows, creating a distinctive pastel palette that has become a hallmark of the area.
This Miami Beach mural is perfect for the the Playful Pastels trend, featuring a stylised coasta scene with silhouetted palm trees set against a soft pastel backdrop. The combination of a dusky pink sun and a muted aqua-blue sky evokes a dreamlike sunset scene, blending retro influences with contemporary design.
Above: Rodney Street from Little Greene
Perfect for creating a gentle, storybook-like atmosphere, this wallpaper inspired by vintage mechanical apple-picking toys, has a sense of nostalgia. Its delicate palette of blush pinks, muted greens, and warm neutrals enhance the design’s naïve charm, making it a delightful choice for a child’s bedroom.
Above: 101 Dalmations from Disney Home x Sanderson
The 101 Dalmations design by Disney Home x Sanderson celebrates the romance of the Disney movie using original artwork to create a pretty montage of the story, shown here on both wallpaper, and with the co-ordinating cotton fabric. How many puppies can you see?
Above: Colourful Life mural from Cath Kidston
Measuring 4m wide by 2.5m high and repeatable from side to side, this expansive mural allows for a fully immersive effect, enveloping the room in a gentle, pastel-hued dream-scape. The interplay of botanical elements with surreal, decorative details have a sense of otherworldly-ness making it an ideal choice for children’s rooms, or dreamy adult spaces that embrace romantic escapism.
Above: Snippet from Eijffinger
This dynamic wallpaper design, featuring small, angular geometric pieces, radiates energy and movement. The bright pastel hues inject a sense of fun and creativity, making it an ideal choice for children’s play spaces. Its fragmented, mosaic-like pattern encourages a sense of exploration and imagination, perfectly suited to a room designed for activity, learning, and play.
Funfair from Brand McKenzie
All the fun of the fair! This exquisitely detailed wallpaper design brings the joy and spectacle of the carnival to life through a pretty pastel-hued palette. At its heart, a ringmaster takes centre stage, surrounded by an enchanting cast of playful circus animals, each carefully illustrated to evoke the magic and excitement of a vintage fairground.
More like this…
Playful pastel fabric finishes… bring out your softer side
Nico from Prestigious
Nico is a pretty striped fabric, expertly designed to coordinate effortlessly with patterned prints. Its woven construction features multi-tonal and multi-width stripes, adding vibrant flashes of colour.
Acanthus Weave from Clarke & Clarke
An unmistakable William Morris design, this fabric showcases a stunning collection of swirling acanthus leaves that embody the essence of classic Arts and Crafts aesthetics. The intricate pattern, rich in detail and organic flow, is brought to life through a harmonious combination of complementary colours.
Mallow from Morris & Co.
The soft buttery yellow hue of this fabric adds a warm, inviting touch to the overall design, creating a sense of calm and serenity in the bathroom space. The fabric features an all-over, elegant floral pattern that beautifully represents Mallow flowers and their accompanying leaves, capturing the essence of natural beauty and refined design.
Wisteria from Laura Ashley
This fabric’s versatility makes it ideal for a variety of applications, particularly drapery and soft furnishings. The soft cotton material not only showcases the Wistreria pattern beautifully but also offers a smooth and durable texture, perfect for creating both luxurious and functional pieces that stand the test of time.
