Tired of neutrals? Pastel shades may be your answer. Far from bland, they evoke a soft, dreamy scape that is at once calming and soothing.
No longer just the reserve of tween bedrooms, pastels are incredibly versatile. They do great on their own for a fun, cheeky space, but they pair well with metallic finishes for a more sophisticated finish. Want in? These homes in Singapore show you how to do them in style:
1. Paddle Pop Palace
With striped walls and ceilings and the generous use of pastel pinks, blues and yellows, it feels just like candy land in this apartment. Rounded edges and curved silhouettes add to the playful nature of this space.
In the living room, an eye-catching circular reading nook takes centre stage. In the kitchen, a curved-edge island with fluted sides offer a casual spot for meals.
Patterns also play a big part in this home. One of the bathrooms sees a wall covered in hexagon tiles, while the other bathroom features a wall decked out in tiny multi-hued dots. The wardrobe in the bedroom is festooned with geometric shapes in muted pastels, mirroring the upper cabinets in the kitchen.
Design: Free Space Intent
Location: Kim Tian Road
2. Minty Muse
The pastel mint-coloured TV feature wasn’t designed for the flat screen as much as it was made for the many cats living in this home. It features a flight of cat stairs that is connected to the dining area and shoe cabinet (both of which are covered in the same pastel green), allowing the feline friends to freely explore the space. Gold elements amidst the green lend a sense of opulence.
The kitchen is a similar cotton candy haven, with lemon yellow uppers and blush pink lower cabinets. Grey and white terrazzo countertops and cement screed-like hexagon tiles offer some visual texture, while balancing out the sweet hues. They are also a nod to the screed surfaces in the living room.
Design: Linear Space Concepts
Location: NA
3. Wes Anderson Vibes
With its retro pastel shades and the lavish curves, this Punggol HDB flat feels like a set in a Wes Anderson movie. A deep velvet red dining area pops against the powder pinks, taking attention away from the awkward layout in this home.
Unlike the pastel pink shades in the communal areas, the bedroom features a dusty blue—an intentional choice to bring down the tone and mood for a more relaxing vibe in the private alcove.
Design: Mr Shopper Studio
Location: Punggol
4. Baby Blues
Unlike the homes we’ve seen so far, this dreamy haven adopts just a single shade—a gentle, pale blue that is used consistently throughout the spaces. Coupled with blond woods and whites, it lends an airy, serene milieu that feels almost ethereal.
Most note-worthy is the bedroom, which contains a custom house-shaped bed frame and accompanying closet. It feels just like a little wonderland on its own. These were covered in the same pale blue and if you’re interested, the laminate used is EDL’s Light Blue Clair.
Design: Monocot
Location: River Valley Road
5. The Great Gatsby
Adopting an Art Deco style, this home employs a mix of vintage pastels, dark hues and rich, luxurious elements. Our favourite feature has to be the room divider next to the dining area.
Comprising three ribbed glass panels with a brass frame, it lends privacy for the home from the main entrance, whilst segregating the foyer from the rest of the spaces.
Pastel greys are a prominent shade in this home. You see it in the bedroom, on the chesterfield sofa as well as on the shaker style cabinets in the kitchen. The other pastel shade used here is a muted rose hue that functions as an accent colour.
Design: United Team Lifestyle
Location: Teban Gardens
6. Swede Chic
Scandinavian themed homes aren’t usually a riot of colour, but if you are looking to include some into your scheme, pastels are always a good and safe bet. They offer personality, without stealing away the light and breezy vibe Scandinavian themes are known for.
Here, they are subtle. The dining area for instance is swathed in a very pale pink ceiling. Pastel-hued geometric shapes are painted on the walls. The shoe cabinet, given an offset chevron print, is also covered in a light mint laminate. In the kitchen, the upper cabinets reflect the pastel shades used in the other communal spaces.
Design: Kuro + Kagi
Location: NA
7. Blushing with Pride and Pastel
This minimalist BTO flat features a kitchen with cabinets that are salmon pink. The rose gold strips, where the recessed handles are, elevate the level of sophistication.
The rest of the home feels more muted, although a similar pink tone is seen in the sofa. Pastel greys juxtaposed alongside a deep red can be seen in both the dining area and the bathroom.
Design: Three-D Conceptwerke
Location: Sembawang
8. Sweet Dreams are Made of These
This pastel haven started out as a 4-room BTO, but was transformed into a one-bedroom studio. Two of the rooms were joined together to form a large bedroom, while the spare room next to the living room was converted into a glass-encased study.
The en-suite bathroom was transformed into a spacious powder room with a his-and-hers sink, while the original common bathroom holds the shower and toilet facilities.
Colours were kept soft and feminine, with salmon pinks, duck egg blues and gentle greys. In line with this aesthetic, plenty of curves were added (most notably on the door frames) to lend fluidity to the space. Floors into the private spaces were carpeted to further the soft touch.
Design: 19eightythree
Project management: Cloverspace
Photography: Larc Studios
Location: Telok Blangah