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12 of the Best Pink Paint Colors for Every Interior
There are so many pink paint colors to choose from these days, aren’t there? Gone are the days of a simple paint chart with just one shade of pink on it. Or, at the most, a hot pink and a saccharine, candy pink. These days, pink paint colors are so varied. From the palest blush pink to deep, reddish brown shades.
Pink is no longer the monopoly of Barbie. Depending on what shade you use — and the colour pairings you choose — pink can be urban. It can be cottage-core. Pink can be sophisticated — or fun.
What Is The Most Popular Shade of Pink?
Pink is a perennial favourite. But with the release of the Barbie movie in 2023, there was a surge in sales of Barbie Pink paint colors. So much so that it’s alleged that one paint manufacturer in the US completely ran out and it caused a global shortage.
The popularity of pink paint stems from a combination of factors:
Versatility
Pink comes in such a vast range of tones and shades. From soft, blush hues that act as the perfect neutral to pair with other colours, to bright bold fuchsias. This gives us much more scope to pick a shade to suit our style. And for every kind of room too, from a calming bedroom to a trendy living room.
Positive Associations
Pink is linked to love, kindness, and calmness. It can also evoke feelings of comfort and innocence.
A Sense of Modernity
Pale pinks can add a touch of warmth to a space while still feeling modern. This makes them a great alternative to stark white or beige.
Even though bold pinks are constantly in fashion, the real trend lies in the subtler shades. Pale pink paint colors create a unique yet inviting atmosphere. But to answer the question — what is the most popular shade of pink? — I think this is subjective. One man’s love of ‘Sulking Room Pink’ may not be everyone’s cup of tea.
However, with more than 24,000 uses of the #sulkingroompink on Instagram alone, it might be said that it is undoubtedly one of the most popular pink paint colors on the market today.
How to Choose The Best Pink Paint For Your Home
Pink is unlike any other colour as, with the addition of blue, yellow or more white in the mix, it can vastly change the shade — and also the way the colour can make you feel. For example, add yellow and you’ll be left with a peachy pink. More blue and you’ll see a vibrant fuschia.
But which shade is right for your project?
Start off by evaluating the room you want to paint. Which direction does it face?
South-facing rooms naturally get more light during the day, so shades appear stronger. A south-facing room could take a bold, cooler-toned pink to balance out the yellow light.
Equally, if your room is north-facing, a paler, peachy-toned pink would work beautifully to give the illusion of warmth, light and space. That said, if you want to really embrace the dark, and create a cosy, cocooning space, a darker —or bolder— shade would be perfect.
White-Based, Blush-Toned Pinks
White-based, blush-toned pinks work in most rooms. They are a fantastic neutral as they reflect light and aren’t quite as stark or cool as pure white.
Carry the paint on from the walls and onto the ceiling to really blur the boundaries and make a room feel bigger, whilst giving a real sense of warmth.
Bright, Bold Pinks
A bold pink doesn’t have to mean hot pink — or fuschia. A deep reddish-toned pink, such as Highland Peat from Fenwick and Tilbrook, makes a really bold statement but is gentle on the eye and easy to live with too. Deep coral-pink shades, such as Rhubarb from Neptune, are a million miles away from Barbie pink but still offer just as much impact, whilst being a really sophisticated choice.
Warm Pinks
Blush, salmon, and yellow-toned pinks offer a real sense of warmth. Regardless of whether they’re pale or bolder shades. These pink paint colours work really well for north-facing rooms, bedrooms or sitting rooms where you want to give a relaxed and gentle feel.
Cool Pinks
Cool pinks offer the ideal foil to a south-facing room that receives plenty of golden sunlight. Again, Farrow and Ball’s Sulking Room Pink would be the perfect choice here. Its muted tones have a cooler undertone that will naturally work in a south-facing space, balancing out the yellow light and making the room real elegant and sophisticated.
12 of the Best Pink Paint Colors
Because the colour pink has such a wide spectrum, in this round up of twelve, I’ve included a few pale, mid, and darker tones.
Here are 12 of my favourite pink paint colors to suit every interior.
1. Pink 01 by Lick
This restful shade is a pale pink paint with warm grey undertones. Of ‘Pink 01’ Lick say: ‘It is soft and nurturing, making any room feel calm and inviting’.
This is a great neutral. Softer and warmer than white, and a great backdrop for some jewel-coloured accessories.
2. Chemise by Little Greene Paint Company
Little Greene says: ‘Chemise is a subdued and delicate pink paint that brings warmth and intimacy to any room’.
It reminds me of satin ballet shoes — I think it’s the perfect pale pink. The perfect soft tone to colour drench on walls, ceilings and paintwork. I love how they’ve paired it in the shot above, with a stronger, rosier pink.
3. Highland Peat by Fenwick and Tilbrook
I have a real soft-spot for this colour. The first time I opened the tin, I thought it was brick red. It looked like a deep, dark rust shade. But — upon putting it on our bedroom panelling — once the light hit it, it changed to a gorgeous deep rose shade.
If you’re on Fenwick and Tilbrook’s website, Highland Peat previously sat in their archive range as ‘Heathland’. It falls under both ‘brown’ and ‘pink’ in their colour categories. Yet, their write-up says: ‘A beautiful warm earthy red, naturally inspired and reminiscent of the gorgeous Scottish wilderness.’
Well, regardless of whether you think it’s red, beown or pink, I can say with some certainty that this is one of my favourite paint-shades.
4. Rhubarb by Neptune
Don’t forget corals when you talk about pink paint colors! Coral is an orange-toned pink that gets its name from the marine invertebrates at the bottom of the ocean.
But, this example from Neptune has been ‘inspired by vivid rhubarb stalks as well as the earthier tones of their weathered terracotta forcers.’
They say, ‘It’s a spirited coral that evolves to a deeper shade of warm rose as daylight ebbs.
5. Paeony No. 66 by Victory Colours
Victory Colours is an independent family business that apparently has been in the ‘Manufacturing and Decorating Industry’ for many years. love their eco-friendly ethos and their beautiful selection of colours too. I first came across them when I was researching the best dark blue paint colours.
Paeony is inspired by the soft pink paint hue of summer peonies, one of the most beautiful flowers in an English garden.
This pretty and delicate colour is totally on trend and looks great when paired with deep green accessories. Use as a modern neutral in any living area.
6. Sulking Room Pink by Farrow and Ball
Sulking Room Pink is a bit of a celebrity paint shade isn’t it? I bet we all know someone who’s used it at least once in their home.
Farrow and Ball say:
Not to be seen as overtly pink, but rather a muted rose with enormous warmth, its powdery feel makes it incredibly soft and easy to use with complementary tones. Sulking Room Pink is evocative of the colours so often used in boudoirs, a room named after the French ‘bouder’ – to sulk.
Farrow and Ball
At one point, it seemed that every other image on my feed on Instagram had elements on it, in one room or another. Used on a beautiful kitchen pantry, or an island. Or used on wall panelling. It’s so versatile, I reckon it would work perfectly in most situations.
I used this shade to paint the built-in wardrobe, chest of drawers and woodwork in what is now the twin’s bedroom. I absolutely love it although, sadly, now it’s been painted over.
7. Factor Fifty by Coat
This nude pink paint colour is apparently stable in all lighting conditions for that bare plaster aesthetic. I love how they’ve paired it with a charcoal grey on the woodwork.
I’ve used Coat paint in our guest room/office and am so impressed with the saturation. Great coverage and fantastic pigment. Not to mention some beautiful colour choices.
Factor Fifty is such a beautiful shade. Use it in a north-facing room to add warmth and light.
8. Rhubarb by Paint & Paper Library
The Paint & Paper Library say Rhubarb is ‘a fabulous Luis Barragán Mexican pink. It can be strong and modern or old-fashioned and traditional.’
I had to Google ‘Luis Barragán’ at this point. He was a Mexican architect and engineer. His work has influenced many other architects, both visually and conceptually, and his buildings are frequently visited by international students and professors of architecture. If you look at images of them, you’ll see many references to strong, bold pink paint colors—not dissimilar to this one.
So as well as adorning the exterior of modernist architecture, Rhubarb by Paint & Paper Library is apparently also very effective when used as a hidden surprise on the inside of kitchen cupboards or a child’s wardrobe.
9. Pristine by Benjamin Moore
‘Pristine’ by Benjamin Moore is another of the paler, nude pink paint colours in the roundup. Dusty rose undertones define this delicate off-white. But, when I showed this to my friend, she said it looked like Magnolia and —to be honest— I was a little taken aback! It does to be fair.
Magnolia has such a terrible reputation. It is the epitome of sad, outdated interiors. Although teamed with a glorious deep, dark sage green paint colour, and mid-century modern furniture, as Benjamin Moore has done here, Magnolia suddenly looks very modern indeed.
Maybe it’s making a comeback?
10. Princelet Pink by DeVOL
I’ve mentioned before that when we were planning our house renovation, we went to Cotes Mill — DeVOL’s legendary kitchen showroom.
I fell in love with their kitchens and their Shaker kitchens are definitely what inspired our own kitchen.
But — as well as their gorgeous cabinetry — they also have a fantastic range of furniture paints.
This pretty shade is called Princelet Pink. ‘The softest blush of colour that has a ‘barely there’ charm that mixes perfectly with bolder shades such as black, giving a feminine but glamorous look’.
11. Rose Pink by Craig & Rose
The description Craig & Rose gives of their Rose Pink paint is ‘Vivid blush’.
They say: ‘Give your walls a colour crush with this playful, fun Rose Pink paint. The intense tone reflects the original pigment process with rich brazilwood dyes, making it a more sophisticated shade than any simple sugar fix. Team up with soft floral textiles and metallics for romance or dress down and land the contemporary feel with neutral earthy tones and sun-bleached tan furnishings.
12. Lille Pink by Graham & Brown
Last but not least. I couldn’t do a round-up of favourite pink paint colors without including a hot fuschia pink!
And Lille Pink by Graham & Brown is one of the boldest.
Works beautifully for a dramatic entrance — as shown in the image above. But also as an accent wall in a garden or interior.
Again, if you want to see examples of how a similar colour to Lille Pink has been used, just Google our old friend Luis Barragán. He is a master at using hot bold colours to the best effect.
There are a few images online of his former home in Mexico City; he’s used a very similar colour to Lille Pink inside the house – as well as outside in the garden. It looks amazing! And goes to show that if you’re brave enough to give it a go, you may just pull it off.
What Colours Go Best with Pink
As pink is so varied in tone and hue, it’s really difficult to narrow it down here, as I’ve done with previous colours.
Contrast colours for pink really depend on what shade of pink you’re looking at. Hot pink? Nude or blush? Coral pink? There’s such a vast divide between these shades. It’s impossible to pick single colours that will work with all.
As we’ve seen in this article, blush and nude shades pair beautifully with sage green and charcoal. Bubblegum tones work well with yellow and peach.
As there’s such a huge difference between shades of pink — and consequently the colours that sit well with them — I’m going to break this down into separate posts.
Watch this space.
Pin & Save These 12 Pink Paint Colors For Later
Caro Davies is a former art-director turned writer and content-creator, and editor behind UK lifestyle blog The Listed Home. She writes about home-related topics, from interiors and DIY to food and craft. The Listed Home has been featured in various publications, including Ideal Home, Grazia, and Homes & Antiques magazines.
