POWDERY PINKS Pale & pretty

Delicate and refined, pale pinks have an old-fashioned romance that evokes cloudy meringues or an ethereal, decorated wedding cake. Choose a colour that has just a hint of warmth, so it is dusty and faded rather than being cloying or overpowering. If you prefer a sparkier shade, use it sparingly, perhaps on an old armoire or a spindleback chair, creating an unexpected and fun statement piece amid other pale shades. To avoid them looking flat or dull, pale pinks work best in larger or well-lit rooms.

An old glazed cabinet has a refreshing update in a pastel shade

3 1 A light ointment pink offsets a vibrant turquoise in an adjoining room in this converted bakery 2 Crisp whites are ideal partners, as in this bathroom 3 Soft pink bedlinen is comforting and appealing 4 A Sussex living room warmed with Parsonage Pink (Papers & Paints, papersandpaints.co.uk) is paired with a Bloomsbury-inspired painted fireplace

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