Pastel Paradise: Your Guide to Danish Pastel Room Decor

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Tired of your home decor feeling a bit ‘blah’? It’s time to unleash your inner design diva and embrace a trend that’s equal parts whimsy and chic: Danish pastel.

If you’ve had (k)enough of the vibrant hues of Barbiecore and they left you craving something softer, this Scandi-inspired style is your answer. Think playful pastels, funky shapes, and a touch of Y2K nostalgia, all wrapped up in a minimalist yet cozy aesthetic.

Danish pastel room decor is all about curvy lines, color blocking, gingham and checkerboard motifs paired with clean Scandinavian style wooden furniture. And it has me inspired!

Ready to dive into a world of color and creativity? Let’s transform your space into a pastel paradise!

So, what exactly is Danish Pastel?

In 2020, as many people found themselves stuck indoors, a whimsical design trend called Danish Pastel exploded onto the scene, offering a welcome escape. It was a nostalgic throwback to the late 90s and early 2000s, viewed through pastel-colored glasses, and it resonated deeply with Gen Z.

On creative platforms like Pinterest, Instagram and TikTok, images of stripped-back, naturally lit rooms punctuated with Scandinavian furniture and pastel accessories proliferated people’s feeds.

Danish Pastel is the logical continuation of the sparse and sophisticated Scandi look, but with more playful, maximalist leanings. I feel like this style, outside of Scandinavia, took on a life of its own. The aesthetic also evoked the beloved anime shows that Gen-Z grew up with, their pastel hues and quirky charm forever imprinted on a generation.

Danish Pastel is more than a trend; it’s a cultural phenomenon. It’s a testament to the power of nostalgia, a celebration of youthful exuberance, and a much-needed antidote to the stresses of modern life. With its joyful patterns and whimsical motifs, it reminds us that even in tough times, there’s always room for a little magic. It’s a reminder that our spaces can be a source of joy, a canvas for our personal expression, and a playful nod to the pop culture that shaped us.

Key components of Danish Pastel

When you dip your toes into some research on this bubbly aesthetic, you’ll find that there are a number of products, patterns and motifs that crop up time and time again. Here is a quick rundown of the main ones:

• Spring color palettes paired with stark white
• Flower-shaped and nature-based accessories
• Chequerboard, squiggly line and daisy motifs
• Playful color-blocking often on walls 
• Gingham, argyle or heart (most notably Powerpuff Girls adjacent) patterned textiles
• Wavy framed mirrors and gallery walls
• Matisse-inspired, abstract shapes
• Novelty candles and plants galore
• White walls and wooden floors 
• Alternatively you could paint your walls a pastel hue
• Scandinavian furniture with simplistic silhouettes

Incorporate the Danish Pastel aesthetic into your room decor in 6 steps

Now that we’ve explored the building blocks of Danish pastel, it’s time to get down to business. Here are 6 ways you can inject a bit of this soft-hued fun around your home.

1. Start with smaller rooms

I’m very familiar with the sense of hesitation that comes along with trying out a new bold style – it’s scary! So, I understand why you might hold a few reservations about decorating high-traffic, high-use areas like your living room, for example.

You could definitely start off by trying out this aesthetic in a smaller nook of your home – for example in a small secondary bathroom – where it’s much easier to go playful and light-hearted. With the limitation of space, for some reason to me it always feels like it’s ok to be more creative. 

For instance, in a small powder room, you could try a coral, scalloped sink and an abstract mirror. Coordinate the pops of color from your decor – like your soap dispenser, diffuser and framed artwork – with your towels and you’ll quickly see everything coming together!

2. work on your color palette

Your color palette is hands-down the most important aspect of the Danish Pastel aesthetic. Pick out a selection of pastel shades you want to form the basis of your decor scheme. Envision 🍦 ice cream, 🌸 summery flowers, bubble gum and 🍭 retro sweets as you do so; these are all frequent color inspirations.

Danish pastel style is all about soft, muted colors that create a calming and cheerful atmosphere. Here are a few color palette ideas to get you started:

Classic Danish Pastel:

• Base: Warm white or light beige
• Accents: Soft pink, baby blue, mint green, lavender

This palette is the most traditional representation of Danish pastel, evoking a sense of serenity and nostalgia.

Earthy Danish Pastel:

• Base: Cream or light taupe
• Accents: Dusty rose, sage green, terracotta, muted yellow

This palette adds a touch of warmth and grounding to the pastel aesthetic, incorporating colors found in nature.

Playful Danish Pastel:

• Base: Bright white
• Accents: Bubblegum pink, sunshine yellow, sky blue, lime green

This palette is more energetic and youthful, perfect for adding a fun pop of color to a space.

Sophisticated Danish Pastel:

• Base: Light gray or greige
• Accents: Mauve, dusty blue, blush pink, muted teal

This palette offers a more refined take on pastel, using slightly cooler tones for a chic and elegant look.

Tips for Creating a Danish Pastel Color Palette:

• Start with a neutral base: Choose a warm white, light beige, cream, taupe, or light gray as your foundation. This will allow your pastel accents to truly shine.
• Choose 2-3 accent colors: Stick to a limited number of pastel colors to avoid overwhelming the space.
• Vary the intensity: Use a mix of light and medium-toned pastels to create visual interest.
• Incorporate natural textures: Add warmth and depth to your palette with natural materials like wood, linen, and wicker.

If you want to dive headfirst into the trend’s maximalist side, opt for brighter pastels and incorporate them into your walls as well. A common method of achieving this, popularized by the digital creator Maitri Mody, is creating a wall mural in one of the ubiquitous patterns I mentioned earlier. Bonus points if you incorporate other motifs into your room in other places!

A compromise between maximalism and the traditional simplicity of Danish Pastel’s Scandinavian muse is keeping the backdrop fairly bare bones. Neutral walls in off-white along with oak floors will work perfectly with splashes of color from your accessories. Of course you can take it as far as you want, just stop whenever it feels like the pastels are getting to be too much.

3. Choosing furnishings

The easiest way to decide which furnishings to choose for this style is really in the name itself; ‘danish pastel’. Denmark is in Scandinavia, so… any Scandinavian style furniture will work well. Then bring in your pastels through paint, textiles and decor.

Scandinavian furniture embodies a minimalist aesthetic with clean lines, simple silhouettes, and uncluttered designs. Often functional and free of excessive ornamentation, these pieces commonly feature light wood finishes like beech, pine, or oak, contributing to the bright and airy feel. Painted or upholstered in soft pastel colors like blush pink, mint green, baby blue, or lavender, they create a calming and serene atmosphere.

You can also opt for simple white furniture, like the Danish home pictured below which was featured on My Scandinavian Home a few years back.

While straight lines are still prominent, gentle curves add a touch of softness, seen in rounded table edges or curved chair backs. You could make a point of bringing in some items that are markedly round to keep things soft and playful, such as:

• Round or oval coffee tables: These can serve as a focal point in the living room, providing a soft counterpoint to the straight lines of sofas and other furniture. Look for tables with light wood finishes or even those painted in a pastel hue.
• Curved sofas or armchairs: These pieces can add a sense of coziness and invitation to a seating area. Look for options with rounded backs and arms, upholstered in soft pastel fabrics like velvet or bouclé.
• Egg chairs or hanging bubble chairs: These iconic mid-century modern designs bring a touch of whimsy and fun to any space. Choose ones in a solid pastel color or with a patterned fabric featuring pastel tones.
• Round or scalloped mirrors: Hang these on walls to reflect light and create a sense of spaciousness. The rounded shapes will complement the other curved elements in the room.
• Sculptural side tables or stools: Look for pieces with organic shapes, like mushroom stools or side tables with rounded bases. These can add visual interest and personality to a space.
• Arched floor lamps or table lamps: The curved lines of these lamps can soften a room and add a warm glow. Choose designs with simple shades in neutral colors or pastel hues.

By incorporating these rounded furniture elements, you can create a Danish Pastel space that is the perfect balance of modern minimalism and playful softness.

4. Playing with scale

Here’s a secret: you don’t necessarily have to stick to symmetrical or regular proportions with your Danish Pastel room. If anything, the abstract and creative shapes you have to work with make it all the more interesting to play with scale.

For example, if you have a large fireplace, you can make it the focal point by adding some visually intriguing tiles to border the surround. Then, instead of placing a huge mirror or photo frame over the top or a gallery wall around it, go small with a tiny handful of accessories. 

The delicate touches against the big design element instantly editorialize the interior, making it look like a designer did it. 

5. Be creative with lighting

With this style, you have an exciting opportunity to experiment with your lighting fixtures and accessories. Besides the general principles of lighting – getting the intensity, ambience and scale right for your specific room – you can have fun with shapes.

Consider using pleated light shades, mushroom table lamps, flower-inspired floor lamps and big fixtures like Louis Poulsen’s quirky pendant lights.

Oh, and don’t forget your funky candle holders and twisty candles!

6. Go, go go with home decor

What’s a Danish Pastel room without the accessories?

The best thing is that many of the products used to embellish these interiors are fairly cheap and accessible. From those wavy mirrors that seem to be everywhere to cloud and flower-shaped rugs and fun ornaments like ombre vases and pastel storage boxes, there are thousands of options out there!

Pair these more standard items with unique finds from charity shops and framed photos of your loved ones and you’ll create a decor that feels cohesive yet authentic to who you are. The final touch can be a few houseplants to keep things fresh and full of life.

Give it a go yourself!

There you go, plenty of inspiration so you can create a pastel-drenched interior that will command positive attention. Whether you simply want to borrow one or two elements of this youthful style or you’re ready to go all out, I hope you have fun carving out a breezy space of your own!