How to Create a Pastel Aesthetic Room (+ Inspo)

Surviving centuries and rocking since the Renaissance, pastel palettes have conquered the test of time with the continuing craze they carry. From art and fashion to stationery and photography, this pale color scheme has proven its dreamy charm among the youth across all departments. Who could even resist the cuteness of pastels? We love how pastels evoke nostalgia and come together beautifully–so much that the pastel aesthetic was born.

Interior design-wise, the charm of the pastel aesthetic has spread through social media platforms. You might have even come across terms like “Danish Pastel” that accompanied aesthetically-pleasing rooms with quirky furniture. No worries, because we’ll be giving light to these concepts through our pastel aesthetic room ideas!

Read on to find out more about this sweet aesthetic and enjoy these eye-candy rooms we’re prepared for you! If you’re wondering how you can emulate the same motif in your room, this handy guide on pastel aesthetic room ideas and pastel room decor will surely get you started!

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The Pastel Aesthetic

The pastel aesthetic is just as straightforward as its name, focusing on everything that’s less saturated and in lighter hues. In particular, the word “pastel” refers to a soft and delicate shade of a color produced by adding more white. Besides the aesthetic’s nearly full reliance on color, the motif also embodies its dreamy and dainty nature in other ways.

For example, pastel significantly overlaps with the cute Candyland theme that’s popular among children. You’d often find marshmallows, milkshakes, ice cream, candies, cotton candy, macarons, and other sweets complementing the motif. There are also fantasy and ethereal notes to pastel with rainbows, clouds, angels, skies, unicorns, etc.

It’s also a baby-centric motif, which makes it a common theme among nurseries, children’s bedrooms, and even birthday parties. With its delicate, sweet, and tranquil qualities, the pastel aesthetic serves as a cradle for innocence and femininity, making it more popular among young girls.

Often characterized as cute and adorable, the pastel motif may also be present in kawaii anime rooms with stickers and collectible plushies like corgis, cats, and paws. Pastel pink and white commonly dominate these cute spaces. Unquestionably, even minimalist rooms can easily display the pastel aesthetic as long as they use its distinct colors. Again, as the aesthetic is essentially a curated color palette, it’s considerably more general and versatile.

For something more recognizable and contemporary, though, the motif has also branched out to “Danish Pastel.” To be specific, it is an interior design trend that started in 2020, marked by pastel hues combined with white and funky items. As the pillar of the pastel aesthetic we know today, it makes sense that a lot of young female influencers on various social media platforms typically go for this fun, bubbly, yet calm design.

What is Pastel Aesthetic Room Decor?

While the aesthetic’s concept may be broad in terms of interior design, there are specific pastel room decorations that can make the motif more pronounced. If you want to go to the Candyland route, some quintessential decors include neon ice cream signs, macaron candles, marshmallows, and donut pillows. For something more general, cloud and flower cushions, heart mirrors, and acrylic or glass flower vases are cute pastel additions.

Since the pastel aesthetic is commonly linked with stationery, you can make use of mini lockers, storage baskets, and desk lamps in pale shades. White or translucent trinkets are also safe options that will go well with your pastel makeover. Pick simple and modern items for a clean pastel look as colorful Matisse collages will do the customization for you.

For a full dive into Danish Pastel, some of the most notable aesthetic decorations are squiggle mirrors, seashell cushions and lamps, checkered rugs, clay pots and vases, and novelty candles. Also take note of the popular plaid, checkerboard, argyle, floral, and heart patterns that define the pastel aesthetic. Pleated lampshades and spiral candles are distinct room decorations for a pastel space.

All in all, any pastel-colored decoration you have automatically belong under the pastel aesthetic. Whether that’s a clay plate, mug, carpet, candle, or vase, the theme freely welcomes room decors that simply match in color. Make use of the creative freedom that the pastel aesthetic provides by experimenting with odd designs and patterns that all agree in being pastel.

Color Palette

What defines the pastel aesthetic better than colors? As the foundation itself, these random hues overwhelmed with white constitute the concept of the pale candy-like tints we know today. For a touch of innocence and femininity, powder pink and lilac are some popular pastel tones that make a lovely bedroom. On the other hand, mint green and light lemon yellow create a fresh, gentle, and outdoor atmosphere. And if you want your room to resonate with the skies, light blue can surely be its best friend.

You can draw inspiration from pale or lighter rainbows in general when giving your room a pastel makeover. If in doubt, white is always a sure-win color that goes well with everything. Light shades of brown, cream, and pale grays may also balance out the bright splashes of candy hues in your room for a calmer and more natural setup.

Lighting

To showcase your room’s heavenly pastels, it’s imperative that you employ soft natural lighting for a faint aura. In particular, the cool light in the mornings is ideal for a pastel-themed room as it emphasizes the paleness of your hues, unlike the concentrated yellowish tint that warm lighting brings. Maximize huge clear windows and welcome natural light with white see-through curtains.

However, don’t let this stop you from experimenting with cute neon signs to spice up your room’s mood. Bright unique colors are also welcomed to complement the faint tones that dominate the space. In addition, bedside or desk lamps, whether cool or warm, can provide a cozy and aesthetic illumination on a specific spot of your bedroom.

Walls

Your pastel makeover is already on the right track if your walls are painted white by default. This makes way for aesthetic pastel collages composed of quotes, icons, paintings, and odd prints for customization. However, your pastel aesthetic room gets more emphasized with a solid-colored pastel wall. Feel free to spruce it up with frames displaying Henri Matisse’s bright floral or abstract artworks for a full-on Danish Pastel interior à la TikTok and Instagram.

Furniture

As a hue-based aesthetic, this dreamy motif welcomes almost any type of furnishing as long as it’s white or subdued in color. However, furniture-wise, it’s no secret that the typical pastel aesthetic room we see borrows a lot of modern elements with a Nordic or Scandinavian touch. This includes sleek study chairs with wooden legs, plain white desks and drawers, and contemporary clay side tables.

However, we find that in particular, the popular Danish Pastel interior incorporates clean, curvy, and groovy Scandinavian furniture in funky colors. From full-length mirrors to lounge chairs and coffee tables, the pastel theme does not fall short of the quirkiness that made it stand out as one of the most popular aesthetics in recent years.

Bedding

You’re definitely like a kid in a candy store not just with the angelic Candyland colors but also with the wide array of quirky patterns that characterize pastel-inspired bedding. To be specific, you can resort to the most popular aesthetic prints like plaid, checkerboard, argyle, gingham, florals, and hearts for your sheets and cases. However, as expected, striped, dotted, or even solid-colored fabrics are also ideal, given that they classify as pastel.

For your pillows, apart from using sweet pale colors, it’s also the perfect chance to add a cute spin to your bed through plushies. Shell, daisy, and cloud-shaped pillows are some adorable pieces that can contribute to the dreamy and innocent vibe of the pastel aesthetic. 

Other Decor

On the decor side, there are trendy and aesthetic pieces that can turn your pastel room into reality. Aside from the integral color aspect of the motif, you can also focus on things that give the same nostalgic ambiance. We find that the cute elements in a young girl’s bedroom, which often include clouds, rainbows, unicorns, hearts, and plushies, are some quintessential pastel decors.

For something sweeter, you can lean on macaron-style candles, ice cream signs, faux milkshake and cotton candy, and marshmallow-like pillows. Aesthetic study desk setups and stationery also often accompany a pastel aesthetic room. You can exhibit one by using pastel or clear organizers, small baskets, pens, notebooks, and stickers.

If you want the Danish Pastel funk, look for pastel seashell lamps, groovy bordered mirrors, spiral candles, and clay pots. Heart mirrors from the Y2K aesthetic and odd-shaped decorative candles are also ideal. In addition, pastel clay coasters and hand-painted mugs are fantastic additions to your trendy pastel room. Reminder: anything else that’s cute and pastel is worthy of a spot in your space!

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Did we miss some dreamy elements that define a pastel aesthetic room? We’re hoping that you’ve got to grab some essential pastel makeover tips to transform your abode into a nostalgic haven! If you’re looking for pastel decorations for your space, visit our pastel room decor shop for that spiral candle or desk basket!

For those who desire the wonders of the seas, fret not! You can check out our posts on nautical and tropical room ideas! And if you want a spooky and mysterious venture, head on to our witchcore room ideas!

Thanks for reading and happy shopping!