Picking Perfect Pink Paint
It’s no secret that pink is my favorite color, and I believe that pink can be a beautiful wall color when chosen well. Unfortunately, it’s a difficult color to get right and the results are often more Pepto than pretty. Here are several of my favorite pink shades along with the reasons I love them and a few suggested uses. I’ve also included several examples of the colors in actual rooms.
All paint colors are from their respective brands’ websites, but my descriptions are based on the actual paint chips.
- Wild Aster, Benjamin Moore
This is my favorite pink, hands down. It’s very subtle with a lot of taupe and lilac, but it still reads as pink. It’s the most sophisticated and adult of all the pinks here, perfect for a living room or master bedroom. - Reverie Pink, Behr
Similar in tone to Wild Aster, but less muted. - Powder Blush, Benjamin Moore
A nice happy pink, this would be nice in a kid’s room. - Pink Innocence, Benjamin Moore
Lovely pink with just a touch of muted lilac. - Peony, Benjamin Moore
This deep pink would be gorgeous in an entryway, powder room, or dining room. - Milk Glass Pink, Martha Stewart (Valspar)
A delicate light pink. I’d love to see this in a feminine kitchen. - Bare Pink, Pittsburgh Paints
Another delicate light pink, but a little bit peachy. - Old Fashioned Pink, Behr
A very pure pink with a little coral in it. It may be a bit bright for an entire room, but it would be perfect on furniture. - Ballerina Pink, Benjamin Moore
This pale pink is one shade lighter than Pink Innocence. - Tutu, Martha Stewart (Valspar)
Glamorous and a bit old-Hollywood, this would be perfect in a dressing room. - Blushing Bride, Benjamin Moore
Some bold pinks can be too magenta, too fuschia, too neon, or too dark. This pink is none of the above. I’d love to see this color in a creative space, like a studio or home office. - Sugar Egg Pink, Martha Stewart (Valspar)
There is a nice lilac tone to this pink. I think it would be gorgeous in a powder room with a vintage tub, nickel fixtures, and a little crystal chandelier.
And as promised, here are a few of these colors (as seen in my home and my old apartment)…
Wild Aster, in my living room
Wild Aster, in my studio
Ballerina Pink, in my old entryway; Pink Innocence, in my old office
Powder Blush, on the dresser in Eleanor’s nursery
Making it Lovely's main RSS feed
twitter
facebook
formspring
flickr
I agonized over what shade of pink to paint the nursery when I found out I was having a girl. I ended up settling on Silk Sheets by Valspar and I think it turned out rather well. You can see it here…..
http://www.flickr.com/photos/emmylizzy/3695587736/in/set-72157621051627448/
WOW Wild Aster is delicious! I’m going to keep this color in mind when I get my first place. Thank you so much! :)
I love pink! But I am always too terrified that I will look like a Malibu Barbie sugary freak if I paint my walls pink…some great options. Now if only I could get my Mister to embrace a bit more pink into our little cottage…
Thank-you for the inspiration xxx
I never ever thought I would want to use pink in my decorating but reading your blog and this pink totally makes me want to paint a room pink, now to just get my husband on board.
Not related (although I love the colors – tempted to paint my powder room pink now! It is in my daughter’s room…), but where do you get the “paint swipes” in your graphic?? I’ve always noticed those on your mood-boards and have wanted to know how to get them!! :) Thanks, Nicole!!
A few years ago I went underwent a long search to find the right shade of pink for my bedroom. I returned so many trial cans of paints to the Home Depot because they keep falling at the wrong ends of the pink continuum (either too preschooler or too old lady). Finally, I hit upon the right shade: Tuscan Beige by Behr. Even though its’ name says ‘beige’ it reads very pink…a perfectly, subtle pink that gave the room some warmth and looks great in all different light variations. Good pinks are truly hard to find. Thanks for compiling such a great list.
Good pinks ARE hard to find. I avoided pink for my office (my one me-only space) and ended up with a pinky beige but now I’m thinking I need Wild Aster on the walls. Great compilation!
I love this post! I’m in the process of finding a pink for my crafting studio space and this gives me some more options. The pink that I just picked up a trail of is a little too lilac. I think Milk Glass and Reverie might be ones to try for my space.
These colors are great! I painted my bedroom pink using B. Moore’s Onyx White. It’s not as light as you would think, it’s a brownish, calm pink that looks great in any light and is very flattering!
I know what you mean about pink paint. I painted my first daughter’s room bright pink and the first choice was awful. The second one was much better and it goes with the PBK Bright Pink linens very well. We just painted my (soon to be) second daughter’s nursery pink and green. The paint I chose was “Hawaiian Shell” by Behr (Home Depot). We really like it and I’m glad we only did one wall b/c even though it is pretty, it’s a lot of pink. You can check out our complete nursery room here if you want.
http://mommatobug.blogspot.com/2009/07/nursery-room-on-small-budget.html
-Desiree
So screw the paint color…
Where did you get that painting of the woman?
Do you do that yourself?
It is amazing! I want it! :)
too bad I you didn’t make this post a few years ago… I painted my bedroom flamingo pink (or, as the paint company called it, ‘Autumn Red’) and regretted it. now it’s a nice cheery orange, but I definitely wouldn’t mind painting it any of these colours.
This is awesome. I love the variety and it’s immensely helpful to hear someone’s take on each color.
I adore pink as well – by far my favorite color :] I can’t decide if I want my office pink or not. I am leaning toward “yes” but now to decide if it will be on the walls or just in the decor! Decisions decisions!
Hmmm… I am doing my dining room in Sugar Egg Pink.. almost did Scented Notepaper, but it was too Pepto. I have Bella Pink, by Behr, which I think you’d like, in my master bedroom. And did Ballerina Gown (Behr) in my closet that I handpainted hydrandea wallpaper on.
Closet:
http://cottageofstone.blogspot.com/2009/07/my-wild-pink-orange-aqua-closet-in.html
Bedroom:
http://cottageofstone.blogspot.com/2009/01/master-bedroom-update.html
Dining Room:
http://cottageofstone.blogspot.com/2009/03/dining-room-ready-set-go.html
(Also shows your Wild Aster against the other two pinks I mentioned).
Just thought I would share for more pink ideas. :)
I am actually wondering if you can tell me more about the sliding doors in your office… meaning, where you got them. I want to send the bi-fold doors on our “laundry closet” packing this weekend.
Also wondering about the sliding doors…
Do you have any tips for doing a fabulous paint job?
Ugh, where were you when I was picking a pink for our bedroom. It’s DEFINITELY pepto. Horrible. Repainting soon and going with a light gray. I think I’ve ruined my chances at a pink room with my husband hahah.
i believe you may have just convinced me to paint my office/sunroom in our new house pink. thank you!!
I needed this post 1 week ago! Over the weekend, I painted my daughter’s bedroom Ballerina Gown by Behr. I was hoping for a very pale you-can-hardly-tell-it’s-pink shade, and this is not quite that, but it’s okay. Thanks Nicole!
Thank you so much! I daydream about future nursery possibilities and one of the things I’ve wondered about is how to find a nice, subtle pink instead of an icky bubble-gum pink. Thank you for all of your help!! :)
I love your use of the color pink! You make it look so easy to use in another room beside a child’s room. Great studio. And thank goodness you have a little girl. I’d love to see how you’d use pink in a little boy’s room.
Thanks Nicole, Pink can be a very intimadating color to work with. I love how you have incorporated the color in your home without making it too girly.
So pretty. Pink is such a happy color:) Love your bookshelf in the picture above. I can never get my shelves to look so nice and organized like yours.
Drat. And I thought I had all the paints picked out for this house. Now I have these gorgeous pinks to haunt me and make me wonder if I should rethink ;) Love, love, love your living room. Perfection.
XO,
Jacci
This is a great post! Thank you. I like pink but I would be reluctant to put it on walls or furniture, honestly, even for a girl’s nursery. I will definitely keep this post on file for when I do decide to paint a pink room.
Did you also paint your ceilings pink in your office? It may just be the lighting in the picture but it looks like they are.
Just painted my master BR ‘milk glass’ from lowe’s. it’s a PIA to work with, especially if you are covering another color but i LOVE the result!
THANK YOU! I am in the works of designing a young girl’s room and this list of pinks is so very helpful. Thanks again :) You’re the best!
Nicole–I can’t believe I’ve never noticed your round coffee table before! I love it! Where did you find it?
Thanks!
Wow! I wish you could do this for every color in the rainbow since I’m having troubles and commitment issues about re-painting my kitchen after choosing what I thought was a nice looking yellow :(
I adore all of those pinks! Its simply the best color! =)
And that space with the bookshelves is adorable!
Thank you! I just got the most beautiful mental image in my head of that last one with the bathroom. The nickel fixtures would stand out strikingly. Genius.
Oh my! Pink is my favorite color too and this is simply love!
Those are all so beautiful. Thanks for the paint guides, picking a specific paint color is so difficult!
Your house makes me swoon. It’s so pretty. I wouldn’t want to live with all the pink, which is just me–I prefer aqua and other pale blues and greens–but you are so lucky that you get to indulge in your favorite color and that your partner is on board. I’m sure many men out there would not be as cool.
thank you so much for sharing your pink picks. :) i’m getting ready to paint my bedroom pink, and i think wild aster is going to be the color i choose…yay!
I am moving next month and wanted a fresh new look for my living room. When I saw this blog post, I knew exactly what direction I would go – Pink, of course! I’ve never in my life had a pink room or even a wall, so this will be a fun adventure. I am thinking Wild Aster or Tutu. Thanks for the inspiration! :-)
I love pink! I (ok, my husband) painted the inside of my closet Peony. It was divine, and opening the closet every morning made me smile (we just moved out of that house). It was like a little secret just for me.
It is so difficult to find the perfect shade of the color you want. I am currently trying to find the right shade of pale blue for my living room. I have so many samples and it is so confusing. You are very lucky to have a husband who doesn’t mind all of those pink walls. But they are SO pretty.
Please tell me where I can find that precious pink zigzag rug in your living room. It would look perfect in my soon to be 2 year olds “big girl room.”
Some beautiful shades – I really love the peony :)
Pink is my favorite color, too, and I must say that Palace Rose (Behr) is really beautiful.
Congrats on your mention on the Washington Post blog watch today! I was mentioned too – your post is gorgeous. Thanks for sharing this wonderful info and photos of your gorgeous rooms. Makes me re-think pink for my walls! xo Terri
I was coveting your coffee table too, I’m looking for a round one to go in our narrow living room and break up the angles. Where did you find it?
Thanks!
Very nice! When it comes to pink, I like a complex shade. A client showed me Ben Moore’s Strawberry Yogurt, which we used on the walls of her little daughter’s room. I also like the softness of Sherwin-Williams White Dogwood, a fabulous pink I found on the same color chip as their familiar Red Bay. I once read that Martha painted every room in her Maine house pink. It’s a very liveable color.
Swoon….those Floral Curtains in your studio are FANTASTIC. Where did you find those?!
thanks for posting the colors WITH the names of paint and what brand they are. i hate looking at colors on blogs and not knowing what color that is! :)
[...] Picking the perfect pink paint – {Making It Lovely} – the queen of pink gives the ultimate guide to picking pink paint! [...]
Wild Aster is also a favorite paint color of mine, not sugary at all. Congrats on your Washington Post nod, and Im so glad I found you there!
Hi! I like your post! I just did a post on pink as well and linked back to your post!
Every time I see photos of your house or office, I drool. I can’t help it. I instantly feel the urge to redecorate my whole house in such lovely fabrics and shades of pink and brown and all those other glorious colors and patterns. You are fortunate your husband appreciates or tolerates the pink! While it isn’t the only color, any shade of pink might alarm my husband…haha. :)
[...] three: must have: nars orgasm (US:sephora | AUS: mecca cosmetica) four: picking perfect pink paint (making it lovely) five: the simone costeau scarf thrush vintage six: italian elle gorgeousness (camilla akrans) [...]
Great post! I LOVE the peony pink! My dressing room/craft room/guest bedroom on the southwest corner of our house is Milk Glass Pink, and when the sun hits the west window in the late afternoon the room postively glows. One of these days I’m going to post about that room…
I LOVE this post. I am a lover of all things pink, but unfortunately my husband doesn’t share my taste, so I’ve never gotten to do a pink room. We’ll be decorating a new house soon and finally with a baby girl coming, I’ll finally get my pink room! I can’t wait to check out some of these shades and see if one will work on her room. I really love the blushing bride. You’re spaces are just too gorgeous!
Love that living room…. every time I fall in love with all-white rooms, color wants to pull right back in!! :) Lovely, lovely. That couch, too, and the rocker, and the rig, and the pillows….and the color on the wall, so subtle and neutral and yet…pink. Perfect. :)
-maria
A lovely and a gorgeous living room painted with Wild Aster. Love it.
You can’t imagine what perfect timing this is for me – my hubby & I are moving into our new (first!!) house in exactly 30 days, and I am in the process of choosing the perfect pink to paint our living/dining space. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! I still haven’t decided yet, but seeing your photos is immensely helpful :)
This is so helpful, you have no idea. Our nursery is a buttercream yellow and we’re going to work in pink throughout, so the palette will be varying shades of pinks and yellows, marigolds, etc. There’s one spot that I’m actually going to accent in pink (we’re painting a tiny house) and we need the perfect color. That probably sounds crazy, but I’m hoping for sweet. And modern. Anywho, THANK YOU!!
This is just genius and thank you SO much! I want to paint my dining room a pretty pale pink and this will help me so very much in picking out a color! I found this post via the lovely blog Lolalina. Just beautiful!
xo
Melissa
Thanks for the list of pinks. It came at a perfect time. I moved my little girl to her big girl bed and it was time for a makeover. I ended up with the Wild Aster. I LOVE it. I sampled Tutu and Balerina Pink–the seemed too bright in her sun filled room. The wild Aster is perfect. I never would have found that color without your help so thank you.
[...] This post was Twitted by mkgraces [...]
OMG YOUR HOUSE IS AS CUTE AS YOUR BLOG!
I am so thankful for this site:) I’ve been trying to find the perfect shade of pink for my living room and finally–wild aster. I picked it up today and it’s perfect for a pink and brown living room. Thanks so much for sharing that color. I’ve gone through at least 4 other paint colors trying to find the right one. Wild aster has enough gray/neutral in it so that it isn’t so “little girl” pink. Thanks!
[...] do you like best?” and receive 174 opinions! Nicole is a also huge fan of pink, pink and more pink. So, it must have been her destiny to give birth to a beautiful baby girl. And need we say what [...]