Like so many significant design movements, the arrival of soft pink as an interiors trend began with a murmur. Having shed its ’80s associations (who can forget all that pink and grey?), it had spent the rest of the century relegated to the bedrooms of the very young or the hopelessly romantic.

So when it began to gain traction in the early 2010s as “Millennial Pink”, even seasoned colour forecasters raised an eyebrow.

“Around the millennium, I remember doing the [colour] forecast and it was quite a new entry,” says Dulux colour expert, Andrea Lucena-Orr. “We hadn’t seen pink since the 80s.”

Even Pantone, the international paint company and oracle of all things colour, seemed hesitant to give soft pink its moment in the sun, making the unusual decision to announce not one, but two colours, Quartz Pink and Serenity – a periwinkle blue – as the Colour of the Year in 2016.

Almost a decade on, and softer shades of pink have persisted, moving from support roles to become main characters in the 2025 Dulux Colour Forecast, with the colour being used for everything from accenting to full-colour drenching over walls and ceilings. Lucena-Orr says the new breed of soft pinks are more complex than their purer, brighter predecessors, which is perhaps a reflection of the times.

“It was a little bit cleaner then – it’s more muted now,” she says. “From a psychological sense, pink is a nurturing colour. It’s a colour for when we are feeling a little bit low because it makes you feel more nurtured and happier.

“It’s also very passive colour – it’s not overwhelming so it’s not a surprise to see pinks coming to the fore at this time in the world.”

And come to the fore, they have. Lucena-Orr notes while the “cleaner, brighter” pinks are still popular, they have made way for an array of earthier pinks, from soft, dusty pinks through to deeper hues that make us feel grounded and more connected to nature.

“There are two levels of pink,” she says. “There’s pink that is on the red side, more of a beautiful feminine pink, and then you have the other pink, more on the brown side, that earthy, dusty pink you see in the Northern Territory, a washed-out and beautiful earthy colour.”

Interior designer Greg Natale is no stranger to the charms of pink.

“It’s one of my favourite colours,” he says. “It’s feminine and soft, it’s a fun colour. It’s a pretty good neutral and it does go with a lot of other colours. I particularly love it with red – pink is in the same family but it softens the red.”

Natale says the advantage of softer pinks is their versatility, whether you are looking for a colour to team with materials like timber or gold, or you want to subtly lean into a retro aesthetic.

“Pink, grey and black look beautiful together,” he says. “It’s very ’80s, but it still looks great.”

This year’s forecast by Dulux includes an array of pinks teamed with everything from equally soft sage greens through to more robust aubergines, petrol blues and chocolate browns. It even partners well with colours which some might blanch at using in interior spaces, like chartreuse.

“Chartreuse and soft pink is absolutely beautiful,” she says. “It gives me that ’80s vibe, but that is much muddier now.”

Lucena-Orr says it is unlikely this new breed of pinks is going anywhere soon, as more people show they are willing to commit to parts of the home that are traditionally expensive to change.

“I am even seeing pinks back in kitchens again. It is so lovely to see in cabinetry again, especially those earth-based pinks,” she says. “We are seeing more pinks being used as neutrals. It becomes that colour you can use as a core colour because it’s so soft and soothing.”

For those a little colour-averse, she says the softer pinks can provide a safe entry point.

“It’s a bridging colour,” she says. “It’s great, especially if you are not familiar with using colour, if you’re moving on from whites and neutrals, it’s a gateway from neutrals into embracing more colour.”

While he loves its feminine charms, Natale says pink has now emerged as a sophisticated choice for living spaces, no matter who lives there.

“Stockbrokers and finance guys wear pink with navy suits now, so even straight men seem to like pink – they wear pink shirts all the time. It’s a beautiful colour.”

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