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Pink & Purple - Part Four
Give pink and purple a chance - there are shades to suit
every taste
 Pink
and purple tend to polarise people. You’re either a lover or
a loather of either colour. Luckily, as a designer, I’m able
to separate what I personally like from what works best for
a client. I adore hot pink and have used it many times mixed
with limes and turquoise. This very adult version of a pink-based
theme suits bedrooms as well as outdoor areas furnished with
fun, weatherproof beanbags. Naturally, I’ve been unable to bypass
ballerina pink in girls’ bedrooms, but what about my own home?
I confess – I favour red. I’ll admit I’ve never specified a
full-on pink or purple lounge.
Here in New Zealand, where so many people keep an eye on resale
value, we’re reticent about making such self-assured statements
with colour. The Europeans are definitely braver! Perhaps it’s
because when they leave their homes, they tend to take their
bathrooms and kitchens with them.
They sell a shell to the new owner that allows them to stamp
their individuality on the design. I just love the floor-to-ceiling
pink-tiled walls and opulent chandeliers you find in large,
luxurious bathrooms in Italy – they’re incredibly sassy in that
whole Versace, over-the-top style.
Here pragmatism is our passion. While I don’t blame you for
keeping the kitchen and main bathroom neutral, for those who
have the money, inclination and a joyful spirit, why not splash
out? An en suite can become a secretive, shabby-chic statement
in pink or lilac mosaic. Team with stainless steel fittings
and, if there’s room, a white leather chaise longue. Can’t you
just imagine it? Go on… you know you want to.
Yours in colour,
Sarah Kerr
Colour consultant and interior designer
History of pink and purple
• In Roman times only the highest-ranking members of society
were allowed to wear purple on their togas.
• Pink and purple were first made synthetically in the 19th
century. Pink, created by diluting the newly created synthetic
red, was first used as a decorative option in the late 1800s.
• Purple, once reserved for royalty, in later years became a
bohemian colour, popular with artists, writers and anyone with
an unconventional point of view.
 Kitchens
Do you have fond memories of your grandma’s kitchen with its
pale pink cupboards where you’d find her whipping up some gingerbread
men? Well, if you’re a vintage vamp, it’s high time to revisit
this scene. There’s something charming about time-worn timber
cupboards painted baby pink. On the whole, it’s pretty daring
to go for lilac or pink in the kitchen, but a new paint job
is an economical way to effect a ‘vintage’ makeover.
If you’re keen to take that step, see our advice on repainting
kitchen cabinetry. If you don’t want to repaint, but want to
achieve the warmth of pink in your kitchen cupboards, consider
kitchen cabinetry (such as Parbury’s Beigewood), which is a
pale timber grain with a pink and lilac undertone.
Looking to the past isn’t the only reason to opt for pastels
in the hub of the home. German manufacturer Poggenpohl has introduced
elements of glossy berry cabinetry mixed with stainless steel
into their range of luxury kitchens. Take a peek at the SMEG
appliances – you may be surprised to find their refrigerators
and dishwashers in beautiful pastels.
If you’re keen to update an old white fridge, you could spray-paint
it lilac or ice-cream pink – it’s the perfect accessory for
a 1950s-style kitchen. Laminex has a fuchsia product and lending
further weight to the pink cause, Stonex has introduced a hot-pink
composite stone benchtop. Now that’s brave. A glass splashback
in pink or purple adds the va-va-voom factor in small, palatable
doses.
Painting kitchen cabinets
Give existing cabinetry a fresh new look with a coat of paint
and brushed aluminium handles. You can even get away with painting
the doors in-situ. Look for a product (such as Dulux Primalock)
that can successfully be applied to metallic surfaces, as well
as laminates, to act as a base coat. Always remember to ventilate
the room properly when you work and allow enough drying time
especially where cupboard doors are concerned. In temperatures
below 10°C, drying may be compromised.
 STEPS
1 Remove handles from doors then clean the surfaces thoroughly
using Sugar Soap. Remove stubborn grease from the cupboards
using liquid turpentine. This step is essential for proper paint
adherence.
2 Sand down with P150 sandpaper.
3 Dust with a damp cloth.
4 Paint doors with one coat of Primalock (or similar product)
as a base coat.
5 Finish with two coats of a water-based enamel* or oil-based
enamel in the colour of your choice.
* Enamel is harder-wearing than acrylic, so very important in
the case of cabinetry. Enamel paint takes 7-10 days to fully
harden.
Living Rooms
Pink is not an example of purity; it’s literally a dilution
of red. In fact, it wasn’t until the late 1800s that pink raised
its pretty head as a decorative option. Until then, there were
no synthetic reds, thus no pinks. Nevertheless pink has many
natural allies in the chromatic cause. Purple, for instance.
This decorative duo dance in harmony to add warmth to south-facing
rooms.
Always choose pink carefully in this classic match. Pastel
shades will become washed out against purple’s depth, so try
a raspberry (such as Dulux ‘Woodend’) or rose (like Dulux ‘Frozen
Frappe’). In fact, when putting colours together in a scheme,
a good rule is to team those of similar intensity. Keep pastels
with pastels, dusky pink (like Resene ‘Anticipation’) with grey
(Resene ‘Urbane’) and avoid oranges and reds which tend to wash
out the pinks. I love to use hot pink with creamy white linens
in a living area.
Tall hot-pink vases and scatter cushions are the first step
along the pink path. Pink is generally viewed as pretty and
feminine, but combine black and white animal prints with hot-pink
accents for a striking modern mood. Want some Oriental ambience?
Silks and sari fabrics often pair pinks with purples. What ties
them together is the touch of gold. This colour combination
will bring an Eastern feel into your home.
Cerise (such as Resene ‘Bordello’) is a very bold pink and,
like red, works better in large, high-ceilinged rooms. Again,
bring in elements of gold (perhaps a gilded mirror or gold-leaf
detail on Louis chairs) to add sophistication. Berry pinks (Dulux
‘Hataitai’) are very in vogue, but don’t couple well with blue
as both colours fight for dominance. Rather, use earthy neutrals,
creams, white and olive green with berry shades.
 Bedrooms
This may surprise you, but in my opinion, men aren’t averse
to a bit of pink passion in the bedroom! They seem perfectly
at ease with Euro cushions covered in hot-pink flock floral,
as long as they’re down-played with white linen and dark timber
furniture. There’s something 1930s about this combination. It’s
masculine while simultaneously reminiscent of a romantic bygone
era (or perhaps they just can’t see the colour – one in 12 men
is colour-blind).
Pinks with a hint of brown (such as Resene ‘Vintage’) have
an old-world quality. They’re muted and suit antique furniture
and patterned carpet. Parisian patterns look feminine in the
bedroom, which is great, as the fabric houses seem to be releasing
their version of these charming designs.
Embrace florals, botanicals, and even peacocks. Warwick’s floral
‘Darjeeling’ with its pinky tones is just the ticket teamed
with a striped design in pink and lilac (such as Warwick Fabrics’
Ceylon).
While purples up until now have tended towards aubergine, the
new purple likely to surface in New Zealand over the next couple
of years is a colour that reminds me of 80s ballgowns. For dramatic
impact, paint a wall royal purple (such as Dulux ‘Royal Decree’)
and complete the look with oak furniture and ornate mirrors.
Such deep tones also suit small rooms like libraries and dining
rooms.
Bathrooms
Pink or purple towels do the trick every time for a quick splash
of colour. For a luxurious and feminine bathroom, consider pink
mosaic tiles around the tub and relax into a bubble bath beneath
the subtle glow of a gorgeous chandelier. Sublime. Lilac walls
(painted Resene ‘Alluring’, Dulux ‘Femininity’ or Dulux ‘Vision’)
set a tranquil tone in a bathroom, especially when offset with
white floors and fittings.
 Don’t
forget violet (we often do!). This versatile colour is a happy
compromise that blends the energy of red and the serenity of
blue. Use violet with a bluer base (Dulux ‘Lilac Flare’) to
cool down a room or one with a tinge of red (Dulux ‘Mauve Muslin’)
to heat it up. Not surprisingly, red and blue are the harmonious
shades to violet.
Kids' Bedrooms
You’re either the ‘let them do what they like’ type of Mum or
the ‘goodness no, that’s hideous’ variety. Whichever way you
look at it, girls from
a young age into their teen years gravitate towards pink. This
wasn’t always the case. It’s a feminine frenzy nurtured by the
media. In the 1800s, blue was associated with the Virgin Mary.
It was a serene and passive shade more appropriate to girls.
Red, on the other hand, was an aggressive hue, reserved for
manliness. As boys were a ‘dilution’ of men, they got landed
with pink.
When painting a bedroom, give your little madam a choice of
pinks (Dulux ‘Pretty Pale’), lilacs (Dulux ‘Tender Touch’) and
turquoise (Dulux ‘Relax’) and remember, if she opts for the
deepest, most dreadful shade, it’s only paint. Older kids, beyond
the age of seven, become interested in very definite patterns,
such as spots and stripes, perhaps in a stand against the gingham
and prettier prints that were once chosen for them. Live with
it.
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