I bought my Samsta light pink Soderhamn sofa back in late summer last year when I moved into what was to become my second NYC apartment (tour the first one here). This was long before I’d heard anyone utter the words ‘millennial pink’, let alone see the blush pink turn into one of 2017’s hottest color trends. And now here I am writing a post about millennial pink decorating ideas…! I mean, it all feels a bit like an episode of Younger TBH! Truth be told, I had been hunting high and low for a soft pink sofa to sit along one of the walls in the small living room of my new apartment. I knew I wanted a couch that had a minimal, Scandinavian vibe that didn’t cost the earth. I also knew that I really wanted it to be blush pink – now often referred to as millennial pink – in color. This was because I often like to decorate with varying shades of blue and this soft pink pairs well with both deep navy and brighter, truer shades of blue. It also works well with black and grey accents and yellow, too. Essentially, it works well with the main palette of colors I gravitate towards at home. After sharing the sneak peek progress video of my spring decorating updates over on Instagram a few days ago, I’m excited to blog a tour of my living room today! It’s full of millennial pink decorating ideas and gorgeous Scandinavian design. Take the tour with me after the jump!
In this apartment, the bedroom was the first room I tackled (I mean, there’s only three rooms total so that makes it sound like I live in a sprawling mansion but whatever let’s go with it because it sounds good!) and you may remember that I went for a cocooning palette of forest green, grey and black. I’m still madly in love with that space – it’s simultaneously fresh and cozy, which isn’t easy to achieve. However, for the main living space I was keen to provide a contrast to the darker tones of the bedroom scheme. To achieve a lighter look in the living room I decided to base the scheme around a core palette of blush/millennial pink, intense blues and black with splashes of yellow and aqua.
The Kabino sideboard is a piece I brought over from our last London apartment when my husband and I emigrated to America. I’m so pleased we did because it was the perfect size to for the TV. It’s funny because until we invested in this TV we still had our tiny ‘European’ sized TV. All of our American friends would laugh at us/lament at the small size of it when they came over. We had resisted getting a larger TV because we couldn’t find one that was aesthetically pleasing/didn’t look like a large lump of plastic and metal in the middle of the room. That was until I found the Samsung Serif TV which melds beautifully with the space and, I think, almost disappears into the room. Love!
I was keen to maximize the light and airy feel of the space with clean lined pieces and furniture that felt minimal without being cold and stark. The Visu chair was the perfect occasional chair for this because its minimal profile helps keep the feeling of space, while the gentle curvature in the legs and seat lend a gently feminine feel that softens the look of the piece. If you are looking for millennial pink decorating ideas that will introduce this of-the-moment hue in a subtle way, then this chair is the ideal piece for that. Sexy and subtle. Just the way I like it! 😉 
The Around coffee table is another gorgeous piece of Scandinavian furniture by Muuto. I’ve always leaned more towards rectangular or square coffee tables so it’s been fun to switch it up with a round one this time. I like how it softens some of the harder straight lines seen both in the architecture of the modern condo building, and of that seen in some of my other furniture, too. I decorated the walls with a small gallery wall made up of art I already had from previous apartments. My husband said the other day that he thinks the hand dyed linen piece by the amazing Mineral Workshop looks like a woman kissing a goat. I had never seen that when I looked at it but now that’s all I can see! Still, I love the color palette of this piece of much that it doesn’t matter. Isn’t it beautiful?
As I had re-used a lot of existing pieces for this space (remember the Donna Wilson badger pillow from the London apartment that made the UK cover of my first book?!) I was able to use some of my savings to splurge on the Kai high shelving unit. I love, love, love this shelving unit because it adds height into the room without dominating the space. The ceilings aren’t that high so I wanted to be careful that anything of height that I brought into the room wouldn’t feel over-powering or squished in. Of course, the pops of playful color in the dividers helped seal my love for the design, too! I also love how the JWDA metallic table lamp fits perfectly into one of the spaces in the unit.
While this apartment is larger overall than my first NYC apartment, the living room area is shaped in a way that requires smaller pieces compared to our first apartment. I relished the challenge of creating a look for this modern condo apartment that while being sympathetic to its contemporary surroundings still felt comfortable, cozy, and most importantly, colorful! What do you like about the space? And if you have any additional millennial pink decorating ideas I’d love to hear them. Perhaps I can use them to make a few tweaks to this space?! You know me, any excuse to decorate! Check back soon as I’ll be sharing the makeover of my entryway here in the next week or so.
// Photography by Will Taylor
40 Comments
I keep hearing about this millennial pink and I had no idea what it looked like! Your place is so cute will I like the white coffee table! P.S. Found you via the NYT, congratulations!!
@Savannah – Me tooooooo! It’s been really fun to try something new in this room while still using some of my existing pieces, too. Thanks for coming over from NYT; welcome along! 🙂
LOVE! Every detail is so cute! I need the pink chair. Is it comfortable? Thanks for sharing with us! xoxo
@Jessie – Oh, thank you! 🙂 Yes! It’s funny because it’s so slimline that it looks like it would be ‘hard’ to sit on but almost everyone who sits on it says “wow, I wasn’t expecting it to be this soft!”. Highly reccomend it!
Hahah, Toby. I can’t tell which is the woman and which is the goat. Love your living room and you’ve photographed it so beautifully!
@Jackie – Hahaha! Woman on the left; goat on the right! 😉 And, thank you!
It looks lovely! I still really think I need the same blue striped chair!
@Michelle – Thanks so much! And that chair is so comfortable ??
Everything you post looks wonderful and i want to move to these places :)) Now I am starting step by stem my house redecoration, beginning with bedroom, bed and building a wardrobe. Well not really building :)))) But anyway, your inspiring pictures make me do things ))) thanks 🙂
@Simona – I’m so pleased you found the space inspiring! Good luck with your decorating! 🙂
lovely designs and great photography
@Archana – Thank you so much!
I can’t help think of the word “serene” when looking at these photos! Totally obsessed!
@Jenn – Thank you so much! I love how calm the space feels!
Your home decor feels like fresh and peaceful space. Specially, a lovesome sofa!
This totally feels like fresh and peaceful space. Specially, a lovesome sofa! Yes!
@Stella – Thank you so much! I love relaxing in this space. 🙂
What a fun and fresh space! The soft pink is a perfect edition to the room to add character and cheer. Soft pastel hues like this along with blues and mint, are a great choice for bursts of colour in a room – as they still maintain a minimalist and calming feel.
@Jane – Thanks so much for the lovely comment! I’m glad you like the space!
OMG! I’m obsessed whit that space!! The colors are subtle and powerfull the same time, i love the pink chair.. The perfect complement!
@Marlenne – Yay! So happy you like it as much as I do. I’m obsessssssed with the pink chair by Muuto! 🙂
Love the space! Its so fresh and the way you incorporated color!
@Danni – Thanks so much!
Pingback: Weekend Reading. - The Stripe
Loving the pops of blue and yellow. A really inviting space. Great job!
@Josh – Thanks so much, man!
Pingback: Top 20 Home Solutions & Trends of 2017 – Fox Cities Home Buying Team
Yeah! I really like pink and I loved your interpretation with those little pink spots. Soft and charming! ?
@Daniel – Thank you so much! 🙂
Wow, great combo with the soft pink and the radiant blue shades popping out!
Love it!
@Filiz – Thanks so much! 🙂
Pingback: Introducing Millennial Pink! What it Is and How It Works - Kaodim
great room! where can i find that rug?
@Isabel – Thank you! The rug is from IKEA.
Pingback: Introducing Millennial Pink: Do You Know What It Is? - Online Shopping Blog by ezbuy Malaysia
Great idea!!! I like to mix and match different styles in a living room . Love it. Thanks for sharing
@Aarsun – Thank you!
Where is this rug from? I need it
@Isabel – IKEA!
Pingback: Blush Pink Sofas: Add A Touch Of Color To Your Living Room - Homelovr