Pink is my favorite color, but I've always been nervous to decorate with it. Though touches of pink are broadly acceptable, a room swathed in pink feels taboo; it's too feminine, too bold, and too gaudy for everyday living. Photos of Audrey Hepburn's library blew my preconceptions out of the water.
A 1971 archival image shows the office space in the actress's meditative estate, 'La Paisible', and it's full of ideas for decorating a pink room chicly. Audrey's final home was located in the village of Tolochenaz, Switzerland, near Lake Geneva, serving as her sanctuary from 1963 until she died in 1993. Accordingly, the design feels like an escape from the outside world, full of personality and warmth.
The actor's home library idea especially embraces this philosophy, with the perfect balance of white and fuchsia. It features a magenta couch, an orange armchair, and a pink patterened area rug (This boho style carpet from Amazon is a good lookalike). A painting of three watermelon slices by Mexican artist Rufino Tamayo serves as the focal point of the room, tying these bold tones together.
Recreate Audrey's Look at Home
This gorgeous velvet sofa is the perfect bold accent for a white and pink living room. It would look gorgeous styled with multi-colored throw pillows.
Who says a wastebin can't be stylish? This beautiful pink-patterned one would be adorable in a library or a home office, like the rattan one in Audrey's home.
Perhaps you aren't ready to embrace large pieces of hot pink furniture, but want to try out the look. This pretty tray is the perfect small accent for incorporating a pop of color without too much commitment.
However, it's Audrey's balanced use of neutrals that makes the room feel truly refined. A modern white coffee table and a modern white writing table offset the brightness of the sofa in the pink room idea. White walls, a cream lamp, and ivory curtains add a sense of elevated warmth. My favorite neutral detail is the woven rope stools, which bring a stylized bohemian touch to the space.
The overall lesson in decorating with pink is to simultaneously be bold, while exercising restraint. Bright colors like magenta and orange have a strong payoff, but they should be equalized with softer hues to avoid a gaudy look. Audrey's space has shown me that if I want to fill my living room with a fuchsia sofa I can, it just means I need to decorate around it carefully.
Design is a careful game of balance and cohesion. With the right pieces and complementary colors, pink can be one of the chicest tones in a home.
