Colour Crush - Brights

Interior Design Pairing Pastels With Neons - Opposites Attract!

Miami owes its unique colour palette to a man before his time Leonard Horowitz, who arrived from NYC in Miami in the '70s after his family disowned him for his sexuality. He then set about transforming the Miami skyline one building at a time into the pastel bright paradise we know today. Which was added to by the crazy neons of the '80s and the Miami club scene which is world-renowned for its outlandish styling and ostentatiousness.  Add a sense of this vibrancy and fun into your home with all the turquoise and wild tropical shades of deep orange and Kitsch blush pinks. Miami has a bold style of art deco futurism, full of beautiful lines and quirky architecture. Getting this full-on place into one interior can make decorating with the colours of Miami Beach a little bit tricky but so worthwhile when done properly!

To bring this look into your home choose the main colour, like a beautiful sky blue or a blush pink, then contrast with touches of hotter aqua, punchy yellow, or palm tree green, to capture that dreamy sun-kissed style. Don't be afraid to mix pastels and neons, a south beach-inspired palette is all about being bold with colour, but a little faded. Add hints of chrome and retro styling to create a sizzling room set. Contrasting pastel colours with neon brights can introduce a dramatic effect, and colour blocking using similar shades can be used to make a space feel more cohesive and aesthetic. When done right this look is share and truely contemporary even though it is inspired by a retro nostalgic look.

When mixing bold colours like neon it doesn't have to be overpowering as little touches here and there create a big impact. If you're not brave enough to go full wall colour, you could leave your walls white and add a brightly painted door frame to add a touch of vibrancy to an otherwise muted interior. In particular electric blue and neon pink, work so well when paired with delicate chalky pastels. In contrast, if you really want to throw the boat out and go deep into the colours that go with this look consider accenting with a deep navy to really bring out that night time futuristic vibe of the beach at night - illuminated by the garish neon lights.

I would lay my money on this becoming one of the bigger interior trends for everyday homes before too long as people hark for more colour after years of delicate feminine blush colours dominating the interiors world.  While darker colours are popular in magazines, the numbers don't lie, with Whites by far the most popular bestsellers for all paint brands distantly followed by Greys, earth tones and muted lavenders. While rose quartz and serenity, Pantone's colours of the year in 2016 (before every brand and their dog were announcing a colour of the year), are like drops of colour into a white base, these almost white shades have crept into the mainstream. I'm calling it now that as people slowly begin to reject white in favour of hints of colour, the mainstream is going to swing the other way as the rich Amber and Jewel tones of the '70s make a break from fantastical magazine shoots into the lives of everyday homes... and the cycle will begin again as people create homes that future DIY-ers will look at going 'what maniac paired red velvet curtains, with two different patterns of flock wallpaper and differently patterned shagpile carpet' - not an exaggeration of the kind of thing I've found house hunting...  So don't do that, skip the 70s instead opt for a timeless look with hints of nostalgia and youth all rolled into one, the South Beach-inspired pallet has a classic appeal no matter what era.