How to harness the power of pastels

Pastels are one of the hottest trends in home decor right now. Typically associated with spring and summer, pastel colors are some of the hottest new colors for fall. Why? Pastels are gender-neutral and blend well with other colors while creating a sense of soothing and calm in a subtle way.

PASTEL PINK

Pastel pink is one of the more popular pastel colors. Pink is a great foundation color and can easy be used as the base color for nearly any color palette. Chocolate brown, charcoal gray as well as black are great colors to pair with pastel pink and can help create a sophisticated and luxurious look.

MINT GREEN

No longer considered medicinal or drab, mint green is one of the key pastels taking center stage in home decor. Don't be afraid to use various tints, tones and shades of green to create a color palette. Sage green, mint green, sea green and even a soft turquoise can be used.

POWDER BLUE

Think tranquil and calm with powder blue. It's a fabulous accent color and can be ideal for accent decor elements such as toss pillows, throws and accent walls.

GETTING STARTED

Looking for pastel decor elements to infuse pastel colors into your home? Begin with portable decor - pieces that can be easily moved from room to room and swapped in and out with the seasons.

Looking for ideas? Here are some suggestions of portable pieces:

l Toss pillows

l Throws

l Ottomans, side chairs, stools or benches

l Vases

l Candles

l Small decorative elements such as agates, book ends, figurines and even florals.

l Cathy Hobbs is a television host and interior design and home staging expert with offices in New York City, Boston and Washington, D.C.