Wall colours to neutralise a pink carpet

A pink carpet can be easy on the eye when it is in the right room, but sometimes it's just plain irritating. If you are stuck with a pink carpet and are not ready to replace it, there are steps you can take to reduce its impact on your décor. Changing your wall colour to “neutralise” the pink often makes all the difference; you may even become fond of your carpet. There are other ways to calm a pink carpet – however, after a little experimentation, you may decide to get in touch with your pink side and go with the flow.

Placing two colours next to each other can trick the eye into seeing them differently. Using a neutral colour on your walls, such as brown, cream or grey will soften the pink. The trick is to use the same “value.” This means that if you have a medium shade of pink carpet, you should select a medium shade of grey. If you choose a lighter or darker grey, it will accentuate the pink and make it look even brighter. Colours of the coffee variety: mocha, latte and espresso, go very well with pink.

One method of choosing the right colour value is to line up manufacturer's paint samples. The colours are usually on the same scale, so the second shade down on one sample will work with the second shade down on another. There are exceptions, so use your judgement.

Instead of repainting all the walls, consider painting only the skirting board. Use a neutral colour, again, of the same value as the carpet. This provides a visual barrier and will act as the neutraliser. You need to make sure that the colour you use is perfectly neutral – if there is any hint of green or yellow, the results will be horrible. If unsure, purchase a sampler pot as near to the colour of your carpet as possible. Paint several five centimetre square patches on a sheet of card. Experiment by painting other samples right next to the pink to see which work best.

Floors reflect white ceilings and this makes the carpet appear even brighter than it is. Reduce the amount of light bouncing from the ceiling by painting it cream or pale beige. Choose a colour that doesn't have yellow in it.

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Go with the pink. Use the pink carpet as a starting point for your room décor and get crazy with colours. Turquoise, yellow and green will create a bright and cheerful room when matched with pink. Once again, choose colours that are the same value as the carpet and they won't clash. If your pink carpet is pale, go with delicious ice-cream pastels. If your carpet is deep pink, choose a palette of bright jelly bean colours. You can always repaint and go back to tasteful once the carpet has gone.

An analogous colour scheme uses colours very close to each other on the colour wheel. They create a harmonious effect, thus reducing the impact on any one colour. Colours that are analogous to pink are violet, purple, magenta and crimson. Once more, always go with similar values or your harmony will be out of tune. (SEE REF 2)

Use neutral rugs to tone down the pink. Choose a modern, geometric design and you will barely notice the carpet underneath. Stay away from florals and heavily patterned rugs.