Big Little Sorority Room Decorating

hot pink foyer with table mirror and black and white swirl chair

Francesco Lagnese

It's not just for little girls, and it goes with way more than frills and lace. The color of the moment is cheery, sophisticated, and even sexy. Here are decorating ideas and tips on how to get the hue right — whether you're eighteen or eighty.

hot pink foyer with table mirror and black and white swirl chair

Francesco Lagnese

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Use Pink as a Surprise

Adding pink in a small space, like on the wall of the foyer, makes a statement without too much investment. "You can go this intense in an entryway, where you don't spend that much time," explains designer Jonathan Berger who chose Razzle Dazzle by Benjamin Moore for a Brooklyn townhouse. "It's a 'Wow!' moment that says, 'We're brave, we're bold,'" he says.

purple and pink bedroom

Nick Johnson

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Choose a Pink with Purple Tones

Choose a rich hue in high gloss for a seductive bedroom like this one by designer Jamie Drake. "Orchid pink is wildly lush and not at all juvenile," he says, "This room feels almost aromatic, redolent of complex perfume."

pink dining room with pink flowers on table

Tria Giovan

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Try Deep Pink in the Dining Room

Do you love to entertain? Then choose a color that complements your guests. Designer Suzanne Kasler advises picking a deep pink like Checker-Berry by Glidden for the walls of your dining room. "This has undertones of raspberry and rose, and it makes people look good, which gives everyone a good feeling," she explains.

pink living room with white table and beige carpet

Victoria Pearson

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Add Pink to Energize a Space

A fresh and exciting pink backdrop, like the shade used in this living room by designer Windsor Smith, livens up any lackluster space. "Wherever you see this color, you instantly equate it with a passion for life," she says.

faded red and pink living room

John Kernick

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Try Vintage Red Furniture

"Pink here is really faded red. It's pink with a past," says designer Ellen O'Neill of the timeworn vintage and antique furniture in the living room of her Hamptons home. Their colors have been softened over the years, which gives the room a mature, wise air.

pink and white bedroom

Thibault Jeanson

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Layer It

Slipcovering everything in the same pink fabric is a great way to unify disparate things. To create this master bedroom with traditional charm, designer Rob Southern used the same soft-pink floral cotton for the walls, curtains, seating, bed corona, and headboard. "The whole room casts the most beautiful soft-pink glow. It's enchanting," he says.

dining room with pink chairs and gold ceiling

Victoria Pearson

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Pair Pink with a Metallic

Gold or silver makes pink look more sophisticated. The gold-leaf ceiling in the dining room of interior designer Ruthie Sommers's L.A. home counterbalances the cotton candy chairs.

blue and white office with pink lampshade by a door

Victoria Pearson

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Try a Pink Accessory

Even one pink accessory can break up a monotone room. This coral lampshade livens up the all blues in Ruthie Sommers's home office.

pink and white kitchen

Victoria Pearson

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Choose it for the Kitchen

Interior designer Krista Ewart went for a fun summer vibe in her sister's California cottage. In the kitchen, the pink refrigerator, curtains, and wall art add life and a warm glow to the white walls.

pink painted living room with green carpet and fireplace

Mikkel Vang

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Think of it as a Neutral

Pink makes a statement all on its own, but it also works well with taupe, black, purple, and more. In his pink Miami living room, designer Frank De Biasi chose a chartreuse sofa and a dark green rug. "I think of it as a neutral — it works with any decorating scheme," he says.