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Often associated with femininity and romance, mauve is a stunning shade of purple that incorporates a deep tone of pink. Compared to bright pink or violet purple, mauve offers a dreamy vibe and makes a soft, delicate visual impression. This is not an attention-seeking color shade making it ideal for various home decor applications. Mauve was actually extremely popular in the retro-80s era when it was used for all kinds of interior elements such as wallpaper, curtains, bedding, and more.
While millennial pink enjoyed a great time in the spotlight, it looks like trends are moving towards a resurgence of mauve in the world of interior design. This purplish color tone brings a new dimension of sophistication compared to overdone pink tones. While it seems deceptively similar to some neutral tones, it’s actually quite difficult to properly incorporate the beauty of mauve when decorating interiors.
Whether you want to add a subtle touch to the room or make a bold statement, check out the following stunning decoration ideas that will inspire you to use mauve in your home.
1. Glam Vibe
Although mauve isn’t as intense as some bright shades of pink or deep purple tones, it’s safe to say that it’s still a bold color. You can use this to your advantage by pairing mauve with gold metallic accents that make use of its natural glamorous appeal. The result is a sophisticated look that feels chic and luxurious instead of overwhelming and childlike. This elegant mauve couch is beautifully combined with the shiny black-and-gold coffee table.
2. Mauve Walls
Painting the walls in a mauve tone could be a great design choice but it might put you in a difficult position when it comes to selecting matching elements. There’s a strong level of warmth provided by mauve-painted walls. It’s recommended to balance out the visual style with the help of cool tones of blue. Stick to muted shades of teal, turquoise, or aqua instead of bright versions to keep a pleasant contrast. It ensures that your color scheme remains soothing and harmonious instead of kitschy.
3. A Touch of Mauve
If you don’t feel ready to commit to a big mauve makeover, consider integrating the color through just a few well-chosen accents. Keep the overall color scheme in a neutral style and sprinkle a touch of mauve as you see fit. A good example is using mauve for the curtains in the room. Even if you use a pale shade, it’s safe to say that your window treatments will stand out because the chic power of mauve immediately pops against white, beige, or cream neutrals.
4. Mauve Bedding
Mauve can give off a sense of warmth and coziness, especially when you try a layered look with different tones of color. The slight romantic and sentimental vibes of mauve can also contribute to making it ideal for the bedroom. Check out these comfortable bedding textiles decorated in elegant shades of mauve. They keep the atmosphere of the bed cozy without creating a childish appeal for the rest of the room. The addition of a sophisticated shade of dark blue with tinges of gray ensures that this remains an adult space.
5. Green Harmony
If you’re wondering about the best complementary colors to mix with mauve, consider a shade of bright green. The resulting contrast can have a romantic and retro visual style. There’s a beautiful harmony created when you pair vibrant shades of mauve and green together. Even though this is a bold combination, it feels incredibly fresh and modern. A vibrant green tone seems to energize the soft and romantic side of mauve.
6. Vintage Aesthetic
Mauve is safely incorporated in both modern and vintage design styles. The bathroom can be considered a prime target for an elegant makeover that uses this attractive shade of purple. A simple accent, such as this mauve vanity, could be more than enough to make this vintage-styled bathroom look trendy. Despite the notable pink hue of mauve, the bathroom doesn’t feel particularly girlish. The rest of the space maintains a sense of neutrality through the dominant use of white and black elements.
7. Cohesive Purple Look
Other shades of purple can be used together with mauve to decorate the room and maintain a more cohesive style. Enhance the color depth of pale mauve walls with furniture and accessories featuring different purple shades that are darker or more intense. This results in a sophisticated gradient of purple tones and a more balanced color scheme overall. Focus on keeping mauve as the backdrop and use violet and bright lilac tones sparingly to avoid overpowering the entire room.
8. Earthy Mauve
A typical shade of mauve contains quite a strong blue tinge that’s more easily integrated into modern spaces. If you want to include mauve decorations in a rustic setting, it’s recommended to opt for an earthy tone of mauve that packs a brown hue. This rusty mauve style can improve the sense of decor richness when combined with other earthy tones or natural elements such as wood. Despite the mellow and chalky appeal of this mauve wall, the color still retains some of its sophisticated vibes.
9. Pink Replacement
Looking to create a fresh makeover for a girl’s bedroom? Instead of the usual bright pink colors, consider decorating with mauve. Although this sophisticated shade of purple works like a charm in adult-friendly spaces, it’s also recommended for kids’ rooms. Mauve evokes a sense of fun cheerfulness while maintaining a soothing quality. As opposed to more formal spaces, there’s no issue if you choose a more intense tone of mauve.
10. Greenery Contrast
We’ve mentioned the superb combination made when you mix mauve with green. A great decor idea is to take advantage of the striking contrast between these colors by using a muted shade of mauve to show off your collection of houseplants. This is a fairly maximalist approach because the entire light mauve wall is covered in the vibrant foliage of ferns, palms, and other plants. It’s important to select a very pale mauve tone that gets very close to the feel of a neutral color.
11. Dark Mauve Accent Wall
Fans of Scandinavian home design will be pleased to find out that you can easily integrate the beauty of mauve into this decor style. You can make a stylish statement with the help of an accent wall painted in a dark mauve shade. The color is elegantly balanced by the use of both warm and cool neutral tones in the bedroom. We’re used to seeing mauve providing a feminine appeal to bedrooms but it’s possible to create a more masculine feel by opting for a darker shade.
