Saturated shades for summer? How very flowers-in-spring. But pastels? How very Palm Beach. In 2026, designers are swapping the season’s usual Barbie pinks and fluorescent brights for softer, more effortless color trends that encourage an elegant calm.
‘Growing up in Puerto Rico and designing throughout South Florida, I’ve never viewed soft color or pastels as seasonal colors,’ notes Raisa Imar Ortiz, Founder and Principal Designer of CASARIO Design Studio, who insists they’re definitely not just for Easter brunches and nurseries. ‘On the contrary, because I grew up where summer is year-round, softer hues have always been part of everyday life. The fact is, they respond beautifully to natural light and create an effortless sense of ease.’
Think barley-there butter yellows (à la Brooklinen’s Daisy bed sheets), baby blues (Vornado makes a darling retro-style fan to keep you cool), cotton-candy pinks (a permanent resident of the Ginori 1735 universe), and matcha green, which seemed to be everywhere at this year’s WOW!house. Fashion designer Cynthia Rowley’s summer collection for Pottery Barn, incidentally, includes a healthy dose of all of the above.
The secret to mastering summertime pastels is contrast, as seen in this Lulu and Georgia x Portola Paint-clad living room. ‘I lean towards pairing pastels with some grounding elements, this can be warm tones, brass, natural stone, or graphic patterns to create a balance,’ explains Vanessa Arenas, interior designer at Mackenzie Collier Interiors.
You could reach for a neutral. But these 16 summer-ready accessories are so much sweeter.
The Round is Homes & Gardens' collection of the must-have pieces shaping styles, trends, and ideas. It brings together thoughtfully curated products that express a single moment – offering readers inspiring ways to style their homes through seasonal themes, emerging looks, and everyday pieces.
Love beautiful design ideas, expert advice, and inspiring decor trends? Sign up for our newsletter and get the latest features delivered straight to your inbox.
