When I posted about which colour scheme I was considering (yellow and raspberry) for my living room, I received a comment from a reader saying she could not imagine talking her husband into a pink and yellow family room and asked how to balance that.
When I helped Penelope Trunk with her colours a few months ago and we chose yellow walls with pink trim for the master bedroom, there were many comments on her blog, incredulous that her husband would agree to such a colour scheme.
Carpet in the Fairmont Hotel in Seattle
So then I started thinking about all the homes, pink shopping centers, high rise office buildings, hotels (below) and churches from the 80’s that some–to this day–are still that colour. Did women choose and approve all of those colours? I think not.
So here’s my recommendation for those of you that want to introduce a feminine colour into your home. Do it in accents. A raspberry sofa might be too much right now for your husband to handle but in a few years when it’s really mainstream, he might be specifying it for the exterior of his office, and he won’t even realize what happened 🙂
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Related posts:
An Open Letter to my Lover on Decorating
Happiness is. . . A Happy Wife
5 Ways to add Happiness to your Space using Colour
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Great advice! My fiancé is insistent that only *real* men wear pink, so I'm sure he'd be happy to decorate with the colour. I think it's probably me who would be afraid of it!
in Italy houses can be painted pink or yellow or mustard yellow and men often wear pink shirts or scarves. I never felt attracted to this kind of fashion on men to be true. – I see pink in girls' bedrooms and some decor objects of secondary importance – my view of course…x
I love happy colors — the yellow and pink color scheme is luscious — love the rug pattern! I think a pink tie on a guy doesn't scream feminine … it just makes the girls notice how lovely his tie is!
Oh that's so funny! My Dad is a big burly farmer. He rocks hot pink shirts all the time & looks gorgeous in them with his tan! So does my hubby! They claim that REAL men wear pink – I agree 🙂 They let us decorate with pink too – they are fabulous men! I have a hot pink coffee table that I adore!
True that real men can handle pink and usually its in their warddrobe!
The first shirt I ever bought for my bf, now hubby, was a pink and white check RL shirt. Was it a test? maybe somewhere inside I was testing him…but not to worry he wears it and looks more handsome than usual when he does. We have a lot of pink in our home, but we also have a western cowboy type room that speaks to the masculine side of life, inspired by our visit to Wyoming–and we both love that room as well.
Ha! I was one of those that said my hubby wouldn't allow the pink.
My office is light pink and black. I LOVE it and he didn't get a say. 🙂
So how was your shopping trip to Seattle? many happy finds? I'm going to Seattle the end of the month and can't wait to do some retail-therapy!
Ha! I went to summer camps at that hotel as a child and it is where my brother proposed to his now wife! I love that you chose that hotel as one of your photos.
Great post.
I live in South Florida where pink houses (and hotels, shopping centers, office buildings, etc.) are very common. My BF looks great in a pink shirt and I doubt he'd care if I wanted a raspberry sofa (I find men are more about comfort anyway).
I can always add colors that my husband would normally not like with flowers. He always finds beauty in them. It makes me happy.
Maybe the answer is in finding the right guy lol. I wouldnt trust a guy who was very picky about the colors in our home. That would make me crazy. My bedroom is girly and pink and white……he hasnt said anything. He has a red rug tho in his music room….his request so I guess I found the right guy 🙂
I'm reading your post as I sit here in a pink shirt. I really think it's in the balance…an overly feminine room with every shade of pink and lilac and flowery bits everywhere would definately scare some men. So I agree with you that to introduce pink in accessories at first is a good way to get their feet wet with the idea. However, does it really matter what husbands think? As the Real Housewives say…"Happy Wife, Happy Life!"
I assume that I am the reader that encouraged this post. I appreciate you addressing it! I also think your advice is great- and it is exactly what I tend to do. I bring in a lot of color through the art I choose and the accent pieces. My husband also has art throughout the house that he has chosen that reflects his style.
In defense of my husband though- wow, ladies. The suggestion that I need to find the right husband? I certainly didn't marry him for his decorating style.
I think that some readers may have misinterpreted my concern. My husband is an artist, he is a professional classical musician, and aesthetic is very important to him as well. I could not imagine steam rolling his sense of style simply because I preferred something else. My concern was about balance, how to meet in the middle when there are two people who want to feel happy when they walk in their home, but what will make them happy may be different. Perhaps I should not have emphasized the color scheme so much in my original comment. I think this issue extends WAY beyond pink vases and yellow toss pillows.
Again- I appreciate you taking my thoughts to heart and addressing them!
Hi Dana,
I wouldn't take it personal. No one knows it was you anyway (in my post), I think you speak for a lot of women with your question and I appreciate that you asked it.
It made for a fun post about pink buildings 🙂
x
Maria
Everyone looks pretty in pink….especially the guys! The truth is, I think we ask men too often what they like…not that we want to ignore their feelings, but mostly because we (I speak for myself) are better at seeing the big picture, and can tell intuitively what will work and look good. My experience has taught me that often men, more linear in their thinking, tend to focus on elements of a space rather than the whole, and if they were invited into a finished room that was beautifully styled, they wouldn't even notice!
I think your yellow and pink/raspberry room will rate a wow.
I have banished baby pink from my wardrobe, garden, and home because it is one of my least favorite colors. Lovely in another home, on someone else, or in a different garden. (Well there is still some pink in the garden, if the truth be told.) One just has to pick the colors that make you happiest. That too can change over time.
What did you buy in Seattle?
Maria,
How to get a man to embrace pink…is to wear it well. Style it just right and show him lots of visual examples of great pinks. Men are very visual and if you don't push it but show them how to embrace it they will. Lead by example is my motto.
Bette
I can't wait to see the raspberry and yellow when you are done. If I wanted something pink Aaron wold not be thrilled but I think he would go for it because we (you) said it would look good.
My home is very pink most men seem to like pink and my husband wears pink shirts sometimes. He lives a very pink life with me– my blog is all about PINK and he is ok with me referring to him as Pink Boy. Ha
In the past pink actually was the prefered color for baby boys- before Victorian time I believe.
Marie Arden Pink Living.blog
Maria,
Pink is a feel good color and who doesn't look good with a little blush? I was pleasantly surprised to recognize the pic of the pink hotel you posted – it's the Don Cesar on St. Petersburg Beach in Florida, not far from where I live. You should come stay here when you need to escape the cold, we could have lunch!
I painted one of the walls in my living room pink. I was going for a different color of pink so I don't really like it, but my husband does. men DO like pink! Just not everywhere. (me either!) 🙂
I had a pink living room and dining room back in the 80's and my hubby was fine with it. He also wears pink shirts probably because I tell him how great they look on him. If they are scared just tell them it's salmon or faded red.
I never knew who this post was about and my answer had nothing to do with that. Just simply about pink. While i said finding a guy who isnt picky might be a place to start… I am not suggesting anyone dump the man they have ….dear God, relationships are more important than that. Im just thinking from the other side of a divorce and finding myself.
I like my house they way it is and I do have a bf who lives with me. But if he came into my life and starting saying he didnt like this or that about my home….I would have to think seriously about the man. After all one who does that, doesnt like something about you. Now if hes got awesome qualities, you compromise, thats what love is all about.
Pink & Raspberry?
I'm going to have to take your word on that one. (My problem could be that I'm a man, and for years I gave in to what my wife wanted to do for colours).
What a great idea! I had never considered using those colors as accents so it isn't quite so overwhelming to our hubbies. :o)
You are so smart Maria! By the way, can you believe that Tim threw away our lazy boy today!! I just mention little things now and then and it seems that Tim doesn't even notice and then 'Voila!'–he decides it's a great idea and does it.
Sometimes I think getting hubbies used to new things is like planting seeds. You just have to let the concepts germinate a while. :o)
Donna @ Comin' Home