Pastel colour palettes are often deemed to be calming and soothing, so they tend to be used in bedrooms more than other parts of the home, which often have more strident colour schemes. However, pastels are able to work together in great combinations, which means that you are more easily able to break out from the two-colour or monotone schemes so often found in Australian homes. Trying out a palette of three, four or even more pastel tones allows for a great deal more creativity. However, pastels are not commonly used in bathrooms – a place in many people's homes which is often crying out for a colour update. Why stick to the tired, old shiny white and navy blue found in so many bathrooms when pastels offer so much more?

Wall Coverings

If you are not planning to rip out your bathroom's three-piece suite during your bathroom's makeover, the chances are that you will have to work around a plain white sink, bath and toilet. That's not problem, because pastel wall tones enliven this pallid sort of look very well. Indeed, white bathroom suites tend to reflect well-chosen wall colours effectively. When painting your walls, always try to use more than one pastel tone. Switch colours so that opposite walls match but adjoining ones don't. Furthermore, when tiling your bathroom, opt for softer pastel tones and use a mixture of one type of colour - such as pale green, Pomona green, celadon green and artichoke - to achieve a coordinated look.

Floor Coverings

Never assume that you need a darker tone for a bathroom floor to hide any dirt that might build up. Pastel-coloured lino or carpets give a bathroom a warm feel that is welcoming and which will make your bathroom feel like it is in a home, not a hospital. It is okay to opt for just a single pastel colour with your choice of floor covering, but add a second, complimentary pastel for your bath mats.

Bathroom Cabinet Makeovers

When you redesign a bathroom, it can be tempting to replace all of the cabinets you have in place. However, this is not necessary if you are simply updating the room for a new pastel colour scheme. Most bathroom cabinets have detachable doors these days which you can simply unclip or unscrew. By removing and spray painting them in a couple of different pastel tones, they will immediately fit in with the rest of the look without costing the earth. If you replace your towel rail and other bathroom accessories with pastel tones too, then the entire look can seem like it is totally new and very much refreshed.