A Brooklyn Rental’s Pretty Palette Is an Example of How to Elevate Everyday Items

A cohesive palette isn’t just a design essential best left to the professionals. Every home has one, particularly because we’re all drawn to certain shades, but it’s best to make these choices intentionally if you can. After all, planning a space always turns out better in the end, and keeping a palette in mind makes it easier to add pieces in the future. 

When it comes to the Brooklyn apartment of experiential designer Briana Guin, it’s clear that specific shades were chosen for her home from the beginning. “I think I’d describe my personal decorating style as Danish pastel with hints of Parisienne and neoclassical elements if that makes any sense at all! I love whimsical shapes, romantic accents, soft pastel colors, and rounded corners,” she told AT. A bubblegum pink sectional and accompanying gallery wall prove this point in the living area — with its pops of lavender, sunny yellow, and bright blue — and these colors repeat throughout her space in everything from candlesticks and storage crates to bed linens and a table top. 

There’s a lot to enjoy about this rental, but perhaps a small-yet-mighty takeaway from Guin’s style is that a palette can tie even the most everyday details together. Her wardrobe may be out in the open, but matching pink hangers give it a uniform look. A pink toaster on the table coordinates with the kettle near the stove to look like a unit, while coasters showcase most of the home’s colors in a neat square grid when friends are over. 

“Pinterest is definitely my go-to for inspo, but I also look to art, film, and television,” she continues. “I’ll use them and discover a layout that I really like, a palette that I wouldn’t have necessarily thought of, or pieces of furniture or art that I admire and will then set out to find or create pieces inspired by it.”

Sticking to colors she loves has made a comfortable home Guin enjoys spending time in, and that thoughtfulness has extended to pretty much everything she owns. By honing in on a personalized color scheme, she’s elevated mundane products into something special. It’s something to remember the next time you need a new countertop appliance, pack of hangers, or scented candle. 

“I mean, you have to have a sofa, plates, pans, and toaster anyway, so why not have the version of that functional thing that also brings you joy?,” Guin asks. “And for me, that joy happens to come from having all of those things in pink.”