For look that simply feels clean, a color palette with pastels and white gets the job done—a tried-and-true combination in bathrooms and kitchens, alike. The combination of the light and muted pastel blue here mixed with soft white creates an airy and refreshing vibe.

Related:  7 Pro Tips for Brightening Your Bathroom

While cheery as can be, pastels can also work in a moody tone when paired with grays. Here, this dining room's accent wall brightens the otherwise steely space, providing the hit of energy needed for entertaining family and friends.

Related:  10 Alternatives to a Formal Dining Room

This is no little boy's bedroom. Start a room out with a splash of eggshell blue, and dress it as a more adult space through the accessories: luxurious tufted comforters and marble accents feel age-appropriate.

Related:  7 Cool Colors for Kids' Rooms

Going for a more subtle change? This pinky-beige pastel is warmer than white, but less imposing than a dark grey or brown. Toning the color down keeps this space airy and brightens the whole room—and your mood!

Related:  8 Bright Ideas to Boost Natural Light

Sure, black frames on white walls are classic, but hanging your artwork on a tinted wall is like having a built-in colored matte to give the colors an extra pop. Against these striped green walls, a dark canvas' hits of green really come alive.

Related:  Framed! 18 Picture-Perfect Gallery Walls

Looking to brighten a dark room? Fail-safe tactics include hanging mirrors, decluttering, introducing greenery—and choosing pastel paint colors. The reflective hues bounce light back into the room making the space feel bigger, brighter, and airier. 

Related:  The Best Paint Colors for Low-Light Rooms

Bored with beige? Instead of choosing a ho-hum neutral paint color, try a muted pastel. A mild mauve or a watered-down blue is a great way to bring color into your space while still banking on the safety of subdued neutrals at the same time.

Related:  The New Neutrals - 9 Colors You Can Trust For Today's Home

Go ahead, be bold! By adding a trusty pastel from the color family you're working with to an adjoining wall, you can reign in your room's color scheme so the walls don't come across too loud, dark, or bright.

Related:  7 Crazy Paint Colors You Never Thought Would Work

Technically speaking, pastels are low in saturation but high in color value. So while we tend to associate the moniker with a few Florida-tinged hues, there are in fact countless pastels—including the soft gray pictured here. While some pastels are undeniably tropical in feel, these others provide timeless appeal that's built to last through years of style changes. 

Related:  7 Classic Colors We Love to Live With

After a long day of work, there's nothing more soothing than coming home to a relaxing environment to rest and rejuvenate. This pastel blue master bedroom paired with white furnishings produces a calm, serene atmosphere, perfect for unwinding.

Related:  11 Reasons We Love Blue Bedrooms

In rooms dominated by neutral-toned furniture, paneling, or exposed beams, pastels add style while maintaining overall visual harmony. Just as these light hues highlight artwork hung on the wall, they also set the stage for relatively subdued finishes to shine.

Related:  Winning Combinations - 9 "Can't Miss" Color Schemes

For more on interior painting, consider:

10 Color Picks to Set Any Mood in Your Bedroom

See the Most Highly Anticipated Colors for 2015

Ordinary Walls Become Extraordinary with Fool-Proof Paint-On Accents