One fish, two fish. Red fish, blue fish? The design world is going back to basics, if this Pinterest prediction is any indication. We asked designers how to incorporate primary colors into home design in 2025. Get their tips for crafting designs that prioritize creative color play and embrace bold details.
What Is Primary Play + What Does It Have To Do With Interior Design?
In its latest trends report, the team at Pinterest shared this when forecasting the year ahead: “In 2025, everyone will let their inner child shine by hand painting furniture, funky murals and turning grown-up spaces into playful little havens.” Dubbed Primary Play, the trend encourages adults to abandon their notions of prim and proper for the whimsical and bold. Projects are already demonstrating how to achieve the perfect balance of red, yellow, blue (and all the hues in between, according to our 2025 color trends report).
"Primary colors—while the intensity of their use goes in waves that tend to follow trend cycles—will always remain timeless," shares designer Hannah Goldberg of Hannah Charlotte Interiors. "They were popularized by Piet Mondrian and the de Stijl architecture movement of the early 1900s. When used in the right proportions and combinations, decorating with primary colors will never go out of style."
From walls painted in saturated hues to darling details that add pops of color, see how designers are embracing the playful concept.
How To Incorporate Primary Colors In Home Design
1. Play With Artwork + Sculptural Finishes
To maintain a sense of refinement, interior designer Regan Baker of Regan Baker Design suggests using pops of colors sparingly as sculptural one-offs. In a recent project, Baker implemented a yellow staircase that echoes the vibrant palette of the artwork behind it in a modern home. "Consistently use a mix of primary colors on surfaces at varying levels for more interest, such as the floor to table, to the walls and ceiling, etc," she says.
Similarly, designer Meg Lonergan suggests a little goes a long way. "A modern way we prefer to use primary colors is with artwork or lighting," shares the pro behind Meg Lonergan Interiors. "I think a pop of color on a pendant light, a sconce or a lampshade is a great way to fit in a primary color when the rest of the room can remain neutral and calm. Pillows, artwork, trimmings are all opportunities to use primary colors as a compliment to your space." Case-in-point, a pair of yellow pendants complement a green-on-green kitchen in a charming project by Lonergan, shown below.
A spinning yellow staircase plays off the vibrant palette of a framed artwork in the living room of this contemporary home designed by Regan Baker.
Meg Lonergan employed yellow pendant lights over the island in this classy green kitchen.
Jackie by Analy Diego from AnArte Gallery presides over the family room of this San Antonio abode by Ashley Goforth.
The media room of this Seattle home by Hoedemaker Pfeiffer is outfitted with a colorful dining nook anchored by a banquette wearing Perennials, Misa and Maharam fabrics. Blu Dot chairs and artwork by Warren Dykeman enliven the space.
Designer Tip: Colorful Furnishings Can Benefit From A Neutral Base
"In the family room of this Denver home, the carpet has a neutral base, and the primary colors are introduced through the upholstery and home décor items, allowing those colors to make a statement while the overall atmosphere remains calm and balanced."
-Anne Marie Ostmeyer, Texture Design Studio
Yellow armchairs and orange ottomans brighten this penthouse living room by Ostmeyer.
2. Use Neutrals To Get The Right Balance
"Neutrals and pastels create the perfect counterbalance to strong primary hues," say Jonah Kilday and Petra McKenzie of MK Workshop. "A warm neutral like taupe or greige can keep primary colors from feeling too graphic, while soft pastels—think pale sage, dusty rose, or powder blue—can bridge the gap between bold and subtle. We love the effect of a primary color set against a creamy plaster wall or a cool gray stone surface—it tempers the vibrancy and makes the color feel intentional rather than overpowering."
Think of it as an exercise in finding your (color) footing, Goldberg reflects: "When planning color schemes around primary colors I always look to pair a bold primary with a tint of that same color—for instance pairing a bold blue with a light gray-blue or pastel blue and accenting with a warm white or beige to balance out the coolness of the blues." And remember, the balancing act extends far beyond paint. "You can also add neutrals through textures and natural materials such as jute rugs, warm woods, creamy stones in order to balance out the boldness of primary colors," she adds.
A yellow sofa enlivens this soft, neutral living room by Hannah Charlotte Interiors.
3. Try Accessories + Materials In Primary Colors
The inherent boldness of primary colors makes them a fun addition to modern residential design, but that comes with a caveat. "Primary colors have an inherent energy, and the key to using them successfully in a home is strategic restraint," shares the MK Workshop duo.
With the less-is-more approach in mind, homeowners can start with pops of color before going all in. "Instead of treating them as the dominant feature, we love using deep blues, rich reds and mustard yellows as accents—whether through upholstery, cabinetry or even lacquered millwork," say the MK Workshop designers. "A high-gloss blue door, a deep red velvet sofa, or a striking yellow pendant light can add dimension without overwhelming the space."
Keep your overall design style in mind when deciding where a primary color might shine. "Bringing in colors through art, accessories and even books and their book jackets and spines is a way to ensure the story is cohesive throughout the home," shares Ariel Okin of Ariel Okin Interiors. Go bold with a row of red books or keep it subtle with textiles and furnishings in yellows and blues, like Okin did in the charming dining nook featured here.
Deep blue cabinetry pops in this kitchen by MK Workshop.
Blue, yellow and green play nicely in this Hamptons home by Ariel Okin.
Coup Studio’s curvaceous Oasis sofa—upholstered in Holland & Sherry wool with Houlès bullion fringe trim—commands center stage in the living room of Steven Leonard's historic home.
In this Palm Beach pad by McCann Design Group, consoles painted Benjamin Moore’s Majestic Blue and Sabine Marcelis mirrors frame the fireplace of tourmaline granite from Stone Gallery are Martin & Brockett.
Designer Tip: Less Is More
"Everything. In. Moderation. Pick one element in a room and roll with it."
- Sara Malek Barney, BANDD/DESIGN
This classy kitchen by Sara Malek Barney embraces blue throughout.
Interior Design Color Combinations
Although there are only three primary colors, there are many ways to combine them to make the right impact in your space. Start by identifying your overall aesthetic, and then consider what tones might work best. Saturated hues can read moody and classic, while brighter shades often evoke more modern, whimsical vibes. For the brave and bold among us, consider color drenching. (After all, designers attest that a penchant for maximalism is certainly here to stay.) Here, designers share the nitty-gritty on determining the best primary color combinations.
The Basics
According to Okin, "devising an overarching palette for the home is the first step." Making a plan for the featured colors in your space will help you stay on track. "Weaving primary colors into that palette, be it as core hues or accent shades, ensures that the colors are deployed throughout the home in a meaningful way to create a true color story."
Bold ShawContract carpeting sparked the primary color palette in the extended family room of this Denver abode by Anne Marie Ostmeyer of Texture Design Studio..
Muted Tones
If you're concerned about primary colors reading too-childlike, consider a more muted approach. "Red, yellow and blue are all very sophisticated colors and have been used throughout history," says Lonergan. "These colors can definitely be used without feeling childlike. I find that the use of a cherry-red or a taxi-cab-yellow or a Klein-blue feels very sophisticated in a saturated earth tone palette." Muted versions of your favorite primary colors can help you incorporate them without overwhelming your space.
Baby-blue envelopes this classic children's bedroom by Meg Lonergan.
Color Blocking
"One technique that works well is color blocking—committing to a primary color and using it in larger doses in certain areas of the room," shares Anne Marie Ostmeyer of Texture Design Studio. "This creates a striking visual impact without being overwhelming." The Studio Riga-designed entryway awash in a muted yellow, featured here, showcases the potential of large swathes of color.
Multi-tonal color blocking is another powerful visual. "Layering each color on top of each other helps you see and incorporate the colors in multiple areas of the room for consistency," says Baker.
The mustard-yellow entryway is just the start of this Houston home's bold color story by Studio Riga.
