Along with the preview of a slightly peculiar, but seriously playful new collection that's due to drop in February, IKEA also snuck in one other small announcement: 'IKEA is also excited to announce its 2026 Color of the Year — Rebel Pink! It's powerful, playful, and brings a bold splash of color into the home.'
Seen in the furry pink chair cover of IKEA's GREJSIMOJS collection, it's a soft, cotton-candy, bubblegum shade that feels fun and fresh. I'm not sure how "rebellious" I find it — but perhaps, considering Pantone's Color of the Year this year is white, it really is rebelling. "It doesn’t care about the dominance of pinks we’ve seen recently (millennial pink, Barbie pink, Y2K hot pink…)," Livingetc's color expert Amy Moorea Wong tells me. "And it certainly doesn’t care about the calmer, zen tones that other brands have introduced for 2026."
Instead, it taps into nostalgia. "It's like seeing an old friend again (weren’t we painting our childhood bedrooms in this color in the 90s?)," adds Amy. "It’s real pink-pink — not a toned-down half-iteration. This is a child’s crayon pink, making us feel youthful and unabashed in our color choice. It’s a hue for those who care only about the colors they instinctually crave."
So, do I see this pink dominating color trends in 2026? Not particularly. "It’s a challenge to trends in general — who wants to follow the rules? — and to the ‘grown up’ earthy neutrals and muted tones that have taken over contemporary decorating palettes," says Amy. "It’s an alternate path, one that leads to a home that’s fun, expressive, and personal."
"Is it completely wild and subversive?" she poses. "No, it’s fairly versatile, and we’ve been on the pink bandwagon for a while. But it is a noted point of difference, which is what I’m here for (and what our homes probably need more of)." And if that's how you're feeling about how we should be decorating with color right now, while we wait for IKEA's collection to drop, here's how to bring Rebel Pink into your home.
You can never go wrong with a block print tablecloth, and it looks particularly fresh in this pink color.
Inject a bit of optimism and fun into your bathroom color palette with these pink towels.
There is plenty of 'play' in this deceptively inflated-looking pink vase.
Pink plates? Why not. This 12-piece set would make the perfect base to any table setting.
Pretty pink swirls in the glass topped with red bows? What's more fun than that?
This tonal 'Rhubarb and Rose' stripped bedding set feels like a particularly grown-up way to embrace the color.
Or rather than replacing all your bedding, why not just switch out your pillows for the trending pink?
This glossy, lacquered pink picture frame is a pretty, but subtle, way to embrace the trend.
Wake up! It's time to get ahead of the trends, and this Rebel Pink clock can help you do it.
Not sure how to make pink work in your home? It doesn't have to feel childish or even overly feminine — there have been plenty of pink trends over the years that show just how versatile it can be as a color, and how it triggers positive emotional responses that make us feel happy and calm.
