Pink is far more versatile than people give it credit for, but the secret is restraint — you balance it, you don't double down on it. The three directions that consistently work are muted green, soft grey, and a deep anchoring tone.
Green is pink's natural partner — they sit opposite each other on the colour wheel, so the contrast is gentle rather than jarring. A soft sage like Dulux Almost Pistachio (LRV 80.3) is a cracking match: it's light enough to keep things fresh and it tempers any sweetness in the pink. Use it on woodwork, a single wall, or bring it in through joinery and it'll do the heavy lifting.
For something more grown-up and architectural, reach for a blue-grey. Paint & Paper Library Slate IV (LRV 67.5) gives you that cool, dignified counterpoint that stops a pink scheme tipping into nursery territory. It's brilliant on a chimney breast or as the trim against a soft plaster pink — think Setting Plaster walls with Slate IV woodwork.
And here's the bit most people miss: pink needs grounding. A deep, warm brown like Mylands Cigar BH.20 (LRV 11.8) anchors the whole room — a dark skirting, a panelled lower wall, or even a door brings weight and makes the pink read as deliberate and confident rather than accidental.
The "but what about white?" question — yes, a warm off-white like Pointing or Slipper Satin will always work for ceilings and trim if you want to keep it airy. Just avoid a brilliant cool white, which fights the warmth in the pink and makes it look chalky.
My practical advice: pick one supporting role per element. Green on the joinery, OR a grey-blue chimney breast, OR a dark grounded skirting — not all three competing at once. Sample big, live with it on the wall facing your light, and check it morning and evening. Pink shifts more than almost any other colour through the day.