older and bolder

Try a moody dark in charcoal, aubergine or green, such as Resene Mine Shaft, Resene Plum or Resene Deep Teal, or go for bold and unexpected colour combinations like Resene Avant Garde with Resene Dynamite, Resene Elephant with Resene Moroccan Spice or Resene Surfie Green and Resene Bright Spark.

Just like when they were younger, your teens will still very much want a space that is defined as theirs and separate from the rest of the house. Work with them to figure out what they need as well as what they want – space for sports gear, a quiet study area, a corkboard for posting memorabilia or a comfy spot for gaming.

Top tip: The trick with teens is to find a style they’re going to like from the ages of 13-18 to work with as a base that you can then make subtle, easy changes to as they mature.

*In a dreamy bedroom like this one, a combination of deep red and soft pink feels both feminine and sophisticated. The walls in Resene Pohutukawa feature a circle painted ‘headboard’ in Resene Dust Storm to give the look of a setting sun or a rising moon. An antique white floor in Resene Double Rice Cake balances the richness of the wall colours while the circular motif of the headboard is echoed through the artwork, the Edison-bulb pendant light and velvet cushion. The bedside table is painted Resene Sakura.  › view swatches

Desert dreams

This soft and arid look is perfectly suited to a bedroom for a maturing teen with a sense of whimsy. Parched shades like Resene Sand on the walls and floor have been given an eye-catching addition with a painted zig-zag design in Resene Florentine Pink and Resene Halcyon. The colours repeat on the bench and painted basket teamed with the sunset shade of Resene Just Right. The wicker chair adds to the desert chic effect.

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High energy

Blurred lines and smudged edges give this room a messy, lived in look without the clutter. Grey walls in darker Resene Quarter Foundry (try Resene Shuttle Grey) have been continued onto the floor, and lighter Resene Jumbo on the upper walls gives a moodiness while the burnt orange in Resene Smoke Tree adds edginess. Re-purposed wooden crates painted in Resene Smoke Tree provide cheap, practical and cool storage. Painting up geometric canvas art in Resene Smoke Tree and Resene Licorice finishes the look.

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Strike a chord

A simple painted shape can add fun and a subtle theme to a teen’s room without having to go overboard. This guitar silhouette echoes a teen’s musical passion and extends out from a part wall painted in zingy teal Resene St Kilda. The rest of the walls and floor are painted Resene Half Raven as a cooler contrast to create a strong graphic look. A bedside table and shelf painted in inky blue Resene Licorice breaks things up. A colour scheme like this one is also very age-neutral, so it will stay relevant as your child grows.

Hang loose

For a surfer teen, colours of the beach and sea are a natural choice. Pops of bright blue Resene Optimist give the impression of the summer sky against crisp Resene White walls. The soft grey bedding, the door in Resene High Tide, the Resene Aquaclear finished headboard and the Resene Colorwood Bleached Cedar floor all add to the relaxed vibe.

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The sky's the limit

To create the starry effect from this space-themed room, first paint the wall in Resene Alabaster followed by Resene FX Nightlight glow-in-the-dark paint. Firmly adhere star-shaped decals to the wall before painting the full wall in Resene Dark Side (try Resene High Tide). Once dry, remove the decals to reveal the photosensitive glowin- the-dark paint underneath. In the day, the stars appear pale yellow and when the lights are out, they’ll shine like the night sky. The floor has been painted with Resene Longitude, the nightstand is in Resene Panorama and Resene Dark Side, while the chair and bookends have been coated in Resene Iron.

Top tip: Consider all the different activities that will take place in the room: study, sleep, screen-time, play – and design accordingly.

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Moonlight makeover

Go a step further than a typical starry sky and create glow-in-thedark moons for the walls or ceiling of your budding astronaut’s bedroom. Resene FX Nightlight is a glow-in-the-dark paint designed to keep shining after the lights have gone out. Pale yellow by day, it’s perfect for creating cosmic details in kids’ rooms like glowing stars or these otherworldly moons. Two to three coats over a white circular base will give off the best effect and leave your brushstrokes visible for an extra lunar-like landscape. Add details in Resene Sunshade, Resene Juniper and Resene Blue Lagoon.

Feminine and sophisticated bedroom swatches / colour suggestions ...

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