Smooth sailing

From the Resene colour inspiration – latest looks gallery

If there is one thing that we have come to realise, it’s that everyone needs a place to call their own.

While we often talk about how important it is for kids to have their own space to in order to start developing a sense of independence, the truth of the matter is that it’s just as important for mum and dad to have a place where they can find a bit of solace to rest and recuperate after a busy day.

Depending on the limitations of your floor plan and the number of occupants in your home, it can be a challenge – or even an impossibility – for each member of your family to have an entire room to themselves. Even just a having a corner of a shared bedroom or lounge where you can set up a place to read and relax when you need some time away from the rest of your family can be of major benefits to your mental health and make sure your relationships continue to be smooth sailing.

When you start staking out your space, it can be helpful to decorate it with objects that are meaningful to you to send a message to others that this place belongs to you. If you have a particular interest – such as sailing, for instance – it can be a great starting off point for gathering together different things that could fit together as part of a cohesive theme. Your aim, however, should always be to try and decorate with things that you really love; whether it be objects that have special meaning to you, or simple things you find particularly pleasing to look at. If it’s the colour that’s all wrong, its quick and easy fix to give just about anything a fresh lick of paint in a hue that better coordinates. In this lounge, accessories have been painted in nautically-inspired shades like Resene Raging Bull on the rope wrapped life preserver and pendant lamp, Resene Pirate Gold on the small lidded basket, Resene Explorer on the tall bottle-shaped vase and Resene Raging Bull, Resene Half Black White and Resene Indian Ink on the tri-colour plant pot – painted to resemble a flag used to communicate with other ships at sea.

Creating the right mood is another key component of creating a relaxing space, and colour plays a very important role in that. Dark, rich wall and ceiling colours can be easier on the eyes than brights or whites and can send the brain a psychological message – which, in turn, has a physiological effect that tells your body, ‘when you’re in this room, it’s time to wind down.’ This lounge features two similarly inky blue hues: Resene Tangaroa on the tongue-and-groove panelled wall and Resene Indian Ink on the adjacent walls. Together, they create a cocooning effect while their subtle differences in hue and texture add interest.

Part of getting the mood right in this lounge is making sure that its dark walls are also balanced. This is achieved through the timber floors finished in Resene Colorwood Mid Greywash, which brings some levity to the space. The rope side table and sideboard in Resene Blanc, a rich Parisian white, create further lightness through their sharp contrast with the wall colours while the rich golden hue of the velvet statement armchair acts as a focal point, drawing you in to its comfortable seat and inviting you to get cosy and stay awhile.

Other colours that look great with inky blue hues like Resene Indian Ink are pale greens like Resene Aspiring, russet browns like Resene Felix and steeped beiges like Resene Tea.

Styling by Laura Lynn Johnston. Photography by Bryce Carleton. 2020