Teen dream

From the Resene colour inspiration – latest looks gallery

Once your child gets into their teens, you can be certain that it won’t be long before they’ll ask to redecorate their room.

When it comes to choosing a new wall colour, one of the most common requests is for black walls. While parents can understand what drew them to the choice, it’s not likely to be an option that mum and dad are going to go for. One idea is to meet them halfway with a darker Resene colour – one that’s going to achieve the moodiness your teen is after but isn’t so overly saturated that it clashes with the rest of your home’s colour scheme.

With walls in Resene Olive Green, this dramatically coloured bedroom is a teen’s dream. While the palette is not one you would typically expect for a surfie-themed room, the tonal blend of bushy, army and cargo greens is very chic and on trend. Cohesiveness in the space is achieved thanks to similar muted hues – Resene Olive Green is a dark green with subtle warmth, while the palm tree in Resene Celeste carries on that trend with a lighter green tone and the floor in Resene Spanish White finishes the look, providing a warm neutral base.

If you or your teen want to try your hand at adding personality to their space with a hand-painted feature wall or mural, be sure to plan out your design on paper first and then draw it out on your wall in pencil before you go to dip in your brush. This palm tree design is painted in Resene Celeste using a 2cm wide flat artist’s paintbrush. To create the ‘negative’ lines in the trunk, apply strips of high-quality painter’s masking tape – available at your local Resene ColorShop – at even intervals then fill in the design with two coats of paint, allowing the first coat of paint to dry before applying the second. Once the second coat is dry to the touch, remove the masking tape and you will be left with crisp lines in between.

The surfie beach theme is furthered through the incorporation of décor into the space. Texture can go a long way to dictate a theme, and this teen bedroom is no different. No matter the colour, mixing rattan elements such as headboards, rugs or even a hanging straw hat will introduce a warm and laid-back atmosphere often associated with the beach. Wooden accents, such as the lamp, bring those sandy colours to the fore and mossy green bedlinen embraces a picnic in the shade vibe. If your teen in a music lover, what better way to celebrate their passion and establish a beach theme than attaching hooks to the feature wall so they can hang their guitar or ukulele? This will not only encourage their creative pursuits, but will also turn elements that would otherwise clutter the room into works of art.

For a more traditional beach theme, try a feature wall in Resene Astronaut Blue, a galactic blue that is faraway and serene. Paint a palm tree, beach ball, waves or even simple stripes in lighter Resene Awash to keep the blue colour scheme going. Finish the look with floor in warm Resene Merino and accents in cheerful Resene Energy Yellow or traditional Resene Sand. If your teen’s room is a smaller space, try inverting this colour palette, with light blue on the walls and a striking bold palm tree, to ensure the space feels open, clean and fresh. Remember to incorporate wooden and rattan elements to keep things trendy and relaxed. A textured throw or woven lightshade will also do wonders to create an interesting space with a clear theme.

Green working

The colour green has risen in popularity over the past few years, thanks to its soothing tones and ability to transform a room into a haven-like space. Green is known to relieve stress, to calm us down and can even improve reading ability. As an ever-present connection to nature, green is the perfect colour to introduce into your home office this year. Rather than going for a bright spring green, opt for a darker forest shade, such as Resene Olive Green. Resene Olive Green is a traditional yellow-based green oxide that is reminiscent of the deep bush.

Deep Resene Olive Green is ideal for an office space as not only does it possess all the benefits of its colour, the rich dark hue will also create depth in even the smallest of spaces. In this home office, Resene Olive Green is paired with floor in lighter Resene Spanish White and a muted grey green hand-painted palm tree in Resene Celeste. While these greens have a distinct forest vibe, the room itself creates a surprisingly beachy atmosphere. The beach theme is helped by not only the bold and summery wall design, but also the sandy coloured floor. Resene Spanish White, a complex neutral that incorporates undertones of yellow, orange and green, draws out the warmth in the Resene Olive Green wall and balances the darker colours effortlessly.

When using accent colours in spaces such as this that contain bold dark colours, it’s best to use a basic rule of three, i.e. use your accent colour at least three times in the space. For example, Resene Fawn Green, a light yellow green, has been used to paint accessories, magnets and the desk chair. Incorporating a colour such as Resene Fawn Green in small but frequent amounts allows it to become a supporting colour to the main Resene Olive Green wall. It acts as a mediator between Resene Olive Green and Resene Spanish White, occupying an in-between while drawing out the warm green hues in both. With two main colours and an established accent colour, you can then bring in similar colours of differing strengths to add contrast to the space without worrying about cohesion.

While this space has a magnetic noticeboard hung on the wall, Resene has a wonderful range of alternatives for those who want to reduce the risk of damaging their wall or paint finish with hanging holes, tape or other adhesives. Resene FX Magnetic Magic is ideal for use in interior areas where a magnetic area is required. Create your own noticeboard using Resene FX Magnetic Magic or paint the entire wall for an easy solution to hanging posters and art – simply affix magnetic strips to the back and hang as desired. That’s not even the best part – Resene FX Magnetic Magic is a basecoat, so you apply your favourite Resene topcoat colour over the top, allowing you to get effective magnetic results without sacrificing the aesthetic of your home.

If you’re after an equally soothing look for your home office, try a feature wall in Resene Aquarium, a deep marine blue green, with palm tree in light Resene Altitude. After a striking beach feel? Try painting your floor in a bright yellow, such as Resene Chenin for a summery atmosphere. Themed rooms are an excellent way to create cohesion within a home office and have the added benefit of inspiring your imagination on days where working or studying seems impossible. With Resene’s range of daring colours, any theme is possible. Try a nautical nest in deep Resene Indian Ink with pops of Resene Merino and Resene Rustic Red, or create a spectacle worthy of the circus with walls in Resene Galliano and stripes or geometric patterns in Resene Guardsmen Red.

Project by Melle van Sambeek. Photography by Bryce Carleton. 2022