Casual comforts

The colours you choose to decorate your bedroom with have a huge impact on how ‘restful’ the space feels when you’re in it.

While you may not be awake to experience many of them, your bedroom is where you spend a third of the hours in your day. That means a comfortable mattress is of utmost importance and something you should be prepared to invest in. But what other ways can you bring a sense of comfort to the space where you rest and recharge?

The colours you choose to decorate your bedroom with have a huge impact on how ‘restful’ the space feels when you’re in it. It’s good to keep in mind that while there are some colours that humans universally agree on as being ‘comfortable’, the term can still carry different meaning for different people. For instance, one person may find cheerful colours comforting while another might find surrounding themselves with darker hues ‘cocooning’ and useful for beckoning them into slumber. Even blue, a colour which the majority of people find to be appealing and is often touted as one of the most soothing and relaxing, can feel cold to some.

For this bedroom, we relied on Resene Half Gull Grey, a clean and uncomplicated neutral grey that’s perfect for layering on a wide range of accent colours. To keep this handsome colour from feeling too cool, we balanced it with timber flooring in Resene Colorwood Natural – a warm and welcoming wood stain that allows the natural beauty of the grain to show through.

Looking for ways to incorporate nature into your bedroom can also help to make it feel more relaxing. Things that remind us of nature actually reduce stress in the brain in what’s known as a biophilic reaction; so, whether that’s through the inclusion of floral motifs, a buoyant bouquet of fresh blossoms picked from your garden or lush potted plants, nature helps us feel connected to our surrounding environment. Double down by accenting your bedroom design with colours derived from nature with earthy hues like Resene Lignite and Resene Go Ben and use them to paint your headboard, picture frames and décor items such as plant pots, vases or candleholders. Or pick up a few Resene testpots in Resene Calico, Resene Colonial White, Resene Big Bang, Resene Guggenheim and paint a joyful floral artwork to display above the bed.

Another important thing to keep in mind is that bedroom décor that is too ‘matchy’ can come off as the opposite of relaxing: overly formal. Expanding your colour palette to include five or seven different hues can help create a more casual space. If you’re having trouble imagining how this increased number of colours can hang together, look to nature’s cues. Browse the internet for a photo of a landscape that you find especially relaxing and upload it into the free online Resene Colour Palette Generator to instantly get a Resene colour palette inspired by your picture. You can use swatches of these colours to help find linens to fit your scheme, then you can pick up Resene testpots in the remaining colours and use these to paint and decorate other items in your space. Mother Nature knows best, so if the hues in the photograph appealed, they can always be made to work together in an interior scheme.

Adding touchable textures made from natural fibres is another great idea for increasing the level of casual comfort in your bedroom. Look to sumptuous, stonewashed linens, cosy rugs and timber or rattan furniture and accessories which can be painted or stained to coordinate with your colour scheme. For a fun juxtaposition, try painting your rattan in a metallic such as Resene Gold Dust to add an element of interest and glamour.

Styling by Kate Alexander. Photography by Bryce Carleton. 2022