choose your mood

From habitat highlights - issue 40, pick a palette

Nothing can change the mood of a room as quickly and effectively as paint.

We've taken one bedroom and given it four unique looks to evoke different feelings: uplift, inspire, hibernate and retreat. It's a great way to see just how a different colour scheme can completely change a room.

Bedroom moods - hibernate

Hibernate room:

Back wall painted in Resene Double Masala, skirting in Resene Bokara Grey, floor in Resene Colorwood Shade, bedside table in faux woodgrain effect using Resene Half Thorndon Cream and Resene Triple Masala, chair in Resene Scrub, lightshade in Resene Teak, accessories in Resene Flax, Resene Triple Thorndon Cream and Resene Biscotti and bedhead stain washed in colours from the Resene Colorwood We Speak Beach collection – Resene Breathe Easy, Resene Bask and Resene Shade, with gridlines painted in Resene Half Bokara Grey.

An uplifting bedroom mood

Uplift room:

Mural painted with Resene Half Merino, Resene Eighth Lemon Grass, Resene Half Lemon Grass and Resene Lemon Grass all mixed into Resene FX Paint Effects Medium and applied layer by layer. Detailing is added with Resene Lemon Twist and Resene Eternity. Back wall in Resene Double Lemon Grass, skirting in Resene Quarter Tapa, foor in Resene Colorwood Breathe Easy, ladder in Resene Pavlova, peg stool in Resene Lemon Grass, tray on the bed in Resene Quarter Tapa and accessories in Resene Lime White, Resene Lemon Twist, Resene Quarter Merino, Resene Quarter Tapa, Resene Eternity and Resene Pavlova.

top tip Add texture with sponged or limewashed effects using Resene FX Paint Effects Medium.

Resene Colour Expert Meryl Southey suggests also thinking about lighting and sheen levels. “Lower sheen paints, such as Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen or Resene SpaceCote Flat, create a warmer feel, while higher sheen finishes attract more attention.”

For a bedroom perfect for hibernating in, try rich, deep natural tones and subtle texture. It evokes the feeling of being in a forest. Accessories and bedlinen are kept simple and natural, while the dark floor stained with Resene Colorwood Shade grounds the room.

For an uplifting, mood-boosting room, try muted, earthy greens for serenity and a sense of optimism. We've gone for a tonal look where the same shades are echoed around the room in furniture, flooring and accessories. Subtle notes of warm gold add contrast.

When it comes to creating a retreat space, a mix of deep and pastel blues will always make us feel safer and calmer, while warm forest greens add freshness without sharpness.

A bedroom retreat

Retreat room:

Back wall painted in Resene Half Duck Egg Blue, skirting and slatted headboard in Resene Rolling Stone bedhead wall in Resene Duck Egg Blue, floor in Resene Colorwood Breathe Easy, bedside table in Resene New Denim Blue, bench in Resene Half Wood Bark and upcycled cabinet in Resene Half Forest Green with panels and handles in Resene Forest Green and detailing in Resene Duck Egg Blue. Bottle vase and bowl in Resene Half Hairy Heath.

An inspiration bedroom

Inspire room:

Back left wall painted in Resene Kashmir Blue with right section in Resene Chocolate Lounge and skirting, batten and console in Resene Caffeine. Bedhead wall in Resene Funk with slatted bedhead in graduated colour using (from top) Resene Urbane, Resene Martini, Resene Tom Tom and Resene Almond Frost. Floor in Resene Colorwood Shade, table in Resene Streetwise, basket in Resene Martini and accessories in Resene Ravishing, Resene Spindle, Resene Streetwise, Resene Midnight Express, Resene Kashmir Blue and Resene Chocolate Lounge.

To create an inspirational space look to gathering collectibles and colours that bring you joy and give you an energy boost. Play with patterns, shapes and texture as well as colour in ways that make you smile.

How glossy should I go?

Use Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen on interior walls.
Or to bring out the depth of dark colours, use Resene SpaceCote Flat.
Use semi-gloss Resene Lustacryl on trims and joinery.
Use Resene SpaceCote Flat on your ceiling for an easy-clean finish.

Did you know?

You can visit the Resene colour experts at your local Resene ColorShop. They can help you choose colours and wallpapers for your projects as well as the paint finishes and preparation products best suited to your needs. You can also book a virtual, instore or at-home consultation with a Resene Colour Consultant. Book online at www.resene.com/colourconsult. Or ask a Resene Colour Expert your questions online, at www.resene.com/colourexpert.

Colours mentioned in this article

choose your mood

How glossy should I go?

Did you know?

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