From habitat plus - decorating and colour trends 2024
Life in our increasingly complex world has never felt busier, and it’s become essential to make space in our homes where we can wind down, take a load off and reduce stress.
Wall and tabletop painted in Resene Double Blanc. Candleholder and vase from Faradays, bowl from ECC, small dish from Michael Joyce.
When channelling the easy, breezy energy needed to create a sanctuary or ‘slow space’ where you can shelter from the compounding chaos of everyday life, nothing beats airy looks created with light and ethereal Resene colours.
From calming and comforting hues like Resene Lemon Grass and Resene Timeless to soft and reassuring neutrals like Resene Thorndon Cream and Resene Greige, the colour choices you decorate with play a huge role in making your home feel like a haven. In spaces where rest and recuperation are needed, gentle colours like dusted blues, cloudy greys, blush beiges, petal pinks, mushroom mauves and washed timber tones like Resene Casper, Resene Credence, Resene Double Blanc, Resene Soothe, Resene Kinship and Resene Colorwood Breathe Easy are other unbeatable options for building a vibe that fosters peace and quiet. Perpetually popular and endlessly remixable, these Resene hues can be used across walls, flooring, ceilings, trims, furniture, artwork and décor for a truly customisable space that soothes your soul.
top tip Add interest without overwhelming the senses by varying the levels of sheen across the different surfaces in your space. Pair Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen on your interior walls with Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss enamel on furniture and accessories to create subtle visual contrast.
The journey to creating your ideal ‘slow space’ starts with looking inward. Before you embark on your redecorating project, take some time to think about what’s really important to you and those you share your home with. Do you need an area to stretch your muscles to feel your best in the morning? Does curling up in a cosy chair with a book or magazine recharge your batteries? Would having a dedicated space to paint or practice a musical instrument remind you to take some time each day to be creative? Or would a spa-like bathroom help you to prioritise self-care?
Off-white neutrals are easier to be around than stark whites, which can create glare.
Wall and arched alcove painted in Resene Double Blanc, floor in Resene Quarter Villa White and plant pot in Resene Sandtex Mediterranean effect in Resene Dark Rum. Sofa from Ligne Roset, lamp from Bradfords Interiors, tumblers from Faradays, book from Smith & Caughey’s.
In this cosy and inviting space, the Resene Rice Cake walls seem to take on some of the pink tones of the sofa and rug under the glow of warm and diffused lighting.
Walls painted in Resene Rice Cake, floor in Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream and DIY artwork in Resene Sandtex Mediterranean effect in Resene Rice Cake. Sofa, ottoman and rug from Ligne Roset, side table from Good Form, books, candle, cup and saucer from Father Rabbit.
Once you’ve identified the needs you want your ‘slow space’ to fulfil, focus on which colours and materials will support this goal. While there are certain colours that have been shown to make us feel more at ease when we’re surrounded by them, the right colours for making your home into your sanctuary are highly personal. If it helps to organise your thoughts, create an inspirational mood board or folder with images, keywords and Resene colour swatches that you can refer back to throughout your decorating journey to keep your project and dreams in alignment.
top tip Wherever possible, test your Resene paint colour selections in your space to see how they are affected by your lighting before committing to your choices. Paint the entire contents of a Resene testpot over an A2 sheet of cardboard in two coats, leaving a 2cm unpainted border around the outside. Lean the sample against different walls and view it in morning, afternoon and evening light to be sure you are satisfied with your selection.
Make space to centre yourself by creating a special corner dedicated to stretching, reading and winding down with a cuppa. Enhance the tranquillity of this zen-like zone with a nature-inspired painted mural created with hushed hues.
Walls painted in Resene Half White Pointer with mural in Resene Double White Pointer, Resene White Pointer and Resene FX Metallic Proton, floor in Resene Dune with Resene FX Paint Effects Medium mixed with Resene Greige applied on top and plant pots and small accessories in Resene White Pointer. Chair and table from Nood.
Your bedroom design is critical for starting and ending your day with softness. To create the most relaxing space, ensure you invest in the best quality mattress and bedlinen that you can afford. Since we spend up to one third of our lives in bed, this investment pays dividends – both in terms of improving your overall sleep quality and how your body feels when you wake up the next day.
Other things that can help improve your ‘sleep hygiene’ are keeping your room cool, blackout curtains, reducing or eliminating screen time in the hours before bedtime and making restful rituals that set you up for slumber. This could be treating yourself to a bath, a cup of herbal tea or even a multi-step skincare routine – which can all signal to your brain that it’s time to get tucked in.
When life is especially busy, getting together around the table for mealtimes might be the only opportunity we get to spend quality time with our loved ones. Decorating with soothing Resene paint colours sends a signal to slow down and stay awhile.
Wall and tray painted in Resene Triple Thorndon Cream, left bowl in Resene Thorndon Cream with charger in Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream, back bowl in Resene Triple Thorndon Cream with plate in Resene Rice Cake, vase and egg cup in Resene Thorndon Cream, plant pot in Resene Dark Chocolate and small bowl in Resene Kia Kaha.
The bedroom is often the ultimate sanctuary. Restful Resene greens, cloudy greys and light timber washes can help set the tone for soothing slumber and ensure your body gets the sleep it needs to recover after a stressful day.
Walls painted in Resene Creme De La Creme with Resene FX Paint Effects Medium mixed with Resene Parchment, Resene Rocky Point and Resene Rice Cake, floor in Resene Colorwood Breathe Easy, headboard in Resene Hindsight, bedside table in Resene Rocky Point, pendant lamp in Resene Rice Cake and décor accessories in Resene Morning Haze and Resene Timeless. Bedlinen from Container Door, throw from Freedom, cushion and pillowcases from Society of Wanderers.
You’ll also want to think about your paint colours and décor – as these will be the last things you see before you close your eyes at night, and the first things you see when you wake up. Subtle earth-toned or neutral Resene paint and timber stain colours are among the most popular options, as they tend to be easy on the eyes and don’t overwhelm the senses. However, deeper colours can also be an excellent option for creating a ‘cocooning’ effect within your bedroom.
top tip The matte finish of Resene SpaceCote Flat painted on walls enhances the depth and smokiness of dark and weathered colours in areas like the master bedroom.
Incorporating symmetry into the design of your space can be especially soothing because our brains love balance.
Wall painted in Resene Tea with arches in Resene Napa, floor in Resene Double Tea, shelves in Resene Casper, coffee table in Resene Double Napa and vases, plant pots and décor accessories in Resene Casper, Resene Tea, Resene Double Tea, Resene Napa, Resene Double Napa and Resene Mako. Sofa from Nood, cushions from Freedom and Farmers.
When it comes to ‘slow spaces’, giving your major surfaces a limewashed look is a highly desirable paint effect. By its very nature, this type of look brims with earthy softness and fits flawlessly with other natural textures such as timber, rattan, sisal, stoneware and pottery. Using Resene products to enhance your walls, ceiling or floor with a mottled, nuanced texture is surprisingly quick and easy to do yourself, and there are virtually unlimited options for customising your paint effect to suit your style and space.
This on-trend style of textured artwork is easy to create yourself at home using Resene EzyFill Quick, a putty knife, an old hair comb and Resene testpots on a blank art canvas. Not only will your masterpiece perfectly coordinate with your space, it’s a relaxing activity to create alone or with a friend.
Allow the Resene EzyFill Quick to dry fully, which may take up to 48 hours when applied thickly, before topcoating it with your favourite Resene testpot colours. Left wall, small DIY textured artwork and vase painted in Resene Cobblestone, right wall in Resene Credence, floor and large textured DIY artwork in Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream and skirting board in Resene Half Lemon Grass. Rug from The Ivy House.
In colour psychology, green blues are among the most calming colours – making hues like Resene Ottoman and Resene Gum Leaf ideal paint colours for creating a limewashed style paint effect to enhance your ‘slow space’.
Walls painted in Resene Ottoman with Resene FX Paint Effects Medium mixed with Resene Gum Leaf applied on top, floor and round vase in Resene Half Gin Fizz, cabinet in Resene Gum Leaf, hook rack in Resene Iko Iko, lamp base in Resene Rusty Nail with Resene Half Gin Fizz dry brushed over top and stool finished in Resene Colorwood Whitewash. Mirror from Mocka, floor vase from Città, handbag from Saben.
Trend: tactile textures – see turn up the texture
For the softest look, it’s wise to choose two or three colours from the same Resene colour card. Have the staff at your local Resene ColorShop or reseller tint your darkest tone into Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen or Resene SpaceCote Flat if you want to create your effect on the walls or ceiling. For a limewashed look on interior floors, have your darkest colour tinted into Resene Walk-on instead. Then, mix the entire contents of a testpot in your second chosen hue into a 1L tin of Resene FX Paint Effects Medium. Using a wide, soft paintbrush, apply the coloured Resene FX Paint Effects Medium in a criss-cross motion over your basecoat colour in sections of approximately 1m2 at a time. Then, using a clean dry rag, buff your brushstrokes in a circular motion to soften and blend them. Once you have done this across the entire surface, you can go back over thinner areas to increase the effect. Or, you can apply a third colour by mixing a different Resene testpot into another tin of Resene FX Paint Effects Medium and repeat the same brushing and buffing process. If the effect is too strong in certain areas, use a rag to rub a small amount of your original basecoat colour in a circular motion to any spots where you want to reduce the effect.
top tip When using Resene FX Paint Effects Medium to create visual texture on your walls or other surfaces, bear in mind that the order that you layer your colours will affect your final look. While application methods vary, layering a darker colour over a lighter colour often creates a more pronounced and higher contrast effect while layering a lighter colour over a darker colour usually results in a softer effect.
Basecoat painted in Resene Sante Fe with Resene FX Paint Effects Medium mixed with Resene Alpaca applied on top.
Basecoat painted in Resene Alpaca with Resene FX Paint Effects Medium mixed with Resene Sante Fe applied on top.
Trend: textured surfaces – see turn up the texture
Though many decorators gravitate towards light and airy colours for decorating their ‘slow spaces’, darker Resene paint and wood stain colours or wallpapers can be excellent choices for some areas. Darker tones are often recessive, which means they seem to move backwards. Contrary to popular (but outdated) beliefs, painting the walls of a smaller space in deeper hues can actually make the room seem larger. Taking a darker colour from the walls up on to the ceiling can also create a cocooning effect that feels safe and cosy.
One of the only truly private spaces in our homes, your bathroom can become a dream self-care retreat when it’s decorated in serene colours like blues, greens, greys and whites. Adjustable lighting and dimmer switches can be helpful for ensuring there are adequate lumens available for grooming while giving you the ability to lower lighting levels when taking a relaxing bath or shower.
Walls painted in Resene Inside Back with ceiling in Resene Half Sea Fog. Vase from Città, artwork from Kinfolk, hook rack from Father Rabbit, towels from Baina.
For some, darker wall colours and wallpaper designs are easier to spend long periods of time around as they can help to provide focus and reduce glare. In these spaces, choose lighter Resene paint colours and timber finishes for your floor, furniture and accessories for balance and levity.
Wall in Resene Wallpaper Collection 409772, floor finished in Resene Colorwood Breathe Easy, divider shelves in Resene Ottoman, table in Resene Trojan, chair in Resene Clay Creek, pendant lamp in Resene Alabaster, basket in Resene Teak and vases in Resene Travertine, Resene Ottoman, Resene Thorndon Cream, Resene Clay Creek and Resene Teak.
Bringing a new child into your home is an exciting and lifechanging experience. As a primary caregiver, the first years of a baby’s life often have a significant impact on your sleep schedule. Decorating your nursery to meet your needs while you tend to theirs can make the adjustments to your routine smoother and choosing tranquil Resene colours such as soft greys, greens, whites, creams, beige and taupe can help keep stress to a minimum.
New babies come with a lot of expenses, so it can be unrealistic to decorate a nursery in all new items. If upcycling furnishings from friends or relatives, create a unified look by painting side tables, chairs and décor to match or coordinate with your cot bedding or other favourite details. In this space, the arch motif from the artwork is repeated in similar Resene colours painted on the side table and canvas tote.
Back wall painted in Resene Eighth Pearl Lusta, left wall, battens and cot in Resene Ted, floor finished in Resene Colorwood Breathe Easy, skirting board, coat rack, book and crate in Resene Pearl Lusta, pendant lamp in Resene Creme De La Creme, side table in Resene Eighth Pearl Lusta with scallops in Resene Tua Tua, rainbow toy in Resene Ted, Resene Tua Tua and Resene Eighth Pearl Lusta and painted design on tote bag in Resene Ted. Artwork by Samantha Totty from endemicworld.
Gentle Resene greens like Resene Tana and Resene Transcend are also among the top colour choices for decorating nurseries. These soft natural tones are easy to be around for extended periods of time when feeding your child or soothing them back to slumber.
Wall and skirting board painted in Resene Tana, floor in Resene Triple White Pointer, cot in Resene Eighth Joss, pendant lamp in Resene Half Bison Hide and rainbow toy in Resene Summer Rose, Resene Soothe, Resene Rice Cake, Resene Tenor and Resene Transcend. Bedding, throw, cushion, rug and toys from Little Whimsy.
Use a photo of a favourite vista to inspire your soothing colour palette, like in this relaxed space coloured with stonewashed greys and subtle greens.
Wall and floor painted in Resene Rice Cake, coffee table in Resene Eagle, plant pot in Resene Aspiring and book in Resene Flax. Sofa from Nood, faux plant from Adairs, cushions from Freedom, Bed Bath & Beyond, H&M Home and The Warehouse, throw from H&M Home.
Did you know? Resene Zylone Sheen Zero low sheen waterborne paint is formulated without adding any VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) into the paint. Designed for non-wet interior areas, it’s a quick low odour way to add Resene colour to the walls of your nursery.
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