From habitat plus - decorating and colour trends 2024
Your interior décor doesn’t need to be staunch and serious. Engaging colours and patterns that evoke energy and freewheeling flair are fun to be around and can have a positive influence on your mental health and demeanour.
Warm paint colours like terracotta feel cosy year-round, no matter what the weather.
Wall painted in Resene Hot August and floor in Resene Mercury. Sofa and buffet from Bradfords Interiors, rug and coffee table from Ligne Roset, statuette and bowl from Michael Joyce, candleholders, vase and throw from Faradays.
If you’re often considered the life of the party, why not design your space to suit and make your home the kind of hangout that friends and family want to flock to?
In the age of fast furniture, decorators are also realising that traditional trend cycles are unrealistically quick and harsh on our planet. The next time you’re scrolling and feel the need to order a new trendy item, ask yourself if it’ll actually make you happy for years to come. Instead of short-lived purchases, keep an eye out for classic pieces that’ll stand the test of time or items that show off your interests and unique style for a mood boost every time you step into your home. Try to buy second-hand or vintage pieces, if you can. Older pieces carry their charm and character, and by using Resene products, these items can be reinvented again and again.
Dopamine decorating, another trend that arose as a result of the pandemic, is focused on leveraging colours that have a proven positive psychological effect to lend your home a sunnier disposition.
Pink, red, orange and yellow are considered by many to be positive colours, but what makes you feel happy at home differs from person to person. Focus on surrounding yourself with Resene paint colours, furniture, art and objects that make you happy. Think about what you want to wake up to in the morning and return home to in the evening and incorporate colours and things that will bring a smile to your face.
The key to making fun paint colours like bubblegum pinks and bitter oranges feel contemporary over kiddy is to pair them with simple, neutral furnishings that allow space for the hues to take centre stage.
Wall painted in Resene Hopbush and floor painted in Resene Moroccan Spice and Resene Hopbush. Sofa from Mr Bigglesworthy, sheepskin from Baya, artwork from endemicworld.
Trend: bold flooring – see floors you'll adore
Bursting with positivity, blush beige walls are enhanced with a spritz of cheerful orange along the edge of this built-in headboard wall.
Wall painted in Resene Cashmere, built-in headboard in Resene Athena with edges in Resene Tequila Sunrise and floor and vase in Resene Quarter Merino. Bedlinen from Foxtrot Home, jug, books, cushion (left) and artwork from Father Rabbit, chalice, throw and cushion (right) from Republic, lamp from Lighting Plus, clock from The Warehouse.
Colour psychologists have found that most of us find red an energising colour and that it can also increase appetite, making it an engaging option for spaces that you frequently entertain in.
This sizzling Resene red wall has been given an aged effect with Resene FX Paint Effects Medium to evoke the look of the warm and exotic lands where its décor hails from. It’s the perfect look for a comfortable and casual space that invites friends and family to feel at ease and ask about the storied histories of belongings collected during your travels.*
*Wall painted in Resene Fahrenheit with Resene FX Paint Effects Medium mixed with Resene Apple Blossom and Resene Mocha applied on top, floor finished in Resene Colorwood Shade, side table in Resene Cashmere, plant pot, tray and small dish in Resene Apple Blossom and books in Resene Apple Blossom and Cashmere. Chair from French Country Collections, rug and cushions from Yuva Rugs, lantern from Exhibitionist, glassware from Hunt&Foster.
Opting for high-quality furniture in simple clean-lined shapes will stand the test of time, but that doesn’t mean that it shouldn’t make a statement. Rather than leaving it in a basic white, brown or black, choose a vibrant Resene paint colour to liven things up. If you’re not sure what bold hue will best suit your Resene wall colour, try sticking to the same colour family. For example, exciting reds like Resene Whizz Bang look sensational with pale pink walls in Resene Cashmere and steel green-edged blues like Resene Blue Bark bring depth when layered over airy blue greens like Resene Rainee.
One of the most cheerful colours around, using yellow paint colours in your home can help their sunny hue rub off on your mood.
Wall painted in Resene Daylight with arched alcove in Resene Liquid Gold, floor finished in Resene Colorwood Breathe Easy and side table in Resene Off The Grid. Bedlinen from George Street Linen, rug and cushion from Baya, toys from Smith & Caughey’s and Allium, books, basket and nightlight from Little Whimsy, jumper from Phoenix and the Fox.
When incorporating happy hues into your home, even a little goes a long way. Use an uplifting hue to create a statement piece of furniture or colour lamps, plant pots or upcycle op shop décor items to bring some extra levity into your life.
Wall and floor painted in Resene Rainee, cabinet, tall vase and wall hook in Resene Blue Bark and plant pot in Resene Butterfly. Cabinet from Mocka, wavy vase from Danske Møbler.
A punchy pop of red applied to the edges of this shelving unit is enough to amp up the positivity in this space.
Wall painted in Resene Cashmere, floor, mirror and vase in Resene Quarter Merino and shelf front in Resene Whizz Bang. Artwork, books and bowl from Father Rabbit, faux coral, chair and rug from Republic.
Being stuck at home during lockdowns led many of us to start thinking about our individual taste and separating it from the trends that have been filling Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and TikTok feeds. Many decorators are now honing their personal style and putting their own personalities forward with more collected items, juxtapositions and mixing patterns, colours and shapes in fun new ways. Approaching decorating with a freer attitude often results in playful Resene colour palettes and vibrant eclectic looks.
Periwinkle purples have become symbolic of the digital age and are associated with an optimistic outlook for the future.
Wall painted in Resene Snow Drift with wavy shape and shelf in Resene Hawkes Blue, floor in Resene Half Milk Punch with Resene FX Paint Effects Medium mixed with Resene Tuft Bush applied on top, coffee table in Resene Half Alabaster, desk in Resene Eighth Black White and vases in Resene Snow Drift, Resene Tuft Bush, Resene Blue Chalk, Resene Quarter Moonbeam, Resene Egg Sour and Resene Salomie. Sofa from Bauhaus, Resene chair from Cintesi.
Animal prints have long been popular decorating choices for those leaning into a personality-filled look. Depending on your colour choices and where they’re used, zebra or tiger stripes and leopard spotted surfaces can bring an air of fun, whimsy or sophistication. Textiles like rugs and furniture upholstery are commonly used options, but if you want a truly unique space, try bringing animal prints to your walls with a custom paint effect. Go for higher contrast colours to amplify the effect and make it more noticeable or choose two similar Resene paint colours to keep your wall design from overpowering your space. If painting your own spots and stripes feels too intimidating, keep things simple and opt for an animal print design from the Resene Wallpaper Collection instead.
Animal-lovers can show their stripes with a custom wall effect painted with favourite Resene colours.
Zebra wall (left) painted in Resene Sauvignon and Resene Sakura, back wall in Resene Sakura with Resene FX Paint Effects Medium mixed with Resene Sauvignon applied on top, floor in Resene French Grey, shelf unit in Resene Alabaster with doors in Resene Sakura and Resene Golden Tainoi. Bed and shelf unit from Mocka, rug, lambskin and brown cushion from Baya, bedlinen from Foxtrot Linen, chair from Meluka, letter poster from Memphis Poster Club, purple cushion and wall hanging from Allium Interiors, night light, rabbit toy and llama toy from Little Whimsy.
Dowel-clad walls and furniture and shapely vases are hugely popular with today’s younger generations and are essential forms to include in your décor to make on-trend purples and pinks feel fresh and of the moment. It’s easy to unify contemporary and rustic décor textures through your Resene colour palette and by painting items in a similar finish.
Wall painted in Resene Heliotrope, floor and coffee table in Resene Double Alabaster and vases in (from left to right) Resene Inspire, Resene Double Alabaster, Resene Petal, Resene Heliotrope and Resene Rulebreaker.
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