Gently does it

• Published date: 24 April 2024
• Publication title: Kapiti News

But when you do get the chance to have some free time, there’s nothing better than spending a few hours or a day at home

If you feel like you’re still struggling to unwind even when you have the time, look at your surroundings. Is it time to create a more harmonious gentle interior? Somewhere that celebrates serenity and restoration. If you want to ramp up an on-trend vibe at home, your starting point should be colour. And in this case, pastels are your friend.

For years, pastel colours have been associated with youth — pale pink or yellow bedrooms for girls and baby blue or soft green for boys, generally speaking. Today they adopt a more dynamic, softer, romantic role rather than pale and bland.

Resene design advocate Brooke Calvert says that the wide array of pastel colours available is ideal for adding a tranquil home base. “They are the perfect blend to brighten up or create a sense of calm in any space; I love the soft quality they offer and how easily they can incorporate into an existing scheme.”

There are several ways to use these hues successfully in your home, and one look she is obsessing over is the interior colourwashed plaster finish. “Pastel shades seem to work very well with this look, particularly colours like Resene Dawn Glow, Half Perfect Taupe and Awaken.” These hues lean towards milky beige and mango-pink, soothing and pale, which lend a light, optimistic feel.

“For a standard paint finish to complement your pastel colours on interior walls, I suggest opting for a flat finish like Resene SpaceCote Flat waterborne enamel or low sheen finish such as SpaceCote Low Sheen waterborne enamel to complete the look.”

So where to start? Let’s take the bedroom, the ultimate calming space in your home. For this room, Calvert suggests a palette centred around blue, itself calming and tranquil. Blues are known for their soothing and de-stressing qualities; soft shades make this hue the perfect choice for a bedroom.

The key is that although blue dictates the room’s mood, its shades vary. A pale blue can be youthful, whereas a richer, dark version can offer atmosphere and something moody, with mid-range brights providing an element of fun.

“Imagine you are redecorating your bedroom, and you want to create a restful but fun look; paint the walls and flooring in Resene Timeless, team it with white Alabaster for the ceiling and trim, then add accent colours on an arched-shaped mirror in Jordy Blue, Sail and Timeless,” she says.

“For a pop of colour...