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From the Resene decorating blog

Is your bedroom looking a little lacklustre? Turn things around this weekend.

Have plans this weekend? How about some low-key DIY projects to beautify what should arguably be the best room in the house: your bedroom? Despite the many hours we spend in them, bedrooms can often look as if we've been asleep on the job, but as interior designer Deanna Hills of Hamilton's The Designery Room says, “they're personal but creative spaces – they should be calm and relaxing, yet also fun to be in.”

Try one of these elegant ideas for elevating your home sanctuary in 48 hours or less.

Work your walls

Introduce extra dimension to a bedroom by painting all four walls, or just a feature one. “Paint is amazing and so versatile – and it doesn't always need to be a big job,” says Deanna. “If you're wanting a small DIY project, you could pull out your bed, tape a line of painter's tape two-thirds of the way up or on at the lower third of the wall, then paint this portion a different colour for a lovely detail that adds interest, depth and style.”

When selecting a colour scheme, consider Deanna's advice: “You don't want too much going on in a bedroom, so if you're working with colourful paint or wallpaper, you might want to pull back on your bedding and opt for a neutral such as white.” Right now, she's loving using soft neutrals like dense mist-grey Resene Triple Sea Fog and warm Resene Double White Pointer. “Paired with a lovely off-white, the soft contrast adds a sense of calm,” she says. “When working with colour, earthy, moody colours such as grey-brown Resene Half Masala, mushroom-brown Resene Dusty Road and Resene Olive Green are beautiful in a bedroom.”

If you're short on ideas, ask for advice at your local Resene ColorShop or use the Resene Colour Palette Generator to help you develop a palette from a favourite photo. Then, use Resene testpots or A4 drawdown paint swatches to trial your chosen colour at home where you'll be able to view it in person and test it out in both day and night lighting conditions.

The products you'll need to get the job done will be dependent upon whether your walls are currently painted, wallpapered or plastered. After all, proper prep work is the key to getting a great finish. As a general rule of thumb, you should clean them down with Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner, use filler to repair any cracks, dents and holes (followed by a gentle sanding and another wipe down with a clean, dry cloth) before applying two coats of paint. Velvety Resene SpaceCote Flat offers a flat finish that helps disguise imperfections or Resene Zylone Sheen and Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen provide wipeable low-sheen finishes.

Reframe your outlook

If the thought of painting your walls in a weekend makes you feel like having a lie-down, scale back your plans and paint your door frames, skirting boards and window trims instead. They're often given the same colour as the walls for an even finish, but a contrasting one can make an attractive feature.

Give your trims a vacuum and wipe down before priming them with Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat. When it comes to your topcoat colour, Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen will do the job for skirting boards, as it's hardy enough to withstand inevitable knocks from the vacuum cleaner, but Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss or Resene Enamacryl gloss are top trim choices for maximum durability.

While you're giving your windows some love, don't overlook the effect curtains can have on a space. “Don't skimp on curtains,” says Deanna. “Using the right material will create a warm, cosy and relaxing bedroom.” Note too that washing your existing curtains or having them professionally cleaned can also be a game-changer, revitalising their colour and shape while removing mould for healthier snoozing.

If you want to be sure they'll coordinate with your paint colour, look to the Resene Curtain Collection. It's a range of fabrics designed to work with popular Resene colours and includes fashionable choices from stripes and patterns through to neutrals and sheers designed to complement a wide range of colour schemes and décor styles. Not only can you get your chosen fabric in custom made pencil pleat, roman blinds and other drapery to suit, you can even get custom cushions made to coordinate with your bedding. Learn more at www.resene.co.nz/curtains or ask the staff at your local Resene ColorShop.

Head space

Artsy types could spend the weekend painting a headboard behind the bed or a mini-mural as an alternative to framed artwork. If you're lacking in the confidence to paint something at hand, there's no shortage of ideas for headboard shapes that you can create with some simple masking, from a simple rectangle to elaborate multi-colour polygons. Be sure you use high quality painter's masking tape for the job, though, to ensure you end up with a nice, crisp line when you go to remove it.

In children's bedrooms, use Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen or Resene FX Chalkboard Paint to make a chalkboard wall – both of which can be drawn on with chalk and wiped clean with a damp cloth. Or, add an immersive Resene Walltastic mural to create a whole new world – under the sea, in the jungle, or surrounded by dinosaurs.

For another artistic project, Deanna suggests “colour blocking an area like an interesting wardrobe or an odd space”. Use this technique to make a feature of a nook you could add a comfortable armchair to for reading or as a place to lay out clothing – an everyday luxury that cannot be underestimated.

Fab up your floor

For an on trend update, step your hard flooring up a notch by painting the entire surface in a solid colour, an interesting hand-painted or stencilled pattern or even a ‘rug'. Wash, dry and prime to prevent the risk of future flaking and go for Resene Walk-on or Resene Enamacryl as your topcoat colour, with a final coat of clear Resene Uracryl or Resene Qristal ClearFloor for extra protection.

Since you'll need to remove your furniture for this project anyways, you might like to rearrange it while you're at it for an even fresher start. Reorienting your bed can give you a whole new perspective. Reduce clutter by only putting back what needs to go in your bedroom – or finding a proper place to store it – to encourage a more relaxing vibe; if this necessitates the need for more places to stash your stuff out of eyeline, use Resene testpots to paint crates that are low enough to fit under your bed in colours that suit your new scheme.

Layer in some new lighting

Another aspect of a successful bedroom is quality lighting, and the warm glow of a lamp or two can really up the ante. Paint the bases or shades of your existing table lamps or new thrift-store finds with Resene testpots, masking them first with painter's tape if you want to add patterns such as stripes or graphic shapes. Make your own pendant light from inexpensive rice paper or cylinder lightshades transformed with paint; try contrasting colours outside and in, remembering that this will alter the hue of the light that's cast.

Your takeaway tip? Don't put too much paint on your brush or the shade may get too wet and rip, or the glue may loosen.

Finishing touches

Smaller accessories can also revamped with Resene testpots. Finally get around to hanging those picture frames after painting them in shades that enhance the rest of your décor. Paint them all the same colour for sleep-easy cohesion, go multi-coloured and create a colour palette that'll pop against a neutral wall, or try a chic tonal effect with lighter and darker variations of the same base hue.

Add air-purifying indoor greenery in painted pots you could arrange on floating shelves made from boxes painted then hung at irregular heights. Speaking of shelving, affordable bookshelf-style cube units are fantastic for displaying books and design objects. Paint the shelves themselves, the back of each ‘box' or the wall behind them the same or different colours, or colour block the wall behind the unit to create a sophisticated solid backdrop.

July 31, 2020

For more inspiration check out projects by other DIYers in the Resene Decorating Inspiration gallery online and visit your Resene ColorShop for all the expert advice and products you need to create your own blissful bedroom.

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