How to turn your home into a nourishing retreat-like space

From the Resene decorating blog

So much of our time is spent at home these days, so it's essential to provide yourself and loved ones with a relaxing home that restores you – both physically and mentally.

A pale and soothing bedroom

Pale colours bring a soothing yet uplifting effect to this bedroom, transforming it into a haven of happiness. The warmth of the blush meets its match with earthy mustard and green, while white retains an element of freshness. The result shows that light and neutral wall colours needn’t feel clinical. Wall painted in Resene Triple Pearl Lusta, timber headboard finished in Resene Colorwood Whitewash, front/left wall in Resene Half Pearl Lusta, floor in Resene Eighth Pearl Lusta and artwork in Resene EzyFill Quick applied with grooved tool and painted Resene Bison Hide (small artwork). Accessories painted in Resene Triple Bison Hide, Resene Half Bison Hide, Resene Grey Olive, Resene Sour Dough, Resene Alamo, Resene Brown Bramble and Resene Hemlock. Candle and holder, mug, book and throw from Blackbird Goods, bedlinen from Foxtrot Home, pink cushion from Citta. tray and book from Paper Plane. Project by Gem Adams, image by Wendy Fenwick.

Colour ties in with our emotions, uplifting a sense of wellbeing with hues that evoke a solid feeling of hope and calmness.

It's easy to forget this amid the busy nature of week-on-week errands. But if you stop and appreciate the colours that mean something to you, they can benefit your life in a simple but assuring way.

Your first stop when choosing a sanctuary-inducing colour should be nature. Green will consistently deliver. Sparking serenity and tranquillity, its connection with the natural world means it will provide you with a calming setting, just like we tend to feel after a walk outdoors.

Whether you go dark, mid-toned or light, green’s leafy hues are on-trend and sought-after as our busy, unpredictable world continues to turn.

"In most colour schemes where people want a warm, inviting and cosy environment, they usually go with green tones," Resene residential colour consultant Bryanna Stitt says. "Use a deep mossy green for an intimate log-cabin feel or a soft sage green for a light and airy setting that still offers warmth and softness."

With this green palette, natural textures are your friend, as are healthy pot plants with their air-purifying wizardry. But there are certain Resene paint colours that pair beautifully too, Bryanna says.

"Blush works especially well with moss green,” she says. “The right colour will depend on the individual as everyone sees dusky pinks differently. But if the pink is on the red spectrum, it will contrast well with greens, even if it's subtle. Resene Wafer is nice and can look pinker large-scale or even muted compared with other blushes."

“Resene Alpaca and some of the deeper, more in-between colours such as Resene Tuscany, Resene Chelsea Gem and varying red-oranges can work well with green depending on the right undertone,” Bryanna says. “When paired, they create a warm space that is inviting and soft, especially if you use lighter tones. People wanting to come away from using grey often opt for this; they want soft colours that aren’t cream. Bring in gentle versions such as Resene Pearl Bush or Resene Wafer as they have red undertones but don’t confront with a bold intense colour.”

For some, however, bright is ideal. For an uplifting, mood-boosting interior, bring in something on the bright side. A retreat doesn't have to be muted and pale. Turn to happiness-inducing yellow, orange or red. Even a pop of these brights on a chair, balustrade or cabinet against a pared-back palette will work wonders. After all, you want your space to energise you and bring a smile to your face.

Play around with tones in your bedroom too, using a darker version of your colour on a headboard or the lower wall. Then coat the space above with a lighter version.

A relaxing blue and coral bedroom

Take your cue for a relaxing bathroom from beauty spas, designed as the ultimate destination in which to unwind.

Clear-sky summer blues evoke an energising breath of fresh air, while gentle warming corals are reminiscent of a morning sunrise. By applying a stencilled effect on surfaces, you can take these colours one notch further and bring an invigorating touch of the unexpected. Add finishing touches of luxurious thick cotton towels, luscious pot plants and scented soaps to enhance the bathing experience. Walls painted in Resene Cashmere, floor in Resene Lynchpin, stencilled painted ‘tiles’ in Resene Solitaire, Resene Half Solitaire, Resene Gull Grey, Resene Double Stack, Resene Sour Dough and Resene Longitude and nesting tables in Resene Avalanche. Project by Megan Harrison-Turner, image by Bryce Carleton.

A soothing bedroom painted in soulful neutrals

Soothe the senses with soft, soulful neutrals that allow for mental calm and a mindful home.

When our mind is at ease and stress levels are low, our sleep is always at its best. For your bedroom, start with a base of warming neutral colours, then, layer colours and textures, bringing character without making it too cluttered. Balance your hues with the freshness of crisp white in bedlinen. Bedlinen, rug, cushions and purse from Mood Store. Project by Melle van Sambeek, image by Bryce Carleton.

This way, paint will enhance your bedroom, turning it into more than just four walls and a bed. Bring a heavenly colour onto your walls, or even just the one your bed is up against. Murals are a creative way of defining a zone within a room with paint too, be it a curve of colours on a wall in a cosy reading nook. Or paint a fluid shape on the wall of a bedroom in a relaxing hue that beckons you in toward slumber or simply snoozing. Layer the area with soft blankets and cosy throws that call for getting comfortable. These soft textiles will also appeal to your senses, bringing to life your sense of feeling protected. Consider your outlook from the bed too, if it is out a window, ensure you have curtains or blinds that frame your outlook in a fabric you adore looking at.

Of course, one of the rooms in your home that you want to excel in evoking relaxation is the bathroom. Look to spas for your inspiration; they embrace soft, muted lighting, simple interiors and warm-toned cocoon-like spaces. Think gentle lighting, the softest towels and if you’re window opens out onto trees with birdsong, embrace it. Lift the scent of the room with incense or essential oils too. Keep your colour here nurturing and if that means a bright bold hue such as a rich yellow or enriching red, go for it. If white is your preference, warm it up with a warm creamy version like Resene BIanca. Whites with yellow undertones rather than colder blue undertones will create a cosy scheme.

“I’m seeing lot of more natural stained timbers and whitewashes making a big comeback too,” Bryanna says. “They capture a light, relaxing feel and look nice when paired with a deep colour. People are enjoying painting soft natural features such as curved archways and plastered finishes.”

Look at your home spatially too; get creative if your home is open-plan and struggles to feel cosy and inviting. Bring in plenty of texture and textiles to appeal to the sense of touch and sight. While doing so, ensure the colours of these items are visually cohesive across the room or it will look messy and overwhelming.

A dark and sumptous bedroom

If you love the thought of escaping to a cocoon-like interior oozing inky, sumptuous colours, then follow your heart. To avoid your dark interior looking too flat, create depth with different versions of your colour, whether it’s on your furniture or soft furnishings. Layer up with chunky throws, soft lighting and rugs that feel luxurious underfoot for the ultimate hygge effect. Walls painted in Resene Monkey, floor in Resene Space Shuttle, dresser in Resene Kabul, bedside lamp in Resene Americano, books in Resene Kabul and Resene Space Shuttle, DIY artwork in Resene Kilamanjaro, tall vase with dried flowers in Resene Americano, arch vase in Resene Monkey, bowl in Resene Tide, vases painted brown in Resene Felix, Resene Kabul, Resene Americano, Resene Monkey and Resene Space Shuttle and tall plant pot on shelf (with dark plant) in Resene Felix. Project by Vanessa Nouwens, image by Bryce Carleton.

A clever way of approaching this is by splitting your open plan into zones of comfort. Create an armchair zone – an arrangement of armchairs positioned in a way that invites conversation; a couch zone – with a cosy couch next to an ottoman of books to wish away the afternoon or a cushion zone – an area of large soft floor cushions on a sheepskin rug. Anchor each zone with appropriate soft lighting, set for that area. Remember cosy and inviting is the feeling you want to achieve.

You can define these zones with varying tones of one Resene paint colour; a lighter version of green in one zone, a mid-tone in another and darker green in a different space. It will not only give depth, but character too.

While you’re at it, get back to basics; you may think you need all those pieces of memorabilia and bits and bobs that take up space, but chances are you don't. We build up more and more belongings every year and its ideal if we meet this by getting rid of anything we no longer use- donate them to someone else who can enjoy them. Removing all those items will mean you have more space to move, work and think, not to mention admire the beautiful colour that covers your walls.

If you are working from home, try and avoid working in spaces where you like to relax. We are not all given that luxury, however, when it comes to space. So, if you are working and relaxing in one area, define your work zone with a beautiful free-standing screen or appropriate arrangement of furniture. Paint your workstation or desk an uplifting colour that makes you feel good when you sit down to work, and which also defines it away from the rest of the house.

We could all benefit with making our homes more focused on wellbeing. A true retreat-like dwelling is one we love coming home to, where we can recharge and reset. With even the smallest changes and touches of joyful colour, we can create a happy home.