Striped delight

From the Resene colour inspiration – latest looks gallery

Playful and always up for a grand adventure, kids love an element of fun. Ruled by their imaginations, their creativity is strong.

Celebrate this sense of wonder that children bring to the world when you’re decorating their bedroom. But while respecting this, a practical approach is also worth considering. Children grow quicker than you’d expect, so it’s ideal if you can cater to this change in maturity.

Stripes are a fun, dynamic way to incorporate paint into your home. Vertical, horizontal or diagonal, you can choose which way you want to go. If you’d like a truly unique design – this in itself will delight your child – paint your own. Using more than two colours is an option – try going tone-on-tone perhaps – and you can have even more fun by varying the width of your stripes.

Fun and graphic, diagonal stripes bring a sense of sweeping movement to a bedroom. To prevent this from being too overwhelming, adopt a gentle colour scheme. Soothing and soft, Resene Ebb lends a pretty feminine touch that is balanced well with the light beige of Resene Truffle and Resene Merino – the ideal combination for a bold diagonal pattern.

For subtle contrast, the desert yellow of Resene Apache adds an earthy spark. Keep toys hidden away and the room free of clutter with the toy box in this zesty shade, also seen on the bottom drawer and one of the coloured stools. Resene Brown Sugar brings further depth to the pastel pink and beige.

What will enhance the bedroom entirely is if you have bedlinen that fits in with these colours. Have fun by mixing shaped cushions, unique patterns with plains; an eclectic mix will lend further interest.

As your child becomes a teen, guide them in dressing the bedroom up or down according to their tastes. Direct them towards another more 'grown-up' hue, such as the smoky brown of Resene Rebel.

Consider activities your child enjoys, providing zones in the bedroom for this. Encourage painting or drawing by arranging an area with a table and chairs, pens and pencils as well as a place to keep paper and artwork tidily. Create storage solutions that match your diagonal stripes, encouraging ownership of their belongings and maintaining a tidy bedroom.

A dedicated side table with nightlight will help them ease into a peaceful slumber with a lamp for reading; you can paint yours in a complementary hue for effect.

Children are proud of their creations, whether they’re stories, drawings or certificates of achievement. Let them display their works on their own board, painted in a diagonal striped design that matches the bedroom’s aesthetic. An art canvas provides the base for this project and can be painted in an eye-catching geometric pattern, as seen on the wall. The availability of cute, patterned, children’s bedlinen is so wide ranging, so seek some in white, pink and earthy yellow to add the magical finishing touches to this dynamic bedroom.

And if you’re fortunate enough to have an extra room in your home that you can transform into a beautiful playroom, you can paint a diagonal stripe design for that room too. With little furniture needed, just necessary storage for toys, the design makes a statement in itself. A whimsical canopy, combined with a cosy mat and a cushion, makes for a delightful fairy tale getaway.

Creating a bedroom that embraces your child’s identity is important. They need a place they can call their own, which is just for them, and isn’t just for sleeping, but thinking, reading, creating and homework too.

Accessories: Duvet from Adairs, gingham pillowcase and cushion from Homebody, pink cushion from H&M Home, boho cushion, muslin pillowcase, pom-pom blanket, bunny, jelly handle basket, willow doll and books from Little Whimsy, lamp, canopy and linen throw from Adairs, jute rug from Mocka, pram and pink rainbow vase from Kmart, caterpillar toy from H&M Kids Home.

DIY Paint Projects

Instructions:

1. Using painter’s masking tape (3mm), we created large diagonal stripes every 20cm around the shade.

2. We painted the stripe in Resene Soothe.

3. Once painted and dry, remove tape and hang.

Instructions:

1. Measure out your stripes so they are approximately 25cm wide and on a diagonal and apply painters tape.

2. Paint each stripe in your desired colour, using two coats for best coverage.

3. Once dry remove tape .

4. Staple gun a piece of string or twine across the board and secure at the back. We used two rows of string.

5. Add pegs to string and hang out art, drawings and photos.

Project by Vanessa Nouwens. Photography by Bryce Carleton. 2021