Step-by-step paint projects and interior ideas for teens and tots.

In association with Resene.

For teens

Sleep meets study in this space that caters to both equally well, thanks to a built-in desk that itself does double duty for learning and as a surface on which to arrange decorative vignettes.

– Get fit This room celebrates simple, bold forms and a hero piece of furniture: the desk. Finding the right desk to fit a bedroom can be tricky, but build your own and you can specify the perfect width and length for your space.
– Check it To create this tiled effect, paint your desk with Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen in Resene Quarter Tea, allow to dry, then apply a second coat. Use a ruler and pencil to mark alternating increments of 1cm along the long edge of the desk (these are the pale ‘grout’ lines)  and 4.5cm from these lines (the wider blue ‘tiles’), repeating until you reach the end. Repeat the process on the remainin g edges, then use a ruler and pencil to join the marks to create a grid. Use 1cm painter’s tape to mask the 1cm lines, then use a roller to paint the desk with three coats of Resene Enamacryl in Resene Wishing Well, letting the paint dry between each coat. Remove the tape, then use a rubber to erase any pencil lines.
– Round & round Our scalloped ‘headboard’ brings definition to the sleep zone. Copy it by using pencil and ruler to draw a line 1m from the floor, then apply a strip of painter’s tape along it. Do the same on the floor, masking an area 40cm from the wall. Paint the masked-off area with two coats of your chosen colour (we used Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen in Resene Raging Bull), allowing it to dry in between, then remove the tape. Draw a 40cm-diameter semi-circle on a piece of card and cut it out. Place the flat edge on top of your painted area, trace around it with pencil, repeating along the wall, then fill in with two coats of your chosen Resene colour. 

BACKDROP Walls in Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen in (from left) Resene Untamed, Resene Quarter Tea and Resene Raging Bull; frame in Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen in Resene Dreamtime; desk in Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen in Resene Quarter Tea and Resene Just Dance, and Resene Enamacryl in Resene Wishing Well; floor in Resene Walk-on in Resene Raindance, resene.co.nz. MAIN IMAGE, FROM LEFT Mini backpack by Fjällräven Kånken, $139; Sunshine Greta slides by Stella & Gemma, $37, goodthing.co.nz. Zen Feeling print by Mado, $115 unframed, fatherrabbit.com. Grid vase by Rachel Carley Design, $40, tessuti.co.nz. Epoca pens by Ballograf, $9 each; NZ Flowers pencils, $13/set, goodthing.co.nz. Scissors by Penco, $23; Nautical daily diary, $59; Fjordland sunglasses by James Ay, $320, fatherrabbit.com. Solid Stem vase by Hübsch, $189, goodthing.co.nz. All Plastic chair by Jasper Morrison for Vitra, $490, cittadesign.com. Nevis throw, $229; Linen Washed duvet cover set, $399/queen; Linen Washed flat sheet, $219/queen, georgestreetlinen.com. Frame and flowers stylist’s own. ADDITIONAL ITEMS MIDDLE, FROM LEFT Bolster cushion by Klay, $175; Pamela cushion by Rachel Carley Design, $250, tessuti.co.nz. Linen Washed pillowcase, $99/pair, georgestreetlinen.com. Moon pendant light, $190, cittadesign.com. Petal dish by Rachel Carley Design, $40; Moon Lists journal by Leigh Patterson, $30, tessuti.co.nz. 

PAINT SWATCHES, FROM LEFT Resene Untamed, Resene Dreamtime, Resene Wishing Well, Resene Just Dance, Resene Raindance, Resene Raging Bull, resene.co.nz.

For tots

Use contrasting colours and shapes for visual stimulation in a dedicated play area within a baby’s bedroom, which you can re-style as your little one grows and develops.

– Middle ground Loosely inspired by the work of late French artist Henri Matisse, who considered colours as forces, this Resene palette (like the one in the teen space above) sits in the zone between harmony and tension. Here, the warm undertones of the dominant green and red have a friendly friction with the cooler pastel mauve on the floor.
– Squiggle top To make the mural, sketch the composition for your face on a piece of paper to get the proportions right for your walls, then use a pencil to translate the design onto the walls, before painting it. To apply Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen in Resene Untamed and Resene Wet N Wild, we used a mini speed brush for better control over the width of the line and accuracy on the curves.
– Low regardez Position a mirror low down on the wall and hang a mobile on a long string to foster curiosity during tummy time.
– Next steps To transition this area as age dictates, remove the mirror and mobile, and add bookshelves and a nest of cushions to make a reading nook. Or create a spot for imaginative play with a chest full of dress-up outfits and a table or mat for arts and crafts.   

BACKDROP Walls in Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen in (from left) Resene Despacito, Resene Bi Hoki and Resene Moonlight; mural in Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen in (from left) Resene Untamed and Resene Wet N Wild; floor in Resene Walk-on in Resene Dreamtime, resene.co.nz. MAIN IMAGE, FROM LEFT Organic play mat by Susukoshi, $179, fatherrabbit.com. Stylist Sam van Kan’s nephew Odin O’Connor wears picnic suit, $60; short-sleeved bodysuit, $24, naturebaby.co.nz. Felt balls, from 30¢ each, thefeltfactory.co.nz. Shapes building set by Raduga Grëz, $185, tessuti.co.nz. Arc mirror, $149, cittadesign.com. Assorted books, fatherrabbit.com. Red Circle mobile by Si-young Oh, $170, jiho-yun.com. 

PAINT SWATCHES, FROM LEFT Resene Despacito, Resene Untamed, Resene Wet N Wild, Resene Bi Hoki, Resene Moonlight, Resene Dreamtime, resene.co.nz.

Styling Sam van Kan
Photography Wendy Fenwick