This week marked the first room reveal of this season on The Block NZ and things certainly kicked off with a bang. The four couples battled it out to create stunning guest bedrooms with a high price at stake — the winners could steal any house they wanted, as well as add an all-important $7000 to their budget.
Continuing their run of room wins from their previous season of The Block NZ, Stacy and Adam took out the top spot for their beachy, coastal-inspired room which was painted in soothing shades like Resene Quarter Bianca and Resene Truffle.
Newshub spoke to Resene marketing manager Karen Warman about the latest bedroom trends, and how Kiwis can achieve some of the noteworthy looks from this week's guest rooms in their own homes.
Somewhere to rest and recharge
Any host wants their guest to be as comfortable as possible in their home away from home, giving them a soothing sanctuary to drift off.
Stacy and Adam impressed with their coastal colour palette and "relaxed vibe" which the judges especially loved was achieved without using traditionally 'beachy' tones.
"When people think 'beachy' or 'coastal' often it's just bright whites — [Stacy and Adam] really softened it but it still got that beachy feel by pulling that paint colour the whole way through," judge Shelley Ferguson noted.
Warman says in a guest room it's a good idea to stay away from "bright and bold colours, as they can be very polarising", instead sticking to calming colours.
"The best guest bedrooms provide a soothing sanctuary away from the rest of the house, where guests can rest and recharge. Light soothing hues, like Resene Duck Egg Blue, soft warm creams such as Resene Bianca and deep cocooning hues like Resene Nocturnal are welcoming," she says.
Watch your tone (on tone)
Warman recommends using various shades of one colour palette throughout a guest room as Stacy and Adam did with winning results. It keeps things simple and adaptable for whatever role the bedroom may have in future, she says.
"Tone on tone colour palettes are an easy choice for guest bedrooms. Choose your main Resene colour and then use darker and lighter hues of that colour to decorate other parts of the room," she recommends.
"For example, walls in Resene Half Truffle can be complemented in trims in Resene Truffle and a deeper Resene Triple Truffle on painted furniture."
And don't forget to consider the bedlinen — a key part of the tonal colour scheme.
"In any bedroom the duvet is a key part of the colour palette," says Warman.
"Depending on how often you expect to have guests staying with you, it can be a good idea to choose two or three duvet designs to suit a range of guests and make sure your colour palette works with those."
Find artistic inspiration
Many of the couples this week used art as statement pieces in their guest rooms, drawing inspiration — and even their colour palettes — from the hues in the artwork.
The judges noted when viewing Ben and Quinn's room they'd drawn from the greens in their feature artwork by using soft pastoral green Resene Peace on the walls, alongside shades of blush pink. Mates Chloe and Ben also drew the warm terracotta tones from their artwork into the bedlinen, alongside warm beige shades like Resene Eighth Pravda.
If you're stuck for colour ideas, it's a great idea to use an artwork, some bed linen or a rug as a starting point.
"When adding a new colour, keep in mind the rule of three: add the new colour in three places – this might be an artwork, a cushion and a painted accessory – to help the colour feel like it belongs," says Warman.
Just don't feel like you have to go overboard — especially in a guest room.
"Add touches of colour in artwork and accessories, while still allowing your guests plenty of set down space for them to add their own everyday items within easy reach, like glasses, a device and a book."
If this week's rooms have inspired you to pull paint colours from a favourite piece of art, you can use the handy Colour Palette Generator on the Resee website – simply load a favourite photograph or image of an artwork, fabric or wallpaper and the generator will suggest a paint colour palette for you.
Create a feature
Feature walls have stood the test of time as a design option in guest rooms and for good reason — they create a point of interest and are a great way to incorporate colour and mood, as well as storage. This week the couples all created some kind of feature on the wall behind the beds, whether that be a standout paint shade, panelling or wood detail.
Warman says paint is not the only option when creating a feature wall — there are other creative ways to create interest and drama in a room. She recommends always positioning the feature wall behind the bed in a guest room.
"Feature walls finished in a design from the Resene Wallpaper Collection are a popular option in guest bedrooms, with the feature wallpaper used on the bedhead wall to add interest to the room without overwhelming it when you are lying in bed," she says.
To create The Block NZ trends featured in this article in your own home or for more bedroom inspiration, visit your Resene ColorShop and pick up the free habitat plus – bedrooms booklet, packed with decorating ideas, colour inspiration, styling tips and much more.
This article was created for Resene, partners of The Block NZ on Three.
