Josh and Jenna’s amazing pink kids’ room before and after
Serial renovators and former Block contestants Josh and Jenna Densten are known for their minimalistic style, however, after working through the design for the heritage home they purchased in Rutherglen last year, the duo have enjoyed experimenting with a much broader colour palette than ever before. and boy, do we have a before and after for you!
While earthy greens, muted greys and warm browns are set to feature in different rooms of the house, Josh and Jenna have embraced soft pastels for their girls’ joint bedroom, drawing inspiration from the 2023 Dulux Colour Forecast Balance palette. The end result perfectly captures the balance between playful and modern, whilst also complementing the beautiful heritage features of the space.
Josh and Jenna loved the ethereal feeling of the palette and were particularly drawn to the way the soft pastel pink and green shades, such as Mornington and Green Alabaster Half, became accentuated when complemented against the neutrals, including Casper White Quarter and Terrace White.
“The rooms in the heritage home have such a beautiful grandeur and we felt that the sophisticated dusty pink shade of Mornington was perfectly complementary to the heritage features of the home and the playfulness that we wanted to achieve within the space.”
Explaining that the pink hue evoked a sense of nostalgia for them, Josh and Jenna added that “Dulux Mornington brings you back to your fun, shared childhood room or even the room at your grandparents’ home full of trinkets, interesting artwork and vintage elements.”
Completely enveloping the space in colour, the pair created a seamless blend from the walls to the floor. “We love that the wall colour matches the skirting, it allows the generous space and fit out of the room to shine, yet feels grounded against the white ceiling. The floor to ceiling curtains also showcase the height of the ceiling upon entry to the room and visually softens the rendered walls and oak flooring.”
Carefully selecting objects and fixtures that balance out the old and new played a key role in achieving their desired feel for their girls’ room. “We love the sophisticated yet playful feel of the scalloped glass wall lights that perfectly complement the ethereal look and feel of the Balance palette, as did the sheer floor to ceiling curtains.”
Josh and their carpenter also crafted handmade elements around the room, including a custom curved mantle, scalloped pelmets, a fireplace toy shelf and ornaments around the windows, doors and robes.
“Vintage elements collected over years add a unique and curated aspect to the bedroom that creates a sense of nostalgia. These unique features include a vintage mirror from Rachel Donath, a handmade timber combi purchased at a market and a children’s study desk found on marketplace.”
The couple selected neutral accent colours from the palette to complement the dusty pink colour of the walls and skirtings to add detail and interest. “We painted the vintage desk and chairs in Casper White Quarter which has a nice balance between a cool and warm white, yet still feels traditional enough to be incorporated subtly through our décor.”
For more on the Balance palette
Dulux Colour Forecast 2023 – Balance palette | Styling: Josh and Jenna Densten | Photographers: Eve Wilson (after) and Sophie Marsh (before).
