Architraves and trims in Resene Nero (black) save this room from being too feminine, even when hot pink accents are used. The walls and front peg stool are in Resene Dawn Chorus, the coffee table base and second peg stool are in Resene Irresistible. The slim vases are Resene Nero. The sofa is from The Mood Store and other accessories are from Collected. 

If a wall of solid pink is too much, try this easy sunset paint effect as a feature wall (click here for the how-to). Created by Greer Clayton, it has a basecoat of Resene Castaway with Resene Martini, Resene Silver Chalice, Resene Gunsmoke and Resene Alabaster layered on top to give the watercolour effect. 

Another way to make sure pink isn't too powdery and cute, is to use it with texture or in a slightly grungy context. This wallpaper from the Resource collection (369152) available from Resene ColorShops, has a faux distressed concrete wall effect, and uses mottled biscuit tones to temper the pink. 

Dusky, washed pastels give this bedroom a whimsical look, and it's all framed by a wall painted in Resene Rascal. The cool green on Resene Unwind used to paint the floor, balances warmth of the wall, the cane ottoman is in Resene Inside Back, the bedside table is Resene Mozart and the pots are in Resene Inside Back and Resene Stetson. 

Resene Wafer walls bring a bit of Hollywood glamour to this Auckland home, which we featured recently. See here for the full story. 

Like a well-worn Turkish rug, this wallpaper from the Essentials collection (218034) available from Resene ColorShops lends a pretty rustic vibe.  

Raw concrete and plywood are robust counter-balances to the Resene Blanched Pink feature wall behind this bed in a house designed by Studio Pacific Architecture. It goes to show that a shared room can be gender-neutral, even with pink paint. See the rest of this house here.