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“My go-to favourite colour is Resene Quarter Stonehenge. It’s great if you have kids and animals. It's neutral, light but covers any splashes of dirt well until you get around to cleaning it. But to lift rooms I definitely like doing colour feature panel walls.” The chic dining room walls are painted in Resene Quarter Stonehenge and the ceiling and trims are in Resene Quarter Spanish White.
Mirrors bounce light across the living space, with Resene Quarter Stonehenge on the walls and Resene Quarter Spanish White on the ceiling and trims.
Logan’s room is bright and bold, with Resene Surfs Up painted on the panelling. Resene Quarter Stonehenge on the upper walls and Resene Quarter Spanish White on the ceiling and trims.
Logan’s room has become his haven, mum Melissa says. The panelling is painted in Resene Surfs UpwithResene Quarter Stonehenge on the upper walls and Resene Quarter Spanish White on the ceiling and trims.
The master bedroom is soft and soothing, with Resene Gelato on the panelled headboard adding interest to the space. Upper wall painted in Resene Quarter Stonehenge with Resene Quarter Spanish White on the ceiling and trims.
A before and after of Logan’s room shows what bold use of colour can do for a space. Resene Surfs Up on the panelling with Resene Quarter Stonehenge on the upper walls and Resene Quarter Spanish White on the ceiling and trims.
The dining space’s makeover means it’s almost unrecognisable compared to its original form. Resene Quarter Stonehenge is painted on the chic dining room walls teamed with Resene Quarter Spanish White on the ceiling and trims.
How bold Resene Surfs Up blue converted Melissa to become a colour-lover
When Melissa’s six-year-old son Logan pointed to a bright cobalt blue and said, ‘that’s the new colour of my walls’, she wasn’t sure what to say. “He wanted a blue and gold room, and when he first said it, I panicked. I was really into neutrals.” Putting on the first coat of Resene Surfs Up was scary – it was certainly striking – but the happy hue converted neutral-lover Melissa.
Logan’s funky bedroom has since become the family favourite. “Whenever I look at his room it makes me so happy. It just feels alive! He's completely converted me to colour and there is no going back. It’s truly amazing how colour can affect how you feel,” says Melissa.
The home’s interior was originally painted with the bright Resene Alabaster throughout. But two dogs, three cats and two kids really put the white walls to the absolute test, Melissa says. She and her partner Ryan decided they wanted a colour that was light, but dark enough to hide marks on the wall.
“After a few testpots I went with Resene Quarter Stonehenge and we love it! We get lots of people asking the name of the colour we used so it's proving very popular. Now I don't have to spot clean on a daily basis. I mean, who loves doing that?” she says.
The family are currently on their third home, so they’ve had their fair share of decorating styles over the years. “I’ve experimented with many different looks – modern, tropical, farmhouse, industrial, you name it, I’ve tried it!”
As far as styles go now, Melissa says she doesn’t necessarily have one specific style she sticks to religiously. “I just do what I think looks good and makes the entire family happy. After all, we all have to live in it, so we all have to like it.”
Logan’s room was the family’s first experimentation with bold use of colour. Sitting on Pinterest with him, Melissa says they looked at lots of colour options and combinations to see what he gravitated towards. “In the end he said he liked blue and he liked gold. Because his room is south facing I didn't want anything too dark, and Resene Surfs Up was dark, but nice and bright at the same time. I wanted quite a royal looking blue to go with gold linen and furnishings.”
Melissa says Logan never used to spend much time in his room, but now he’s over the moon with it, and very proud of it. “He plays in there often. I think it's really important kids have a say in their room, after all, they have to feel happy in there. It was fun working with him on that project.” The room also features plenty of velvet, for its soft and soothing texture.
Resene Gelato is pink and pretty in their master bedroom. “I wanted something quite feminine, I've always been obsessed with pink and I just took a risk! (I cleared it with the hubby first, ha ha). Most of the walls are Resene Quarter Stonehenge, it’s only the panelling that is Resene Gelato pink.”
Adding panelling to the home’s walls was one of the first additions the couple built when they moved in, and painting followed. “Our walls were very plain when we moved in. I like homes that have character to them. I love a home that has a mix of modern with antique,” Melissa says.
The family home is about to receive its next round of makeovers, in their eight-year-old daughter Jessica’s room, and in their entryway and main lounge. Resene colour will play a huge part in each of the rooms, Melissa says.
“I've recently designed some furniture for our family room that Logan is in the middle of building, we will be using Resene paints for that also. I dream up ideas and he executes them, we are the perfect team!”
Melissa encourages other home decorators to push their colour use. “Take risks, get out of your comfort zone and experiment with colours! I was a grey, white and black person, now I’m all about taking risks and adding colour.”
Top tip: Using bold colours can really liven up and add depth to a space. Consider first what functions you're going to be using the room for: is it a cosy retreat, a lounge for entertaining or somewhere practical for getting work done? Decades worth of studies have shown that the colour you choose in a space impacts your mood when you're in it, so you'll want to select one that brings the right vibe for the activity at hand.
A strong colour scheme that showcases deeper, more saturated colours can elicit a strong emotional response. Certain bold shades create feelings of security and comfort while others may feel too heavy or even closed in.
“My go-to favourite colour is Resene Quarter Stonehenge. It’s great if you have kids and animals. It's neutral, light but covers any splashes of dirt well until you get around to cleaning it. But to lift rooms I definitely like doing colour feature panel walls.” The chic dining room walls are painted in Resene Quarter Stonehenge and the ceiling and trims are in Resene Quarter Spanish White.
Mirrors bounce light across the living space, with Resene Quarter Stonehenge on the walls and Resene Quarter Spanish White on the ceiling and trims.
Logan’s room is bright and bold, with Resene Surfs Up painted on the panelling. Resene Quarter Stonehenge on the upper walls and Resene Quarter Spanish White on the ceiling and trims.
Logan’s room has become his haven, mum Melissa says. The panelling is painted in Resene Surfs UpwithResene Quarter Stonehenge on the upper walls and Resene Quarter Spanish White on the ceiling and trims.
The master bedroom is soft and soothing, with Resene Gelato on the panelled headboard adding interest to the space. Upper wall painted in Resene Quarter Stonehenge with Resene Quarter Spanish White on the ceiling and trims.
A before and after of Logan’s room shows what bold use of colour can do for a space. Resene Surfs Up on the panelling with Resene Quarter Stonehenge on the upper walls and Resene Quarter Spanish White on the ceiling and trims.
The dining space’s makeover means it’s almost unrecognisable compared to its original form. Resene Quarter Stonehenge is painted on the chic dining room walls teamed with Resene Quarter Spanish White on the ceiling and trims.
Published: 01 Sep 2022
Do you have a home full of wonderful Resene paint and colour? Send us some snaps by emailing editor@habitatbyresene.co.nz.
Resene Quarter Stonehenge
Resene Quarter Stonehenge
Resene Quarter Spanish White
Resene Quarter Spanish White
the look
If you're stuck on what
colour to use or need colour
advice, try out the Resene
Ask a Colour Expert service.
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the look
If you're stuck on what
colour to use or need colour
advice, try out the Resene
Ask a Colour Expert service.
