From habitat magazine - issue 38, editorial
One thing is true of colour – the options seem to go on forever. With paint, in particular, there is a colour for everyone whether you’re into vivid brights or dusky neutrals.
In this issue of habitat, we meet homeowners with truly diverse tastes in colour. There’s the couple who have used four vibrant colours inspired by Japanese culture in their new home (see heavenly union). They could get on well with the kitchen owners who chose five fiery colours to paint their cabinets (see take 5). Another family has chosen a different route entirely with a palette of restful greys, blacks and blues (see mixing it up). Then there’s the landscape designer who has a range of pretty colours in her garden, albeit in the form of colourful beehives – (see dee's bees).
Whether it’s grey, pink, red, yellow, blue or orange… you’ll see it in the pages of this issue.
It’s good to see such diversity rather than a slavish following of fashion. New colour trends are always tempting (I’ve been eyeing up some of those delicious swampy greens for my bedroom), but it’s good for us to use whatever colours we love however we want to and celebrate individuality too.
Have you ever wondered how colour trends happen? We asked a couple of colour experts for their thoughts on "how interior trends happen". It’s intriguing how social and economic changes affect our colour choices. Whatever colour you are drawn to, have fun painting this spring and summer.
Sharon Newey editor
You’d think after 71 (and counting!) years of making paint and colour, we would have seen every combination and every way that you could use paint and colour on a project. Far from it! Even after all these years, we’re regularly surprised at the creative ways decorators use Resene paints, stains and colours on their projects in ways that we’d never have expected. Even with new products that are created for a specific use, within months decorators have discovered a whole host of other creative ways to use them.
With all of these creative projects, we’ve also noticed that paint has a wonderful way of bringing out unknown artistic skills, encouraging mindfulness to be in the moment. Increasingly paint is being used for art therapy for everyone from children to the elderly; it’s a colourful diversion and distraction from the ailments of life, with an uplifting sense of satisfaction that comes with paintwork well done. There’s something incredibly freeing and therapeutic about playing with paint colours, a chance to go back to the freedom of childhood merrily splashing your favourite colours about.
It all comes down to a little imagination, a can-do approach, and being prepared to have a go just because you can. Paint can so easily be changed. Many of the best projects don’t look like they were intended, but once the process was started, the idea evolved into something so much better.
It’s time to indulge your imagination and enjoy living a more colourful life. Happy decorating!
the Resene team
P.S. Keep those surprising paint and colour projects coming – we love to see them!
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Printed copies of habitat highlights are available from late March 2024 at Resene ColorShops and resellers, while stocks last. You can view back issues of habitat magazine online.
Specifiers:
If you have an idea, project or story that you think would suit habitat, we’d love to hear from you. Please drop us an email with your details and include photos if submitting a project.
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