Category Archives: DIY/Homeowners Tips and Advice

How to bring your decorating ideas to life

Are you about to embark on some home renovations? If colour's involved – whether on the walls or in your furniture selections – be sure to familiarise yourself with some of the clever colour tools available.

These online and tangible tools will help you bring your interior design ideas to life and ensure you're delighted with your refurbished kitchen, living room or otherwise!

1. Use the ColourHelper tool

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How to paint your home responsibly

Painting your home can be a big task, but the aesthetic results are well worth it. Whether you opt for a neutral hue like Resene Half Akaroa or take things up a notch with Resene Jalapeno, there are so many ways to spice up your living room or bring a fresh vibe to your kitchen. Perhaps your property's exterior is in need of a fresh coat of paint, in which case a shade like Resene Triple White Pointer could be a wise choice.

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How to make a dark room shine

Whether you've just bought a home or having been living in the same property for decades, there's a good chance you might encounter a light-related problem.

While many rooms in the house get enough natural light by day – and artificial light during the evenings – this is not always the case. There's often a single room that's simply dull. 

It's dark, lacking in personality and sometimes even damp. Now is the time to turn around your least favourite room – here are some home decorating tips to brighten up such a space. 

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How to embrace the half-and-half look

Home decorating is a thrilling prospect for many property owners – opportunities to add personal touches to living rooms, kitchens and bedrooms is part of the charm of owning a house, rather than renting. 

If you want to strip wallpaper or apply a fresh coat of paint, you can do so. Perhaps the garden is getting you down – replacing the lawn, laying tiles or even adding an al fresco area area just some of the options available to you. 

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How to choose the right gloss level when painting

Whether you're freshening up your kitchen with a coat of paint or painting your home's entire exterior, there are many factors to consider when selecting which paint to use.

It might be easy enough to assume that picking paint is restricted to choosing the right colour. Settling on the right hue is important, but it's not the only factor to bear in mind.

Choosing the right gloss level is important for both appearance and wearability. Here are some handy tips to ensure you don't gloss over the important aspects of paint selection.

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Wave hello to coastal design at home

If you want to let the fresh hues of the ocean wash over your interior design, the coastal aesthetic might be for you.

Perhaps the thought of purely off-white walls and tan furniture doesn't excite you. Fair enough – while such a colour scheme looks sophisticated, it is somewhat safe. By contrast, bright shades like turquoise, magenta and persimmon make you panic – they're just too much for your particular home's design and layout!

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Freshen up your bedroom with a newly painted dresser

Everyone loves having a place to call home.

However, you can easily become frustrated with your property's interior vibe. Tired-looking furniture, drab carpet or unpleasant wall colour can make your home seem more like a fixer upper than a humble abode. 

Fear not! There are plenty of ways you can make a real difference to your interior design with some trusty paint and a spare afternoon. One project that is low-cost but can make a huge impact is a bedroom dresser revamp.

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3 reasons why neutral shades are a good option

Sure, it's nice to play around with big, bold colours. From red to blue, you can embrace the entire rainbow in your home, if you wish. However, sometimes it pays to draw back your interior design and embrace some of the hottest cream, beige or grey shades hitting homeowners' walls.

In fact, some of the most popular Resene paint shades are all about calm and calculated neutral hues. Topping the Resene Top 20 list is Resene Tea, with warm Resene Spanish White and classic Resene Half Pearl Lusta also making the list. 

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Kitchen upgrades: Stewing over whether to renovate?

Many homeowners see their kitchens as their pride and joy – a space that represents cooking, entertaining and family time. For others, the kitchen can be a source of gripes, particularly if it's in poor condition or the appliances are out of date. 

There are some signals that some kitchen renovations might be needed, from peeling paint to shabby flooring. If any of them apply to your property, it might be time to pick up a few pails of paint, some rollers and work on turning your kitchen into a space that you enjoy using.

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Get creative: Unusual items to upcycle

Getting inspiration for home decorating ideas doesn't always mean you need to trawl through glossy brochures and traipse through your favourite homewares store.

Sure, you can get some great ideas from these sources. But rather than forking out a small fortune to revamp your living spaces and bedrooms, why not think about upcycling?

The art of taking items used for one purpose and tweaking them for a different purpose entirely is hardly a new concept. However, it sure is a popular one! You'd be surprised at what a splash of paint can do, while other projects may require some basic DIY tools.

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