Lakeside Livin'

Finalist 2 – Colour Home Awards Competition

A rainbow of colours breathed new life into this beloved Waitaki Lakes bach.

There is nothing quite like the quintessential Kiwi bach. Better yet, there’s nothing quite like a beloved holiday house painted top-to-bottom in an array of beautiful colours.

Lakeside Livin - bach interior

Bridgette Lawrence

Bach entranceway mural

Bridgette Lawrence’s family has owned a 90sqm ’50s Waitaki Lakes property since the 2000s. Decades of summers spent swimming and skiing in winter meant that it was due for a refresh. Bridgette says, “The shoestring budget and lack of square footage meant that interest in each room needed to come from the painted finish, rather than the “stuff” it was filled with.”

The exterior of the bach was painted in Resene Lumbersider in Resene Green Meets Blue. From the get-go, Bridgette wanted a total makeover. She says that the palette was inspired by “the varying colours of the lakes, the greens of the surrounding trees, with pops of colour representing the bright southern sunshine and the sunset sky”. The pops of colour included soft curves painted in Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen in Resene Yuma, Resene Tuscany and Resene Gecko.

A blue/green bach in Resene Green Meets Blue

Bridgette used Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen in Resene Saltpan on the ceilings and walls. In the bedrooms, Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen in Resene Atomic, a powerful grey blue, and Resene Cinder, an indulgent blue-black shade created depth.

And of course, any well-loved bach has to have personal touches. A family member was smitten with Resene Juniper, so Bridgette painted the bookcase and some feature strips in that shade using Resene Lustacryl. The result pairs beautifully with Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen in Resene Balderdash, used on the living room walls and as accents in two bedrooms. In the kitchen, Bridgette painted an arch of Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen in Resene Golden Sand.

The finished makeover reinvigorates the beloved vacation home, while also leaving its mark for future generations.

Lakeside bach - kitchen