Warm at heart

Finalist 6 – Colour Home Awards Competition

This Matakana cottage nails the balance between modernising a home and honouring its roots.

A charming 1950s cottage in the equally charming village of Matakana is the perfect place to experiment with colour and creativity.

Modernised cottage bathroom painted with red and blue hues

Suzie Stanford, Colour Home Awards 2025/26 Finalist

Suzie Stanford fell in love with the architecture and the surrounding farmland when hunting for a new character home for herself and her two sons, but there was one surprise that caught her eye – the exterior, which had been painted in Resene Lumbersider in Resene Double Mondo. The previous owner hadn’t warmed to it, but Suzie was a huge fan. “I loved it. The earthy and organic colour was a contributing factor to purchasing the house. The colour mirrors the surrounding rural area.”

The dense brown hue, described as a contemporary rustic crossover, was enough to seal the deal, but the interiors needed some love. When the opportunity arose to use a friend’s leftover turquoise tiles, inspiration struck and a bathroom makeover was underway.

Enlisting the help of a local painter, Suzie paired the tiles with Resene Lustacryl in Resene Prairie Sand, a rich and earthy fusion of sand and terracotta colours. It was applied over the original macrocarpa panelling and then the ceiling was painted in Resene Lustracryl in Resene Alabaster, a near white with a light blackened edge.

Cottage interior with walls painted in vibrant red

Modernised cottage exterior painted in Resene Double Mondo

The finished product is not only fun and playful, but it’s the perfect homage to the property’s unique ’50s style, exactly as Suzie intended.

“By using paint and colour, the house has been modernised but kept its original character,” says Suzie. The home, which she describes as a ‘summer oasis’, is being warmed inside and out.

The vibrant bathroom is just the start of the colourful home Suzie is creating for her family. She’s already planned out and started transforming her kitchen, living spaces and bedrooms.

“The flow is extremely important to me, as well as using a balance of organic and traditional colours that show the surroundings and the era of the house, but with elegance.”

Colours mentioned in this article