Colour Home Awards competition

Fourth finalist - Alison and Callum Dixon

To allow their eclectic mix of possessions to take centre stage, Alison and Callum Dixon chose a calming colour palette for their Castor Bay, Auckland home. All-white walls in Resene Sea Fog were lifted by coloured doors. “Painting our doors was an easy way to inject colour and personality into the house,” Alison explains. Violet, 5, and Rita, 3, chose the turquoise brilliance of Resene Dali for their shared bedroom. One-year-old Fred’s door was painted in Resene Nocturnal… more

Third finalist - Keri Clarke and Wayne

Clever use of colour and skilful paintwork helped to create this soothing nursery. Keri Clarke, co-founder of the Be Your Own Heroine website, and husband Wayne, a general manager, have lived in their four-bedroom Flat Bush, Auckland home for six years. They wanted their new daughter's nursery to be stylish and not "too saccharine". Keri, a graphic designer, came up with a triangle print, which the couple painted in a soft grey, Resene ‘Pale Slate’… more

Second finalist - April Harwood-Smith and Zane Hansby

It’s all fun and games at a Coromandel first home full of creative colour and DIY décor. First home-buyers April Harwood-Smith and Zane Hansby have transformed their classic 1964 Lockwood in Coromandel into a personality-filled abode. White walls were a good starting point, but the couple were craving a bit of colour. “We wanted to keep things looking fresh and simple, but also fun and bright,” says April. Accent walls... more

First finalist – Katie Smith and James Littlewood

A love of bold colour and retro hues inspired the makeover of this Titirangi home. Katie Smith and husband James Littlewood revamped their 1940s home in Auckland, which they share with daughters Lucy and Stellar, using vibrant colours from Resene. Choosing shades came naturally to textile designer Katie. “As a family we are very fond of colour,” she explains. “I wanted the main areas upstairs to work in harmony, with a bit of a vintage flavour. I tend to gravitate towards autumnal colours… more

Grand winner 2015/2016 - Zoe Bartlett

First impressions can be deceiving. From the outside, this 1930s former state house looks like many others in the surrounding Lower Hutt streets. But pass through the mint green front door and it’s an explosion of colour. Surprisingly, it was even more colourful when owners Zoe Bartlett and Brad Hale bought it in 2006. “There was daffodil carpet, lime green walls, a pink bathroom and a red Formica kitchen benchtop,” laughs Zoe. But the couple – now parents to Josh, 5, and Lachlan, 1 – could see the potential… more

March 2016 winner - Heidi and Kris Herbert

Heidi & Kris Herbert purchased their seven-acre lifestyle block in New Plymouth in August last year, providing more space for their two children, Bren, three, and Ivy, two. The four bedroom home was in dire need of a facelift, and the first room to get the full treatment was daughter Ivy’s room. "Ivy's favourite colour is pink, so I found Resene Sakura on the Resene fashion colour inspiration tab on their website," Heidi explains. "I wanted to add something to break up the pink so I looked at different ideas on the internet and taped up the wall with masking tape"… more

February 2016 winner - Julie Attwell

Julie Attwell’s Palmerston North home isn't for the faint-hearted. Living here since 2006 with husband Anthony, son Jackson, 17, daughter Georgia, 22, mother Joan, Penny the Staffy, cats Goose, Timmy and Stella, and chickens Custard, Dora, Peg and Dave, you could say she has a rather full house! The three-bedroom, 120-square-metre art deco building has been fully redecorated by Julie, who says although her decor style is ever-evolving, her penchant for black has never wavered. For evidence, look no further than her lounge feature wall painted in Resene Nero.… more

January 2016 winner - Kirsty and David Wraight

Kirsty and David Wraight’s Blenheim new build is anything but modern. With a shared love of heritage homes, it’s no wonder David - a builder who owns a business specialising in villa-style homes - took this project on himself. Completed in May 2014, their stunning three bedroom villa has a soft and traditional colour scheme, but Kirsty wanted some colour in the bathroom, opting for Resene Hermitage. The white battened feature wall painted in Resene… more

December 2015 winner - William Boyd

William Boyd’s heritage Helensville home began life as a bank and became a residential building 20 years ago. The artist and hairdresser had always wanted to live somewhere out of the ordinary, and when he saw the 1920s art deco building on the Kaipara River up for sale last year, he pounced. William’s first project was tackling the outside, which was painted a uniform two-tone grey. William brought Old Bank, as he affectionately calls it, back to life using the Resene Heritage colour range… more

November 2015 winner - Zoe Bartlett

Lower Hutt mum Zoe Bartlett knew her dark colour scheme with hints of aqua would be a winner after seeing a Where the Wild Things Are-style kid's room in a magazine. Once she'd decided on Resene Ebony Clay for her son Lachie's feature wall, the rest of the room fell into place. Resene Barely There decorates the remaining three walls and Zoe painted Lachie's lamp, side table and cloud shelf in Resene Optimist; the deer antlers and triangle shelf are coated in Resene Aqua... more

Grand winner 2014/15 - Gemma Burrows

Wellingtonian Gemma Burrows has used a kaleidoscope of colour in small doses throughout her once all-white home. The previously white-on-white colour scheme of Gemma's Wellington home was never going to last long with a self-confessed colour-lover living there. She bought the home in July last year, sold on its modern, open-plan design but the decor was impersonal and bland. She set about painting the house little by little, adding geometric and colour-blocking detail to all areas of the house... more

April 2015 winner

This homeowner transformed what was once the garage of his two-storey house into a funky family space for his family. Upstairs is rented out while downstairs there isn’t the slightest indication that cars were once parked here not so long ago. As a huge fan of art deco, the homeowner consulted with Kelly Gammie from Eucalyptus Design to help him refine his colour choice and to reflect this era… more

March 2015 winner – Melanie Wilson

Melanie Wilson was tired of looking at beige interiors after a bout of house hunting, so when she purchased this ex-state house in New Plymouth, she set about enlivening it with colour. “I love colour – both bright and bold and softer tones.” Melanie painted the geometric design above the kitchen splashback by randomly placing painter’s tape until she was happy with the design and filling in the sections with Resene… more

February 2015 winner - Robert and Diane Sutton

Robert Sutton didn’t tell his wife Diane that he was entering their Renwick, Marlborough home into the Resene Colour Home Awards, stating in his entry: “I am sending this in to surprise my wife Diane who I think has done an amazing job of transforming our B&B with two new coats of Resene paint.” Diane was understandably “very excited and proud” to discover she was a finalist. Diane painted the 1929 bungalow herself, using Resene Trojan from the Resene CoolColour™ range, which reflects heat and remains cooler in summer conditions… more

January 2015 winner - Gemma Burrows

Gemma Burrows couldn’t wait to transform the plain, impersonal white walls of her Wellington home. “I like bright colours,” says Gemma, “which you can tell by looking at my clothes and lipstick on any given day!” After scanning Pinterest for inspiration, she decided on a geometric theme that would inject colour and complement her extensive art collection and furniture. The fireplace was reinvented with a square of Resene Bright Spark and a thin line of Resene Bombshell to “give it some edge”… more

December 2014 winner – Renee and Bryan Lawrence

Rennee Lawrence and her husband Bryan renovated their kitchen in Pukerua Bay, north of Wellington, on a tight budget and are thrilled with the results. They chose dark shades to contrast with crisp white and bright red accents, with Resene Blackjack on the dining room wall and Resene Blackboard Paint in the kitchen. The floors, walls and kitchen table were treated to coats of Resene Black White. The pièce de résistance is the set of 1940s cabinets… more

November 2014 winner - Marlene Handl

With an overseas student coming to stay, Marlene Handl wanted to create a relaxing and restful guest bedroom in her Mission Bay, Auckland home. The formerly black walls made for a dark and gloomy space, so Marlene and her husband repainted the entire room in Resene Karen Walker Foggy Grey and Resene Alabaster for a fresh palette that beautifully reflects natural light. Marlene also looked to nature for inspiration… more

Grand winner 2013/14 – Debra Yearsley

When Debra Yearsley and her husband Adam bought their 1988 “Miami Vice-style” home in July 2012 it was crying out for colour. The art deco house in Auckland’s St Heliers features an eight metre-high atrium, with dramatic curved walls and split levels, which Debra saw as unpainted surfaces ripe for a colourful makeover. She chose an eclectic range of Resene paints to decorate her home, teamed with mid-century furniture. “Colour is a must,” she says… more

March 2014 winner – Pippa Jinks

It’s hard not to smile when you spot the rainbow stairs in Pippa Jinks’ Birkenhead, Auckland home. “People are always positive about them,” says Pippa. “The funniest comment was from a six-year-old friend of my children (Luka, 10, and Pearl, 7), whose face was a picture of happiness when he saw the stairs, but then he looked serious and told me earnestly that I had done it wrong, because rainbows don’t have pink in them… more

February 2014 winner - Noelene Rachinger and Alan Blackman

Noelene Rachinger and Alan Blackman recently set about painting their entire St Heliers, Auckland home in a range of Resene colours. They drew inspiration from their bold furnishings and artwork, repeating splashes of red, in the bar stools and bedlinen, throughout the house. They kept the look classic in the downstairs living room and kitchen, painted in Resene Rakaia, echoed by the exterior of the home in Resene Chicago and Resene Half Alabaster, creating seamless flow from inside to out… more

January 2014 winner - Michelle Burns

The aptly named Resene Tweet on the cabinetry of this Christchurch home caused “much twittering at the factory when it was applied”, says homeowner Michelle Burns. Her bold colour scheme was chosen to complement the mid-century feel of the 1968 home. “We achieved this by incorporating rimu into the island cabinetry and bringing the gorgeous Resene Grasscloth wallpaper into the scheme”… more

December 2013 winner - Kim Quartermain

Kim Quartermain says it’s been an “exciting journey” deciding on a colour scheme for her art deco home in Karori, Wellington. It began in February 2011 with a visit to Napier’s Art Deco Weekend for inspiration. After much deliberation she settled on Resene Buttery White for the exterior walls and Resene Deco for the trim. “I made sure to complement the surrounding houses while keeping with the art deco heritage and status of the property”… more

November 2013 winner - Debra Yearsley

A home office doesn't have to be stuffy and boring. Take inspiration from the bold colour combo Debra Yearsley dreamed up for the work space in her Auckland home. She wanted it to be bright, vibrant and mentally stimulating. "My office was cold and uninviting. It needed hotting up with a warm colour. Resene Smitten is a gorgeous fuchsia that makes me smile every time I enter the room," she says. The starting point for Debra's colour scheme was the floral rug she bought on Trade Me... more