Big little design details

From the Resene decorating blog

What do we do if we want to make big changes to our homes without delving too deep into our bank accounts? Make small changes instead – ones that have a significant impact.

Plaster hack

Venetian plaster is an impressive wall treatment usually installed by a master craftsman. On the other side of the coin, with tint-able Resene Sandtex Mediterranean effect, you can achieve a similar look yourself. It can be brushed, rolled or sprayed on, but the most effective way to achieve the plaster look is to apply it with a wide brush in a criss-cross pattern. This will create a textured look that’s particularly cool for feature wall (or multiple walls).

This old thing

Enhance a heritage element of your character villa or bungalow by painting the areas above and below the dado rails with different shades of Resene paint – try a tonal pairing of aquamarine Resene Wishlist and watery green-blue Resene Cut Glass, or contrast pretty umber Resene Soothe with masculine Resene Avalanche.

Fancy that

You don’t need existing heritage mouldings to get the look – stick-on latex versions are available that can be applied to wood, plaster, metal, terracotta and glass. Use them to embellish your walls, doors, furniture, mirror and photo frames, and more. You could paint yours with Karen Walker Chalk Colour paint and Karen Walker Vintage Wax, stain them with Resene Woodsman, gild them with Resene FX Metallic or cover them with a solid Resene colour – the options are endless.

Dancing on the ceiling

Rather than ignoring it, think of the ceiling as a room’s fifth wall. Though most people default to white paint, painting your ceiling a different colour can add so much to a space. Teamed with complementary walls, grey-blues such as Scandinavian Resene Blue Moon and hazy Resene Smokescreen, minty greens like Resene Peppermint and Resene Surf Crest, and creamy yellows such as Resene Melting Moment and Resene Astra draw the eye up and into a space, without being overpowering. Use low-splatter Resene SpaceCote Flat for a matte (non-glossy) finish.

Bitchin’ kitchen

If renovating your kitchen is out of the question, don’t despair – a makeover of your cabinets with Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer, fresh topcoats and new hardware is entirely achievable and the result will be well worth the effort. Be aware that prepping is just as important as painting, so be sure to seal any cracks, sand back any imperfections and protect hinges and benchtops with painter’s tape.

What aesthetic do you want to achieve? For pared-back chic, opt for near-white Resene Alabaster, slightly grey Resene Sea Fog or yellow white Resene Rice Cake. At the other end of the spectrum, tap into the trend for dark kitchens with leathery carbon Resene Blackjack, dark grey Resene Nocturnal or blackened blue Resene Indian Ink teamed with brass hardware.

You could also paint your tiled splashback – both in the kitchen or your bathroom. Go for a solid Resene colour of your choice or use painter’s tape to create a new design. Clean and dry the tiles thoroughly before you begin, then apply a coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer, allow to dry, and apply two coats of Resene Lustacryl tinted to your colour of choice.

Open the door to colour

You probably don’t pay much attention to your home’s doors, but when painted a colourful hue, they can make a major difference. Consider it for your laundry or powder room – and it’s especially fun for children’s rooms. Colour code kids’ doors with their favourite shades – perhaps pretty pink Resene Princess or bright orange Resene Outrageous. Or you could paint the back of their doors with Resene FX Chalkboard Paint and Resene FX Magnetic Magic to create an interactive surface on which they can attach artwork, play games and write notes.

To enliven a tired exterior and bring a smile to visitors’ dials, paint your front door with a bold colour like Resene Bright Red, fuchsia Resene Smitten or turquoise Resene Java. Using Resene Enamacryl in these shades will give it a gorgeously glossy finish.

Perk up that dowdy doormat for good measure by painting dots, stripes or a greeting on it using a stencil as your guide and your choice of Resene testpot.

August 28, 2020

For more easy project ideas visit the Resene project section online and visit your Resene ColorShop for all the advice and products you need for your projects.

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