Endless summer

From the Resene decorating blog

Ah summer… refreshing ocean dips, sun-kissed afternoons chilling (aka dozing) with a book, gentle sea breezes and pristine blue skies. Sadly, the golden weather ends all too soon. But with some clever Resene paint touches, you can keep that sunny, laidback vibe in your home the whole year round (and oh joy, minus the sandy feet).

Four styles for an endless summer: Back at the bach | Summery sophistication | Catch those rays | Scandi style

Back at the bach

Summer holidays are all about connecting with nature and al fresco living, so opt for colours, textures, accents and shapes that bring the outdoors in.

A bach style interior

This timber floor finished in Resene Colorwood Mid Greywash gives this bedroom a bach-y feel. The wall, in Resene Half Rice Cake, allows the painted arch to stand out. You could stick to a solid colour for the arch, but as an alternative these stripes were masked off and painted in Resene Half Bison Hide. The back wall is in Resene Grey Olive, bedside table in Resene Greige, pendant lamp in Resene Half Rice Cake, headboard and bench in Resene Double Rice Cake, tall vase in Resene Half Lemon Grass and plant pot in Resene Zeus. Bedlinen from The Foxes Den, throw from Freedom, furry cushion from Lapco. Project by Annick Larkin, image by Bryce Carleton.

Choose your hero colour to set the tone then have fun riffing on the theme. Pale creamy-yellows like Resene Half Popcorn or Resene Pipi provide a mellow backdrop that evoke windswept beaches and parched summer fields.

Nature is no fan of straight lines, so introduce curves where you can – think archways, lampshades and furniture – as a nod to the outdoors. These soft lines bring an organic feel to the space and impart that ‘aah’ sense of peace and tranquillity.

Give your timber flooring a weathered, pre-loved look by finishing it in Resene Colorwood Mid Greywash.

Fresh plants, dried flowers and small items of furniture and accessories painted in organic, earthy hues like Resene Iko Iko, Resene Sugar Loaf and Resene Greige all amp up the al fresco feel.

Resene Half Rice Cake

Resene Double Rice Cake

Resene Sugar Loaf

Resene Half Bison Hide

Resene Grey Olive

Resene Colorwood Mid Greywash

Resene Pipi

Resene Half Popcorn

Resene Half Lemon Grass

Resene Greige

Resene Iko Iko

Resene Zeus

Summery sophistication

For a classic twist on the vacation theme, take your inspiration from the New Yorker’s holiday resort of choice: The Hamptons. A Hamptons-style interior combines the airy feel of a coastal setting with low-key elegance that works for every season.

A sophisticated Hamptons style interior

Walls, ceilings and trims in Resene Black White offer a sophisticated canvas on which to layer your Hamptons look.

The floor is stained in Resene Colorwood Dark Ebony. The console table, coffee table and cabinet are in Resene Merino, shell sea dish, cross-back chair and plant pot in Resene Blue Night, striped plant pot in Resene Black White and Resene Blue Night, books in Resene Blue Night and Resene Halcyon and white stripe vase in Resene Black White. The tea light holder and star fish are in Resene Halcyon and the small coral and large sea shell are in Resene Black White. Sofa from Freedom, table with shelf from Mocka painted in Resene Merino, ginger jars, book and geo cushion from The French Villa, navy cushion from The Warehouse, striped cushion and blue coral from Bed Bath and Beyond, coral look bowl and navy with white piped trim cushion from Freedom. Project by Vanessa Nouwens, image by Wendy Fenwick.

The typical Hamptons palette is crisp, clean and nautical; simply dial up the white to blue ratio to your taste. However, for those drearier months, white walls will maximise the sense of light and space. Add interest to the plain white with battens; these can be easily attached using screws before painting – or simply use construction glue.

Layering is key to this look – so in the rest of your décor, furnishings and accessories include coastal-inspired tones like Resene Billabong, Resene Madison and Resene Biscay.

Wood surfaces or driftwood accents can be finished in Resene Colorwood Whitewash or Resene Colorwood Light Greywash for a relaxed, beachy vibe.

What’s so fun about this look is that the oceanic, the organic and the opulent all happily co-exist. So alongside nautical touches and natural fibres, add in some porcelain or ceramic with chinoiserie detailing.

Photo notes: Walls, ceilings and trims in Resene Black White offer a sophisticated canvas on which to layer your Hamptons look.

Resene Black White

Resene Merino

Resene Colorwood Light Greywash

Resene Colorwood Whitewash

Resene Colorwood Dark Ebony

Resene Halcyon

Catch those rays

Kids’ rooms are all about fun. So a buttery yellow fits the bill nicely – and mixed with earthier, more muted tones you still get the summer effect without having to reach for your sunnies.

A summery striped child's bedroom

Graphic diagonal stripes on the walls of this child’s room evoke the slanted shadows of a summer morning. The bold diagonal is softened by a stripe of pretty Resene Ebb pink alongside the light beiges of Resene Truffle and Resene Merino. The floor is painted in Resene Quarter Truffle, the bookshelf and round table are in Resene Soothe and the bedside table Resene Ebb. The chest of drawers is in Resene Merino, Resene Brown Sugar, Resene Ebb and Resene Apache. The toy box is Resene Apache, and the stools are in Resene Apache and Resene Brown Sugar. The stacking rainbow is in Resene Merino, Resene Ebb, Resene Truffle, Resene Apache and Resene Brown Sugar and the pencil pot is Resene Brown Sugar. Duvet and lamp from Adairs, euro gingham pillowcase and cushion from Homebody, pink cushion cover from H&M Home, heart cushion and floral pillowcase from Little Whimsy. Project by Vanessa Nouwens, image by Bryce Carleton.

Dial up the energy with a dynamic pattern on your wall – geometric shapes or thick coloured stripes work really well. By picking up these wall hues in your furniture, linen and accessories you’ll keep everything harmonious.

You can elevate a simple set of drawers from functional to fun by playing with colour. Paint the outside a calming neutral like Resene Merino, then the drawers in sandy, earthy and summer sunset hues like Resene Merino, Resene Brown Sugar, Resene Ebb and Resene Apache. Tie the whole palette together by repeating these colours in other pieces like tables, toy boxes, stools and even display boards.

Top tip: Creating your own DIY display board is a cinch. First, measure out your stripes onto an art canvas so they are approx 25cm wide and on a diagonal. Apply painters tape. Paint each stripe in your chosen colour using Resene testpots – you’ll need to do two coats. Once dry, remove the tape. Staple string or twine across the board and secure it at the back. Add pegs to the string and hang out your artwork, holiday snaps, drawings, etc.

Resene Merino

Resene Quarter Truffle

Scandi style

Next time you moan about the dark evenings drawing in, spare a thought for the Scandinavians – they get six hours or less of daylight in winter! So if anyone knows about maximising sunlight and dispelling gloom year-round, it’s those living in Nordic countries.

A Scandi style bedroom

This bedroom’s white backdrop features walls painted in Resene Triple Pearl Lusta, a floor in Resene Eighth Pearl Lusta and a headboard finished in Resene Colorwood Whitewash. The variety in tones lends depth to the palette. Accessories are painted in Resene Triple Bison Hide, Resene Half Bison Hide, Resene Grey Olive, Resene Sour Dough, Resene Alamo, Resene Brown Bramble and Resene Hemlock. Candle and holder, mug, body oil, book, throw and house slides from Blackbird Goods, bedlinen from Foxtrot Home, cushion, rug, and small pink marble vase from Citta, tray and book from Paper Plane. Project by Gem Adams, image by Wendy Fenwick.

Scandi style is synonymous with light spaces, clean lines, pale palettes and whitewashed timber. However, it has also evolved to include darker, moodier shades. So if going all-out, archetypal Scandi is beyond the pale, you can add in some sombre hues and even pops of colour. Or warm up the look with accents of terracotta, blue or gold such as Resene Hot August, Resene Navigate or Resene Pirate Gold.

If white is too stark for you, substitute with a soft apple green like Resene Pale Leaf or a Resene Ottoman, a frosty off-white with a peppermint edge.

Nature-inspired tones and texture can come courtesy of woven cushions, stonewashed bedlinen and dried flowers. The earthy hues that were once popular in Nordic design have made a comeback, so these tones are also very on-trend Scandi.

Even in the darkest depths of winter, with careful Resene colour choices, it’s possible to chase summer from Scandinavia all the way to the Hamptons.

Resene Eighth Pearl Lusta

Resene Triple Pearl Lusta

Resene Sour Dough

Resene Half Bison Hide

Resene Grey Olive

Resene Triple Bison Hide

Resene Colorwood Whitewash

November 09, 2022

For help choosing colours to suit your projects, visit your local Resene ColorShop, ask a Resene Colour Expert online or book a Resene Colour Consultation.

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