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Summer love that lasts all year

From the Resene decorating blog

What colours do you associate with summer? Is it the shimmering blue of the sea? The deep navy of a clear night sky? The lush green of the bush or the burnt orange glow of the sun?

Vivid brights work beautiful as accent colours against subtle pastels

Vivid brights work beautiful as accent colours against subtle pastels and more classic neutrals for a space that feels airy, yet energetic.

Floor and upper wall painted in Resene Half Alabaster, lower wall in Resene Lola, wall trim, desk and decor pieces in Resene Havelock Blue, chair and shelf in Resene Oxygen, clock, bin and magazine file in Resene I Do and vase in Resene Lola. Rug and art canvas from Spotlight. Project by Vanessa Nouwens, image by Wendy Fenwick.

The colours we associate with summer are not only warm, but they are also both uplifting and often calming. All of these things make them great colours to work within your home – so you have a touch of summer love all year round.

Shades to try

Resene Colour Expert Meryl Southey’s picks for versatile shades that evoke the warmth of summer all year include soft terracotta shades like Resene Summer Rose, golden yellows like Resene Bardot and deep teal blues like Resene Epic.

“These are really versatile colours that can be intermixed with warm or cool shades because of their complex, muted undertones. You can pair dusky Resene Epic with a warm and earthy stone shade such as Resene Element as a feature to turn things deeper and more wintry or team it with a clean, fresh green such as Resene Vista Blue in summer for a lighter, and brighter feel,” Meryl says.

The coral and peachy tones of terracotta colours immediately makes us think of sun-baked earth in exotic, sunny and warm locations like the Mediterranean and because of their brown undertones terracotta shades, they’ll bring that warmth to a more wintry palette.

“Try terracotta colours like burnt brick Resene Twizel or Resene Summer Rose with a pastoral green like Resene Paddock for a moodier warm finish or to keep that fresh summer feel try it with delicate sky-blue Resene Frozen.”

For a more literal ray of golden sun over cooler months, Meryl suggests pairing warm yellow Resene Bardot with other warm hues like spicy tan Resene Kombucha to dial up the heat. For a vibrant summery vibe, pair it with bright, rich blue Resene St Tropaz or violet-hued Resene Black Rock.”

Resene Colour Expert Jackie Nicholls suggests the jewel shades reminiscent of summer blooms like dahlias as another way to add some summery visual joy to your rooms. Think colour-saturated pinks, crimsons, reds, apricots and oranges like Resene Ballerina, Resene Jalapeno, Resene Quarter Pohutukawa, Resene Dawn Glow and Resene Gold Drop.

“Adding a metaphorical ray of sunshine to your rooms can be as simple as adding an accent colour on part of a wall or in a corner of your room. That’s often all that’s needed to transform a space. You can change cushions and throws to suit the seasons but the warmth of a good colour contrast remains.”

If you’re worried your floral-inspired colours are too bold, use them as those accent notes against a barely-there, pastel or off-white neutral, rather than stark white. Think bold Resene Gold Drop against subtle peach Resene Island Spice, used as a neutral.

Leafy or muted greens like Resene Spanish Green and Resene Xanadu can also work well to balance rich and bright florals.

For a more muted floral celebration year-round, look no further than the perennial favourite hydrangea, which changes colours through the summer season from rich bold blues and pinks to more parched and muted shades as the flowers age. Take your inspiration in the form of shades like Resene Coral Tree or a greyed blue like Resene Seachange for a more relaxed summery look, year-round.

A foyer painted with muted florals and summery golds

Muted florals and summery golds are both uplifting and soothing in this foyer.

Floor and upper wall painted in Resene Pearl Lusta, lower wall in Resene Vintage, bench seat in Resene Bandicoot, coat hooks in Resene Essential Cream and basket painted in Resene Wafer with lid in Resene Essential Cream. Floral cushion and rug from Kmart, purple cushion from Adairs, mustard square cushion from H&M Home. Project by Vanessa Nouwens, image by Wendy Fenwick.

A dining room with vibrant orange and bush greens

Vibrant, sunny orange evokes the sun against earthy, bush greens in this dining room.

Wall painted in Resene Paddock with shelves and bench seat in Resene Green Spring.

Floor stain washed in Resene Colorwood Breathe Easy. Table in Resene Spanish White with chairs in Resene Cabbage Pont. Table vase in Resene Sunrise, bowl in Resene Secrets and top shelf planter in Resene Sunrise with books in Resene Spanish White and Resene Secrets. Left bookshelf: top shelf, large vase in Resene Lemon Twist, small vase in Resene Cabbage Pont, houses in Resene Secrets and Resene Spanish White; second shelf, box in Resene Sunrise and dish in Resene Lemon Twist; third shelf, small pedestal bowl in Resene Iko Iko and pot in Resene Cabbage Pont; fourth shelf, storage box in Resene Lemon Twist; and bottom shelf, tall vase in Resene Spanish White, small vase in Resene Paddock and box in Resene Secrets. Right bookshelf top shelf, vases in Resene Japonica, Resene Spanish White and Resene Iko Iko, bowl in Resene Paddock; second shelf, box in Resene Japonica; third shelf, bowl in Resene Cabbage Pont, box in Resene Spanish White; fourth shelf, pot in Resene Lemon Twist; and bottom shelf, box in Resene Iko Iko. Linen-look cushion from The Warehouse, decor items, candles and napkins from Kmart, art from Serola Art Studio/Etsy. Project by Vanessa Nouwens, image by Bryce Carleton.

Into neutral

A palette of whites and neutrals is another way to keep a summery feel in your interiors all year around, Meryl says. “Especially those that work well with those more saturated hues. Consider warm off-white like Resene Double Blanc, soft tan like Resene Muka and rose beige Resene Solitaire and yellowed white Resene Rice Cake.”

For a soothing approach to summer shades try layered pastels with neutrals like Resene Ship Cove or and Resene Polo Blue with off-white Resene Zircon.

It might be tempting to work with bright, true whites in your goal of adding summer-style brightness to your spaces, but sometimes a softer beige, or cream neutral like Resene Quarter Sisal or Resene Half Spanish White will soothe the edges of bolder shades, or layer nicely with more muted tones.

A dining room with layers of soft pastels and summery yellows/oranges

Opting for layers of soft pastels as a base colour rather than classic neutrals, makes the summery yellows and oranges in this room shine. Back wall and shelves painted in Resene Corn Field, front right wall and side wall in Resene Pale Prim with skirting in Resene Double Alabaster, cabinet in Resene Awaken, chair, horseshoe and plant pot in Resene Prairie Sand, table in Resene Alabaster with design in Resene Summer Rose, wall hooks in Resene Alabaster and Resene Pale Prim, candleholders in Resene Summer Rose, bowls in Resene Alabaster and Resene Corn Field and large vase in Resene Pale Prim. Lamp and chair from Soren Liv, candles and books from A&C Homestore, art by Maiko Nagao. Project by Melle Van Sambeek, image by Bryce Carleton.

For a subtle nod to the sun look for off-white, beige and golden cream neutrals, like Resene Gin Fizz, Resene Half Solitaire and Resene Dutch White. They work well as neutral accents against sunny shades on ceilings and trim areas, but layers of neutrals through a whole room can create a warm, gently glowing feeling to your space that naturally evokes a sense of summer. Finish with float curtains, wood stained with Resene Colorwood Natural or weathered-looking washes in Resene Colorwood Breathe Easy, for softness.

Try walls in wheaty Resene Haystack with trim in Resene Quarter Solitaire and bolder accents in Resene Chenin. Play up the warmth of these tones with notes of deep blue Resene Bunting.

The other way to work with summer colours against neutrals is to go for a simple, minimalist and monochrome approach to your space, using a fresh and uplifting neutral like Resene Half Rice Cake, and then add just one accent colour in a dramatic, summer contrast like the vivid ocean blue-green of Resene Maestro or the classic summer red of Resene Pohutukawa. Your accent shade may be just on a coffee table or even on a wall glimpsed through a connecting doorway. It can be enough to add a huge amount of warmth and summery personality to an otherwise cool minimalist and monochrome room.

Pulling it all together

When it comes to choosing your summery colour palette Meryl suggests going back to basics. “Think about balance and use a colour wheel so that your colours harmonise with one another, and you are creating the summery feel you desire in your room,” she says. That can mean a soothing, relaxed summery palette, or a vibrant punchy and sunny summer feel.

“Use the 60:30:10 guide when distributing colour around a room or your house so it stays feeling balanced; with 60% of the main colour or neutral, 30% for the secondary colour to provide interest and 10% of an accent colour.”

Colours mentioned in this blog...

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October 22, 2024

If you need help getting starting or deciding on the colours that best suit your home, come in and visit your local Resene ColorShop, Ask a Resene Colour Expert free online or book a Resene Colour Consultation free instore or virtually or a paid home visit in selected areas. The Resene ColorShop team can also help with advice for any surfaces you need to paint or use the free Ask a Paint Expert service online.

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