Bring the magic of Monet to your space this spring

From the Resene decorating blog

Infuse a botanical essence into your home without being too stereotypical. Look to one of the great masters of Impressionism, Claude Monet.

Interior design influenced by Monet

Springtime is the perfect opportunity to take a tired, stagnant interior and refresh it with some new inspiration in time for the new year. A staple of spring trends, while florals and pastels help to brighten up a wintry space, some may shy away from them due to their predictability.

However, it is still possible to infuse a botanical essence into your home or professional space without being too stereotypical. Simply look to one of the great masters of Impressionism, Claude Monet.

A revolutionary with a paintbrush

Monet lived from 1840-1926, and is heralded as one of the key figures in the blossoming Impressionist movement. His whimsical, yet masterful brushwork was less about creating defined lines and clear detail, but more about making a sense of atmosphere and movement in his tranquil scenes.

Perhaps the most well known of all Monet's works is his water lilies, or Nympheas series. Depicting the light and colour of the gardens of the artist's home in Giverny, this series of paintings have a soothing, almost hypnotising effect on the viewer, transporting them to a quiet moment on the banks of a pond.

Here is a look at two of Monet's masterpieces and how you can incorporate their hues into your home.

Water lilies

Capture the soothing allure of the water lilies series with Resene Blue Moon. A muted teal, it captures the idea of a pond under the shade of the trees, and can make for a sophisticated match with pale greys such as Resene Solitude.

You can add a touch of shading by using Resene Wishlist as an accent colour, or make a stronger contrast with Resene Timekeeper. For the pops of colour provided by the lilies themselves in the paintings, turn to the wonderful Resene Siesta, a dusky lavender, or for the more adventurous, Resene Scrumptious.

Under the lilac trees

Housed in the Musee d'Orsay in Paris, Lilas, temps gris is another beautiful example of Monet's ability to depict dappled light and shade under a lilac tree. To create the depth of the garden indoors, a border of rich, Resene Kaitoke Green around the walls creates the impression of lush spring growth.

To recreate the gentle scattering of lilac blossoms, why not try your hand at sponge painting for a truly Impressionistic interior?

A quick guide to sponge painting your walls

Start with a base colour (we recommend Resene Half Athens Grey), and paint your surface area, whether it's the top half of the wall, or just a border. Leave to dry fully.

Before you take out your sponge, tape off the border, to keep the effect constrained to one area. Next, take your lilac blossom colour of Resene Abbey Road and mix with a glaze, such as Resene Pearl Shimmer. Using a natural sponge, begin to daub your lilac across the wall, starting off in an inconspicuous spot. Try to keep the amount of paint and the pressure you use to apply it equal.

Wash out your sponge, and once your first sponged layer is dry, you can go in with a second layer such as Resene Half Kumutoto, to imitate the the sky peeking through the uppermost blossom branches. Apply the second sponged layer more sparingly than the first, allowing the lilac to show through.

Last but not least, go in with a small brush and carefully dab in Resene Abbey Road around the border to finish it off. This will result in a beautiful marbled effect that imitates the blend of colours Monet was so celebrated for.

Don't forget, you can also take inspiration from this painter's palette to decide the colour of your curtains, such as the cool mint of Resene Labyrinth in Bud or the lavender grey hue of Resene Frequency in Charcoal.