Decorating a bach

From the Resene decorating blog

Nothing else symbolises the relaxed holiday lifestyle quite like the bach. Or crib as they call it in the south, or holiday home if you live beyond our shores.

Whether by the beach, lake or mountain, this modest dwelling is an iconic part of our history and culture, and sums up the meaning of escape from the city and ordinary working life. A bach represents a form of nostalgia harking back to a simpler life. It’s a sanctuary from urban busy-ness. A touchstone, a soulful place where you can add your own personality and character.

Shells, raffia lamps, hats, and old ladder and a poster on the wall – baches are often an intriguing mix of old and new find.

Here the wall is painted in Resene Duck Egg Blue, the skirting and sideboard are in Resene Half Sea Fog, the floor is in Resene St Kilda and the ladder is Resene Xanadu. Styling by Gem Adams; image by Melanie Jenkins.

The typical kiwi bach often sports a mix of colours

The typical kiwi bach often sports a mix of colours from soft sea blue to bright primary colours in a carefree, organic mix.

The Resene Nocturnal wall at the back of this room provides a quiet, neutral backdrop while the side wall is in Resene Ashanti and the plywood floor is finished in Resene Colorwood Whitewash. An old retro sideboard has been given an eye-catching overhaul in Resene Space Cadet (blue) and Resene Gorse (yellow), while the second-hand coffee tables are in the softer shades of Resene Sakura (pink) and Resene Ashanti (aqua). Styling by Kate Alexander; image by Bryce Carleton.

It’s also a place where we can feel freer with our decorating style, and where we often have fun experimenting with bolder colours or themes that we normally wouldn’t use at our main home. We are inspired to be playful and less serious; it matches the casual, relaxed reason we visit our baches.

Furniture and accessories can be a little mad, or cheeky, or heavily themed in a kitsch way that delights rather than makes us groan. You can be a bit braver with colour in a bach because you’re not living with it on a daily basis.

There’s less preciousness about the surfaces and furniture so that kids and dogs can run inside with sandy feet. And adults don’t have to feel guilty about a little spilled red wine. Basic finishes are often appropriate with sealed concrete floors, urethaned plywood walls and fibro-cement cladding painted in your favourite beachy colours. They’re really low maintenance and easy to paint using Resene Lumbersider outside and Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen inside. Natural surfaces are best finished in a clear finish so they are easy to keep clean. Use Resene Aquaclear for timber and Resene Concrete Clear to protect concrete floors and benchtops.

Layouts are determined as much by relaxed attitudes as modest budgets. Hence the lack of front entries, bedrooms coming off living areas, and large sliding doors opening onto decks. They have multi-purpose spaces. A bedroom might be behind sliding doors, for example. Because baches are all about people gathering to socialise, kitchens can be smaller. After all, most cooking happens outside in summer – on barbecues, braziers or fire pits.

Casual seating and soft natural colours

Casual seating and soft natural colours are a feature of many baches.

The wall is in Resene Duck Egg Blue, the floor is Resene Inside Back, the shelves and brackets are Resene Passport and the basket planter is in Resene Half Evolution. Styling by Claudia Kozub; image by Melanie Jenkins.

A grey-blue bach kitchen

Grey-blues and copper tones are a match made in heaven as this dreamy tonal blue bach kitchen shows.

From the dark slate tones of Resene Safehaven on the architrave, light and hooks, to the pale icy blue of Resene Slipstream on the door, there is a full range in between – Resene Mystery on the upper wall, Resene Raindance on the lower wall and shelf and Resene Artemis on the cabinet top and legs. So it’s not too matchy matchy, a couple of smaller accessories with a green twist are thrown into the mix. There’s the soft apple of Resene Aura on the jug and bowl, and Resene Unwind on the fluted vases. Warming up the scheme, a range of copper accessories and fixtures are joined by timber touches in the chopping boards. Styling by Megan Harrison-Turner; image by Bryce Carleton.

Bach styles to try

Beachy – Use Resene Colorwood Whitewash and chalky whites like Resene Merino, along with faded blues and green-edged sand colours like Resene Slipstream and Resene Smoothie. Decorate with driftwood, shells, beach ornaments, Cape Cod chairs, ceramic or metallic fish, colourful canvas stripes, log fires and window shutters.

Retro – Play up the heritage aspect of existing baches. Update existing retro kitchens with colourful cabinetry and funky handles, kitsch art and objects from junk shops, second hand furniture, Crown Lynn china and old photos in frames. Retro colours to try include teals, mustards and oranges like Resene She’ll Be Right, Resene Cleopatra and Resene Adrenalin.

A bold turquoise and green interior

Let’s go surfing with bold turquoise and green.

The walls are Resene She’ll Be Right, the cane chair is Resene Japanese Laurel and the peg stools are Resene Blue Chill and Resene Freelance. Styling by Megan Harrison-Turner; image by Melanie Jenkins.

A relaxing tropical bedroom for your interior

A relaxing tropical bedroom with walls in Resene Half Opal, a chair in Resene Surf Crest, floorboards in Resene Colorwood Greywash, and a cane coffee table/ottoman in Resene Half Duck Egg Blue. Styling by Megan Harrison-Turner; image by Bryce Carleton.

Nautical/boathouse – Decorate with whitewashed floors and walls, painted oars, marine inspired tongue and groove, colourful canvas stripes, charts and maps, natural rattan shades and weathered surfaces. Try accents of navy and stormy blues like Resene Submerge and Resene Coast.

Surfy – Use primary accents alongside surf boards, surf shop art, caps and bags in surf brands, denim cushions and surf break prints. Colours to try are fresh yellows, reds and greens like Resene Chorus Line, Resene Poppy and Resene Away We Go.

An exterior colour scheme inspired by the sand and seagrass

In a colour scheme inspired by its surroundings, architect Gerald Parsonson used a range of sand and seagrass colours like Resene Ecru White, Resene Tussock, Resene Canvas and Resene Half Delta.

Rustic and raw – Use plywood, concrete, upcycled timber furniture, chunky tables, rusted metals. Protect timber with a durable urethane like Resene Aquaclear and concrete floors with Resene Concrete Wax.

Bach decorating tends to be an ongoing project with little knick knacks added by family and visitors each time they come. It’s a good idea to think how you will display things and whether you need to apply a ‘one in one out’ rule to avoid running out of space.