Repetition and rhythm

From the Resene colour inspiration – latest looks gallery

While there will always be artistic styles that experience waxing and waning popularity, the artwork you choose for your space should feel very personal.

Whether you opt for an investment piece or simply want to display something that holds sentimental value, the key is picking something that really speaks to you – or something you at least enjoy looking at. Once you’ve found some that you really love, why not use it to inspire a colour palette for the room in which you’ll be hanging it?

This modern garden room or ‘conservatory’ features an original artwork by Hannah Jensen, one of many artists who paints her works using Resene products. If you are unsure what colours are used in the artwork you own, you can always upload a photo or scan of your piece to the Resene Colour Palette Generator. The Resene Palette Generator creates a Resene colour palette based on the most common colours that occur in the image and tell you what proportion of the palette they are to help give you an idea of the colour balance you’ll need to translate it into a space. From there, you can download swatches to start fleshing out your design scheme.

One clever idea is to use the shape of your artwork to create similar shapes on your walls. In a way, the ‘frame’ of this piece has been painted right on to the wall instead of putting a frame on the artwork itself. In this space, an arch has been painted in Resene Alabaster over a background in Resene Flotsam. Then, repeat the same shape throughout the room to create a sense of continuity. Here, the rice paper lantern, the table, the vases and the wheels of the cart carry the theme throughout the space.

In the same way that round shapes have been repeated, so have colours.  The wall at the right in Resene Polo Blue and the vase on the table in Resene Time Out bring the main colour of the artwork further into the space. To bridge the gap between the lightest colour in the room (Resene Alabaster), the darkest colour (Resene Bunting) and the grey of Resene Flotsam, Resene Link Water was used on the chairs, small vases and plant pots to link together the entire colour palette. And, the decision to stick to a tonal scheme gives the artwork more visual space to shine, rather than overpowering it.

While it’s good start to create repetition and rhythm in your interior decorating, it’s the bits you add that are different that become the icing on your proverbial design cake. The section of Resene Bunting at the left of the room has been added for contrast and depth while the green foliage in the centre of the table really pops against the rest of the tonal palette. The result is a restful room to relax in – but not one without its elements of interest.

Styling by Kate Alexander. Photography by Bryce Carleton. 2020