Gallery gorgeous

Today, curators have wisened up to the fact that in order for artworks to look their best, they need to be complemented by the right colours – and those, too, need to be curated.

For a long time, there was a pervasive belief that the only wall, floor and ceiling colour suitable for a space that showcases artwork was pure, untinted white. But today, curators have wisened up to the fact that in order for artworks to look their best, they need to be complemented by the right colours – and those, too, need to be curated.

This evolution in thinking is great news not just for art lovers who enjoy visiting galleries but also homeowners that are passionate about art. Not only will your experience of artwork be enhanced when you’re not being bombarded with cold, glaring reflected light from all sides, but the look of your home will feel more cohesive and cosier rather than sterile and bland.

There are plenty of talented artists in New Zealand and Australia who use Resene paint in their work, and if you own any pieces created by them, getting a perfect colour match is a breeze – simply ask them what Resene hues were incorporated. Likewise, you’ll be quick to come up with a palette if you have created one or more artworks yourself with Resene testpots. But if you’re unsure which colours will be the right hues to suit, you can always bring it in to your local Resene ColorShop and the staff there can help you to find the right paint colours to match or coordinate. Another option is to take a digital photo of each artwork that will be in the space and upload it to the free online Resene Colour Palette Generator and you’ll get a suggested palette of colours to choose from.

Because all the works in this home art appreciation area were well curated to begin with, its simple and clean yet warm and inviting colour palette was easy to implement. Walls in Resene Cashmere, a soft suede with a hint of blush in its undertone, looks elegant and refined and are in good company with the light violet-greyed floor in Resene Quarter Rakaia. Rather than pricey and impossibly heavy granite plinths – which you might be hard-pressed to get inside your home – we have mimicked the look of Carrera marble by first painting our fibreboard cylinders in two coats of Resene Alabaster before adding thin layers of mottling and veins in Resene FX Paint Effects Medium mixed with Resene Half Stack.

If you like to change up your artwork displays often, you may even choose to repaint your fibreboard plinths and a few small accessories to coordinate with your hero piece. For example, a plinth and a couple of candleholders painted in Resene Lonestar and an artfully draped similarly coloured throw play off the eye-catching canvas painting that features Resene Alabaster, Resene Cashmere, Resene Avant Garde and Resene Lonestar. You may even choose to paint a few upcycled handbound books using Resene testpots that can be used to inject another pop of colour, such as Resene Innuendo, Resene Nero or Resene Half Stack, into your scheme and be stacked to create height differentiation under artistic objects.

The furniture in this space has been kept minimal, with a clean-lined chaise in a colour inspired by Resene Bokara Grey and a wire-framed floating shelf to keep the look uncluttered and to complement the colours of the artwork. By choosing neutral colours for these items, the options for what colours you can paint or repaint the surfaces in this space are virtually limitless – and just like a real gallery curator would, you shouldn’t be afraid to switch things up. After all, a fresh eye-catching colour palette is only a quick trip to your Resene ColorShop and few short hours of work away.

Project by Melle van Sambeek . Photography by Bryce Carleton. 2022