Seasonally purple

From the Resene colour inspiration – latest looks gallery

Purple shades – and those with purple undertones – are some of the most overlooked hues on the fandeck. However, this colour has recently been working its way back into the spotlight.

Restful, romantic and often associated with royalty, purple combines the calm stability of blue and the fierce energy of red. But, it doesn’t have to be a fully saturated version to still bring those same qualities into your space. Deep violet-hued taupe, lilac and plum tones, in particular, are newly emerging colour trends that are positioned to gain even more popularity in the upcoming months – and they’re typically much easier colours to live with than truly violet hues. This lounge, decked out in muted purples, is a perfect example of how to use these shades in an on-trend scheme.

According to experts, colours like Resene Rocky Mountain, used on the walls, Resene Sixth Sense, on the floor and Resene Thunder Road, which is painted on the door, are all trending shades that are on the upswing. Dark, but not too dark; purple, but not too purple; these colours are easy on the eyes, making for a cocooning space that’s ideal for curling up in with a magazine and a cup of tea. Violet-hued taupes like these lend themselves well to other trendy colours like barely-there blush such as Resene Ethereal (seen on the mason jar), dark and dusty navy such as Resene Safehaven (seen on the short ribbed vase and the tall candle stick), faded peach such as Resene Shabby Chic (seen on the small plant pot on the tray), wine red such as Resene Courage (seen on the tray and short candlestick) and sage green such as Resene Peace (seen on the side table).

The chest of drawers in Resene Alabaster has been made the focal point of the room with a painted harlequin pattern in Resene Despacito, Resene Peace, Resene Safehaven, Resene Shabby Chic, Resene Porter and Resene Crowdpleaser – colours that were chosen to coordinate with those that appear on the round statement cushion. By painting these same hues onto accessories, furniture and accents in other areas of the room, it makes the space feel cohesive rather than busy.

The shapes, too, help add further repetition and cohesion to the small. The roundness of the artwork, ottoman, cushion, vases and lamp create a sense of continuity.

As the seasons change, swap out smaller, easy to store items such as cushions, artwork, plant pots and the velvet ottoman in lighter shades with others in darker hues, the space can subtly transition from a warmer weather look to a cooler one.

For a more elegant and refined look, strip out the patterns and stick to jewel tones for accents and accessories, such as Resene Indian Ink, Resene Courage and Resene Family Tree, choose fabric accessories in soft velvet and finish it off with a toasted almond coloured high pile rug for an extra bit of cosiness.

For a completely different look, try pairing violet-hued mushroom mauves like Resene Sixth Sense and Resene Rocky Mountain with stone greys, green off-whites or slate charcoals such as Resene Grey Seal, Resene Merino or Resene Porter.

Accessories: Chesterfield Button Armchair in Ochre; Mini Drum Ottoman in Dusty Pink and Low Drum Ottoman in Port Velvet from Me & My Trend; Armadillo & Co Savannah Rug in Natural from The Ivy House; Glamdom Tray Table from Shut the Front Door; Boudoir Fringed Cushions from A&C Homestore; Finsbury Floor; Ally Brass Tray; Acrylic Tray and Mallowa Vessels from Freedom Furniture; Throw from DMI Homestagers; Pink/Gold Artwork by Julz Donald; All other props (including dark artwork) are stylist’s own.

Styling by Annick Larkin. Photography by Melanie Jenkins. 2019