Let there be light (and dark)

In this dining space, we’ve used a combination of light and dark hues to create a welcoming, layered space that feels both vibrant and intimate.

When it comes to decorating a dining room, particularly a large one with plenty of open space, it’s tempting to gravitate towards a light tone. Neutral hues like creams and whites feel safe and are easy to work with. The secret to creating truly dynamic and designer feeling spaces, however, lies in the art of balancing light and dark shades equally. It can feel daring to dip into shades like moody blackened purple Resene Revolver or plum-hued Resene Mulled Wine. But balanced with lighter hues like Resene Astra and Resene Putty, the resulting look is incredibly modern and chic. Sometimes all it takes is a little experimentation with colour to style a room that feels like a designer has created it – you’d be surprised what a bold addition of colour can do.

Design trends have taken a bold turn in recent months, with contrasting colour palettes gaining ground and not holding back. It’s all about high contrast – balancing the light and the dark, the warm and the cool – creating spaces that feel alive and deeply engaging. This return to high contrast interiors isn’t entirely new, of course. Design is circular, and if you look back at design history, contrasting colour palettes have been used for centuries. From the striking black-and-white interiors of Art Deco to the bold contrasts in Victorian-era rooms, high-contrast colour schemes have long been a hallmark of dramatic spaces.

The shift towards subtler palettes in the mid-20th century was driven by a combination of modernist ideals, which emphasised functionality, and a growing preference for neutral spaces that felt ‘easy on the eye’. The current resurgence of high-contrast design reflects a desire for more expressive, energetic environments – a natural reaction to the more muted tones of previous decades. Using light and dark tones in equal measure is one of the most powerful ways to create depth in a room. Light tones can open up a room, making it feel airy and expansive, while darker hues add richness and intimacy.

Pairing high contrast light and dark hues works just as well in small rooms as it does in larger spaces. In a smaller room, dark tones can be used on one wall or feature areas to add depth and draw the eye, while lighter shades on the other walls will reflect natural light and prevent the space from feeling too enclosed. In larger rooms, you have more room to experiment with contrasting tones throughout, whether on different walls, architectural features or furniture. The key is ensuring that the colours complement one another and create an interesting rhythm rather than overwhelming the senses.

In this dining space, we’ve used a combination of light and dark hues to create a welcoming, layered space that feels both vibrant and intimate. For the back wall, we’ve chosen Resene Revolver, a moody tone that adds weight and presence to the room. This dark backdrop is complemented by Resene Mulled Wine painted on the skirting boards, offering smoky purple-grey contrast that ties in beautifully with the rest of our furnishings. For our floorboards, we opted for Resene Colorwood Breathe Easy, a soft and warm neutral that lightens the space while still allowing the darker purples to stand out.

The front wall painted in the warm, rich cream Resene Astra, provides a lighter contrast, opening up the space and creating a great sense of airiness. Resene Half Gin Fizz, a shade reminiscent of sunshine, painted on the skirting and wood trim adds a subtle brightness. We kept our dining table light and bright, with Resene Teak on the legs which lends a warm, earthy contrast to the room and Resene Putty on the tabletop, a light, muted tone that feels sophisticated yet friendly. We added a couple of decorative pieces on the table for a colourful personality hit – a milk bottle in Resene Mulled Wine and a flat vase in Resene Astra tie colours in the room together. The chair we chose is a light grey and blends seamlessly into the room, rather than stealing the limelight.

Resene Colorwood Deep Purple stained on our little side table is chic and moody, while a triple-ribbed vase in Resene Mulled Wine and the small handled vase in Resene Cumin echo the room’s rich, contrasting palette. Our console table painted in Resene Astra houses more curated pieces in complementary colours: a two-handled urn in Resene Putty, a sculpted vase in Resene Cumin and books in shades like Resene Revolver and Resene Teak. This combination of light and dark shades works beautifully because it creates a sense of depth, while also making the dining space feel inviting and cohesive.

If you have a piece of artwork that doesn’t quite fit the colours of your newly designed space, don’t worry – paint is your friend! We breathed new life into a landscape painting found at an op shop. There’s no reason you can’t add to an artwork rather than abandon it altogether.

To recreate the technique we used here:

• Start by giving your picture frame a light sand to prepare it for a new coat of paint, and dust off the canvas.

• Then, using Resene testpots of colours like Resene Half Gin Fizz, Resene Putty, Resene Mulled Wine, Resene Astra and Resene Cumin, you can recolour and refresh areas of the artwork.

• A dabbing technique with a range of artist’s brushes will allow you to add subtle touches of your room’s palette to the painting, giving it a fresh, modern update.

• Once the canvas is dry, tape off the frame to prepare it for staining. Apply two coats of Resene Colorwood Deep Purple wood stain or another stain colour of your choice, allowing drying time in between. This simple process will breathe new life into an older piece.

High-contrast design doesn’t have to be intimidating. It’s all about balance. Whether you’re decorating a small room or a spacious living area, this approach can elevate your interiors and give them a bold, contemporary edge. Embrace the challenge – let there be light, and let there be dark, in equal measure.

How to create your own recoloured artwork:

If you have an artwork you like or perhaps have inherited but it doesn’t sing to your room’s colour scheme take a few Resene testpots of colour from your room’s colour scheme and make it come to life with an easy overpainting technique.

1. Give your picture frame a light sand. Dust off the painting and frame.

2. Subtly recolour areas of your artwork using a dabbing technique with a range of different sized artist brushes and Resene testpots. We used Resene testpots of Resene Half Gin Fizz, Resene Putty, Resene Mulled Wine, Resene Astra and Resene Cumin. Allow the canvas to dry.

3. Tape off the frame to prepare this for staining and apply two coats of Resene Colorwood Deep Purple interior wood stain, allowing time to dry between coats.

Colours and products mentioned in this article

Styling by Moneuan Ryan. Photography by Bryce Carleton. 2024