At first glance

Make your hallway warm and inviting with a little know-how from Resene.

First impressions matter when it comes to your home. George Elliot’s warning not to judge a book by its cover doesn’t count here – your home’s entranceway sets the tone for what’s to come. But foyers and hallways can be challenging to decorate, with awkward shapes, staircases and cubby holes to contend with.

They also are a sort of buffer zone between the outdoors and the interior, providing essential storage for coats, shoes and other items that otherwise clutter up your living areas. A fabulous idea is to create cute DIY wall hooks by painting cut-out shapes in beautiful Resene colours. For our hooks, we chose Resene Cumin, Resene Blue Night, Resene Japanese Laurel and Resene Soothe. They are super handy for keeping jackets, bags, dog leashes, backpacks and other outdoor gear off the floor.

Whether you live in a grand house or a cosy apartment, a painted entryway is the first thing visitors see when they walk in the door. It’s also a sight that welcomes you home daily, so why not make it great?

And that’s where Resene colour comes in. Colour makes a strong character statement, with different hues creating an ambience and evoking a range of emotions and moods. Entranceways reflect your unique style and personality, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere and making guests feel comfortable and at home.

So how do you make your hallway yours? Consider tapping into your inner muralist and painting a statement piece to bring the space to life. Think about which Resene colours might suit the area while also complementing the rest of your décor – it could be as simple as infusing Resene hues found elsewhere in your home.

An entryway bench painted in a Resene colour found elsewhere in your home is a great idea. It will make your home feel coordinated and seamless and provides a place to sit and put on your shoes and you can pop things on it while you hang up your jacket.

We painted our bench in a beautiful, inviting bright green – Resene Japanese Laurel. We then worked around it with complementary Resene colours – Resene Soothe for the umbrella stand and Resene Cumin, Resene Blue Night, Resene Japanese Laurel and Resene Soothe for the hooks. The walls and floor, painted in Resene Villa White, allow the blue of the door – Resene Blue Night – and the hooks and accessories to stand out.

Highlighting furniture by painting it is a fantastic way to make a space your own. For example, choosing an alternative colour for the bench – such as a terrific teal like Resene Freelance or a glow gold like Resene Cleopatra – would completely change the look and feel of this entranceway. Does a gorgeous gold feel more like you? Go for it; just remember to include the colour in your hooks.

Another practical option is to create your own painted umbrella stand. If you never know where to put your umbrella, an upcycled terracotta plant pot can do the trick. Simply paint in your favourite Resene hue to match the space. And don’t be shy. Dramatic shades like Resene Cleopatra will make an impression that can’t fail to impress your guests or lift your mood whenever you step through the front door. You will never forget your brolly again!

To ensure your new umbrella stand stands up to wear and tear, paint the inside and outside of the pot first in Resene Aquapel and Terracotta Sealer. Once dry, apply two coats of Resene paint to create a beautiful, long-lasting, colourful finish.

Customising an entranceway is easy with Resene paints. It’s great to tie in some of the colours with the rest of the home, but you can also have so much fun choosing hues that reflect the personalities of your home and those living there. So engage your interior colour consultant and create a cosy, appealing hallway. Welcome home!

How to create your own DIY wall hooks

We designed this fun DIY project to help you add practicality and personality to your hallway.

You will need:

• 9mm ply
• Jigsaw
• Dowel, 3cm wide and 3.5cm length
• Fine sandpaper or sanding block
• Power drill
• Pencil
• 65mm screws
• Resene EzyFill Quick
• Mini roller and tray or paintbrush
• Resene testpots in your range of colours – we used Resene Cumin, Resene Blue Night, Resene Japanese Laurel and Resene Soothe

Step-by-step instructions

1. Determine the shape of your hooks by drawing them on paper with a pencil. Our shapes were approximately 10-12cm wide/tall.

2. Cut out the shapes to make a paper template and then draw around them on the ply to get an outline.

3. Using a jig saw, cut around your outlines and give all the edges a good sand. You now have your hook faces.

4. Cut small pieces of dowel.

5. Drill a hole through the middle of the hook and also through the middle of the piece of dowel.

6. Insert a 65mm screw countersunk through the hook and into the piece of dowel at the back of the hook, ensuring there is 20mm of screw left to screw into the wall.

7. Fill the countersunk screw head on the front of the hook with Resene EzyFill Quick, then sand.

8. Give each hook two coats of your chosen Resene colours.

9. Screw the hooks into the wall ready to hang your items.

Colours and products mentioned in this article

Styling by Vanessa Nouwens. Photography by Bryce Carleton. 2023