Painted inspiration

We are currently seeing paint transitions, from deep wintry, moody jewel tones to exciting pops of colour – with everything from soft pastel tones (Resene Duck Egg Blue, Resene Paper Doll), to stand-out yellows (Resene Quarter Turbo), romantic lavenders (Resene Perfume), vibrant reds (Resene Poppy Red) and retro greens (Resene Java). Just to name a few!

Spaces will start to look a lot softer and brighter as we move away from the cosy comfort-colours of winter and open our minds to the light-and-bright approach of spring.

Three easy updates

1. Upcycle furniture

Do you have a dated piece of furniture hanging around – perhaps a side table or old chest of drawers? Give it a new lease of life with a fresh coat of paint. You can use one colour, or create patterns with masking tape and your palette of favourite colours, or you can try a Resene effects finish, such as Resene FX Crackle, which will achieve an antique look.

2. Half & half

This is a great way to introduce colour without having to commit to repainting the whole room. Using complementary colours, simply paint your selected wall half in one shade, half in the other. If you like your existing wall colour, add a contrasting colour on the top or bottom half; that way you’ll only have half the painting to do while still achieving a dramatic punch. Or, for something a little bit outside the box, how about painting a door or door edging to accommodate your new colour palette. Wouldn’t that be fabulous!

3. Painted pots

Painting pots is an easy and effective way to introduce colour to liven up a room or exterior. You can create patterns using Resene testpots, or create a space for writing words with Resene Blackboard Paint.

Should I test colour before I buy?

Yes! It is so important to try the colour out in your home before making that final decision. Colour can change under different lighting, so it is important you see your selected colour at night, during the day and even on different walls in the same room. Order an A4 colour swatch or paint a large sample in two coats with a Resene testpot.

Keep an eye out for future issues where we will be talking to local Resene Colour Experts, Rebecca Long and Brooke Calvert. If you have a paint, colour or wallpaper query, visit your Resene ColorShop for expert advice, or book an appointment with a Resene Colour Expert online.

Stylist: Claudia Kozub. Photography: Wendy Fenwick. June 2018

▸ Download a PDF of this article

Decorating and design ideas, tips and inspiration
View more articles from Latitude magazine in the Resene decorating inspiration gallery.

View articles