From habitat highlights - issue 41, my favourite colours
As a reno expert with more than 10 years in the construction sector, Jen Jones has the tips and tricks up her sleeve to transform any space.
Jen Jones
What is the best piece of advice you’d offer those renovating?
Don’t underestimate the value of the planning phases. Doing that work upfront can make the difference between blowing out your budget or not. If you’ve never renovated before – or if the market has changed since you last did – it can be difficult to ascertain what it will take to complete the works, or what the associated cost or compliance might be. This can only be fully understood when fleshing out the scope and ensuring everything is captured in your budget.
What drew you to a career in renovation and design?
My career started in infrastructure and ‘major projects’, but it was only when developing a property of my own, while trying to hold down a full-time job and complete my Master’s Degree, that I realised there was a gap in the market for homeowner support in the reno sector. Managing a project takes a lot of time and if you’re working full-time (including as a stay-at-home parent) you’re probably a bit time-poor.
I’ve had the privilege of working alongside some of New Zealand’s best designers. Although not a designer myself, I have a huge appreciation for what design can do, which led me to establish Auckland Design Week.
Do you have a favourite project you have worked on?
For a white with more depth, try one of Jen’s favourites, Resene Sea Fog, which she says is the perfect ‘greige’.
This neutral is paired with warm fabrics in hues similar to Jen’s favourites – Resene Tuscany, Resene Monarch and Resene Crail. Image by Michelle Weir.
I thoroughly enjoyed renovating my own home. It was an unexpected renovation post floods and cyclone (we were impacted by both), and I had my toughest client yet – my husband! He works in project control so you can imagine how fun that was for me! I applied a sustainability lens to the project, experimenting with new products I had often recommended but hadn’t had personal experience of using yet.
What are your favourite Resene colours?
I’ve always been drawn to warmer autumnal colours – some of my favourites from Resene include Resene Monarch, Resene Clam Shell, Resene Double Lemon Grass, Resene Tuscany and Resene Crail. On the spectrum of whites, my go-to is Resene Sea Fog, which I think is the perfect ‘greige’.
What do you look forward to seeing in future colour and design trends?
Never fond of the white-on-white aesthetic, I’m hopeful that – as we move away from that – it doesn’t come back around! I think neutral palettes have their place, but swapping out a white for even a subtle greige will make a room feel less stark. Homeowners often add ‘boldness’ through artwork, furniture and decor that showcases vibrant choices in colour, pattern and materiality; but perhaps forget that the most sustainable purchase is one you’ll hold onto for years to come. It’s a lot easier to change a wall colour than a couch colour! I hope to see more experimentation with colour and pattern throughout applications of paint and wallpaper.
What is your favourite part of Auckland Design Week?
Auckland Design Week (ADW) is all about creating a platform for change, for facilitating collaboration and encouraging conversation, while supporting our local design community. Our design community contains some of the most innovative and resourceful people there are and I firmly believe all sectors can learn from design. Facilitating that and the cross-discipline collaboration are my favourite parts of ADW – bringing people together and sparking new ideas. It’s also why you don’t want to miss out on attending!
› Jen Jones owns www.renovatewithjenjones.com, and is the director of Auckland Design Week, which is back in March.
Colours mentioned in this article
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Printed copies of habitat highlights are available from late March 2024 at Resene ColorShops and resellers, while stocks last. You can view back issues of habitat magazine online.
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