Doran and Doran Atelier

This project was under taken by Amelia Holmes for the bespoke tailoring firm Doran and Doran. The genesis of the space was the availability of vacant, sun filled first floor location looking out over Ponsonby’s Western Park.

The main concept behind the space was to bring in the colour and light from the park across the road while maintaining a thoughtful, interesting backdrop to the restrained colour palette that Doran and Doran bespoke tailoring is well known for.

In this way, the use of Resene Foggy Grey from the Karen Walker Paint’s collection jutting up against Resene Silver Chalice lightens the room without becoming overpowering – the green tone giving a lightness to a business that usually is prosecuted in darker, heavier, wood panelled environments. The lighter colour scheme as well as the playfulness of the colours running into each other add a sense of fun to the room, inviting clients and their partners and friends to spend a little longer in private fittings.

One of the main challenges of the space was how to clearly define the transition from Ponsonby streetfront into bespoke tailoring atelier. This challenge was met head on by painting the staircase and entire entrance cavity in white Resene Double Alabaster. This clearly marks the transition from street to atelier while also serving to present an interesting visual come-on to casual passers-by when the main entrance is open.

Resene Foggy Grey was chosen for a sense of fun as well as lightening a slightly darker area of the room and Resene Silver Chalice is a classic elegant colour versatile to suit most spaces. A number of whites were trialled for the main space as well as the staircase/stairwell, but Resene Double Alabaster won with its tone, and very modern feel with such a great density.

The painted wall approach, using Resene Lumbersider low sheen waterborne paint throughout, was a fantastic way to incorporate colour and fun into a first retail space for a brand. The colours available from Resene allowed for a cost effective method to convert a pretty derelict location (it had been dormant for nine years) into an interesting retail space.

Client: Doran and Doran
Interior designer: Amelia Holmes
Photographer: Simon Wilson
Project: Resene Total Colour Awards 2017