This space is the ultimate summer beach hangout with breezy blue tones throughout. Plywood wall stained in Resene Colorwood Woody Bay timber stain, floor and pendant lamp in Resene Sea Fog, sideboard in Resene Casper, coffee table in Resene Indian Ink wiped with Resene Sea Fog, tray and textured vase (on sideboard) in Resene Escape, vase (with palm frond), tea light holder in Resene Lazy River and rattan votive holder in Resene Sea Fog.

A few winter warmers have transformed this space into a cosy wonderland, including deeper toned vases and fresh cushion covers. Plywood wall stained in Resene Colorwood Woody Bay timber stain, floor and pendant lamp in Resene Sea Fog, sideboard in Resene Casper, coffee table in Resene Indian Ink wiped with Resene Sea Fog, basket and textured pot (on sideboard) in Resene Felix, screen in Resene Felix wiped with Resene Sea Fog, tall vase in Resene Indian Ink, coasters in Resene Casper, votive holder (on sideboard) and bowl (on coffee table) in Resene Thunder Road and bud vase in Resene Sea Fog.

3. Toss up your textures

Texture is everything when it comes to soft furnishings and seasonal switchouts – and it’s worth noting we pick these changes up with both our eyes and sense of touch. Just looking at soft furnishings can make our brains register it as being rough, fuzzy, smooth, shiny or chunky. For winter, give your senses a treat with upholstery you can’t help but want to touch like comforting suede and velvet in rich, darker colours and heavier patterns. For summer, add throws in soft cottons or linens in lighter tones. 

This room is summer-ised with its accessories.  The walls are in Resene Rocky Mountain, the floor is in Resene Sixth Sense and the door is in Resene Thunder Road. The chest of drawers is painted in Resene Alabaster with a harlequin pattern in Resene Despacito, Resene Peace, Resene Safehaven, Resene Shabby Chic, Resene Porter and Resene Crowdpleaser. The short ribbed vase is in Resene Safehaven, the mason jar in Resene Ethereal, the small plant pot (on drawers) in Resene Moccasin, the small plant pot (on tray) in Resene Shabby Chic and the vase (on tray) in Resene Alabaster.

The addition of plush velvets in deep purple hues over a rich palette of Resene mushroom taupes is a gorgeous winter look. Walls are painted in Resene Rocky Mountain, floor in Resene Sixth Sense and door in Resene Thunder Road. Side tables are in Resene Rivergum and the chest of drawers are painted in Resene Alabaster with a harlequin pattern in Resene Despacito, Resene Peace, Resene Safehaven, Resene Shabby Chic, Resene Porter and Resene Crowdpleaser. Short ribbed plant pot in Resene Safehaven, large ribbed plant pot in Resene Indian Ink and large basket (with plant) in Resene Safehaven. On the ottoman, the tray is painted in Resene Courage and the plant pot (on tray) is in Resene Grey Olive. Candlesticks in Resene Courage and Resene Noir, basket (with throws) in Resene Eighth Stonewashed (top) and Resene Courage (bottom).

4. Adjust your artwork

Artwork is perhaps one of the simplest ways to make a big impact on any room, making it an ideal item to swap out each season. To create your own works, pick up a few large canvases and some Resene testpots and try your hand at making a warm weather artwork and a another for cooler seasons. Resene Raging Bull and Resene Ecstasy are great warm weather tones that’ll instantly make your living room wall glow. Frames, too can be easily changed out either by slipping in new prints or by giving them a quick lick of paint.

This room is flooded with a ‘warm weather’ aesthetic thanks to orange tones in the DIY artwork. This was created using Resene Sunbaked, Resene Shabby Chic and Resene Raging Bull. The stool is painted Resene Sunbaked, the table is in Resene Double Bison Hide, the vase is in Resene Cleopatra, the plant pot is in Resene Moccasin, the box is in Resene Double Pavlova, the back wall is in Resene Merino, the wall at the left is in Resene Alabaster and the floor is in Resene White Pointer.

This ‘cool weather’ version of the same room is much more subdued and incorporates cosier elements and textures. The artwork was painted using Resene Quarter Tea, Resene Double Ash and Resene Half Truffle. The vase is in Resene Parchment, the lamp is in Resene Tapa, the wall hooks are in Resene Double Ash, the back wall is in Resene Merino, the wall at the left is in Resene Alabaster and  the floor is in Resene White Pointer.

Tip: Don’t neglect your outdoor areas! Make seasonal updates with changeable items like  doormats or adding a fresh colour on plant pots using Resene testpots.

5. Roll out a new rug

Area rugs are both versatile and portable and, more importantly, they can pull an entire room together. Take advantage of how they can easily transition your space from one season to the next.

Since warm weather rugs can often be rough to the touch, why not dare to be different and paint one onto your floor to coordinate with your summer décor? In the colder months, you can easily cover it up with a soft, chunky rug that suits your winter palette, giving your home a visual texture that’s a treat to walk on.

This bedroom has been brought to life with a painted rug that mimics the beauty of agate featuring Resene Deep Teal, Resene Maestro, Resene Hullabaloo, Resene Blue Chill, Resene Yes Please and Resene Freelance on top of a floor in Resene Wishing Well. Walls painted in Resene Freelance, Tongue-and-groove paneling in Resene Yes Please and cane desk, chair and side table in Resene Poured Milk. Wooden lamp base painted in Resene Colorwood Whitewash, short vase in Resene Kandinsky and small plant pot in Resene Meditation.

6. Bring the outside in

Extend the outdoors inside by displaying organic elements in your home that speak to each season’s unique beauty. In your dining room, change out your table’s centrepiece for a quick and easy visual refresh. This could be as simple as filling a bowl with seasonal fruits and plants (pumpkin is perfect for autumn while grapes are super summery). Swapping beach finds or bouquets in the spring with a bowl of pinecones during winter is another smart way to communicate seasonal change.

Painting vases, bowls and baskets is another inexpensive way to move through the seasons. Use Resene testpots to match your seasonal palette when the weather warms or cools.

Finally, making a wreath for both summer and winter is another quick and crafty method to update your look while inviting the outdoors indoors. Use bound branches and colour coordinate them to your scheme using Resene testpots.

7. Beauty up some books

It might not be an obvious choice, but books are in fact a beautiful accent for communicating seasonal shift. Adorn your shelf or coffee table with soft blue-bound books and creamy whites to offer a beachy vibe during summer, and deep maroon and dark, forest green-covered books in the winter.

In their place, you can pick up unloved fabric-bound books from an op shop and give their covers a quick coat of paint to coordinate with your scheme. If you’d prefer not to paint a book, create custom dust jackets using the Resene Wallpaper Collection in shades that match your space. You can buy small samples and cut lengths of many Resene wallpapers from your Resene ColorShop.

8. Don’t overdo it

Seasonal accessories needn’t be strewn in every room of the house. When it comes to home décor – less is more.

Take the time to think carefully about choosing seasonal items to help avoid storage issues and unnecessary expenses. If you have to put away huge boxes of decor at the end of the season (except for maybe Christmas) you are likely doing too much. Donate décor that is in good condition to family and friends, your local op shop or redecorate them with Resene testpots and gift to others. Freshen up favourite pieces you intend to keep with Resene testpots. Make sure you allow drying time before you put them away so they are quick and easy to put out when you want to use them again.

Seasonal shades

Giving accent walls a brand new shade each season or even repainting an item of furniture is a fun and easy way to show seasonal change. Choose a fresh colour that makes the room appear lighter and infuses energy into it.

Spring

Spring is the season for making a fresh start. Colours that reflect mother nature’s bounty are always a good choice at this time of year. Look to Resene Amulet, Resene Spring Green or Resene Stromboli.

Summer

Summer time calls to mind the feeling for décor that is fresh, light and beachy. This means replacing heavy colours and warm fabrics. Some great summer colours include yellows, dusty oranges and beachy blues. Try Resene Galliano, Resene Clockwork or Resene Meditation.

Autumn

Burnt orange, desert pinks and earthy browns are trendy colours for this time of year and look exceptional against white furniture accents. Try Resene Tuscany, Resene Just Right or Resene Rebel for truly autumnal tones. Accessories with a metallic finish are also ideal for the autumn to create a warm, rustic look and blend well with aged wood. Give some favourite accessories a strong dose of glamour with a fresh coat of Resene FX Rose Gold metallic paint.

Winter

When the cold weather sets in, look to inky blues and icy whites like Resene Coast and Resene Quarter Silver Chalice. Offset them with a deep ruby red like Resene Persian Red and pile on plenty of chunky neutral knits in grey-whites, smoky greys and charcoal.

styling Gem Adams, Annick Larkin, Megan Harrison-Turner, Vanessa Nouwens?
image Bryce Carleton, Melanie Jenkins