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This separate living room with a gorgeous bay window has walls painted in Resene Double Sea Fog, ceiling in Resene Geyser and trims in Resene Black White.
This refreshed villa exterior is painted in Resene Half Inside Back, fretwork and woodwork in Resene Black White, window trims in Resene Geyser, front door in Resene Madison and foundation and deck in Resene Rolling Stone.
This original veranda is now a cosy spot to sit and read. Weatherboards painted in Resene Half Inside Back, deck in Resene Rolling Stone, window trims and fence in Resene Geyser and fretwork and woodwork in Resene Black White.
These breath-taking revived kitchen walls and cupboards are painted in Resene Double Sea Fog with trims in Resene Lustacryl tinted to Resene Black White.
These neutral walls help to showcase the original native wooden floor, cornice and ceiling rose. The walls and cupboards are painted in Resene Double Sea Fog, the ceiling is painted in Resene Geyser and the cornice, ceiling rose and trims are painted in Resene Lustacryl tinted to Resene Black White.
This restored fireplace with its original tile surround is a main feature in the living room. The walls are painted in Resene Double Sea Fog, ceiling in Resene Geyser and trims in Resene Black White.
This hall is restored with a nod to its original charm, with the native wooden floor and stain glass windows. The bottom of the hallway walls are wallpapered with Resene Wallpaper Collection RD125, an Anaglypta pattern painted with Resene Quarter Powder Blue. The upper walls are painted in Resene Double Sea Fog. The ceiling is Resene Geyser with cornice, trims and doors in Resene Black White.
Patterned tiles in the bathroom add intrigue to the space, with neutral walls, trims and ceiling painted in Resene Black White.
A high ceiling and original native wood flooring, along with the lush emerald bedding, create this stunning bedroom. These shades pair so well with the neutral shades on the walls. The bottom of the wall is painted in Resene Double Sea Fog and the top is in Resene Geyser. The trims, cornice and doors are painted in Resene Black White.
Before: As you can see from the kitchen and dining, the old colours, textures and patterns did not do this villa justice, showing just what a great job Barbara did.
A 100-year-old villa restored with modern charm
With a history of more than 100 years, this quaint villa in sunny Nelson deserved more than its once trendy ’70s’ style décor. Barbara Lawson, interior designer and owner of Homes Created, sought the help of Resene paints and products to restore and modernise this villa, while keeping some original features that were hidden within.
Barbara had originally bought the villa with a plan to knock it down and replace it with three new architectural homes. Once she decided to keep it, she intended to give it just a quick freshen up, but one thing led to another. In the end she has done a complete restoration inside and out, transforming it into a charming home for potential new owners.
As with a lot of interior styling from the ’70s, the house was a cacophony of colours, styles and textures. From browns to oranges to busy patterns, the house felt very dark and small, taking away from its natural beauty and charm.
“The overall aim was to ‘spruce the old girl up’, bringing back her original charm while installing modern living essentials,” Barbara says. “The warmth of the stunning original native floorboards was emphasised using a neutral warm paint palette.
“The ornate ceiling roses remained and an original boarded over fireplace was rediscovered again.”
Keeping it fresh and saving original features where possible, Barbara chose paint colours that would help the original character features shine in a classic but contemporary way. The objective was to have a delightfully restored villa with a nod to its heritage while firmly setting it as a modern-day home.
Through a process of removing layers of old paint, wallpaper, carpet and tiles, Barbara transformed the dark and dingy home into a light-filled delight. The colours helped the extensive lightening of the home while also achieving a warm and welcoming ambience.
The muted tones of Resene Double Sea Fog were used to lighten the walls. This neutral shade helps draw attention to the wonderfully high ceilings in Resene Geyser around a rose in Resene Black White, while also drawing attention to the original native wood flooring.
“I wanted the villa to feel like it was an individual with its own personality, rather than just crisp white throughout,” says Barbara. “The detailed tiles in the kitchen and bathrooms helped to set this tone.
“I aimed for the feel to be light, bright and inviting with just a few pops of wow factor like the décor and tiles to give it its own sense of style.”
The flexible floor plan consists of an open plan kitchen, dining and seating area, with a separate lounge featuring a stunning bay window and original fireplace. Along with new appliances and joinery, the whole villa now has a fresh edge with modern décor and furniture that balance and complement the history and bones of the home.
The original front veranda is an ideal nook for a morning coffee, with freshly painted weatherboards in Resene Half Inside Back, a green edged grey, and timber decking painted in Resene Rolling Stone.
The home has stunning street appeal with its fresh new colour popping next to revived fretwork and wood details painted in a crisp Resene Black White, front door in deep navy blue, Resene Madison, and refreshed fence in Resene Lumbersider tinted to Resene Geyser.
Resene’s muted and soft colours are Barbara’s favourites, but the one she loves most is Resene Half Inside Back, a blue, green and grey all rolled into one, that she has used on the exterior weatherboards of her revived villa.
“Inside, all of the rooms are lovely compared to how dark they were originally, but my favourite would be the transformed kitchen, dining and living space,” says Barbara. “It was extremely dark with multiple wallpapers, a very heavy and dark arch way to the kitchen and crazy bright orange and red carpet.”
Through a mix of new colours, décor and knocking down some crowded arches and walls for cupboard space, this re-established villa now has more character, charm and functional storage space than it ever has.
During this project, Barbara also realised that old villas have a lot of hidden gems, like the original tiled fireplace surround, discovered behind a board placed there long ago. But as in most projects, the hidden parts are not always a treasure trove, such as some dodgy flooring in the laundry that needed to be fully replaced.
Created with a perfect blend of personality, allure and modern convenience, this thoughtfully renovated villa with original native timber flooring, is now a warm and welcoming space that captures your heart. From the moment you step through the front door, you immediately sense that this is a home full of great memories.
interior design Barbara Lawson, Homes Created: [email protected]
See more designs from Homes Created
images David Leggott
Top tip: Choose your paint’s gloss level to suit each colour and surface. Soothing neutrals are usually best in lower sheen tones, such as Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen for interior walls and Resene SpaceCote Flat for ceilings. Bright colours used in small touches will pop in a higher sheen finish, like Resene Lustacryl (semi-gloss) or Resene Enamacryl (gloss) – which are also good for trims and doors.
This refreshed villa exterior is painted in Resene Half Inside Back, fretwork and woodwork in Resene Black White, window trims in Resene Geyser, front door in Resene Madison and foundation and deck in Resene Rolling Stone.
This original veranda is now a cosy spot to sit and read. Weatherboards painted in Resene Half Inside Back, deck in Resene Rolling Stone, window trims and fence in Resene Geyser and fretwork and woodwork in Resene Black White.
These breath-taking revived kitchen walls and cupboards are painted in Resene Double Sea Fog with trims in Resene Lustacryl tinted to Resene Black White.
These neutral walls help to showcase the original native wooden floor, cornice and ceiling rose. The walls and cupboards are painted in Resene Double Sea Fog, the ceiling is painted in Resene Geyser and the cornice, ceiling rose and trims are painted in Resene Lustacryl tinted to Resene Black White.
This separate living room with a gorgeous bay window has walls painted in Resene Double Sea Fog, ceiling in Resene Geyser and trims in Resene Black White.
This restored fireplace with its original tile surround is a main feature in the living room. The walls are painted in Resene Double Sea Fog, ceiling in Resene Geyser and trims in Resene Black White.
This hall is restored with a nod to its original charm, with the native wooden floor and stain glass windows. The bottom of the hallway walls are wallpapered with Resene Wallpaper Collection RD125, an Anaglypta pattern painted with Resene Quarter Powder Blue. The upper walls are painted in Resene Double Sea Fog. The ceiling is Resene Geyser with cornice, trims and doors in Resene Black White.
Patterned tiles in the bathroom add intrigue to the space, with neutral walls, trims and ceiling painted in Resene Black White.
A high ceiling and original native wood flooring, along with the lush emerald bedding, create this stunning bedroom. These shades pair so well with the neutral shades on the walls. The bottom of the wall is painted in Resene Double Sea Fog and the top is in Resene Geyser. The trims, cornice and doors are painted in Resene Black White.
Before:
Before: As you can see from the kitchen and dining, the old colours, textures and patterns did not do this villa justice, showing just what a great job Barbara did.
Published: 22 Feb 2023
Do you have a home full of wonderful Resene paint and colour? Send us some snaps by emailing [email protected].
Resene Double Sea Fog
Resene Double Sea Fog
Resene Half Inside Back
Resene Half Inside Back
Resene Rolling Stone
Resene Rolling Stone
Resene Quarter Powder Blue
Resene Quarter Powder Blue
the look
If you're stuck on what
colour to use or need colour
advice, try out the Resene
Ask a Colour Expert service.
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Resene Double Sea Fog
Resene Double Sea Fog
Resene Half Inside Back
Resene Half Inside Back
Resene Rolling Stone
Resene Rolling Stone
Resene Quarter Powder Blue
Resene Quarter Powder Blue
the look
If you're stuck on what
colour to use or need colour
advice, try out the Resene
Ask a Colour Expert service.
