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This bright, beachside bungalow is now a breath of fresh air with the trims painted in gorgeous blue Resene Half Halcyon and walls in Resene Half Sea Fog. The floor also helps to brighten the space, painted in Resene Half Silver Chalice.
The lounge perfectly captures the afternoon sun providing warmth in this living space. The trims are painted in Resene Half Halcyon, a sea foam blue-grey perfect for a beachside home. The walls are painted in Resene Half Sea Fog, and floor in Resene Half Silver Chalice.
This treasured rustic dining table, imported from Africa, fits seamlessly into this beachy themed home pairing well with the Resene Half Sea Fog walls and floor in Resene Half Silver Chalice. The trims are painted in Resene Half Halcyon and ceiling in Resene Double Sea Fog.
Although this kitchen will get its deserved makeover in the near future, the lightened cabinetry in Resene Half Sea Fog has breathed light into the room, making it feel more spacious, blending into the walls in the same colour. The breezy blue trims in Resene Half Halcyon add a gentle touch of colour to the kitchen.
The contrasting lounge, using the home’s colour scheme but in reverse, makes this space a cosy nook for relaxing. The walls are painted in the relaxing blue of Resene Half Halcyon, with trims in Resene Half Sea Fog and ceiling in Resene Double Sea Fog.
The beachy blue of Resene Half Halcyon on the walls changes throughout the day from morning to night, providing a crisp atmosphere in the morning and relaxing glow in the afternoon. Paired with wicker and wooden décor, this shade is the perfect beachside bungalow colour choice.
The dreamy colour scheme of whites and blues used throughout the home were the perfect choice for this beachside bungalow. Used in reverse in different spaces means the whole house retains a unified and consistent feel. Resene Half Halcyon and Resene Half Sea Fog have done wonders to restore this bungalow.
The bathroom was painted using the same reverse colour scheme as the lounge, using the breezy blue of Resene Half Halcyon on the walls and Resene Half Sea Fog on the trims.
A breath of fresh air: Restoring charm to a beachside bungalow
Nestled just a few houses from the beach, this charming bungalow owned by Jacquie and Gerard has undergone a remarkable transformation. Built in 1926 with cedar, the original house exuded a sombre atmosphere with its outdated decor from the early 1990s. With some help from interior designer Kate Alexander, and fresh new Resene paint colours, this home has been restored into a vibrant and welcoming space.
"We love bungalows and found this cute one about nine months ago,” Jacquie says. “It is just a few houses back from the beach which is a real bonus. We decided to redecorate and do some minor initial renovations to put our own fingerprint on the house. Prior to this, it was somewhat sombre to our tastes."
When asked about the inspiration behind the renovation, Jacquie and Gerard explained their desire to create a beachside fun feel in their home, so working closely with Kate, they set out to select the perfect Resene paint colours and products for their new home.
Kate played a crucial role in breathing light and life into Jacquie and Gerard’s home. “I developed a mood board as a starter that pulled together images and palettes of beach-side locations and one Mediterranean-vibe space stood out to them,” Kate says. “This was the jumping off point - the idea of doing the skirting and trim in colour, and the walls in white.”
“The existing colour scheme of the house rendered the spaces darker than they naturally were, largely due to orange-toned stained chipboard floors.”
"I had an understanding of Jacquie and Gerard’s style from working with them over the years, combined with the brief that they wanted this new home to be more casual and looser than their previous apartment.”
The colour palette for the house was carefully chosen to capture the essence of beachside living and was designed to make the most of the abundant natural light. Jacquie and Gerard instantly knew Resene Half Sea Fog was right, although using it as a negative detail took a bit longer to get their heads around.
"Next to the white, the decision to paint all the windows, skirting, and door jams in Resene Half Halcyon was key to the end result," Gerard says.
Jacquie and Gerard knew they would likely renovate the kitchen in the future, which would include changing the flooring, but they still wanted to have it lightened in the meantime, so the choice was made to paint the chipboard floors in Resene Half Silver Chalice, a sleek silvered grey, and the kitchen cabinetry in Resene Half Sea Fog to brighten and refresh the space.
Among the various rooms in the house, Jacquie and Gerard hold a special fondness for the large family, dining and living space. "The room is designed to capture every ounce of winter sun, while filtering out the summer heat,” Jacquie says. “It feels like the beachside cottage we wanted from the first moment we saw the home.”
“Another treasure for us is our huge white rustic dining table imported from Africa which has been in the family for many years and will be for many more,” Jacquie says. “It has been in three quite different homes as we have moved about - a large open plan family home, a compact New York style apartment, and now our beachside cottage. Each time it looks as though it was designed just for that situation, but none more so than with the current colours and light filled dining space it fills now.”
The lounge, painted in contrast to the rest of the house, creates a snug atmosphere. Kate chose to reverse the colour scheme in this room painting Resene Half Halcyon on the walls and Resene Half Sea Fog on the trims, defining this space as a cosy go to but still creating cohesion throughout the home.
The bathroom also received this reverse colour scheme, which was a liberal change from to the previous dated pink it housed before.
Throughout the home, Kate chose to not pick out the dado rail as a feature and instead painted this the same colour as the ceiling, in Resene Double Sea Fog, which opens each area giving the illusion of a higher ceiling.
As with most renovations, this one didn’t come without its challenges. Jacquie and Gerard put a very tight timeframe on the project as they wanted to complete it prior to moving in. The logistics of managing the workflow and coordinating the different tradespeople proved to be a challenge for this duo, however thanks to Kate, having access to key tradespeople such as builders, floor sanders and painters made a significant difference.
The attention to detail in the renovation project was evident in every aspect of the design and Kate took into careful consideration Jacquie and Gerard's cherished furniture and treasured items and how they would fit.
"A large part of the colour scheme choice for me was an awareness of their much-loved items,” Kate says. “I knew the new scheme needed to house these things in a comfortable way.”
The decorated beachside bungalow stands as a testament to the homeowners' vision and the collaborative effort of Kate. It showcases the beauty of a well-executed renovation, where colours, light, and thoughtful design come together to create a tranquil and vibrant home by the sea.
"The renovation and design mean we now have a home we love returning to every day," Jacquie says. "The colours we have chosen play to all seasons, they are uplifting and happy."
Happily retired and proud new grandparents, Jacquie and Gerard, are delighted with the outcome of the renovation and the impact it has had. The result is a beautifully decorated house that embraces the beachside aesthetic while radiating a casual, light-filled ambiance.
interiordesign Kate Alexander, Places & Graces, www.placesandgraces.com
Top tip: Choosing a blue for your home? Grey blues are understated and soothing. Studies have shown that blue helps your ability to focus, so putting a grey blue shade like Resene Half Halcyon or Resene Raven in a study is a good idea. Mid-blue tones like Resene Azure are perfect if you’re after something elegant, and pair well with whites like Resene Sea Fog and Resene Black White for a crisp look. Check out Resene’s most popular shades of blue here.
Use Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen for your weathered blue so you can continue the look throughout the wet and dry areas of your home or for a moodier finish use Resene SpaceCote Flat.
This bright, beachside bungalow is now a breath of fresh air with the trims painted in gorgeous blue Resene Half Halcyon and walls in Resene Half Sea Fog. The floor also helps to brighten the space, painted in Resene Half Silver Chalice.
The lounge perfectly captures the afternoon sun providing warmth in this living space. The trims are painted in Resene Half Halcyon, a sea foam blue-grey perfect for a beachside home. The walls are painted in Resene Half Sea Fog, and floor in Resene Half Silver Chalice.
This treasured rustic dining table, imported from Africa, fits seamlessly into this beachy themed home pairing well with the Resene Half Sea Fog walls and floor in Resene Half Silver Chalice. The trims are painted in Resene Half Halcyon and ceiling in Resene Double Sea Fog.
Although this kitchen will get its deserved makeover in the near future, the lightened cabinetry in Resene Half Sea Fog has breathed light into the room, making it feel more spacious, blending into the walls in the same colour. The breezy blue trims in Resene Half Halcyon add a gentle touch of colour to the kitchen.
The contrasting lounge, using the home’s colour scheme but in reverse, makes this space a cosy nook for relaxing. The walls are painted in the relaxing blue of Resene Half Halcyon, with trims in Resene Half Sea Fog and ceiling in Resene Double Sea Fog.
The beachy blue of Resene Half Halcyon on the walls changes throughout the day from morning to night, providing a crisp atmosphere in the morning and relaxing glow in the afternoon. Paired with wicker and wooden décor, this shade is the perfect beachside bungalow colour choice.
The master bedroom is a dreamy space, with décor to match the carefully chosen colours. Window trims are painted in the gentle blue of Resene Half Halcyon and walls in Resene Half Sea Fog.
Kate’s choice to paint the dado rail the same colour as the ceiling, in Resene Double Sea Fog, gives the illusion of more space and helps to brighten the rooms in this home. The trims in this bedroom are painted in Resene Half Halcyon and walls in Resene Half Sea Fog.
The dreamy colour scheme of whites and blues used throughout the home were the perfect choice for this beachside bungalow. Used in reverse in different spaces means the whole house retains a unified and consistent feel. Resene Half Halcyon and Resene Half Sea Fog have done wonders to restore this bungalow.
The bathroom was painted using the same reverse colour scheme as the lounge, using the breezy blue of Resene Half Halcyon on the walls and Resene Half Sea Fog on the trims.
Published: 22 Jun 2023
Do you have a home full of wonderful Resene paint and colour? Send us some snaps by emailing [email protected].
Resene Half Silver Chalice
Resene Half Silver Chalice
Resene Double Sea Fog
Resene Double Sea Fog
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Ask a Colour Expert service.
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Resene Half Silver Chalice
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the look
If you're stuck on what
colour to use or need colour
advice, try out the Resene
Ask a Colour Expert service.
