The house’s exterior is painted in Resene Desert Sand. Aaron added the wraparound veranda, an ambitious DIY project that caused him a few headaches, he says. But he is a man of great detail; the result is polished and professional-looking. Libby chose the pretty-and-punchy pastel, Resene Mint Tulip, for the bench seat.

In the hallway, the calming blue/grey tone of Resene Robin Egg Blue provides a perfect background for one of the home’s many gallery walls. Resene Blanc is used on the tongue and groove panelling and decorative architrave. Libby also painted the two yellow frames in Resene Bright Spark.

Aaron resurfaced the kitchen cabinets, taking them from a “dingy dark brown” to the subtle white of Resene Blanc. To give old kitchen cabinetry a new look, first wash surfaces with Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner and lightly sand to ‘key’ the paintwork. Apply one coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and allow two hours to dry. Then apply one coat of topcoat paint, such as Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss waterborne enamel. When the paint is completely dry – at least two hours – apply a second coat of paint. The greeny-blue kitchen walls are in Resene Half Smalt Blue from the Karen Walker Paints Collection.

Libby’s light-filled, joyful studio is painted in Resene Blanched Pink from the Karen Walker Paints collection. “I particularly love the colours, Resene Half Smalt Blue and Resene Blanched Pink, which are both from the Karen Walker Paints collection,” she says. “I feel like they are statement colours and quite bold, but still soft and welcoming. They work well in an old home and are a lovely backdrop for artworks.”

Will polishes up his Minecraft skills on a seat near the family kitchen. Mum Libby’s plate collection hangs behind him on a wall painted in Resene Half Smalt Blue from the Karen Walker Paints collection.

The family bathroom is painted in two shades of fresh white – Resene Eighth Blanc on the walls and Resene Blanc on the tongue-and-groove panelling. The sizzling yellow shelving unit on the left is painted in Resene Bright Spark. The blue cabinet (on the right) was already painted; for a similar bold, sunny-day blue check out Resene Aquarius or Resene Allports.

The lounge is painted in Resene Akaroa with Resene Blanc on the trims. Aaron made the shelves from an original fireplace surrounds and painted it in Resene Blanc. Libby added a pop of colour painting the lampstand Resene Allports.

A detail of Libby's plate collection. The kitchen wall is in Resene Half Smalt Blue from the Karen Walker Paints collection.