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Hallway painted in Resene Pearl with Resene Wallpaper Collection 37392-1 on top (this wallpaper is discontinued but use Resene Carl Robinson Wallpaper Collection CR60608 for a similar look).
A home grounded in family history – and a colour surprise inside!
There are homes you move into, and then there’s homes that are already part of you, and for Olivia, this one has always been both.
Built in the 1960s by her grandparents, Pearl and David, the house sits just three doors down from where Olivia grew up. Long before she and her husband Sam made it their own, it was the centre of family life.
“It was not only our second home but also that for our extended family,” she says. And it’s a place where more than 20 grandchildren wove their childhood memories together.
Olivia tells the story of her grandfather heading to the West Coast, cheque in hand, to buy the neighbouring section so they could expand. What came next included a larger lounge, one that became the backdrop for forts, performances and dancing to Nana’s line dancing records. As most of us know, even the smallest spaces in family homes hold weight. The tiny cupboard-lined kitchen of Olivia’s early memories has since been transformed but its presence still remains in the home’s story.
Living room walls in Resene Armadillo and Pearl, ceiling in Black White.
In 2016, life shifted. Olivia, Sam and their three children, Tanner, Monty and Bridie, moved in to help care for their Nana. When she passed the following year, leaving didn’t feel like an option. The house held too much, both childhood memories as well as that final chapter shared across generations.
The renovation that followed was a slow, evolving one. Over the past decade the family has worked room by room, weekend by weekend, shaping the house while living inside it.
“It’s been a gradual transformation, but one filled with meaning,” says Olivia. “Giving us the chance to create our own memories while also honouring those that came before us.”
Exterior in Resene Pavilion Grey with roof in Ironsand.
From the outside, the home now wears Resene Pavilion Grey, paired with an Ironsand roof and fencing, grounding it in a relaxing cottage-country feel. It’s an understated nod to its past while hinting at the personality within – and boy is there colour within!
This colour tells the story of a family. Olivia didn’t approach the interior palette with rigid rules, instead, each space found its own identity, guided by instinct and the people who use it. “At the end of the day, none of it was overthought, it was just about creating a home that feels like us.”
Hallway painted in Resene Pearl with Resene Wallpaper Collection 37392-1 on top (this wallpaper is discontinued but use Resene Carl Robinson Wallpaper Collection CR60608 for a similar look).
The hallway sets the tone. Finished in Resene Pearl in a board and batten style with some florals on top. It’s both soft and welcoming, a gentle tribute to Nana. That same shade carries into the main living spaces where it balances deeper accents of Armadillo, adding contrast but without losing warmth.
Throughout, Black White trims and ceilings quietly hold everything together, allowing the bolder choices to shine. And those bolder moments are where the house really comes alive.
Playroom in Resene Influential, ceiling in Black White.
The kids’ games room, painted in Influential, pulses with energy. “To me this colour is bright, fun and full of energy,” says Olivia. “It’s a room for the kids to just be kids.”
Each of the children’s bedrooms carries a unique shade to them. Monty chose Lemon Ginger, Bridie created her own world in Strikemaster and Vintage, and Tanner, older and seeking calm, opted for Armadillo balanced with softer walls in Pearl, creating a space to retreat and reset.
Monty’s room painted in Resene Lemon Ginger, ceiling in Black White.
Bridie’s room in Resene Strikemaster and Vintage.
Tanner’s room in Resene Armadillo and Pearl, ceiling in Black White.
The more functional spaces also hold their own personality. The bathroom, washhouse and toilet are wrapped in Elephant, a deep, warm blue that feels both bold and grounding.
Bathroom walls in Resene Elephant and Pearl, ceiling in Black White.
At the heart of it all is the kitchen, Olivia’s favourite room, and perhaps the most symbolic transformation. What once was Nana’s bathroom is now a generous, hardworking space that reflects Olivia’s maximalist style. Green tones, industrial elements, vintage shutters and a curated plate wall come together around a space designed for living.
“It’s a space where we can cook together and spend time making things like preserves and memories,” she says. Around it are the details that matter most, Nana’s handwritten recipes, her flour and sugar bins, even the whisk she received for her 18th birthday.
Kitchen back wall in Resene Armadillo, ceiling in Black White.
Olivia describes her home as “a bit of a collective, maximalist style,” layered with industrial, vintage and floral influences. It’s a look that doesn’t chase perfection but instead builds meaning over time. That approach extended to the renovation itself, with family life, budgets and time to juggle, the progress was never instant. But that became part of the story.
“We had to learn to slow down and enjoy the pace of it,” says Olivia. “In the end, that made the journey just as meaningful as the finished result.”
Today, the house stands as something more than a renovation. It’s a place where past and present collide. Where children grow up in the same rooms their parents once played. And just like it always has been, it’s still full.
Resene Pro Tip:
Darker, stronger colours highlight surface imperfections and are affected by critical light more than paler, off-white shades. Consider using Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen or if not in a high wear area use SpaceCote Flat – its dead flat, almost chalky-look adds a degree of sophistication to any wall.
Published: 16 Apr 2026
Do you have a home full of wonderful Resene paint and colour? Send us some snaps by emailing [email protected].
the look
If you're stuck on what
colour to use or need colour
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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.
