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A herringbone-tiled wall in the kitchen offers a glossy complement to sleek finishes nearby. Cabinetry and the kitchen island in dark blue echo the cool notes of the walls in Resene Quarter Foggy Grey while acting as stand-out features. “With all the living areas being open plan, we needed something bold to both ground the whole area and make the kitchen feel like an area within an area,” says Niall. “The dark navy blue really anchors the space.” The ceiling is in Resene Half Black White and trims are in Resene Black White.
Dubbed ‘The Piano Room’, their second lounge boasts a built-in bar, a deep blue sofa, a luxe and intricate carpet, walls in Resene Quarter Foggy Grey, ceilings in Resene Half Black White and trims in Resene Black White.
Stylish furnishings, a poster of Picasso’s Les Demoiselles d'Avignon oil painting and a medley of textures decorate the open-plan living area. The walls are in Resene Quarter Foggy Grey, the ceiling is in Resene Half Black White and trims are in Resene Black White.
Moody but not cavernous, the master bedroom in Resene Blue Charcoal is a striking sanctuary. “The master bedroom is everything we wanted it to be because of this colour,” says Niall. Pops of ochre and grey are employed for added visual interest.
“We love how the colour changes completely depending on the time of day,” says Joshua of their master bedroom in Resene Blue Charcoal. The ceiling is in Resene Half Black White and trims are in Resene Black White.
Complete with a subtle tropical vibe, this bedroom uses a palette of ochre, yellow-tinted greens and neutrals. The walls are in Resene Quarter Foggy Grey, the ceiling is in Resene Half Black White and trims are in Resene Black White.
“We wanted a pattern tile on the floor as well as a feature wall,” says Niall, “so we decided to take the blue palette from the bedroom and living areas and pull this through to the bathroom.” The ceiling is in Resene Half Black White and trims are in Resene Black White.
Exterior walls in Resene Dusted Blue contrast against a weatherboard feature in Resene Midwinter Mist and soffits in Resene Half Black White, making for a clean, beautiful look from the street.
A Nelson new build with a cool, timeless palette
For their first home, Joshua and Niall wanted what most people want: something safe. They had toyed with the idea of buying a character home but eventually dismissed it in favour of building their own. And so, with Resene paints in hand, they did. Their brand-new abode, perched in Nelson, needed to be largely low maintenance for that all-important peace of mind – a factor that would also grant them the confidence, decoratively speaking, to see some room for play.
“Being conscious that new builds can feel a bit sterile, we have tried to add character wherever possible and use a mix of furnishings from several different styles to keep things interesting,” says Niall of their interiors, which are peppered with chic, Art Deco-esque pieces, well-cared-for antiques and metallic accents. “We like the functionality and clarity of modern interiors, without losing the details and character of more traditional elements.”
A colour palette of greys and blues reigns throughout the home. It’s a selection that’s simple in theory, yet the pair have taken these colours to their very extremes. “We wanted to stay in the same colour family but have lots of contrast within it,” explains Joshua. “So, while all the paints are blues/greys, there is a range, from white to the darkest of blues.”
This all begins outside, where swathes of exterior walls in Resene Dusted Blue hum against manicured lawns, soffits in Resene Half Black White and a pale grey weatherboard feature in Resene Midwinter Mist, just above the garage.
Yet this scheme was influenced, for the most part, by the interior. “The first colour we picked was Resene Blue Charcoal, after having always wanted a dark navy room, and everything evolved from there,” says Niall of the hue that now washes their master bedroom. “It is intensely dark and moody but still has enough blue in it to register that it is a blue room.”
The layout of their space was a determining factor, too. “While there are two lounges, a dining area, kitchen and hallway, it is fully open plan, with no doors at all separating these spaces,” says Joshua, “so we decided to go with just one main wall colour – Resene Quarter Foggy Grey – to enhance this layout.”
To bring warmth to this predominantly cool palette, Joshua and Niall brought in oak laminate flooring, used dashes of crisp Resene Black White for their door frames and trims and incorporated dark, warm woods in their joinery and finishes.
For all of these competing contrasts, it’s a composition that works. There’s a quiet harmony in and between each room, where everything appears to have its place – grouped, as if in conversation.
“Go with your gut,” advises Niall on making those difficult design choices. “When we were going through the colour selection process, a lot of suppliers were excited we were going with different choices – we actually thought we were quite tame. With this confidence, we will definitely be ramping things up next time.”
images Josh and Niall
Published: 04 Nov 2020
Do you have a home full of wonderful Resene paint and colour? Send us some snaps by emailing [email protected].
A herringbone-tiled wall in the kitchen offers a glossy complement to sleek finishes nearby. Cabinetry and the kitchen island in dark blue echo the cool notes of the walls in Resene Quarter Foggy Grey while acting as stand-out features. “With all the living areas being open plan, we needed something bold to both ground the whole area and make the kitchen feel like an area within an area,” says Niall. “The dark navy blue really anchors the space.” The ceiling is in Resene Half Black White and trims are in Resene Black White.
Dubbed ‘The Piano Room’, their second lounge boasts a built-in bar, a deep blue sofa, a luxe and intricate carpet, walls in Resene Quarter Foggy Grey, ceilings in Resene Half Black White and trims in Resene Black White.
Stylish furnishings, a poster of Picasso’s Les Demoiselles d'Avignon oil painting and a medley of textures decorate the open-plan living area. The walls are in Resene Quarter Foggy Grey, the ceiling is in Resene Half Black White and trims are in Resene Black White.
Moody but not cavernous, the master bedroom in Resene Blue Charcoal is a striking sanctuary. “The master bedroom is everything we wanted it to be because of this colour,” says Niall. Pops of ochre and grey are employed for added visual interest.
“We love how the colour changes completely depending on the time of day,” says Joshua of their master bedroom in Resene Blue Charcoal. The ceiling is in Resene Half Black White and trims are in Resene Black White.
Complete with a subtle tropical vibe, this bedroom uses a palette of ochre, yellow-tinted greens and neutrals. The walls are in Resene Quarter Foggy Grey, the ceiling is in Resene Half Black White and trims are in Resene Black White.
“We wanted a pattern tile on the floor as well as a feature wall,” says Niall, “so we decided to take the blue palette from the bedroom and living areas and pull this through to the bathroom.” The ceiling is in Resene Half Black White and trims are in Resene Black White.
Exterior walls in Resene Dusted Blue contrast against a weatherboard feature in Resene Midwinter Mist and soffits in Resene Half Black White, making for a clean, beautiful look from the street.
Resene Half Black White
Resene Half Black White
Resene Quarter Foggy Grey
Resene Quarter Foggy Grey
Resene Blue Charcoal
Resene Blue Charcoal
Resene Midwinter Mist
Resene Midwinter Mist
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 Half Black White
Resene Half Black White
Resene Quarter Foggy Grey
Resene Quarter Foggy Grey
Resene Blue Charcoal
Resene Blue Charcoal
Resene Midwinter Mist
Resene Midwinter Mist
the look
If you're stuck on what
colour to use or need colour
advice, try out the Resene
Ask a Colour Expert service.
