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The weatherboards of the street-facing end of the house are painted in Resene Lumbersider Low Sheen tinted to Resene Siam to tie in with the stained glass. The trims and balustrade are painted in Resene Double Sea Fog and the concrete steps are in Resene Gravel.
This home won a Resene Total Colour Residential Exterior Colour Maestro Award. The exterior cladding is Siberian larch finished with Resene Woodsman Whitewash. The trims are Resene Double Sea Fog. The design, by Auckland's SGA Architects, is inspired by a traditional lean-to.
The walls of the extension are painted in Resene Merino with Resene Half Merino on the trims and ceiling. The sloping battened ceiling is finished in Resene SpaceCote Flat to complement its form.
Siberian larch finished with Resene Colorwood Whitewash is also used in the kitchen and living areas. The whitewashed wood grain ties in with the natural materials including the slate kitchen bench. The walls are painted in Resene Merino and the ceiling and trims are Resene Half Merino.
The green theme on the villa exterior carries into the bathroom where Resene Cabbage Pont is used on the ceiling with more woodwork finished with Resene Colorwood Whitewash and Resene Merino walls.
The use of Resene Colorwood Whitewash in the bathroom creates a charming and rustic feel mixed with contemporary features. The walls are painted in Resene Merino.
The lounge of the original villa is also painted in Resene Merino to tie the two parts of the home together. Resene Half Merino highlights the beautiful moulded ceiling.
The conservatory area is a great spot to relax. The cladding, finished in Resene Woodsman Whitewash, creates a serene environment in the area next to the rain garden.
The weatherboards are painted in Resene Siam to complement the stained glass. The trims and balustrade are painted in Resene Double Sea Fog and concrete steps in Resene Gravel.
A serene villa adorned in timeless greens and whites
A traditional villa with a striking modern extension has found harmony through its combination of Resene greens and whites.
The owners of this serene Auckland villa are hardworking professionals with two active young daughters and yet their home, painted in ethereal whites and fern greens, seems to cast a soothing spell.
The white cladding, inside and out, is painted with neutral tones - Resene Merino and Resene Colorwood Whitewash on the inside and Resene Woodsman Whitewash on the outside and makes you feel as if you’re tucked up under a cuddly blanket. The good vibes continue as you follow the meandering flagstone path into the garden where you’ll see butterflies perching on purple verbena and bees buzzing on salvia. Yet, despite its environmental harmony, this is a home of contrasts. A 'mullet'-style building – part-traditional villa, part-modern extension – it shouldn’t work, but does – beautifully. The home won a Resene Total Colour Residential Exterior Colour Maestro Award for its use of colour.
The weatherboards of the street-facing end of the house are painted in Resene Lumbersider Low Sheen tinted to Resene Siam to tie in with the stained glass. The trims and balustrade are painted in Resene Double Sea Fog and the concrete steps are in Resene Gravel.
This home won a Resene Total Colour Residential Exterior Colour Maestro Award. The exterior cladding is Siberian larch finished with Resene Woodsman Whitewash. The trims are Resene Double Sea Fog. The design, by Auckland's SGA Architects, is inspired by a traditional lean-to.
When Kat and her husband bought the house 10 years ago, it wasn’t the serene space it is today. A friend, who’d also visited the open home, described the rundown 1910s villa as “derelict”. Kat wouldn’t go so far: “Derelict is a bit harsh, but the old girl did need a lot of love.” It needed insulation, new paint and the windows wouldn’t shut, yet they loved it anyway. And renovation was always part of the plan. But on the first night in their 'new' home, Kat's dreams of doing up the old house deflated, literally.
“I thought it would be romantic to go into the house on the first night we owned it and camp out sleeping on an airbed. But it was freezing cold, and the airbed went flat within about two hours. So, we left the house in the middle of the night and went back to our rental.
The walls of the extension are painted in Resene Merino with Resene Half Merino on the trims and ceiling. The sloping battened ceiling is finished in Resene SpaceCote Flat to complement its form.
Siberian larch finished with Resene Colorwood Whitewash is also used in the kitchen and living areas. The whitewashed wood grain ties in with the natural materials including the slate kitchen bench. The walls are painted in Resene Merino and the ceiling and trims are Resene Half Merino.
Cash-strapped and “mortgaged up to the hilt”, the couple did some stopgap renovations – just enough to make the villa liveable. They patched up holes, painted walls and installed insulation and Kat paid $100 for a second-hand kitchen. They sketched plans for a future extension on the back of an envelope.
Eight years and two children later, when the mortgage reached an acceptable level, they made their dreams a reality. But they didn’t know where to start and so consulted Strachan Group Architects (SGA). The upside of not rushing into the extensions was that the family had been able to spend time ‘heatmapping’ those parts of the house which they lived in the most.
The green theme on the villa exterior carries into the bathroom where Resene Cabbage Pont is used on the ceiling with more woodwork finished with Resene Colorwood Whitewash and Resene Merino walls.
The use of Resene Colorwood Whitewash in the bathroom creates a charming and rustic feel mixed with contemporary features. The walls are painted in Resene Merino.
“We observed which rooms we actually spent time in. We love entertaining but recognised that it was just the four of us a lot of the time. It wasn’t a priority to make entertaining spaces. We noticed we needed little zones around the house for reading, working and playing games,” says Kat.
The architects listened to their feedback and politely tossed out the couple’s envelope drawings.
They came back with a 60-square-metre extension that was a modern take on a lean-to. The new living area is connected to the original villa by a narrow linking laundry. The snazzy design meant the villa’s roof didn’t need to be touched.
Colour was one of the ways the architects created synergy between the two disparate spaces. Rather than matching the extension to the original house, they used contrast to create cohesion and comfort.
The lounge of the original villa is also painted in Resene Merino to tie the two parts of the home together. Resene Half Merino highlights the beautiful moulded ceiling.
The conservatory area is a great spot to relax. The cladding, finished in Resene Woodsman Whitewash, creates a serene environment in the area next to the rain garden.
Resene Whitewash was not only used on the exterior but also in the new interior living area. The whitewash highlights the wood grain, which gives the larch a natural look.
Kat was initially unsure about the prospect of white on both the outdoor and indoor wood. “We didn’t want it to feel like a show home; we don’t live like that,” but she warmed to the idea when she learned that the exterior wood colour would age and weather over time.
The architects suggested dark green for the villa street-front exterior, but Kat was again unsure about the bold colour.
The weatherboards are painted in Resene Siam to complement the stained glass. The trims and balustrade are painted in Resene Double Sea Fog and concrete steps in Resene Gravel.
“They suggested green, but I wasn’t very confident. I kept suggesting grey, but the architects very politely said no. They told me that, traditionally, villas were a lot more colourful. So, at first, we opted for Resene Flax,” says Kat.
The painting was underway when Kat realised it still wasn’t right. “I drove past the house and realised it looked far too light. I panicked and raced to the Resene ColorShop. I suggested grey again, but they calmed my nerves, and they suggested the darker shade, Resene Siam.
“When I have been lucky enough to travel to Europe in the past. I’d walk down the street and see purple-and-lime coloured houses, and it was so joyful.”
Interior colour choices tie the villa and the extension together further. Resene Merino is used on the walls of most of the rooms, and Resene Cabbage Pont on the ceiling of the bathroom links the exterior colour to the inside.
The home's design was put to the test during Covid lockdowns. Zoom meetings and Zoom schooling meant the family put the zones to good use. “We had a Zoom schedule so that we could each try and find some quiet for our video calls. It was hysterical; one day, there were nine meetings on the schedule. My daughter went onto the trampoline for one of her lessons,” says Kat.
“The home has worked out great. We’re really grateful for what we have and it brings us a lot of happiness.”
design Pat du Pont, SGA Architects www.sgaltd.co.nz
images Simon Devitt www.simondevitt.com
garden images Neeve Woodward www.xanthewhitedesign.co.nz
Top tip: If you are keen to recreate a palette of yesteryear, the Resene Heritage colour chart is a handy place to start choosing colours inspired by traditional colour palettes. Order a Resene Heritage chart free online, www.resene.com/ordercharts or pick up a copy at your Resene ColorShop or reseller.
Published: 31 Jan 2024
Do you have a home full of wonderful Resene paint and colour? Send us some snaps by emailing [email protected].
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advice, try out the Resene
Ask a Colour Expert service.
