A tranquil, green Christmas: Spread peace and joy with Resene Xanadu, Resene Rainee and Resene Forest Green
Switch it up from red and gold this year and opt for a calming palette consisting entirely of greens, for a tranquil Christmas. For us here in the Southern Hemisphere, Christmas is less about crackling fires and falling snow, and more about beautiful, sunny days spent outside. Green is a perfect colour for an Antipodean Christmas - and Resene has the perfect palette of colours to spread the joy.
The festive season can be stressful but with shades of green in your home reminiscent of nature you can’t help but be relaxed! Research has shown that green is a restful colour evoking feelings of balance and harmony, which we all need a bit of at this time of year. Ranging from soft sages to deep forest greens, there are many avenues to go down and options to explore. Decorating your home in these colours doesn’t just have to last through Christmas, as these tones will stay gorgeous long after the tree has been taken down!
A scene that oozes tranquillity with different shades of green. Wall painted in Resene Double Rice Cake, front door in Resene Palm Green, console table in Resene Xanadu, table lamp in Resene Holly, ceramic tree in Resene Spanish Green, bowl in Resene Raineeand decorations and painted boxes in Resene Spanish Green, Resene Palm Green, Resene Rainee, Resene Xanadu, Resene Holly and Resene Double Rice Cake.
Explore all the different greens that will fill your home with serenity, from light sages such as Resene Rainee to mid-toned Resene Xanadu or deep Resene Palm Green.
Welcome in family and friends with a green front door painted in Resene Palm Green. Beaded wreath painted in Resene Xanadu, Resene Spanish Green, Resene Double Rice Cake and Resene Rainee.
The front door is often overlooked, but as an entryway into a home, the point of arrival and exit for you and your guests, it is very important. Feng shui, a Chinese philosophy, says that the front door represents the face you show to the world, along with the ways that energy and opportunities come into your life. Different colours symbolise different energies flowing to your home. In the principles of feng shui, a green front door represents the wood element, which is connected to growth, opportunity and positivity. Consider painting your front door green using Resene Enamacryl gloss or Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss to help bring in good vibes and look beautiful, too! Resene Palm Green is a rich, college green that looks gorgeous on a surface like a front door and is bound to make the neighbours envious. Complement this deep colour with a light, DIY beaded Christmas wreath and let the festivities begin.
How to make your own DIY wreath and beaded decorations
You will need:
- 35 beads of mixed sizes
- Metal ring, 35cm in diameter
- Resene paints of your choice: Vanessa used Resene Rainee, Resene Double Rice Cake, Resene Spanish Green and Resene Xanadu
- (Optional) If you want to leave some beds natural you can stain them with Resene Waterborne Woodsman or clear finish them in Resene Aquaclear. Clear urethane
Step 1: Paint your wooden beads with your choice of Resene testpots. We chose to keep some beads natural amongst the colours – these can be finished in Resene Waterborne Woodsman or Resene Aquaclear.
Step 2: Cut open the metal ring.
Step 3: Thread the beads onto the metal in any combination.
Step 4: Join the ring back together with tape, or a tie.
Step 5: Add a ribbon to hang it onto the door!
Tip: Make mini versions of these to hang on your Christmas tree.
Create an accent piece by painting old furniture in new shades. Table painted in Resene Xanadu, wall painted in Resene Double Rice Cake and bead garland painted in Resene Palm Green, Resene Rainee, Resene Xanadu, Resene Spanish Green, Resene Double Rice Cake and Resene Aquaclear. Ceramic tree in Resene Spanish Green.
If you aren’t quite ready to take the plunge and paint your front door green, you could do this to some old furniture instead. If you have a small table lying around that may need a jazz up, this would be perfect to paint in your chosen shade of green. Resene Xanadu is our pick, a mysterious grey green that will perfectly complement the rich pine of your Christmas tree. Pop some decorations on the table for your festive display, and if you’re playing host this Christmas, use it as a designated gift table! Hang a DIY beaded garland on the table for some extra fun and cheer.
Gift sustainably with reused boxes painted in Resene Spanish Green, Resene Xanadu, Resene Double Rice Cake, Resene Rainee, Resene Palm Green and Resene Holly. Rug from Mocka.
Keep the look consistent by scattering touches of green around in your accessories, such as with cushions and table furnishings. You could even go full co-ordination and bring the theme into your gift wrapping. Gather a bunch of old shoeboxes, get the family and your Resene testpots together and have a painting afternoon! This is not just fun, but a sustainable alternative to gift wrapping that will look great under the tree. Finish the giftboxes off with ribbons in different shades of green or twine for a more rustic feel. Remember to keep them after Christmas Day is done ready for next year.
Green tends to go well with a variety of cool-tone based neutrals. Pair your green hues with a neutral with undertones of green or yellow to make the colour pop while still staying calm and tranquil. Colours like Resene Rice Cake, Resene Merino and Resene Linen are our top picks to complement hues like Resene Palm Green, Resene Xanadu and Resene Spanish Green. The undertones of these shades keep the space open without being too bright. If you’ve chosen to paint furniture in a shade of green, opt for Resene Double Rice Cake on the walls, a crispy cream that makes the perfect backdrop.
Green doesn’t just have to be for Christmas, it will look great all year round. Wall painted in Resene Double Rice Cake, console table painted in Resene Xanadu and DIY artwork in Resene Double Thorndon Cream. Cushion covers from H&M Home and Freedom, rug from Mocka, couch from Sabine Modular Right and Left hand 1 seater pieces from Nood.
Use wooden beads to make cute but simple Christmas decorations that will last you from this season to the next. You could even look through some old jewellery, either from your own collection or an op-shop and take apart a beaded necklace for a real repurposing moment.
Make decorating extra fun this year with DIY beaded decorations. These are painted in Resene Palm Green, Resene Rainee, Resene Xanadu, Resene Spanish Green, Resene Double Rice Cake and Resene Aquaclear. Wall painted in Resene Double Rice Cake.
How to make your own DIY beaded tree decorations
You will need
- Wooden beads
- Wire
- Wire cutters
- String
Step 1: Paint the beads in a mix of colour, Vanessa used Resene Rainee, Resene Holly, Resene Xanadu, Resene Double Rice Cake and Resene Spanish Green. If you want to leave some beads natural clear finish with Resene Aquaclear.
Step 2: Use wire cutters to cut strips of wire approximately 30cm in length. Bend into a circle shape and thread beads onto the wire. Vanessa used 13 beads per decoration. Once you have threaded the beads, twist the wire ends together and cut off any excess wire.
Step 3: Add some string to the beaded wreath and hang on tree.
project Vanessa Nouwens
images Bruce Carleton
Top tip: For an extra touch of shimmer, coat decorations with Resene FX Pearl Shimmer. This waterborne pearlescent glaze can be painted over the top of painted surfaces for a touch of pearlescent shimmer.
Published: 01 Dec 2022
Do you have a home full of wonderful Resene paint and colour? Send us some snaps by emailing [email protected].
Resene Rainee
Resene Xanadu
Resene Forest Green
Resene Forest Green
Resene Double Rice Cake
Resene Double Rice Cake
Resene Palm Green
Resene Palm Green
Resene Holly
Resene Spanish Green
Resene Spanish Green
Resene Double Thorndon Cream
Resene Double Thorndon Cream
the look
If you're stuck on what
colour to use or need colour
advice, try out the Resene
Ask a Colour Expert service.
Resene Rainee
Resene Xanadu
Resene Forest Green
Resene Forest Green
Resene Double Rice Cake
Resene Double Rice Cake
Resene Palm Green
Resene Palm Green
Resene Holly
Resene Spanish Green
Resene Spanish Green
Resene Double Thorndon Cream
Resene Double Thorndon Cream
the look
If you're stuck on what
colour to use or need colour
advice, try out the Resene
Ask a Colour Expert service.