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The modern, clean lines and welcoming colour palette that are synonymous with Emma’s interior style are highlighted most prominently in the kitchen where Resene Bitter on the door is paired with quarter strength Resene Green White on the walls and Resene Half Black White on the ceiling. Striking black accents are brought in for contrast through the pendant lights, in a similar colour to Resene Nero, and the dark ply cabinet feature, in a similar colour to Resene Colorwood Pitch Black. The blonde ply cabinets have been finished in Resene Aquaclear.
Emma wanted the expansive views to be the feature in the dining area, so they installed large sliding glass doors onto the deck. The walls were given the soft neutral hue of quarter strength Resene Green White and the ply ceiling is finished in Resene Aquaclear.
The lounge is Emma’s favourite room in the house. It was here that she decided to give the neutral walls in quarter strength Resene Green White a cosy colour pairing with Resene Bitter behind the fireplace and on the door. The soft olive green of Resene Bitter is the perfect backdrop to the striking black hue of the fireplace. The ceiling is finished with Resene Aquaclear and the skirtings are painted in Resene Half Black White.
Emma says the best decision she made during the renovation was painting all the doors in their home in Resene Bitter. To keep the hallway modern and fresh she painted the walls in quarter strength Resene Green White, the skirting and ceilings in Resene Half Black White and added in striking black accents with the door handles.
The bathroom continues the palette of black, white, blonde ply and green with a door in Resene Bitter, walls in quarter strength Resene Green White and the ply ceiling finished in Resene Aquaclear. To get a similar look, try an accent wall in Resene Nocturnal and a floor in Resene Raven.
In daughter Pippa’s room, a neutral wall colour of quarter strength Resene Green White provides the perfect base for other playful elements in the room to shine. It also ensures this a room that can grow with her.
The exterior of the home features plaster cladding in Resene Eagle and soffits in Resene Element.
images Emma Bedford
An earthquake-damaged home gets a modern makeover
Ask Emma what the best decision she made during the renovation of her 1950s earthquake-damaged Christchurch home was and her answer is immediate; “the green doors.” The soft olive hue of Resene Bitter graces all the doors in her home, as well as the fireplace nook – and there’s nothing bitter about its prominent feature in the home.
Emma and her husband Paul purchased the run down home in an “as is, where is” condition. They had a baby on the way and assessed that the earthquake damage was mainly cosmetic, so took the plunge and bought it. As it turned out, what was planned as a small renovation turned into a massive one, with the whole layout of the house changing, a new kitchen and bathroom, re-cladding, changing the roof and restoring the original rimu floors.
But, as renovations go, this one was pretty smooth. Emma credits their success to a decisive delegation of roles. “I was always in charge of interior decorating, colour choices and style, while Paul was in charge of consents, engineering, earthquake repairs and budget. It’s really enjoyable when you don’t have to argue or stress over decision making.”
But it’s also something that Emma has a knack for. “I was pretty decisive,” she says. “I knew what I wanted the look to be for the home from the start.” Inspired by years of browsing interior magazines and websites, and what they had in front of them – original wooden floors, small rooms and an expansive view with all-day sun – she devised a look that was simple and modern, but with character.
“I knew I definitely wanted to incorporate plywood and at least one accent colour to offset the neutral walls,” Emma explains. “I just made all the decisions as we went along and made them super quickly based on what felt right at the time.”
Her neutral base consisted of the quartz-like yellow green of quarter strength Resene Green White on all the walls, accompanied by a crisp contrast of Resene Half Black White on the ceilings and skirtings. Striking matte black accents, such as the pendant lights in the kitchen and the kitchen bench itself, in shades similar to Resene Nero and Resene Colorwood Pitch Black add another contrast element.
Plywood accents also played a big role in helping to determine the overall look of the house. The soft blonde wood is coated in Resene Aquaclear waterborne urethane and provides a soft balance to the dark black and crisp white accents. Finally, there’s the off-set hue; Resene Bitter, which features on all the doors and in the lounge behind the fireplace.
The exterior also needed a major overhaul, with plaster cladding in Resene Eagle and soffits in Resene Element proving to be the perfect complement to the warm wooden cladding.
Emma and Paul’s home is almost unrecognisable now, with the once wallpapered and rainbow coloured walls now heroed by earthy, modern hues with simple, clean lines. “Everything just works,” says Emma. “We feel really relaxed here.”
Published: 22 Jul 2020
Do you have a home full of wonderful Resene paint and colour? Send us some snaps by emailing [email protected].
The modern, clean lines and welcoming colour palette that are synonymous with Emma’s interior style are highlighted most prominently in the kitchen where Resene Bitter on the door is paired with quarter strength Resene Green White on the walls and Resene Half Black White on the ceiling. Striking black accents are brought in for contrast through the pendant lights, in a similar colour to Resene Nero, and the dark ply cabinet feature, in a similar colour to Resene Colorwood Pitch Black. The blonde ply cabinets have been finished in Resene Aquaclear.
Emma wanted the expansive views to be the feature in the dining area, so they installed large sliding glass doors onto the deck. The walls were given the soft neutral hue of quarter strength Resene Green White and the ply ceiling is finished in Resene Aquaclear.
The lounge is Emma’s favourite room in the house. It was here that she decided to give the neutral walls in quarter strength Resene Green White a cosy colour pairing with Resene Bitter behind the fireplace and on the door. The soft olive green of Resene Bitter is the perfect backdrop to the striking black hue of the fireplace. The ceiling is finished with Resene Aquaclear and the skirtings are painted in Resene Half Black White.
Emma says the best decision she made during the renovation was painting all the doors in their home in Resene Bitter. To keep the hallway modern and fresh she painted the walls in quarter strength Resene Green White, the skirting and ceilings in Resene Half Black White and added in striking black accents with the door handles.
The bathroom continues the palette of black, white, blonde ply and green with a door in Resene Bitter, walls in quarter strength Resene Green White and the ply ceiling finished in Resene Aquaclear. To get a similar look, try an accent wall in Resene Nocturnal and a floor in Resene Raven.
In daughter Pippa’s room, a neutral wall colour of quarter strength Resene Green White provides the perfect base for other playful elements in the room to shine. It also ensures this a room that can grow with her.
The exterior of the home features plaster cladding in Resene Eagle and soffits in Resene Element.
images Emma Bedford
Resene Half Black White
Resene Half Black White
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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the look
If you're stuck on what
colour to use or need colour
advice, try out the Resene
Ask a Colour Expert service.
