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Arriving at Desiree and Geoff’s home, the front door greets you painted in the charming Resene Bokara Grey. “We’d had Resene Bokara Grey on our front door previously and loved it – so we repeated that move which also matched the repainted window joinery,” Desiree says. The internal walls and trims are painted in Resene Triple White Pointer and the ceiling in Resene White. The staircase is brightened with a tropical mural – try Resene Wallpaper Collection E384603 to recreate the look in your home.
A delightful brew of grey and beige, Resene Triple White Pointer adorns the walls of the main spaces, with Resene White on the ceiling and window trims.
The moody, dark neutral of Resene Bokara Grey is painted over batten wall panels, creating a striking feature wall that enhances Desiree’s beloved bright headboard. Surrounding walls are painted in Resene Triple White Pointer.
A custom-built bar unit in the lounge, designed using Dezignatek thermoform vinyl doors, adds a touch of glamour and practicality. The neutral walls in Resene Triple White Pointer also create a backdrop for beautiful mustard toned accents.
A calming and tranquil green, Resene Aspiring, was used in this bathroom alongside earthy toned tiles, wooden accents and the ceiling and trims in Resene White.
The main bathroom also has a feature wall painted in Resene Aspiring, a green that blends well with the woodgrain melamine vanity and white louvres.
Bright ideas and bold hues by the sea
When Desiree and Geoff found their home, it was love at first sight – or at least, love at first sea view. While the stunning outlook stole their hearts, the house itself was a little harder to love. Built in the late 80s, it had all the era’s quirks, including some wild colour choices including bright purple and lavender, strange shapes and a gloomy interior. Fast forward to today, after a full-scale transformation, their home is now a beautifully modern retreat that perfectly balances sophistication with personality – and plenty of Resene colour.
With her role as Group Marketing and Sustainability Manager for NZ Panels Group, Desiree knows a thing or two about beautiful spaces and surfaces, so selecting finishes was both fun and a challenge (with so many great options!). Geoff, a retired but incredibly handy renovator, used his skills for everything from taking off all the old varnished veneer doors and routing grooves into them, replacing the hardware and handles, as well as doing the lion’s share of the painting.
Arriving at Desiree and Geoff’s home, the front door greets you painted in the charming Resene Bokara Grey. “We’d had Resene Bokara Grey on our front door previously and loved it – so we repeated that move which also matched the repainted window joinery,” Desiree says. The internal walls and trims are painted in Resene Triple White Pointer and the ceiling in Resene White. The staircase is brightened with a tropical mural – try Resene Wallpaper Collection E384603 to recreate the look in your home.
A delightful brew of grey and beige, Resene Triple White Pointer adorns the walls of the main spaces, with Resene White on the ceiling and window trims.
For the main living spaces and bedrooms, Desiree and Geoff landed on Resene Triple White Pointer, a warm, versatile neutral that adapts beautifully to its surroundings. It pairs perfectly with their furnishings and makes the most of the natural light. “It’s a fantastic neutral that works with everything – but has this amazing ability to look like a different colour depending on what’s around it,” Desiree says. “We also painted the skirtings the same colour to add height to the rooms.”
To add depth in the master bedroom, batten wall panels have been painted in Resene Bokara Grey for a dramatic feature wall. This moody brown-black hue brings a sense of luxury, as well as a cosy cocooning feel.
The moody, dark neutral of Resene Bokara Grey is painted over batten wall panels, creating a striking feature wall that enhances Desiree’s beloved bright headboard. Surrounding walls are painted in Resene Triple White Pointer.
A custom-built bar unit in the lounge, designed using Dezignatek thermoform vinyl doors, adds a touch of glamour and practicality. The neutral walls in Resene Triple White Pointer also create a backdrop for beautiful mustard toned accents.
“The wall colours needed to be neutral and to work with my favourite accent colours,” says Desiree. “In the bedroom we have a bright orange velvet bedhead which I adore even after 10 years, and mustard tones appear on my dining room chairs from Sarsfield Brooke and in cushions throughout with a splash of black for balance.”
The bathrooms were another major focus of the renovation, featuring a mix of woodgrain finishes and beautiful terrazzo tiles. To complement these elements, they selected Resene Aspiring, a soft green that’s both calming and elegant.
A calming and tranquil green, Resene Aspiring, was used in this bathroom alongside earthy toned tiles, wooden accents and the ceiling and trims in Resene White.
The main bathroom also has a feature wall painted in Resene Aspiring, a green that blends well with the woodgrain melamine vanity and white louvres.
Of all the spaces in their home, the lounge is Desiree’s favourite. They slightly downsized it to make way for a walk-in wardrobe, but the result is a more intimate, sun-drenched space. A custom-built bar unit, designed using Dezignatek thermoform vinyl doors, adds a touch of glamour and practicality – perfect for entertaining or simply unwinding with a well-earned drink.
After a bit of a mishap with their first builder, leading to Geoff having to step in with his handyman skills, they eventually found the right team and everything came together beautifully. One of the biggest and most rewarding decisions was repainting the aluminium window joinery after reglazing – an expensive and time-consuming process, but one that has given the home a fresh, modern edge. “The team on-site doing this were professional and very impressive,” Desiree says. “You cannot tell the joinery isn’t new.”
Now, with their dream home complete, Desiree and Geoff can sit back, relax and soak up that incredible sea view – framed, of course, by their beautifully chosen colour palette.
images Mark Scowen
joinery Stirling Joinery
Top tip:When you can see the sea, it also means the sea salt will easily reach your home. Choose exterior paint finishes that are durable, such as Resene Lumbersider Low Sheen. If you’re opting for a dark colour, use the Resene CoolColour version to help keep the colour and the surface cooler. It’s also a good idea to wash your exterior regularly, once or twice a year, to help remove the sea salts and keep your home’s paintwork looking fresh.
Published: 18 Mar 2025
Do you have a home full of wonderful Resene paint and colour? Send us some snaps by emailing [email protected].
Resene Triple White Pointer
Resene Triple White Pointer
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 Triple White Pointer
Resene Triple White Pointer
the look
If you're stuck on what
colour to use or need colour
advice, try out the Resene
Ask a Colour Expert service.
