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The dining room has an open and bright feel with new bi-fold doors allowing light to pour in. The walls are painted in Resene Merino with Resene Black White on all ceilings, doors and trims.
A vibrant and welcoming touch to the entryway, Resene Wallpaper Collection 12403 is a captivating feature with pops of green and pink alongside colourful art and décor. The formal lounge doors are painted in Resene All Black, a stunning contrast to the walls in Resene Merino and ceiling and trims in Resene Black White.
The front door and formal lounge doors, painted in Resene All Black, are the perfect contrast to this neutral hallway in Resene Merino. The ceiling and trims are in Resene Black White.
The unique custom made shelving, painted in Resene Midnight Express, is a testament to true design and well-thought out colour choice. The walls are painted in Resene Sea Fog, a timeless and charming white that complements the inviting furniture. The ceiling and trims are painted in Resene Black White.
The open-plan dining has a spacious feel and new bi-fold doors allowing light and landscape to pour in. The walls are painted in Resene Merino with Resene Black White on all ceilings, doors and trims.
The large open plan living, kitchen and dining, hallways, and entry are painted in Resene Merino with Resene Black White on all ceilings, doors and trims. These bright yet warm neutrals complement the wood tones of the laminate flooring, creating a harmonious balance.
This incredibly inviting living space extends from the rest of the open-plan area, inviting guests to relax and unwind. The choice of neutral and gentle toned décor is complemented by the soothing walls in Resene Merino. The ceiling and trims are in Resene Black White.
The use of contrasting colours is a key theme throughout the design and also extends to other elements, including door hardware, tap fittings, kitchen cabinetry and furniture, ensuring a unified look. The walls in the kitchen are painted in Resene Merino, with ceiling and trims in Resene Black White.
“In the bathroom, Resene Sea Fog was chosen to offset darker grey and black tones while enhancing the effect of white feature tiles,” Charlotte says. The ceiling and trims are painted in Resene Black White.
Elegant and functional: The transformation of a Christchurch home
When Charlotte Van der Wielen, Creative Director of City Style Co., and her husband purchased a home on Fendalton Road in Christchurch back in 2019, they immediately saw its potential. Charlotte's expertise in design and renovation, coupled with her passion for Resene colour, led to a remarkable transformation that revitalised this house, and while it has since changed hands to new owners, its lively makeover is bound to ignite your inspiration.
"We saw the potential of how the outdated spaces could be lovingly transformed to evolve the home into contemporary living befitting the location by maximising the existing layout, adding new areas, and a new lease of life,” Charlotte says.
Originally built in the 1980’s, there were a few alterations that Charlotte wanted to make before making decisions about colour. One of the first major changes involved opening up the living area. A diesel fire and internal wall and doorway were removed from the middle of this space allowing it to flow seamlessly from one area to another.
The renovation also included an expansion of the outdoor living space. "Bay windows and a small sliding door leading to a tiny courtyard were removed and replaced with bi-fold doors and wrap-around decking to create a large outdoor living space," Charlotte adds.
A thoughtful and functional addition was added to the kitchen. Charlotte utilised the end of a large hallway, which originally had cupboards backing onto the kitchen with a single doorway, creating a stunning walk-in pantry. Equipped with sensor lighting, this space received a touch of modern convenience in an otherwise traditional setting.
This home really underwent a complete overhaul - every fixture, fitting, flooring and soft furnishing was replaced, resulting in a contemporary yet timeless look.
With such an extensive renovation project, the choice of colours played a pivotal role in bringing Charlotte’s design vision to life. The large open plan living, kitchen and dining, hallways, and entry were painted in Resene Merino with Resene Black White on all ceilings, doors and trims. These bright yet warm neutrals complemented the wood tones of the laminate flooring, creating a harmonious balance and the perfect opportunity to add pops of colour through artwork and décor.
One striking feature that stands out in the formal lounge is the unique custom shelving. Alongside another neutral, Resene Sea Fog, the inside of these shelves was painted in an intrepid dark blue, Resene Midnight Express. This effect created an elegant ambiance with well-placed lighting highlighting the beauty of the blue shade. Together with the recessed gas fire and entertainment nook, this space became a cosy and inviting atmosphere for family and guests alike.
To create focal points, Charlotte incorporated Resene All Black in key areas such as the glazed doors and front door, which made for a bold and cohesive statement throughout the house, as well as providing a seamless contrast against the shades of white. The use of black also extended to other elements, including door hardware, tap fittings, kitchen cabinetry and even furniture, ensuring a unified look.
Adding a vibrant touch to the entryway, Resene Wallpaper Collection 12403 became a captivating feature, uniting the various colours throughout the home as well as introducing pops of green and pink through plants and styling pieces.
“The house needed to be cohesively elegant with some unique twists while still maintaining functionality,” Charlotte says. “We had ‘entertainer's lifestyle with the comfort of family living’ at the forefront of our minds when it came to the design.”
Charlotte's design philosophy for this project revolved around fresh neutrals, warm wood tones, and strategic use of black and rich, deep tones like blues and greens. "Layering the pieces to complement each other throughout the house and making the interior cohesive by repeating colours and textures in different materials throughout the property" was her key approach to achieving the overall look.
When it came to choosing a favourite room in the house, Charlotte had more than just one. "The open plan living, kitchen and dining with outdoor flow is an entertainer's dream – it was designed with the intention of family and friend gatherings and the love of cooking. Once winter hits, the formal lounge is a wee haven to end the evening in with the gas fire, a good movie and a hearty glass of red. The whole house is just a pleasure really.”
And when it comes to her favourite Resene colours, Charlotte has a couple in mind. Favoured for its dusty dark blue tones, Charlotte loves Resene Midnight Express which creates a divine feel that is both inspiring and calming. Resene Palm Leaf is another favourite for its deep, jewel-tone green that currently resides on her office walls.
Charlotte's interior style can be described as sensible eclectic. She enjoys creating a neutral base with warm wood tones and practical, space-maximising elements while injecting bold colours, textures and materials as feature pops. Textured tiles, feature walls, pendants, drapes, artwork and plants are among her biggest design loves.
This project was a labour of love, and although it had its share of challenges, it was a pleasure from start to finish for this talented designer. "This was a pretty straightforward renovation as we had done a lot of pre-planning, consulted structural professionals, had a great builder, and I work in the realm of design and property renovation daily on behalf of clients," Charlotte notes.
“I guess if I had to think of the biggest challenge, it would be living in the property during the whole renovation process with two big dogs and a cat - though I have fond memories of gourmet creations cooked in the makeshift garage kitchen.”
design Charlotte Van der Wielen, City Style Co.
images Craig Broomhall
Top tip: Thinking white for your walls? Whites and off-whites are influenced by other elements in the room and different areas of a space reflect light differently. For example, white paint on the ceiling will look darker than the wall, because of the extra light that the wall gets. Even if you want to go for a neutral palette, it’s still a good idea to have a few variations of white to keep things interesting. Try a full strength of your chosen Resene white on your walls, a quarter strength on your ceiling and a half strength on your trim, if you want it to look crisper than the wall colour. The Resene Whites & Neutrals collection has up to six strength variations of the most popular colours so you can easily choose darker and lighter versions to suit your home. Order your free whites and neutrals palettes online, www.resene.com/ordercharts or visit your local Resene ColorShop. When you’re instore, check out the Resene colour library of A4 swatches of each colour – this is the best way to see the nuances of the different colours before you try your favourites with Resene testpots.
A vibrant and welcoming touch to the entryway, Resene Wallpaper Collection 12403 is a captivating feature with pops of green and pink alongside colourful art and décor. The formal lounge doors are painted in Resene All Black, a stunning contrast to the walls in Resene Merino and ceiling and trims in Resene Black White.
The front door and formal lounge doors, painted in Resene All Black, are the perfect contrast to this neutral hallway in Resene Merino. The ceiling and trims are in Resene Black White.
The unique custom made shelving, painted in Resene Midnight Express, is a testament to true design and well-thought out colour choice. The walls are painted in Resene Sea Fog, a timeless and charming white that complements the inviting furniture. The ceiling and trims are painted in Resene Black White.
The open-plan dining has a spacious feel and new bi-fold doors allowing light and landscape to pour in. The walls are painted in Resene Merino with Resene Black White on all ceilings, doors and trims.
The large open plan living, kitchen and dining, hallways, and entry are painted in Resene Merino with Resene Black White on all ceilings, doors and trims. These bright yet warm neutrals complement the wood tones of the laminate flooring, creating a harmonious balance.
This incredibly inviting living space extends from the rest of the open-plan area, inviting guests to relax and unwind. The choice of neutral and gentle toned décor is complemented by the soothing walls in Resene Merino. The ceiling and trims are in Resene Black White.
The use of contrasting colours is a key theme throughout the design and also extends to other elements, including door hardware, tap fittings, kitchen cabinetry and furniture, ensuring a unified look. The walls in the kitchen are painted in Resene Merino, with ceiling and trims in Resene Black White.
“In the bathroom, Resene Sea Fog was chosen to offset darker grey and black tones while enhancing the effect of white feature tiles,” Charlotte says. The ceiling and trims are painted in Resene Black White.
“Custom wood grain vanities and rich blue tiles in the laundry add warmth and character to this space,” Charlotte says. The laundry walls are painted in Resene Sea Fog with ceiling and trims in Resene Black White.
These before pictures show just how much design and colour can change a space:
Before: Entryway
Before: Living room
Before: Formal lounge
Before: Kitchen
Published: 14 Sep 2023
Do you have a home full of wonderful Resene paint and colour? Send us some snaps by emailing [email protected].
Resene Midnight Express
Resene Midnight Express
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Resene Midnight Express
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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.
