How to create a tone-on-tone scheme

Put one stylist and a load of paint into a room, give her the task of creating tone-on-tone tabletops, and this is what you get.

We’ve been talking about tone-on-tone schemes recently as a way of colour-lovers being able to add a more minimalist look to their rooms. The theory is that by using tones of similar colour your eye ‘reads’ a variety of objects or accessories as a cohesive grouping and not as a scattering of disparate and individual objects.

Of course, one of the easiest ways to achieve a tone-on-tone grouping is with paint. The Resene palette cards from the Multi-finish range already show you a variety of colours that are tonally similar – head into your local Resene ColorShop and check them out.

We recently had a look at a moody, purple-edged bedroom, and at a rose-terracotta room styled in various ways.

Now, taking it smaller, stylist Emily Somerville-Ryan shows what can be achieved with some Resene testpots and by upcycling various vases and objects as well as some corbels and finials picked up from the local building suppliers. 

Published: 07 Jun 2018

Do you have a home full of wonderful Resene paint and colour? Send us some snaps by emailing [email protected].

Think pink

pink colour palette, table display, interior styling, pink paint, Resene Sakura, table, tone

Yes, it’s millennial pink time. In this setting we've used Resene Sakura along with a table painted in Resene Paper Doll. The piece of fretwork on the left is in Resene Apple Blossom, the zig-zag pot is in Resene Mexican Red and the narrow-necked vase at the front is in Resene Sunglo

Props: Vitra Rotary Tray, $99.90 from Citta Design. Rogue Phalaenopsis Stem in Pink, $9.95, from Freedom Furniture.

pictures

Bryce Carleton, styling by Emily Somerville-Ryan

pink colour palette, table display, interior styling, pink paint, Resene Glorious, table, tone

For this the wall is painted in Resene Glorious. We've used the same colours as the previous setting; The table is painted in Resene Paper Doll, the piece of fretwork on the left is in Resene Apple Blossom, the zig-zag pot is in Resene Mexican Red and the narrow-necked vase at the front is in Resene Sunglo

Props: Vitra Rotary Tray, $99.90 from Citta Design. Rogue Phalaenopsis Stem in Pink, $9.95, from Freedom Furniture.

Rich greens

green colour palette, table display, interior styling, green paint, Resene Cutty Sark, tone

Delicious greens tinged with blue are very on-trend. Here the wall is painted in Resene Cutty Sark, while the big and small tables are Resene Green Meets Blue, and the medium-sized one as well as the vase are Resene Juniper. The square corbel is Resene Breeze and the round one is Resene Quarter Duck Egg Blue.

Props: Grinders Bottle from Tim Webber Design. Punched Leather Wallet in Jungle, $119, and Dine Linen Napkin, $12.90, from Citta Design. Monstera Leaf Tray, $24.99, from Shut The Front Door.

Moody blues

blue colour palette, table display, interior styling, blue paint, Resene Cello, tone

Grey blues that sometimes tip into teal give a moody feel. The wall here is Resene Cello and the table is Resene Seachange. The honeycomb vase is Resene Lynch, the tall vase is Resene St Kilda, the round corbel is Resene Dusted Blue and the square corbel is Resene Duck Egg Blue. Add some translucent colour glass for interest.

Props: Deacon Jug in Blue, $54.90, and Deacon Tumbler in Blue, $64.90 for 4, from Citta Design. Rogue Flowering Eucalyptus, $19.95, from Freedom Furniture.

Going greige

grey colour palette, table display, interior styling, blue paint, tone, beige

That delicate mix of grey and beige is always a winner. The wall is Resene Triple Friar Grey, the table is Resene Friar Grey, the candlesticks are Resene Cougar, the vase is Resene Cloudy and the pyramid-shaped corbel is Resene Eighth Truffle.

Props: Vitra L’Oiseau Bird, $219, from Citta Design.

Hello yellow

yellow colour palette, shelving display, interior styling, yellow paint, tone, Resene Galliano

Even a strong colour like yellow can work well as a soothing tonal scheme. The wall is in Resene Galliano, the shelving unit is Resene Pizza, the round vase is Resene Marzipan, and the timber objects on the top shelf are Resene Astra (taller) and Resene Sand

Props: Orchid Spider Spray, $14.95, and North Star Ornament, $14.95, from Freedom Furniture. Pig Money Box, $39.99, from Shut The Front Door. Jewel Box in Ecru, $79.90, from Citta Design. 9ct Sands Ramekin, $24.99, from Claybird Ceramics.

Classic whites

white colour palette, table display, interior styling, white paint, tone, Resene eighth tea

Using whites and off-whites is a classic approach to a tonal colour scheme. The wall is painted in Resene Eighth Tea, the table is in Resene Half Tea, the wide ribbed plant pot is Resene Spanish White, the pointed post cap is Resene Pearl Lusta and the round post cap is in Resene Half Barely There

Props: Ceramic Cactus, $29.95, and Silver Dollar Vine in Grey Green, $29.99, from Shut The Front Door. Basket Woven Placemat, $69.90 for 4, and Dine Linen Napkin in Ecru, $12.90, from Citta Design.

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Resene Half Barely There

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Resene Duck Egg Blue

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Resene Triple Friar Grey

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Resene Spanish White

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Resene Apple Blossom

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Resene Quarter Duck Egg Blue

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Resene Pearl Lusta

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Resene Green Meets Blue

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Resene Dusted Blue

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Resene Mexican Red

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