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The ceiling is in Resene Double Alabaster and the skirting boards and architraves are in Resene Eighth Ash. To bring a similar yellow into your dining space, paint chairs in Resene Turbo.
Hugh and Maggie created contrast in their kitchen both through colours and textures. The walls are painted Resene Eighth Friar Grey, the cabinetry is in Resene Mercury, the island is in Resene Half Hammerhead and the ceiling is in Resene Double Alabaster.
Ample cupboard and drawer space in the kitchen helps to keep the young family organised. The cabinetry is painted Resene Mercury, the kitchen island is painted Resene Half Hammerhead, the wall is in Resene Eighth Friar Grey and the ceiling is in Resene Double Alabaster.
Yellow and rattan details provide continuity throughout the living and kitchen/dining areas. The walls are in Resene Eighth Friar Grey, the trims are in Resene Eighth Ash and the ceiling is in Resene Double Alabaster.
Hugh and Maggie’s restful looking master bedroom is papered in Resene Wallpaper Collection DR6308 to create a sense of calm. When paired with a door and skirting boards in Resene Eighth Ash, a ceiling in Resene Double Alabaster and textured soft furnishings, the room becomes a haven to enable Maggie and Hugh to unwind at the end of a long day. While this wallpaper design is from an older collection, you can get a similar look with Resene Wallpaper Collection 219263 (top right) or FD23803 (bottom right).
The guest bedroom is wallpapered in Resene Wallpaper Collection E367013. When paired with a few pops of boldly coloured soft furnishings and balanced with natural elements like the rattan shade and timber side table, the pattern feels calming. Try bringing in accessories in Resene Turbo, Resene Jalapeno, Resene Meditation, Resene Wishing Well and Resene Grey Area to create a similar colour palette.
A fun geometric floral pattern adds visual texture and interest at the end of the hallway through Resene Wallpaper Collection 96122-2. The wall at the left is in Resene Eighth Friar Grey, the skirting boards are in Resene Eighth Ash and the ceiling is in Resene Double Alabaster. While this wallpaper design is from an older collection, for a similar vibe, look to other geometric patterns like Resene Wallpaper Collection 34124-2 (top right), 34244-4 (middle right) or E367037 (bottom right).
Maggie and Hugh papered the accent wall of the playroom in Resene Wallpaper Collection 94125-3 (top) combined with Resene Wallpaper Collection 96124-3 (bottom). It’s a bold and creative design that can inspire and excite young minds. The adjoining wall is painted in Resene Rice Cake. These designs are from an older wallpaper collection – for a similar look, try Resene Wallpaper Collection LL3207 (top right) or 30260-1 (bottom right).
The bathroom carries a minimalist look with simple silhouettes and neutral colours. The ceiling is painted Resene Double Alabaster and the door is in Resene Eighth Ash.
Built in 2018, Hugh and Maggie’s exterior cladding is painted in aptly named Resene Quarter Ironsand with Resene Quarter Stonehenge used for the garage and setback section.
images Maggie Hsieh
Maggie and Hugh put a retro twist on a Scandi-inspired interior
Located down a suburban street in west Auckland sits a handsome new property. Built in 2018, the two-storey home’s exterior is wrapped in dark and moody weatherboard cladding with timber accents and stands in striking contrast from the others that sit along the same road in Whenuapai. But beyond its grand double door frontage, the interior is dramatically different. Homeowners Hugh Xiu and Maggie Hsieh have painted it in a light and fresh Resene paint palette paired with eclectic pops of colour and playful patterns from the Resene Wallpaper Collection.
For Hugh, a construction project manager, and Maggie, a graphic designer turned full-time mum, the house has been tailored to suit the specific needs of their growing family. They sought to create a home that would be both modern and practical in a way that embraces their love of Scandi design and retro-contemporary furnishings, adding just a touch of rustic/industrial detailing.
“We have always wanted to build and design a home to suit our family needs,” Maggie says. “This meant incorporating a playroom for the kids, as well as large, open spaces for the main living areas.
The couple ended up with an open-plan kitchen/dining/living space painted in a warm neutral palette complemented by true whites and sunny accent hues to enable the space to at once feel light and light-hearted, spacious yet cosy.
Maggie says that she knew she wanted a vintage style kitchen that had both retro and modern elements which could then be complemented with warm colours.
The kitchen walls, painted Resene Eighth Friar Grey, add softness and warmth to balance out the starker Resene Mercury cabinetry and white benchtops while Resene Half Hammerhead on the kitchen island adds a point of difference and anchors the space. Blonde timber accents are carried throughout with open shelving, the ventilation enclosure above the range – a hue that is echoed through the rattan bar stool seats and the coloured glass pendant lamp shades – and keep the eye moving throughout the space. The darker timber table and light fixture balance each other out and provide the space with ample contrast, but it’s the sunny yellow dining chairs that really make the space shine.
‘White meets bold meets blonde’ is a combination that’s particularly common in Swedish design. A neutral base palette combined with simple, practical furnishings allows for vibrant hues and graphic patterns to be introduced by impermanent means, generally through soft furnishings and accessories that can be swapped in and out as desired. It’s this fearless yet intentional use of colour that infuses these sorts of spaces with both personality and versatility and makes them a perfect choice for young families.
Mixing and matching patterns is another marker of Scandi design influence, and this free-spirited nature is especially evident in the children’s playroom. The accent wall is in a combination of Resene Wallpaper Collection 96125-3 (top) and 96124-3 (bottom). The pair set the stage for an energetic and dynamic environment primed for play and developing young minds. These designs are from an older wallpaper collection – for a similar look, try Resene Wallpaper Collection LL3207 or 30260-1. Soothing neutral adjoining walls in Resene Rice Cake soften the primary colours and keep the designs from overwhelming.
In the guest bedroom, Maggie and Hugh chose Resene Wallpaper Collection E367013 for the feature wall – a whimsical grey and white dandelion print that allows for other colours and patterns to be layered on top through soft furnishings.
But in the master bedroom, Maggie chose Resene Wallpaper Collection DR6308 for the accent wall. The cloud-like print of the wallpaper induces a sense of calm ideal for a restful sleeping space. Maggie paired the design with a myriad of textures and warm colours achieved in the soft furnishings, as well as statement lighting.
“I really loved using Resene paints and wallpaper throughout our home,” Maggie says. “I like how even the neutral paint colours have warm undertones ensure the spaces feel relaxing. They’ve been perfect for creating the design and style we wanted for our home.”
Published: 11 Sep 2019
Do you have a home full of wonderful Resene paint and colour? Send us some snaps by emailing [email protected].
The ceiling is in Resene Double Alabaster and the skirting boards and architraves are in Resene Eighth Ash. To bring a similar yellow into your dining space, paint chairs in Resene Turbo.
Hugh and Maggie created contrast in their kitchen both through colours and textures. The walls are painted Resene Eighth Friar Grey, the cabinetry is in Resene Mercury, the island is in Resene Half Hammerhead and the ceiling is in Resene Double Alabaster.
Ample cupboard and drawer space in the kitchen helps to keep the young family organised. The cabinetry is painted Resene Mercury, the kitchen island is painted Resene Half Hammerhead, the wall is in Resene Eighth Friar Grey and the ceiling is in Resene Double Alabaster.
Yellow and rattan details provide continuity throughout the living and kitchen/dining areas. The walls are in Resene Eighth Friar Grey, the trims are in Resene Eighth Ash and the ceiling is in Resene Double Alabaster.
Hugh and Maggie’s restful looking master bedroom is papered in Resene Wallpaper Collection DR6308 to create a sense of calm. When paired with a door and skirting boards in Resene Eighth Ash, a ceiling in Resene Double Alabaster and textured soft furnishings, the room becomes a haven to enable Maggie and Hugh to unwind at the end of a long day. While this wallpaper design is from an older collection, you can get a similar look with Resene Wallpaper Collection 219263 (top right) or FD23803 (bottom right).
The guest bedroom is wallpapered in Resene Wallpaper Collection E367013. When paired with a few pops of boldly coloured soft furnishings and balanced with natural elements like the rattan shade and timber side table, the pattern feels calming. Try bringing in accessories in Resene Turbo, Resene Jalapeno, Resene Meditation, Resene Wishing Well and Resene Grey Area to create a similar colour palette.
A fun geometric floral pattern adds visual texture and interest at the end of the hallway through Resene Wallpaper Collection 96122-2. The wall at the left is in Resene Eighth Friar Grey, the skirting boards are in Resene Eighth Ash and the ceiling is in Resene Double Alabaster. While this wallpaper design is from an older collection, for a similar vibe, look to other geometric patterns like Resene Wallpaper Collection 34124-2 (top right), 34244-4 (middle right) or E367037 (bottom right).
Maggie and Hugh papered the accent wall of the playroom in Resene Wallpaper Collection 94125-3 (top) combined with Resene Wallpaper Collection 96124-3 (bottom). It’s a bold and creative design that can inspire and excite young minds. The adjoining wall is painted in Resene Rice Cake. These designs are from an older wallpaper collection – for a similar look, try Resene Wallpaper Collection LL3207 (top right) or 30260-1 (bottom right).
The bathroom carries a minimalist look with simple silhouettes and neutral colours. The ceiling is painted Resene Double Alabaster and the door is in Resene Eighth Ash.
Built in 2018, Hugh and Maggie’s exterior cladding is painted in aptly named Resene Quarter Ironsand with Resene Quarter Stonehenge used for the garage and setback section.
images Maggie Hsieh
Resene Quarter Stonewashed
Resene Quarter Stonewashed
Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Eighth Friar Grey
Resene Eighth Friar Grey
Resene Quarter Ironsand
Resene Quarter Ironsand
Resene Half Hammerhead
Resene Half Hammerhead
Resene Quarter Stonehenge
Resene Quarter Stonehenge
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 Quarter Stonewashed
Resene Quarter Stonewashed
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Resene Eighth Friar Grey
Resene Eighth Friar Grey
Resene Quarter Ironsand
Resene Quarter Ironsand
Resene Half Hammerhead
Resene Half Hammerhead
Resene Quarter Stonehenge
Resene Quarter Stonehenge
the look
If you're stuck on what
colour to use or need colour
advice, try out the Resene
Ask a Colour Expert service.
