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Shadowclad and decorative blockwork painted a rusty red (Resene Red Pepper), paired with pergolas and deck balustrades in Resene All Black and black True Oak Corrugate metal.
A superb covered outdoor living space now opens wide from the kitchen and dining area. The cladding is in Resene Red Pepper and the kitchen area is in Resene Rice Paper.
The outdoor living space during the day, showing rope wrapped around the steel posts to soften them. The cladding is in Resene Red Pepper and the kitchen area is in Resene Rice Paper.
Mark’s team transforms a muddled 80s house
This was a home of two halves. On the inside, the muddled and fragmented layout meant you walked straight into the living room, and the dining room blocked access to the sunny garden.
On the outside, it was a plain plaster box, lacking in character and charm.
Built in the 1980s, the house was in need of major refurbishment and a fresh new Resene colour scheme.
Owners Orchid and Stuart sought out the talent and expertise of the team at Creative Arch, headed up by designer Mark McLeay. Their brief revolved around resolving the fragmented floor plan of the existing house, and breaking up the simple rectangular exterior form. They wanted a more open house with a large kitchen and good flow to the garden, which could cater for large family gatherings.
Creative Arch tell us more:
What was your overall design philosophy?
The philosophy was to maximise the outdoor space available and make it readily accessible from all points in the house. We wanted the spaces to be more logically arranged, and to bring communal spaces closer together.
How do your design and colour choices respond to the client’s brief?
In order to improve the performance of the exterior cladding, the existing plaster was replaced with a thoughtful combination of contrasting materials: Shadowclad painted a rusty red (Resene Red Pepper), paired with pergolas and deck balustrades in Resene All Black and black True Oak Corrugate metal.
The new kitchen used earthy colours to relate to the outdoor spaces. Skylights set into the pergola ceiling considerably lightens the kitchen and dining areas with natural light.
Rope has been wrapped around the external columns as a feature to add interest and texture, but also to soften the impact of the precise black steel rafters and corrugate cladding.
What Resene colours were used, and what inspired those choices?
Resene Red Pepper gives a rich and bold entrance to the home. Inside, the walls are in Resene Finch for the living room and kitchen, with Resene Rice Paper for the dining room. These light greens accentuate the natural light and enhance the light and airy feel to the new rooms.
The greens lighten as you get closer to the eastern garden, helping to form a transitional procession of colours from inside to out.
What part of the design are you most happy with?
The most successful part of the design is the seamless transition between the lounge, dining, kitchen, and external pergola area. Compared to the original floor plan, the new home makes a lot more sense and has stronger indoor/outdoor flow. We are confident that the alterations have transformed the way the house is occupied.
It creates a fantastic free-flowing, open space, great for entertaining and for the large family to eat and relax together. The spaces are defined by a strong materiality with a natural color palette.
What was the biggest design challenge for this project?
The biggest challenge in this design was the limited budget. It played a significant part in the decision-making.
Designers: Mark McLeay and Sarah Buckley, Creative Arch
Builder: Ken Wilson Builders
Photography: Mark Scowen
Published: 14 Jul 2016
Do you have a home full of wonderful Resene paint and colour? Send us some snaps by emailing [email protected].
Shadowclad and decorative blockwork painted a rusty red (Resene Red Pepper), paired with pergolas and deck balustrades in Resene All Black and black True Oak Corrugate metal.
Another view of the exterior showing more of the Resene Red Pepper cladding. The deck balustrade is in Resene All Black.
The new entry is much better defined with a smart new front door, a decorative laser cut window hanging and walls in Resene Finch.
The two greens (Resene Finch in the background and Resene Rice Paper in the kitchen) provide a visual link to the outdoors.
A sophisticated retro flavour flows throughout the house in furniture and fittings. The walls in the living room are Resene Finch.
A superb covered outdoor living space now opens wide from the kitchen and dining area. The cladding is in Resene Red Pepper and the kitchen area is in Resene Rice Paper.
The outdoor living space during the day, showing rope wrapped around the steel posts to soften them. The cladding is in Resene Red Pepper and the kitchen area is in Resene Rice Paper.
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If you're stuck on what
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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.
