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Bridget and Tim used Resene Sonyx 101 semi-gloss waterborne paint tinted to Resene Pumice for their matai weatherboards. The window facings were added recently to enhance the period character of the exterior and camouflage the aluminium joinery which had been added in the 1990s. The window facings and sills and other trims are painted in Resene Sea Fog . The front door and concrete foundation are painted in Resene Porter.
Bridget and Tim completed the painting of the exterior over several weekends, dividing the project into sections so they could finish the job. They painted the north and west sides of the house in spring before the summer sun hit. The weatherboards are painted in Resene Sonyx 101 tinted to Resene Pumice, the trims are Resene Lustacryl tinted to Resene Sea Fog and the front door and foundation are Resene Porter to match the COLORSTEEL® roof in Thunder Grey.
Before: The run down villa was originally painted in white but was lost on the landscape. Bridget and Tim dedicated hours of time and many weekends into returning the house to its former glory.
The entranceway is Bridget’s favourite transformation. The couple raised the ceiling to its original height and restored period features such as corbels and a replica ceiling rose and these period features are accentuated with Resene Black White . The front door had its yellow glass replaced with clear panes and the door is painted in Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss tinted to Resene Porter.
The lounge has its original bay window and ceiling rose. The room has a 3.6m stud and the size is accentuated with Resene Black White used on the walls, trims and ceiling.
The kitchen is painted in Resene SpaceCote Kitchen & Bathroom, tinted to Resene Black White . This durable waterborne paint is ideal for wet areas. Pair it with blonde or whitewashed flooring such as Resene Colorwood Natural or Resene Colorwood Whitewash, protected with Resene Qristal ClearFloor.
Resene Black White in the guest bedroom is a great blank canvas for the new owners. Bridget softened the space with blush pink tones. Add your own blush pink accents by painting accessories like frames and ornaments in Resene Pearl Bush, Resene Quarter Joss or Resene Soothe.
Renovation of dilapidated villa is a master class in how to use neutral paint colours
When Bridget and Tom bought their grand old villa on top of a sunny hill in Whanganui it was never intended to be their forever home. Instead, they planned to renovate the 1904 home to sell as a form of income for their family. The house needed to be a blank canvas for the future owners but that didn’t mean they didn’t pour tonnes of love - and Resene paint - into transforming the dilapidated building into a home its future owners would cherish.
“We had a strict rule: we can fall in love with the house, but we were never allowed to move in. This grand old lady gets her makeover then she gets sold,” says Bridget. Although the home needed to be a clean slate for the new owners, Bridget and Tom put a lot of thought into the neutrals they chose for the renovation. When they bought the house, the exterior was plain white, but it didn’t do the home justice.
“We wanted something that was light and fresh but wanted to steer away from the same white as it did nothing for the overall appearance of the house. Being a very big house when it was totally white it looked lost and ungrounded,” says Bridget.
Inspired by other examples of villas with green tones and white detailing, they opted for Resene Sonyx 101 tinted to Resene Pumice for the main weatherboards.
“Resene Pumice has a hint of green which brought a lot of life to the villa,” says Bridget. She paired it with grey-toned white, Resene Sea Fog on the soffits and trims and Resene Porter for the front door and foundation. After a century of occupation, many of the home’s period features had been changed or altered through renovations over the years. The original window architraves, sills and facings had been replaced with aluminum joinery. Bridget and Tom added false facings and sills to the aluminum joinery which were painted with Resene Sea Fog to make the home look more era appropriate.
“We wanted to go for a contemporary feel with a tip of the hat to the original detailing of the era." Painting the exterior of the four home was a huge job which they squeezed into weekends as Tom works as a builder during the week and Bridget who is a recently qualified interior designer, is busy looking after their kids Charlie (3) and Indy (1). “The biggest and most time-consuming part of the job was the exterior painting. The house had lacked love for a few decades but luckily it had not deteriorated too much. Thankfully, solid heart Matai weatherboards can take years of hardship without compromising their integrity.
“We started on Labour weekend and we broke the work into sections. We were able to use cloudy weather to get the north and west faces done before the full impact of summer hit. By the time summer was in full force we only had the east and south faces to contend with. Keeping out of the direct sun is the number one rule for exterior decorating”
Inside the couple used the help of John and Maurice Currin of Craftsman Painters in Whanganui who recommended they keep it simple by using Resene Black White for all of the rooms, varying the type of paint to suit its purpose. In the kitchen and bathroom they used Resene SpaceCote Kitchen & Bathroom, a waterborne paint with added anti-bacterial silver and Resene MoulDefender, ideal for wet areas. For the trims, cornices and architraves they used Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss waterborne enamel.
In an effort to retain the era appropriate character of the home, the couple restored the original character in the entranceway. When they bought the house, the entrance and hall had a lowered Pinex ceiling and tiny archway doors to the living area and hallway. Bridget and Tom removed the arches and knocked down a wall to open the entrance up to the living room and raised the ceiling back up to its original 3.6m height. Plastercraft 2000 in Auckland made corbels (a structural bracket often jutting from the corner of a building) and ornate cornices for the hallway and NBC supplied an elegant polystyrene ceiling rose for the area. Resene Black White, a bright white with a hint of black, accentuates these period details.
“Resene Black White appealed to us to enhance the classic features of the villa as well as keeping it bright and modern,” says Bridget. “Resene Black White also shadows nicely for the detailed cornices and ceiling roses. Our natural oak laminate flooring and grey carpet also works well with it.”
The yellow glass in the front door was changed to a clear cathedral glass which brought in light into the home. The kauri front door painted in Resene Lustacryl tinted to Resene Porter was the finishing touch.
After nine months of solid decorating the couple are excited to have the home on the market and have earned a well-earned holiday – not that the active duo is taking it too easy. They are planning on doing one of the Great Walks, with a little rest thrown in.
“We are going to reward our hard work by taking a luxury walk of the Queen Charlotte Walkway in the Marlborough Sounds staying at beautiful inspiring lodges along the way. And what’s more, our bags get taken to the next lodge by boat, now that’s a great reward.”
Top tip:Resene Sonyx 101 is a durable and stylish waterborne exterior paint. The semi-gloss finish will help enhance and protect your home’s good looks, while still providing superior toughness, durability and adhesion. It’s also available in Resene CoolColours ideal for dark colours that are the most susceptible to heat build-up.
Bridget and Tom’s villa is currently for sale: See the listing at 27 Marybank Road, Marybank, Whanganui, Manawatu / Whanganui (trademe.co.nz)
Bridget and Tom used Resene Sonyx 101 semi-gloss waterborne paint tinted to Resene Pumice for their matai weatherboards. The window facings were added recently to enhance the period character of the exterior and camouflage the aluminium joinery which had been added in the 1990s. The window facings and sills and other trims are painted in Resene Sea Fog. The front door and concrete foundation are painted in Resene Porter.
Bridget and Tom completed the painting of the exterior over several weekends, dividing the project into sections so they could finish the job. They painted the north and west sides of the house in spring before the summer sun hit. The weatherboards are painted in Resene Sonyx 101 tinted to Resene Pumice, the trims are Resene Lustacryl tinted to Resene Sea Fog and the front door and foundation are Resene Porter to match the COLORSTEEL® roof in Thunder Grey.
Before: The run down villa was originally painted in white but was lost on the landscape. Bridget and Tom dedicated hours of time and many weekends into returning the house to its former glory.
The entranceway is Bridget’s favourite transformation. The couple raised the ceiling to its original height and restored period features such as corbels and a replica ceiling rose and these period features are accentuated with Resene Black White . The front door had its yellow glass replaced with clear panes and the door is painted in Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss tinted to Resene Porter.
The lounge has its original bay window and ceiling rose. The room has a 3.6m stud and the size is accentuated with Resene Black White used on the walls, trims and ceiling.
The kitchen is painted in Resene SpaceCote Kitchen & Bathroom, tinted to Resene Black White . This durable waterborne paint is ideal for wet areas. Pair it with blonde or whitewashed flooring such as Resene Colorwood Natural or Resene Colorwood Whitewash, protected with Resene Qristal ClearFloor.
Resene Black White in the guest bedroom is a great blank canvas for the new owners. Bridget softened the space with blush pink tones. Add your own blush pink accents by painting accessories like frames and ornaments in Resene Pearl Bush, Resene Quarter Joss or Resene Soothe.
Published: 13 Apr 2022
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