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A Southern Highlands stunner
05 Jun 2025
There’s something undeniably charming about this Southern Highlands home. It’s the kind of place that makes you want to swan around in a silk robe, sipping tea and pretending you’re…
Paint it Green: Hue knew your home could look this good?
05 Jun 2025
Once the colour of avocado bathrooms and shag carpet, green has well and truly shed its retro skin. Now it’s one of the most versatile shades in home design –…
Home as art: Walls that double as a canvas
29 May 2025
In the world of home design, walls are no longer just backdrops, they’re becoming canvases for self-expression, creativity and bold design. From vibrant murals to intricate special finishes, the possibilities…
A cosy Ruapehu home
29 May 2025
When Mike and Diana decided to build their dream home in the Ruapehu District, they turned to Resene to help them bring their modern, contemporary vision to life. Their stunning…
Make your rental your own: Interior designer Vanya Wilkinson shows us how it’s done
22 May 2025
When Vanya Wilkinson signed the lease on a small 1800s workingman's cottage in Auckland’s Freemans Bay the tired matte cream paintwork and worn surfaces might have put off most renters.…
Paint it P.I.N.K. to support the Breast Cancer Foundation NZ
15 May 2025
Breast cancer effects one in nine New Zealand women but is most treatable when it’s found early. The Breast Cancer Foundation relies entirely on donations from the New Zealand public,…
Samson House: Hues of heritage
15 May 2025
When it comes to blending history with modern luxury, few homes do it as effortlessly as Samson House in Ōtepoti, Dunedin. With its clever design that nods to the past…
Castlecore: A regal take on home interiors
08 May 2025
It’s easy to see how the allure of castles and palaces, with their opulent charm and timeless grandeur, finds its way into home design. Castlecore is a style inspired by…
How Resene Lemon Grass transformed this home into a bush retreat
08 May 2025
One of Resene's most peaceful and dynamic greens has brought a new sense of life into this once-dated 1980s coastal retreat. Now a serene sanctuary for a family of six…
Our top five bathroom picks that don’t play it safe with white
01 May 2025
While white bathrooms have long reigned supreme in the world of interiors, there’s a colourful revolution bubbling away behind closed doors – and we’re here for it. Whether it’s moody…
The art of joy: Designing a home that smiles back
23 Apr 2025
As the days get shorter and the weather turns grey, our homes become more than just a place to retreat – they become our daily dose of sunshine. Creating a…
A sea breeze of colour: Where light, warmth and the coast meet at home
23 Apr 2025
This petite yet personality-packed home may sit modestly on a small coastal site, but step inside and you’ll find it brimming with light, clever details – and a Resene colour…
Beneath the mountain’s gaze: A home built for the view and the future
10 Apr 2025
Architect Sophie Bishop has brought a dark and moody dream home to life at the foot of Maungarei, Mount Wellington, using bold Resene colours in a design that embraces its…
Berry beautiful: Inspiring hues to sweeten your space
10 Apr 2025
Berry-inspired hues bring a luscious richness to home interiors, offering a colour palette that feels both comforting and dramatic. From the deep, moody tones of blackberries to the juicy brightness…
The secret to a sophisticated home? A little moody magic!
01 Apr 2025
Some homes whisper, while others make a statement. This 1990s house, once cold and uninspired, has been transformed into a warm, stylish retreat thanks to the expertise of Oliver Myles…
A home designed with heart, soul and just the right shades of colour
27 Mar 2025
When homeowners Lynn and Keith embarked on their first new build, they were excited but also overwhelmed by the challenge of incorporating their diverse collection of furniture and art into…
Pattern play: Elevate your home with these unique paint and wallpaper ideas
18 Mar 2025
Patterns and textures have the power to transform a space, adding depth, personality and a sense of style to interiors. Whether bold or subtle, geometric or organic, patterned walls can…
A playful palette: 70s meets modern in this home makeover
12 Mar 2025
For Christy and Simon, giving their home a refresh wasn’t just about updating the look – it was about reimagining the space entirely. With a modern 70s-inspired vision, the couple…
A colourful comeback for a 1970s townhouse
05 Mar 2025
Huddled in a row of 18 dual townhouses built in 1972, Ann’s home is a charming example of 1970s design, refreshed with charming neutrals and the gorgeous blue of Resene…
A grand revival: Bringing a historic gem back to life
27 Feb 2025
When Ryan and Nadine first laid eyes on their future home, it was more of a time capsule than a house – except the time capsule had been left open…
In the wild: A home that echoes its alpine surroundings
20 Feb 2025
In the heart of Wanaka’s alpine region, this beautifully designed home is a true reflection of its stunning surroundings, brought to life with carefully chosen Resene paints and the skilful…
The artful home of Rachel Rush
12 Feb 2025
When Rachel and Graham set out to build their dream home, they had one goal in mind: to make a vision they both shared a reality. With a love for…
A fresh coat of charm: Breathing new life into a Wellington gem
04 Feb 2025
Sitting proudly in the hills of Melrose, Wellington, is a home that effortlessly blends heritage charm with modern-day comfort. Basking in all-day sun and overlooking breathtaking views, this 1930s beauty…
The southern charm of Silky Oak Ranch
30 Jan 2025
When Susanne and her family moved into their mid-1990s colonial-style home in Palmerston North, it was clear they’d found something special. Resting on a picturesque 5-acre lifestyle block, the house,…
Need some kitchen inspiration? Check out our top five designs
22 Jan 2025
Whether you're drawn to moody tones, soft greens or neutral palettes, these top kitchen designs showcase creative and inspiring ways to use Resene paints and wood stains. You have everything…
A palette of personality: Becka’s 1970s home makeover
15 Jan 2025
Nestled in the charm of 1970s design, Becka’s home is a celebration of light, colour and personality. With its unique architectural features – wall arches, wood panelling, a grand arch…
Heritage meets modern: Inside a remarkable villa makeover in Kingsland
08 Jan 2025
Once a derelict student flat teetering on the edge of demolition, this Kingsland villa has been transformed into a luxurious family home, thanks to the vision and expertise of Jess…
Higgs Rest: A rustic retreat with eclectic charm
17 Dec 2024
Nestled in the tranquil countryside of Spring Grove, Higgs Rest is the perfect blend of rustic charm and modern elegance. After living in the property on and off for the…
Living the French dream: A colourful heritage home makeover
12 Dec 2024
Dreaming of a space that felt rustic yet stylish, and filled with personality, a family of four set out to transform their 1920s bungalow in Auckland into a blend of…
From retro to refined: A modern refresh for a 1970s home
05 Dec 2024
When it comes to transforming a dated home into a modern masterpiece, the colour scheme truly steals the show in this inspired project. Interior designer Stacy Middleton from Studio Reno…
A bold celebration of black in home design
28 Nov 2024
Black is more than a colour – it’s a cultural statement. From the iconic All Blacks to our love for monochrome fashion, we’ve embraced the beauty and boldness of black.…
From blank walls to bold statements: Alisha’s vision for a happy and restorative home
28 Nov 2024
After the trials of the pandemic and raising four preschoolers, Alisha found herself in need of a creative outlet. When her tenant vacated her cosy one-bedroom rental in Palmerston North,…
Pastels, playrooms and personality: A family home full of heart
20 Nov 2024
It’s clear Resene paint has played a starring role in making each space of this home feel warm, inviting and perfectly suited for family life. Each room in this wonderful…
A colonial home with a modern twist
13 Nov 2024
The past and present converge effortlessly in this colonial-inspired home. The home’s muted palette draws directly from nature, showcasing Resene’s versatile shades to create a tranquil atmosphere.
Interior designer Georgie Inglis…
A playful haven of creativity and efficiency
07 Nov 2024
If you’ve always wanted to make your home unique, and do it on a budget, then this one is for you. This house uses pops of Resene colour and charming…
Serenity and sophistication: Transforming a Bellevue Hill home with thoughtful design
30 Oct 2024
This stunning apartment, located in Bellevue Hill, was recently transformed by the talented team at Marylou Sobel Interior Design, showcasing a seamless blend of elegance and tranquillity. With just one…
Country connections
23 Oct 2024
Harking back to a more relaxed way of living has become more familiar over the past few years. With many choosing to shift to the country away from the hustle…
The charming transformation of a French country home
23 Oct 2024
Tucked among a grove of large trees on a generous 2200m² site, this French country home, originally built in the late 1930s as a farm cottage, boasts unique character and…
A 1940s cottage gets a new life with the perfect colour palette
16 Oct 2024
Interior designer Stacey Gillies and her architect husband purchased a run-down 1940s cottage in Birkenhead, overlooking the Chelsea Sugar Refinery. Despite the home’s state, the city and harbour views made…
Bold and beautiful: A Wellington home bathed in colour
09 Oct 2024
Nestled into the side of a Wellington hill, this stunning multilevel home offers a bold and inviting retreat for its owners, who moved from Sydney and wanted to bring a…
Dressed to impress: Exterior colour done right
02 Oct 2024
When it comes to creating the perfect first impression, the exterior of your home speaks volumes. Whether you’re looking to evoke modern sophistication, vintage charm or classic appeal, the right…
Pastel perfection: The colourful canvas of Bridget’s dream home
02 Oct 2024
Bridget and her family’s 1930’s weatherboard farmhouse in New Plymouth is a celebration of colour and vintage charm. With sweeping 180-degree views of the ocean and Mount Ruapehu in the…
Stunning bathroom and powder room ideas – plus our top tips!
25 Sep 2024
Bathrooms and powder rooms are more than just functional spaces – they’re areas of your home that can make a big design statement. Whether you want a relaxing retreat or…
Restoring the past, reimagining the future: A Christchurch modernist home
25 Sep 2024
Amidst the architectural history of Christchurch, this home is a rare example of the 'Christchurch School' modernist style, designed by the renowned Warren and Mahoney Architects. Recently, this home has…
The art of kitchen colour: Six designs to inspire your dream kitchen
17 Sep 2024
Kitchens are no longer just functional spaces, they’re a canvas for self-expression, where colour brings life to every corner. Whether you’re drawn to timeless neutrals or bold hues, Resene offers…
A timeless transformation: Modernising a traditional bungalow
17 Sep 2024
When interior designer Rose Schwarz of Schwarz Design was invited to revamp a tired bungalow, the brief was clear. The client wanted a fresh look, a new kitchen and a…
The perfect blue hue for each space in your home
11 Sep 2024
The world’s all-time favourite colour, blue, is always relevant. Evocative of the sea and sky, no hue is said to be more relaxing or restful.
This spring you can brighten your…
Christian and Mark’s dream home: An abode of colour and comfort
11 Sep 2024
Christian and Mark, along with their two children Frankie and Lulu, and dog George, have crafted a home that reflects not only their personal style but also the beauty of…
Step inside this revamped 70s brick home
03 Sep 2024
David and Nicola’s two-story 70s brick home was a classic with strong bones, but in dire need of a modern makeover. Using a carefully selected palette of Resene paints, interior…
From gloomy dark to vintage delight: A 1973 unit transformed
27 Aug 2024
Nestled in a peaceful Lower Hutt neighbourhood, Lesley’s home has had a bright and cheery transformation thanks to the nostalgic Resene paint colours she chose. The 1973 two-bedroom unit, built…
Peek inside a 1930s character home that's anything but ordinary
22 Aug 2024
When Erin and Greg first laid eyes on their Timaru home, it was love at first sight. "We knew instantly upon entering that this was our new home," Erin recalls.…
Here comes the sun: See how yellow can brighten your home
15 Aug 2024
What's guaranteed with yellow is the lengths it will go to brighten up your home. And with homes celebrating well-being and self-care like never before, yellow finds its home in…
Shadow play: The innovative design of Dark House
15 Aug 2024
Stepping into the Dark House, you’re immediately enveloped by an atmosphere of subtle sophistication and intricate design. Transformed by Kirsty Fletcher, Giles Lawson and Brenton Weisert from The Rexroth Mannasmann…
Your exclusive view of the latest wallpaper trends and designs
31 Jul 2024
Loads of designs have been added to the Resene Wallpaper Collections and you’re hearing it here first! From bold shapes to classic neutrals and moody sophistication, we know you’ll find something…
Modern elegance meets mid-century charm
31 Jul 2024
A revival for a beloved mid-century family home has created a refreshing and elegant space that still holds true to its roots. The addition of a second floor and the…
Building a dream home in the City of Sails
24 Jul 2024
Helen and Ray recently brought their long-held dream to life when they completed their very own home in the Auckland suburb of Ōrākei. With the plan always to build new…
Turn up the heat this winter with these warm-toned designs
16 Jul 2024
Here we are in mid-July and yes, it’s cold outside! Just the time to introduce warm colours to your home and bring in the sunshine, whatever’s happening outdoors. Whether it’s…
Balancing beauty and functionality with neutrals
16 Jul 2024
Sitting within a new subdivision in West Auckland is a house brought to life by its rich, warm Resene colour palette. A mixture of warm whites, carefully chosen feature walls…
Red-letter days: How to use this rosy shade in your home
10 Jul 2024
Warm, bold, chic or cosy – red can do it all. From glam to retro, bright to burnished, red hues bring personality and style to your interior. And while winter…
Art and soul: A 1910 villa with an unexpected colour scheme
10 Jul 2024
Artist Catherine Robert’s revival of a run-down 1910’s Wellington villa was a labour of love, patience and self-expression. She was intent on injecting love and personality back into the house…
A home among the trees: The innovative design of Bell House
03 Jul 2024
It’s safe to say Christopher’s house in Whitby, Porirua presented the team at Robertson Architects a unique set of challenges and opportunities. Nestled in amongst the tree canopy sits the…
Finding your style: Minimalism vs. Maximalism in home design
26 Jun 2024
Throughout history two contrasting styles have captured the attention of homeowners and designers – minimalist and maximalist. Each offers a unique approach to aesthetics, space and individual expression and it…
Bold colours, rich history: The revival of Christchurch's Money House
26 Jun 2024
Amidst the sleek lines of new apartments in Ōtautahi, Christchurch's rebuilt central city, a charming heritage-listed worker's home stands as a proud reminder of the city's early settlers. Thanks to…
A colour maximalist's dream: Inside a dazzling 1980s home transformation
20 Jun 2024
This architect-designed home, built in 1989 for a Russian client, is a unique treasure where modernism meets brutalism. Although tired and run down, Nadene and Sam, immediately fell in love…
Me, hue, and Duck Egg Blue: How to use this most loved colour in your home
18 Jun 2024
Resene Duck Egg Blue has become a beloved choice for homeowners, gracing interiors with its serene and versatile charm. This sophisticated shade blends hints of blue and green, creating a…
A home fit for the ton: Bridgerton inspired décor ideas
12 Jun 2024
The lavish, Regency-era aesthetic of the popular TV show Bridgerton has captivated viewers around the world, and we must admit, the luxurious patterns, historical hues and delicate pastel tones of…
A Southern Alps chalet designed for a cosy escape
12 Jun 2024
After many years as ski club members at the Porter Heights Ski Club, Mel Fergus and her husband decided to create their very own getaway. At the base of the…
How Resene’s most loved colour made this home a timeless masterpiece
06 Jun 2024
With a harmonious blend of African and Japanese design elements, this home, named the Kauri House, is nestled within one of New Zealand’s lush, native forests. The renovation of this…
A villa transformation: Breathing life into a family home
28 May 2024
With a growing family at hand, these homeowners desperately needed more space, as well as some colour and life injected into their villa. Alongside some structural changes, gentle blues and…
A bold and beautiful mid-century inspired home
21 May 2024
Defying the norms of interior design, this masterpiece, crafted by visionary homeowners Jenny and Paul, showcases a symphony of unique and quirky Resene colours.
Located in Mt Pleasant, Christchurch, every detail…
From past to present: A 1906 home's transformation
14 May 2024
In the Wellington suburb of Brooklyn, a 1906-character home has witnessed the evolution of eras. With time leaving its mark on this incredible dwelling, it was time for a refresh,…
Harmony in neutrals: A modern sanctuary in Christchurch
07 May 2024
Part of a new development in Christchurch, this new build is a charming, light-filled gem painted in timeless Resene neutrals. The mix of various whites and neutrals with earthy tones…
She’s done it again! See how Priyanka has transformed this home into a luxurious sanctuary
01 May 2024
Architectural and interior designer Priyanka Sareen from Home Factor knows just how to create a cosy yet elegant home. Her use of Resene paints continues to wow her clients and this…
Breaking the mould: Inside Emilie and Hugh's colourful home
24 Apr 2024
This is one home that breaks the mould with its exuberant use of colour. Emilie and Hugh’s house is not just a dwelling, but a canvas of vibrant hues and…
A modern, playful take on mid-century design
17 Apr 2024
In the picturesque, North Shore suburb of Takapuna, nestled within a light-filled home, is a vibrant oasis of colour and character. Decorated with an eye for playfulness and a dash…
Warm vs cool: Deciding on the right colour palette for your home
11 Apr 2024
Generally speaking, cool colours are blues, greens and purples, while warm colours are reds, oranges and yellows. However, it is possible to have a cool colour with a warm undertone…
A splash of personality
04 Apr 2024
There's a fine line between creating a space that's visually striking and one that feels like home, but homeowner and interior designer Emma Brown has done just that. Her architecturally…
Organising your clutter: How to create the perfect drop zone
27 Mar 2024
Are you tired of constantly losing track of your keys, phone or even your sanity in the chaos of daily life? Well, fear not! We've got just the solution to…
Embracing nostalgia to build a future
14 Mar 2024
When two homeowners and first-time builders, along with the design team at Box™ set out to create their forever home, what unfolded was not just a structure of bricks and…
A decade of dreams: How love, patience and colour created a forever home
13 Mar 2024
Purchased in 2009, this three-level home nestled on one-and-a-half acres of land has become a true labour of love for its owners.
Carlene Duffy, homeowner and interior designer at Cedar +…
Retirement bliss: How one blue hue transformed this Wellington villa
06 Mar 2024
Once an old villa that had seen many generations of Wellingtonians, both living and flatting, this house was in much need of a spruce up. Now adorned with timeless Resene…
Industrial chic meets cosy elegance
28 Feb 2024
Embodying a flawless blend of loft-style industrialism, traditional cosiness and the Danish concept of Hygge, this new build’s design vision was brought to life with the power of Resene paints…
Get funky with these vintage and retro looks
28 Feb 2024
The appeal of vintage and retro aesthetics continues to endure in home décor, offering a timeless charm that transcends eras. Resene paints and wallpapers provide the perfect canvas to recreate…
Reviving mid-century charm
22 Feb 2024
Renovations are never easy, but when you have plenty of Resene shades at your fingertips, you can create a timeless look that you will cherish for years to come. This…
From generations past to present: Heritage with a contemporary edge
15 Feb 2024
Rooted in family history spanning four generations, the brief for this home was to breathe new life into the residence while maintaining the authenticity of its original architecture. Fresh Resene…
A symphony of colours: Bauhaus inspired makeover in Wellington
05 Feb 2024
Inspired by a woman they had never met, the homeowners of this 1950s home embarked on a colourful journey through time.
Visitors to Ann Shelton and Duncan Munro’s Wellington home often…
A serene villa adorned in timeless greens and whites
31 Jan 2024
A traditional villa with a striking modern extension has found harmony through its combination of Resene greens and whites.
The owners of this serene Auckland villa are hardworking professionals with two…
Te Atatū Peninsula bungalow undergoes a stunning makeover
24 Jan 2024
The interior of this quaint bungalow in Te Atatū Peninsula stood untouched for years until artist Kate Hursthouse took the reins of its transformation. After three years of residing in…
Colour Connection: How to create a harmonious space using colour
24 Jan 2024
How easy it is to fall in love with colour. Who wouldn’t get a mood-boost in a room painted in Resene Outrageous, a bright orange and a dose of pure,…
A kind of blue: See how Resene Bismark transformed this Queensland home
17 Jan 2024
Queensland couple Michael and Amanda bought a home in Brisbane’s Bridgeman Downs, ripped out the carpets, stripped the wallpaper and gave the walls a lick of paint.
18 months later, they…
A rural masterpiece
10 Jan 2024
This interior designer with a love of animals and a master’s in art curated a beautiful palette of Resene whites and neutrals to turn a rambling rural property into a…
An elegant sanctuary that celebrates Wānaka's lush forests
20 Dec 2023
Celebrating the beauty of Wānaka's forestry and mountain peaks, this bespoke home shines as a seamless integration of architectural brilliance and natural inspiration. Adorned in Resene paint colours that draw…
Tis the season: Five festive and stylish ideas for your home
06 Dec 2023
When it comes to decorating your home for Christmas, it doesn’t have to be all traditional green and red with mountains of tinsel. Using some simple tricks and styling ideas,…
Daring to dream in colour: A 1940s state house makeover
06 Dec 2023
In a lovely Wellington neighbourhood stands a 1940s state house, a canvas of history and potential that caught the eye of Emma and Simon. Unfazed by the mish-mashed interior and…
Flex appeal: Create stylish, functional spaces by following the principles of fluid design
28 Nov 2023
They say change is the only constant in life, but as we have all found, the pace of change has steadily increased over the past few years. The pandemic, which…
A symphony of shades: A home transformed by colours, textures and creativity
23 Nov 2023
In early 2018, Logan and Kelly alongside Logan's parent's embarked on a project that transformed their West Auckland section into a vibrant, colourful haven. With the help of interior designer…
A 1980s farmhouse transformed into a modern, award-winning masterpiece
14 Nov 2023
In the picturesque region of Victoria, a remarkable transformation has taken place, breathing new life into a 1980s brown-brick farmhouse that once turned its back on the stunning views the…
Dive into tranquillity: Refreshing blue hues for your bathroom
07 Nov 2023
When it comes to home design, bathrooms often take a back seat to more frequently visited rooms like the kitchen or living room. But, in our quest to create the…
From 1890 to today: A home where the past meets the present in perfect harmony
07 Nov 2023
Located in one of Sydney’s most iconic heritage precincts, this terrace house originally built in the 1890s has been restored and transformed into a contemporary family home with the help…
Warm up your home: Paint it orange for Arthritis NZ
31 Oct 2023
When it comes to decorating your home, paint plays a crucial role in setting the mood and defining your living spaces. Colours have the power to transform any room from…
How Katie Scott transformed this home into a luxurious retreat
01 Nov 2023
In the world of interior design, it's not every day that you get a canvas that's been splashed with beige and a homeowner's wish list that includes 'extraordinary elegance' and…
Wallpaper inspiration: Six trendy looks from new Resene Wallpaper Collections
17 Oct 2023
From subtle neutrals to vibrant colours and extravagant Versace designs, you’re sure to find your dream wallpaper in these collections We’re taking a look at a design from each of…
Elegance in monochrome: The timeless beauty of the ‘mullet’ home
17 Oct 2023
When it comes to their home design, the perfect analogy for Simon and Katrina’s home would be the iconic "business at the front - party at the back." Their beloved…
From historic hotel to home: Neil Finn-House's amazing apartment renovation
10 Oct 2023
Neil Finn-House, CEO of Mitre 10 MEGA in Dunedin, embarked on an exciting journey to transform his 130-square-metre, three-bedroom apartment in Central Dunedin. This apartment, a part of a former…
Designing your perfect home interior using mood boards
04 Oct 2023
Creating the perfect ambiance in your home is a combination of personal style, well selected colour and attention to detail. Mood boards can be an invaluable tool to get you…
A dreamy makeover for an Invercargill villa
04 Oct 2023
The charming city of Invercargill, at the southern tip of New Zealand, boasts a rich history filled with elegant villas that have stood the test of time. One such villa…
A modern twist on a traditional villa
27 Sep 2023
If you've ever wondered what it takes to turn a small three bedroom, one bathroom villa into a modernised four bedroom, three bathroom family haven, then this incredible home transformation…
Transforming your home into a Hamptons retreat
20 Sep 2023
The allure of the Hamptons style is ever enduring in home design, characterised by its breezy, coastal charm and timeless elegance. Achieving this look in your home doesn't have to…
From Tūī's eyes to home design: A nature inspired wonder in Wānaka
20 Sep 2023
Ever wondered how the Tūī bird experiences the world? This designer’s vision of a Wānaka home sought to emulate the world through the eyes of the Tūī in their architectural…
Home sweet blue home: Budget friendly ideas and tips for using blue in home décor
14 Sep 2023
Choosing the right colour palette for your home can be similar to selecting the perfect ingredients for a culinary masterpiece. Each colour has its unique flavour, and when used thoughtfully,…
Elegant and functional: The transformation of a Christchurch home
14 Sep 2023
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.…
Reviving mid-century elegance: A home transformed with timeless shades
30 Aug 2023
Nestled amidst the tree-lined streets in Mt Eden, Auckland, is a 1960s mid-century gem that has undergone a remarkable transformation. Homeowner Amy and her family worked hard to revive the…
Alex Fulton's trendy beach house is bursting with colour and creativity
24 Aug 2023
Driven by her vision for a hip beach barn, Alex Fulton, an admired interior designer, took on the challenge of transforming this once tired and dark space into a vibrant,…
Sunny disposition: How yellow interiors can brighten your home
15 Aug 2023
With Daffodil Day approaching, we thought we would explore this zesty tone and how you can incorporate it into your home. Yellow interiors are a breath of fresh air in…
Splashes of magic: A look inside an out-of-this-world home
15 Aug 2023
Stepping through the doors of Laura and Krispin home in Te Awamutu is an out-of-this-world experience. There’s a ‘moonscape’ in the landing area near the front door (actually, an original…
A 1910 villa with a harmonious blend of traditional and modern
08 Aug 2023
If you love a villa makeover as much as we do, this charming 1910 villa is sure to catch your eye. Painted in stunning Resene neutrals, this home is a…
The enchanting world of flowercore home décor
01 Aug 2023
If you enjoy embracing nature and bringing the outdoors in, this delightful interior design trend is for you. This whimsical style will infuse your home with an aura of tranquillity…
Reviving mid-century: A story of love, paint and perseverance
01 Aug 2023
When Felicity and her husband stumbled upon their dream mid-century home, they knew they had found something special. The house immediately captured their hearts, and they wasted no time in…
Blending tradition and modernity to create a multi-generational home
25 Jul 2023
In the pursuit of creating a harmonious living space for two families residing under one roof, interior designers and husband and wife duo, Madushin and Tehani Amarasekera, embarked on a…
Unleashing the fifth wall: Transforming interiors with painted ceilings
19 Jul 2023
They’re one of the most overlooked parts of the home, but ceilings can be transformative. With thousands of Resene paint colours, you can treat your ceiling as the fifth, and…
Hello sunshine: A bold remodel of a Wellington deco-styled home
19 Jul 2023
Here’s a challenge: Stop smiling as you walk up to Ann and Matt’s home. The exterior is painted in elegant Resene Double Malta, teamed with a front door in Resene…
Red hot interiors: Make a statement with these vibrant décor ideas
11 Jul 2023
The colour red has long been associated with passion, energy and a sense of vibrancy. However, its use in home decor has evolved over the years, offering a range of…
From neglected to coastal chic: The stunning renovation of a Queensland worker's cottage
11 Jul 2023
When Jared and Sarah bought their 1930s home in Burleigh Heads, its mood was anything but coastal chic. The living room featured pink walls and matted, purple carpet; its kitchen…
Seaside elegance: Resene colours bring a Hamptons vibe to this Papamoa Beach home
04 Jul 2023
In the picturesque coastal town of Papamoa Beach, this stunning family home stands as a testament to the seamless integration of colour and design. The expert choice of Resene paint…
A renovation triumph: How love, hard work and Resene colours brought a dream to life
27 Jun 2023
Standing proud on a hill in Paremata, just north of Wellington, is a house that has captured the hearts of its owners, Steve and Melody. Purchased nearly eight years ago…
A breath of fresh air: Restoring charm to a beachside bungalow
22 Jun 2023
Nestled just a few houses from the beach, this charming bungalow owned by Jacquie and Gerard has undergone a remarkable transformation. Built in 1926 with cedar, the original house exuded…
Vibrant and Victorian: The story behind Clarks Beach's charming historic home
13 Jun 2023
If there was ever a home with a story to tell, it’s this one! Situated in Clarks Beach, Hayley and Chris love their 640 square metre Victorian beauty that sits…
Captivating character: An Auckland home showcasing the essence of South Island living
07 Jun 2023
Nestled in the picturesque town of Riverhead, a stunning home designed by Hoxha Bailey Architects, in collaboration with clients Denise and Brett, stands as a testament to the couple’s shared…
An enchanting 114-year-old villa transformation: From tired to timeless
30 May 2023
Amber and John’s Christchurch home has a youthful glow. The 114-year-old double-bay villa is resplendent with thistle-detailed cornices and blooming ceiling roses, a timeless quality not lost on the couple,…
Inside the home of stylist extraordinaire Shelley Ferguson: A budget-friendly transformation
23 May 2023
You may know Shelley Ferguson for many things, including her appearance on TV shows like TV3’s The Block NZ, her skills as an award-winning stylist and even her role as…
An office transformed into a beautiful and functional family home
17 May 2023
When Tina and her family saw their now home advertised on Trade Me as an office, they saw potential right away. Upon viewing the structure, Tina immediately felt that she…
Cabincore chic: How to achieve the look without going full rustic
17 May 2023
Romanticising the idea of living in a cabin or a cottage in the woods, away from the hustle and bustle of city life, cabincore is characterised by a focus on…
Hamptons meets the countryside: A winning combination for this converted barn house
10 May 2023
Amalia and Matt bought a barn shed in 2014 with a vision to transform it into a modern Hamptons style barn house. Using bold greys like Resene Ironsand and gentle…
Beyond the ordinary: A home adorned in bold colours
04 May 2023
Homeowners Jon and Natasha wanted a home that was exciting, spacious and social, with pops of bold colour throughout. With a joint effort from kitchen designer Alison (Ali) Withers and…
Tiny tots, big designs: Interior ideas for kids' rooms
04 May 2023
When it comes to designing a child's bedroom, there are endless possibilities to create a fun and functional space that both you and your little one will love. Whether you're…
The royal treatment: Luxurious decorating ideas for your home
26 Apr 2023
Leading up to the King’s coronation we have put together some royal inspired interior looks to fit the mood. This style is often characterised by its luxurious and ornate features…
See the colours that made this ex-rental a bright and brilliant home
26 Apr 2023
With the housing market booming, the cost to buy new was above Krystal and Michael Brown’s price range, so they thought outside the box and found an ex-rental property to…
Reviving a traditional bungalow: An elegant and timeless design for a Ponsonby home
19 Apr 2023
As with many older homes, especially those that haven’t been renovated in over 50 years, there are often unforeseen hurdles. Interior designer, Katie Scott, doesn’t let this stop her creating…
Nature's moody hues: A home that reflects its alpine surroundings
13 Apr 2023
Architectural and interior designer at Home Factor, Priyanka Sareen, has done it again. With an array of soft and bold Resene paint colours, she drew inspiration from the natural environment…
A modern twist on a 1930s bungalow: Mid-century meets Hollywood glam
04 Apr 2023
In this home revisited, we saw a couple who had moved back from San Francisco where they lived in a very colourful home. Homeowners Mel and Joe wanted to ensure…
Simple scheme, broad appeal: A brick and weatherboard home transformed
29 Mar 2023
When this 1960s brick and weatherboard home was bought by owner Tom, it lacked the character and charm it deserved. Seeking help from interior designer Kate Alexander, fresh Resene neutrals…
From aging wood to wonderfully bright, this Lockwood home got its style back
22 Mar 2023
Built in 1993 to what was a standard design at the time, this Lockwood home in Napier was in desperate need of a makeover. Owners, Tracey and Kevin Richardson loved…
A labour of love: Restoring charm to a neglected villa
15 Mar 2023
This delightful Wellington villa had been through two major renovations before Russell and Anna Allen bought it. However, some years of ‘deferred maintenance’ from the previous owner meant the couple…
From disrepair to dream home: Rachel Covey transforms a forgotten house
08 Mar 2023
Nestled in a quiet suburb in Dunedin, this home stands tall and proud looking out over the valley it sits upon. Saved from the brink of disrepair, interior designer Rachel…
A new build with old-world charm
02 Mar 2023
When David and Kirsty Wraight built their 1910-style Marlborough villa, they wanted it to exude old-world charm with hints of modern design. Resene Kensington Grey was chosen for the exterior,…
A 100-year-old villa restored with modern charm
22 Feb 2023
With a history of more than 100 years, this quaint villa in sunny Nelson deserved more than its once trendy ’70s’ style décor. Barbara Lawson, interior designer and owner of…
Industrial chic: A balance of form and function
21 Feb 2023
With its unique blend of rugged and refined elements, the industrial chic design has gained popularity in recent years. With its roots in the factories and warehouses of the 19th…
Effortless elegance: A home in timeless neutrals
15 Feb 2023
White and neutral interiors are always a popular choice in our homes. They create a calm, serene, and timeless feel, making it a popular choice for those who prefer a…
Cape Cod meets modern industrial in this stunning seaside home
08 Feb 2023
Nestled behind the sand dunes of Papamoa, this contemporary two-story new-build soaks up the ever-changing seascape and coastline. With a mix of delicate and bold Resene paint colours, interior designer…
Colourful ideas for your kitchen and dining space
08 Feb 2023
Not everyone has the time or funds to take on a full kitchen or dining makeover, but luckily there are heaps of creative ways you can freshen up these areas…
70s home makeover with an earthy colour scheme
02 Feb 2023
When Lisa and Toby Morse purchased their home, the back of two 1970s units in Merivale several years ago, it was dated, tired and overgrown. With the help of some…
6 ways to make the most of small spaces
25 Jan 2023
Do you find yourself walking past a dull corner or room in your house and wonder what you can do with such a small space? Or perhaps you have a…
Christy and Simon’s dream home in St Clair
25 Jan 2023
Buying a house can be tricky, especially when you can’t find one that ticks off everything on your dream home checklist. Seeking a specific design and layout to complement their…
Nordic themed home inspired by the many shades of Wānaka
18 Jan 2023
The ever changing colours of Lake Wānaka and the surrounding mountains inspired architectural and interior designer Priyanka Sareen to design this alpine retreat. Resene had just the colours for her…
Top stories for 2022: From restored villas to blue-themed rooms and inspiring neutrals, these are our most-popular reads this year
20 Dec 2022
As the year draws to a close, it’s time to revisit habitat readers’ most read stories of 2022. From villa makeovers to a whimsical gingerbread home and tips for trying…
A coastal home with a creative neutral palette is renovated on time and under budget
19 Dec 2022
There’s a pocket on the eastern-most coast of Auckland where the weather is a law unto itself. Rain can be pummelling the farmland two kilometres away, while these coastal residents…
Home on the go: Saskia and Mike’s caravan for homecoming summers
14 Dec 2022
Saskia Thornton and Mike Eastwood spend most of their year in Amsterdam but when they come home to New Zealand they enjoy summer in the most Kiwi of ways.
The couple…
A landscape designer has found her peace in the gentle green space between bush and sea
19 Dec 2022
It’s impossible to count the many different shades of green that appear in Claire Talbot’s garden. It’s a kaleidoscope, the likes of which appear only on Resene colour charts. Painters…
A Hamptons themed tiny home designed by lady tradies creates affordable luxury
08 Dec 2022
In a world obsessed with bigger is better, tiny can be truly beautiful. Two women are on a mission to find a solution to the housing affordability issues and their…
Blushing with pride, interior stylist Amber Armitage has a modern take on classic Kiwi bach colours
01 Dec 2022
During the uncertainty of the pandemic, Amber Armitage knew one thing for certain when she saw a real estate listing for a home in Mangawhai - she had to buy…
Rural bliss: Canterbury family’s take on French country classic
23 Nov 2022
Shane and Ashley’s Leeston home is a picture of calm – however if the dreamy Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream and Resene Clouded Blue walls could talk, they would tell you…
Sparkling joy: James Peters proves bronze is the new gold in this apartment with the wow factor
17 Nov 2022
Interior designer James Peters saw nothing but opportunity when he saw the white walls of the apartment he owns with his partner. The two busy professionals, wanted a cosy haven…
Fully furnished brand new house in Whitianga up for grabs in the Heart Foundation Lottery
10 Nov 2022
Have you dreamed of relocating to the seaside or owning a bach in a New Zealand hot spot. The Heart Foundation lottery is giving one lucky person that chance to…
Pauanui surfer riding a wave of success after a bach makeover
10 Nov 2022
This bach in Pauanui is definitely a surfer’s paradise. When Danny purchased the small two-bedroom cottage located near the sea and the golf course he knew it had the potential…
The winner of Tiny House of the Year is dark and delightful in Resene Half Nocturnal
02 Nov 2022
Small homes don’t need to be white and big design ideas definitely come in small packages. The winning design for New Zealand Tiny House of the Year 2022 is only…
Hours of hard yakka and DIY spirit transform a small 1950s home for a family of six
27 Oct 2022
When Kelly and Travis first put a formal offer in on a damp former rental home in Christchurch, they immediately got cold feet. Renovating the 1952 weatherboard and concrete tile…
7 cream, white and grey Resene wallpapers that let neutral palettes shine
27 Oct 2022
Opting for neutral tones doesn't need to mean predictable. If your home design features lots of cream, white or grey, selecting a neutral-coloured design from the Resene Wallpaper Collection is…
Jurassic world: This gorgeous home featuring four lush Resene greens was transformed in just six weeks
19 Oct 2022
Vanessa’s obsession with Resene colours started with an unlikely dinosaur green, transforming her stark white Christchurch home into an enigmatic, opulent space, a project showing first-hand the beauty that can…
Energy efficiency and smart living in the Bay of Plenty
12 Oct 2022
Nestled in a lush avocado orchard in the rural Bay of Plenty is a modern and energy efficient home with clever technology and Resene colour at its heart.
“We were…
Former chocolate factory with a sinister history transformed into an elegant, light-filled apartment
14 Oct 2022
Young architectural graduates Geordie and Emma Shaw had some guts when they purchased the dingy, worn apartment located at the scene of an unsolved murder in the capital. But the…
This award-winning house design gets a thumbs up – Resene Thumbs up that is
06 Oct 2022
What do you do when your home of 40 years isn’t ticking your boxes anymore?
If you’re like homeowners Stewart and Tricia, you build your own boxes, and then start ticking…
In classic 70s fashion, this Arrowtown holiday home croons Colour my World
29 Sep 2022
In classic 70s fashion, this Arrowtown holiday home croons Colour my World
If the 1990s was grunge and the 1980s was big hair, then the 1970s was all about earthy colours.…
Townhouse undergoes creative transformation with Resene wood stains and stenciled interiors
22 Sep 2022
When Katherine bought her two-story townhouse in 2113, she almost needed to wear sunglasses indoors, so bright was the interior decor.
“Everything was pink – every wall, every trim, door and…
From 70s funk to modern haven with three different Resene greens
15 Sep 2022
When Alex and Brendon walked into their 70s home for the first time, they immediately saw charm and potential – even though the property had some quirks. When the couple…
Three’s The Block NZ: Kitchen & Dining room week
08 Sep 2022
Kitchen & Dining room week on The Block NZ is always sure to bring some drama, but despite a power cut, a leak, multiple delays and an artwork fiasco the…
Cottage-like charm of former state house brought to life with Resene neutrals
08 Sep 2022
The potential of this 1970s former state house in Wellington’s Hutt Valley was immediately obvious to Liam and Taylor Archibald when they first laid eyes on it in 2020. “When…
Three’s The Block NZ: Master bedrooms and ensuites revealed
24 Aug 2022
This week on Three’s The Block NZ, teams were tasked with completing their master bedroom and ensuite space. Judges were impressed this week with the teams’ use of Resene colours…
Channel moodiness with dark night-inspired interiors
24 Aug 2022
Give your home a dramatic touch with inky hues inspired by the night sky. Create a cosy and luxurious look this winter with on-trend colours like Resene Nocturnal and Resene…
Renovation masters Alice and Caleb at it again: A stunning Orewa home makeover
22 Aug 2022
Returning to the site of their first ever home renovation was both surreal and sentimental for DIY experts Alice and Caleb. “This is the first home we renovated and we…
This 1930s bungalow in Remuera is inspired by shades of the sea and sky
17 Aug 2022
Mel and Joe’s home in Auckland is proof you can dive into a deep blue colour palette yet still keep things light and airy. Stunning hues like Resene Raven, Resene…
Become a special effects artist in your home: A beginner’s guide to limewashing, chalk paint and Resene FX Paint Effects medium
11 Aug 2022
You’d be surprised at the range of completely unique looks you can achieve with paint, from watercolour walls to faux stone finishes. It’s all possible with the Resene FX Paint…
Interior designer Holly’s deep love for colour is clear looking at her front door
10 Aug 2022
A bold Resene Galliano yellow door greets roadside passers-by at Holly and Brett’s home in Taupō, and hints at playful colour use inside. The couple signed on the dotted line…
Three’s The Block NZ: It’s Family Bathroom week
03 Aug 2022
Another action-packed week on Three’s The Block NZ saw the teams create four stunning family bathrooms. The soft and neutral Resene Half Bianca, Resene Half Sea Fog and Resene Eighth Pravda all…
Understated coastal charm in Castlepoint with Resene Sea Fog and Resene Silver Sand
03 Aug 2022
Peer out the window of this Wairarapa Coast home and you might spy fur seals, dolphins or nesting gulls. Perched on a hilly corner in Castlepoint, this home is character-packed…
This home shows why you shouldn’t fear using edgy Resene Black on your walls
27 Jul 2022
Arna and Dave say when it comes to picking colours and styling a home, don’t overthink it. Choose what you love and you can’t go wrong. This meant bold and…
1950s ex-rental transformed into chic family home with barely there neutrals
21 Jul 2022
When Sarah moved into her Tauranga ex-rental home, it was a little on the neglected side. Despite its worn carpets and some interesting colour choices (one room a frightening deep…
Cosy wooden Wanaka home’s makeover in Resene neutrals inspired by the snowy landscape
13 Jul 2022
Enveloped by the mountains and sitting lakeside in Wanaka, Maggie and Lawrence’s home needed a colour palette to match their picturesque setting. Resene Foggy Grey and Resene Half Periglacial Blue…
Wow, wow, wow! This 1893 villa’s Victorian-inspired colour palette is a must-see
06 Jul 2022
Rachel’s home is rich in history, having long peered out towards Auckland’s harbour on Buchanan Street. One of Devonport’s earliest villas, the iconic home’s interior has just received a head-to-toe…
An architecturally designed mid-century gem has a timeless refresh
29 Jun 2022
Once upon a time Ian and Georgia’s Auckland home would have likely been adorned with macrame and shag rugs. The home was designed by renowned architect Marshall Cook in the…
Country style by the sea: This subtropical home in the heart of the Bay of Islands could be yours in the Heart Foundation Lottery
29 Jun 2022
Kerikeri is a town with the best of both worlds. It may appear as a quiet country town to some, but with a rich history and welcoming community, it’s becoming…
Small wonders: Teeny House winners revealed!
23 Jun 2022
The winners of the Habitat by Resene Teeny House Competition show that size doesn’t matter when it comes to creativity and style. Decorators young and old entered the competition which…
A photograph from space inspired the colours in this 1920s bungalow
23 Jun 2022
Palmerston North homeowners Bridget and William haven’t shied away from bold use of colour in their 1920s character bungalow – bright Resene turquoises, yellows and deep blues feature throughout. “We’ve…
Architectural designer’s moody and minimal 80sqm 1970s townhouse
16 Jun 2022
Edd Coomber’s Christchurch townhouse wasn’t exactly charming when he first stepped foot in it. Having been rented for a number of years by students, it was filthy, stank and broken…
Travel-inspired interiors: 5 looks to transport you
16 Jun 2022
Who said you had to leave your home to gain all the glorious inspiration travel offers? Take a voyage across the globe by incorporating these travel-inspired Resene colours and wallpapers…
Creative family’s eclectic home nestled in the Karangahake Gorge
09 Jun 2022
After living off-grid on their land in the Karangahake Gorge for five years, Roshan and Metuisela felt it was time for something new. With busy working lives and their children…
Get in shape: Five geometric wallpaper looks for your home
01 Jun 2022
There’s nothing that refreshes a space in a dramatic way quite like wallpaper. Contrast and character can spill into a room with the right wallpaper. Walls can come to life…
Devonport villa’s refresh shows why a cohesive colour palette is key
02 Jun 2022
Sometimes small changes can make a huge difference, especially when it comes to choosing neutral paint colours. The theme of this Auckland villa’s facelift was light, bright and modern, achieved…
This Californian bungalow in Northland is pretty in pink
26 May 2022
It’s hard not to smile when you see Tanya’s front door. Resene New York Pink brings a slice of the Big Apple to Whangarei which hints at further colour to…
Friluftsliv: The Scandi interior trend taking the world by storm
26 May 2022
Friluftsliv is a Norwegian philosophy making a big impact in interiors– even if most people don’t know how to say it. Pronounced ‘free-loofts-liv’, the phrase loosely translates to ‘free air…
Know your blues: Eight dreamy blues to consider (and how to pick one for your home)
19 May 2022
There’s nothing that sets a mood in a room like blue does. An incredibly versatile colour, blue can be refreshing, tranquil or moody. Its numerous shades can work as a…
The 100-year-old Nelson villa restored by renovation masters, Alice and Caleb
19 May 2022
Alice and Caleb are certainly no strangers to a challenging DIY project – sledgehammers, paint brushes and power tools have been at the ready for the last decade. The couple…
Check it out: Channel the checkerboard with these interior looks
12 May 2022
Checked patterns are by no means new in the design world, popular since the Renaissance period in Europe. But the classic staggered arrangement of contrasting squares has experienced a resurgence…
Inside a whimsical Nelson ‘Gingerbread House’ from the 1860s
12 May 2022
Gemma and Jeremy’s wee home in Nelson is packed with character – and characters. Flamingoes, parrots and flowers from the Resene Wallpaper Collection rub shoulders with Crown Lynn swans, vintage…
A California bungalow damaged in the Christchurch earthquakes, is now sitting pretty in Japandi-style soft neutrals
05 May 2022
Liesbeth and Ewout’s Californian bungalow built in 1934 once sat four kilometres down the road from its current location. The couple, originally from the Netherlands, bought the home when they…
This Horowhenua mum painted her entire home green – and the result is epic!
28 Apr 2022
It was a comment from a friend that set Foxton’s Jinel on a very green-toned path before painting her home. “I love green, and I’d often say before we renovated…
Your guide to pulling off a monochrome room
27 Apr 2022
Sometimes ‘matchy-matchy’ is good thing. Monochromatic design is an incredibly effective and timeless way to bring elegance to your home. It’s become increasingly popular in the interior design world. Skip…
Trend alert: Six colours we can’t get enough of right now
21 Apr 2022
Like trends in fashion, building design or music, our collective taste in colours is constantly evolving. Our fondness for certain colours is influenced by all sorts of external factors from pop…
Renovation of dilapidated villa is a master class in how to use neutral paint colours
13 Apr 2022
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…
A guide to embracing a maximalism décor style
07 Apr 2022
While minimalist styles have dominated interior trends over the last few years, its polar opposite trend, maximalism, is revelling in its return. Farewell muted colour palettes, white walls and restrained…
An interior designer’s modern twist on her 1920s bungalow
30 Mar 2022
Until recently, interior designer Sonja Low’s 1920s bungalow was decked out in aging 80s apricots and faded yellows. Rolling up her sleeves, Sonja got to work modernising the family home…
Peaceful Auckland bungalow makes a bold statement in the living room
23 Mar 2022
Jenny’s painter thought she was crazy when she told him she was painting her Auckland bungalow’s living room a steely charcoal. Thankfully, the end result in Resene Half Foundry sings…
Otago’s stunning scenery is the inspiration for this charming home up for grabs in the Heart Foundation Lottery home
24 Mar 2022
Cromwell in Central Otago is a town rich in history and surrounded by dazzling scenery. It’s because of this that the town has been chosen again as a location for…
A 1930s Californian bungalow in Nelson bursts at the seams with colour and character
17 Mar 2022
Guests at Mark and John’s Nelson California bungalow never have any trouble finding their address, all they need to do is look out for the bright red letterbox. Resene Havoc…
A run down 1900s villa finds soul and sophistication with a monochrome makeover
09 Mar 2022
Closing the deal on a derelict 100-year-old villa marked the beginning of a long and winding renovation road for New Plymouth’s Gina and Rick. When they bought the neglected villa…
Revamp any room with a painted arch: Five curvaceous ideas
09 Mar 2022
If there’s a room in your home that you feel needs a little reinvention, a painted archway could be just what you need. A complete room refresher doesn’t mean you…
An enchanting cottage garden with a cute-as-a-button Shepherd's Hut
03 Mar 2022
A cottage garden is a peculiar choice for a perfectionist. Puriri Lane Garden in Drury is like something from a fairy tale, with delicate blooms such as cosmos, nigella and…
This Arts and Crafts style home masters the use of Resene whites and neutrals
02 Mar 2022
It was the elegant character of its street frontage that made Malcolm and Gay fall in love with their house in Devonport on Auckland’s North Shore back in 2015. Using…
A tropical sanctuary with Resene Double Alabaster 15 years in the making
24 Feb 2022
Fifteen years is a long time to dream of renovating your house. But for Leisa and her husband Keith it gave them plenty of time to thoroughly plan the Resene…
A new build that’s both chic and family-friendly with Resene Black White and Resene Wafer and a cute-as a-button play kitchen for the kids
17 Feb 2022
When Jessica and Nick Robinson built their home in Rolleston, near Christchurch they made sure every detail was just how they dreamed it will be. This included designing two kitchens:…
Popular and enduring shades of Resene blue inspired by sea and sky
10 Feb 2022
In a subtropical climate like ours, it’s easy to be drawn to an ocean-inspired colour palette full of beachy blues. Whether you choose one of the neutrals with a hint…
An 80s-build gets a colour injection with Resene Indian Ink and Resene Green Meets Blue in an interior designer’s own home
10 Feb 2022
Interior designer Carley Lloyd has a passion for colour – and in ten months she and husband Bryn have transformed a formerly beige 80s-build into a brand new look, with…
A kaleidoscope of colour creates the ‘wow’ factor in a 72 sqm apartment
02 Feb 2022
When Lynette first viewed the Mt. Maunganui flat she would eventually buy, she knew it wouldn’t be staying Resene Tea for very long.
No, for Lynette, bold colour is far…
First homeowners set to work transforming a Lockwood with warm and earthy colours
26 Jan 2022
In just six months, first homeowners Karl and Tim have not just painted their new home – they have prepped, sanded and primed almost every surface. The young couple have…
One of the oldest villas in the country gets a fresh look with bold and beautiful Resene colours
19 Jan 2022
One of the country’s oldest homes is looking good for another century in fresh coats of Resene paint inside and out. Kohukohu Villa in historic Hokianga, Northland was built as…
Five colour and style trends we’re going to see everywhere in 2022
12 Jan 2022
As 2022 gets underway, nature is inspiring all areas of interior design, from botanical prints and natural materials to paint colours. The desire for calming and restful interiors that counter…
A transitional villa in colours of the rainbow is a real show-stopper
12 Jan 2022
“Why are people so afraid of colour?” Fiona wonders. Fiona has no such qualms and has embraced the Resene rainbow for her dazzling home of many colours. No one needs…
Top stories for 2021: From Resene Duck Egg blue to Peter Wolfkamp’s cottage, these are some of our most-read stories this year
23 Dec 2021
Top stories for 2021: From Resene Duck Egg blue to Peter Wolfkamp’s cottage, these are some of our most-read stories this year
As the year ends, it’s time to take stock,…
Eight Resene dark greens and how to use them
16 Dec 2021
Green is a colour that can evoke powerful emotion, it’s a dominant colour in nature associated with renewal and life and so represents harmony, balance and peace. And who doesn’t…
A country bungalow gets a second life with gorgeous greys and youthful blues and greens
15 Dec 2021
When Chrissie and Tony Kavanagh moved to Cambridge with their two daughters, they loved the heritage feel of the Waikato town. They found their dream house in a hundred-year-old bungalow…
A city warehouse where home living, work and play are defined by colour
09 Dec 2021
Working at home is the trending topic of 2021 - and nothing suits business consultant Cath Vincent and music producer Aron Neale better than working in their own 1950s converted…
Art-loving couple’s industrial home brings art to life with yellow, red and Resene Half Black White
25 Nov 2021
It would be natural to assume that white would be the best wall colour choice for a home brimming with art. A neutral backdrop to allow the works to be…
How to create the beach-house vibe with shades of the coast
25 Nov 2021
It’s a look that never dates – the washed blues, seafoam greens and subtle shades of white that together create the easy, breezy beach-house style.
The coastal spirit starts with paint.…
What a transformation: This charming 159-year-old Victorian cottage gets a peaceful modern makeover
18 Nov 2021
Tindalls Cottage in Berry was once the home of the town’s first mayor, James Wilson. But while it started its life in 1862 as the pride of the small village…
The Block NZ Auction Grand Final is here! Take a look at the finished builds
11 Nov 2021
Three’s The Block NZ has returned to our screens for The Block NZ Auction Grand Final on Sunday 14 November, and it’s worth the wait. Set in Auckland’s aspirational inner-west…
This Dairy Flat farmhouse features bold wallpapers and wonderful wood stains
11 Nov 2021
An empty paddock was the beginning of the build of a lifetime for couple Brad and Melissa. With several home builds under their belt, the couple decided to take matters…
Life in a show home: Meet the young family living in this colourful Cambridge show home
04 Nov 2021
Hannah and Malachi are taking working from home to a stylish extreme. With a flurry of interruptions to their business due to covid, the husband and wife team – who…
Off the wall: Get creative with these ideas for fabulous floors and clever ceilings
04 Nov 2021
You’ll be floored by the results when you look beyond your four walls and start treating your floor and ceiling as part of your creative canvas. Consider the ceiling and…
Derelict to delightful: Resene Double Foundry and Marley Stratus give this bungalow timeless style
28 Oct 2021
This 1920s bungalow has had an adventurous life. With its handsome Resene Double Foundry exterior colour and matching Marley Stratus Design Series® spouting and downpipes in Grey Friars®, on first appearance…
New mum of twins completes ambitious renovation with pops of dusty coral, gold and ocean blue
27 Oct 2021
If you want something done, ask a busy person, and interior and spatial designer Samantha Rei has definitely been busy in the past year. She project managed the full reconstruction…
Recharging colour ideas to give your home a pick me up (in under 48 hours)
14 Oct 2021
If you’re after a splash of joy in your life, we have the perfect projects to give your home a revitalising renovation. Embrace the warmer weather and bright Resene paints…
This Morrinsville home strikes the perfect balance of functional, accessible and fabulous with feature walls in elegant Resene Foundry
14 Oct 2021
Marie’s marvellously moody home is the perfect blend of functional and fashionable. After searching for a retirement home that was suitable for a paraplegic in a wheelchair, Marie decided to…
The Block NZ’s Peter Wolfkamp creates a striking monochrome palette inside his Devonport cottage with Resene Half Merino
07 Oct 2021
The Block NZ’s site foreman Peter Wolfkamp traded the rule book for a paintbrush when he renovated his circa 1910 cottage. He and his wife Debbie rose to the challenge…
What’s black and white and red all over? This Dunedin home’s marvellous monochrome interior with pops of Resene Red Berry
30 Sep 2021
Joanne and Christopher had their work cut out for them transforming a 1970s state house for power plant workers into a monochrome family haven. With good bones, plenty of land…
Doug and Jan are creating a piece of paradise for those who need it most
23 Sep 2021
With a fresh coat of Resene Surrender and a smart trim in Resene Kashmir Blue, this Oakura Bay bach is not only a refuge for owners Doug and Jan, but…
An empty Feilding paddock becomes a family home with an inspired moody dark grey colour palette including Resene Blue Charcoal and Resene Crowshead
23 Sep 2021
Sarah and Chris don’t do things by halves. With nothing but a few paddocks on the outskirts of Feilding and an ambitious idea, the couple embarked on the challenge of…
Fresh interior colours to warm up your home for spring
16 Sep 2021
Welcome the early days of spring by inviting fresh colours into your home. There’s nothing better than a crisp spring day and the fragrance of blossoming flowers carried on the…
White done right: Shades of white and green transform this 1930s bungalow
16 Sep 2021
Interior designer Litsa Jackson has a way with white. Ever since she began her interior design business, Inside Storey, she’s loved the way the perfect white can bring a space…
Three’s The Block NZ outdoor areas are a breath of fresh air
09 Sep 2021
The final week on Three’s The Block NZ saw the teams put the finishing touches on their outdoor spaces. Their garden creations popped against their elegant houses in Resene Element,…
Going for gold: Meet the Olympians juggling home renovations, parenthood and running a business
09 Sep 2021
Olympic duo Jamie Prebble and Sophie Prebble (nee Cocks) are capable of anything. The new parents have proven they are pros both on and off the field, juggling running their…
A splash in time: Eight stylish interior designs that have stood the test of time
23 Dec 2021
Time flies when it comes to the latest trends in interior design. With daring décor and new colour palettes to be discovered around every corner, take a moment to embrace…
From bland to beautiful: This Christchurch couple filled their charcoal and pink bungalow with paintings, plants and peacefulness
02 Sep 2021
For self-confessed serial renovators Leigh and Cory, colour is everything. When the couple first bought their 1920s three-bedroom bungalow in Christchurch it was painted tip to toe in white. With…
Colour yourself happy with primary colours
02 Sep 2021
If primary colours remind you of long days in the classroom, then these colourful red, blue and yellow interiors are here to give you a whole new perspective. With Resene’s…
Cosy courtyards and brilliant balconies on Three’s The Block NZ this week
02 Sep 2021
Week eleven on Three’s The Block NZ saw the teams venturing into the outdoors to create some jaw-dropping courtyards & balconies. With looming deadlines and tight spaces, the teams rallied…
Amazing garage ideas as seen in Three’s The Block NZ Garage & Laundry week
26 Aug 2021
It was the week to win this week on Three’s The Block NZ. With $7000 up for grabs and the chance to remove another team from room reveal, the teams…
Rustically rural: Inspiration for this Taupaki home’s enchanting blue and green feature walls is grown from nature
26 Aug 2021
Warren and his wife Louise had always dreamed of living in the country. Inspired by the classic country lodges of yesteryear, the couple decided to create their very own and…
Our favourite colours for positivity and wellness
25 Aug 2021
Colour yourself happy with our top calming colour picks. With many of us working from home, it’s time to start creating spaces that work for us. Colour psychology states that…
Surprises and second chances on Three’s The Block NZ’s Do Over Week
19 Aug 2021
This was the week for second chances and do overs for the teams on Three’s The Block NZ as they inched closer towards the finish line. The teams were given the opportunity…
An inspired home that could only be the handiwork of a fashion designer
19 Aug 2021
Looking at it today, it’s difficult to believe that Vaughan and Noel’s vivacious and sophisticated home started its life as a cottage back in 1912. The couple purchased the house in Auckland’s…
Open plan hacks: How to make your spaces work for you
11 Aug 2021
Open up to the idea of doing more with your space. Open plan homes have become increasingly popular and with a range of Resene colours and some creative hacks, it’s…
Two Thumbs Up: This blue and yellow house captures the spirit of Wellington
11 Aug 2021
Walking into Ann and Matt’s Wellington home is like stepping into a giant version of the Wellington’s iconic Bucket Fountain. Playful and fun, the couple’s home makes a splash by…
Find out which fabulous family room took out the top prize on Three’s The Block NZ this week
05 Aug 2021
What a week on Three’s The Block NZ! The teams were under the pump to finish their family rooms and used luscious green Resene Middle Earth and elegant Resene Stack…
Picture perfect: How to create a gallery wall for any type of artwork
05 Aug 2021
They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but a wall of pictures can take you on a journey. The trend of creating gallery-style walls has been taken to…
Moving on in Merlin’s Requiem: Wallpapers star in this home renovation which celebrates singledom
05 Aug 2021
When Caroline’s partner of five years left there was only one thing to do; completely renovate her house. Caroline says she coloured herself happy using everything from hand-crafted Masons wallpaper…
See what’s cooking in the drool-worthy kitchen & dining rooms on Three’s The Block NZ
29 Jul 2021
The teams were busy cooking up some creative designs on Three’s The Block NZ this week as they tackled their kitchen & dining rooms. With a packed schedule and grand…
7 kitchen designers share their top kitchen design tips and Resene colour choices
29 Jul 2021
We’ve rounded up some of the most drool-worthy kitchens and their talented designers to bring you a smorgasbord of advice to spice up your kitchen with colour. With a sprinkle…
A former sailmaker’s shed becomes a colourful home to a creative family of five
29 Jul 2021
When Bec and Zac bought a Mapua art gallery called the Tin Shed in 2013 they kept the building’s creative spirit alive as they converted it into their colourful family…
From derelict to dreamy: Solo mum uses Resene Half Sea Fog to transform this 50s home into a misty retreat
21 Jul 2021
Flood-damaged tiles, bug infestations and holes in the walls hardly sound like features of a dream home, but for solo mum Ché it was love at first sight. When the…
Home delivery: This shipping container has been transformed into a cosy 65 sqm family home
15 Jul 2021
Shanon and Shelley packed up their city life and shipped out– literally. The couple chased their dream of living in a shipping container to a place you’d least expect; the…
10 paint colours we’re obsessed with right now
05 Nov 2021
The hottest paint colours right now are both grounding and ground-breaking. The focus this season is on renewal and nurturing with colours that are going back to nature with interior…
Three storey 110-year-old villa is rejuvenated with Resene paints after surviving tornado and 600km relocation
15 Jul 2021
The renovation of Huntly House has more drama than a reality TV show. Homeowners Hayley and Chris embarked on an incredible adventure when they restored their triple storey, seven bedroom…
A decade in the making: This 70s A-frame home’s Hamptons renovation was well worth the wait
07 Jul 2021
After a decade of living in her 70s Auckland home, Nicky Werder said bon voyage to boring and bought a ticket to happiness with fresh Resene paint. Nicky can travel…
48 hour bedroom updates that will transform your home
07 Jul 2021
Two days is all it takes to revive your bedroom with a lick of Resene paint and a whole new style. These bedroom upgrade ideas have a small budget and…
How to create a cosy living room using colour PLUS make your own plant stand and giant Jenga
01 Jul 2021
There’s nothing better than cosying up on the couch with a hot cuppa and listening to the rain pattering on the roof. Make your living room winter worthy with a…
The castle on the hill: This Whangamata home has a modern take on family living, but what’s behind the dark exterior?
01 Jul 2021
Homeowners Sara and Brendon live life on the edge. They mountain bike along steep forest trails, surf the shoulders of Whangamata’s rolling waves, and live in a house that teeters…
Three’s The Block NZ picks up the pace with Kid’s Bedroom week
01 Jul 2021
Another exciting week on Three’s The Block NZ saw the four teams create five colourful Kid’s Bedrooms. With $7000 on the line, the teams continued to up the ante treating…
Shortland Street behind the scenes: Michael Galvin shares his thoughts on Chris Warner’s colourful new townhouse PLUS check out the Warner house through the ages
24 Jun 2021
On 17 May Kiwis were glued to the screen, watching in shock as Chris Warner’s house went up in smoke. Shortland Street’s drastic cliff-hanger saw the beautiful beige home of…
Why neutral lovers should try pastels: Seven spectacular ways to incorporate pastels in your home
24 Jun 2021
Soft, simple, and playful, pastels are back – and these gentle tones will pack unexpected punch to your interior. Embrace the optimism of the 50s in your home with Resene’s…
Auckland eco home built from recycled power poles is splashed with vibrant Resene yellows and rocky coast greys
24 Jun 2021
The environment is at the heart of Joe and Peta’s stunning home in Mangere Bridge, Auckland — from the upcycled building materials used in construction to the interior and exterior…
A roomy rebuild in Onehunga is colour matched to the last detail with Marley and Resene
17 Jun 2021
When Louise and Eugene bought their home in Onehunga, Auckland in 2009 their four-bedroom house was squeezed into only 112 square metres. More than a decade and two kids later…
Goodbye white, hello colour: A daring blue/green and a dusky black transform this Oamaru home into a moody retreat
17 Jun 2021
Serial renovator and decorator Kaye was a Resene Black White devotee but her new home in Oamaru has seen her side-line her favourite white to embark on a brave new…
Creature comforts: Animal prints and wild room designs for grown-ups
17 Jun 2021
New Zealanders and Australians love animals. Both countries have some of the highest pet ownership rates in the world and we love spinning yarns about sheep, going cracker over quokkas,…
You wouldn’t know this oasis of calm is home to a family of seven – and a French bulldog called Frank
10 Jun 2021
Juggling five kids and a French bulldog called Frank while undergoing a renovation during a lockdown is no mean feat. When Rachel and Jarrad, who are parents to Milla (18),…
Off the wall: This 111-year-old villa gets a modern update with hand-painted wallpaper and zesty lime green
03 Jun 2021
Behind Ben and Helen Masters stately 1910 villa, painted in a restrained Resene Quarter Foggy Grey, lies a secret. Walking through the Resene Black front door lies a riot of…
10 room makeover projects for under $500 (that you can do in a weekend)
27 May 2021
If you’re strapped for time and strapped for cash, then these ideas are for you. Having a budget before you start your renovation is a great way to stay on…
Hamptons with a country twist: This serene new build glows with touches of Resene Foggy Grey and Resene Robin Egg Blue
27 May 2021
The Hamptons are a long way from Canterbury - 15,000km away to be precise – but homeowners Nick and Sarah combined the best of both and gave the classic coastal…
From tired villa to heritage haven; Roseberry Villa shines with an update in white and charcoal
20 May 2021
Roseberry Villa got more than a makeover when Interior Designer Abbey Lang moved in – it got a new lease on life. Old and new collided in this 110-year-old villa…
Contemporary ideas to update your heritage home
20 May 2021
Modern colour palettes aren’t just for contemporary homes. Freshen up your villa or heritage home with on-trend colour combinations that are anything but old fashioned. Resene’s extensive range of interior…
How to be flaw-some: Ten perfect touch ups to help you embrace your home’s imperfections
13 May 2021
Everyone needs a bit of TLC every now and then, including our homes. It’s easy to see the flaws in our living spaces; a scuff mark here, a nail hole…
These transportable cottages provide modern living with a vintage twist
13 May 2021
David and Kirsty Wraight’s cottages aren’t just transported to you – they transport you to another time. The couple own and run David Wraight Cottages; a company that specialises in…
A derelict century-old Carterton villa is restored to its original glory (you won't believe what it used to look like)
13 May 2021
Chessa Stevens realised her childhood dream when she restored this century-old villa. As a young girl, Chessa remembers driving past the dilapidated house in her hometown of Carterton and wishing…
Timber is the star of this Whitianga home, coloured to perfection in Resene wood stains
05 May 2021
Cove Construction’s Hollie and Nick Gill started their building journey with a bare plot of land and a big dream. Nick had always wanted to build an architectural house where…
Know your whites: 13 whites and neutrals to consider (and how to pick one for your home)
05 May 2021
When it comes to repainting your home, chances are your colour palette will include some off-whites – whether that’s just for the trims and joinery or tip to toe. But…
Rebellious colour: Rule-breaking colour combinations to try in your home
29 Apr 2021
Should red and green really never be seen? Will brown and blue really never do? The old colour rhyme rules have been around for years, but sometimes ‘rules’ are made…
This artist’s Brisbane home is so colourful even the 85m fence is an elegant rainbow
28 Apr 2021
Artist and colour consultant Kelly Southee isn’t on the fence about using colour in her Brisbane home. Originally from Upper Hutt, Kelly’s new home on the outskirts of the Toohey…
This classic Mt Maunganui Art Deco treasure sparkles with an exotic update
22 Apr 2021
Interior designer Lorraine Brennan felt a weight of responsibility on her shoulders when she renovated her Mt Maunganui home, Trouville. Built in 1945 in an Art Deco style, Trouville was…
Keep calm and paint it Duck Egg Blue: Six chic updates
14 Apr 2021
There’s no need to feel blue when it comes to repainting your home. Marie Antoinette didn’t when she covered her private boudoir in Versailles with the colour duck egg blue.…
A funeral assistant looks on the bright side of life using bold Resene Scrumptious and Resene Fizz in her home
14 Apr 2021
Often, the best things come to those who paint. This was certainly the case for Kirsten and Trevor, who have taken their time renovating their Nelson home with a vivid…
Colour experts paint a Napier villa with vibrant Resene blues and yellows - and a green/white you’ll fall in love with
08 Apr 2021
When homeowner Rachael wanted to update her 140-year-old villa in Napier’s Bluff Hill, she called in the pros. Vic Bibby and Dael Brady from Napier-based interior design firm, Bibby +…
Calming interior colours: Six pretty-quick fixes that’ll help you relax to the max.
07 Apr 2021
Is there a space at your place in which you can really switch off? Everybody needs a little time away, and with Resene paints and a little know-how, that can…
What a transformation! Elegant Resene silver greys and blues take this 1930s Takapuna home from tired to triumph
01 Apr 2021
Designer Natalie DuBois had a challenge on her hands renovating this petite 1930s semi-detached home into a family space with room to move. With windows on three sides and only…
Great green ideas to transform your home into an indoor oasis
24 Mar 2021
As the natural world blazes with the rich reds and oranges of autumn, find your indoor oasis with Resene’s wide range of revitalising greens. From a small splash of paint…
This icy shade of blue helps this new build blend into the Wanaka landscape
24 Mar 2021
Jan and John's icy blue Wanaka home is hidden in plain sight, blending into the snowy mountain landscape like a chameleon. When designing this holiday home for the couple, architect…
Makeup artist gives her villa a character makeover with bold pops of colour including blush pink
11 Mar 2021
Makeup artist Amber Carroll is used to transforming her clients for weddings and photoshoots, so when it came to her own she was keen to give it a bit of…
America’s Cup fever: Sailing away with nautical inspiration from Resene
04 Mar 2021
The action packed racing of the 36th America’s Cup is sure to dominate New Zealanders’ hearts and minds as it sets sail. If you’re feeling a yearning for the sea…
This Governors Bay home uses a clever colour trick to link two storeys together and fill the home with warm light (that’s not too bright)
03 Mar 2021
Balance and light were at the top of Sarah Eaton’s mind when she was decorating a new home in Governors Bay, near Lyttleton. The director of Christchurch-based interior design company,…
All Black Sir John Kirwan keeps it simple with black and white bach
25 Feb 2021
All Black legend Sir John Kirwan and his wife Fiorella have a long connection with Waihi Beach so when they came to creating their dream bach they wanted to get…
Beachside cottage bought online on an impulse receives a contemporary coastal refresh while retaining original bach style
25 Feb 2021
Spontaneous home buying is not for the faint of heart but when a worn down 1950s Glenbrook Beach bach popped into her inbox it was love at first click-of-the-mouse for…
Create an endless summer in your home using a sun-kissed colour palette that brings the warmth indoors
24 Feb 2021
Summer is sitting outside watching golden sunsets settle over the water and celebrating in the sun-warmed goodness of a fun-filled long day. It’s flipping through magazines while condensation gathers on…
Six dining rooms that will make each meal a family celebration
18 Feb 2021
The saying may be 'home is where the heart is' but really, it's the dining room specifically that is often the beating heart of a family home. It's where we…
A 1990s home gets a nature-inspired refresh using Resene Merino and bold blues and greens
10 Feb 2021
Kitchen and interior designer Karen Warner is used to coming up with colour schemes for her clients, but she found it harder to create a brief when it came to…
Holiday at home: A Hurunui home inspired by international travel
16 Feb 2021
Meg and Tom have painted memories into the walls of their home. Well, Meg did all the painting, but Tom, who has been busy on their Hurunui cattle and sheep…
Smart and colourful solutions for supersizing your kitchen storage capabilities.
04 Feb 2021
The ply millwork and ceiling in this kitchen, designed by Strachan Group Architects (SGA), lets the beauty of the woodgrain shine through in Resene Colorwood Natural wood stain and looks…
The perfect neutrals: This seaside home is anchored by a simple but stunning grey palette
04 Feb 2021
"Know the rules to break the rules,” is Nicky Scott’s interior design motto. Their 1920s bungalow has been home to the interior designer and her partner Andrew, and their two…
6 bright and beautiful yellow ideas for your home
28 Jan 2021
Add street appeal with a yellow front door. The door on this villa is painted in Resene Turbo with Resene White on the trim and weatherboards in Resene Triple Concrete.…
Going, going gone: Expert shares décor and colour tips that will help sell your home
28 Jan 2021
Considering selling your house? Interior designer Meisha Campbell has styled many homes for customers who are putting their homes on the market. She shares her top tips for attracting potential…
Oh la la! A maximalist’s colourful home inspired by 18th Century France
27 Jan 2021
Eat your heart out Marie Antoinette. Claire Crosby doesn’t do anything by halves. Her home is packed with antique treasures and painted in bold colours such as Resene Cinderella –…
Minor changes that make a big impact: Ways to improve a rental property using paint
20 Jan 2021
Painting walls and furniture are two minor changes you can make to rental properties. When painting walls seek written permission from a landlord. The green wall block is painted in…
A Kāpiti Coast home’s beachin' blue update
19 Jan 2021
Bold Resene blues add character to this Kapiti Coast home’s spectacular contemporary update.
When you’re building your ‘forever home,’ it can be difficult to design it in a way that’s forward-thinking enough…
The owners of this Banks Peninsula villa were inspired by nature with their Resene makeover
13 Jan 2021
The owners of this Banks Peninsula villa took inspiration from their natural environment when giving their home a floor-to-ceiling Resene makeover
Tucked in the Prices Valley on Canterbury’s Banks Peninsula is…
Exterior inspiration: Patio perfection in a 1930s bungalow
16 Dec 2020
Old world charm and colourful contemporary character meet at Rachel and Steven’s 1930s Auckland bungalow, which they share with their two children, Elias and Ivy. While open plan living may…
A historic Mount Eden villa gets the loving touch from an interior designer who calls her mother a client.
15 Dec 2020
When interior designer Clare Kitching set about creating a new Resene colour scheme for her mother Raewyn’s late-1800s villa, she started by reviewing her own taste.
“My mum is more of…
A Canterbury artist chooses punchy pastels and sunny-day blues to give her family’s old-school villa a fresh, modern twist.
09 Dec 2020
Old-school character was top of the list when Libby Chambers and her husband Aaron went searching for a new home. They moved into a 120-year-old villa seven years ago just…
Georgian-style heritage home gets a light and breezy refresh with Resene Double Sea Fog
02 Dec 2020
When it comes to an expensive lunch in the Hunter Valley Scott Bentley and his partner Guy may hold the record. However, it wasn’t an expensive shiraz which blew the…
Shelley Ferguson tackles a tricky renovation to transform a tired bungalow into a stylish grey home with a modern Art Deco feel
25 Nov 2020
Shelley Ferguson has seen it all as a host on the TV3 DIY show, The Block NZ, but even she was shocked by what she encountered when she began renovations on a…
A clever renovation has infused this Auckland home with pep and personality
11 Nov 2020
There’s much to be said for decorating’s domino effect, where one alteration leads onto the next, and the next after that, in a long and beautiful chain reaction. Just ask…
A Nelson new build with a cool, timeless palette
04 Nov 2020
For their first home, Joshua and Niall wanted what most people want: something safe. They had toyed with the idea of buying a character home but eventually dismissed it in…
A renovated Te Awamutu home that’s full of colourful surprises
28 Oct 2020
For several years Amy and Mark looked for a new home. What they wanted was clear: a new chapter that their young children, aged two and four, could grow into.…
This Invercargill villa is transformed with maximalist interiors
21 Oct 2020
“Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.” So said British poet, novelist, translator and textile doyen William Morris. It’s a…
5 summer looks that prove green and pink are simply heavenly
21 Oct 2020
Positioned diagonally across from one another on the colour wheel, pink and green are outright opposites. Combined, they’re a recipe for maximum contrast, and with the right Resene shades, can…
A 50s brick and tile is thoughtfully revamped for modern living
14 Oct 2020
When Alastair and Demelza bought their 1950s home, a brick-and-tile nestled in Dunedin’s Anderson’s Bay, it was a shell of its former self. For many years, the home had lived…
Try these room ideas for the ultimate style statement
14 Oct 2020
Energise your inner stylist with interiors inspiration straight from the pages of NZ House & Garden. Backed with some serious know-how, these rooms are the perfect spaces from which to…
A triumphant Katikati home where Mad Men and Bauhaus unite
07 Oct 2020
Rachel and Shane’s home on a hill may be known in local lore as The Blue House, taking its name from the arresting, effervescent Resene Half Smalt Blue that coats…
A modern Waikato home is given an old world sensibility
30 Sep 2020
After living in a bungalow alongside their ever-growing collection of antiques, Jo and Sean began their property search five years ago wanting the scope to blend their love of history…
How to turn your indoors into an earthy oasis
30 Sep 2020
The oft-repeated phrase ‘bring the outdoors in’ always has its merits. Plants calm, clean and reduce stress, so much so that the benefits of home-friendly foliage have breathed life into…
Phil and Emma’s revamped home is a minimalist’s paradise, with one bold twist.
23 Sep 2020
The floor-to-ceiling renovation in Emma and Phil’s late 90s home started with a simple decision to swap their curtains to blinds. Plans for a couple of easy cosmetic swaps to…
Easy ways to reclaim the old as new and incorporate upcycling into your décor
23 Sep 2020
With the shared responsibility of environmentalism becoming mainstream these days, the interest in sustainable furniture and décor has skyrocketed. Not only are production methods evolving, helping to reduce the waste…
A 70s home gets a clean makeover that preserves its character
16 Sep 2020
When asked to think of colours of the 1970s, your mind probably goes to saturated disco inspired hues, intense yellows and warm oranges. It’s unlikely you immediately think of the…
This eclectic Greytown home is a celebration of creative colour use
09 Sep 2020
Every design decision Nikki makes when decorating her Greytown home follows a simple rule: it has to be pretty and practical. Working with a lively palette of Resene colours, Nikki…
This Gulf Harbour home was brought up-to-date with a clean palette of Resene colours
02 Sep 2020
When Angela and Scott moved into their Gulf Harbour home in December 2018, the home’s interior had been pretty much untouched since it was built in 1997. But the bones…
Try these on trend hues to paint your space with positivity
26 Aug 2020
With many of our best laid plans long since out the window, we’ve hunkered down at home and rediscovered a love for making the most of what we have. From…
An atmospheric paint palette gives this hardworking Hamilton house a feel-good refresh
26 Aug 2020
Anna loves her house. She’s made a lifetime of happy family memories in the Hamilton home she’s shared with husband Grieg and their children for the past eight years. In…
How to embrace your inner maximalist with a carefully curated collection
19 Aug 2020
Thanks to Marie Kondo’s ‘KonMari’ method, the successfully organised among us have managed to minimalise our homes to stark perfection. And while elegant neutral walls, soft curves and earthy, homespun…
A modern Christchurch new build with a cosy family atmosphere
19 Aug 2020
Jacqueline and Richard had one priority for their new Christchurch home: it needed to be warm. After a spate of living in cold rental homes, the couple were adamant that…
Modern meets heritage in this 1912 transitional villa renovation
12 Aug 2020
When your home sits in a lush tropical garden by the sea, great indoor-outdoor flow is the number one priority. It’s something that Jane and Steven have relished in their…
An owner-builder turns a dated bungalow into a dreamy contemporary home
05 Aug 2020
Looking at it now, you would never believe that Jeff and Kay’s home used to be a 1960s bungalow. “We had been living in the house behind it for five…
The perfect kitchen island: where form and function meet
05 Aug 2020
If you're planning a kitchen renovation or are in the process of designing a new home, you'll probably be thinking about incorporating a kitchen island. The ultimate multi-tasking space, a…
Greys and blues transform a Sandringham bungalow into a sophisticated family home
29 Jul 2020
Interior designer Jennifer Domett of Domett Design knows the power that colour has for connecting spaces. She recently pulled together a palette of shadowy Resene greys and blues to create…
An earthquake-damaged home gets a modern makeover
22 Jul 2020
Ask Emma what the best decision she made during the renovation of her 1950s earthquake-damaged Christchurch home was and her answer is immediate; “the green doors.” The soft olive hue…
A 1920s family home makes an elegant return to its former glory
15 Jul 2020
Justine had a very straight forward design brief for her 1929 home; ‘return to elegance’. “It was a very beautiful house once, and I wanted to bring those elements back…
Transform your garage into a space you actually want to be in
15 Jul 2020
For most of us, if we’re lucky enough to have one, a garage starts off as a place to park our cars, bikes and lawn mower, but generally ends up…
An old bungalow is brought back to life with hard work and shadowy blues
08 Jul 2020
Jason knows when to trust his instincts. When he first set eyes on this 1920s Californian bungalow in the heart of New Lynn, he immediately fell in love with its…
A Helensville villa gets a charming pastel-coloured renovation
24 Jun 2020
When Tineka and Sam first set eyes on their 1990s Helensville villa a year ago, to put it lightly, “it wasn’t in the best shape,” says Tineka. But it was…
This striking Alexandra home makes a case for blue ceilings
15 Jun 2020
During the design of their new home, Ian and Lynda had a pretty good idea of what they wanted. In fact, it was nearly identical to a home they had…
See how this 120-year-old Wellington villa finally got the renovation it deserved
08 Jun 2020
When Hannah and Tim first set eyes on, what was at the time, the worst house on one of Wellington’s most well-known streets, they knew they could restore it to…
Soothe your stress with these relaxing colour palettes
08 Jun 2020
There’s something to be said for stepping inside your home and feeling relaxed and soothed from the moment you open the door. With our increasingly busy and stressful lives, more…
Claire and Aaron craft an eclectic dream world out of a 1940s cottage
04 Jun 2020
Set on a large mature section nestled above Little Shoal Bay on Auckland’s North Shore is a sweet 1940s brick-fronted cottage. Now owned by Claire and Aaron, the home is…
8 colours to cosy up to this winter
28 May 2020
Starting to feel the winter blues? The mercury may be dropping, but there is a silver living: now’s the perfect time to fluff up your interiors and introduce beautiful Resene…
Jane and Pim reawaken a beauty in this Waiuku farmhouse
28 May 2020
With broken weatherboards, asbestos in the kitchen linoleum and a long list of other fixes, this century old farmhouse needed major commitment from its homeowners Jane and Pim to bring…
Claire and Dave’s modern beach house brings the ocean indoors
20 May 2020
Finding the balance between beach chic and modern design can be a tricky task, but thanks to some clever designers and a carefully selected palette of Resene colours, Claire and…
Paul and Sheree didn’t let distance stop their rejuvenation of this Mount Eden villa
13 May 2020
Paul, a Chartered Accountant who now runs his own consulting firm, 5th Green, and Sheree, a legal contractor, spent 15 years living and working in London before returning to New…
Laura and Jarred bring a colour boost to this beautiful Californian bungalow
06 May 2020
With gorgeous colonial features, a rambling backyard and plenty of interior space on offer, it’s no wonder Laura and Jarred Hedwig fell in love with this 1920s Californian-style bungalow when…
Kim and Isaac’s soulful farmhouse embraces the simple life
23 Apr 2020
In 2011, Kim was ready for a change and looking for a slower pace of life, so she decided to sell her beloved Auckland villa and move to a beautiful…
Emma and Peter’s beautiful bungalow reno well worth the wait
15 Apr 2020
In late 2007, needing more space for their growing family, Emma and Peter purchased an arts and crafts bungalow in Auckland’s Mt Albert neighbourhood. “Even though the house needed work,…
5 classic colour combinations that work virtually anywhere
08 Apr 2020
From peanut butter and jelly to nuts and bolts, there are some combinations that you can never go wrong with. The same can be said of classic paint colour pairings…
Trudy and Al’s imaginative home makes and takes the cake
08 Apr 2020
For those who have had the pleasure, to meet Trudy is to love Trudy. From her fabulous ‘Ink’ and Retro-chic hairstyle to her quirky Rock-n-Roll-meets-vintage-glam clothing, Trudy oozes cool and…
David and Jenny’s coastal beauty comes alive
01 Apr 2020
Their Tauranga home was still in its original 1960s condition when David and Jenny discovered it – solid, but dull. With their children now working, the couple were ready to…
Darren and Lee's Inner-City Oasis
18 May 2015
After living in their Californian bungalow for 17 years, Darren and Lee wanted to create a private backyard haven that would inspire them to relax and unwind. By using every…
Rhys and Wanda's Dramatic Hand-Stencilled Walls
02 Nov 2014
With its boldly patterned walls and bright accent colours, the elegant interior of Rhys and Wanda's Devonport villa is a visual delight. It took a major renovation to get it this way, though. When the couple bought the old…
Sarah's Inner City Townhouse with a French Country Kitchen
10 Nov 2011
While Sarah's Remuera townhouse has a contemporary design, her love of art and antiques has given it added character. In the kitchen/dining area, for example, she has managed to mix light wood, floral…
Red - the colour of passion
21 Jun 2012
Hi, welcome to the new-look Habitat of the Week. I’m Sharon Newey, the editor of this and Habitat magazine, both showcasing gorgeous Resene colour. We’ll still be bringing you superb…
The not-so-naked truth about painted furniture
26 Aug 2015
Bored of naked furniture? Does the timber look not fit your style? Just paint it. Painted furniture is the new craze and is borne of a convergence of various current trends:
1. The vintage…
2 ultra delicious vintage-style kitchens
14 Feb 2013
Most kitchen are shiny and new – right? That’s how we like them – right? Yes, but that doesn’t mean they can’t incorporate some pre-loved features, as these two do,…
Vincent and Sarah give old bones an eco twist
13 Aug 2015
A grand old home is the perfect canvas for strong Resene colour… but has posed a few problems for its sustainability-aware owners. How do you, after all, make a draughty, energy-sapping heritage home…
Lorna shares the love
25 Jul 2015
When you run a creative endeavour from home, it makes sense that your home would be a product of that creativity.
For Lorna Anderson, owner of LornaLove – an inspirational and fun interiors and craft…
Step outside: get colour clever
28 Nov 2013
The sun is shining, we’ve emerged from our houses and into the garden… If you’re like us, you’ve winced a little at the faded fence, the scruffy side garden and…
Hazel and Chris's super cute retro bach
06 May 2015
This tiny 1950s bach is legally protected from change, inspiring its owners to honour its origins with a delicious refurbishment using seafoam turquoise Resene paint and mid-century furniture.
Hazel Kirkham and Chris Elphick have owned the cute leasehold bach in the Marlborough Sounds since 2006. Living in…
Decadent, delicious… dining spaces
22 May 2014
Dining room, dining space or just a dining table? Many of us don’t have the first, and even if we do have a dedicated dining room, we will often have…
Fiona goes bold and bountiful
11 May 2015
Hand on heart, we can honestly say there are few people in this world who would paint their house purple. Fiona Sheffield is one of the rare ones; her Auckland…
Be a man, get a cave
03 Jun 2014
Warning: this article will reinforce gender stereotypes. It has to. It’s about man caves.
The man cave has been around for centuries providing men with a hub in which they can…
1 room, 4 ways
06 Jul 2014
We’ve all done it – pondered long and hard over the paint colour charts, worried over our interior colours, bought armfuls of Resene testpots to check out those choices. Are…
Monde and Michael's role reversal
06 Jul 2014
For Monde Norden and her American-born husband Michael Glazer, their home overlooking Karekare beach on Auckland’s west coast seems a million miles away from the bright lights of Los Angeles.…
Cindy and Neville seize the eco moment
03 Jul 2014
Building a new farmhouse-style home in semi-rural Auckland gave Cindy and Neville Poole a chance to use up-to-the-minute energy efficient and eco-friendly products – including Resene VOC-free paint.
Having lived…
1 look, 4 ways: open-plan living and dining room
06 Aug 2014
In an excerpt from our popular Habitat Plus interior colour schemes booklet, we check out how different a living area and dining room can look with different Resene colours.
See double
Nowadays,…
4 fab colour-shot kitchens
07 Sep 2014
Still wedded to the idea of a white kitchen? Never fear, choosing white cabinetry doesn’t mean you can’t have a bit of colour in your life, or rather your kitchen.
In…
Grey and indigo: the new deep neutrals
18 Sep 2014
You could say that grey is the new black but in fact, it’s the new dark espresso brown. While dark toasty brown-blacks are still a great choice for many interiors,…
Kate and Dave take to the country
10 Sep 2014
Trading bright city lights for a quiet country homestead was a brave move that paid off for Kate Arbuthnot and Dave Hassan.
They made the move from central Auckland in 2008,…
Gay and Jon mix old and new
15 Oct 2014
A newly built home was the perfect canvas for a makeover using Resene white, black and grey.
House hunting is never an easy feat, and for most couples checking off the…
Amanda’s creative cultural fusion
08 Oct 2014
In her just-released book, Green Modern, Claire McCall visits houses built for sustainability, including this Coromandel hideaway that uses VOC-free Resene paint. We have a copy of Green Modern to give…
Ann and Noel mix soft with hard
30 Oct 2014
A careful blend of quiet Resene colours to sit alongside the raw beauty of plywood and concrete has resulted in a stunning home that responds to its wind-swept Wairarapa setting.
When…
Mark and Andrea's seaside-inspired getaway
06 Nov 2014
A cream interior was not going to cut it for Mark and Andrea, whose newly purchased bach by the seaside left them yearning for more vibrant colour.
The couple turned to…
2 living looks: Sandra and Nicola’s designer spaces
04 Dec 2014
The living area is the hub of any home – it’s where we spend most of our time and the place our visitors see. The style of this important space…
Heidi and Kim's storybook apartment
15 Jan 2015
‘Globetrotter’ is an apt description of Heidi, of Yohm Interiors, and husband Kim.
For several years, the couple has split their time between working and living in London, exploring Europe, and…
Annabel and Simon bring coast to the country
08 Jan 2015
The soft greys and whites of driftwood and sand; the luminous teal blue skies of North Otago. These colours inspired the interiors of Annabel and Simon Berry’s home on the rolling…
Trend spotting for 2015
21 Jan 2015
While we might go by the strict confines of a calendar year, other processes ebb and flow with much less regard to particular blocks of time. So while we can…
Peter and Kathy’s contemporary cool bungalow
18 Mar 2015
After earthquake damage left their Richmond Hill home unsafe, Christchurch couple Peter and Kathy didn’t abandon the area, choosing to build anew in Sumner. It’s here where they now live…
Rennee and Bryan's born-again kitchen
18 Mar 2015
With a lot of elbow grease, a huge dollop of imagination and some old 1940s cabinets, Rennee and Bryan Lawrence have not only created a kitchen on a ‘zero’ budget…
Kids get creative
12 Feb 2015
You might not feel that comfortable painting a cloud mural on your living room wall but the one place we feel quite free to let our fancies fly is our…
John's design takes flight
19 Feb 2015
Take a magnificent site, adventurous homeowners, an architect known for his edgy thinking, and a palette of Resene colours… and the result is a stunning home with surprise elements perfectly…
What's your colour psyche?
12 Feb 2015
Do you love being enveloped in warm, earthy tones? Or are soft pastels more your taste? Have you ever felt uncomfortable with the colours in a room but didn't know…
Where eco meets zen
10 May 2015
When it comes to bathrooms, nothing beats a fresh scheme that’s simple and relaxing. Because bathrooms are generally small spaces, it’s good to choose a style that allows you to…
Michele and James go bright but earthy
05 Mar 2015
Michele Powles and James Winton’s basic 1950s bungalow was in a sad state. Its skin was peeling and its tongue hanging out, but with a good drink of Resene paint,…
Tina's bach to the future design
19 Aug 2015
Designer Tina Stephens of Roomie Interior Design was recently given a very personal commission – to redesign both the structure and the interiors of her parents’ home, using soft beachy…
Megan and Gordon embrace the lifestyle
16 Apr 2015
Highland cows, chicks, bees, a kunekune pig, cats, dogs… oh, and a special spot for mother-in-law Noeline. A marriage of stylish Customkit home and Resene paint gave Megan Ashe and…
Kelly’s edgy design for a modern man
08 May 2015
Modern men can be both bachelors and fathers and this granny flat conversion needed to satisfy this man’s multi-faceted roles. As a home of a single professional man, it also…
James' retro style for work and play
02 Jun 2015
Mixed fringe-city zoning lets the owner of this small two-storey inner-city villa work from the ground floor, and live upstairs. Interior designer James Peters helped him convert it from a…
Amy’s family adds some edginess
08 May 2015
With an edgy yet polished design and a palette of Resene colours and wallpaper, the Gourley house from TVNZ’s Our First Home is rich with creative touches. Al and Anne…
Kathy’s crew go bright and breezy
13 May 2015
Light, bright and breezy with a subtle palette of Resene colours, the Wardlaw house from TVNZ’s Our First Home is a relaxing place to be. Mick and Kathy Wardlaw teamed…
For your own baby prince or princess
04 Jun 2015
Do you have your own little royal on the way? A future prince or princess of your family? Before you go decking out the new nursery in red, white and…
Two small living successes
02 Apr 2015
As the small home movement gathers momentum, habitat by Resene looks at two projects that answer the call, and use Resene paint to great effect. Read more with our feature on colour tips…
Colour tips, and more, for small spaces
27 May 2015
Declutter, adjust your scale and use the right colours and materials. There are many ways to visually manipulate a small space to make it look larger.
Go light and singular: Single-colour paint…
Vintage kitchens keep it real
25 Jun 2015
Hands up who’s a bit bored of sleek integrated all-white kitchens? They may be great for minimalist architectural interiors or for people who have the time and inclination to keep…
Sarah and Brian’s retro revival
18 Jun 2015
Starting with a tight budget and a passion for Resene Wasabi, a sharp green, Sarah and Brian have given their 1970s home the retro revival it deserves.
How did the project…
Rachael and Ben turn yuck into yum
20 Jun 2015
It was ‘hate at first sight’ when Ben and Rachael Shadbolt bought their Wellington house 10 years ago. But now, washed in a soothing palette of Resene classic neutrals, love…
Loveable living rooms
18 Aug 2015
There are many good reasons why many of us stick to neutral Resene paint colours for our living spaces. These rooms are often quite visually busy with different pieces of…
Lisa and Dan’s modern coastal cottage
09 Jul 2015
Paraparaumu Beach is a perfect sweep of golden sand and views of Kapiti Island – and a wonderful mirror to this modern coastal cottage, just 15 minutes walk away.
Built in the 1980s, the cottage needed freshening up…
Jan’s off-the-wall home design
13 Aug 2015
This house is all about texture… and unexpected use of Resene colour. Where a bold red, yellow and grey kitchen is joined by a bright pink bathroom, a grass green…
Michele makes a dazzling door
01 Feb 2015
When it comes to making an entrance to a quirky home office, new home builder Michele Powles and her husband James wanted something a little out of the ordinary, but…
Dining rooms go nice and neutral
08 Aug 2015
It’s a modern problem – how do you give your dining area a bit of lift when it’s part of an open-plan living space? It used to be that you…
Good looking... and clever
01 Jan 2015
Resene paints are certainly known for their good looks and high quality. But aside from the startling array of colours and the regular fashion colours fandeck launches, Resene also has…
Dennis and Mel's leafy suburban project
23 Jul 2015
When the structure of a home is near perfect when you buy it, there comes a little more freedom (read time and money) to sprucing up the paint work with…
Tim and Annick's cornucopia of colour
10 Sep 2015
Back in 2009, Tim and Annick Larkin were combing Auckland’s city fringe for a character-filled home that could cope with the needs of their growing family. This neutrally decorated, weatherboard beauty…
Maggie's charming 'forever' home
17 Dec 2015
Elegant, tasteful and yet still adventurous with colour. It's almost unbelievable that Maggie Robertson's renovation of her Auckland villa, which she purchased in the mid-90s, was done remotely from her…
Tracy revives a kiwi icon
14 Dec 2015
One kiwi icon met another when Tracy Murphy transformed her ex Lockwood showhome with Resene paint. Both Lockwood and Resene are New Zealand companies born mid last century… and both are…
Bedrooms made for sharing
06 Jan 2016
Master bedrooms. For a start, why are they called ‘master’ bedrooms? Let’s call them ‘main’ bedrooms instead.
Right, that’s out of the way, now we can get onto the delicious stuff…
Mark and Claire's ever-changing home
16 Dec 2015
There are some people who are serial renovators, doing up homes then moving on to the next project. Mark and Claire Bramwell have done their serial renovating quite differently –…
Blake and Gabs find the right white
31 Dec 2015
White airy homes are all the rage these days, and with good reason. Paint your walls the right white, and you're inviting glorious light and space to any room – it's so natural and so…
Liz and Jody's enchanting country home
12 Dec 2015
Once upon a time, there was a couple who wanted a renovation challenge. They found it in Ashfield, a house built in 1913 for a country doctor to reside and…
Let’s lead you up the garden path – beautiful outdoor looks
31 Dec 2015
What is it about our psyche that as soon as we have a higher-than-18-degrees sunny day, we look out the window and think: “Got to get the garden sorted.”
During winter…
Michelle and Andrew show some vision
07 Dec 2015
Let’s be up-front and honest – this house is a show home. Surprised? So were we when we saw it. The assumptions we carry about show homes is that they…
5 juicy fruit kitchens
05 Dec 2015
Getting your 5+ a day is easy in these fruity coloured kitchens. Zesty, juicy tones have been popping up in all the right places in our homes, even in the…
Two super stylish gardens
31 Dec 2015
Gary and Phil’s sensational sizzling garden
Indoor/outdoor flow – it’s the catch-cry of every real estate advert and something we’re all told we should strive for.
One Auckland architect and his partner…
Colour trending: Christmas goes casual
14 Dec 2015
Some of us get off on the whole hype of Christmas – buying and decorating the tree, wrapping the presents, laying on a full-monty Christmas dinner with all the traditional…
Mike and Jenni do it for the dog
06 Dec 2015
It may be partly in jest, but ask Mike and Jenni Callaghan what influenced the colour scheme of their new Christchurch home, and they’ll tell you they didn’t want it…
Glenn and Mandy reclaim the bach vibe
11 Jan 2016
When Glenn and Mandy got together with their architects to plan their Taupo bach rebuild, it was a meeting of creative minds. The result is a beautifully detailed dwelling, and…
Brandon and Anna choose the unusual
25 Jan 2016
When Anna and Brandon Barclay took on their first house-building project, they didn’t tread the usual path. No all-white colour scheme for them. No off-the-shelf standard fittings. Rather, they trawled…
Nick and Ingrid's dreamy, close-to-nature new build
04 Feb 2016
For many years, Nick and Ingrid dreamed of the perfect home – open and fresh, with a great indoor/outdoor flow; a place to enjoy the breeze in summer, and cuddle…
Sheryl surprises with her colourful manor
03 Mar 2016
Alongside the curved driveway of Sheryl and Kevin’s Cambridge house grow lush, neatly coiffed hedges and neatly manicured lawns. At the end of the driveway is a Georgian manor-style home, seemingly restrained…
Lou's love affair with colour
18 Feb 2016
Blue is clearly a hue that Christchurch stylist and retail owner Lou Barker loves. The signs are all there – the gorgeous (and sharp turquoise) Resene Seeker splashed across the walls…
Gareth and Jolie come home to happiness
23 Feb 2016
For Gareth and Jolie Hodson, happiness has been all about coming home to New Zealand, finding the right house and then turning it into their own family sanctuary.
Now finished in…
Hayley and Darryl find peace with white
16 Aug 2016
Designer Hayley French of Crush Interior Design loves white. She’s used Resene Black White and Resene White Pointer to transform a 1980s kitset cottage north of Auckland into a calming…
1 dining space, 3 ways
04 Oct 2015
In each issue of habitat magazine, we ask designers to give a new look to a room in a house we have featured. In the latest issue, we visited a…
Debbie gets fearless with colour
05 May 2016
One room is bright orange, another is turquoise, a third is bright blue and the living room sports a rampant floral wallpaper from Resene. Designer Debbie Omond doesn’t shy away…
Trending: tribal luxe and bitter browns
11 Apr 2016
There are some interior styles that transcend the seasons, and this is one of them. Call it ‘native natural’, ‘tribal luxe’ or ‘eclectic ethnic’, it’s a look that is based…
Rachel and Paul’s global getaway
14 Apr 2016
When Paul and Rachel Steinmetz came home to New Zealand after years of living in Europe, they didn’t arrive with just the kids and furniture. They also bought a love…
Sarah rescues a plain Jane house
25 Apr 2016
Sarah Clarkson has taken a plain Jane of a modern house and turned it into a character-filled home with fun features using a variety of Resene colour, and despite a…
Sharon and Grant’s modern villa success
12 May 2016
Hardly a week goes by when someone doesn’t knock on the door of the McDonald home and ask what colour it’s painted. It’s Resene Half Napa, a colour that beautifully…
Jackie and Jeremy’s stunning upcycled bach
21 May 2016
Just one year ago, Jackie Jones and Jeremy Patston took over a dark, small timber-lined bach at Matarangi on the Coromandel. Today, it’s unrecognizable, thanks to Jackie’s skill as an…
Harley’s sumptuous French-style home
28 Apr 2016
With rich red walls, a tent-like painted ceiling, a paint-striped hall and a collection of opulent furnishings this house was never going to be ordinary.
“Minimalist and plain have never been…
Timber: treat it right
21 Jul 2016
Ply, planking, slats and veneers in any depth of colour… timber has a certain feel that can’t be replicated. It has always featured in older character homes, was a darling…
Sandra and John’s designer oasis in suburbia
02 Jun 2016
When landscape designer Sandra Batley and partner John Eagleton were looking for a stepping-stone home, they found the perfect solution buried deep in suburbia – an untouched 1970s brick and…
Jessica goes simple and sophisticated
16 Jun 2016
When Jessica Cameron bought an earthquake-damaged home in Christchurch, it couldn’t be touched for two years while insurance claims were settled. Haunted by butter yellow walls and a green kitchen,…
Steve and Lynn’s slice of country in suburbia
09 Jun 2016
Getting the feel and feature of a rural lifestyle property with only a typical-sized suburban plot to play with – that was the challenge facing designer Steve Birkhead of Integrating…
Mike and Monica’s stunning modern colour fusion
03 Aug 2016
Most contemporary homes take a fairly restrained approach to colour – lots of white walls, raw concrete and artisan timbers. But architect Gerald Parsonson doesn’t run with the herd, and…
Amanda unlocks the magic in white
22 Jun 2016
Amanda Neill is a designer who’s known for her ability to tie gorgeous furnishings with the right Resene paint. And when some clients wanted a relaxed feel for the new…
3 beautiful bold bathrooms
23 Jun 2016
Why should a bathroom be plain? Just because it’s normally a small room, or there for a practical use, doesn’t mean you can’t have a bit of fun. In fact,…
Erin and Jaron’s cleverly recycled alpine retreat
07 Mar 2016
It may not look recycled in that vintage way we’ve become used to, but this Nelson Lakes holiday home is, in fact, an example of extremely clever re-use. Its interior…
Mark’s team transforms a muddled 80s house
14 Jul 2016
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…
Reader project: Sandra and Greg get with the greens
14 Oct 2015
When Greg and Sandra decided to downsize, they gave their new home their own take on ‘neutral’. Given that the previous house had been painted in red and purple, ‘neutral’…
Colin and Wendy find purity in white
30 Jul 2016
When Colin and Wendy planned a house to replace their old 1950s Mangawhai Heads bach, they had a very clear vision from the outset. The new house would be pure…
Make a compost bin
02 Jan 2016
Turn your scraps and cuttings into plant food with this compost bin.
You will need
Tools and equipment (all available to hire from Hirepool):
· Compound mitre drop saw
· …
Annie and Mark’s superb little barn
17 Aug 2016
It was while waiting on a new build to be finished that Aucklanders Annie and Mark upped and left for the countryside, moving into a renovated barn they now call…
Darren and Stacey’s tranquil weatherboard villa
05 Jul 2016
It was 10 years ago when Darren invested in a 1900s weatherboard villa in Auckland’s now trendy suburb of Kingsland.
Only a short walk away from Eden Park and Kingsland’s lively…
Amy and Brendon’s beach town beauty
01 Sep 2016
What happens when a house references Hamptons-style, old English cottages and a 1920s bungalow? This shining jewel of a new build, belonging to New Plymouth couple Amy and Brendon.
The couple embraced…
Godfrey and Adele’s stunning ultra-individual home
25 Aug 2016
When Godfrey Sadler and Adele Bird began their self-build home project seven years ago, they weren’t keen on following the crowd. Exposed steel beams, a soaring wall of honed concrete…
5 strong but not scary colours
04 Aug 2016
Welcome to the world of strong colour. It won’t be new to ardent home decorators, but those entering the game may be nervous about going bold (and getting it wrong).
Never fear!…
Designer captures the Cape Cod style
06 Oct 2016
Before its renovation, this late 1990s home on Auckland's North Shore was in desperate need of a refit. But it had something great going for it – a fabulous location right by the seaside.
It's…
Marcus and Melanie ring in the blues
20 Oct 2016
At just 23-years-old, Marcus and Melanie decided to buy and do up their first house... and what a house it is.
Drawn to dramatic dark colours (cue Resene New Denim Blue on the…
Josh and Fleur go to town with Resene colour
18 Sep 2016
The delicate stencilling throughout this Christchurch home is enough to make you marvel. The whole house, in fact, sings with creativity, painted using a wonderful array of Resene paint colours. It's enough to…
A garden recreated
15 Nov 2016
In the Spring/Summer '17 issue of habitat, we feature an impressive potager garden that keeps its homeowners fed with delicious organic fruit and veges growing all through the year. We asked two…
Antanas and Tara's reno of two halves
10 Nov 2016
Returning from England twenty years ago, Antanas and Tara had just enough money for a house deposit and insurance.
Settling in Cambridge they found the perfect property, a simple 1920s weatherboards bungalow with no architectural embellishments…
Jo and Richard rejuvenate a 100-year-old beauty
11 Nov 2016
When Richard purchased this run-down Ponsonby villa 14 years ago, he knew it needed some serious love (and money) to get it back to its former glory. Jo agreed when…
Phil and Yvonne’s modestly beautiful new build
27 Oct 2016
When Phil and Yvonne Dorn faced their new build project, they knew what they didn’t want. They felt that many modern homes were too big, lacked character, were too minimalist…
Julie-Ann turns dated into delicious
25 Nov 2016
The basics of Julie-Ann Ross’s family home were good. The split-level 1970s home had good bones, a lovely aspect and was well sited but after 17 years of family life,…
Kirsty and James find joy in colour
15 Dec 2016
Homeowners James and Kirsty are not shy of colour. Their mantra is ‘be brave’ and it’s one they’ve taken to heart when renovating their Wellington home, bestowing it with a…
Decorating a bach
29 Nov 2016
Will your bach be a sea of appropriately themed accessories and colours? Will it be chaotic collection of handy-me-down bits and bobs? Or will it be somewhere in between –…
Jema and Peter turn tradition on its head
14 Jun 2015
Jema Swann admits that grey would have been the more obvious for her home's entranceway. The deer farmer settled on dramatic Resene Magnetic from the Resene Metallics and special effects collection, instead. "When the sun shines through the…
Stacy brings old Hollywood to the suburbs
31 Jan 2017
The Garden of Alla (later The Garden of Allah Hotel) is Hollywood glamour at its best. An enclave of Spanish Mission Villas developed in the 1920s, it's where stars such as Marilyn Monroe,…
Juliet and Colin's seaside dream come true
29 Jan 2017
As a purchase, this Coromandel holiday home is what dreams are made of. Surrounded by native bush, panoramic views of Hahei Beach and Mercury Bay, and not much needed in the way of…
Two colour-sweet kitchens
14 Feb 2017
We so often play it safe with our kitchens when it comes to colour. The fear of spending that much cash on something that won’t be timeless or will deter…
Harriet helps heritage along
09 Feb 2017
With ponies in the paddock, a house steeped in history, and a loving family that resides within, the home of interior designer Harriet Di Maio is picture perfect.
Recently renovated and painted…
Glen and Sara embrace traditional style
16 Feb 2017
Having had a been-there, done-that moment of building a "very modern" house, Glen and Sara were ready to settle into something a little more traditional for their next build. This home ticks all…
Insiders' top colour picks
08 Feb 2017
Who better to tell us their favourite Resene colours and why they're hot for 2017/2018 than Resene colour experts themselves? We asked three colour experts about what's trending in interior colour for…
Ian and Sharon's breezy seaside scheme
16 Mar 2017
When Ian and Sharon first saw their house, it had lumpy plaster cladding, dark rooms and multiple levels. It was retro 70s… but not in a good way. Today, it…
Banish boring living spaces
12 Apr 2017
If you’re after living spaces that are up to date, but don’t want to drown in a sea of Scandi-inspired white, there are plenty of other ways to go. It…
The rise of the reading nook
23 Mar 2017
Has open-plan living had its day? Some commentators would say so, or at least point to the increasing desire for smaller, personalised spaces.
While we might still have an open-plan kitchen…
Kim and Isaac go big with colour
31 Mar 2017
While Kim Brebner can appreciate a neutral colour scheme in other people's homes, it's simply not for her. And so when it came to repainting her own, she went big and bold with…
Kelly brings the Hamptons home
31 Mar 2017
It’s hard to believe that this home was once filled with shag pile carpet and salmon-coloured bathroom fittings. Today, it’s a serene and beautiful retreat sporting a dreamy palette of…
From drab to fab: Julia and Jordan's edgy character home
27 Apr 2017
Sun streams into the open plan kitchen and dining room of Julia and Jordan Rogers' home, hitting the bold Resene Quarter Fuscous Grey walls and beautiful ornate trims at the top.…
Julia and Alastair say yes to French romance
04 May 2017
Earthy Resene Double Grey Olive walls, dark chocolate oak floors and ceiling roses... you'd be forgiven for thinking Julia and Alastair's home is from a much earlier decade.
When the couple sold their previous…
Susan helps ravaged house rise again
25 May 2017
A ranch-style home, painted in Resene Rodeo Dust, by American-born designer Susan Templer. You've got to love the irony.
Susan was enlisted to help the owners of this Auckland home, after a…
It’s all in the family for Debbie and Brett
01 Jun 2017
With six children and 12 grandchildren under their belt, you can understand why having a home with plenty of space is important to Debbie and Brett.
When designing their new build, they thought…
Inside a dreamy modern farmhouse
18 May 2017
Nestled on a farm in Waikato, there's so much to love about the Scott family's home... from its contemporary meets classic farmhouse vibe, to the beautiful palette, painted in a mix of Resene grey, white…
Susie works her magic on an 80s do-up
11 May 2017
Turning a dated 1980s townhouse into a restful haven was a challenge seized upon by interior designer Susie Cropper. Faced with faux brass, pink bathroom fittings, peeling floral wallpaper and…
Lee and Kristin bring their modern barn to life
06 Jul 2017
After living in a renovated state house with small wardrobes and cupboards, Kristin Turner’s wish for her new home was to have open plan living, and the ability to see her daughters play outside from…
Kate and Matt's ever bolder colour adventure
29 Jun 2017
Tucked down the end of a forking driveway, sharing a fence with the local school, Kate Alexander and Matt Kardos' home feels a long way from its urban location.
The 1950s weatherboard sits…
Bryce and Olivia switch up the industrial look
22 Jun 2017
Bryce and Olivia Mael like to do things differently, and so when it came to designing their new Hamilton home, they found a look that’s perfectly them.
With walls freshly painted…
Anya and Richard go bold with eco living
15 Jun 2017
A low energy house painted in bold Resene colour, this Wellington home is a winner in more ways than one. Chosen as the Residential Interior winner of last year's Resene Total…
Glen and Sarah find the fun in colour
13 Jul 2017
When Sarah Mallia and Glen Robertson planned their newly built house, they were very aware of creating a home that was fun and easy to live in for them and…
Kate adds magic to this beach bungalow
20 Jul 2017
With sweeping views above the tree tops, and sitting privately between a park and the beach, there was inspiration aplenty for Kate Alexander when asked to update this character bungalow…
Janice and Jeffrey's dazzling lakeside reno
24 Aug 2017
When Janice and Jeffrey Clague purchased a very dated villa on the hills above Queenstown, they got stuck in immediately, setting upon a complete renovation.
Out went the passé fireplace and poorly laid…
Anna and Ren double down on green
03 Aug 2017
When Anna and Ren built their sustainable home in Queenstown, they went green in more ways than one... installing vibrant green cabinetry in the kitchen, and using one of Anna's favourite colour…
Barry brings beauty to the beachside
17 Aug 2017
Stained in striking Resene Pitch Black, with a pop of Resene Lemon Ginger on the front door, this award-winning Christchurch home is a real stand out.
Designed by Barry Connor Design, the new build home…
Alison and Callum get cute with colour
07 Sep 2017
How do you add colour to a home without overwhelming the spaces? Paint the doors in cheerful, happy colours, of course. It’s one device employed by colour-loving homeowners Alison and…
Steve's sad to stunning bungalow makeover
21 Sep 2017
When Steve bought this 1920s bungalow seven years ago, it had seen a fair few renovations through its life time. The most recent was a glasshouse extension built in the…
Amber's colours of travel
14 Sep 2017
?Travel enriches our understanding of the world, delving into rich, new cultures and exploring landscapes that take your breath away. Stylist Amber Armitage recently set off on a world trip, and was…
Jo and Jeremy swap beige with beautiful
14 Sep 2017
Out with the beige. This was the mantra of Jo and Jeremy when renovating their Hamilton villa, painting over the beige walls inside their home with modern, hint-of-pink Resene neutrals – from soft blush Resene Just Right…
Resene colour winners go all out
31 Aug 2017
This year’s winners in the Resene Total Colour Awards created schemes of often multiple strong colours for their projects, pushing the boundaries of colour use both inside and out.
The winner…
Jessica finds the beauty in bold neutrals
12 Oct 2017
When Jessica Judge and husband John Cowan bought their brand new house in Cambridge, Waikato, it was painted completely in Resene Thorndon Cream... and while a great neutral, Jessica wanted a bit…
Dave and Barb's divine Auckland retreat
19 Oct 2017
Hidden away in a secluded part of Auckland's North Shore, and painted in an array of soothing Resene colours, Warblers Retreat is Dave and Barb Milina's slice of paradise.
The lodge was built in 2000…
Amber and Tony take modernist to the bush
09 Nov 2017
Hidden beneath bush-clad hills, this striking modernist home manages to look right at home in its surroundings – thanks to the clear vision of its homeowners Tony Stoddard and Amber Bill.
The couple spent…
Anna and Andrew bring beach style to the big city
26 Oct 2017
When it came to renovating their 1940s home, Anna and Andrew were drawn to a beach-house meets city-living look. Living so close to Auckland beaches, they spent a lot of…
Warren and Heather's small reno makes big impact
29 Nov 2017
A cosy 100 square metres with a generous backyard, this bungalow was the perfect size for Warren, Heather and their young family when they bought it 10 years ago. But as the kids…
Amanda brings cool design to classic villa
23 Nov 2017
With original pressed ceilings, high stud height and classic villa features, this North Auckland home was already in great shape. So when Amanda Neill of Designworx was asked to design the…
Amanda’s beachy modern take on mid-century
25 Jan 2018
When designer Amanda Neill helped renovate a 1970s architect-designed apartment in an Auckland beachside suburb, she skilfully combined the owner’s love of mid-century style with the colours of the sea.…
Kaye and Dwight's heavenly new build
18 Jan 2018
Kaye Coyne and Dwight Whitney have a tradition of calling their properties Tengoku, after the Japanese word for ‘heavenly’.
Having spent some time in Japan, the Auckland couple have come to…
Dining goes soft and citrus
21 Dec 2017
Whether your dining room stands alone or is part of an open plan living area, it's always nice to have something that differentiates it from the kitchen and lounge area. Using Resene greys…
Heather goes coastal cool
11 Jan 2018
Imagine the dream Kiwi bach… chances are it would closely resemble this Coromandel Peninsula beauty.
The four-bedroom holiday home was styled by Heather Kirkwood, who went for a coastal cool look – with…
Jane and Rory bring modern earthiness to their reno
01 Feb 2018
After the Canterbury earthquakes left their house damaged, Jane and Rory were 50/50 on whether to renovate or rebuild their 1929 bungalow.
The Christchurch couple chose to keep their old house…
Sally stays true to green
22 Feb 2018
Often when renovating a house, it’s out with the old colour scheme and in with the new. However, such was Sally Fitzsimmons’ love for Resene Oxley that when it came…
Cameron brings the wow factor in green
15 Feb 2018
When Cameron Grindlay of Dwelling Architectural Design was asked to design this new build in Dunedin, he immediately knew that it needed to stand out – hence the slices of…
Kitchens: is it blue for you?
22 Feb 2018
Why is blue such a well-loved colour? Well, it’s soothing, it’s peaceful and it’s versatile. You have deep inky blues, light airy blues, dusky duck egg blues, sea blues… one…
Luke and Casey's character bungalow goes grey and gorgeous
01 Mar 2018
When Casey and Luke Muraahi first moved into their 1930s stucco bungalow, Casey imagined repainting the interior in lots of bright colours.
Instead, they went the opposite route, painting the walls…
Liz revives a Kiwi classic bach
08 Mar 2018
The term ‘Kiwi classic’ is at risk of being over-used, but this old-timer bach on Auckland’s rugged west coast is just that. Built in the 1920s when Piha would have…
John goes vibrant with harbour side views
12 Apr 2018
With walls swimming in vibrant Resene blues and jewel-toned greens to reflect the views of the Wellington harbour, the colour palette of this home is a world away from its…
Kitchen and colour
29 Mar 2018
Some people fall in love with the idea of a colourful kitchen, while others like theirs to be softer on the eyes. These two kitchens are like chalk and cheese…
Steve and Susie keep it coastal
22 Mar 2018
When Steve and Susie Webling did a major renovation of their Oakura property, they called on interior designer Anna Major from Haus of Design to help them turn their bach…
Jamie and Harriet find the perfect white
29 Mar 2018
When Harriet Booth saw how beautiful Resene Merino looked on the walls of her sister’s house, she knew that this was it… the perfect white for her home.
Harriet and her…
Laura and Michael’s award winning black and white beauty
26 Apr 2018
For anyone that thinks black and white is boring, it couldn’t be further from the truth when it comes to the home of Laura and Michael of the Bay of…
Dean and Delia’s delightful blue cottage by the sea
19 Apr 2018
What was once a modest bach in a seaside East Auckland suburb is now an eye-catching beauty, painted in an array of Resene coastal colours.
As its been told to homeowners…
Joanne and Chris bring beachy brights to their B&B
10 May 2018
With orange as her happy colour, it’s no surprise to see it feature throughout Joanne’s home – from a beautiful barn door painted in Resene Tangerine to splashes of orange…
Ben and Kate bring harmony to their Californian-style bungalow
24 May 2018
When Ben and Kate Campion set about building their new home, they not only based it on the look of a character Californian-style bungalow but decided to create their own…
Corina and David bring colour to castle living
31 May 2018
Your home is your castle, so the saying goes. Except for Corina Montgomery and David Lawrence, their home is exactly that… a castle set on a flat 7000 square metre…
Christine and Andy go for striking yet simple
07 Jun 2018
When Christine and Andy were deciding on a new scheme for their 15-year-old builder’s spec home in Papamoa, the choices were fairly simple – a striking yet simple scheme of…
Bathing in colour bliss
10 May 2018
Two bathrooms, both painted in rich Resene colour and each boasting an individual style. When it came to creating these beautiful bathrooms, the designers went bold with their colour choices…
Corrine and Emanuel’s bungalow goes bold with colour
27 Jun 2018
At first glimpse, Corrine and Emanuel’s Wellington home, freshened up in Resene Eighth Friar Grey, looks like another neutral-infused bungalow. Take a second look and the yellow letter box and…
Maurice and Marije’s colour-cosy holiday cabin
05 Jul 2018
Tucked away in the Ohakune mountains, this holiday cabin brings together modern design and rustic aesthetics – making it a dream place to escape to any time of the year.
With…
Fiona’s exquisitely detailed homage to heritage
28 Jun 2018
So often older homes are given a millennium makeover with rooms opened up for open-plan living, a modern kitchen… and then we paint it all white.
Not so for Fiona Saville…
Michael brings coastal charm to character villa
21 Jun 2018
What was once bordering on a student flat aesthetic has been transformed into an elegant home painted in coastal-inspired Resene colours thanks to its homeowners and designer Michael Mansvelt.
During the…
Gemma and Sam’s fabulous farmhouse renovation
14 Jun 2018
It’s always exciting to see the renovation of an old farmhouse, and this Gisborne home is no exception. Built in the 1930s, and recently given a makeover, it has retained…
Maureen and Paul brighten up a blank canvas
02 Aug 2018
On the surface, a home filled with beige walls has little appeal… but to Maureen and Paul, it meant they were given a blank canvas to fill with their favourite…
Shane and Nic’s sparkling white ‘glasshouse’
19 Jul 2018
When the bones of your new home are so strikingly strong, there’s one colour that will do it justice – clean, pure white. Shane and Nic Burnett found that two…
Colours go dark and twisted
04 Jul 2018
Dark colours can be a little intimidating for home decorators. Nobody wants to be left with a gloomy, depressing or unwelcoming room. But to avoid dark colours completely is to…
Kitchens that catch your eye
16 Aug 2018
This year we’ve featured some stellar kitchens painted in Resene, styled to perfection and showing the different ways to create a beautiful (and well-functioning) kitchen.
The most popular kitchens we feature…
Natalie and Dan’s modern, monochromatic Waikato build
16 Aug 2018
Natalie and Dan Isaac may have had to live in a sleepout for a year while waiting on their house to be built, but the resulting home, a modern beauty…
Bob’s award winning ultra efficient 'superhome'
09 Aug 2018
With a contemporary design and walls freshly painted in Resene Black White, this Christchurch home is already full of appeal. But its seamless looks hide a wonderful secret – it’s…
Stuart and Tracey’s stunning light-flooded home
06 Sep 2018
When Stuart and Tracey were making over their transitional villa in Devonport, Auckland, they turned to layers of Resene whites and neutrals to preserve the building’s character while creating a…
Bold and beautiful colour awards announced
30 Aug 2018
The winners of this year’s Resene Total Colour Award were announced at a gala evening last night, with some unexpectedly bold projects taking top honours.
From a full-on pink dining room,…
Zane and Suzanne’s dramatic eco facelift
13 Sep 2018
Zane and Suzanne Raphael knew the renovation of their rundown villa in Auckland’s Greenhithe would be epic. What they didn’t expect is that through the 12-month project they’d catch the…
Jenny and Peter river-inspired heritage masterpiece
20 Sep 2018
Jenny and Peter Brown have renovated plenty of houses over the years but their commitment to keeping true to the essence and original style of their Whanganui B&B made this…
On trend: Laundry love
04 Oct 2018
The laundry is not the sexiest room in the house, often overlooked in favour of kitchens and bathrooms when it comes to spaces that are both functional and impressive. But…
Sonia creates a live-in work of art
04 Oct 2018
This 1960s architecturally designed house in Cronulla, New South Wales, has been given much more than a facelift with a new coat of paint. Sonia van de Haar, creative director…
David and Cheryl go from ordinary to extraordinary
11 Oct 2018
When David and Cheryl Aitken bought their Stanley Pt home on Auckland’s North Shore in 1988 it was a modest home but in a stunning location. Over the next 30…
Marcelle and Simon’s colour-lover’s villa
18 Oct 2018
When advertising executive Marcelle Baker came to designing the interior of her renovated, century-old villa in Onehunga, Auckland, colour was key in the form of a bold Resene palette. “I…
Sustainable home lets the colours flow
25 Oct 2018
Using a colour consultant helped the owners of this new build in Kapiti decorate their home in a way that reflects its wetland surroundings, which complements their environmentally sustainable approach.…
Harriet’s dreamy scheme for a rebuilt farm cottage
15 Nov 2018
Charged with decorating a Waikato country cottage, designer Harriet Di Maio opted for a palette of soft heritage colours, reminiscent of those found in English country homes.
Her clients had almost…
On trend: The return of red
08 Nov 2018
Red, with all its associations of passion, power and personality, is a colour we come back to again and again in our preferred design trends. The shades of red in…
Rebecca and Sean swap 70s beige for bold colour
08 Nov 2018
When Sean and Rebecca set about making over their solid 1970s brick home it was an all-beige blank canvas from top to toe, both inside and out. From the outset…
Rod and Heather’s captivating Cape Cod cottage
29 Nov 2018
With its cape-cod style architecture and fresh blue Resene French Pass exterior, Heather and Rod Claycomb’s Sand Dollar Cottage in Matarangi is a real head-turner.
The couple built the new building…
Cushla and Richard’s mid-century home beautifully blends traditional and modern
17 Jan 2019
With a seven-year-old boy and six-year-old twins, life for Cushla and Richard Waites is as busy as you’d imagine, but they still took on the task of renovating their Tauranga…
Sheryl and Kevin’s bright and eclectic Tudor transformation
10 Jan 2019
After their kids left home, Sheryl and Kevin Mace were ready to downsize and looking for a change. When they stumbled upon this early 90s Tudor-style house in Waikato, Sheryl…
Tim and Angela renovate from woodsy to coastal
20 Dec 2018
Many of us dream of living the bach holiday lifestyle all year round, but few of us have the opportunity to actually do so. Tim and Angela Kinnersley are the…
Go for grey
31 Jan 2019
Two kitchens, completely different in style, but both with something in common – their stunning use of Resene greys.
The first is a stunning two-tone kitchen, inspired by black character doors…
Sian’s Lyttelton villa gets the magic touch
19 Feb 2019
It goes without saying that the kitchen in this renovated villa is exceptionally beautiful. The home is owned and decorated by kitchen and interior designer Sian Gillander, after all.
Overlooking…
Dion and Rebecca reimagine their Cambridge beauty
31 Jan 2019
It’s colour and more colour for Dion and Rebecca’s Cambridge home, which has seen itself transform into the beauty it is today after 10 years of renovations – with the…
Adam’s modernised mid-mod in Napier lets the art speak for itself
28 Feb 2019
Adam Harris, Graphic Designer and Managing Director for NZ Digital, bought this sunny 1950s brick and tile home in 2014.
Set on a completely flat section atop Napier’s Bluff Hill, the…
This striking black kitchen is the crown jewel of a contemporary North Otago farmstead
06 Mar 2019
Situated in Ardgowan, just west of Oamaru, this jaw-dropping house has a spectacular vista overlooking farmland and the Kakanui mountain range. The hardworking couple who own it are in their…
Becky’s colourful Christchurch bungalow gives us something to smile about
21 Mar 2019
When Designer Becky Lee purchased her 1956 brick bungalow in Christchurch nearly five years ago, it was essentially a blank canvas with Resene Half Black White throughout the interiors. Being…
A classically-styled Matarangi bach makes the most of open-plan living
17 Apr 2019
With an empty half-acre section in The Pines at Matarangi on Coromandel Peninsula, an Auckland-based couple with busy jobs at multi-national corporations already had an ideal setting for creating a custom…
Kelly transforms a sea of vanilla into an art-inspired masterpiece
03 Apr 2019
Designer Kelly Gammie of Eucalyptus Design is no stranger to using colour to transform a home. A past recipient of the Resene Residential Interior Colour Creativity award, she received another…
Janice and Eddie’s brave use of bold colours pays off
30 Apr 2019
Now that their top-to-bottom renovation is done and dusted, Janice and Eddie Cowley are happy to be living their most colourful lives – thanks to a whole spectrum of Resene…
The most overlooked element in nearly every home renovation
02 May 2019
Lighting has a drastic effect on your paint colour choices – to the point that you really should be considering your lighting before, or at the latest, when you pick…
Sandra and Doug breathe new life into a grand old Victorian
24 Apr 2019
Although the spectacular house at 38 Franklin Road in Auckland’s Freeman’s Bay neighbourhood started her life as a gracious family home for a well-to-do local councillor, she has spent the…
This stunning showhome proves that neutral need not be bland
08 May 2019
Designed as a showhome for Masonry Design Solutions (MDS) to demonstrate the quality of their handiwork, this impressive property overlooks the North Shore Golf Course in Auckland’s Albany neighbourhood. But…
Kathy and Greg’s character villa gets a cosy update
30 May 2019
15 years ago, when Kathy and Greg Chiles purchased their Edwardian villa in Dunedin’s Belleknowes neighbourhood, they were drawn to its character, sunny north facing position, interior layout and child-friendly…
Hana and Samuel make space for six
23 May 2019
Artist Hana Carpenter and her husband Samuel, a historian, live in Lower Hutt, Wellington. Like many houses in the area, theirs was a three-bedroom 1940s weatherboard at the front of…
Kay’s whimsical wallpapered Morrinsville home
19 Jun 2019
For Kay, building her first home was a life-long dream. With the help of her architectural designer son and builder friend, she was able to turn that dream into a reality,…
Annabel and Simon’s new wave of coastal living
12 Jun 2019
When interior designer Annabel Berry and her husband Simon built their house on the outskirts of Oamaru, they chose a coastal theme for their décor. Seven years and three children…
A simple palette looks superb in this Cambridge showhome
05 Jun 2019
Those on the lookout for a new place to call home in the Cambridge region will be pleased to learn that Sentinel Homes has just opened a brand new showhome…
Yvette transforms a rural Kauri property into a soothing sanctuary
24 Jul 2019
Five minutes north of Whangarei in the beautiful, scenic township of Kauri sits a quaint and traditional brick and mortar bungalow. Built in the 1990s, it’s a property that’s been the…
Emma and Henry’s Pt. Chev bungalow gets an indoor-outdoor makeover
18 Jul 2019
With two children and another on the way, Emma and Henry were rapidly outgrowing their three-bedroom traditional 1930s bungalow in Auckland’s Pt. Chevalier neighbourhood. The house didn’t have a bathtub…
Debra and Tony DeLorenzo play the long game with their period property
31 Jul 2019
Debra DeLorenzo is no stranger when it comes to interior renovation and design. As an interior designer by trade, there’s nothing she loves more than to unleash her creative prowess and…
On-trend marble remains a solid design choice
24 Jul 2019
Marble is one of the most elegant building materials out there – and one that’s been in use nearly as long as buildings have existed. While marble is inherently timeless,…
Sarah’s cute and colourful family home in Invercargill
15 Aug 2019
Choosing a location to purchase a property is often a challenge. But for Sarah Chapman, husband Riki and their three children, relocating to Sarah’s home town was an easy choice.…
Bronze and black define Hobsonville Point’s next generation of golden living
08 Aug 2019
Nestled on the banks of the western coast and a stone’s throw from Auckland CBD is Hobsonville Point. It’s a suburb that’s been under construction as workers carefully renovate the…
Maggie and Hugh put a retro twist on a Scandi-inspired interior
11 Sep 2019
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…
Charlotte and Greg create colourful character in a newly constructed home
18 Sep 2019
Since Charlotte and Greg Quinn bought their first house in the UK in 2006, they have loved living in houses with a strong architectural style and plenty of character.
“Most houses…
Lizzie’s cute cottage glows like a jewel
16 Oct 2019
Sometimes a momentous event will spur us into action. That was the case with Lizzie Cook of Christchurch when earthquake repairs gave her the opportunity to complete renovations on her…
Amanda and Steve make a massive move and end up with their dream home
22 Oct 2019
Homeowners Amanda and Steve found the perfect piece of land in the heart of the Waikato with the intention of developing a Clydesdale stud and horse care facility. The couple…
Sven and Fuailelagi find happiness with their sunshiny scheme
07 Oct 2019
Inspired by Island Bay’s rugged southern coast, Sven and Fuailelagi Samoa Saleupolu Heger wanted their renovated home to have materials and a Resene colour palette that was earthy but crisp, and to…
Mia and David’s award-winning modern Kiwi-meets-Scandi-chic Canterbury home
20 Nov 2019
After their Christchurch home was devasted by the February 2011 earthquakes, Mia and David were forced to start again from scratch. Originally from Sweden, Mia was naturally partial to bringing…
Sarah creates an expertly coloured country chic sanctuary
11 Nov 2019
When Sarah Eaton of Tailormade Space was hired to provide a full interiors concept on a new build in Canterbury, the leafy rural setting became the perfect opportunity to create…
Kirsten and Julien’s small home has style to spare
06 Nov 2019
Perched on the upper slopes of Mt Pleasant Hill in Christchurch is a petite two bedroom home with sweeping views to the alps, Kaikoura mountain ranges and Pegasus Bay. As…
Petra and Milan’s nautical-themed haven in Brightwater
18 Dec 2019
Petra and Milan’s 1960s home in Brightwater, not far from Nelson, has undergone a colourful transformation since they purchased it a little over two years ago. Over a year-long period,…
Liam’s Cambridge bungalow has been transformed by a light and earthy palette
11 Dec 2019
Having completed a number of renovations in Auckland with his DIY-savvy parents, Liam was more than ready for the challenge of tackling the 1987 Cambridge bungalow he purchased in 2018.…
Kate and Nick’s Meadowbank home is a vision of light and movement
22 Jan 2020
As the owner of Williams Road, a furniture company that creates beautiful commercial fit-outs, homeowner Kate definitely has a strong sense of style – one that set the vision for…
Stephanie’s post-quake overhaul honours lush surrounding
11 Feb 2020
Following the devastating Christchurch earthquakes, Stephanie Waterhouse was faced with a major decision: rebuild her beloved but damaged 110-year-old villa or pack up and move. However, her stunning St Albans…
Rachel and Steven’s character-filled 1930s bungalow
26 Feb 2020
‘Old world charm meets colourful, contemporary character’ perfectly sums up Rachel and Steven’s 1930s Devonport bungalow, which they share with their two children, Elias and Ivy. With its ornate high…
Philip and Jane’s glamorous villa looks pretty in pink
04 Mar 2020
While it may have served previous life as a modest bungalow, Philip and Jane’s 1920s Auckland home has since seen a complete transformation into the bold and modern multi-level stand…
Lisa Maria and Paul’s electric Kapiti Coast home
11 Mar 2020
It takes a great eye and flair for colour to achieve what Lisa Maria and Paul have with their 1950s Kapiti Coast home. Just two minutes from the beach by…
These spicy shades are the next big thing
26 Feb 2020
Swipe your way through Instagram or Pinterest, flip through a design magazine, or step foot into your local décor shop and you’ll have no doubt that the interiors world is…
Douglas and Shelley’s neutral haven is filled with creative touches
25 Mar 2020
When Douglas and Shelley moved to Dunedin with their two children, Oscar and Eli, an exciting opportunity presented itself. Their north facing property showed plenty of promise, but was in a poor state – leaving full renovation as their…
Joe and Lisa’s bright and beautiful family home
18 Mar 2020
Through their building company, Byrne Homes, builder Joe and designer Lisa are no strangers to creating a beautiful home. But when it came to constructing and customising a space of their…
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