A chat with Diana Shchukin: Career, life and designing spaces that inspire

12 May 2025

Diana Shchukin, Associate and Interior Designer at JTB Architects, has an innate ability to blend sustainability, innovation and aesthetic beauty in her design work. With a passion for interior design…

Hook, line and seagull: DIY hooks

20 Feb 2025

Give your home or bach a coastal twist with these charming seagull hooks – a fun and functional DIY that brings a touch of the seaside to your space. Whether…

Bring style underfoot with the Resene Living Outdoor Rug range

23 Oct 2024

You might not think about rugs when you’re designing your outdoor space, but it might be just the thing that’s missing on your patio! The Resene Living Outdoor Rug range…

Take it outside: The top Resene paint and stain colours being used outside

14 Oct 2024

It seems almost like clockwork. As soon as the first whispers of warmer weather arrive, more clients come knocking looking to fresh up their exterior colour scheme. But for many,…

Reader roundup: Mini trains, a unique door and a mural painted by 100 children

12 Jun 2024

We’ve got some one-of-a-kind projects to show you this month. Our readers continue to surprise us with their creative skills and thoughtful designs. Murals from small to large, bright red…

Christmas gift ideas: Support local creators and artists by gifting something unique

06 Dec 2023

Short on Christmas present ideas? There’s always last-minute shopping to do or someone on the Christmas list a little tricky to buy for, so here are some unique, handmade gifts…

There’s no place like the beach: DIY beach sign

06 Dec 2023

If you have a beachy vibe going on at home, or have a family bach near the coast, then this fun beach sign could be the perfect addition to your…

School holiday boredom busters – Try these fun DIYs!

04 Oct 2023

Running out of ideas to entertain the kids? Try some more of our bright ideas with the help of Resene colours to keep them busy while at home these holidays.…

Merel’s murals: Transforming empty spaces into art

15 Aug 2023

New Zealand, with its breath-taking landscapes and vibrant art scene, has long been a source of inspiration for creative souls. One such artist is Merel Ijpelaar, an artist whose journey…

Rock 'em, sock 'em: DIY noughts and crosses

22 Jun 2023

Play some ‘stone cold’ tic tac toe with the family by making your very own noughts and crosses set. This handy set has its own bag so it can be…

5 breezy Resene blues your clients will fall in love with

18 Jan 2023

Once the summer holidays have passed, it’s common for clients to approach designers looking for a change – especially if they spent their days off at home or at the…

Resene Total Colour Awards 2022 winners announced

25 Nov 2022

Despite the many roadblocks and challenges specifiers have been up against during the past few years, the 12th annual Resene Total Colour Awards saw a bumper crop of impressive entries.…

Find inspiration for your next timber project in new habitat plus - wood stains

08 Nov 2022

To achieve biophilic designs, Resene wood stains are one of the best products in every designer’s tool box. Resene Woodsman exterior stains and Resene Colorwood interior stains are just two…

Six neutrals to turn to when your go-to white won’t do

10 Oct 2022

Every designer has a Resene white they cherish, a tried-and-tested favourite that they know they can come back to time and time again. But even the most beloved and flexible…

Small wonders: Teeny House competition 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…

Excellent Resene-coloured projects recognised at the 2021 Best Design Awards

18 Mar 2022

In a time when it’s been so difficult to come together to celebrate the amazing work designers across the country have been producing, it was a treat this year that…

A coastal blue adds charm to a do-up

26 Jan 2022

Upcycler, upholsterer and keen renovator, Holly knows a great colour when she sees it, and she chose Resene Half Kumutoto to transform a previously bland living room. 

“It is one of…

Wonder walls - three ways with wallpaper for holiday homes and baches

21 Dec 2021

Wallpaper is a hot trend in 2022. But why reserve wallpaper for your home, there’s wide range of designs that can make a statement in baches and holiday homes –…

The hottest flooring trends for 2022

16 Dec 2021

Flooring with Godfrey Hirst

You’ll be floored by the latest carpet, timber laminate and vinyl sheet options from Godfrey Hirst.

Don’t ignore your floor. You might think of flooring as simply a…

Shop crafty and local for Christmas with this roundup of handmade gifts from New Zealand makers

02 Dec 2021

Stuck for that unique gift for the person who has everything? We’ve corralled a collection of the unusual and beautiful from artisan makers, and you can order direct from them…

Make your own Christmas tree

02 Dec 2021

Transform your backyard or bach into a festive wonderland with a tree built from plywood. Use this tree as part of your decorations by stringing it with fairy lights or…

Off the record: Add flair to your flooring with patterned vinyl

07 Oct 2021

Flooring ideas from Godfrey Hirst

Let’s be honest: vinyl flooring isn’t usually considered cool. But gone are the days of sticky 70s vinyl, peeling at the corners. Now, this versatile…

Off the record: Add flair to your flooring with patterned vinyl

14 Oct 2021

Flooring ideas from Godfrey Hirst

Let’s be honest: vinyl flooring isn’t usually considered cool. But gone are the days of sticky 70s vinyl, peeling at the corners. Now, this versatile…

12 paint and decorating trends to design with now

13 Sep 2021

The ripple effect created by recent challenges has been hugely disruptive for decorating and design trends, given the massive interruption to global supply chains and the cancellation of significant fashion…

Colours come to life with Resene Living’s new scent-sational range of candles and diffusers

11 Aug 2021

Your favourite colour has just been taken to a whole new level! The Resene Colour Block range has a fabulous new collection of candles and diffusers inspired by vibrant Resene…

Nostalgic colours connect this ‘experimental’ bach to favourite childhood memories

06 Aug 2021

In a location chosen for its drama and seclusion sits a dreamy weekend retreat, perched at the edge of a tidal estuary within the North Cove of Kawau Island. Most…

A splash course in colour: Three ways to make blue cosy

08 Jul 2021

During these wintery days, there’s no need to feel blue – colour your walls with the colour instead! We’re putting our own spin on the winter blues, making them cosier…

Refreshing renovations and radiant recycling: our readers get creative in this reader round up

03 Jun 2021

Creativity is at the fore in this vibrant reader round up. As the weather gets colder, our readers are warming things up outside with spruced up fences and colourful chairs.…

Create your own Kiwiana wall hanging

28 May 2021

Embrace our unique backyard with this quintessential Kiwiana wall hanging. With vibrant Pohutukawa flowers and a cute fantail, this piece of décor will have crafters all aflutter. Originally inspired by…

Colour your winter garden with these nifty tricks and artisan décor

05 May 2021

Winter is often a time when the more colourful blooms of the garden go into hiding until spring. These outdoor garden ideas are just the thing to help you embrace…

Architect Chloe Coles’ lifelong love of colour and spaces

12 Apr 2021

With an architectural graduate for a mum and a planner for a dad, it’s no wonder that architect Chloe Coles grew up with a love of spaces, places and colour.…

This simple trick will make your wardrobe wonderful

10 Mar 2021

Is your bedroom more floordrobe than wardrobe? Does your closet do the opposite of sparking joy? Interior Designer Hamish Dodd has a simple tip for making your wardrobe go from…

Around the world in eight elegant wallpapers

16 Feb 2021

Travel bug biting and nowhere to go? Bring some foreign – or not so foreign – flair home to an interior near you with these designs from the Resene Wallpaper…

DIY: This wooden noughts and crosses set will be a hit during the holidays

08 Dec 2020

This outdoor noughts and crosses board will be a great addition for the backyard or family bach. While we’ve used Resene Woodsman wood stain on this project, it could easily…

6 trending colour palettes to get you in the mood for spring

15 Sep 2020

As the weather finally begins to warm, both designers and clients alike are being drawn to decorating with different colours. For as long as humans have been decorating, we’ve been…

Editor’s Picks: It’s showtime!

22 Jul 2020

It’s no secret that I’m an absolute film nut. And when I say that I’ve seen a lot of movies, we’re talking thousands of movies. As an introvert and a…

5 colour palettes inspired by the upcoming NZ International Film Festival

24 Jun 2020

The Whānau Mārama: NZ International Film Festival has just announced their 2020 line-up and as a first, the films will be screened online as well as in selected cinemas across…

Check out Miss Lolo’s colour picks

15 Apr 2020

Tamzyn Adding, the powerhouse behind the brand, launched Miss Lolo in 2013 and for three years now has been expertly curating paint colours that perfectly complement her collection of eye…

Creeping on in

06 Dec 2012

This quirky bathroom was a stand that won bronze at the recent Waikato Home Show. Created by Eucalyptus Design & Interiors and sponsored by Mico Design, the concept was for…

Colour of the week: Resene Bach

07 Feb 2013

Double win

30 May 2013

A social housing project which won a
Resene Total Colour Award last year has also taken out a New Zealand Institute
of Architects award. The awards, sponsored by Resene and announced last…

Regional architecture honoured

06 Nov 2013

The
regional round of the New Zealand Institute of Architecture awards is almost
over. Run over a period of weeks, the regional awards wrap up next week and will
culminate next year with…

Little wins big with timber

19 Mar 2014

A tiny family
bach at Otago’s Taieri River mouth and a stunning aquatic centre on
Wellington’s Kapiti Coast are joint supreme winners of the 2014 NZ Wood Resene
Timber Design Awards, announced last…

Choosing and using an architect

14 Nov 2014

We've all admired, and perhaps even been moved by great architecture at some stage, whether by one of the grand cathedrals of Europe, or by a humble bach. Even if…

Print raises funds for Vanuatu

25 Mar 2015

An eye-catching print has been designed to raise much-needed funds to help with the relief efforts in Vanuatu after Cyclone Pam. Design and advertising agency Designstein wanted to show their…

Diary of a renovation: in the beginning

11 Jun 2015

When our friends (and now neighbours) saw that the broken-down house across the street was for sale, they instantly thought of us. Ian and I are serial renovators. During the previous…

Bach building

01 Sep 2014

See what it takes to build a bach from start to finish in Choice TV’s brand new series, The 100 Day Bach.

Following interior and landscape designer Hamish Dodd, the series…

Exterior colour rescue – your problems solved

11 May 2016

The Resene colour expert solves your exterior colour woes.

Q: We’ve brought a two-bedroom bach in need of painting. It’s an older house with a funny deck with a garage underneath. At…

Heritage Rescue: Rangitoto’s protected baches

01 Sep 2016

Three kilometres off the coast of Auckland and only accessible by boat, the volcanic cone of Rangitoto is one of the iconic images of the city and harbour. Despite its…

Heritage Rescue: the revisit

29 Sep 2016

Seven museums, seven successful rescues – the team at Heritage Rescue revisit to see what impact the changes have made.

At the Mokau Museum, the exterior was freshened up with a…

Open your design door

20 Oct 2016

With warmer months around the corner, you’ll want to open up your doors to let the summer breezes flow through your house. To keep your doors from banging shut, check…

Shut in your style

10 Jan 2017

The trend for wallpapers that mimic other materials has gone far beyond those that look like timber or stone. This intriguing wall of faux timber shutters is the perfect summer…

Christmas DIY: No-fuss festive tree

24 Nov 2016

Looking for something a little different to hang your tinsel onto this year? This Scandi-inspired Christmas tree is a perfect, fuss-free way to get festive and will bring joy to the…

Art inspired summery schemes

18 Jan 2017

Do you have a favourite summery art print at home or the bach? Maybe you picked up a quirky print or piece of retro beachy art while you were on…

Make this easy rustic side table

28 Sep 2017

Painted in a colour palette of dusky blue, green and grey, we rustled up this rustic side table with a few tools and Resene testpots. The colour scheme is perfect for…

Designers’ top colours for summer

16 Nov 2017

We asked three designers their favourite colours for summer.

Jackie Jones of Jackie Jones Interior Design   

This striped feature wall at our bach is a real focal point and the seven Resene…

Winning murals look to nature

07 Dec 2017

This year's winners of the Resene Mural Masterpiece competition were obviously inspired by nature with birds, fish, bush and sea all making an appearence. 

Each year Resene is approached by a…

Luke and Lou go for beachy and modern

21 Dec 2017

When Auckland couple Luke and Lou wanted to turn their 1960's beach-style bach into a "forever home", they asked HOMEmade for help.

With breathtaking views of the water from their living…

Win: Spoil mum with Glenn Jones Art

17 Apr 2018

Looking to spoil your mum this Mother’s Day or simply treat someone to a special gift?

We love these Kiwiana and pop culture themed art prints from Glenn Jones Art –…

Editor’s picks of the month

03 May 2018

Here at Habitat by Resene many cool and creative examples of Resene paint come into our inboxes each day. We’d like to share some of those with you.

Getting creative

Sarah from…

The 6th wall – floors

16 May 2018

We tromp all over them, often without a second thought to what we are walking on.

But floors can be so much more versatile than that. Certainly, hard flooring is a…

The 5th wall – ceilings

10 May 2018

It’s often the forgotten zone – the ceiling. We just paint it white and that’s the last we think about it. But the ceiling is as much a part of…

Latest habitat hits the letterboxes

04 Oct 2018

The latest issue of habitat magazine has hit the letterboxes during the past week. Full of clever ideas and bursting with on-trend colour combos and both interior and exterior looks,…

Louise’s super-sweet bachy garden

22 Nov 2018

Landscape designer Louise Dunning of Noble Fox took one space from the garden we featured in the latest Habitat magazine and gave us an alternative look. 

Says Louise: “This property reminded…

Easy-going interiors: How decorating a bach differs from everyday home design

17 Jan 2019

Whether by the beach, lake or mountain, the modest bach is an iconic part of our history and culture and sums up the meaning of escape from the city and…

Aran and Maeve’s marvellous maps

31 Jan 2019

When it comes to creating 3D maps featuring New Zealand mountains and coastline, Aran Pudney is left feeling on top of the world.

The Lower Hutt local, who owns and runs…

The tropical trend turns over a new leaf

15 May 2019

Today’s tropical patterns have come a long way from the trendy bold emerald-green-plus-millennial pink version that was hugely popular. If you’re tired of seeing that all too familiar look, try…

Faux-ly convincing wallpapers

06 Jun 2019

Lusting after the look of a New York-style loft, a sumptuous leather lounge or a timber cabin? Thanks to advances in digital printing, wallpapers have become rather convincing at replicating…

A Kmart cubby house gets a creative Kiwi update

12 Jun 2019

Jarrod Rendle and his family turned a $199 Kmart Cubby House into a playhouse palace fit for a princess (and prince), injecting a bit of Kiwi flavour into the Kmart Cubby House…

6 colour palettes inspired by NZIFF’s upcoming films

11 Jul 2019

The New Zealand International Film Festival’s 2019 programme kicks off next week in Auckland, with over 150 films showing between 22 July – 11 August 2019, including 25 fresh from…

Last minute ideas for Christmas decorating

17 Dec 2019

Christmas has a way of sneaking up on us, and whether you’re super organised or behind the curve, finding yourself with a never ending to do list is part of…

6 bold wallpaper designs we’re currently coveting

04 Feb 2020

Why blend into a bland crowd when you can stand out? That’s the spirit we’re carrying into 2020 when it comes to interiors, with eclectic wallpapers being the very first…

Mike and Loren’s tiny house embraces minimalism

12 Feb 2020

At just 22m2, Mike and Loren’s Hawke’s Bay home is not your average dwelling. Tiny houses have been making waves in the building industry the last few years, and knocking…