Ten questions with architect Felicity Brenchley

04 Dec 2025

Architect and Resene Total Colour Award winner, Felicity Brenchley, discusses her dream designer dinner date, memorable projects and colour trend predictions.

Which are your current favourite Resene colours and what do you like about them?

Resene Half Merino has been my go-to white for nearly a decade. I love the way it works with native timber floors and other natural materials. It is bright without being starkly white. I also use it in combination with Resene Merino in spaces that call for a slightly darker tone. Resene Jurassic is a dark green that I used in my own home several years ago and I am still in love with it. This green has a grey undertone which softens it nicely and means it can be used in combination with a range of other colours – including the terracotta vibes of Resene Tuscany and peachy Resene Dawn Glow.

What has been your favourite painting, wallpapering or staining project that you have completed to date and what did you like best about the outcome?

I put off painting my mid-century home in Titirangi for four years due to the complexity of working around existing timber rafters and high ceilings. It was a huge challenge to prep the walls and ceilings for repainting, but in the end, it was worth every hour spent. Putting in the hard work to repaint it properly breathed new life into the house and made sure it will continue to be loved long into the future.

Would you consider yourself a ‘DIY perfectionist’ or ‘do you leave it to the professionals’?

I am definitely someone who likes to do a lot myself, mostly because I enjoy the process of making so much, and the cost savings help too.

What is your favourite place to find inspiration for your projects?

These days I start every morning in nature, bare feet on the ground, anchoring myself in my body. From that place, my creativity is able to flow more naturally without my overthinking mind taking over.

Felicity’s stunning renovation of a mid-century home in Titirangi won a Resene Total Colour Residential Interior Colour Maestro Award. This project uses Resene Double Concrete, Half Merino, Jurassic, Pirate Gold, Salsa, Sea Fog, Teal Blue, Resene Triple Concrete and a rainbow of Resene testpots. Image by Jamie Cobel.

What has proven to be the most valuable piece of industry advice you’ve received so far during your career?

To focus in on what you are good at and just do that, rather than trying to solve all of the world’s problems all at once. We all have something valuable to contribute but often we get distracted from our true path by an idea of what success should look like, comparison with others or feeling overwhelmed by the enormity of world events. My focus these days is on deepening into my creative practice in a way that is life affirming for myself – rather than the always-on hustle culture that for a long time I was prescribing to.

If you were to splurge on any one home renovation project or décor item right now, what would it be and why?

Recently, I have been dreaming of setting up a pottery and glass making studio in my shed. I currently attend classes at the Mairangi Arts Centre and want to establish my own studio so that I can integrate my art practice more fluidly within my working week. To do that, I am going to need to build a workbench and shelving as well as invest in a kiln.

If you could have dinner with any architect, designer, artist or historical figure from the past or present, who would it be and what might you talk about?

I would love to meet the ancestors of mine who spent their lives as craftspeople. I feel very connected to making things with my hands but have spent much of my life ignoring that in favour of working in a ‘profession’. I probably have a way too nostalgic view of the life of a full-time craftsperson though, so it would be great to go back and fact-check with them about whether or not diving off the deep end and changing my career is a good or bad idea.

If you could magically invent something that does not exist, what would it be and why?

I would invent something to completely clean our soil and waterways of all pollutants. We have spent centuries mistreating our most precious resources, forgetting that human health is tightly interwoven with the health of our environment. Reducing the toxicity of building materials and minimising waste during construction would be a good first step.

If you could have a superpower, what would it be and why?

My kids ask me this question all the time. Honestly, I feel like I have all of the superpowers I need, I just need to get better at tapping into them! Being human is such an incredible gift. Our ability to be creative and to connect with others is unique on this planet and something to be celebrated.

Which colours do you predict will be key trends over the coming months and how do you envisage they will be used?

I see a diversity in trends developing as there are so many sources of inspiration available to all of us these days, which makes it easier for niche styles to evolve. For me, personally, I love the shift towards biophilic design and think this will continue to be a trend moving forward. Bringing the outdoors in and taking inspiration from the colours of nature, I imagine we will see earthy browns like Resene Yogi, buff clays like Amaranth and mustard yellows like Salted Caramel combining with deep greens like Vantage Point and Seaweed.

Visit Felicity Brenchley Architects to learn more.

Published: 04 Dec 2025