Sustainable home lets the colours flow
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. The result is a home which uses a range of Resene paint colours, inside and out, winning accolades for its builders S & J MacKay.
The owners surrounded themselves with talent and good advice, not only from the builders but from Aonui Architects and colour consultant Heather Thorley of Inspiration+Co. When it came to the interior scheme, crucial input from Heather was noting that the silver aluminium joinery meant neutrals should be grey-based rather than creamy-white. That revelation set the tone for the rest of the colour choices.
The owners talk us through their design choices.
How did your colour choices respond to the environment?
The exterior cladding is in Resene Waterborne Woodsman Shadow Match stain, with Resene Half Gauntlet on the end wall, Resene Wireless on the eaves, Resene Haka above the Resene Raging Bull front door, and Resene Wimbledon green in the porch.
We used a dual pavilion configuration with skillion roof-lines, the roof is in COLORSTEEL® in colour Ironsand and the joinery is silver aluminium.
Did you know…that Resene is continually launching new fashion colours. Some of the colours used in this house are from older collections that may not be supported by testpots and drawdown paint swatches. For current alternatives, try Resene Half Baltic Sea instead of Resene Wireless, Resene Green Leaf instead of Resene Wimbledon, Resene Monkey instead of Resene Haka and Resene Jumbo instead of Resene Half Gauntlet.
How did you decide on the overall look of the interiors?
We wanted interior colours that reflected and complemented the colours in the wetland the house overlooks: flax reds and the dark blue grey at their base, bright yellow greens of old cabbage tree leaves and carex tips, and softer greys and grey blues of sky and water.
The walls in the living area are high and dramatic. We had a feeling for colour and did not want a ‘motel’ palette. We had a half-hour session with colour consultants Inspiration+Co to resolve the neutrals as greys not creams and confirm the specifics of which dark blue, dark red with a zingy complement would work best together.
Inside, in the kitchen and living space, we used Resene Dark Knight and Resene Lemon Ginger on the walls with Resene Pioneer Red. The sills are in Resene Eighth Arrowtown, with skirtings in Resene Half Ash. We used these two neutrals this way throughout the interior, along with Resene Double Alabaster on the non-ply ceilings.
We also used the Resene Dark Knight, Resene Lemon Ginger and Resene Half Ash in one of the bedrooms. The bathroom is in Resene Half Emerge.
In the room between the pavilions we kept to concrete floors, ply ceilings and walls with many windows to create a more outdoor, bach feel.
We also wanted that more industrial, hardworking feel in the kitchen, which has stainless steel benches, ply cabinetry and narrow white tiles.
Did you know… that Resene has a range of products to seal and protect plywood and concrete surfaces, such as Resene Aquaclear urethane for timber, and Resene Concrete Wax for concrete floors?
Describe the key environmental aspects used in building your home.
The house has a range of sustainability features including passive solar heating with polished concrete floors and deep framed walls, natural ventilation for heating and cooling with offset high and low windows, double glazing, solar and wetback water and underfloor heating. The house requires no heating other than the open fire. We also have LED lights and full water harvesting, as well as on-site septic and insect screens.
What part of the house are you most happy with?
The design of the rooms in the house, and the flow between them and through them, perfectly suits the way we live and use the spaces. The rooms have very different functions and the colour palette emphasises those differences. The extensive and well-designed windows, and high ceilings mean all the rooms have a light, airy feel.
What is your advice for someone trying to achieve a similar look?
Talk to a colour consultant. It can shortcut the process. Choose colour over neutrals where you can. However, the fewer colours you use the less it costs.
What was the biggest decorating challenge for this project?
Choosing the neutrals. We needed the consultant to point out that with silver aluminium joinery we needed grey-tone neutrals not white/cream. Once we were over that hurdle it all became much more simple.
Do you have a favourite colour, and if so, why is it your favourite?
The Resene Lemon Ginger is a fabulous colour as it changes so much in the light, from zingy yellow to subtle green. Visitors love it too.
Involved in this project
Inspiration+Co [www.inspirationandco.nz/]
S & J Mackay Builders [www.sandjmackaybuilders.co.nz/]
Aonui Architecture [www.aonui.co.nz/]
Chatswood Kitchens[www.facebook.com/kapitikitchens/].
This home won the New Home $550,000 - $700,000 award in the Master Builders House of the Year 2018 Wellington region.
Published: 25 Oct 2018
Do you have a home full of wonderful Resene paint and colour? Send us some snaps by emailing [email protected].
The exterior cladding is in Resene Waterborne Woodsman Shadow Match stain, with Resene Half Gauntlet on the end wall, Resene Wireless on the eaves, Resene Haka above the Resene Raging Bull front door, and Resene Wimbledon green in the porch.
Resene Dark Knight walls are a cool counterpoint to the plywood ceilings in the living and kitchen area.
A Resene Raging Bull front door and Resene Lemon Ginger wall warm the entranceway. The other walls and trims are in Resene Half Ash.
Resene Dark Knight is also used on the bedhead wall in the bedroom, with other walls in Resene Half Ash.
The bathroom is painted in Resene Half Emerge, a calm watery blue/green.
Plywood finished in Resene Aquaclear is used in the connection between the pavilions for a more casual, bachy feel.
Resene Lemon Ginger used on the right hand wall is now a favourite with the owner for its ability to change so much in the light, from zingy yellow to subtle green. The other walls are in Resene Dark Knight.
The house’s wetland surroundings heavily influenced the colour schemes: flax reds and the dark blue grey at their base, bright yellow greens of old cabbage tree leaves and carex tips, and softer greys and grey blues of sky and water. The exterior cladding is in Resene Waterborne Woodsman Shadow Match stain, with Resene Wireless on the eaves.
Resene Pioneer Red
Resene Pioneer Red
Resene Monkey
Resene Dark Knight
Resene Dark Knight
Resene Raging Bull
Resene Raging Bull
Resene Half Emerge
Resene Half Emerge
Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Half Ash
Resene Half Ash
Resene Jumbo
Resene Wireless
Resene Wireless
Resene Lemon Ginger
Resene Lemon Ginger
Resene Half Baltic Sea
Resene Half Baltic Sea
Resene Green Leaf
Resene Green Leaf
Resene Eighth Arrowtown
Resene Eighth Arrowtown
the look
If you're stuck on what
colour to use or need colour
advice, try out the Resene
Ask a Colour Expert service.
Resene Pioneer Red
Resene Pioneer Red
Resene Monkey
Resene Dark Knight
Resene Dark Knight
Resene Raging Bull
Resene Raging Bull
Resene Half Emerge
Resene Half Emerge
Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Half Ash
Resene Half Ash
Resene Jumbo
Resene Wireless
Resene Wireless
Resene Lemon Ginger
Resene Lemon Ginger
Resene Half Baltic Sea
Resene Half Baltic Sea
Resene Green Leaf
Resene Green Leaf
Resene Eighth Arrowtown
Resene Eighth Arrowtown
the look
If you're stuck on what
colour to use or need colour
advice, try out the Resene
Ask a Colour Expert service.