If you’ve decided your white walls are boring, that things are starting to feel stale or your design no longer meets you and your family’s needs or priorities, it’s time for a new look. But what if you’re not sure where to start?
Whether you’re building new, moving or simply looking to redecorate your home to better suit your personality and lifestyle, we’ve rounded up some of the latest paint and decorating ideas to help inspire your next project. Adapt the ideas and colour combinations to suit your own quick weekend refresh, a new feature to indulge your favourite Resene colours or a total home makeover.
Slow spaces
In an increasingly challenging and uncertain world, spaces where you can wind down, take a load off and minimise stress are more popular than ever. This shift towards making our homes into havens where we can shelter from the chaotic energy of everyday life has also influenced colour trends as we seek out comforting hues that are known for their calming qualities.
Dusted blues, sea greens, creamy whites, petal pinks, mushroom mauves, cloudy greys and washed timber tones like Resene Inside Back, Resene Green Meets Blue, Resene Blanc, Resene Sakura, Resene In The Mauve, Resene Surrender and Resene Colorwood Breathe Easy are perfect for setting the tone in spaces where rest and recuperation are needed, which has increased demand for these gentle colours as more of us look to leverage their magic in our home sanctuaries.
Muted sunset tones invoke calm and relaxation. Wall painted in Resene Sakura.
Chit chat
For design elements that are immediate, eye-catching conversation starters, it’s hard to go past Resene wallpaper. Whether you want to go for bold drama in a whole room or a simple statement wall, the latest wallpaper designs are a good place to start.
A few drops of the right Resene wallpaper design can instantly change a room but to really get people talking think about designs that are unique, unexpected or even outrageous. Playful and colourful options will let you experiment with complementary Resene paint colours in other parts of the room. Try out on-trend neutrals and textures or embrace the trend for flamboyant jungle and botanical designs. That’s a great feature of wallpapers – their versatility. You can experiment with different design and colour trends at once, whether it’s tonal neutrals, bold nature designs, glamorous geometrics or simple stripes.
Invoke a sense of adventure or an exotic hotel retreat with jungle themed Resene Wallpaper Collection 91102.
Beautiful brushstrokes
A retaliation to design industrialisation and digitisation is a resurgence in artistic styles. One trend that’s big right now is the brushstroke look where you can add bold strokes of paint in a different shade over your base wall colour. It can be a really fun, creative way to add texture and interest to large stretches of wall, and some complexity and interest to your colour palette.
Try a subtle neutral base colour like the soft pink of Resene Wax Flower and add edginess by overlaying it with strokes of deeper Resene Cab Sav. Add a layer of wispier white with Resene FX Paint Effects medium mixed with Resene Scotch Mist. Or go for a more monochrome look with Resene Half New Denim Blue, then add brushstrokes in Resene Half Athens Grey. Using Resene FX Paint Effects helps give your brushstrokes that textured, slightly worn effect.
Experiment on a spare piece of cardboard, plasterboard or wood, trying different types of brushstrokes to get the desired effect. Go random and sweeping, or try more considered shapes and patterns.
Abstract whimsy and self-expression are the modern way to really embed your personality and design vision into your interiors. This hand-painted finish is achieved with a wall painted in Resene Wax Flower with brushstroke effect in Resene Cab Sav and Resene FX Paint Effects medium mixed with Resene Scotch Mist. The floor is a warm contrast in Resene Cab Sav.
Framed
The plainest of walls can be easily dressed up with battens, which continues to be a popular trend. But there’s another option to create interesting walls without needing any building skills – simply add frames!
Upcycle or buy new inexpensive frames depending on the style and look you are after. Op shops are a great place to find these. Remove the glass and backings – you can put them aside for another project. Paint the frames inside and out with your chosen Resene colour. Use masking tape to decide where you will place the frames on the wall or lay your frames out on the floor and get the combination right before you start hanging the frames. For a fun alternative look, add a mirror, a piece of art or paint the framed area in Resene FX Chalkboard Paint.
While it is most common to paint the frames in the same Resene paint and colour as the wall, you can opt for a contrasting sheen, using Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss to give your frames a subtle visual contrast to low sheen walls.
Choosing a bold, but versatile colour will give your frame design extra impact. Walls, frames and coffee table painted in Resene Thor and floor in Resene Merino.
We’re throwing off the shackles of conformity. The ‘rules’ haven’t just been rewritten; they have been erased. Embrace ‘free to be me’ and throw colour caution to the wind. Don’t choose a trend or a colour just because it is trendy. Choose it because it sings to you. Choose it because it brightens your day and lifts your mood. Choose it because you truly love it.
See your local Resene ColorShop or Ask a Resene Colour Expert free anytime, www.resene.co.nz/colourexpert, for all the inspiration and advice you need for your decorating projects.
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