Photography by: Anna Briggs
Bringing life back into a tired villa isn’t easy work, but in the right hands, magic can happen. When Kimberly and Tim Bamford purchased their 1916 Wellington villa in 2022, they knew a long reno was ahead.
The location was stellar, but the Wellington villa had been a long-term student flat.
“The house had lost much of its original charm under layers of rental wear and tear,” tells Kimberly. “All the walls were a dated cream and white, which made the house feel worn.
“Colour is something we both lean towards,” she says of their chosen colour palette of bright greens, cosy beiges and warm browns. “We knew the best way to give the house its character back was through the use of colour. Choosing shades that felt more in line with the heritage of the house was our end goal.
“We’ve used a rich, earthy colour palette from Resene to bring depth and personality to each space, eschewing plain white for something far more expressive.”
One room is painted in Resene Zylone Sheen in Resene Spice, a bold nutmeg brown. They saw the colour in a magazine, then colour-matched by a staff member in Resene Kilbirnie.
The other room is Resene Zylone Sheen in Resene Millbrook, a complex and light brown beige, while the hallway is painted in Resene Zylone Sheen in Resene Half Tea, a complex dirty neutral.
“The bedroom colours were a bit intimidating and out of our comfort zone,” admits Kimberly. “It was hard to imagine a whole room of that colour and not worry that it would turn out too dark, but
it ended up looking great.”
The bathroom is the brightest room, painted in Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen in Resene Turtle Green. Complemented by brass joinery and green tiles, the deep bronze-green “brings a luxurious, grounding mood” to the space.
There is still a lot to do – namely, the entire upstairs – but Kimberly and Tim are taking the remainder of the reno slowly. The vibe they’re aiming for?
Enthuses Kimberly, “A blend of city and country manor, elegant yet welcoming, with thoughtful details that balance character and function.”
