Magazine

Outside the lines

Your walls are one thing, but what about the rest of the room? Go rogue in high style by using paint in unexpected places. 

In association with Resene.

Place to paint #1: The floor

You know we love a painted floor, and a well-considered patterned one is a confident statement that adds tons of charisma to an otherwise straightforward space. We created this woven look using three distinct Resene shades: Resene Swiss Caramel, Resene Charcoal and Resene Crowdpleaser. 

The inspiration

For this effect, the geometric appeal of quilted creations by New York textile designer Thompson Street Studio meets the symmetrical pleasure of weaving and wicker in colours that echo sweet tooths’ can’t-say-no flavours: nougat, caramel and chocolate. 

The tips

Loud flooring calls for the rest of the room to be the supporting act. Stick to light, soothing colours for your walls, and furniture in blockish forms that hold their own against a large-scale repeating pattern, then take a less-is-more approach to styling. For a step-by-step of how to create this patterned effect click here

INSPIRATION IMAGE Patchwork curtain, POA, thompsonstreetstudio.com. STYLED ROOM, BACKDROP Walls in Resene SpaceCote Flat in Resene Shabby Chic; floor in Resene Walk-On in Resene Swiss Caramel, Resene Charcoal and Resene Crowdpleaser, resene.co.nz. Bloomsbury Bay wool fabric (used as curtain), $60/m, marthas.co.nz.  STYLED ROOM, FROM LEFT Forma floor lamp by Kelly Wearstler, $4595, cavitco.com. Milou swivel chair, $1795, cocorepublic.co.nz. Elle pillar coffee table, $2467, sorenliv.com. Lucid vase, $115, boconcept.co.nz. Porcelain vase stylist’s own, painted in Resene Sunbaked, resene.co.nz.

Paint swatches, from top: Resene Shabby Chic, Resene Swiss Caramel, Resene Charcoal, Resene Crowdpleaser, Resene Sunbaked, resene.co.nz.

Place to paint #2: The staircase

Staircases have a natural sense of drama. Play it up by painting the sides in one shade (we used Resene Helix) and the rise and run in a complementary but contrasting accompaniment (here it’s Resene Route 66). 

The inspiration

This effect is a nod to Spanish architect Ricardo Bofill’s surreal buildings and their geometric stairs, openings and terraces — exemplified by Casa de Verano, a summer house in Spain designed for his parents and extended family in the 1970s (pictured below). It celebrates 3D form and the interplay of light and shade, enhanced by textural and artisanal elements. 

The tips

Not all staircases look the same, but the steps themselves are universal. Stick to neutral hues for your staircase surround and let the steps stand out. If your staircase has a balustrade, this could be used to add another colour to the scheme. 

INSPIRATION IMAGE Photograph of Casa de Verano: Lluis Carbonell, courtesy of Ricardo Bofill Taller de Arquitectura, Ricardo Bofill, gestalten 2019. Ricardo Bofill: Visions of Architecture book, Gestalten $109, paperplanestore.com. STYLED ROOM, BACKDROP Walls in Resene Space-Cote Flat in Resene Colins Wicket; staircase in Resene SpaceCote Flat in Resene Helix and Resene Walk-On in Resene Route 66; floor in Resene Walk-On in Resene Green Meets Blue, resene.co.nz. STYLED ROOM, FROM LEFT Artwork by Patrick Pound, $3250, melanierogergallery.com. Persian rug, $250, babelogue.shop. Standard chair by Jean Prouvé, $980, matisse.co.nz. Rawson bar cabinet, $1995, cocorepublic.co.nz. 01 raised bowl by Walk in the Park, $529, tessuti.co.nz. Vase by Kirsten Dryburgh, $155, widdess.co.nz.

Paint swatches from top: Resene Helix, Resene Colins Wicket, Resene Route 66, Resene Grey Olive, Resene Green Meets Blue, resene.co.nz.

Place to paint #3: The storage nook

Putting an end to the very real struggle of the too-cluttered bedside table, a nook behind your bed is design detail, display and storage in one. This architectural element also presents an opportunity to elegantly inject colour into the room without overwhelming it. We went for Resene Sixth Sense.

The inspiration

Something as simple as a décor item you absolutely love can be a starting point for adding interest to your interior with paint, the beauty of it being how easy it is to redo if you want to change it in future. We based our colour story around a pair of silk Penney & Bennett pillowslips that we surrounded with harmonious hues.

The tips

Paint all the recessed elements in a single shade and the non-recessed surround the same colour as the remaining walls in your room. Keep this choice neutral to ensure the nook remains the focal point.

INSPIRATION IMAGE Beauty Pillow pillowcases, $99 each, penneyandbennett.co.nz. STYLED ROOM, BACKDROP Cabinetry in Resene SpaceCote Flat in Resene Eighth Stonewashed; nook and shelf in Resene SpaceCote Flat in Resene Sixth Sense, resene.co.nz. STYLED ROOM, FROM LEFT Bowl by Elena Renker, $145; aaaselect.co. Kylix & Sandpaper artwork by Amy Unkovich, $1000, amyunkovich.com. Pedestal candlestick by Walk in the Park, $92, tessuti.co.nz. Arch card stand by Ferm Living, $90, capricho.co.nz. Ceramic jar by Minami Samejima, $110, aaaselect.co. Apollo bookends $165/pair, cocorepublic.co.nz. Turn 01 wall light, $980, douglasandbec.com. Beauty Pillow pillowcases, $99 each, penneyandbennett.co.nz. Fitted linen sheet, $219/queen, flat linen sheet, $239/one size, and linen duvet cover, $428/queen, by Cultiver, fatherrabbit.com. Opart throw, $69, boconcept.co.nz. Books stylist’s own.

Paint swatches, from top: Resene Eighth Stonewashed, Resene Sixth Sense, Resene Moccasin, Resene Grey Area, Resene Rocky Mountain, resene.co.nz.

Place to paint #4: The ceiling

Its large surface area makes the ceiling an element you can use to turn colour (in this case, Resene Excalibur) into a hero feature of a room, yet when you’re actually in the space, it’s only just inside your field of view, so the effect is somehow subtle at the same time. The ceiling’s connection to the walls effortlessly unifies the look. 

The inspiration

Our cue for the sky-blue hue we chose for our ceiling was the dreamy impressionist vibe of this mural by heritage Netherlands brand Eijffinger. It informed the soft-edge shapes of the décor items in the room too.

The tips

If your ceiling has architectural details such as beams or ceiling roses, paint them as well. It’ll simplify the detail, and the light and shadow around them will bring an additional dimension to your chosen paint colour. We’ve grounded our look with solid furniture.

INSPIRATION IMAGE Masterpiece E358120 mural by Eijffinger, $1096, resene.co.nz. STYLED ROOM, BACKDROP Ceiling in Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen in Resene Excalibur; walls in Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen in Resene Dapper; window frame in Resene Safehaven; pedestal in Resene Napa; floor in Resene Walk-On in Resene Coffee Break, resene.co.nz. STYLED ROOM, FROM TOP LEFT Masterpiece E358120 mural by Eijffinger, $1096, resene.co.nz. Stay sofa by Space Copenhagen for Gubi, $10,280, cultdesign.co.nz. Ribe cushion by Missoni, $410, tessuti.co.nz. Scandinavian rug, $4769, artisancollective.co.nz. Native coffee table, $1189, dawsonandco.nz. Wooden sphere by Kristina Dam Studio, $405, capricho.co.nz. Luna vase, $99, boconcept.co.nz. Alabaster pot, $60, babelogue.shop. Lampampe lamp by Ingo Maurer, $2095, ecc.co.nz. Port Wall Relief Section II artwork by Amy Unkovich, $1200, amyunkovich.com. Felix Chubby armchair, $1932, sorenliv.com. 

Paint swatches from top: Resene Dapper, Resene Excalibur, Resene Safehaven, Resene Coffee Break, Resene Napa, resene.co.nz.

Set design & styling Juliette Wanty
Photography Wendy Fenwick
Assistants Nic Fletcher, Todd Neal and Gemma McRoberts 

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