Sense of summer
Colours to embrace the warmer weather
WHEN WE THINK of the warmer seasons, we associate this with blue-sky days, lush colours of summer blooms and sandy beach settings.
While summer outings always appeal, there are ways to bring that sense of holiday into your home with paint too.
With this comes a sense of a new start, too; a fresh setting for your home and a palette to embrace that sense of summer with refreshing, cheerful colours.
Evoke this breezy, feel-good vibe with upbeat hues, whether on a few elements within a room or coated across all four walls. These can always be enhanced with soft furnishings that also ooze that sense of summer.
The beauty in this is waking up each day to a setting that evokes that hint of paradise.
Colours that evoke this warm-weather vibe are gentle, uplifting colours and bold, energetic brights that ooze optimism.
Summer is when we embrace our natural environment, soaking up the bush and waterfall walks in the wider regions. A day spent in these settings leaves us feeling energised and centred.
Bring nature indoors with gentle, peaceful greens that mimic this feeling. Resene Wilderness is an on-trend hue, midtoned and earthy, that, when paired with Green White, provides a setting in which to recharge and reset.
Split your wall into thirds, with the soft yellow green of Resene Zen covering the top two-thirds and Wilderness coating the lower third. By pairing it with a warm summery baby pink or hotter version — think Crail, Sante Fe or Beethoven — uplifting shades celebrate multiple colours paired positively.
Blue is also green’s friend here, working harmoniously, such as Resene Olive Green with Rolling Stone. Or, for an easy-breezy feel, pair the gentle peppermint of Ottoman with the icy blue of Cut Glass. For a touch of zesty green, pops of lime Half Limerick against a backdrop of lilac Alluring create a magical combination of uplifting colour that warms the soul.
Dusky pinks are stealing the show when it comes to summer colours, too, finding their ideal partners in other uplifting hues. Tangerines, lilacs and yellows combine beautifully with pinks, creating an expected yet optimistic setting. Together, they mimic the colourful blooms of a summer garden full of life and hope.
For tangerine, use fruity Resene Japonica or the flamingo tones of Resene Sebedee. Few colours scream out summer more so than yellow. Resembling the colour of the summer sun, its feel-good, happy hue fills us up with joy and inner warmth. On-trend yellows range from the brights of Pirate Gold, Galliano and Buttercup, pairing with baby blue or reds and pinks. Or lean towards the citrusinspired kind such as the buttery Chenin, lime-tinted Lemon Twist or the sharp citrus undertones of Spring Fever.
Also in this warm, uplifting capacity are sun baked hues that have taken the limelight over recent years due to their ability to bring out that positive feeling we crave. Earthy terracotta in Resene Tuscany, Gold Coast and Twine embrace such feelgood notions.
Steering from here towards the opposite side of the colour spectrum, we find blue, which, it feels, never seems to go out of fashion. Right now, it seems to feel most at home in interiors more than ever. Take inspiration from the sea and sky, bringing in colours that evoke that clear summer sky. Use Resene Ship Cove — beautifully paired with Pattens Blue and Rakaia — or Nepal or Frozen.
The burgundy accents of Resene Merlot or the pea green of Norway, in de´ cor or a mural, will add interest and depth to these blues. When the outside heat becomes too intense, an interior painted in a soothing cool blue is just the tonic, whether it be a pale baby blue, something more mariner or bordering on the green spectrum. A lovely on-trend combination that channels nature in a beautiful way is blue next to green; think the sharp shade of Bilbao next to the cornflower tones of Azure.
For those to whom the ultimate summer palette consists of warm creams with barely-there tints of pink or orange, bring in Resene Canterbury Clay or Sazerac. Their softness creates a relaxing setting and look their best in the late afternoon glow of the sun. Paired with gentle greens and taupe, they suit any space that calls for relaxation.
To draw the eye in and create a sense of drama, play around with effects, layering these colours to a section of your wall with a contrasting hue surrounding it.
Remember, whatever your colour choices for a summery feel, ensure they form a narrative from room to room.