Dare to decorate!
Get confident with colour and use paint to make a bold statement in your home with these five on-trend updates
With the cooler months looming, now is the time to give your home a mini makeover and create an inspiring interior for those grey winter days. Colour can dramatically change the mood and design of your home, and paint is not only one of the most powerful DIY decorating tools, it’s also one of the most affordable. Here we share five seasonal makeover ideas that can be achieved in a single weekend.
1
| CREATE A FEATURE CORNER
Is there a corner of a room in your home that looks boring or bare, but you’re unsure what to put there? Turn the forgotten space into a talking point with impact. Paint one corner of your living or dining room in a new Resene colour (paint about a metre in from the corner on both walls). This is a really creative way to add a pop of colour, and also creates a focal point if there isn’t one in the room already.
> Your painted feature corner creates a great backdrop for hanging a series of small art pieces or a framed photo wall. Just remember to select a Resene paint colour that ties in with other shades in the room to visually link the space.
2 APPLY THE SAME SAME APPROACH
Interiors where the walls, doors, trims and even the furniture are all painted the same colour are on the rise. This treatment is useful if you have elements in your home that you’d like to de-emphasise, as it blends details together and can make a space feel bigger.
> For example, you might have a wall with built-in cabinetry. If the cabinet, walls, door and trims are painted the same colour, all the objects inside will stand out and the cabinet will recede. If you have a long hallway with lots of doors, painting the walls, trims and doors the same colour will mean they won’t jump out. > Vary the paint types to suit each surface – use Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen for walls and Resene Lustacryl for trim, joinery and cabinetry.
3
| PAINT A CLUSTER OF POTS
Greenery was one of 2016’s biggest interior trends and it’s showing no sign of fading. Use plants to inject life into your space by painting pots to create a statement arrangement. While hand-painted pots can be expensive, with just a few Resene testpots you can create a designer look, and there’s plenty of pattern inspiration online. For best results, mark up your design with painter’s masking tape before getting started.
> Cluster pots by your entrance, sit some on top of a sideboard or shelves, and add a small row of potted herbs to your kitchen windowsill.
4
| MAKE A MOODY BEDROOM
Moody bedrooms in dark greys, inky blues and muddy greens are trending in a big way, and they look so inviting when teamed with tonal bedlinen. While painting a room in a dark hue can make it appear smaller, it can also feel cosier. Whether you decide to paint the whole room in a moody shade or just the wall behind the bed, make sure you paint the skirtings and window trims the same colour, as it will make the wall appear taller. A moody bedroom should feature bedlinen in a similar shade.
> Linen bedding is a great option as it’s available in a wide range of colours, adds texture, and is warm in winter and cool in summer. Team linen with a velvet or textured cushion in the same colour for impact.
> Stools make a ordable bedside tables and you can upcycle them by painting with your chosen moody colour. See the Resene The Range fashion colours for on-trend options.
5
| REFRESH YOUR FIREPLACE
Does your brick or stone fireplace look dated and tired? Do you find it difficult to decorate around? Over time, old brick or stone can start to go chalky and show its age, while the hearth can become marked and stained with ash. Try giving your fireplace a new lease of life with a paint job – you’ll be amazed at the difference it can make. By painting the hearth, fireplace and surrounding walls in the same colour, you’ll find the fireplace will recede into the background. The texture will remain and may even appear enhanced, depending on your chosen colour.
> Give your wood basket or box an update by painting it in a favourite colour, or try using Resene testpots to add a pattern or stripes for interest.