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Sallyanne’s coastal colour creation

14 Jul 2016

Interior designer Sallyanne Prudence chooses coastal colour over a more classic nautical look. She explains:

A home by the coast conjures up a particular mood – a relaxed, comfortable lifestyle, water views and beachy accessories. But when it comes to colour in your coastal home, don’t be swayed by the traditional navy and white nautical palette. While strong blues, crisp whites and even accents of red work well, there’s a vast array of ocean colours offered up by nature. Take a quick trip to the beach, river or harbour to discover the amazing range of blues, greens, whites, sandy tones and seaweed shades.

This is exactly what I did to create a natural seascape colour palette for a recent project. I chose Resene Reservoir – that almost transparent, gentle blue-green hue where the water just kisses the shoreline – along with the soft silvery blue of Resene’s Breathless and a crisp fresh Resene White.

The scheme is light and airy, yet sophisticated. Resene Reservoir was used on the lounge walls while Resene’s Breathless was used in the hallways, entrance and dining area. These colours provided a gentle backdrop for delicate ethereal linen drapes, white cotton sofas, textural wicker chairs and coastal-themed accessories. 

To add a dash of class and character, a subtle feature wall was created in the entrance by using Resene Pearl Shimmer (a pearlescent top coat) in broad stripes over a wall painted in Resene Breathless. This gave the shimmering effect of sun hitting the water. The wall was dressed with a large contemporary mirror, and a floating shelf also painted in Resene Breathless.

Be inspired by nature! Whether you long for a water palette, mountain greens, or the bright colours of tropical flowers, you can achieve it. Take photos of your chosen environment; you’ll be amazed by the number of colours you can see. If it works well in nature, then it will work in your home!

Did you know… that the Resene ColorMatch online tool creates a Resene palette from any photo. Simply upload your chosen image here.


Sallyanne Prudence is principle colour consultant and interior designer at Professional Colour and Design

Published: 14 Jul 2016