look book
latest
habitat tv
Say goodbye to the morning scramble for keys, coats and sunglasses and hello to this… see this and more videos
blog
Reader roundup: Home projects to admire!
From sunny outdoor spaces to bold hues indoors, these habitat readers are showing us how… more
Bedroom walls in Resene All Black, Alabaster, Cliff Face Grey, Amber Grey and Athens Grey and trims in Alabaster.
Living room wall in Alabaster, with artwork in Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss and wall in SpaceCote Low Sheen.
Bedroom walls painted in an ombre effect using Resene All Black, Alabaster, Cliff Face Grey, Amber Grey and Athens Grey.
Bedroom walls in Resene All Black, Alabaster, Cliff Face Grey, Amber Grey and Athens Grey and trims in Alabaster.
A contemporary-classic home makeover
Located in the historic rural town of Longford in Northern Tasmania, this home, built in 1959, recently underwent a renovation designed to honour its mid-century origins while bringing in some much-needed contemporary accessibility.
“Like many homes of this era, spaces were very much contained and not particularly well-adapted for modern-day living,” says Sandra Sakoua of Concepts Design, a Launceston-based design studio specialising in residential and commercial renovations.
“The design for the renovation was based on the clients’ wish to modernise the property while reflecting its mid-century modern roots. A colour scheme of whites and greys was chosen to reflect a more contemporary scheme, while the accent colours and use of pattern are more in keeping with the mid-century modern ethos.
Walls and ceiling in Resene Alabaster, brick wall (right) in Grey Friars.
The deep, rich yellow in particular, says Sandra, is very in keeping with the era of the home, while also being a personal favourite of the client.
“That particular shade of yellow was first chosen for the custom artwork in the lounge room. The artwork itself was inspired by a geometric, mid-century-era mural. That depth and vibrancy of yellow was then chosen as an accent colour throughout other areas of the home.
“While it’s important for every room to have its own personality, the property as a whole, needs to be able to tell the same story, which is why colour continuity is so important to the success of the overall scheme.”
Living room walls and ceiling in Resene Alabaster.
One of the characteristics of mid-century modern architecture, is small, low-ceilinged rooms. In public areas, this was generally offset by an open floor plan and large windows. To give these spaces a contemporary update, the colour palette is all-important, says Sandra.
“Whenever you’re dealing with low ceilings or small rooms, it’s important to visually open and enlarge the space. In the main living areas this was achieved by simplifying the use of colour, going with Resene Alabaster for the walls and ceiling and Grey Friars for the floor and the feature brick wall.
Brick wall in Resene Grey Friars, surrounding walls and ceiling in Alabaster.
“While the lounge-dining area was already open-plan, the introduction of the timber partition, a nod to mid-century modern design, helps delineate the spaces, and, rather than closing them off, because each room is still able to visually borrow space from the other, they each appear larger.”
Sandra says her approach to design is to treat every room on the same principle as an artwork.
“Just as your eye is drawn around a canvas without breaking, so too will successful design draw your eye around a room through the use of visual heights and accents. While this is generally achieved with artwork, furniture, decor, lighting et cetera, texture and the play of natural light can also be useful tools where subtlety is required.
Living room wall in Alabaster, with artwork in Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss and wall in SpaceCote Low Sheen.
“Take the sculptural artwork in the lounge room for example, it serves to create texture and movement without overpowering the space. It’s all hand-applied and finished with a semi-gloss paint, which against the low sheen of the wall, allows the reflected light to be as important as the texture.”
Texture was the order of the day for the main bedroom, which features a dramatic gradient effect on the walls and ceiling using Resene All Black, Alabaster, Cliff Face Grey, Amber Grey and Athens Grey. Being private, personal spaces, bedrooms allow you to have a bit more fun with the style, says Sandra.
Bedroom walls painted in an ombre effect using Resene All Black, Alabaster, Cliff Face Grey, Amber Grey and Athens Grey.
“I was fortunate enough to be given relatively free license on the design of the bedroom. While the basic design was there with the ombre effect, the painting technique very much evolved during the painting of the room. The fade from light to dark was used to highlight the specific design focus areas of the room, such as the bedhead and the floating vanity. The technique itself, hand brushing combinations of black, white and three different greys on the walls and ceiling, helped to create areas of smoothness and areas of texture in the room.
Bedroom walls in Resene All Black, Alabaster, Cliff Face Grey, Amber Grey and Athens Grey and trims in Alabaster.
“This has created a sense of movement within the space while removing the visual form of the room so as to better highlight the design features. The furniture pieces, chosen for their minimal input into the room, essentially disappear against the background and allow the drama of that deep yellow against the monochromatic background of the room to really stand out.”
Kitchen walls in Resene Alabaster.
The project also included a full kitchen and laundry renovation, with the former receiving a sleek, black update while the latter embraces a timeless timber and white scheme.
“Let’s face it, doing laundry isn’t fun, so the use of natural timber softens the room, making it a more tranquil space in which to work, while the white palette allows light to bounce around the space, making it feel larger than it is.
Laundry in Resene Alabaster.
“Adding to the room’s personality, is the salvaged vintage door with its amber glass, which although not original to the home, looks as though it’s always been there. So too with the ceiling light, which was rescued from an old caravan and converted to an LED. Using authentic vintage items in this project was a great way to highlight the era of the home while practicing sustainable design, which is something I’m passionate about.”
design Sandra Sakoua, Concepts Design
images Jasper Da Seymour and The McLennan Collective
Tip: In homes with a minimal or neutral colour palette, consider adding warmth and texture through timber. You could update existing timber walls and furniture, or add in a wood panelled feature like the one in this lounge that still allows light through in the open-plan space. Choose from many of the Resene Colorwood stain shades, or enhance the colour of timber with Resene Colour Enhance which can be mixed into a protective clear coat like Resene Aquaclear.
Published: 01 Apr 2026
Do you have a home full of wonderful Resene paint and colour? Send us some snaps by emailing [email protected].
Resene Cliff Face Grey
the look
If you're stuck on what
colour to use or need colour
advice, try out the Resene
Ask a Colour Expert service.
Resene Cliff Face Grey
the look
If you're stuck on what
colour to use or need colour
advice, try out the Resene
Ask a Colour Expert service.
