Fashioning zig zags and stripes using masking tape and Resene testpot paint is a fast, assured way to a great pattern. Here’s another neat trick: use torn paper or wallpaper as a stencil for the soft, hilly effect shown on this lampshade. We’ve used a base of Resene Black White, painting the rest in Resene Sakura – ready for any pastel-lover’s bedroom. Back wall in Resene Black White and Resene Tangaroa.

Indigo blue and dark teal are having a moment, and cropping up on interior walls everywhere. If you're hesitant to take the plunge, start small with something like this headboard, made from MDF and painted with Resene Redemption Blue – a dark delicious indigo.

Frame boxes are so easy to make, and they’re a neat way to display your flowers and indoor plants. Screw together four even pieces of scrap wood, and paint. A strip of punchy colour (we’ve used Resene Gypsy Queen here) gives it that trendy geometric look.

It's no secret that discarded crates and wooden boxes make for chic side tables. The base colour of this box is lovely, so we used it as part of the pattern – masking off pieces of the wood and using a roller to paint over it with Resene White Thunder. The result is Scandinavian-cool.

Brighten up your days with these pretty vases made from empty glass bottles, testpot paints from Resene, and pages from an old book (using tape to seal at the back).

We used (from left) Resene Scrumptious, Resene Smitten and Resene Smooch, from the Resene The Range fashion colours 16.

For this you'll need a hot glue gun, half a metre of 6mm sisal rope, a fine pointed paint brush and Resene testpots (using colours of your choosing). To start, glue the tip of the rope. Make a small circle with the rope and continue to weave around the circle once. Place glue around the edges, press, and repeat the process. Seal at the end with the glue gun.

Once dry, paint a pattern – we painted the triangles freehand with Resene Dali, Resene Boutique and Resene Ditto, cutting any loose strings afterwards.