Doug and Jan are creating a piece of paradise for those who need it most

With a fresh coat of Resene Surrender and a smart trim in Resene Kashmir Blue, this Oakura Bay bach is not only a refuge for owners Doug and Jan, but hundreds of families as part of the TimeOut initiative. Buying the bach twenty years ago turned out to be a life-altering decision for the couple, who have since renovated the house with a splash of colourful Resene paint.

TimeOut is a not-for-profit charity providing holiday home experiences to terminally-ill patients and their families. Doug’s relationship with the charity began when his friend asked to holiday at the Oakura Bay bach with his wife, who had just been diagnosed with terminal cancer. “He wanted to create some special memories with her on a final trip around the country,” says Doug. “He told me just how much their visit to Oakura Bay had meant to them and that got me thinking.

“I approached the local Cancer Society who then introduced me to the local Hospice. We actively rent our holiday home to other families now and, to date, many hundreds of families have relaxed and enjoyed our little piece of paradise.”

The bach itself, a mere stone’s throw from the water, was recently renovated to further its relaxed holiday atmosphere. The couple gave the living area a masterful update with a fresh new colour palette of bold Resene True Blue on the walls and trim in Resene Black White. “The living room is a space that is really all about the view and we’ve used Resene True Blue on the walls to allow the view itself to pop right into the foreground during the daytime,” says Doug. “We used Resene Black White on the ceiling, skirting and timber trim which brings a crispness to the space.

“The 180-degree views and relaxed vibe of the living area, combined with twenty plus years of memories, makes it the best room in the house.”

In the bunkroom, Doug gave the walls a cheerful refresh with Resene Happy Hour and a bold Resene True Blue door. “With all the doors painted in Resene True Blue it’s a strong theme throughout,” says Doug. “We like a bit of personality in the bedrooms and have used Resene Happy Hour in the bunkroom which is often where the kids end up – it’s a fun pop of colour here.

“We’ve always used Resene paints which have been recommended by our professional painters and we’ve continued with that recommendation on all of our properties for over forty years.”

In the master bedroom, the couple created a soothing sanctuary with a feature wall in Resene Norwegian Blue to complement their Tony Harrington artwork. They painted the surrounding walls in Resene Greywacke. “Resene Greywacke is a really interesting neutral that seems to work well with any number of other colours throughout the bedrooms,” says Doug, who continued the use of ocean blues to the exterior of the bach with Resene Surrender on the weatherboards and Resene Kashmir Blue on the trim. “We repainted the exterior to help it blend better into the landscape.

“Dusky greys and blues that are closer to the sea and sky just work better in a coastal situation.”

Together, Doug and Jan have created a bach that not only pops with colour, but personality too and is a safe haven for the hundreds of families it has welcomed through its doors.

“Injecting a bit of personality with colour and artwork gives the house so much more character,” says Doug, who encourages anyone with a holiday home to consider donating a stay through the TimeOut charity. “TimeOut are on a mission to get as many holiday home donors on board as possible so they can lend a hand to all who need it.”

TimeOut connects holiday homeowners with terminally ill patients, providing gifted holiday experiences that change lives, create lasting memories and bring families and communities together for good.

To learn more about the TimeOut charity visit their website.


The rich exterior of the Oakura Bay bach is painted in Resene Surrender with trim in Resene Kashmir Blue.


The large lounge features 180-degree views of the bay and is painted in Resene True Blue with ceiling and trim in Resene Black White.


The large lounge features 180-degree views of the bay and is painted in Resene True Blue with ceiling and trim in Resene Black White.


The bunkroom received a pop of colour with Resene Happy Hour and Resene Greywacke on the walls with door in Resene True Blue and trim in Resene Black White.


The master bedroom was taken to a whole new level with a feature wall in deep Resene Norwegian Blue, surrounding walls in Resene Greywacke and trim in Resene Black White.

Published: 23 Sep 2021

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Resene Kashmir Blue

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Resene Black White

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Resene Norwegian Blue

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