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On this Christmas table, it’s the small touches that matter. We took a plain wooden bowl and stained it in Resene Colorwood English Walnut and added some pinecones, and to coordinate this we also took some inexpensive plywood placemats from Kmart and stained these along with some reindeer napkin rings in Resene Colorwood English Walnut to tie the whole table setting together. The timber pairs beautifully here with the toasty neutrals like Resene Double Drought on the table, Resene Tobacco Brown on the chairs, Resene Drought on the walls and Resene Half Drought on the vase.
To make the house-shaped stocking holders we took an inexpensive cut of pine which was 18cm high, 10cm wide and 4cm thick and cut the roof pieces using a drop saw. We then painted ours in Resene Moon Mist and Finch. We attached a handy hook to the front of the painted house to hang the stocking too. Decorative stockings can be pricey and add up if you need multiple! We got some calico ones from Kmart and decorated them ourselves by painting the house shape design onto them in Resene Finch, Bud and Flax.
We this wreath in Resene Half Rice Cake then took some ribbon and tied a bow and glued to the wreath. To finish it off we added a couple of cute white bells. This bow pairs beautifully with the front door and decorations in Resene Bermuda Grey and Half Halcyon.
On this Christmas table, it’s the small touches that matter. We took a plain wooden bowl and stained it in Resene Colorwood English Walnut and added some pinecones, and to coordinate this we also took some inexpensive plywood placemats from Kmart and stained these along with some reindeer napkin rings in Resene Colorwood English Walnut to tie the whole table setting together. The timber pairs beautifully here with the toasty neutrals like Resene Double Drought on the table, Resene Tobacco Brown on the chairs, Resene Drought on the walls and Resene Half Drought on the vase.
These hand-painted giftboxes are painted in Resene Finch, Flax, Bud, Frontier and Moon Mist and finished with some upcycled ribbons.
habitat Christmas décor series: Decked in the details
It’s week three of our habitat Christmas décor series and as we edge closer to the big merry day it’s time to start adding all the smaller touches around home. Stockings, decorations, presents and all the dazzling décor that makes Christmas so festive!
You can choose any of your favourite accessories, or artwork, as a base for choosing your Christmas colour palette, and you can even use the Resene ColourMatch Online tool to load an image and find your perfect match. It doesn’t have to always be red and green, and we’ve got the projects and designs to prove just how Christmassy other colours can be.
Add some festive touches in your chosen shades! Like these stockings, held up by our DIY stocking holders, to add small presents in for the family. To make our house shaped stocking holders we took an inexpensive cut of pine which was 18cm high, 10cm wide and 4cm thick and cut the roof pieces using a drop saw. We then painted ours in Resene Moon Mist and Finch. We attached a handy hook to the front of the painted house to hang the stocking too.
Decorative stockings can be pricey and add up if you need multiple! We got some calico ones from Kmart and decorated them ourselves by painting the house shape design onto them in Resene Finch, Bud and Flax. You could also add the names of your family members to personalise them. These can all be done using Resene testpots and can be whipped up in an hour!
To create a simple, modern wreath in your own colour scheme, use some garden twine and wind it together, or get a wicker wreath from Kmart like ours, and paint it in your chosen shade. We painted ours in Resene Half Rice Cake then took some ribbon and tied a bow and glued to the wreath. As simple as that. To finish it off we added a couple of cute white bells. This bow pairs beautifully with our front door and decorations in Resene Bermuda Grey and Half Halcyon.
If you’re a neutral lover, opt for a warm, rustic design. It’s summer in New Zealand but warm neutrals and the right décor can make it feel like you are in a cosy rustic cabin in the snow. On our Christmas table, it’s the small touches that matter. We took a plain wooden bowl and stained it in Resene Colorwood English Walnut and added some pinecones, and to coordinate this we also took some inexpensive plywood placemats from Kmart and stained these along with some reindeer napkin rings in Resene Colorwood English Walnut to tie the whole table setting together. The timber pairs beautifully here with the toasty neutrals like Resene Double Drought on the table, Resene Tobacco Brown on the chairs, Resene Drought on the walls and Resene Half Drought on the vase.
To make your pressies match your colour scheme, get some inexpensive cardboard boxes and paint them in a mix of the same colours or any colours that your family want to choose to personalise their presents. Ours are in Resene Finch, Flax, Bud, Frontier and Moon Mist, and we reused some old ribbons we had laying around the house too.
Stay tuned for next week, where our habitat Christmas décor series gets even more creative and jolly. The countdown is on!
project Vanessa Nouwens
images Mel Jenkins
Published: 03 Dec 2025
Do you have a home full of wonderful Resene paint and colour? Send us some snaps by emailing [email protected].
Resene Half Rice Cake
Resene Double Drought
Resene Tobacco Brown
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 Half Rice Cake
Resene Double Drought
Resene Tobacco Brown
the look
If you're stuck on what
colour to use or need colour
advice, try out the Resene
Ask a Colour Expert service.
