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This Christmas design features walls that are painted in Resene Tea, fireplace in Resene Bud, basket in Resene Finch, side table in Resene Double Tea, vase in Resene Moon Mist and floor in Resene Colorwood Whitewash.
This Christmas decor design features rustic, natural tones such as Resene Drought, Resene Eighth Drought, Resene Tobacco Brown and Resene Colorwood English Walnut.
This tree features a mix of store bought, painted and DIY decorations. Wooden baubles are stained in Resene Colorwood English Walnut, while the cut-out tree decorations are painted in Resene Eighth Drought. The large flat tree decorations are painted in Resene Tobacco Brown.
Christmas present boxes painted in Resene Drought, Resene Cement, Resene Tobacco Brown, Resene Double Drought, Resene Half Blanc.
Christmas living area featuring Resene Tea, fireplace in Resene Bud, basket in Resene Finch, side table in Resene Double Tea, vase in Resene Moon Mist and floor in Resene Colorwood Whitewash.
House-shaped Christmas tree decorations painted in Resene Quarter Tea, baubles painted in Resene Tea and Resene Flax and stars in Resene Frontier.
habitat's Christmas décor series has begun!
The countdown is on! If you haven’t already, you’re sure to soon notice all the Christmas trees and décor lacing the malls, shops and streets. It can be a little overwhelming knowing where to start in your own home though, but you can always start with the basics – your Christmas tree and chosen colour palette!
To bring you some festive inspiration, we’re bringing you our Christmas décor series, where each week you’ll find new ways to decorate your home using different colours and a hint of DIY creativity. Let’s take a look at two designs to get you started!
If rustic, natural tones are more your interior style, then this festive living room with a stylish, cohesive tree design and reindeer theme is sure to appeal to you.
The walls are painted in Resene Drought, a warm welcoming beige which works all year round, with floors in Resene Colorwood Whitewash to brighten the space while keeping that natural look through the beauty of the timber. When designing a space – Christmas or not – it’s a good idea to pick a few colours and use them throughout so the room doesn’t feel too overwhelming. You’ll have a unified space that ties together perfectly and feels just right.
Our Christmas room also includes a few DIY projects. This can not only help stretch the budget but can also help make your space cohesive.
One of the most fun parts of the lead up to Christmas is getting to decorate your Christmas tree! This tree has a mix of store bought, painted and DIY decorations. Remember when dressing a tree, it’s a great idea to mix shapes of the decorations for added interest and depth. These charming wooden baubles are stained in Resene Colorwood English Walnut, while the cut-out tree decorations are painted in Resene Eighth Drought. The large flat tree decorations are painted in Resene Tobacco Brown, and we also made some round flat decorations by repurposing some ply coasters. We stained the coasters in Resene Colorwood English Walnut then using a fine paintbrush painted tree and word designs onto them in Resene Eighth Drought.
For presents, we reused some old boxes, as well as buying a few from a craft store, and painted them in Resene Drought, Resene Cement, Resene Tobacco Brown, Resene Double Drought, Resene Half Drought and Resene Half Blanc. These shades all tie back into the natural, rustic theme and blend in with the room’s design. Ribbons and tags were added along with decorative elements such as wooden reindeers and bells for an extra festive touch.
This is another Christmas design that is cool, calm, easy to live with and ever so inviting. All of the smaller touches also pair seamlessly into the rooms design. The walls are painted in Resene Tea, fireplace in Resene Bud, basket in Resene Finch, side table in Resene Double Tea, vase in Resene Moon Mist and floor in Resene Colorwood Whitewash.
Tip:If you’re painting your fireplace, make sure to do it right. Start by spraying the tiles and hearth with Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner and wipe down with a microfibre cloth. Apply one coat of Resene Waterborne Sureseal pigmented sealer to the tiles on the fire surround and hearth. Cut in with a brush first, then use a brush or roller to cover the rest of the surface. Allow to dry completely then paint your fireplace with two coats of Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen in your chosen colour.
To carry the beige, green and house shaped theme through onto the tree, we made our own house shaped tree decorations. We took some pine which was 10cm high, 6.5cm wide and 2cm thick and cut the roof angles using a drop saw. We then gave them a light sand and painted them all in Resene Quarter Tea to hang next to our baubles in Resene Tea and Resene Flax and stars in Resene Frontier.
Stay tuned for next week’s Christmas story to give you more festive inspiration!
Chair from Nood, rug, cushion, green throw and little Christmas houses from Kmart.
project Vanessa Nouwens
images Mel Jenkins
Published: 19 Nov 2025
Do you have a home full of wonderful Resene paint and colour? Send us some snaps by emailing [email protected].
Resene Eighth Drought
Resene Tobacco Brown
Resene Double Drought
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 Eighth Drought
Resene Tobacco Brown
Resene Double Drought
the look
If you're stuck on what
colour to use or need colour
advice, try out the Resene
Ask a Colour Expert service.
