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Reader roundup: Bold and bright projects
This month we have a wonderful roundup of projects from our readers! From bold bathrooms… more
Open plan entrance and living area featuring walls in Resene Half Pravda and White, trims in Black White.
Kitchen walls in Resene White and Half Pravda. Use True Blue for a similar look on cabinetry.
Left wall in Resene Half Pravda with feature timber slat headboard, surrounding walls and ceiling in White, trims in Black White.
Hand painted bathroom mural in Resene Thorndon Cream, Pravda, Half Perfect Taupe, Schooner, Eighth Napa, Truffle and Eighth Pravda (all sample testpots Michelle bought to test for the exterior that didn’t go to waste).
Inside a relaxed coastal home with a maximalist twist
Sitting on a quiet road in Tairua, a once-bright orange house is now softened into something a little more considered. The transformation is deeply personal, and for homeowner Michelle, her home is not just a renovation project but part of a long story she’s been writing for years, one property at a time.
“I purchased the house just over two years ago when I was looking to downsize from a large lifestyle property that was draining me with the upkeep and daily maintenance of the expansive tropical garden grounds,” she says.
After years of maintaining that bigger property she wanted ease. “I decided I wanted something more manageable to free up my time to enjoy travel, be nearer to the beach and have an easy stroll into town.”
This location delivered immediately. An estuary across the road, a kayak within arm’s reach, and a flat walk home instead of the steep climbs so common in the area. But the house itself needed vision.
Before Michelle’s renovation.
When Michelle first saw it, the exterior was painted a vivid orange that matched the aloe vera plants out front. Inside, things didn’t get much calmer with compliance issues to sort, rooms to strip back and a lot of heavy industrial touches to undo.
Rather than fight the bones of the house, Michelle leaned into contrast. She softened the look with texture, warmth and a carefully chosen palette built around one anchor shade – Resene Half Pravda.
Walls in Resene Half Pravda and White, trims in Black White.
Walls in Resene Half Pravda, ceiling in White.
“I wanted something that was grey but had a beige through it as well to keep things soft, and this is an on-trend colour,” she says. It’s a tone that now wraps the exterior and threads through the interior, paired with white and black joinery to create cohesion.
The kitchen was one of the most dramatic shifts. What had once been dominated by a corrugated metal ceiling – yes you heard right – and dated lighting became lighter, more tactile. Michelle stripped it back, reworked the electrics and introduced open shelving made from repurposed deck boards washed in Resene Half Pravda. Wooden cladding now lines the back wall, bringing warmth against the cooler tones, while the original cabinetry stayed in place, tying in with her existing furniture.
Kitchen walls in Resene White and Half Pravda. Use True Blue for a similar look on cabinetry.
Even the materials she removed found new life. The old steel sheeting now runs along the back boundary as fencing, echoing the home’s industrial past but in a more controlled, intentional way.
Exterior in Resene Half Pravda.
Exterior in Resene Half Pravda, outdoor kitchen units in Resene Enamacryl Black.
The open plan living area is a large space, with glimpses of the sea, now broken into zones with hand-finished timber slats. These weren’t just bought and installed. They were burned using a shou sugi ban technique, sanded and colour-washed to match the walls. The room feels layered and lived-in, with distinct areas for dining, reading and relaxing, plus a small bar nook she carved out from an old cupboard.
Walls in Resene Half Pravda, ceiling in White.
Bar and dining walls in Resene Half Pravda, trims in Black White.
“I feel that plants and rugs make a room, I always have loads throughout the house, it looks bare without them,” she says.
Elsewhere, each room takes on its own personality. A once-spearmint bedroom is now calm and neutral with custom slat panels and a restored louvre door turned sliding feature. The front bedroom gained space and function after a clever wardrobe reconfiguration, making room for a relaxed boho corner.
Bedroom feature wall in Resene Rivergum, ceiling in White.
Left wall in Resene Half Pravda with feature timber slat headboard, surrounding walls and ceiling in White, trims in Black White.
But it’s the ensuite that Michelle speaks about with the most pride. Completely reworked, the space includes a larger shower and a hand-painted mural wall layered with tones from multiple Resene testpots. It took three days to complete, each leaf sketched and painted by hand.
Hand painted bathroom mural in Resene Thorndon Cream, Pravda, Half Perfect Taupe, Schooner, Eighth Napa, Truffle and Eighth Pravda (all sample testpots Michelle bought to test for the exterior that didn’t go to waste).
Michelle’s experience in renovating shows in the details, especially when it came to navigating compliance and rebuilding previously unconsented spaces. It’s not the glamorous side of renovation, but it’s what makes the finished result work.
Her style, she admits, isn’t easily boxed in. “Maximalist mish mash,” she says. “I just go with the ideas that pop out at the time and hope it’s cohesive in the end. I’m a bit of a maximalist and love to fill spaces. I call it a feast for the eyes.”
Hallway wall in Resene Rivergum, ceiling in White.
That instinct has been shaped by years of moving, renovating and starting again. Old farmhouses, new builds, waterside villas, each one approached differently. This home is simply the latest chapter.
Now, as it heads to market (you can check out the listing here) Michelle is already looking ahead to the next project, another property nearby where she plans to create a luxury retreat. It’s clear she’s not slowing down!
“I’ve been obsessed with houses since my first flat when I was 19,” she says. “It’s a labour of love though and as long as I draw breath I will always have a drill in one hand and a hammer in the other.”
Resene Pro Tip:
Use a popular, durable option for interior walls, like Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen. For ceilings, use SpaceCote Flat or Ceiling Paint. For exteriors, use Resene Lumbersider or Resene Sonyx 101 – for concrete or plaster exteriors consider using Resene X-200, which is a high build weatherproofing coating, it has an attractive low sheen finish. Alternatively for a dead flat, yet self-cleaning finish (provided it is rainwashed) try Resene AquaShield, it is often recommended for older, heritage and more modern Mediterranean-style buildings. If you’re unsure and need more help choosing the right products, head to your local Resene ColorShop or Ask A Paint Expert online.
Published: 23 Apr 2026
Do you have a home full of wonderful Resene paint and colour? Send us some snaps by emailing [email protected].
Resene Thorndon Cream
Resene Half Perfect Taupe
Resene Eighth Pravda
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 Thorndon Cream
Resene Half Perfect Taupe
Resene Eighth Pravda
the look
If you're stuck on what
colour to use or need colour
advice, try out the Resene
Ask a Colour Expert service.
