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Ian and Lynda aren’t afraid to try new things. In their striking Alexandra home, rather than painting the walls and leaving the ceiling neutral, they switched it around and painted the ceiling in a dramatic colour instead. They chose the commanding blue of Resene St Kilda, which really pops against the plywood walls finished in Resene Aquaclear waterborne urethane varnish. Resene Concrete on the window trims was chosen to help frame the beautiful view beyond. To get the look, add soft pink accent colours like Resene Paper Doll through smaller furniture and accessories for a delicate touch.
In the open plan kitchen and living areas, Resene Concrete lines the walls complemented with lighter Resene Sea Fog on the ceiling. It creates a contemporary backdrop for the dark kitchen to stand out. Try painting your cabinets in Resene Foundry for a similar look.
The main feature in the open plan living area is the TV wall, which is painted in Resene Barometer. It’s the perfect choice to create an elegant contrast with the oak detailing around the TV and in-built shelf. The wall beyond is in Resene Concrete and the ceiling is in Resene Sea Fog.
Resene Concrete also features in the hallway where it’s met with Resene Triple Concrete on the righthand side for a subtle tonal shift.
Resene Tuna makes a moody, dramatic statement in the master bedroom. The dark hue is also picked up in the negative detail on the oak feature wall behind the bed. Resene Sea Fog on the ceilings and Resene Concrete on the skirting boards keeps the room looking fresh and contemporary.
In the guest bedroom Resene Duck Egg Blue on the walls, Resene Sea Fog on the ceiling and Resene Concrete on the skirting boards create a soothing, restful space. Bedding in colours like Resene Pizza and Resene Captain Cook tie in with those in the art prints and contrast the soft blue-grey walls without overpowering it.
Resene Concrete was chosen for the walls in the bathroom. It adds a glimmer of colour into the space without detracting from the incredible view through the large picture window. Resene Sea Fog on the ceiling serves to lift the light.
Ian and Lynda’s home cuts a striking form on the property. The exterior cedar, which is stained with Wood-X High Country mineral wood oil (available from Resene ColorShops), blends seamlessly into the landscape.
images Lisa Hill Photography
This striking Alexandra home makes a case for blue ceilings
During the design of their new home, Ian and Lynda had a pretty good idea of what they wanted. In fact, it was nearly identical to a home they had built a few years earlier. Ian says, “it worked so well for our family,” so why not re-create it? But, as much as they were ready to replicate it in layout, Ian was determined that the interior look be fresh and new. With the help of friend and interior designer Melinda Tweedie, Ian and Lynda pulled together a colour palette of stormy contemporary blues and greys ranging from the soothing and relaxing hue of Resene Duck Egg Blue to the elegant and commanding attitude of Resene St Kilda.
“We really needed some points of difference and we wanted a more personal touch that suited us,” he says.
The incredible views of Alexandra, Central Otago right on their back doorstep were another major factor in their paint colour selections. “We were lucky with our view. It really is the star,” says Ian. “We didn’t want to take away from it in the interiors, so we tried to stick to mainly neutral colours when framing out the views. But we wanted other features in the house, so it wasn’t just the view that caught the eye.”
The pièce de résistance in Ian and Lynda’s dramatic and thoughtfully planned home is the ceiling in their second living room, which is painted in their favourite colour choice, Resene St Kilda. “It really creates a striking feature with the white negative detail,” says Ian. “When you combine it with the walls in Poplar Lite plywood sealed in Resene Aquaclear waterborne urethane varnish in a satin finish, it creates a unique contrast and we really love the final result.”
American oak is featured throughout Ian and Lynda’s home, so they wanted to choose colours that would complement and add to the subtle warmth of the wood. They went with Resene Concrete, a frosted silver grey, for the bathroom, kitchen, living room and hallway walls. However, for the hallway they also chose to feature Resene Triple Concrete on one side. “It created a fun shadow effect, playing with your eyes as one side was lighter than the other,” says Ian.
In the living room a striking wall in Resene Barometer catches your eye straight away. Ian says, “it really makes the American oak frame surrounding the TV recess pop.” Resene Sea Fog graces the ceilings and Resene Concrete features on the skirtings and architraves to help lift the light in all the rooms.
The bedrooms are where Ian and Lynda truly let their colour choices shine. In the master bedroom, resolute and dignified Resene Tuna grey creates a moody and cosy vibe against the Resene Concrete trim and oak feature wall.
By contrast, the gentle hue of Resene Duck Egg Blue features in the guest bedroom. “We wanted our guests to relax and unwind while they look over the neighbouring vineyard and mountains.”
Ian, who is the operations manager for Placemakers, says he’s learned some indispensable knowledge from this project. “Simple things like having a perfect semi-gloss finish on the architraves and skirtings is really quite a stunning look when sat alongside the flat finish on the walls,” were among what he’s garnered.
“When it came to the painting, we used a real craftsman painter in Chris Broome, who did an absolutely stunning job, and the builders in Central Blue carried out the detailed construction work perfectly.”
Published: 15 Jun 2020
Do you have a home full of wonderful Resene paint and colour? Send us some snaps by emailing [email protected].
Ian and Lynda aren’t afraid to try new things. In their striking Alexandra home, rather than painting the walls and leaving the ceiling neutral, they switched it around and painted the ceiling in a dramatic colour instead. They chose the commanding blue of Resene St Kilda, which really pops against the plywood walls finished in Resene Aquaclear waterborne urethane varnish. Resene Concrete on the window trims was chosen to help frame the beautiful view beyond. To get the look, add soft pink accent colours like Resene Paper Doll through smaller furniture and accessories for a delicate touch.
In the open plan kitchen and living areas, Resene Concrete lines the walls complemented with lighter Resene Sea Fog on the ceiling. It creates a contemporary backdrop for the dark kitchen to stand out. Try painting your cabinets in Resene Foundry for a similar look.
The main feature in the open plan living area is the TV wall, which is painted in Resene Barometer. It’s the perfect choice to create an elegant contrast with the oak detailing around the TV and in-built shelf. The wall beyond is in Resene Concrete and the ceiling is in Resene Sea Fog.
Resene Concrete also features in the hallway where it’s met with Resene Triple Concrete on the righthand side for a subtle tonal shift.
Resene Tuna makes a moody, dramatic statement in the master bedroom. The dark hue is also picked up in the negative detail on the oak feature wall behind the bed. Resene Sea Fog on the ceilings and Resene Concrete on the skirting boards keeps the room looking fresh and contemporary.
In the guest bedroom Resene Duck Egg Blue on the walls, Resene Sea Fog on the ceiling and Resene Concrete on the skirting boards create a soothing, restful space. Bedding in colours like Resene Pizza and Resene Captain Cook tie in with those in the art prints and contrast the soft blue-grey walls without overpowering it.
Resene Concrete was chosen for the walls in the bathroom. It adds a glimmer of colour into the space without detracting from the incredible view through the large picture window. Resene Sea Fog on the ceiling serves to lift the light.
Ian and Lynda’s home cuts a striking form on the property. The exterior cedar, which is stained with Wood-X High Country mineral wood oil (available from Resene ColorShops), blends seamlessly into the landscape.
images Lisa Hill Photography
Resene Triple Concrete
Resene Triple Concrete
Resene Duck Egg Blue
Resene Duck Egg Blue
the look
If you're stuck on what
colour to use or need colour
advice, try out the Resene
Ask a Colour Expert service.
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the look
If you're stuck on what
colour to use or need colour
advice, try out the Resene
Ask a Colour Expert service.
