Two Thumbs Up: This blue and yellow house captures the spirit of Wellington

Walking into Ann and Matt’s Wellington home is like stepping into a giant version of the Wellington’s iconic Bucket Fountain. Playful and fun, the couple’s home makes a splash by mimicking the Cuba Street sculpture with happy yellow Resene Thumbs Up in the kitchen and ocean blue Resene Streetwise in the lounge. Ann collected décor ideas from hotel rooms across the country before bringing the most colourful designs together in her own home where she captures not only the heart of her family, but the essence of Wellington’s vibrant hub as well.

Netball Umpire Ann never intended to renovate her entire house, but her passion for colour and eye for all things Art Deco won out when she ripped out her bedroom walls to insulate them. “We also wanted to add an ensuite, but this soon turned into a whole house renovation with some reconfiguring downstairs to make the most of the afternoon sun,” says Ann. “I travel a bit with umpiring and stayed in some cool hotels that gave me some inspiration.

“I knew I wanted something colourful, a bit funky, but still sophisticated and something that reflected us as a family.”

Ann and Matt share the two-storey 1960s home with their children, ten-year-old Olivia, thirteen-year-old James and sixteen-year-old Sarah. Ann began her journey with colour in the living room, where she painted the walls in Resene Streetwise, a pavement slate blue.

“I didn’t want white as a feature in my house – my inspiration was colour!”

The vivid blue living room flows into the sunny kitchen where walls in Resene Thumbs Up, an energetic yellow, create a vibrant backdrop that highlights the warmer tones in the timber finishes. “The kitchen is my favourite room of the house, I love the colours,” says Ann, whose favourite colour is Resene Thumbs Up. “Resene Thumbs Up is a happy colour, so you can’t help but feel happy in the kitchen.

“It makes me smile every time I look at it – unless the kids have made a mess!”     

Beyond the kitchen’s threshold lies the atmospheric dining room. The space swims with natural light that bounces off the Resene Trojan walls and the natural elements of the room accentuate Resene Trojan’s green-brown undertones.

Ann focussed on colours that worked well between spaces to ensure the feel of the home was not disrupted from room to room. The hallway and staircase flow seamlessly together with Resene Paris White walls that create an elegant blue-green space. The Resene Half Bianca laundry provides contrast next to the ensuite in deep Resene Blue Night, while the bathroom received an Art Deco update with Resene Unwind, which creates a nostalgic and relaxed feel.

“I am most happy with the cohesive feel,” says Ann. “I think going for colours you need to be careful that they work together, and I love how our colours all work.”

In the master bedroom, Ann complemented her deep blue décor with warm ochre Resene Desert Sand. She continued the mushroom beige tones through to the playroom, where she painted the walls in lighter Resene Triple Blanc.

“We have always used Resene paint,” says Ann. “We love the colours, the shops and that it is New Zealand.”

While the interiors of the home embodied the vibrant city centre, the wild Wellington coastline was not forgotten. Ann created an earthy exterior by combining Resene Double Malta on the exterior panels with crisp Resene Black White trim and rich Resene Ironsand on the exterior garden walls. Ann even managed to bring her signature pop of colour outside when she painted her front door in bold orange Resene Rock Spray. With the help of Mark Morrison and the team from Refresh Renovations, Ann’s dream home came to life without complications.

“I didn’t have any challenges. I loved the process and the team were great.”

Top tip:  Yellows intensify more than any other colour when used inside. Consider choosing a lighter shade of your favourite yellow for large areas. Test your colour before you commit by painting the entire contents of a Resene testpot using two coats onto an A2 card, leaving an unpainted border around the edge. Move it around your space at different times of the day and evening to see how it looks in different lighting. 

Images by Helen Gwyther Photography


The vibrancy of Wellington’s city centre has been brought inside in Ann’s home, where she painted her living room walls in Resene Streetwise with the ceiling and trim painted in Resene Half Bianca.


The creative kitchen features blue cabinetry similar to Resene Blue Night that pops against the sunny walls in Resene Thumbs Up and trim in Resene Half Bianca.


The abundance of natural light in the dining room lightens the walls in Resene Trojan and bounces off the Resene Half Bianca ceiling.


The stairs and hallway take on a classic brown blue colour scheme with Resene Paris White on the walls and Resene Half Bianca trim.


The laundry is in crisp Resene Half Bianca which complements the nearby ensuite, where Resene Half Bianca is used again on the trim and the moody walls are in Resene Blue Night.


Ann’s Art Deco-inspired bathroom is given a lift with light Resene Half Bianca on the trim and a feature wall in soothing Resene Unwind.


In the playroom, the Resene Half Bianca ceiling and trim are accompanied by beautiful beige walls in Resene Triple Blanc.


Things got exotic in the master bedroom when Ann paired walls in warm Resene Dust Storm with the ceiling in Resene Half Bianca


The Resene Rock Spray front door adds a pop of colour to the exterior. The Resene Double Malta exterior is paired with trim in Resene Black White and a garden wall in Resene Ironsand to create an earthy look. 

Published: 11 Aug 2021

Do you have a home full of wonderful Resene paint and colour? Send us some snaps by emailing [email protected].

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Resene Paris White

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Resene Half Bianca

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Resene Desert Sand

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Resene Triple Blanc

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Resene Double Malta

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Resene Black White

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