You’ve had the holiday of your dreams beachside, swimming in the sea, enjoying barbecues at the bach, generally just relaxing with friends and family. You’re feeling carefree and rejuvenated.
Does it have to end as soon as you arrive back home? Fortunately not. Thanks to colour and accent items, there are ways to blur the lines between home and holidays, making your dwelling more like the spaces you relax in, allowing you to enjoy an easy-breezy way of life every day.
To bring a holiday feel into your home year-round, let colour be your guide. Draw on the colours of nature that are so prominent in the summer months, such as the azure of the ocean, the cornflour blue of the cloudless sky, the lush green of native bush, red tropical hibiscus in full bloom and warm yellow of the sun. Let these inspire you to find the colours that create your idea of paradise at home.
Pick a colour scheme of a place you enjoy visiting and use that as your inspiration for your paint palette, Places & Grace’s creative director Kate Alexander says. “Certain colour schemes are reminiscent of locations - the blue and white of the Greek Islands, the warm, rusty terracottas of Tuscany or the bushy green of Piha,” she says. “Your holiday setting doesn’t have to feature throughout your whole home; pick the room that also reminds you of being on holiday – i.e. a place where you enjoy big family dinners around a shared table or a quiet reading space.”
Tranquil, peaceful, this pale lounge shows off cosy textiles and boho-style natural weaves. Pink undertones of the crème couch warm up the look, and pops of trailing plants bring depth and relaxing touches. Walls and the architrave in Resene Black White complement the patterned floor in Resene Black White and Resene Triple Black White. Perfect additions include a coffee table in Resene Westar, and shelf in Resene Black White. (Project by Annick Larkin, photography by Bryce Carleton)
Channel golden sunsets and the warm sand of the beach with soulful neutrals and warming apricots that leave us feeling good. Wall in Resene Eighth Canterbury Clay. Floors and bedhead are in Resene Eighth Joss, the lattice is in Resene Eighth Pavlova, large pot in Resene Quarter Bison Hide, ladder in Resene Eighth Joss, window trim in Resene Quarter Villa White, tall vase in Resene Beethoven and DIY artwork in Resene Sour Dough, Resene Wallflower, Resene Tuscany, and Resene Beethoven.
“Warm creams in neutrals such as Resene Rice Cake or Resene Cararra give a Hamptons feel,” Resene colour consultant Amy Watkins says. “That’s when blues come in, such as Resene Powder Blue or Resene Periglacial Blue from the Karen Walker Paints collection, or something deeper like a mix of green and blue in Resene Artemis for a Cape Cod aesthetic. Slight orange tones are coming in, such as sun-baked, pale terracotta orange mustards in Resene Thumbs Up.”
Stylist Melle Van Sambeek says when she thinks of summer, she envisages fresh, light colours that evoke a sense of the brightness in the sun. “I like to use colours inside along the lines of fresh whites in Resene Half Alabaster or Resene Black White,” she says. “They make everything look light and airy, and anything goes with it. White is such an amazing colour to use to showcase your beautiful objects and to add the fresh, crisp feel of summer.”
For the more adventurous, try a soft hint of the sun in the form of Resene Chorus Line as a feature wall, Melle says. “It may conjure up the happy feelings that summer brings. For shades of water, Resene Slipstream is a nice bathroom hue or try Resene Quarter Emerge as a softer shade to take you back to lazing on beautiful New Zealand beaches.”
Nautical stripes are a definite nod towards summer. “Wide stripes add a distinctly coastal character to any room. Especially in sun-washed shades of blue such as Resene Half Emerge, Resene Quarter Duck Egg Blue and Resene Half Inside Back paired with fresh whites such as Resene Quarter Ecru White, Resene Half Wan White, or Resene Half Rice Cake,” says stylist Annick Larkin. “Stripes don’t have to be reserved just for walls either. Try painting stripes directly underfoot and dress with an oversized jute or sisal rug, bamboo shades and natural timber décor to bring in that relaxed, beachy vibe.”
Beach blues and sandy oatmeals set the blissful scene in this living room, reminiscent of blue-sky days by the sea. The floor and tongue-and-groove wall, both in Resene Cut Glass, provide the perfect base for more earthy linens and ceramics light and dark blue tones. The cabinets are in Resene Kumutoto, large tray coffee table is in Resene Teal Blue, small tray table in Resene Foam, tealight holder is in Resene Dauntless, mid-size round vase in Resene Scandal, and small bowl in Resene Wishlist.
Blue/grey tones like Resene Half Dusted Blue, Resene Slipstream, and Resene Half Periglacial Blue reflect that easy-going beach feeling, Annick says. “Natural seagrass, dark wood and classic black and white décor work beautifully with this palette.”
However, muted colours aren’t ruled out, Annick says. They have their place in a home with a holiday feel. Warm greys such as Resene Cloud and Resene White Pointer reflect the colours of beach pebbles and driftwood and are more reminiscent of a quiet overcast day on the beach, she says. “Warm greys are neutral and timeless, providing the perfect backdrop for a bold accent colour.”
Greens offer a sense of the outdoors, and of hope, rest and positivity, whether your adopting sage, moss or pale earthy tones in Resene Cabbage Pont, Resene Rivergum or Resene Peace. “Seagrass greens in Resene Quarter Titania, Resene Carefree, or Resene Secrets are ideal choices for a relaxed colour scheme,” Annick says. “They work well with the natural elements of timber, seagrass and potted greenery.”
Why not try a pearlescent finish? Resene Pearl Shimmer is an acrylic pearlescent glaze ideal for creating soft iridescent wall finishes and sparkled features to add visual interest and diversity to any colour scheme, Annick says. “Think of it as the pearl in an oyster shell or the pearlised surface of a perfectly smooth shell,” she says.
Tap into a romantic retreat in the bush, with plenty of timber blending with walls in Resene Alabaster and hardwood floors in Resene Colorwood Greywash. Add luxurious-feeling textiles in linen curtains, oatmeal-toned throws, large cushions and beanbags. Trailing plants can hang from the shelves and lighting in boho-style paper pendant shades can cast a warm glow across this setting in the evenings while the doors open out across the bush.
For a beach boho, tropical feel, bring in those warm sunset-like pinks, jades and oranges. Resene Glamour Puss, Resene Whiskey Sour, and Resene Java all cater to this Hawaiian-like palette. Top it off with patterned cushions, rattan furniture and a beautiful botanical cloth for the table covered in colour glass jugs and vessels for those warm temperatures.
Transport yourself to the Greek Islands and the Mediterranean with their iconic spearmint and turquoise colourways. Glance across a hillside on one of the large Greek Islands and these colours are scattered across whitewashed houses as far as the eye can see. Keep your palette pale to replicate these whitewashed stone abodes, adding a feature wall here or there in a green-blue, try Resene Kumutoto and plenty of accents painted in Resene Aqua. A touch of lavender with Resene Wonderland with lift this further, as will the pink of Resene Hopbush, reminiscent of the bougainvillea on the islands, bringing this beautiful palette to life even more.
For help getting started with your decorating project, ask a Resene expert at your local Resene ColorShop or on the Resene website with the free Resene Ask a Colour Expert service or free Resene Ask a Tech Expert service.
