2009 February finalist

From the Resene/Your Home and Garden Colour Home Awards Competition - Feb 2009 finalist

When Monica Holt bought this 1940s ex-state house in Hayes Paddock, Hamilton East, six years ago, it looked very different.

The two-bedroom house had dated colours and was awkwardly laid out. Monica removed a load-bearing wall between the kitchen and lounge to open up the space, and when it came time to choose colour, she had definite ideas – and an unusual source of inspiration.

“I have a Crown Lynn McAlpine fridge jug in cream with baby-blue writing,” says Monica, “and I’ve always loved that rich creamy colour.” She painted the new living area and kitchen walls in Resene Bianca, because “it had a warm feel in the room, which has all-day sun”. A kitchen renovation came next, and the installation of a handy island bench to give space for a DishDrawer and more storage. “I was going to remove the cupboards,” says Monica, “but architect Laura Kellaway told me that people pay heaps for beautiful old cupboards of rimu and matai, so I decided to keep them. I have kitchen accessories and a Smeg fridge in a similar light blue to the colour on the jug, so I decided to look for a colour that would go well with that. I’ve always thought that the combination of red and light blue was especially bold, so I went to Resene and looked for reds. The staff said that red is the colour that changes the most when the paint is dry, so I got heaps of test pots and painted patches all over the cupboards. Resene Hot Chile turned out to be the exact colour I was after when it was dry.”

Left: Walls Resene Bianca Trimmings Resene Soapstone Cabinetry Resene Hot Chile. Cabinetry in zingy Resene Hot Chile. Below Even Monica’s crockery reflects the era her house was built in. Right: Monica Holt.

Right: The McAlpine jug that inspired Monica’s colour scheme. Center: The renovated kitchen with its new island bench.The renovated kitchen is totally in keeping with the age and style of the house.

For contrast, Monica painted the cabinetry frames and windowsills in Resene Soapstone, which matches the cream colour of the jug. The new island bench sports a white benchtop and cabinetry painted in Resene Hot Chile. With chrome handles to match the detailing of the art deco light fittings, this kitchen looks better than brand-new.

Testpot tricks

Colour charts are a superb way to get inspired and quickly see the vast range of colours that are available. But beware, the existing furnishings in your home, the lighting in the room, textures and adjacent colours will affect the way you see a colour. This is why Resene testpots are the best way to check your colour choices. Tips and tricks for using a Resene testpot:

Paint onto an A3 piece of card, leaving a wide border around the edge so it doesn’t pick up the existing wall colour.

Move it around at different times of the day and night to see how it looks.

Don’t give up on a colour too fast. Colours can look very different when wet and dry, so paint the full test card area and allow it to dry before making your decision.

Use a good brush when painting from a testpot to ensure the paint covers well and you have a smooth even paint finish so the true sense of the colour comes through.

Resene has thousands of ready-mixed testpots available in a myriad of colours. If you wish to adjust them further, you can always mix your own colour, then Resene can create a custom colour-match for you.