A bolt from the blue

From the Resene/Your Home and Garden Colour Home Awards Competition - Jan 2013 finalist

Jo’s colour scheme was inspired by the dark New England-style homes she saw when she visited Boston and Concord in the late 1980s. “I’ve always admired homes that are painted in dark colours,” she says.

Jo and John Blue bought this 1909 farmhouse in Marlborough’s picturesque Awatere Valley in 2004. After several years living with its plain white exterior, they took the plunge and painted it with a striking combination of Resene CoolColour Midnight Express and Resene Half Pearl Lusta. “The colour choice is a fantastic success,” says Jo. “It handles the hot Marlborough sun with no problems. We’re very pleased with it.

“I’ve always used Resene paint as it’s well priced, easy to use and I can always find the exact shade I have in my mind’s eye.”

The farmhouse and hill backdrop.
Left: Jo replanted the flowerbeds surrounding the house, and planted hedges grown from cuttings of buxus, lonicera and teucrium plants; the deck is a beautiful shady spot in which to enjoy the view of Mt Carmel Farm.

Wall details and John and Jo the owners of Mt. Carmel farm.
John and Jo Blue, an ornamental grape vine winds its way around the home’s trim, which is painted in Resene Half Pearl Lusta.

Consider this:

When used outside, dark colours can absorb a lot of heat. Resene CoolColours are designed with special pigment technology to reflect heat and keep painted or stained surfaces and your home cooler. They’re available in a wide range of paints and colours that are ideal for exterior projects. Visit www.resene.co.nz/coolcolour