Bold moves

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

After one daring decision, there were no more qualms about colour, only how much of it to use

There were a few sleepless nights for Arna Marshall after she forged ahead with her decision to paint her kitchen in Resene Black. But she needn’t have worried. Despite warnings that it would make the space too dark, the end result is anything but.

A bold dramatic kitchen in Resene Black

Resene Black is striking in the kitchen, feature wall and doors.

Arna couldn’t be more thrilled with how it turned out. “It’s super edgy and not at all dark because of our big skylights,” she says.

In fact, Resene Black was such a hit, it now features on their internal doors and in the dining room, too.

The colour choices that didn’t prompt sleepless nights were Resene Waiouru and Resene Rusty Nail for the children’s rooms.

A unisex childs room in Resene Waiouru (olive green)

A unisex childs room in Resene Rusty Nail (lemon tinged ochre)

“I wanted a unisex option so the kids could swap rooms if they wanted to,” explains Arna.

Her favourite, if she had to choose, is Resene Waiouru. “I love this deep army green. I think it works really well in Willa’s room because it offsets all her pretty pink and pastel linen, so it’s a little less girly and a little more edgy.”

Resene Rusty Nail proved to be a winner in Nash’s room with the comforting country hue expertly tying in with the rest of the decor.

The three-quarter colour-blocked style in both kids’ rooms has inspired guests to do the same and provides the perfect background to display art.