Colours to welcome the warmer weather climate

From the Resene decorating blog

The days are staying lighter for longer, and we’re getting hints of warmer temperatures as spring settles in, preparing us for summer.

A gentle and relaxing blue striped bedroom

The gentle and relaxing tones of cornflower blue create the ultimate retreat from the summer heat and evoke the feel of clear skies. Perfect for a bedroom setting, it meets its match with gentle green and white. Back wall painted in Resene Mystic with stripes in Resene Relax, floor in Resene Mystic with Resene FX Paint Effects Medium tinted with Resene Dusted Grey, headboard in Resene Relax with uprights in Resene Quarter Iron, bedside table in Karen Walker Chalk Colour in Resene Dusted Grey, chair in Resene Surf Crest, lamp base in Resene Astronaut with hand-painted shade details in Resene Zephyr. Bedspread from H&M Home, navy and white stripe pillowcase from Thread, green patterned cushion and round rust-coloured cushion from Collect Living, euro pillowcases, navy cushion and blue throw from Places & Graces, artwork by Bioattic from endemicworld, David Bust from Ornament, green bowl and small wooden stool from Tony Sly, dice from French Country Collections. Project by Kate Alexander, image by Bryce Carleton.

When we think of the warmer seasons, we associate this with blue sky days, lush colours of summer blooms and sandy beach settings.

While summer outings always appeal, there are ways to bring that sense of holiday into your home with paint too.

With this comes a sense of a new start, too; a fresh setting for your home and a palette to make your home embrace that sense of summer.

Just as we say goodbye to our winter woollies and soothing warm meals, we look beyond the sumptuous hues of the cooler months and toward refreshing, cheerful colours.

Evoke this breezy, feel-good vibe with upbeat hues, whether on a few elements within a room or coated across all four walls. These can always be enhanced with soft furnishings that also ooze that sense of summer.

The beauty in this is waking up each day to a setting that evokes that hint of paradise.

Colours that evoke this warm-weather vibe are gentle, uplifting colours and bold, energetic brights that ooze optimism.

Summer is when we embrace our natural environment, soaking up the bush and waterfall walks in the wider regions. A day spent in these settings leaves us feeling energised and centred.

Bring nature indoors with gentle, peaceful greens that mimic this feeling. Resene Wilderness is an on-trend hue, mid-toned and earthy, that, when paired with Resene Green White, provides a setting in which to recharge and reset.

Split your wall into thirds, with the soft yellow green of Resene Zen covering the top two-thirds and Resene Wilderness coating the lower third. By pairing it with a warm summery baby pink or hotter version – think Resene Crail, Resene Sante Fe or Resene Beethoven – uplifting shades celebrate multiple colours paired positively.

Blue is also green’s friend here, working harmoniously, such as Resene Olive Green with Resene Rolling Stone. Or, for an easy-breezy feel, pair the gentle peppermint of Resene Ottoman with the icy blue of Resene Cut Glass. For a touch of zesty green, pops of lime Resene Half Limerick against a backdrop of lilac Resene Alluring create a magical combination of uplifting colour that warms the soul.

Dusky pinks are stealing the show when it comes to summer colours, too, finding their ideal partners in other uplifting hues. Tangerines, lilacs and yellows combine beautifully with pinks, creating an expected yet optimistic setting. Together, they mimic the colourful blooms of a summer garden full of life and hope.

For tangerine, use fruity Resene Japonica or the flamingo tones of Resene Sebedee. Few colours scream out summer more so than yellow. Resembling the colour of the summer sun, its feel-good, happy hue fills us up with joy and inner warmth. On-trend yellows range from the brights of Resene Pirate Gold, Resene Galliano and Resene Buttercup, pairing with baby blue or reds and pinks. Or lean towards the citrus-inspired kind such as the buttery Resene Chenin, lime-tinted Resene Lemon Twist or the sharp citrus undertones of Resene Spring Fever.

A nature inspired moodboard

Bring the outdoors in to capture the lush beauty of nature. Deep green and fresh white capture an oasis-like vibe, reminiscent of days spent pottering in the garden gathering new blooms.

Background in Resene Foggy Grey and Resene FX Paint Effects Medium mixed with Resene Quarter Merino with A4 drawdown paint swatches in (from top to bottom) Resene Foggy Grey, Resene Quarter Merino, Resene Nero and Resene Quarter Crisp Green. Project by Kate Alexander, image by Bryce Carleton.

A warm-tinted cream courtyard

The warm-tinted cream of this courtyard palette welcomes the summer sun and evokes the pinks of luscious garden blooms.

Wall painted in Resene Half Canterbury Clay with Resene FX Paint Effects Medium mixed with Resene Eighth Canterbury Clay and Resene Double Spanish White, shutters and windowsill in Resene Kangaroo, cobbled patio floor in Resene Half Canterbury Clay, Resene Eighth Canterbury Clay, Resene Double Spanish White, Resene Blanc, Resene Paris White and Resene Half Spanish White, large amphora vase in Resene FX Faux Rust Effect and other vases in Resene Soothe, Resene Pewter and Resene Alabaster. Table and chair from Jardin. Project by Annick Larkin, image by Bryce Carleton.

Also in this warm, uplifting capacity are sun baked hues that have taken the limelight over recent years due to their ability to bring out that positive feeling we crave. Earthy terracotta in Resene Tuscany, Resene Gold Coast and Resene Twine embrace such feel-good notions.

Steering from here towards the opposite side of the colour spectrum, we find blue, which, it feels, never seems to go out of fashion. Right now, it seems to feel most at home in interiors more than ever. Take inspiration from the sea and sky, bringing in colours that evoke that clear summer sky. Use Resene Ship Cove – beautifully paired with Resene Pattens Blue and Resene Rakaia – or Resene Nepal or Resene Frozen.

The burgundy accents of Resene Merlot or the pea green of Resene Norway, in décor or a mural, will add interest and depth to these blues. When the outside heat becomes too intense, an interior painted in a soothing cool blue is just the tonic, whether it be a pale baby blue, something more mariner or bordering on the green spectrum. A lovely on-trend combination that channels nature in a beautiful way is blue next to green; think the sharp shade of Resene Bilbao next to the cornflower tones of Resene Azure.

For those to whom the ultimate summer palette consists of warm creams with barely-there tints of pink or orange, bring in Resene Canterbury Clay or Resene Sazerac. Their softness creates a relaxing setting and look their best in the late afternoon glow of the sun. Paired with gentle greens and taupe, they suit any space in the home that calls for relaxation.

A sunset orange lounge

Evoke the colours of a summery sunset, rich in warm oranges and pinks, capturing a golden glow. Extend this beyond your walls onto décor and furniture to complete the setting.

Walls painted in Resene Wild West with ragged effect in Resene FX Paint Effects Medium mixed with Resene Santa Fe. Floor in Resene Bianca, bench base and plinth in Resene Korma. Cushions from Citta, book from Blackbird Goods, bedlinen from Foxtrot Home. Project by Gem Adams, image by Wendy Fenwick.

A beach themed moodboard

Evoke a breezy beach scene with colours of the ocean, sand and sky above. The result is restful and welcoming, like the beach itself. Enhance your beach-inspired paint colours with décor in a seaside theme.

Floorboards finished in Resene Colorwood Mid Greywash with A4 drawdown swatches in (from top to bottom) Resene Forecast, Resene Blue Night and Resene Sea Fog, panel (under drawdowns) in Resene Bermuda Grey, bowl in Resene Opal and DIY square canvas artwork in Resene Opal, Resene Azure and Resene Horizon. Project by Megan Harrison-Turner, image by Bryce Carleton.

To draw the eye in and create a sense of drama, play around with effects, layering these colours to a section of your wall with a contrasting hue surrounding it.

Remember, whatever your colour choices for a summery feel, ensure they form a narrative from room to room, especially if they vary in tones of one colour throughout a home, or comprise different hues.