b'a comedy of colourFun, colourful and full of energythis reborn bach is the perfect haven for comedian Ewen Gilmour. Like love and marriage, comedy and colour seem meant for one another. Somehow, its not surprising to discover funny-man and ex-Waitakere City councillor Ewen Gilmours freshly extended bach in Port Waikato is a riot of wild, dramatically contrasting hues. Step inside and youre immersed in a dazzling glow of yellows (Resene Gorse and Resene Supernova) along opposite walls. Turn into the living area and raging lime (Resene Sublime) cosies up to a deep red (Resene Bullseye) feature wall. Theres nothing restrained about the kitchen cabinetry either. In deep sky blue, with a paua shell laminate benchtop and deep red (Resene Bullseye) glass splashback, it announces its existence, loud and proud. Ewen and his artist/drama teacher wife Cathy caught the colour craze big time when they experimented on the crazy wall of their new music room. Ewen calls it a kind of 3D chequerboard on acid. And the reason for such an artwork?Even before they transformed the small rectangular bach into the handsome, black batten- LeftComedian Ewen Gilmour and wife Cathy live at the beach full time.and-board home it is today, the music room was reserved for Ewens cherished old player piano. One of those wonderful pieces of musical memorabilia, the piano plays pre-programmedAboveThe startling yellow walls (Resene Gorse and Resene Supernova) music via perforated metal rolls inserted in a small alcove hidden just above the keys. It wasare tempered by trims in Resene passed down to Ewen by his father and is one of Ewen and Cathys prized possessions. TheQuarter Spanish White.only other piece of furniture in the room is a plain wooden cabinet containing an impressiveBelowThe lofty bedroom is stack of the old rolls that can inserted to give a varied selection of musical scores. Suchserene in Resene Spray. inhabitants deserve to be set-off by something, well, off the wall!The wall is a swooning utter of lime, black, red, yellow and white. Theres even a quirky pane of mirrored glass inset in the design, because my brother is a glazier, and we could, explains Ewen, with his wry sense of humour.So enamoured were the pair with the result, they were inspired to use vibrant colour elsewhere in the house. Although full of ideas and rearing to go, good sense prevailed so before they plunged in head rst, they contacted Resene colour consultant Angela Fell. She worked through the whole house, giving valuable advice to ensure all of the colours worked together. It was Angela who talked them into balancing the effect of bold colour with a calming shade of white (Resene Quarter Spanish White) on all the ceilings, scotias, doors and surrounds and the skirtings. While the busy, social rooms hit you in the face with their vivid hues, the less public areasthe toilet, bathroom and bedroomare sanctuaries of tranquillity in shades of blue. Ewen couldnt go past the name, Resene Morning Glory for the bathroom. What could be more appropriate, he chimes. In fact, Ewen tended to be swayed more by the names than the colours. Resene Westside and Resene Turbo didnt quite make it, however.Resene BullseyeUpstairs, the lofty bedroom is demure in Resene Spray. Angela suggested they paint some Resene walls off-white (Resene Quarter Spanish White) to emphasise the appealing angles of the tall,Gorsepitched ceiling. The bedroom opens through bifolding windows above a window seat andResene extends to a balcony among the bows of a craggy old pohutukawa. It was this tree that rstSprayattracted Cathy to the property. 31'