cinderella stories

From habitat magazine - issue 37, exterior ideas

Happy-ever-after stories aren’t just reserved for fairy tales. These exterior home transformations show that even grand old dames can become belles of the ball with a touch of Resene colour.

Fit for a princess

Abracadabra, brown be gone. With a brush instead of a wand, Hannah transformed her railway cottage with Resene Dingley, painting her front door in doublestrength Resene Princess and trims in Resene White.

“I wanted something fun, charming and quirky,” she says. “These old houses have so much character; I felt like mine was lacking. The railway village here in Hamilton has a special feeling as all the houses are the same, so I wanted to bring this house back to life in a way that was fun and pushed a few boundaries.” Hannah says she gets lots of lovely comments from passers-by. “So many people say they would never have picked those colours, but how they work so well. The pink door gets people talking.”

Tangerine dream

With a few litres of Resene paint, Ally turned her ugly duckling ‘old dunga’ in Taupointo a beautiful bold swan. To transform her home, she used Resene Sonyx 101 tinted to Resene Double Black White and Resene Schooner with a surprise twist of Resene Lustacryl tinted to bold Resene Tangerine. “I saw a modernist mid-century design lurking beneath the tired, mouldy, unpainted wall panelling. I hired some scaffolding, set it up by myself, and painted the entire house and garage on my own. A huge achievement for a 55-year-old, I reckon.”

Cherrywood on top

What a difference a recoat of Resene Woodsman makes. Neil and Irene built their cedar home 32 years ago and have recently started staining it with Resene Woodsman Cherrywood. “I would scrub and oil the boards every few seasons,” says Neil. “But after years of washing and applying oil, I reluctantly decided to stain the weatherboards – hopefully, to reduce the maintenance and improve the longevity. I am pleased to say my wife and I are delighted with the new fresh look, and we both think this is the look we were after all along.”

Gleaming in green

Bridget and Tom turned a rundown villa in Whanganui into a home fit for a queen. They opted for Resene Sonyx 101 tinted to Resene Pumice for the weatherboards. “Resene Pumice has a hint of green, which brings a lot of life to the villa,” says Bridget. Grey-toned white Resene Sea Fog brightens up the soffits and trims and Resene Porter on the door and foundations grounds the look. “We wanted to go for a contemporary feel, tipping a hat to the original detailing of the era.”

Pop goes the jalapeno!

When Sally moved into her new home two years ago, she decided the front gate needed spicing up. “I wanted a dark colour, but I didn’t want it to be completely black. I went for charcoal Resene Double Foundry as it has a slight blue tinge,” she says. “Then I was reading habitat magazine and was inspired by an article showing a bright red gate in Resene Poppy in the middle of a green hedge. I decided on Resene Jalapeno, and I painted this on a second fence at right angles to the front fence, which has given a complete contrast. It’s made the entrance of the house much more interesting.”

Do a raindance

Upholsterer and interior designer Holly Spooner knew the transformative power bright hues would have on her family’s rundown 1950s home. They chose Resene Raindance on the weatherboards with Resene Half Black White trims and Resene Tuna for the porch floor and roof. The front door was painted in cheerful Resene Galliano, with the life preserver ring in Resene Poppy and Resene Half Black White.

“It took me about eight different samples to pick my exterior blue – Resene Raindance – which changes depending on what time of the year it is and what the weather is doing outside. I love it! It’s super moody in winter and coastal bliss on a hot sunny day,” says Holly.

“I recommend painting a few A2 sample sheets using Resene testpots and hanging them around your exterior cladding so you can see what happens in different light conditions.”

Once upon a time

Callidus Architects transformed this 1890 beauty with a little help from Resene. The weatherboards of Downing Homestead are painted in Resene Desert Sand with trims, door and details in Resene Scoria and Resene Waiwherowhero from the Resene Traditional Māori colour palette.

Brick now slick

Painting over brick was just the trick for this home. Leon used Resene Lumbersider tinted to Resene Bokara Grey CoolColour to paint his home’s bricks and timber cladding. The soffits and gutter boards are Resene Lumbersider tinted to Resene Rakaia, the front steps are Resene Double Rakaia and the edging bricks are Resene Black.

Tools of the trade

• Low sheen dream: Resene Lumbersider is a durable waterborne paint, ideal for harsh exterior conditions. Use Resene Lumbersider for various outdoor projects, including weatherboards, fences and brickwork. The low sheen finish helps to hide surface imperfections.

• Sleek style: Resene Sonyx 101 is a waterborne exterior semi-gloss ideal for highlighting architectural features. Its higher-sheen finish is easier to clean than a low sheen making it a popular option for walls and weatherboards.

• Stain and able: Highlight the natural beauty of timber with Resene Waterborne Woodsman. This exterior wood stain enhances, rejuvenates and protects timber from the elements while allowing its grain to show through.

• Wonderful windows: Protect windowsills, doors and other exterior trims with Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss or Resene Enamacryl gloss waterborne enamel. Both are easy to clean. The gloss finish will make colours seem brighter and cleaner, ideal for a pop of colour on your front door. The semi-gloss finish is more sympathetic to less-than-perfect surfaces, like wooden joinery.

• Get decked out: Resene Woodsman Decking Oil Stain is designed especially for pine, macrocarpa and other timber decks. It has fewer fumes and VOCs (volatile organic compounds) than traditional solventborne stains. It’s available in a wide range of hues, including Resene CoolColours, ideal for dark decks, which get hot over summer.

For all of these finishes, many colours, especially dark ones, are available in heat-reflective Resene CoolColours to keep the paint, stain and surface cooler.

Want to get your own free copy of future issues of habitat magazine?

Printed copies of habitat highlights are available from late March 2024 at Resene ColorShops and resellers, while stocks last. You can view back issues of habitat magazine online.

• Specifiers:

  • Earn CPD points reading this magazine – If you're a specifier, earn ADNZ or NZRAB CPD points by reading habitat magazine. Once you've read an issue request your CPD points via the CPD portal for ADNZ (for NZ architectural designers) or NZRAB (for NZ architects).  Join our specifier and trade database...

If you have an idea, project or story that you think would suit habitat, we’d love to hear from you. Please drop us an email with your details and include photos if submitting a project.

Sign up for a DIY card and Save! Australia | New Zealand