Inside out

Resene – Paint project, from Homestyle magazine

Reinvent your courtyard as a sheltered exterior room via a simple paint project or two.

A sheltered exterior room with an indoor feel
Designing an outdoor room

Get the look

Design an outdoor space with an indoor feel by creating a private room-like look using solid furniture and a screen. Follow our lead and elevate an inexpensive trellis with a dark stain. We painted ours with Resene Waterborne Woodsman CoolColour in Resene Sheer Black — an easy weekend project that brings a satisfyingly instant and sophisticated finish to an off-the-shelf item.
Resene Woodsman stains are also ideal for timber decking — ours is in Resene Driftwood. If you prefer a darker finish, just apply another coat or two.
To add weight to the sense of solidity, we opted for a concrete-like wall. On top of our base coat of Resene Quarter Scarpa Flow, we brushed on Resene FX Paint Effects Medium coloured with Resene Bastille in a loose criss-cross pattern, before rubbing it dry with a clean cloth to blend.

Stylist’s tip

Customising planters with Resene testpots is another cost-effective way to communicate your colour scheme and bring personality into your outdoor room. We painted one with Resene Half Hairy Heath.

Creating an outdoor room using screens and solid furniture

A timber deck stained in Resene Driftwood

An exterior wall stained in Resene Sheer Black

Backdrop: Form left, walls and bench seat in Resene Lumbersider in Resene Quarter Scarpa Flow, and Resene FX Paint Effects Medium with Resene Bastille; plant pot in Resene Half Hairy Heath; screen in Resene Waterborne Woodsman CoolColour in Resene Sheer Black; deck in Resene Woodsman in Resene Driftwood. Accessories: From left, Milford Moss Stitch cushion, indiehomecollective.com. Antique Duck outdoor fabric (covering squab), marthas.co.nz. Goblet vessel by Lightly, babylongardens.co.nz. Roly Poly chair by Faye Toogood for Driade, statementid.co.nz. Cestita Alubat lamp by Santa & Cole, ecc.co.nz. Cubo concrete stool, Hardwood Stump side table, indiehomecollective.com. Bamboo plant and flowers stylist’s own. Additional items: Ruth Calathea rufibarba plant, Eva pot, babylongardens.co.nz.