Out of the box: RESENE
Sometimes thinking outside the box means literally painting a box on your walls. In this case, the large square wall feature spans across a corner of the room and stands out against the walls and floor.
PAINT: Wall and floor in Resene Ravine with square in Resene Pumice; cabinets in Resene Blue Smoke; coffee tables in Resene Haven (large) and Resene Harp (small); vases, bowls and smaller accessories in Resene Napa, Resene Yucca, Resene Blue Smoke, Resene Pewter, Resene Ravine, Resene Haven, Resene Pumice, Resene Armadillo, Resene Eagle and Resene Harp.
FURNISHINGS: Sofa from Freedom; cushions and ceramic vessel from Citta; small earthenware pot and faux Eucalyptus stems from Allium; artwork from Etsy.
The square is painted in Resene Pumice on the Resene Ravine walls and floor. This type of colour-blocking works particularly well in open plan spaces, where zones within a larger area need to be defined.
The styling and furniture in this space extend beyond the square on the wall so it doesn’t feel too close or blocked in.
To get the lines of your square straight, make sure you use a ruler and a level when marking them out.
When painting, use masking tape, carefully, firmly placing it over your marked lines, ensuring it is straight and there are no air bubbles under the tape.
After you have painted your square, allow the paint to completely dry before removing the masking tape.
This room has used a soft tonal colour palette of gentle green greys to create a calm and welcoming space. Tonal decorating, or monochromatic decorating, is a sure-fire way to achieve a relaxing, cohesive space. The trick, however, is to add in contrast and texture to prevent the room from feeling too flat or of one note.
In the living room, the nesting tables in Resene Haven (large) and Resene Harp (small) tie in beautifully with the cabinets in Resene Blue Smoke.
Tonally, these dewy green greys are very similar, so pops of fresh white and darker charcoals are called on to add some visual contrast.
These come in through the vases on the cabinets, which are painted in the armour-like grey of Resene Armadillo, and the pale grey of Resene Harp.
Fresh white couches with warm wooden legs achieve the same effect. The artwork on the wall adds a similar graphic contrast while continuing the room’s palpable angular motif.
To prevent this boxy space from feeling too square, texture and curves are important finishing touches.
Foliage such as eucalyptus is the perfect addition to this tonal space as it fits in with the colour palette beautifully while also adding textural softness.
Background in Resene Ravine and Resene Pumice; A4 drawdown swatches (from left to right) Resene Armadillo, Resene Blue Smoke, Resene Ravine, Resene Pewter, Resene Pumice, Resene Harp, vase in Resene Harp, tealight holder in Resne Ravine.
