Karen is a homemaker in the true sense of the word, designing their home using one of her children's maths books, with each square comprising one square metre of her design. The design was American Colonial style - weatherboard with lots of colonial windows, a verandah, wide skirtings and architraves, panelled doors and classic fixtures and fittings. And full of colour - no brick, no tile, no beige!
With a budget that didn't stretch to professional painters, Karen selected and applied her own colours. Outside, Resene Coastal Blue, Resene Rice Cake and a front door of Resene Cinder provide a fresh authentic palette to suit the house style. Even the fence received two good coats of Resene Lumbersider tinted to Resene Rice Cake.
Country style fabric was made into curtains for the lounge room and used as inspiration for the downstairs living areas, entry hall and study. The lounge was finished in Resene Zylone Sheen tinted to Resene Vienna, the ceilings in Resene Half Rice Cake and the trims, doors and architraves in Resene Rice Cake.
The kitchen was designed in a country style with classic features and modern conveniences. Walls feature Resene Weathered Blue with cabinetry lacquered in Resene Rice Cake. The Resene Weathered Blue continues into the favourite room, the family room, and through to the laundry.
Rich Resene Zylone Sheen tinted to Resene Monarch is perfect for the desired olde world office effect, making way to the neutral Resene Half Putty in linking areas such as the entry, hallway and the upstairs toilet.
With a request for pink from her teenage daughter, the bedroom was finished in Resene Royal Heath with contrasting Resene Rice Cake on doors and architraves.
Her second daughter wanted a green room. The Resene Happy Hour selected was a tad too bright in the north facing room so was blended with a little blue from the third child's bedroom, Resene Breakwater, to cool it down.
The master bedroom has a soothing colour palette of Resene Sisal and Resene Stonewall.
Exterior | Exterior | Front door | Fence |
Resene Coastal Blue | Resene Rice Cake | Resene Cinder | Resene Rice Cake |
Lounge | Trims, doors and architraves | Kitchen, family room and laundry | Office |
Resene Vienna | Resene Rice Cake | Resene Weathered Blue | Resene Monarch |
Entry, hallway and upstairs toilet | Daughter's bedroom | Bedroom doors and architraves | Second daughter's bedroom |
Resene Half Putty | Resene Royal Heath | Resene Rice Cake | Resene Happy Hour |
Third child's bedroom | Master bedroom | Master bedroom | |
Resene Breakwater | Resene Sisal | Resene Stonewall |
With a floor area of 327 square metres, completing such a mammoth painting project is a real feat and one that Karen can be proud of whether she is enjoying the view from the outside or the ambience on the inside.
Decorating inspiration gallery
Click on the links below to view more great home decorating ideas and colour schemes for home interiors and exteriors.