From the Resene decorating blog
Whether you’re on the lookout for inspiration to restyle your bach or simply dream of affording one, here are some creative ideas for putting together a modern coastal palette that brings in colours from the surf, sun and sand – with waves of style to suit any taste.
Sea greens and teals are softened with soft greys for a look that suits any season and any style of house. Background in Resene Inside Back. Paint effect plank in Resene Inside Back, roughly over-brushed with Resene Gulf Stream, Resene Stromboli and Resene Half Opal. A4 drawdown swatches in Resene St Kilda and Resene Flintstone. Sofa and daybed from Contempa, rug from Indie Home Collective, teal vase from Allium Interiors, Michela Vessel, copper Pruitt ornament, framed canvas, throw, broadway cushion and celera cushion from Freedom Furniture. Image by Melanie Jenkins.
While ‘beach style’ can mean different things to different people, no matter what your take on it, the inspiration usually stems from a similar palette built on weathered blues.
Weathered blues are shades that have a grey-washed look to them with a slightly worn-in, matte effect – like your favourite pair of faded jeans – that sets the tone for a relaxed look. They’re helpful for creating a space you want to feel comfortable and at ease in. Look to Resene Half Dusted Blue, Resene Excalibur, Resene Moby, Resene Raindance, Resene Duck Egg Blue or Resene Slipstream as a solid base to start building your palette from.
Seek out colours found in the choppier surf for trim and doors. Tones like Resene Eighth Spanish White, Resene Elderflower or Resene Rice Cake go well with warmer blues while cloudier shades like Resene Sea Fog, Resene Half Tea, Resene Merino, or Resene Half White Pointer look great with cooler colours. Super bright whites like Resene Black White or Resene Double Alabaster suit just about any colour if you want to keep your look especially crisp and clean.
The key to keeping those watery denim shades from looking too shallow is to mix in a healthy dose of contrast. Add in one or two darker shades of blue or grey to anchor your look.
For the highest level of contrast, look to Resene Indian Ink, Resene King Tide, Resene Bewitched or Resene Twilight Zone. All of these deeply submerged shades are ideal for bringing a whole new depth to your palette. Lighter versions like Resene Coast, Resene Safehaven and Resene Quarter Baltic Sea are perfect if you want to bump up the contrast without worrying about drowning in something too dark.
Resene Despacito, Resene Crowdpleaser, Resene Dapper, and Resene Shabby Chic are truly sandy shades that can help to break things up a bit by using them on key pieces of furniture, but you could also go for a blusher look with on-trend sunset pinks such as Resene Shilo, Resene Sorbet or Resene Ethereal. If you want to play it safe, stick to pale greys or blues like Resene White Island, Resene Remember Me, Resene Silver Chalice or Resene Grey Seal.
Natural fibres and bare timbers also work well with beach looks, so throw in some accessories in woven fibres like cane, rattan, sisal, rope and hessian. To keep things light and casual, incorporate a plywood feature wall and stain it – along with your other wood surfaces – in Resene Colorwood Whitewash.
An outdoor space to relax with friends and family is a key part of the contemporary coastal trend.
Resene Woodsman is ideal for achieving a rustic look and formulated with superior mould resistance to help protect your timber from the elements. On this decking we’ve used Resene Woodsman Banjul. The left wall is in Resene Pearl Lusta and the back wall is in Resene Rumour Has It. The table is in Resene Sambuca; the stools are in Resene Celebrate (left and front), Resene Aloha (back) and Resene Malarky (right); the platter is in Resene Ruby Tuesday and the woven cover is in Resene Celebrate. Project by Claudia Kozub, image by Wendy Fenwick.
This soothing natural sitting area feels summery without being beholden to colours of the sun or sea.
Rear wall painted in Resene Merino, front wall in Resene Alabaster, floor in Resene White Pointer, tall vase in Resene Parchment, lamp in Resene Tapa, wall hooks in Resene Double Ash. jug vase in Resene Putty and DIY artwork in Resene Quarter Tea, Resene Double Ash and Resene Half Truffle. Books from Sunday Home Store, Monstera and bush from Flux Boutique, pot planter and velvet cushion from Citta, blanket from Tea Pea, carafe and glass from Father Rabbit, rug from Father Rabbit. Project by Gem Adams, image by Melanie Jenkins.
Add a little sunshine to finish off your look by sprinkling in a few brightly coloured accessories.
Bring in pops of saturated aqua like Resene She’ll Be Right, Resene Yowza, Resene Yes Please or Resene Moana. Or, splash in some bold golds like Resene Influential, Resene Cleopatra, or Resene Hive; terracotta like Resene Raging Bull and Resene Sunbaked; a buttery yellow like Resene Chorus Line; or a rich and spicy red like Resene Salsa or Resene Pohutukawa. You could even work a mix of brights together from a similar place in the spectrum and build up a look through tonal layers.
Surf’s up with bold turquoise and green. Bring your beach gear, such as surfboards, into your interior design palette.
Walls painted Resene She’ll Be Right, cane chair in Resene Japanese Laurel and peg stools in Resene Blue Chill and Resene Freelance. Project by Megan Harrison-Turner; image by Melanie Jenkins.
It’s easy to create a relaxing tropical bedroom with walls in soft washed hues, like this bedroom.
Walls painted in Resene Half Opal, chair in Resene Surf Crest, floorboards in Resene Colorwood Greywash and cane coffee table/ottoman in Resene Half Duck Egg Blue. Project by Megan Harrison-Turner, image by Bryce
Some colour combinations you can try are:
Other beach-inspired looks you can build:
Mix pastels by layering soft grey-blues such as Resene Sea Fog with subtle peach pinks such as Resene Soulful or even pale apple greens like Resene Kandinsky.
For a casual beachy vibe that showcases your colour palette and looks great in an indoor/outdoor living space, try colour washing your wooden surfaces. Resene Colorwood Whitewash or Resene Colorwood Greywash are great neutrals that show off timber grain with a relaxed finish, but you can experiment with other colours as well. Try Resene Colorwood Satin Orange as an extra layer with other shades from sunbaked red and orange colour palettes, or even Resene Colorwood Deep Purple as a fun note in tropical colour schemes. It also works particularly well with Resene Colorwood Emerald Green.
To make the quintessential Cape Cod beach look more modern and relevant, try a deep blue-charcoal such as Resene Indian Ink with complements of Resene Parchment and pair it with a creamier white such as Resene Poured Milk. For sunny pops of colour, add in splashes of vibrant yellow such as Resene Wild Thing or a burnt sienna like Resene Clockwork Orange.
Swap out deep navy blues for dark greens such as Resene Family Tree or Resene Mother Nature. Add a uniquely Kiwi twist with a touch or two of Resene Pohutukawa.
Build a lush oasis with a layer of leafy green plants and tropical flowers then work in paint colours in similar shades, such as Resene Mother Nature or Resene Permanent Green with hints of Resene Shilo or Resene Sorbet. Top tips:
Finish woods in a way that really showcase the timber, such as Resene Colorwood Natural or Resene Colorwood Cedar. If you’re creating a beach look in your backyard, use Resene Woodsman Natural or Resene Woodsman Driftwood, which are perfect for outdoor spaces.
If you’re ever feeling less than confident about your colour choices, you can always refer to the back of each colour in the Resene the Range fashion colours fandeck for some helpful suggestions or get in touch with a Resene Colour Consultant through your local Resene ColorShop.
Try out a few Resene testpots before you commit to your colours so you can be sure you’ll love the end result.
February 01, 2019
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