I n 2013, Becky Lee hit the reset button and became clear about what direction she wanted to take with her personal and professional life. “For as long as I can remember, colour and interiors have been my passion. It’s just in my blood,” Becky says. “It had become increasingly important to me that I needed to be working in a creative industry and interiors have always been a passion of mine, so it was a natural fit.” By mid-2017, after completing her Interior Design Diploma, her business, Becky Lee Interiors, was up and running – and she’s never looked back. As a 'people person', what Becky loves most about being a designer is the clients she works with. “I really enjoy building a relationship with my clients and getting to know them and their individual style,” she says. “I particularly enjoy jobs where the client has a strong sense of personal style and is open to me challenging and expanding on this by showing them options that they wouldn’t know existed or even usually consider - that’s when the magic happens!” When it comes to developing designs for those clients, she says that her childhood and love of colour has impacted her style and inspires her work. Resene Smitten Resene Swiss Caramel Resene New Leaf Resene Porter Resene Rouge “I grew up in a household where colour and creativity were abundant. My infinitely practical and capable mum constantly reinvented spaces at home. She would paint and stencil large spaces, hang wallpaper, upholster furniture, sew curtains, make cushions and more. She has her own unique style and is the quintessential maker and a source of inspiration for me." In a world filled with neutral interiors, many find her bright personal style vibrant and refreshing. “My style at home is definitely exuberant! I have had my work described as a ‘choreographed fiesta, a juxtaposition of patterns and colours arranged to create both visual impact and balance’ – and I like that description. I have also had my work described as soulful, which is a great compliment, because I strive to tell the story of the homeowners I work with.” “I’m influenced by all kinds of design from French Empire and Hollywood Regency, to Palm Beach where colour is combined fearlessly, the look is interesting and layered, details are important and textiles rule.” While every job is completely different, Becky says that agonising over paint colours is a common challenge for clients. “It’s easy to get it wrong - especially if you are wanting a more creative palette.” But, she knows she can always fall back on her Resene The Range fashion colours fandeck. “I have always used Resene. I know and trust the products to perform and I receive fantastic support and service.” fortune favours the A Christchurch colour-lover finds her purpose. colourful people See more of Becky's work at www.beckyleeinteriors.co.nz. images Juliet Anne Nicholas Becky's favourite colours Becky recently painted her guest bedroom in Resene Swiss Caramel, which she plans to team with cobalt blue bedding. “Resene Just Dance is a lovely restful colour and it looks amazing with terracotta, greens, warm whites and denim blues.” “I’m also having a love affair with olive at the moment and I really like the swampy nature of Resene New Leaf. For more conservative palettes, it pairs well with neutrals, natural fibres and earthy tones. For the risk takers, I love it with burnt orange, mustard or deep red/browns.” She says that Resene Porter is her go-to black for its soft edge, making it highly usable without over dominating, and likes that Resene Smitten “packs a punch but makes a joyful accent.” She used it in a high gloss finish on her dining table and says “it makes everyone who sees it smile!” bold Reflective nature Becky has just released her first collection of artworks in collaboration with artist Anneke Stewart. The collection features elaborate arrangements of flowers grown by Becky or foraged from the red zone along with vintage hand-painted silks and furnishing fabrics. Combined with Anneke’s signature mandala style, the result is a rich kaleidoscopic work saturated with beautiful colour. You can find them at www.annekestewart.com. Resene Just Dance Resene Fresh discounts off... • Resene premium paints, stains, primers and sealers • wallpaper • a wide range of decorating accessories •  Resene Curtain Collection curtains and fabrics (NZ only) the ultimate decorating card Offers are valid in New Zealand to Resene DIY Cardholders only until 30 September 2019 and are not available in conjunction with any other offer, discount or promotion. All companies reserve the right to amend or update their offers. See www.resene.com/cardoffers for offers. special offers by autumn/w inter 2019 | issue 30 dramatic kitchens wandering workspaces make your own on-trend art pragmatic planning be prepared for the unexpected c urage us O O make bold look beautiful in any space plus there's more...… There’s even a range of discounts and offers from other stores and suppliers. See www.resene.com/cardoffers for further details on these offers. • Dish magazine • Good magazine • Hirepool • Idealog magazine • NZ Marketing magazine • Tile Warehouse • Trends magazine If you don’t have a card, apply at your local Resene ColorShop or participating reseller or apply free online at www.resene.com/diycard. For colour lovers, get the price of your 60-80ml testpot or A4 drawdown/testpatch back when you purchase paint or stain of the same colour. Simply bring back the receipt with the empty or part-full testpot or the A4 drawdown/ testpatch when you purchase 1 litre or more of Resene premium paint or stain tinted to the same colour. And, of course, a free subscription to habitat magazine. plus enjoy special bulk discounts (NZ only) when you spend more than $750 in one visit. Take your Resene DIY Card along to your local Resene ColorShop or participating reseller to benefit from these great savings: Resene She'll Be Right Above: Resene Rouge in Becky’s lounge. Right: Becky says her dining table in Resene Smitten always makes her visitors smile. 68 69