Shaping up

From Habitat plus - decorating and colour trends 2019

Stripes, triangles, colour blocks – painted features keep going strong

It seems we’ve all been having fun of late – personalising our interiors with bold shapes and strong splashes of colour. We’ve seen geo shapes, chevrons and mountain profiles, as well as more freeform feature walls in watercolour effects and tonal layers.

Left: A dash of deep yellow pops against the greys and blacks. The background is in Resene Nero, with A4 drawdown paint swatches in (top to bottom) Resene Half Gravel, Resene Delta and Resene Hot Toddy.  Right: Wall in Resene Delta, rectangle feature in Resene Hot Toddy, floor in Resene Nero, coat stand in Resene Double Gravel, peg stool in Resene Half Gravel, table top in Resene Half Gravel and legs in Resene Double Merino.

The trend shows no sign of abating as we seek individual expression. Painting shapes onto any surface is a simple artistic way to inject impact and character. It’s also a very photogenic trend perfectly timed for our modern Instagram-centric times.

This living room (right) is a perfect example of how warm neutral charcoals create the perfect backdrop for an eye-catching frame of colour around a showpiece couch. Instead of blasting the room with a whole feature wall in this warm whisky-toned gold, it’s used here to show off the furniture and elevate the space. The subtle addition of warm creams in the floral display and cushions, and the layers of different shades of those greys, gives a cohesive space that is dramatic without being overwhelming.

Right: Rich blues and moody greys with a background in Resene Stack, A4 drawdown paint swatches in (top to bottom) Resene Athens Grey, Resene Atmosphere, Resene Blue Night and Resene Indian Ink.  Left: Wall pattern in Resene Indian Ink (top), Resene Athens Grey (centre) and Resene Atmosphere (bottom) with floor in Resene Stack, side table in Resene Indian Ink, bench seat cum coffee table in Resene Blue Night, and basket (with plant) in Resene Atmosphere.

This blue and grey toned space is given instant drama and structure with its tonal triangular shaped wall. The darker colour at the top draws the room in for a cosy feel, while the greys and off-white keep it fresh and modern. The rug shows that you can introduce a different geometric shape as long as you keep the tones similar to the rest of the room.

Or if you like a clean aesthetic, having an interesting effect on the walls means you don’t need to hang artwork to avoid a bare wall look.

The addition of warm, tactile fabrics in the velvet chair, linen cushion and woollen throw all accentuate the cosiness, while the clean, simple lines of the furniture and accents of off-whites keep it light, uncluttered and inviting.

Top tip:
The blue bench seat in this room (left) is painted in Resene Enamacryl tinted to Resene Blue Night. It’s a paint that not only gives a tough surface for furniture but has a higher gloss level, so makes the bench colour pop more.

Other shapes to try:

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