a little goes a long way

Budding inspiration

Whether you’re a proper plant lady or lad or simply wish you had a green thumb, there is no wilting or overwatering this succulent-inspired mini mural. Created with a continuous line in Resene Midnight Express, this wall in Resene Rice Cake with tongue-and-groove panelling in Resene Smoke Tree has been completely brought to life. Take the look a step further by making a companion piece of artwork using testpots in Resene Mariner and Resene Alabaster in a frame painted in Resene Midnight Express. The floor is finished in Resene Colorwood Mid Greywash, the shelf, side table and coaster are in Resene Bunting, the coffee table and round vase are in Resene Felix, the tall woven vase is in Resene Grey Olive and the tiny bud vases are in Resene Grey Olive and Resene Bunting. Sofa from Nood, cushions and throw from H&M and un-killable faux plants from Freedom Furniture.

Expand your horizons

Create a room with a view with a landscape-inspired mural in your lounge or bedroom. Depending on the look you’re going for, you can keep your lines as literal or abstract as you like. Even simple, wavy lines are enough to get the effect. But be sure to use a high-quality paint brush – picking one with plenty of soft bristles makes for smoother lines. From top to bottom, this landscape is in Resene Zulu, Resene Antidote, Resene Sorrell Brown and Resene Lone Ranger. The floor is finished in Resene Colorwood Mid Greywash, the side wall is in Resene Half Wood Bark, the bookcase is in Resene Zulu, the plant pots are in Resene Lone Ranger and Resene Antidote and the vase is in Resene Merlot. Chair and sheepskin rug from Homage.

Different strokes

In this lounge, a wall in Resene Solitude has been given a gorgeous painterly treatment with a watercolour-style mural in shapes and colours inspired by an artistic cushion. Created using Resene FX Paint Effects Medium mixed with Resene Tussock, Resene Saratoga, Resene Elephant, Resene Pirate Gold, Resene Calico, Resene Cobblestone and Resene Bubble White, the key to nailing this style of mini mural is not to overthink your brushstrokes and to use the right tools. Keep movements soft and fluid, work up your layers and use a high-quality painter’s brush plus a small flat artist’s brush to add more details. The icing on the cake? Paint the rest of your surfaces using the same colour palette so that everything ties in together. This floor is in Resene Chino, the sideboard is in Resene Elephant with drawers in Resene Half Copyrite and handles in Resene Chino, the nesting coffee tables are in Resene Saratoga and Resene Tussock, and the accessories are in Resene Half Copyrite, Resene Calico, Resene Elephant, Resene Kombi, Resene Solitude, Resene Tussock and Resene Gimblet. Chair and pendant lamp from Freedom Furniture, cushion and throw from Adairs.

Defining lines

With an open plan layout, you don’t always have walls to rely on to provide definition between different areas and activities. A minimalist mini mural like this one is a great solution for setting up a small reading nook within a larger space. Two parallel lines diverge into triangles that frame floating shelves to hold books and accessories while reflecting the shapes in the statement rug. Simply add a comfy chair, a small surface to place your tea or coffee and pull up your favourite throw and you’ll have the perfect place to bury yourself in a book. The wall is painted in Resene Quarter Truffle with mini mural, floor and shelves in Resene Bismark. The large vase, tea light holder and horse decoration are in Resene Nero, the plant pot is in Resene Kabul and the small vases are in Resene Pizza, Resene Kabul and Resene Dusted Grey. Chair, rug, side table and cushion from Freedom Furniture.

Impressive illusion

Incorporating on trend terrazzo need not break your budget or become an unchangeable fixture in your bathroom. Use a high-quality painter’s brush to create simple, random shapes in three or more of your favourite Resene colours to get the same effect in a way that’s easy to change if you fall out of love with the look. The back wall in this bathroom is in Resene Jaguar with painted terrazzo tiles in Resene Alpaca, Resene Tom Tom and Resene Urbane. The floor is in Resene Mercury, the left wall, vanity and large coat peg are in Resene Tangaroa, the right wall and ladder are in Resene High Tide and the small coat peg is in Resene Alpaca. Basin and faucet from Plumbing World, robe and tote from H&M. Resene Living Palazzo towel in Resene Steel Grey from Briscoes.

Enhance your entrance

A mini mural doesn’t have to be limited to your walls. It can be on a door, floor, ceiling, dresser or other piece of furniture – and it can even break the boundaries of a single area to spill into another. This otherwise neutral entrance has been injected full of personality thanks to a graphic hand-painted mural on the back of the door in Resene Double Foundry, Resene Sante Fe, Resene Dust Storm and Resene Galliano. And, just by swapping out the background in Resene Double Foundry for Resene Double Alabaster, you can create a totally different look. Another idea is to paint each side of the door in two different ways using the same palette and pattern. Bench in Resene Double Foundry and floor in Resene Ironsand. Purse, sandals, pompom baskets and straw hat from H&M.

Tidy tip: Make this simple organiser to hold all the accessories you need for your comings and goings by painting a 120cm length of wooden dowel in Resene Double Foundry. Use thick cotton string to create a hanger by wrapping and tying it around the end. Then, tie one end of several lengths of string and evenly space them along the length of the dowel. Paint a handful of clothes pegs to match your colour scheme and use them to clip light-weight items like hats, gloves and scarves. Heavier items like jackets or umbrellas can be hung on hangers – painted to match, of course – or directly from the dowel. The best part? You’ll likely only need to put one hole in the wall to keep everything up and off the floor.