bold is beautiful

Sian Jaquet is the host of TV3’s recently screened new show, The Big Stuff, sponsored by Resene. She is a professional life designer with a wealth of experience gathered from across the world, and during many years in her various roles – from working in the media and public speaking, to teaching, residential social work, and coaching.

Tell us about the show.

The Big Stuff is about working with people to change their lives, by changing their home environment. In each episode we have five days to help them realise the vision of how they want to live as a family. I work very closely with them for the entire five days – first identifying how they want to live ‘the vision’, then creating a strategy to support them in making the changes, ‘the foundations’. Every family was truly amazed after taking this journey. Seeing what they could achieve by prioritising themselves and their home.

What is your favourite colour and why?

Magenta. It just makes me smile and it says DRAMA! My youngest sister wears it a lot and it reminds me of her. I remember someone telling me it’s a colour all about passion and love!

What is your favourite decorating colour or combination of colours and why?

I love blue/green colours. Resene Maestro and Resene Muse colours in The Range 2009 excite me and I think of them first if I’m decorating. They are bold colours yet have a softening, relaxing influence in a room.

Have those choices changed during the years? If so, what influenced that?

Yes, they change all the time. We’ve moved house eight times in the past 15 years or so. Painting a room is my idea of a great afternoon. Being brave with some colour can change the whole atmosphere in a few hours. I’ve painted bedroom walls purple for my rock chick daughter and black for my adolescent son. I see paint as the quickest and easiest way to change my home and let my kids know it’s okay to be an individual in your space.

Is there a colour you would never use in your own home?

Never, say never... but yellow wouldn’t necessarily jump to mind as a colour I’d use!

What do you love or hate about the recent (but waning) trend for neutral colours, white-on-white?

I usually think of it as being quite sophisticated when I see it in other people’s houses, but when I think of it for our home, it’s a bit cold. However, the neutral taupe-style colours just work virtually anywhere and if you don’t have confidence with colour, one feature wall of Resene Triple Perfect Taupe can work wonders.

What are your three favourite colours from Resene’s new The Range 2009?

Resene Maestro, Resene Fast Lane and Resene Bandit. I don’t know where I’d put it but it’s so wow!

Want to get your own free copy of future issues of habitat magazine?

Printed copies of habitat highlights are available from late March 2024 at Resene ColorShops and resellers, while stocks last. You can view back issues of habitat magazine online.

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