heritage listed Glebe Terrace

The style brief was to add character and happy colours throughout while keeping it sophisticated and with a high end finish, which was achieved using a custom St James Whitting palette.

To this end, the joinery was handpainted in St James Whitting ‘Escape from Alcatraz’ (Resene Longitude) with crisp white trim, walls and ceiling in St James Whitting ‘Sea Salt’ (Resene Half Concrete). Doors in St James Whitting ‘Stones Black’ (Resene All Black) worked back with the black in the tiles and the series of doors leading to and connecting with the black walls in the sunroom. This base foundation of black, white and blue is contrasted with pops of pinks, oranges and greens in the textiles. Gold finishes for lighting and hardware add to the sense of luxury.

Appliances were concealed behind joinery doors to make the kitchen feel less ‘kitcheny’!

The homeowner wanted a kitchen that was:

• Unique and ‘not black, white or timber’!
• The blue was inspired by the owner’s love for Marie Antoinette’s Petit Trianon Palace where chalky pastels were favoured
• Offered flexibility if colour change was desired down the track (leading to a handpainted finish)
• A style that embraced both the heritage roots but that didn’t feel dated
• To feel like a happy space for a family with young children
• Would feel timeless and stand the test of time
• Had a welcoming elegance about it
• The light blue felt fresh and neither too masculine nor feminine. It worked well with the black and white tiles and worked beautifully with a number of bright hues found in the textiles, wallpapers, art and rug
• Basically it ticked all the boxes!

The black and white sunroom in St James Whitting ‘Stones Black’ and ‘Sea Salt’ (Resene All Black and Resene Half Concrete) features the owner’s photographic work and provides a reset space between the new renovation and the old, original front part of the house. The black walls allow the artworks to pop with the crisp white ceiling and architraves keep it feeling fresh and timeless.

Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen was used for walls as it shows the colour beautifully with the perfect level of reflection and is a sensible finish for a house with kids. The Resene Lustacryl similarly is a hardwearing finish and in the semi-gloss brings out the colour.

Building contractor: Maypoint Developments
Interior designer: Sartorial Interiors
Joiner: Joinery Gallery
Photographer: Aaron Busch
Project: Resene Total Colour Awards 2020