catching the eye

The use of Resene paint is really pivotal as often the drapery or upholstery will be solid in colour and relatively plain so creating a set with interest and vitality is key. It all starts with a couple of fabric rolls being delivered to the office then discussion about the end use and market for the product. Creating a reaction and catching the eye is the goal translating to sales.

Keeping abreast of key colour and design trends/forecasting is key as products are shot months before they are launched often with little time to create a look due to manufacturing deadlines if furniture is required or particular detail.

The sheer plethora of colour choice in Resene colour charts gives Celia plenty to choose from. She finds it’s interesting to look over historic shots and still appreciate how the palettes evolve over time.

For any stylist budgets and time are always the biggest challenges to work with. Paint is a cost effective way to create bespoke sets for each product. To assist with quick setups, Celia has six portable sets made using aluminium framing to provide her much needed, and paintable, shoot backdrops.

For this shoot the focus was a plain velvet due for launch in winter which needed a punchy background. Resene A4 drawdowns were used to map out the desired colour combinations. Hues of Resene Half Washed Green, Resene Otter, Resene Quarter Gravel, Resene Rascal, Resene Himalaya, Resene Smoky Green, Resene Stinger and Resene Elephant play off each other and catch attention.

The sets are standard 1.2 x 2.4 x 3 of them so a chequerboard effect is relatively easy to mark out. The trick is getting them to sit flush when the studio floor runs off 2cm.

Every year, the MDF is stripped and replaced. After 12+ layers of paint deep they need a fresh start to keep them lightweight. Yet nothing is better than rolling a new look out… going from the serenity of Resene Milk White to a simple matrix full of colour is super satisfying.

Colour selection: Celia Faris
Photographer: Belinda Merrie
Project: Resene Total Colour Awards 2019