Colour trends and inspiration for your home

Resene Colour Expert Amy Watkins shares recent painting and decorating trends and how she’s incorporating them into her own home.

What are some of the colour trends you’re seeing coming through in trend forecasting?

The warm earthy colour palette continues to be the main trend, so we’re seeing lots of brown, beige, terracotta, mustard and pops of dusty pink. These colour tones are quite adaptable as to where you use them in your home, and I love seeing them used in interiors as they create a cosy and inviting setting. Try Resene Desert Sand for lounges and living rooms, Resene Half Bianca for trims and bring in Resene Coral Tree and Resene Corvette as accents, feature walls and on painted furniture.

How can homeowners create texture in their interiors using paint?

Resene has this fantastic product called Resene FX Paint Effects Medium. It’s an artistic product that allows you the flexibility to transform a space with a two-tone colour effect. Applying this product using different techniques will create different looks. On the Resene website and in our habitat plus books we have examples of different techniques such as sponging, colour washing, limewashing and rag rolling to help you understand how they will look.

To add an extra dimension to this effect you can introduce a product called Resene Sandtex Mediterranean effect. Using this acrylic paint as the first coat adds additional texture to the wall you are painting.

Wood stains are making a big impact in architecture and home design. What are some ways to use wood stains in your home?

Resene Woodsman wood stains are like an extension of nature. As Resene Woodsman penetrating stains don’t sit on the surface of timber it makes them feel softer and less intense, even when you use a richer colour. This gives a relaxed and balanced feeling which connects your home with the outdoors.

Resene Woodsman wood stains are often used on the exterior cladding of homes with colours such as Resene Nutmeg, Resene Crowshead and Resene Tiri. On fencing, it’s often best to go darker to contrast against the landscape – try Resene Pitch Black or Resene English Walnut. For decks, try Resene Natural, Resene Nutmeg or Resene Iroko.

Trending paint colours:

Amy’s top Resene Woodsman colours:

Wallpaper is becoming increasingly popular in interiors. What are some ways people can use designs from the Resene Wallpaper Collection in their home?

Powder rooms can make a great impact if you use wallpaper! As it’s a smaller space, you can choose to either have the wallpaper in the powder room tie the colours and themes in other parts of your home, or make it a surprise ‘wow’ statement.

When choosing a wallpaper, take your time. There are so many options available and you want the design that best suits you and your family. Take inspiration from your furniture, art pieces and even the clothes you wear. Don’t be afraid to push boundaries with wallpaper.

For most Resene patterns, you can purchase wallpaper samples from Resene ColorShops before purchasing full rolls. Once you get home, hang the sample up in the space and observe it for a couple of days and see how you feel about it.

Do you have any advice for people choosing neutral colours or whites for trims or ceilings to go with their wallpaper?

Take the dominant tone from the wallpaper, whether it’s a warm or cool tone, and bring that onto the trims. You want the trims and ceilings to be an extension of the wallpaper, not the other way around. For example, if you choose Resene Wallpaper Collection E307303, this design has a warm mustard tone and you could use a green or yellow toned white like Resene Rice Cake on the trims to complement it.

Resene Rice Cake is the perfect neutral shade to use in combination with Resene Museum Wallpaper Collection E307303.

What are the trending white and neutral colours?

We’re getting lots of requests for cream-based whites because of their warm qualities. They create an inviting and relaxing setting. Resene Rice Cake, Resene Albescent White and Resene Merino are leading this trend.

What are some ways people can clean up their outdoor spaces ahead of winter?

A simple thing can be cleaning up your decks, patios and driveways with Resene Deep Clean. It’s an easy, safe method for keeping outdoor areas free from moss, mould, algae and lichen. Just spray or brush on and leave the rest to nature. You can visit your local Resene ColorShop for a guide on how to use this product.

What tips do you have for doing DIY in winter?

When you are painting, avoid starting too early in the morning or finishing too late in the evening. This avoids issues with the paint drying. Also make sure you have good ventilation, as this can also lead to other drying issues.

What’s your best painting tip for beginners who have never done any painting?

Take your time, visit your local Resene ColorShop and ask for advice. Follow the correct preparation advice, otherwise it can lead to issues down the track.

What is your own home like and what is your decorating style?

It’s a bit of a mix and I change my style over time. Currently, I’m all about the environment and bringing the outdoors in using a traditional style. I have timber floors, skirting boards and doors and have Resene Chalk Dust on my walls throughout.

I also have a wallpaper in my powder room featuring a green leafy design, and the accent and feature walls in each of my bedrooms are slightly different colours. I’ve used Resene Elixir, a soft green and yellow blend like the palest creamed guacamole; Resene Xanadu, a soft grey green; Resene Half Innocence, a blue-edged grey green; and Resene New Denim Blue on all four walls of my bathroom.

What DIY projects have you got on the horizon?

I’m due to repaint my living room and am looking at turning it into a more formal setting with a richer colour on the walls. I might even bring in some Resene FX Paint Effects Medium to create the wow factor!