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Greenpoint Florist is in full bloom once again

Georgie Malyon, owner and operator of much-loved Greenpoint Florist, recently made the move from her original Grey Lynn shop to a brand new premises on Auckland’s Ponsonby Road. Along with all the breathtakingly beautiful blooms, Greenpoint is also known for its evocative, whimsical look and feel – a true feast for the senses that Georgie has carefully curated over time. It was this vibe that Georgie wanted to recreate in Ponsonby, but with a twist.

And now for the kicker – she only had two days to do it.

“It was a big move, but an exciting one,” Georgie says. “The space became available in this block of shops, which was more retail and much more boutique.”

For Georgie, who is also an artist, her vision for the new premises was not only to create a showcase for the flowers and an homage to nature, but to reflect her creative side and passion for colour.

“I wanted to incorporate elements that were intrinsically Grey Lynn Greenpoint, which were darker, moodier and had a rustic energy, but then refine it and make it more luxe and romantic – like you could be transported to a florist in Paris,” she explains. “Not perfectly polished, but to still have that sense of magic.”

Resene Colour Expert Brenda Ngatai visited Georgie to talk through her ideas for the Ponsonby colour palette, which Georgie had been workshopping over time. Some valuable advice from a friend is what gave her confidence in her selections.

“When I was um-ing and ah-ing about colour choice, a friend looked at me and said, ‘You deal with colour all day, every day, that’s what you specialise in, so just choose the colour that you love,’” she recalls. “Brenda was so supportive, because I had such a clear vision. She gave me the confidence and confirmation that I was on the right track.”

Brenda agreed that Resene Black Forest – the deep green that Georgie chose for the walls – was a beautiful backdrop for the flowers and the perfect way to make them pop.

“Brenda really put my mind at ease,” says Georgie. “Sometimes all you need is that reassurance.”

A chat with Resene Colour Expert Brenda gave Georgie the confidence to proceed with her bold colour choices.

Painting A3 sheets of card in your colour choices allows you to hold them up in different areas of the room to get a real feel for how the light affects them. Swatches pictures here are Resene Black Forest, Resene Eternity and Resene Vantage Point.

A helping hand

With just two days before the scheduled move, the new space needed to be transformed from the original black and white to Georgie’s floral wonderland, so she enlisted the help of Tegan Williams, aka Tradie Gal, to help her make the magic happen.

The high ceiling had some wear and tear, so after cleaning it with Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner, Tegan sanded it back to create a nice smooth surface and canvas for the new paint. She then used an extension pole and roller to apply Resene SpaceCote Flat, which is perfect for ceilings thanks to its clever way of disguising imperfections. The colour Georgie chose for the ceiling was Resene Eternity, a complex black green with a subtle yellow undertone which helped add to the moody yet intimate atmosphere she was aiming for.

Tegan realised that the walls needed a little extra attention, thanks to their textured finish. This meant that any repair work needed – such as filling holes with Resene EzyFill Quick – had to be done with care so as to preserve their authentic rustic look and feel.

When it came to painting the walls, Tegan explained, “If we were going from light to dark or dark to light, I’d use a coat of Resene Quick Dry to reset the wall colour.” But since these walls are of a similar tone to Georgie’s chosen Resene colour, all that was needed beforehand was a clean with Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner. Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen is a great choice for the walls as the waterborne enamel has a tough, durable finish – great for high traffic areas.

After sanding back the ceilings, Tegan used an extension pole to paint the ceilings in Resene Eternity, which created a moody but inviting atmosphere.

While Tegan was painting the walls in Resene Black Forest, Georgie painted the plinths in Resene Vantage Point.

Finishing touches

Georgie had the clever idea to paint the plinths she uses for displaying her flowers in a lush shade that would contrast against the deep green walls. So after Tegan sanded and cleaned them, Georgie painted them in Resene Vantage Point, a lovely smoky green.

With the help of MasterStroke by Resene and her own clear vision, Georgie has created a calming, inviting vibe for her new space. “The team swooped in and nothing was a problem,” she says. “I’ve made it my own. The colour choice has been perfect – it’s a backdrop to the flowers, which is the most important part. It’s created the perfect atmosphere and the romance I wanted is there.”

With her new Ponsonby Greenpoint premises, Georgie wanted to incorporate dark, moody and rustic elements, but refine them to be luxe and romantic – like you could be transported to a florist in Paris. Walls painted in Resene Black Forest and plinth in Resene Vantage Point.

Before

After

The original black and grey tones of the space were transformed into a lush green oasis in just two days. The new shop is a stunning floral showcase and inspired homage to nature. Walls painted in Resene Black Forest, plinths in Resene Vantage Point and ceiling in Resene Eternity.