b'Cracking goodThe endless enchantment of eggshell blues continues to captivate designers.I tsnosecretthatNewZealandersandGeorgianandRegencystylesevolved,soft Australians love decorating with neutrals. Forblues and greens were seen as ideal for spaces decades, a range of Resene whites and creamsmeant to exude poise and elegance, such as has consistently reigned in the Resene Top 20drawing rooms and parlours. In the Victorian coloursbasedonsales.ButamongResenesperiod,withtheintroductionofmass-more chromatic colours, theres one hue that hasproduced paints and the influence of botanical captivated architects, designers and their clientsillustration and natural history, eggshell blues like no other: Resene Duck Egg Blue. found their way into wallpapers and furnishings Therearefewcoloursthatcarrytheand were appreciated for their delicate balance enduringappealandquietsophisticationofbetween colour and neutrality.Resene Duck Egg Blue and its variants. ThisThe journey of eggshell blues from Europe pale, soft greenish blue with a grey undertoneto New Zealand and Australia is as much about evokes tranquility and gentle refinement thataestheticsensibilityasitisaboutclimate. transcends passing trends. Beyond aesthetics,British settlers brought with them a tradition theemotionalresonanceofduckeggblueof soft, nature-inspired palettes. When facedabove Weatherboards painted in Resene Raindance, cannotbeunderstated.Psychologically,softwith the brighter, sunlit environments of thetrims in Resene Half Black White, door in Resene blue-green tones are known to reduce stressSouthernHemisphere,thesegentletonesGalliano and roof in Resene Half Tuna. Project by andpromotecalm,providingaquietrefugetook on a new life and popularity. Thanks toHoundstooth Interiors, www.houndstooth-interiors.com. and a sense of airiness. Painting by Zenith Coatings Ltd, image by Holly Spooner.The origins of Resene Duck Egg Blue are,above left: Background colours in (clockwise from top as the name suggests, grounded in nature. Theleft) Resene Half Duck Egg Blue with stripes in Resene colour mimics the luminous shells of eggs laidResene Half Robin Egg Blue, Resene Duck Egg Blue, Resene by certain duck breeds. Another hue named forUnwind Double Duck Egg Blue, Resene Quarter Duck Egg Blue Resene and Resene Robin Egg Blue, objects painted in (clockwise eggshells, Resene Robin Egg Blue holds muchDuck Egg Blue from top left) Resene Half Robin Egg Blue, Resene the same appeal. Though this colour features aRobin Egg Blue, Resene Half Duck Egg Blue, Resene distinctly greener tone, it is equally alluring andRobin Egg Blue and Resene Half Robin Egg Blue. offers equivalent benefits and flexibility. Project by Amber Armitage, image by Melanie Jenkins.Historically, duck egg blue and robin eggleft: Wall painted in Resene Duck Egg Blue, floor in blue have no known singular point of inventionResene Resene White Pointer, shelves in Resene Inside Back, shelf butcomparablecombinationsofblueandRobin Egg Blue dcor in (from top to bottom, left to right) Resene Inside green minerals such as copper-based azuriteResene Back, Resene White Pointer, Resene Double Duck Egg and malachite can be traced back to ancientEau De Nil Blue, Resene Neutral Bay, Resene Breathless and Resene Egyptian and Chinese civilisations who usedHalf Duck Egg Blue, floor vases in Resene Alabaster and similar tones in pottery, murals and clothingResene Arrowtown and stool and sconce in Resene Scoria. dyes.Itwasntuntilthelate18thandearlyProject by Amber Armitage, image by Melanie Jenkins.Resene19th centuries that these eggshell blues beganOpal Resene Reseneto gain real traction in interior decoration. AsMorning Haze Raindance42 blackwhitemag.com'