Inspired exteriors

From Habitat plus - decorating and colour trends 2020

We’ve been seeing more and more pops of colour being introduced to exteriors, adding refreshing creativity and curb appeal among oceans of neutral weatherboards.

Recreate this look at your place by choosing a section of your exterior that would suit a geometric block of colour – this could be a triangle of colour or a rectangle that stretches vertically or horizontally. A vertical band of colour will help add height; a horizontal band of colour will help add width.

A coloured cladding panel

On this exterior by Tohu Architecture, a single panel of cladding in Resene Ayers Rock adds a touch of colour and character to an otherwise black exterior. The rest of the cladding is painted Resene All Black.

Dark exteriors have always held appeal. Black and deep grey painted exteriors give a smart urban look, or teamed with white trims and a classic gable profile, they take on an appealing rustic country barn look.

Note: If you are using a dark exterior colour, remember to ask for Resene CoolColour paint or stain. It reflects more of the sun’s UV, keeping the paint and cladding cooler, minimising heat stress and potential damage.

Did you know...

That Resene has a range of stains and oils so you can stain both interior and exterior timbers? Check out the Resene Woodsman range for exterior use and the Resene Colorwood range for interior use to find colours that range from naturals to brights.

Interiors going out

As nature comes indoors, we also see our interiors start to head outdoors, with outdoor living spaces and rooms that look like they could be inside but are designed to be enjoyed outdoors. If you’re lucky enough to be blessed with an outdoor living space, think about decorating it like you would an interior with interesting colour choices, pops of colour in accessories such as plant holders and furniture – and remember to soften the look with comfy cushions.

Create a double duty space on your porch

Outdoor living: A sophisticated look for an outdoor living space featuring velvety Resene Porter on the wall with a framed trellis finished in Resene Woodsman Light Greywash to break things up and make space for a flowering climber to take root below. The deck is finished in Resene Woodsman Mid Greywash. The chair, tall pot and smaller pots are painted in Resene She’ll Be Right and the other pots are in Resene Away We Go and Resene Cleopatra.

Porch space: Create a double duty space on your porch with plenty of storage space, somewhere to sit and bold pops of colour to keep things cheerful. Wall in Resene Safehaven, concrete in Resene Walk-On tinted to Resene Traffic, bench seat finished with Resene Furniture and Decking Oil, hook rack in Resene Lazy River, plant pots in Resene Daredevil, Resene Party Zone, Resene Pink Ribbon, Resene Lazy River and Resene Poppy.

For the love of timber

Timber has been coming indoors at an ever increasing rate, helping to connect us to nature. Rather than painting over it, trends are to clear finish timber in products such as Resene Aquaclear to protect the timber and keep a natural sheen. Or, use Resene Colorwood stain to rejuvenate or enhance the colour before clear finishing. From feature areas to flooring, timber brings a sense of relaxed, craft vibe inside.

Timber exterior using Resene Woodsman Pitch Black and Natural timber stains

Exterior: This home, designed by JWA Architects, is stained in Resene Woodsman Pitch Black timber stain with Resene Woodsman Natural timber stain used for contrast on the vertical sunscreens and the soffits beneath the awning.

Ply millwork: The ply millwork and ceiling in this kitchen, designed by Strachan Group Architects (SGA), lets the beauty of the woodgrain shine through in Resene Colorwood Natural wood stain and looks extra enticing next to the high contrast of the black Resene wood stain exterior.

Did you know...

Clear finishes on exterior timber do not provide enough protection from the sun? If you’d like to opt for a clear look finish on your timber exterior, choose a Resene Woodsman stain colour close to the original timber colour. This will give you the look you are after without leaving your timber exposed.

Natural timber, light and crisp white kitchen

Resene Aquaclear and Resene Qristal Clear were used to protect the natural timber finishes in this kitchen, which was designed by Strachan Group Architects (SGA). The walls have been kept light and crisp in Resene Black White.

Whitewashed timber with a bold statement wall in blue

Elegant dark grey timber batten panelling on fireplace

Bedroom: Try whitewashing timber in Resene Colorwood Whitewash paired with a statement wall in a bold colour, such as Resene Aviator, which was used in this Lockwood home.

Lounge: Designer Kelly Gammie of Eucalyptus Design made the timber batten panelling on this fireplace using new 60mm pine skirting on ply sheeting to create both texture and strength. These panels were first sealed with Resene Quick Dry followed by topcoats of Resene Lustacryl tinted to Resene Double Cod Grey in Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss to enable the light to bounce off elegantly. The walls are painted Resene Milk White and the ceiling is in Resene Alabaster.