facing the colour challenge

From Habitat magazine - issue 13

Television's Apprentices used a selection of striking Resene colours to redecorate identical waterfront apartments.

When does a potential high-flying business person need to know about interior design? When they are part of The Apprentice New Zealand programme, facing a challenge to renovate waterfront apartments in an episode sponsored by Resene.

Split into two teams, Athena and Number 8, two identical apartments were given the makeover treatment in the TV series. Home styling company Homebase also provided the furniture and accessories.

Team Number 8 went for a more opulent scheme of reds and grey-greens, consulting staff at a local Resene ColorShop. All four team members worked well together and won the challenge based on their scheme, quality of work and the increased rental valuation.

Team Athena chose a more adventurous and vibrant scheme of fresh greens, orange and white, inspired by a bird-of-paradise flower. Executing the scheme, however, was a lesson in how to wreck an interior through conflict, lack of communication and bad workmanship. Two of the five team members could hardly bear to be in the same room, and others were reluctant to criticise painting techniques that let the whole job down. While the judges complemented the colours and furnishings used, the quality of the work actually reduced the rental valuation.

Both teams took advantage of strong colour to make a feature wall in the living space and, along with Resene WallTrends collection wallpaper also from Resene, to highlight the bedhead wall in the bedrooms.

Did you know...You can get curtains designed to complement your paint with the Resene Curtain Collection. View the range at Resene ColorShops, selected curtain specialists or www.resene.com/curtains (NZ only).

Team Number 8 colours...

Team Athena colours...