paint by pictures

From Habitat magazine - issue 07

Crimson seemed such a good idea on the wall of the dining room, and it’s supposed to stimulate appetite. Light blue looked a great shade for the living room, but suddenly it’s reminding you of your ancient great-aunt…

One of the scariest things about starting a renovation is the fear that things aren’t going to look as you expected at the end of the job. Suddenly, colours are too overpowering, rooms look smaller than they should, or you end up wondering if you’re living in another era entirely.

This is why Resene came up with EzyPaint. It’s a software programme – available free over the internet – that allows you to experiment with different colours to your heart’s content. Launched in 2000, Resene EzyPaint has drawn on years of customer feedback to result in the product you’ll find onscreen today, whether you’re working on a PC or a Mac.

So, worried about where colours sit on the colour wheel? Love Deco, but are unsure which blue complements which brown. Just experiment. To make it even easier, the programme’s colour wheel tool can suggest a wide range of complementary choices for each Resene shade you select. And if you don’t get it right the first time, simply try again. The only limit to your virtual painting experience is your imagination.

Load in your favourite picture of your place, path around the areas you wish to paint and then drag your favourite colours over to see what they would look like at your place. You’ll be able to try out thousands of colours, without needing to lift a paintbrush.

Alternatively, if you really don’t know where to start with initial colour selection, Resene EzyPaint incorporates more than 600 colour schemes to kick-start your ideas. And if you haven’t got a digital image of the sitting room, there’s a good chance you’ll find something similar in the programme’s gallery of more than 200 interior and exterior images.

What’s more, because co-ordination is important right across a wider range of finishes, Resene EzyPaint doesn’t just stop at colour. You’ll also find textures, colours and patterns from leading manufacturers including Cavalier Bremworth, Dimond, Firth, Interion, Rockcote, Tile Warehouse, Ven-lu-ree, Vision Wallcoverings and Winstone Wallboards.

This can be particularly valuable when it comes to playing around with the Resene Ezy3D functionality. Lay tiles and carpet, hang wallpaper, change your exterior cladding to plaster or brick, change your roofing, try different room heights and coving styles, all in your own 3D online environment. Keen to get started? Try out the online version for a quick taste of the technology, then download Resene EzyPaint free from www. resene.co.nz, or borrow or buy a copy from your local Resene ColorShop.

Step 1
Open an image using the Ezy3D part of Resene EzyPaint.

Step 2
Try out different flooring options, such as tiles, and wallpaper.

Step 3
Paint the walls and cabinets using colours from the ColorRite colour library section of Resene EzyPaint.

Step 4
Load an exterior image from the Ezy3D section of Resene EzyPaint.

Step 5
Paint the image walls and roof using colours from the ColorRite colour library section of Resene EzyPaint.

Step 6
Add paving.

Step 7
Add plants and a new garage door. Keep trying other options until you get the look that is right for you.

words: Rachel Macdonald