Blair and Gretchen Houston are nearing the end of their stunning renovation, transforming their Kingsland bungalow using some bold, inspired ideas and the power of Resene paint. They’ve left the best to last – after ticking off their main bathroom most recently, they’re embarking on their ensuite. It was very much a shell when they began and as their confidence has grown exponentially throughout their renovation journey, they were a little more adventurous and didn’t feel the need to play it safe in here.
“I wanted to create something a bit bolder than I’d usually do with all the gorgeous colours out there,” says Gretchen. “I wanted to create a Turkish spa type vibe but with a modern twist.”
The plan was to create a shower along the entire back wall and use the gorgeous treen tiles Gretchen had sourced as a starting point for the colour concept to evolve, which she hoped would incorporate hues of terracotta and red.
Colour advice
To finetune her vision and turn it into something workable, as always, Gretchen headed into her local Resene ColorShop to talk it through with Resene Colour Expert Amy Watkins.
Gretchen showed Amy her original mood board and a sample of the tiles, and together they discussed how to expand the colour palette without it being too overwhelming. Amy suggested Resene Rivergum, which is a cool mid-grey green, as well as Resene Cashmere as a complementary colour. “It’s beautiful because it’s got that depth and that interest, but it’s soft,” explains Amy.
Amy also steered Gretchen away from adding a third strong colour to the mix as it would start to take away from the finer details they had planned for the room. Instead she recommended Resene Quarter Tea, a muted beige with a little bit of brown, but that still has an element of grey.
