What to DIY in July at your place

By July, winter has well and truly arrived in our part of the world. The days are short, the weather is generally at its worst and many places experience some seriously cold temperatures. This means most of our time is spent indoors and those big outdoor DIY projects are often left for spring, when the weather becomes a little more favourable. Unless you have a sunny beach holiday or a ski trip planned, the weekends will be largely spent inside, so why not spend your time on some home interior projects or some easy exterior ones? They don’t need to be purely maintenance jobs – there are plenty of fun ways to brighten up, calm down and transform your spaces with Resene paint. Read on to find out what to do in July at your place.

Great heights

Don’t be afraid of putting colour on your ceiling! Using a colour other than white on the ceiling can create all kinds of different effects and moods. While darker shades can make a space look smaller, they can also create cosiness and ambiance. No matter which colour you choose, reach for a flat finish, such as Resene SpaceCote Flat, rather than semi-gloss, as they’re generally easier to apply on ceilings and will help minimise imperfections.

Find out how to paint your ceiling here.

Happy colour

Give your child a big treat and paint them a fun feature wall in their bedroom – they can even come with you to your local Resene ColorShop to choose their favourite Resene colour. Winter is a great time to paint as it won’t dry as quickly as it can during the hotter months so you have more time to get a smooth finish– just be sure to open doors and windows for ventilation. This room features a tonal range of sunset shades and even has a ‘headboard’ cleverly painted onto the wall.

This article includes more fun ways to add personality to your child’s bedroom.

Walls and ceiling painted in Resene Ironsand, wainscoting in Resene Double Sea Fog, and French doors and balcony balustrades in Resene Black White. Image by Courtney & Co.

Wall painted in Resene Sorbet, headboard and vase in Resene Just Dance, bedside table in Resene Soulful, lamp in Resene Sante Fe, stool in Resene Moccasin and hook rack in Resene Blanc with hand-painted flowers in Resene Just Dance. Project Melle Van Sambeek, image by Bryce Carleton.

Sleep tight

Sadly, one in four people suffer from a chronic sleep issue and stress levels can certainly compound the problem. The way your bedroom looks can have an impact in overcoming such issues, so consider painting it blue. “Blue is associated with feelings of calm and serenity, and research shows that it can reduce the heart rate, which is helpful when it comes to drifting off to sleep,” says Resene Paint Expert Jay Sharples.

While all shades of blue get the ‘helps with sleep’ tick, Jay suggests opting for lighter shades such as Resene Duck Egg Blue and Resene Half Periglacial Blue. If, however, you’d prefer a darker blue, try Resene Coast which can help create a more relaxing and deeply cocooning ambiance, without being too overstimulating. Using a flatter finish on your bedroom walls, with paint like Resene SpaceCote Flat, will also bring out the depth and cosiness of dark colours.

Read this article for more advice on choosing paint colours for your bedroom, and for more interior inspiration check out the habitat plus – Decorating and Colour Trends book here.

Be aware

New Zealand and Australia are nations of hardy DIYers, but with that comes the potential for injury and, according to research, men are around three times more likely to suffer a DIY injury than women. But it’s not all doom and gloom – with just a few simple changes, you can make your home a safer place for you, your family and visitors. With some extra time up your sleeve during winter weekends, why not do an audit and have a look around your place and reduce the risk of accidents. Some top tips from ACC that Resene can help with are:

Keep your paths and steps clear of leaves and moss and be careful when it’s raining. You can remove moss and mould with Resene Moss & Mould Killer, and clean decks and paths with Resene Deep Clean.
Make sure your outdoor areas are well lit with sensor lights and mark the edges of steps and drops with white paint for better visibility. Use Resene Non-Skid Deck & Path for this so the white strip of paint has the added benefit of being non-slip.
You can improve a deck’s slip resistance by painting it with Resene Non-Skid Deck & Path.
Keep chemicals, solvents, paints and sprays out of sight and reach of children – ideally lock them away in a cupboard. Better yet, return all unwanted paint and paint packaging to the Resene PaintWise service (NZ) or Paintback (AU). This gets the unused product out of your house and the packaging and materials can be recycled, donated to community groups or reused. For areas without a PaintWise service, check with your local council for recommendations.
Keep three points of contact on ladders, eg. two feet and a hand. Don’t reach over too far – keep your belt buckle within the sides of the ladder.
Check out the Resene’s guide to understanding paint hazards and essential for other tips to keep yourself safe when painting.

Wall and floor painted in Resene Ocean Waves, headboard in Resene Night Magic, and table and bench in Resene Half Nocturnal. Image from habitat plus – Decorating and Colour Trends.

Return unwanted paint and packaging to the Resene PaintWise service (NZ) or Paintback (AU) for recycling and appropriate disposal.

July in the garden

Tui Garden Products says that July is still a great time to be planting winter veges, including beetroot, bok choi, broad beans, broccoli, cabbage, kale, onions, peas, rocket and spinach.

As for fruit, it’s time for strawberries. To ensure a good strawberry crop, the plants need to have a period of winter chilling. The cold temperature helps stimulate the flower buds which produce the fruit. You can also plant other berries at this time and think about harvesting your lemons, limes, mandarins, grapefruit and oranges, which should be ripening.