Design News

A mid-century style home is the sixth Resene Colour Home Awards finalist

Article by Your Home and Garden

The last finalist in the 2019 Resene Colour Home Awards, this mid-century Wellington home used muted tones of Resene blue and green as the final flourish in its recent renovation

Lara Maher, 32 (stay-at-home mum), Ben Maher, 34 (foreman/builder for Planit Construction), Charlotte, 3, and Ollie, 6 months.

When Ben and Lara Maher bought their 1950s house in Tawa, Wellington, six years ago, they looked past the old carpet and 1970s wallpaper and saw a timeless family home. With a love of mid-century design and muted colours, they set about renovating their new abode.

“We wanted our home to feel relaxed and welcoming,” says Lara. “We love colour but are drawn to more muted tones with a mid-century or retro vibe, rather than bright pops.”

The couple ripped up that old carpet to reveal beautiful original rimu floorboards, replaced eight chandelier-style light fittings that “dominated the living and dining rooms”, and painted the house throughout.

For the base colour, Lara chose the cool tone of Resene ‘Double Black White’ as she knew it would be versatile. “It’s the perfect backdrop and makes it easy to change up the decor – as I like to do frequently!” she admits.

In their bedroom, the Mahers wanted to create a cosy retreat. They opted for Resene ‘Rhino’, a deep grey-blue. More recently, a project to remove the wall between the entry and dining area offered an opportunity to create a feature wall using HardieGroove lining and a tin of Resene Karen Walker ‘Smoky Green’.

The addition of plenty of secondhand finds and some handmade furniture by Ben are the cherries on top of this fresh yet moody colour scheme. The Maher home is living proof that retro can still be modern.

The overall winner will be announced in the May issue!

Congratulations to our six finalists, who have each received a $250 Resene paint voucher for their colourful home projects created using Resene paints. The winner of the 2019 Resene Colour Home Awards will be chosen from our six finalists and will receive a cash prize of $5000. Stay tuned for the May issue of Your Home and Garden where the winning entrant will be revealed in an extended story on their home.

Resene paints and colours are available from Resene ColorShops and resellers nationwide. resene.co.nz or 0800 RESENE (737 363).

Words by: Sally Conor. Photography by: Nicola Edmonds.