Photography by: Gina Fabish
It all started with a pergola. The towering structure in Murray Churchill’s New Plymouth outdoor area had seen better days and he was ready to breathe new life into it. “I’ve been a keen DIYer for many years with different projects,” he says.
First, Murray removed the trellis, put up some new wooden boards and added a small roof to cover the barbecue area. “It looked better, but not quite right,” says Murray. “It needed some colour.” After a visit to their local Resene ColorShop, Murray and his wife landed on Resene Lumbersider Low Sheen in Resene Hemlock, a potent green. The first job was a squab and cushion box, built by Murray, and painted with Resene Hemlock and Resene Marshland.
The other gem is the newly constructed bird feeder. The pole was painted in Resene Marshland and the house in Resene Hot Toddy. While he relaxes under the pergola, he gets to watch the local birdlife feast.
“We now have visiting tūī, waxeyes and blackbirds to feast on the apples we provide for them.”
Murray’s DIY genius hasn’t stopped there. “I’m currently making bird feeders with different roof materials and Resene colours.”
If you’ve recently made over a room by painting it, tackled something outside, or done a clever paint-led project on a piece of furniture or anything else using a Resene product we’d love to see it. Find out here how to enter the 2025 Resene Weekend Transformation Awards.
