On this week's House Rules NZ reveal we saw Jarrad's house renovated into a wow-inducing home for this single dad and his two teenage sons.
The brief this week was to use funky lighting to enhance deep, heritage colours, turn upstairs into a #lit teenage boys' hangout, and to make life easier with clever storage ideas (e.g., pet bowls hidden in kickboards). The bathroom should be natural but luxe with a walk-in shower, and they should surprise Ky (one of Jarrad's sons) with a gaming themed bedroom and LED lighting. The teams worked hard to give Jarrad and his boys a stunning space they can relax in.
The judges agreed the teams are improving every week, with Katrina Hobbs giving encouragement at the end of the reveal episode. "You guys have stepped up to the plate, you've put in the hard yards, and we can see it," she said.
Newshub spoke to the experts at Resene and Lighting Direct to help you bring the latest style trends from this week's reveal into your home.
Don't overlook your hallways
Just because it's an in-between space of your home, doesn't mean a hallway has to be dull or drab. There are ways you can make the journey through a corridor or hallway just as interesting as entering a room.
The renovation of the upstairs hallway in Jarrad's home was a favoured space of both judges as well as the homeowner. The space was elevated with rich dark blue grey walls painted in Resene Tuna and framed Bauhaus prints hung in picture moulding, giving it a cinematic feel.
"Upstairs was my favourite space," said judge Michael Murray. "It was very exciting to see a great use of colour on all the walls, it just felt very cinema, it felt very Mad Men, very mid-century. I loved that vibe and I thought it was a really, really good decision to do that upstairs."
Judge Katrina Hobbs felt the same. "I love it. It's like a movie theatre, when you walk into cinemas. This is really gorgeous," she said.
One creative way to bring your hallway to life is to use it as a mini art gallery or photo exhibition, like we saw in Jarrad's home. "There are two iconic looks for a hallway hanging: salon style or crisp, straight lines," says Karen Warman, Resene Marketing Manager. "Either choose mismatched frames in different sizes, colours and textures and hang them up beside mirrors, or get identical frames and nail them in precisely straight lines and equidistant apart. Adding spot lighting on the top of the hallway will help illuminate these images. If you can't find frames in co-ordinating colours, paint them using Resene test pots."
"Hallways are high wear and tear areas," says Warman, "so make sure you choose a durable paint finish, such as Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen, for easy cleaning."
LED step lights are a discreet way of lighting a staircase or hallway allowing the homeowner to focus on a statement piece for above the stairs. A pendant will provide general light for the hall and light the foot of the staircase, giving the space a focal point. A large single pendant will work in a spacious stairwell while a cluster of two or three smaller pendants will create drama in a smaller space.
Use paint in small and creative ways to bring a space to life
While we often think about painting walls or ceilings to create ambience or freshen up a room, there are many smaller ways to use colourful paint to liven up a space.
One option to jazz things up is to paint doors in contrasting colours, and keep walls, floors, and ceilings neutral. "Paint doors in bright tones such as Resene Pohutukawa or Resene Optimist," Warman says. "If you'd rather have pops of colour instead of bold expanses of paint, simply paint the doorknobs in these happy hues."
There are lots of ways to get creative with paint in a hallway space. You could create a painted runner down your hallway or paint a stencilled effect in your entrance area with Resene Walk-on flooring paint to separate the entry from the main hallway.
Paint wooden hooks in bold colours using Resene test pots and hang them near your front door. Not only will they look cheerful and add colour, but they are practical to hold bags, coats and umbrellas when not in use.
Use light to emphasise featured art and furniture
Warren Mack, Lighting Direct Trade Consultant, says the use of ceiling spots or track lighting allows you to highlight key pieces of artwork. Wall mounted fittings that direct the light downwards can also be placed above artwork to create a breathtaking gallery in your home. A surprising tip? "Don't be afraid to use bathroom vanity lights in a gallery," says Mack. "The sleek finishes and directionality of the fittings often work well over artwork."
Consider the tone when highlighting art or featured items. Cooler tones of light such as 4000k will allow your artwork to pop without impacting its design.
For a larger pop of colour, refresh a piece of old furniture using Resene Enamacryl gloss in a bold colour, and make it a feature of your hallway. Use a lamp or wall lighting to spotlight the piece. It might be as simple as a handy bench set or something much more elaborate. Aim for something you can either store things on, in or under.
Warman suggests using mirrors along walls and in strategic corners to help reflect natural light and open up the space. Windows and skylights are also great for this if you are designing the home from scratch.
Create consistency between thoroughfares and larger rooms
Hallways often lack natural light and size, so people feel as though their only option is to go with a bright and crisp white. With hallways often being the first impression when you enter a home, it makes it the perfect space to introduce some personality. Think about the existing or pre-selected elements you already have locked in and base your ideas for your hallway off this; choose something that sets the tone for the rest of the home.
"Choose wallpaper first, paint second," advises Warman. "There might be only one wallpaper you fall in love with, but there are thousands of Resene paint options." To that end, you may be wondering how to know which colour in a patterned wallpaper to focus on when matching a paint colour; is it the most dominant colour in the print, the background colour or the colour the eye naturally gravitates to?
"If it's a highly detailed wallpaper, then I recommend pulling the paint colour out from the main background colour," Warman says. "If it's a wallpaper with a large print or pattern, then you can pull a colour from the detail to inspire your Resene paint colour."
Your surrounding furniture should be considered too, as the colours can work with your wallpaper and paint palette, adding the finishing touches to your coherent scheme. Think of how your furniture and flooring will work in with your overall setting and whether their tones pop against or complement your wallpaper and paint colours.
The importance of consistency goes for lighting too. "Matching finishes of fittings as well as any themes that may occur be it natural, mid-century or Industrial will help create cohesive spaces," says Mack. "Carrying natural finishes through multiple spaces will create a sense of calm and tranquillity whilst utilising sleeker finishes like black metals or brass will allow the space to feel modern and energetic."
Considering the tone of light sources again will also help create cohesion. Choose Warm White or Cool White and stick with it, as mixing these two tones will often create a sense of discord.
Warman recommends continuing the same Resene paint colour on your trim and joinery from your hallway to adjoining rooms. This will help the eye see a continuation from one space to the next. "When it comes to bolder colours, aim for a common element between them," she says. "This might mean choosing all hues with a greyed or weathered undertone, all pastels or all neutrals. Gather swatches of all your Resene colours before making a final decision. If your adjoining rooms are already painted, open all the doors when you are trying out new colours in your thoroughfare so you can see how the eye travels from the new colour to the colour in the adjoining room."
Go bold and deep with colour
The teams went bolder with colours this week than with the previous houses. Dark blues were used in Jarrad's main bedroom and in the upstairs hallway, there were dark blue tiles in the bathroom, and the rich green through the living room met the brief of "deep, heritage colours". The judges were pleased to see a stronger use of colour, although they wanted even more. "It's a really nice colour they've chosen," said Murray, about the blue in the main bedroom. "I think they could have gone a bit deeper, and also done all the walls."
Traditional colour palettes often use two tones on walls for added interest. "Paint the lower wall in a darker Resene colour, add a dado rail and then apply a Resene wallpaper or a lighter paint colour, or try a Resene paint effects finish," Warman says.
Add to your heritage theme by repainting old, treasured furniture to bring it into your colour palette. "A piece of furniture can be easily aged by finishing it in Karen Walker Chalk Colour paint and Karen Walker vintage wax," says Warman. Buffing the wax will add a subtle touch of patina.
You can create extra texture with tongue-and-groove walls or use picture frames to create interesting panelling. This will give your walls a nod to nostalgia and the extra dimension will bring added interest to the paint colour as it throws subtle shadows.
Article created in partnership with Resene and Lighting Direct.
