This week we saw the first house reveal of the season on House Rules NZ, with four teams battling it out to create stunning spaces based on five simple rules left by the homeowner.
Homeowners Jemma and Alvaro left their run-down 1970s weatherboard house in the hands of the other teams to be transformed into the home of their dreams. The brief was to fuse scandi with coastal in a modern way, bring in natural light and style with earthy tones, be clever with integrated design features, supersize their lounge and kitchen for space to party, and transform their bathroom into a relaxation retreat.
Newshub spoke to the experts at Resene and Lighting Direct to find out how to bring this week's style trends into our own homes.
Create a sanctuary for respite from the busy outside world
For many, life has never felt busier, and it's essential to create space in our homes where we can wind down, relax, and take a load off in a calm environment. This has led to an increase in creating ‘sanctuary rooms’ or ‘slow spaces’ where you can shelter from the compounding chaos of everyday life.
Karen Warman, Resene Marketing Manager, says these sanctuary rooms are best created with light and ethereal Resene colours. "In spaces where rest and recuperation are needed, gentle colours like dusted blues, cloudy greys, blush beiges, petal pinks, mushroom mauves and washed timber tones like Resene Casper, Resene Credence, Resene Double Blanc, Resene Soothe, Resene Kinship and Resene Colorwood Breathe Easy are restful hues that foster peace and quiet. Perpetually popular and endlessly remixable, these Resene hues can be used across walls, flooring, ceilings, trims, furniture, artwork and décor for a space that soothes your soul."
Although whites are still popular, as seen in the master bedroom and living room of this week’s house, judge Katrina Hobbs says, "when you're using white you've got to be so careful because it can become clinical. You want to use whites and neutrals that are really soft and cosy and warm." Off-white and character neutrals are easier to be around than stark whites, which can create glare in sunny rooms.
Brown, beige, and taupe have replaced greys as the top trending neutrals. "Rich and earthy Resene browns, such as Resene Dark Chocolate, are full of warmth and complexities," Warman says.
Layers of light
As any home decorator knows, lighting is a key element for creating an inviting atmosphere in your living space. Warren Mack, Lighting Direct Trade Consultant, says 2023 is the year of statement lighting.
"Statement lights can work as 'sculptures' in a space adding drama and theatre to a living room while maintaining the required light levels," he says. "Lighting has always been a process that has been a last thought when it comes to a renovation, however in recent years designers and consumers alike have been focusing on lighting design before choosing furnishings and finishes."
In a bedroom, layers of light will create an atmospheric relaxation retreat. Choose fittings that give off a soft glow of light. Table lamps on either side of the bed will give the space a feeling of tranquillity while still maintaining the required levels of light for reading.
In the spare bedroom of Jemma and Alvaro's house, soft bedside lighting was introduced in the form of hessian pendant light shades, which are made from natural fibres and adds an organic and earthy touch to the lighting fixture. The texture and colour of the hessian string create a warm and inviting ambiance, making the light visually pleasing. Judge Michael Murray says, "introducing the texture in the pendant lighting was a really great idea".
To soften that light level even lower you can opt for dimmable fittings. RGB Smart lighting can create atmosphere and mood by choosing colours such as a soft orange to mimic candlelight. Placing light fittings on separate switches will give you greater control over the space allowing you to create zones in your bedroom for relaxation.
"Always make sure your pendants are hung at an acceptable height allowing you to walk under them," says Mack. "However, don't be scared to experiment, remember that lighting is a personal experience."
Incorporate plants for positive impacts
A large floor plant features in the corner of Jemma and Alvaro’s renovated living room, and other plants were placed in strategic spots in other rooms in the house as well, reflecting the growing trend of biophilic design. In addition to the plants, the soft tones of the Scandi wood in the office spare bedroom, and the subtle coastal theme throughout the house all help connect the spaces to the natural world.
Biophilic design is believed to have a host of health and environmental benefits for building occupants and urban environments – particularly in workspaces and schools, where we often feel the most separated from nature. However, incorporating biophilic design principles at home has benefits, too. "Indoor plants have proven positive impacts on mental health and air quality, but even faux plants can fool our brains into believing we’re out in nature," says Warman. "Using nature-inspired Resene paint colours like Resene Ravine or Resene Half Tasman for the base of your design can also help bring the outdoors in, as does timber flooring and furniture finished in subtle Resene Colorwood stain washes and wood stains like Resene Colorwood Breathe Easy and Resene Colorwood Natural."
You can easily use a photo of a favourite vista to inspire your natural colour palette, simply load your photo into the Resene Colour Palette Generator, and it will recommend a colour palette for you based on your photo.
In Jemma and Alvaro's guest bedroom, a strip of nature-inspired leafy Resene wallpaper brings a pop of colour into the room without overwhelming it, with the colours tying into the artwork on the opposite wall.
Multipurpose spaces and furniture
One of Jemma and Alvaro's five house rules for their renovation was a request to be "clever with integrated design features".
With work from home now a common part of our working week, many of us are looking for ways to make our spaces adaptable to our new ways of living. This can be things like a sofa that folds out into a bed, or prioritising desk space in a spare bedroom to make working from home more comfortable and practical.
In Jemma and Alvaro's home a built-in desk with soft Scandi-toned wood balances the space in the spare bedroom with textured cushions on an inviting couch giving a nod to the coastal part of the brief.
"Homeowners are becoming increasingly adept at carving out nooks from their living spaces to be used for other tasks, such as working or wellness," Warman says. "Working from the sofa only works for so long, when you realise it would be better to have a place where you can get into your work from home headspace without it taking over the lounge. Wellness nooks tend to focus on everything you need for active relaxing, with space to store items like yoga mats that can be quickly accessed and used and then returned to their nook again."
Some final tips from our experts
Hobbs recommended a mood board. "You can look at the different elements and question if this works with that. Sit down and plan, then you'll be better armed to go forward and make a beautiful decision."
Murray agreed and gave feedback to the contestants to not try to do too many things at once. "Pick one or two heroes," and use them through the rooms, rather than trying to do everything, he says.
"When choosing fittings for your living room and bedroom you should utilise a mix of light sources at different heights to create a warm and comfortable atmosphere while maintaining the function of the space," Mack says. "A combination of ambient, accent, and task lighting will help achieve this. However, don't be scared to experiment. Remember that lighting is a personal experience. If you see something you love, go for it!"
"It’s always good to get inspiration from others," says Warman, "but do always make sure you try it out in your home to check it is truly right for your home".
Careful consideration about the purpose of the room, who uses it, and how you want it to make you feel, can help lead you to a set of decorating ideas you’ll be happy with. An easy way to create a relaxed space is to use a tone-on-tone colour palette. To do this start with one mid-range Resene colour, then add in lighter and darker similar colours. This will add interest to your room without it becoming overwhelming.
Article created in partnership with Resene and Lighting Direct.
