Melanie painted the mermaid scale pattern in her hallway in Resene Half Alabaster, Resene Turbo, Resene Kitsch, Resene Black, Resene Half Silver Chalice and Resene Quarter Foundry. On the far left, a Resene Anaglypta Wallpaper Collection design is painted in Resene Half Alabaster. While this design is from an older collection, you can get a similar look with Resene Wallpaper Collection RD0671. On the right, Melanie’s resourcefulness paid off big time with this cool geometric door painted in a handful of colours that tie back into other colours used throughout the home, including Resene Kitsch, Resene Quarter Foundry and Resene Turbo. The bright feature wall next to the door is painted in Resene Turbo while the opposite wall, bench, trims and ceiling are in Resene Half Alabaster.

It’s easy to see that her flair for colour doesn’t end with the floor. A yellow wall at the end of the hallway shines bright in Resene Turbo, and a geometric painted door shows off Melanie’s resourceful nature. Made using a ruler and painter’s tape, the design was painted using some of her favourite Resene colours including Resene Kitsch, Resene Quarter Foundry and Resene Turbo.

While the hallway is a pride point for Melanie, her lounge is also a particular favourite. “I was nervous with the bold lemur wallpaper for its colour and the folly of the animal, but with the large external windows/doors it feels cosy and decadent, not dark and crowded,” Melanie says.

Colourful details abound in Melanie’s living room, which has become her favourite room in the house. The wall at the left is in Resene Wallpaper Collection 12402 while the other walls, ceiling and trims are in Resene Half Alabaster.

Melanie loves Resene Wallpaper Collection 12402 on her living room walls for its fun lemur pattern. The ceilings and trims are in Resene Half Alabaster.

The floor, ceiling and trims in the open plan kitchen and dining room are in Resene Half Alabaster. “It anchors well with most of the bright colours I like to use and it doesn’t make a room feel clinical or cold,” Melanie says. While the wallpaper design that Melanie chose for the wall at the right wall is from an older collection, you can get a similar look with Resene Wallpaper Collection FD25302 (shown at right). The door is painted Resene Kitsch.

Melanie admits it took some convincing for Andrew to see how her vision would work, but that eventually he loved the finished product. Her advice for anyone trying for a similar look, is to give your ideas a go and do what makes you happy. “If you love it, try it. If it brings you joy, go for it. Paint or wallpaper can be changed and they so affect the feel of the room. I ordered lots of Resene Wallpaper Collection samples in my decision making to try out and play with, and that was easy to do.”

But, as they say, fortune favours the brave. Melanie’s bold use of colour and fearlessness throughout the decorating process has made her home a memorable and fabulous work of art.

In the open plan kitchen and dining room, the floor, ceiling and trims are painted in Resene Half Alabaster. The doors leading through to the living room are in Resene Kitsch, which ties nicely into the background colour of Resene Wallpaper Collection 12402, which can be seen on the walls. The back of the door is painted Resene Turbo, which faces into the dining room and picks up the other yellow elements in the room.

This bedroom is a perfect example of Melanie’s expert ability to pull colours out of designs from the Resene Wallpaper Collection and bring them further into the room through artwork, soft furnishings and accessories. While this particular wallpaper is from an older collection, you can get a similar look with Resene Wallpaper Collection 12390 (shown at right). The ceiling and trims are painted Resene Half Alabaster.

In her young daughter’s room, Melanie started with walls in Resene Half Spanish White and painted angular rainbow stripes in Resene FOMO, Resene Turbo, Resene Kitsch, Resene Smitten and Resene Code Red to add a sense of whimsy to the space. Resene Turbo, Resene Kitsch and Resene Smitten were also used to paint labels on the dresser to keep everything organised. The ceiling and trims are in Resene Half Alabaster.

images Melanie Rigby