Sarah’s grand new home as its seen from the street. The weatherboard cladding is painted Resene Silver Chalice, the door is painted Resene Black and the soffits are in Resene Black White.

This muted yet elegant palette continues through to the interior of the house. Stepping through the front door, the feature stair well is painted in Resene Parchment, Resene Cest La Vie and Resene Double Joss to create a resplendent yet distressed wall, typical of the interior of a French castle. The kitchen for the most part is painted in fresh, natural tones of Resene Alabaster, but the spotlight is on the eye-catching gold tiled feature wall. This combination of neutral and gold tones is emphasised in the lighting and furniture, ensuring a warm, comfortable space.

Deeper into the property, a sense of grandeur is continued. Upstairs, the bathroom walls are adorned with wallpaper to create height but to also give an impression of opulence. The sinks are cast in gold, the antique mirror in a rustic gilded trim. This approach is also reflected in the décor of the bedrooms. In the guest room, Sarah opted for a cast iron bed placed against a Resene Tea wall, which works to both tone down the metallic hues and complement the metallic sheen.

The master bedroom is wrapped in Resene Wallpaper Collection 20900, a subtle patterned wallpaper with soft and creamy tones. Sarah chose this wallpaper to beautifully frame the view from the window of Riccarton House next door.

“The wallpaper has a hint of glitter, so it sparkles while being both subtle and opulent,” Sarah explains. “The focus here is the view outside, so I wanted the walls to be quite neutral, without getting rid of the bling.”

But in the sitting room downstairs, Sarah chose to include a point of difference. The colour palette is a deviation away from the muted, metallic aesthetic present in the main body of the house. The walls are papered in an eye-catching statement floral design that adds an abundance of bold colour and texture to the room.

“We wanted a flowered wallpaper because the previous owner did not like gardens, and so had no flowers or foliage at all. Then, a peony bloomed one day, and we couldn’t believe it. We wanted this room to be a continuation of the garden.”

When positioned against a white alcove, navy furniture and framed by a triple aspect window, the pink shades of the wallpaper pop, and the outside/inside boundaries collapse.

Sarah’s favourite part of the home is the external building that they have dubbed the ‘man cave’. As a building that formerly housed a 1939 Ford pickup truck, the space has transformed into what Sarah calls a ‘home within a house’. The interior is a 1970s takeover and has been reimagined with Resene Wallpaper Collection J71408 to create a casual recycled brick effect. Bold colours flood the room through art, soft furnishings and furniture.

“We had retro furniture left over from another property, so we thought it would work perfectly in this space. It’s awesome in there.”

Sarah’s sentiments carry on to the final results of the entire home. “Our original vision was to build a house that would not only be empathetic to the historic area but would also be successful at standing the test of time – and I think we’ve achieved that.”

The combination of both natural and opulent golden shades in the kitchen creates a warm yet fresh aesthetic. Modern light fittings and a large feature island gives the room a sense of grandeur. The ceiling is painted in Resene Quarter Alabaster, the window set wall is in Resene Alabaster, the skirting/trims are in Resene Double Alabaster and the kitchen cabinets are in Resene Double Sea Fog.

A mix of textures and shimmering metallics work to maintain the property’s rich appearance. The walls are painted in Resene Alabaster, the ceiling is in Resene Quarter Alabaster, the trims are in Resene Double Alabaster and the fireplace surround is in Resene Silver Chalice.

Sarah wanted the wallpaper in the master bedroom to frame the beautiful view outside. The creamy tones of Resene Wallpaper Collection 20900 seemed like the perfect choice. The ceiling is in Resene Quarter Alabaster while the skirting boards and trims are in Resene Double Alabaster.

This grand Resene Quarter Alabaster ceiling looks even grander thanks to beautifully positioned accent lighting.

In Sarah’s guest bedroom, the wall behind the bed is painted Resene Tea. The surrounding walls are in Resene Alabaster.

Sarah and Ray injected pops of magenta into their front sitting room with a patterned armchair and a floral wallpaper design from the Resene Wallpaper Collection. While this design has since been discontinued, you can get a similar look with Resene Wallpaper Collection E358005 (shown at right) – or visit your local Resene ColorShop to see the latest designs. The ceilings are in Resene Quarter Alabaster and the trims are in Resene Double Alabaster.

Opulence doesn’t end at the bathrooms. The upper walls are finished with metallic striped Resene Wallpaper Collection 13093-30 to add a striking point of difference. While this design has since been discontinued, you can get a similar look with Resene Wallpaper Collection 523515 (above right) or SK34759 (bottom right) – or visit your local Resene ColorShop to see the latest designs. The ceiling is in Resene Quarter Alabaster and the trims are in Resene Double Alabaster.

Resene Wallpaper Collection 49793 adds a weathered look to the third bedroom. The walls are in Resene Alabaster and the ceiling is in Resene Quarter Alabaster.

Resene Wallpaper Collection J71408 was used in the main living area of the ‘man cave’ and Resene Concrete was used in the bathroom. The bathroom trims are in Resene Double Alabaster.

images Sarah Lassche-Jones?
designer Sarah Lassche-Jones?
architect Ray Hawthorne from Designer Interiors