Prizewinning prophesiers

From BlackWhite magazine - issue 08, colourful outlook

Six Resene Total Colour Award winners share favourite paint colours, top projects, dream dinner dates and colour trend predictions.

• Dan Eves
• Lien Bui
• Natalia Glucina
• Sam Martin
• Stacy Middleton
• Tim Gittos

What has proven to be the most valuable piece of industry advice you’ve received so far during your career?

Don’t frame it as a problem, but rather see it as a challenge. Perspective is important.

If you were to splurge on any one home renovation project or décor item right now, what would it be and why?

I would invest in a retractable sunshade and new outdoor furniture to better enjoy hot summer evenings.

If you could have dinner with any architect, designer, artist or historical figure from the past or present, who would it be and what might you talk about?

An architect who I have learnt about recently, Richard Leplastrier. His houses respond richly to the site, they have movable roofs and walls and are beautifully crafted with timber. He camps out on his client’s site to really understand the context and environment. A real character, a craftsman with a passion for the outdoors and someone who I’m sure would have plenty of good stories to share over a dinner.

If you could magically invent something that does not exist, what would it be and why?

Surf at Lyall Bay beach.

If you could have a superpower, what would it be and why?

The ability to not need sleep. I need my sleep, but there are so many things I would rather be doing!

Which colours do you predict will be key trends over the coming months and how do you envisage they will be used?

I think we will continue to see lots of bold colours being used, in particular darker tones such as deep regal blues like Resene Ocean Waves, rich aubergines like Resene Half Aubergine and burgundy reds like Resene Incarnadine. I think these colours will be popular in both residential homes and in hospitality settings.

What has proven to be the most valuable piece of industry advice you’ve received so far during your career?

As my old boss would say, “keep your clients happy and you’ll never get sued”.

If you were to splurge on any one home renovation project or décor item right now, what would it be and why?

I’m obsessed with Axolotl doors, so I’d want to do a grand entry door collab with them.

If you could have dinner with any architect, designer, artist or historical figure from the past or present, who would it be and what might you talk about?

For sure Alexander McQueen. I would ask him about his innovative designs and the subject of re-thinking past and present. I’d want to pick his brain about robots painting dresses and if he thinks genius is nature or nurture.

If you could magically invent something that does not exist, what would it be and why?

Invisible sky hooks. Do away with seismic constraints!

If you could have a superpower, what would it be and why?

Mind control… *evil laugh*

Which colours do you predict will be key trends over the coming months and how do you envisage they will be used?

With lots of greys on the runway, hues like Resene Solstice could become popular and pairing that with a smooth green like Resene Smashed Avocado could truly bring a space to life. Our team loves Barbie and her influence on colour palettes last year, but Barbie’s co-star could share some of the spotlight, too. Ken is a professional in ‘beach’, so this summer, vibrant colours like Resene Island Time or Resene Key Largo would stand out and are perfect nods to Ken.

If you were to splurge on any one home renovation project or décor item right now, what would it be and why?

My kitchen/living/dining area is in dire need of renovation! I’d love to get into this and step into something a little unexpected.

If you could have dinner with any architect, designer, artist or historical figure from the past or present, who would it be and what might you talk about?

I feel like I should be picking a designer here, but for a long time, I’ve wanted to sit at a table with Stephen Fry. I have no questions for him, but it’d be great to be amongst the laughter with him and his friends. I recently sat with artist Finn Ferrier and was so creatively inspired by him. I’d love to sit around a table with a whole number of true creatives and hear their insights, thoughts and perspectives.

If you could magically invent something that does not exist, what would it be and why?

I feel I have most of what I need and what I really want already exists but not enough. I’d love us to all have a greater appreciation for quality in product and design and purchase for life rather than the moment.

If you could have a superpower, what would it be and why?

To time travel. I’d love to be able to explore the world in time, to revisit my own memories and to meet younger versions of my siblings, parents and grandparents and ask them questions about themselves and their lives.

Which colours do you predict will be key trends over the coming months and how do you envisage they will be used?

I feel there is more interest than ever in individuality, and colour is a key contributor to achieving this, so I think there will be a perspective that there are more colour options to choose from when selecting for interiors as well as exteriors. White is a mainstay for walls, but rather than the bright stark whites, we are looking at options that become part of the interior or which will beautifully highlight texture or architectural details. They’re a little darker and with a hint of colour. Resene Thorndon Cream is a good example that brings warmth into the home and provides a great backdrop to art and helps create a more interesting palette when adding additional colour into the space. Exteriors are also shifting. Black, grey and white are no longer the only options. Colour is becoming more relevant and context will be important in its selection. For example, character villas embracing hues from the Resene Heritage colour chart and using multiple colours to highlight fretwork or sills. Our preferred colours will be getting more saturated and cleaner in general. Greens and blues are still so popular however, I see these becoming fresher versions like Resene Killarney or Resene Wedgewood. They have a sense of heritage about them so they work nicely in older homes on walls and kitchen or bathroom cabinetry. We’ll also be seeing muted yellows and greens coming through. They’re an understated way to bring colour in without it dominating. As they lean towards timber in tone, they come across as neutral. Resene Chino and Resene Putty are examples that work well with most metallics and timbers so they will look especially good in kitchens and bathrooms.

What has proven to be the most valuable piece of industry advice you’ve received so far during your career?

When I graduated from Architecture School, one of the faculty members – Julieanna Preston – said something like, “Hold onto what drives and inspires you. You might not be able to action it for 10 or more years, but in time, you will be able to revisit it.”

If you were to splurge on any one home renovation project or décor item right now, what would it be and why?

I have a long overdue outdoor area project to resolve. The existing surfaces are falling apart and plus we need some cover and shelter elements to increase the number of conditions where we can enjoy our perch overlooking Te Awa Kairangi.

If you could have dinner with any architect, designer, artist or historical figure from the past or present, who would it be and what might you talk about?

I’d like to take the musician Thurston Moore out to dinner and talk about the transposition of musical and architecture aesthetics.

If you could magically invent something that does not exist, what would it be and why?

Cures for the ills of the world aside, it would be some sort of goggles that could see underground into a site’s exact ground conditions. Getting any new build out of the ground has such uncertainty.

If you could have a superpower, what would it be and why?

The power to deliver projects without variations! I guess that would be a mixture of telepathy, time travel and faultless documentation.

Which colours do you predict will be key trends over the coming months and how do you envisage they will be used?

My take on it is that we will see more attention to paint finish and texture, with painterly effects being used rather than focusing solely on colourways – like what’s possible with Karen Walker Chalk Colour and the Resene Special Effects range, for example. Artisanal finishes applied by skilled painters that have more life, depth and character will enhance the use of colour in both residential and boutique commercial spaces alike.

What has proven to be the most valuable piece of industry advice you’ve received so far during your career?

“No one will ever care as much as you do about the project”. I think this is really valuable advice for when it comes to the physical side of construction. As a designer, you could spend six to 12 months working with a client, creating their dream space. Once the design is out of the way, the construction is a much faster and shorter portion of time. Accidents and mistakes can happen on site in the blink of an eye, and if you aren’t there to catch them, you could be looking at a sub-par space – and your six to 12 months of work down the drain.

If you were to splurge on any one home renovation project or décor item right now, what would it be and why?

This is a hard one! It would likely be a large modular sofa for our living room. I would want something that had washable, removable covers, a textured fabric (like bouclé) and was deep enough to fit two humans and two dogs. I’ve had my eye on some Nick Scali pieces for a while. However, we have a beautiful white bouclé sofa at the moment, so it’s not justified. I’m just waiting until someone spills red wine on it!

If you could have dinner with any architect, designer, artist or historical figure from the past or present, who would it be and what might you talk about?

Kelly Wearstler, without a doubt. I love that she has reinvented the wheel, taken maximalism to the max – and now has her own furniture and décor line.

If you could magically invent something that does not exist, what would it be and why?

A machine that masks walls for you. Imagine if there was something that turned on, and it just laser-line rolled the tape across your wall and dropped a plastic sheet down from it. Prep is the biggest faff when it comes to decorating, so eliminating any time there would be a dream.

Which colours do you predict will be key trends over the coming months and how do you envisage they will be used?

I think we’re making the move towards more emphatic neutrals. Instead of Resene Quarter Rice Cake, people are going the whole hog and using Resene Double Rice Cake or Resene Triple Rice Cake. Done are the days of ‘all white everything’, I think, and even monotone grey and white paint pairings, much like black grout and white tiles, has truly done its dash. People are gravitating towards warm shades in their homes because they provide a cosy, inviting ambience. Warm tones, such as earthy neutrals like Resene Half Pravda, soft yellows and warm greys, evoke a sense of comfort and intimacy, promoting a welcoming atmosphere. Additionally, warm colours are known to enhance natural light, making spaces feel brighter and more cheerful.

If you were to splurge on any one home renovation project or décor item right now, what would it be and why?

Can I include tools? A thicknesser would be really handy right about now...

If you could have dinner with any architect, designer, artist or historical figure from the past or present, who would it be and what might you talk about?

Arundhati Roy, who is an amazing author, social justice activist and one-time architect. I’m pretty sure we could cover all those bases.

If you could magically invent something that does not exist, what would it be and why?

High-quality affordable housing in New Zealand. The need is so great and the market is incapable of providing this.

If you could have a superpower, what would it be and why?

The ability to run an architecture practice and a small restaurant at the same time. This is a clearly a very bad idea (thus needing a superpower), but it has always been a daydream of mine.

Which colours do you predict will be key trends over the coming months and how do you envisage they will be used?

I expect white will continue to be very popular, with many sleepless nights lost to wondering which white. Also, Resene Pink Ribbon.

BlackWhite magazine

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