Room mix
With lots of rooms requiring attention, the Kerr family focused on each as an individual project, getting it just right before tackling the next room.

The conservatory was transformed from ever-safe cream on the walls to a more lively and vibrant Resene Terrazzo Paint Effects wash. The plaster walls suited the uneven finish created and with the addition of colourful rugs, couch throws and curtains a once a cold and uninviting room is now a warm and cosy family room.

Redecorating their teenage son's room was a major project. With the walls too uneven to paint, Resene wallpaper was used, complemented by Resene Aviator and contrasting Resene Fruit Salad on the furniture and trims. Desiring a heavy metal masculine type feeling they added Resene Enamacryl Silver Aluminium on the ceiling and partway down the walls. The once dark stained wardrobe doors were also finished in Resene Aviator on the surrounds and silver on the louvres to liven them up and bring them into harmony with the rest of the room.

The master bedroom was adorned in a pretty shade of pink butterfly wallpaper - yuck! Wanting to create a room with ambiance they selected a Resene terracotta wallpaper to use as a main feature complemented by colourwashed walls using Resene Ship Cove as a basecoat and Resene Lucky Point as the topcoat. The ceiling, which was white, made the room feel cold. A quick repaint in Resene Barley White on the ceiling and down to the picture rail, and an accent of Resene Marzipan on the alcove ceiling and arch, and the room feels lovely and warm.

The next room they attacked was the dining room. Once bland, it is now nicknamed the 'citrus room'. The desired effect was achieved by splitting the room into two. The bottom half was boldly painted in Resene Crusoe and sponged over with Resene Apple. The top half was painted with Resene Broom with Resene Pizazz colourwashed over it. The well-placed leaf border brings together the mix of greens and contrasting yellow/oranges.

The final room to have a complete change of colour was the bathroom - with neither being a pink person, the colour on the walls had to go - only to be quickly replaced with Resene Lucky Point that works well with the Rimu. Using this as the base colour, white, silver and black have been meticulously added by hand to create the marble effect. Gold, applied using a small sponge, defines the edges of the woodwork and the painted walls.

Using Paint Effects techniques that many would be scared to tackle, the Kerr family have rejuvenated the look and feel of their home while also managing to hide less than perfect walls.

Teens bedroom furniture and trims	Furniture and trims	Ceiling and top of walls, louvres	Bathroom
Resene Aviator	Resene Fruit Salad	Resene Silver Aluminium	Resene Lucky Point
Master bedroom walls basecoat	Master bedroom walls topcoat	Ceiling	Alcove
Resene Ship Cove	Resene Lucky Point	Resene Barley White	Resene Marzipan
Bottom half of dining room walls	Bottom half of dining room walls	Top half of dining room walls	Top half of dining room walls
Resene Crusoe	Resene Apple	Resene Broom	Resene Pizazz

Thanks to Jenni and Geoff Kerr of Timaru.

Decorating inspiration gallery
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Index - Kitchens - Bathrooms - Bedrooms - Children's bedrooms - Hallways - Entranceways - Lounges - Dining rooms - Home exteriors - Other inspiring projects