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Kitchen and dining walls in Resene Melting Moment, living room in Norway, ceiling in Alabaster.
A beach house where colour connects the past and present
On the Kāpiti Coast, a much-loved 1950s beach house has been carefully reimagined into something that now balances nostalgia with renewal. Where colour plays a central role in connecting the past and the present.
The brief was to modernise and refresh the family beach house that had been part of generations of summer memories. As Simon Gourley of architecture+ says, “it was pertinent that in refreshing the existing house, the result was familiar, given the memories and emotional connection the family has to the house and location.”
Originally built for the owners’ parents, the house has evolved to suit changing family life. New double bedrooms on the ground floor now extend off original bunkrooms to form family pods.
The home has now transformed from an inward-looking dwelling into a place that really embraces its coastal setting. The larger dining space, which also connects to a new elevated deck with views to Kāpiti Island, has a close connection to the kitchen allowing for comfortable family gatherings.
Exterior painted in Resene Red Oxide and Sea Fog.
Exterior entrance painted in Resene Sea Fog and Red Oxide.
Colour plays a defining role in how the architecture is read. The exterior palette, selected by the architecture+ team is both bold and restrained, built around the pairing of Resene Red Oxide and Sea Fog.
“The exterior colour palette needed to be striking, yet simple and sit confidently in the established garden and dune planting,” Simon says. “The strong contrast between the Red Oxide and the Sea Fog allowed for blocks of colour to balance and reinforce the beach house geometry and define architectural elements.”
The darker Red Oxide grounds the house within its coastal setting, while Sea Fog provides a softer counterpoint, and together they articulate the building’s form and reinforce its geometry.
Kitchen and dining walls in Resene Melting Moment, living room in Norway, ceiling in Alabaster.
Walls in Resene Pale Leaf and Melting Moment, ceiling and trims in Alabaster.
Inside, the colour story becomes more layered with interior designer Trish Thomas developing the internal palette. Her selections respond to the home’s original décor which had been chosen to reference earlier beach house paint and wallpaper traditions. In a subtle loop, the existing furniture and objects now inform the new colours.
This creates a scheme that connects the past and present in a very literal way. Where colour decisions echo across generations. “The original interior colour palette and material selections had a timeless feel with wonderful unique accents,” says Simon. “Keeping as much of the character was critical.”
The living room walls are finished in Resene Norway, a quiet, calm green, and the kitchen and dining areas are painted in Melting Moment, bringing a sunny warmth to the heart of the home.
Walls painted in Resene Just Right, ceiling and trims in Alabaster.
Bedroom walls in Resene Lynch, ceiling and trims in Alabaster.
Bedrooms explore more muted, softer tones such as Resene Lynch, Just Right and Pale Leaf. The bathroom is finished in Half Periglacial Blue, and throughout, ceilings and trims in Alabaster provide a consistent backdrop that ties the palette together.
Beyond colour, the project demonstrates a strong respect for the durability and character of the original materials. The Mataī weatherboards were painted using Resene Sonyx 101 Semi-Gloss to protect the timber, and Resene X-200 was selected as a membrane coating to weatherproof the stucco cladding and also provide a decorative satin finish. These smart and highly functional choices allow not only the original materials to be retained but also for the home to withstand its coastal environment.
Exterior in Resene Red Oxide and Sea Fog.
Exterior staircase in Resene Sea Fog.
New elements including a carport and a semi-indoor entrance portico extend the experience of the home. They create a sheltered place to transition from beach to interior and add a sense of ritual to entering the house.
For Simon, two spaces stand out as favourites. “The kitchen and the external stair!” he says. “The character of the re-used elements of the kitchen have a deep senses of connection to all who have used the beach house and reference the craft of those who originally built the house and those who have undertaken the refurbishment.”
The external stair, sculptural in form, provides a vital link between the interior and the landscape. It reinforces the project’s shift toward openness and connection.
Through a careful interplay of bold exterior contrasts and richly layered interiors, this Kāpiti Coast beach house shows how colour can carry memory forward.
design architecture+
interior design Trish Thomas
build Elmm
paint Prestige Painters
joinery Joinery Productions
images Paul Macreedy
Resene Pro Tip:
If you’re painting plaster or concrete, use Resene X-200. It’s a high-build, waterborne acrylic weathertight membrane which acts as a protective, elastic coating that waterproofs, covers hairline cracks and provides a low-sheen paint finish. It is also New Zealand’s best-selling weatherproofing system and is widely used on plaster renders in both commercial and residential structures.
For general weatherboards, on homes near the coast or in harsher weather conditions, use Resene Sonyx-101. It’s a premium, waterborne paint with superior durability, toughness and high-UV resistance. It also provides an easy-to-clean finish that balances durability with a soft sheen, often hiding surface imperfections better than full-gloss paints.
Published: 13 May 2026
Do you have a home full of wonderful Resene paint and colour? Send us some snaps by emailing editor@habitatbyresene.co.nz.
Resene Melting Moment
Resene Half Periglacial Blue
the look
If you're stuck on what
colour to use or need colour
advice, try out the Resene
Ask a Colour Expert service.
Resene Melting Moment
Resene Half Periglacial Blue
the look
If you're stuck on what
colour to use or need colour
advice, try out the Resene
Ask a Colour Expert service.
