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Gentle pinks like Resene Pot Pourri on the kitchen island and drawers contrast with bolder pinks like Colour Me Pink on the internal door and Padua on cabinetry. The walls and ceiling are in Half Rice Cake.
The exterior provided inspiration for internal colour choices. Get this look by using Resene Lumbersider in the shade Resene Gelato.
Gentle pinks like Resene Pot Pourri on the kitchen island and drawers contrast with bolder pinks like Colour Me Pink on the internal door and Padua on cabinetry. The walls and ceiling are in Half Rice Cake.
The fresh minty tone of Resene Padua on cabinetry pairs beautifully with the warm Half Rice Cake walls and gold fittings.
Among the Resene Half Rice Cake walls and timber floor, sits pops of gentle greens and pinks in Padua and Pot Pourri.
This floor to ceiling door is painted in the bold Resene Colour Me Pink, contrasting with the walls in Half Rice Cake.
The terrazzo tile, a touch of design inspired from the exterior, was used on the kitchen benchtops. The cabinetry is in Resene Padua and walls in Half Rice Cake.
Minty greens and blushing pinks bring this art deco home to life
Some homes just have that presence you feel the very moment you arrive. That couldn’t be more true for this 1920s pink art deco beauty. It has the kind of charisma you can’t fake, with its charming form, confident exterior palette and owners who clearly weren’t interested in playing it safe. So, when it came time to renovate, the goal wasn’t to modernise the character out of it, rather to celebrate what was already there… and turn the volume up!
“The goal of renovating the 1920s pink art deco home, was to enhance and complement its classic luscious curves, exterior colour scheme and the creative owners,” says interior designer Fiona Vidar. Rather than treating the renovation like a blank slate, Fiona leaned into the home’s existing details and used them as a roadmap, weaving exterior cues into the interior so it all feels connected and intentional.
The exterior provided inspiration for internal colour choices. Get this look by using Resene Lumbersider in the shade Resene Gelato.
Gentle pinks like Resene Pot Pourri on the kitchen island and drawers contrast with bolder pinks like Colour Me Pink on the internal door and Padua on cabinetry. The walls and ceiling are in Half Rice Cake.
“I incorporated many exterior details into the kitchen design, including the entrance terrazzo, colours, metallics and the classic curves.” This is a home that feels cohesive from room to room, but the kitchen is undeniably the hero. It’s functional, but also full of charm, a little theatrical and completely unafraid of colour – which of course, we love.
Fiona’s brief from the owners set the tone early on: “Adhering to the client's brief of ‘Milk Bar’ with functional ‘Wow’ and feels a little ‘Wes Anderson’.” That playful energy becomes the heartbeat of the home, where the design feels both nostalgic and fresh, as well as warmth that makes everyday life feel a bit more homely and special.
The dusky pink of Resene Pot Pourri blends dreamily with the Half Rice Cake walls.
The fresh minty tone of Resene Padua on cabinetry pairs beautifully with the warm Half Rice Cake walls and gold fittings.
Colour was never going to be a last-minute decision here, and it didn’t arrive all at once either. “The colour scheme evolved over time, starting with white porcelain benchtops, then combining Terrazzo Compac Stone benchtops to set the tone, and into the greens and pinks as the design unfolded into the spaces.” That gradual build is part of what makes the palette work so well, because it feels like it’s grown naturally out of the home rather than being imposed on it.
One of the strongest moves is the way the colour story is grounded. Resene Half Rice Cake walls create a soft, warm base that lets the bolder elements shine without overwhelming the space, keeping everything light, liveable and calm enough for a busy household.
The study is warm and cosy, painted in Resene Half Rice Cake.
The kitchen’s joinery is where the personality really kicks in. Fiona describes the cabinetry as “tall lushly lacquered minty green huggable tall joinery…” and it’s easy to imagine why. Resene Padua anchors the room with a fresh, retro edge that also feels modern. Against that, the lower cabinetry brings a softer contrast in Resene Pot Pourri, a delicate blush tone that adds warmth and sweetness.
Among the Resene Half Rice Cake walls and timber floor, sits pops of gentle greens and pinks in Padua and Pot Pourri.
Then there’s the moment of drama that takes the whole home from day to night. “The Colour Me Pink cavity door adds the ‘wow’ when the neon light is on and the night kitchen comes alive.”
Resene Colour Me Pink is a bold, confident pink that turns a functional feature into a full design moment, and the fact it has another personality on the reverse side makes it even better! The other side is in the moody Resene Surfs Up. It’s a clever way to shift the mood depending on where you’re standing and what time of day it is, giving the home a sense of movement and surprise.
This floor to ceiling door is painted in the bold Resene Colour Me Pink, contrasting with the walls in Half Rice Cake.
The beauty of this renovation is that it isn’t just about looking good, the home belongs to five busy individuals, each with their own routines and needs, and the kitchen had to work hard behind the scenes while still feeling like a showpiece.
Renovating an older home always comes with its own set of challenges, and this one was no exception. “The design needed to pack in plenty of storage. Careful wall removal, zone manipulation and various creative solutions were required…” but the finished result clearly feels effortless, as though it was always meant to be this way.
The terrazzo tile, a touch of design inspired from the exterior, was used on the kitchen benchtops. The cabinetry is in Resene Padua and walls in Half Rice Cake.
A hidden bar inside the Resene Pot Pourri island.
At the centre of it all is a kitchen that doesn’t just serve the household, it sets the mood for the entire home. It’s bright and buoyant during the day, then becomes something a little more magical at night, when the deeper tones come into their own. It’s the kind of space where the heart of the home truly steals the show, powered by colour choices that feel bold, nostalgic and completely personal.
And for Fiona, it’s exactly why she keeps coming back to Resene. “I love the Resene paints and colours availability.” In a home like this, colour isn’t just decoration. It’s atmosphere. It’s identity. It’s joy. And this renovation proves that when you get it right, the whole house feels like it’s smiling back at you.
design Fiona Vidar, hello@designmykitchen.co.nz
images Meg Wells
Top tip: Use Resene Super Gloss Enamel on internal doors, like Fiona’s door in Resene Colour Me Pink. It’s exceptional durable, easy to clean, and the mirror-like finish will enhance colour intensity if you’re going bold and bright!
Published: 22 Jan 2026
Do you have a home full of wonderful Resene paint and colour? Send us some snaps by emailing editor@habitatbyresene.co.nz.
Resene Colour Me Pink
Resene Half Rice Cake
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 Colour Me Pink
Resene Half Rice Cake
the look
If you're stuck on what
colour to use or need colour
advice, try out the Resene
Ask a Colour Expert service.
