"I am obsessed by colours and collections," admits interior designer Alex Fulton. Her two-storey 1930s Californian bungalow in Christchurch, which she shares with husband Jeff and their 2 daughters, bears testament to this. Painted in brilliant red, blue and indigo, with boldly patterned wallpapers, fluorescent green and orange bathroom fittings, and numerous collections of interesting objects on display, it is a visual feast.

"It's definitely not conventional," smiles Alex. "Jeff jokes that my tastes are an infusion of Scandinavian, Japanese Pop and Indian - or Scandojapdian! My surroundings have to be positive, uplifting and make me smile."

Like many who live in the Canterbury area, Alex has needed an extra dose of positivity recently. "Unfortunately, because of recent earthquakes, there is actually quite a lot of structure damage to the house. Next week we are having to get major investigative work done to see the actual extent of the damage, so time will tell. There has been talk of the costs being so high that a re-build may be an option. That's a scary thought as we love the era of our home, but it's all in the hands of others at the moment, so we will just have to wait and see. We have to keep positive and remember that we are a lot luckier than other Cantabrians who have lost homes and loved ones."

How long have you lived in your home? 5 years this Christmas. It looked so homely and inviting - we bought it before seeing the inside!

What was the biggest challenge with creating your home interior? You would think it was getting 'buy in' from my husband, but lucky for me, we have very similar tastes. He trusts me - and he realises that it would be fruitile (fruitless + futile) to argue!

What was the greatest success? I have two: the main living room and the bathroom. Both rooms were very old and ignored parts of the house. I have transformed them into areas that are now high traffic and well used. Just by adding practical features and good design you can change any parts of your home into whatever you want or need!

Which space in the house do you get your greatest satisfaction from? My study. It's where I work and create. It's super sunny and has a great aspect of the garden. My favourite part is the original stain-glass bi-folds. They are so beautiful and I love opening them up fully in the summer.

What is your advice for someone trying to achieve a similar look? Paint out the wood panelling! I know it can be hard (and it definitely polarizes people) but it immediately freshens and vitalizes the space. You still get the feeling of wood but it feels cleaner and more vibrant.

What colours did you use? In the main living room we used Resene Cod Grey, which is a very dark navy. It was tricky to find the right colour - I wanted the perfect navy blue that was not too dark but had depth and luxury to it. Resene Cod Grey achieved that perfectly. In the bathroom we used dark grey Resene Condor, which perfectly matches the tiles we used, and looks hot against the bright orange joinery. In the kitchen we used Resene Princess, and for the hallway, trims, ceilings, windows and doors we used Resene Alabaster, which is my 'go-to' white. It's a very accommodating white that compliments other colours well. It's not too cold and stark. In the main bedroom we used bright red Resene Roadster - I'm not good with rusty reds and wanted the red to pop off the walls - and it does! I love how it contrasts with the Resene Alabaster trims.

Get the look:
If you’re faced with redecorating after an earthquake, it can be tricky to know where to start. Resene has put together a handy booklet, Resene Paint Systems for Earthquake Affected Buildings, which is a quick guide of what to use where, in order to get your walls looking shipshape again. Available from selected Resene ColorShops or from the Resene website. 

Alex designed the stair carpet herself, and says it was the starting point for the house's design look. The walls, ceiling and handrail are painted using Resene Alabaster.

"In the main living room, I wanted the perfect navy blue that was not too dark but had depth and luxury to it. Resene Cod Grey achieved that perfectly," says Alex.

In the main living room, dark Resene Cod Grey is balanced by lots of Alex's favourite white Resene Alabaster.

For a bright, happy blue, you can't go past Resene Primetime.

Grey tiles and matching Resene Condor paint perfectly offset the bathroom's fluorescent green shower head, bright orange joinery and fluorescent orange shower hose. Even the toilet rolls are brightly coloured!