Yvette transforms a rural Kauri property into a soothing sanctuary
Five minutes north of Whangarei in the beautiful, scenic township of Kauri sits a quaint and traditional brick and mortar bungalow. Built in the 1990s, it’s a property that’s been the home of retired couple Sharon and Graeme Gillette for over three years. With their children grown and flown the nest, the couple felt it was the perfect time to give their much-loved build a refresh. It’s a project that’s taken over two years to complete, with the help of interior designer Yvette Parker along with a soft and natural blend of Resene paint and finishes.
Prior to the renovation, the property housed a muted brown palette reflective of the 1970s – an era where mixed textures and earthy tones were rife and popular. The renovation gave the owners the opportunity to strip back the original design, both inside and out, to try something new and more reflective of their own tastes and personalities.
“It was the client’s opportunity to make their mark on her home by incorporating their own style and colour,” Yvette explains. “We decided on a natural aesthetic that would look modern but would also give them longevity.”
Together, they established a new colour scheme and then started by tackling the windows, adding treatments that would neutralize the existing blue architraves while affording the opportunity to incorporate new accent colours. Gone, too, was the plasterboard muted brown and blue kitchen with tiled walls and lino flooring in favour of a complete kitchen overhaul. Designed by Studio Y and constructed by Mastercraft Kitchens Whangarei, the new version featured a rotated layout to make it more user-friendly and allow for a cohesive connection between areas.
“After undergoing this transformation, the kitchen is now the hub of the home, with a custom-sized baking island and a new walk-in butler’s pantry fitted out with all the baking needs my clients could want,” says Yvette.
Painting the walls in soft Resene Quarter Truffle has opened up the space, introduced light and allows accent colours to be brought in through accessories. This palette filters from the kitchen into the open plan living room, where the colour scheme enhances the space by adding visual lift and width to an otherwise dark room. Instead of hiding the colour of the window frames, Yvette reinforced them by tying the colour into soft furnishings.
“Resene Quarter Truffle as our base colour, along with neutral curtains, also allowed each room to be layered with the client’s choice of accents. The overall scheme is modern with a little French countryside touch.”
The aesthetic present in the living and dining areas changes when it comes to the sleeping quarters. The main feature of the guest bedroom is an accent wall wallpapered in bold, floral blooms cast in different shades of mauve and pink. It’s complemented with adjoining walls in Resene Quarter Truffle, a hue well-matched to the homeowner’s existing furniture. The grandchildren’s room is injected with a child-like quality through the Resene wallpaper, which features hand drawn wildlife scenes with accents of navy and pink.
“The Gillette’s were very trusting and let me choose bold wallpapers for the guest room and grandchildren’s room. The latter, in particular, had a fun feature wall with an array of colours that would enable my client to change the main accent colour depending on who was staying,” Yvette says.
The final result is a beautiful, thoughtful and modernised property bursting with new energy – and showcases the personalities of those who live there.
Published: 24 Jul 2019
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A major component of the renovation, the kitchen underwent an extensive makeover. Yvette reworked the layout and added a custom-made baking island to increase efficiencies and turn the space into the heart of the home. The walls are painted in Resene Quarter Truffle and the ceilings are in Resene Alabaster.
By lightening the walls and furnishings, Yvette opened up the living room and made it much more inviting. The doors also act as a window to the outside, rather than shutting it off, and an indoor-outdoor flow is introduced and accented with plant life. The walls are painted Resene Quarter Truffle and the ceiling is in Resene Alabaster.
The exterior of the property has transformed from a dark, brick and mortar building to a fresh colour palette with more contemporary appeal. The exterior walls are painted in Resene Half Stalk. The render is painted in Resene Double Stack. The render is painted in Resene Double Stack and the fascia, gutter, garage door and pillars are in Resene Grey Friars.
Yvette demonstrates how patterned wallpaper doesn’t have to intimidate. She papered the feature wall in the master bedroom with Resene Wallpaper Collection 358006 and painted the adjoining walls and ceiling in Resene Quarter Truffle. The trims are in Resene Alabaster.
Yvette introduced a colourful statement wall in the grandchildren’s guest room that will enable the homeowners to swap out the colour scheme depending on the guests that are visiting. They went for Resene Wallpaper Collection 375000 behind the beds with Resene Quarter Truffle on the adjoining walls and Resene Alabaster for the ceiling and trims.
Yvette says that the biggest challenge of the renovation was working out the layout for the bathroom and shower to make it user-friendly. The bathroom is an amalgamation of three rooms, which have been merged to allow for wheelchair access. The walls are painted Resene Quarter Truffle.
The laundry room is a new room that was once part of the entrance hallway. It’s a bright and fresh space, with walls painted Resene Quarter Truffle.
designand imagesStudio Y Interior Design
kitchen builderMastercraft Kitchens Whangarei
Resene Quarter Truffle
Resene Quarter Truffle
Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
Resene Double Stack
Resene Double Stack
Resene Grey Friars
Resene Grey Friars
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 Quarter Truffle
Resene Quarter Truffle
Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
Resene Double Stack
Resene Double Stack
Resene Grey Friars
Resene Grey Friars
the look
If you're stuck on what
colour to use or need colour
advice, try out the Resene
Ask a Colour Expert service.