This summer has been a busy one for the Wolfkamp family. While others were bathing and belly-flopping at the beach, I was head down working hard on our family home.
We live in a traditional Devonport villa. The big reno was done 15+ years ago, when we pushed out the back of the house to create all-important indoor-outdoor flow. The kitchen went in ten years ago, literally the day our son Joseph was born. Since then it's been a typical case of 'builder's house syndrome' — busy working, but never on my own place.
At the end of last year my lovely patient wife finally reached her limit and I made a promise: "no more projects until our house is finished". Let's be clear though, what we had wasn't broken. It was unfinished in parts (door handles would be useful!) but mostly the overall feel of the house had become tired and dated.
That smile on my face was BEFORE the hard slog began.
Our front room looking a little tired & ready for a refresh.
The biggest change: colour
We have moved from warm creamy Pearl Lusta to bright and breezy Half Bison Hide. Nikki from Resene Victoria Park helped us choose a new white scheme that is light and modern. We resurfaced and lightened the original Kauri floors. And we put in new lighting, including some LED lights. The house now feels like it's 'floating', especially in the morning light.
For me, when doing a new paint job, as important as the colours are, it's the awesome technology I'm interested in. That's why we chose to use the Resene paint system.
The Resene system
Inside the house is painted throughout in Zylon Low Sheen. Zylon is flat, meaning that when you use a really light and bright white you don't get added reflection and glare. Instead you actually get to see and appreciate the colour.
We used Spacecoat waterborne enamel on the ceilings in the kitchen and bathroom. Spacecoat is awesome for areas that get a beating. It stands up to cleaning (no more excuses for not wiping the fly-poo off the ceiling).
Lusta-Glo semi-gloss enamel was used for the architraves, skirting and trim.
Choice, choice, choices and… decisions, thanks to Nikki from Resene Victoria Park.
The Deco Guys made this job run super smooth.
Why speed matters
Speed is important when doing a full house paint — the quicker it is done, the less time you (and the family) need to be out of the house.
We used a local company, Carl and the team from Deco Guys. They were machines. They had our 45m² lounge prepped in a day and sprayed in 1 hour — the finish is supreme.
Beats painting it myself, as I did, square by square, all those years ago.
Updating our paint colours has also provided an opportunity to update our furniture, drapes, rugs etc. — looking at both function and aesthetics.
Best of all, now that our home has had a freshen up she feels ready to go another decade, so I can get stuck back into being 'the wolf' for another season.
Our front room looking light, bright and dreamy.
