Winning Renovation

In association with Resene

Jo and Ben Percival took a leap of faith, buying an original 1914 homestead in 2017. Located in Flemington, Hawke's Bay, the house designed by prominent New Zealand architect Louis Hay, has come a long way since Jo and Ben first got the keys. After years of minimal use as a holiday home and a severe lack of work or renovations over the past century, Jo and Ben have spent the past seven years transforming the home into their own. Determined to honour the home’s heritage, Jo and Ben took on the task themselves. They aimed to highlight the beautiful wood panelling and sash windows without clashing with the original features. Jo decided against contemporary, neutral colours and instead opted for more vibrant and interesting hues that would pay homage to the home’s history. This careful consideration of colour and detail was crucial to the project’s success.

“We repainted our second living area (which we jokingly call our ‘ballroom’) from a hard, dated red to a calming blue-green, along with hanging new curtains. Resene Blue Smoke really offsets the original oak panelling and other native timbers in this room.” Jo says. Preparation was key to achieving a flawless finish. Jo emphasised the importance of proper prep work, including sanding, filling and re-sanding. This meticulous process ensured that the final result was smooth and professional. The transformation was a labour of love, with Jo and Ben painting nearly every room in the house including refreshing the bathroom, trims and ceiling with Resene Alabaster.

The outcome was stunning. The house, now repainted using Resene paint, felt right and looked beautiful. Jo praised the quality of the Resene products, noting that they used 5-6 different testpots to find the perfect colours. The paint only required two coats for a great finish, which saved time, effort and money. Jo and Ben are thrilled with how the house has turned out. It has become a place they are proud to call home, blending their personal style with the house’s historical charm. Jo's dedication to preserving the home's heritage while making it her own is to be admired.

Top Tip

If you have an older character house and want to be more classic in your approach to the colour scheme, check out the Resene Heritage colour palette at your local Resene ColorShop or reseller, or see it online at www.resene.com/heritage.