Pattern play
Is there any colour combination more classic than black and white? Resene demonstrates the timeless minimalism of this dynamic duo.
The key to an awe-worthy achromatic scheme is to make great use of the bold contrast that black and white offer, and to look for ways to play up shapes and patterns to bring in a sense of texture and continuity through repetition.
Resene Eighth Black White is nearly as neutral as paint colours come, yet in this contemporary studio, it looks striking as the main wall colour in contrast to Resene Half Concrete flooring and when layered with Resene Blackjack designs on the breakfast bar and pendant lamps. By choosing patterns with simple motifs, you can easily layer more than one different type into your design. Try incorporating one pattern that’s black-on-white and another that’s white-on-black.
To create the look of the grid design, the bar table is painted in two coats of Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss waterborne enamel tinted to Resene Eighth Black White. Once dry, use a ruler and pencil to help you apply parallel strips of 36 mm wide high-quality painter’s masking tape 10 mm apart, pressing firmly to ensure it adheres well. Use a mini roller with a smooth surface sleeve to apply two coats of Resene Lustacryl tinted to Resene Blackjack. Once the paint is dry, remove the masking, and repeat the process perpendicularly.
The pendant lamps are painted in two coats of Resene Lustacryl tinted to Resene Blackjack. Once dry, use a small flat artist’s brush to paint simple randomised curved strokes. Leave approximately 5 cm of space between each stroke and continuously alter the directions.
A mix of permeable dividers, such as the timber screen shelf stained in Resene Colorwood Pitch Black, and painted ones, like the angled wall design in Resene Double Concrete, can help delineate different areas that are meant for different tasks to create the sense of having separate ‘rooms’ without closing them off from flow and light. Plus, they make the space even more dynamic and interesting.
The addition of mid-tone greys, such as the plant pot in Resene Tapa and the basil pot in Resene Double Concrete, effectively works as an accent colour in this space and keeps it truly achromatic. But if you’re looking for a pop of colour to add some energy, you can’t go wrong with painting a few accessories in cheerful Resene Canary.
If yellow doesn’t suit your tastes, swap Resene Canary for another vibrant primary colour such as Resene Havoc red or Resene Endeavour blue, in keeping with the Bauhaus-like modernist feel of this design.
Background in Resene Half Concrete with A4 drawdown paint swatches in (from left to right) Resene Eighth Black White, Resene Double Concrete and Resene Blackjack and round tray and small round dish in Resene Canary.
