Dulux Colour Ambassadors Alex Fulton and Alex Walls share how to make a splash using Dulux Colours of New Zealand, starting with the greatest of whites, Dulux Okarito.
Alex Walls
Dulux Colour Ambassador
The inspiration I’m always drawn to a soft and minimalist colour scheme for its relaxed feel and versatility within our homes. However, a pale and neutral palette always comes with the challenge of adding depth and a pop of personality. Starting with Dulux Okarito, grooved wall panels emphasise the play of shadow and light in the room. To add warmth to the white, I’ve paired the neutral with natural tones, adding Dulux Ohai, a lovely muted green, on the adjacent wall and grounded the space with a beautifully rich moss brown Dulux Invercargill underfoot. Keeping on nature’s path, using warm tones of timber, animal hides and a woolly textural rug ties the three paint colours together, creating a timeless scheme that encourages calm and cosy living.
GET THE LOOK Walls painted in Dulux Okarito and Dulux Ohai, dulux.co.nz. Floor painted in Dulux Invercargill, dulux.co.nz. Palencia rug, $2619, boconcept.co.nz. Eames CTW coffee table in natural, $675, homage.co.nz. Concrete tray, $49.99; Brass cylinder vase, $49.99; Brass bottle vase, $39.99, alexandcorban.co.nz. Layabout sofa, $5410 plus fabric, simonjamesdesign.com.Reindeer hide, $450; Lennox fringe cushion, $79.99, alexandcorban.co.nz. Grid cushion cover, $69.99; Klaus corduroy cushion cover, $69.99, cittadesign.com. Canyon Alu art, $459, boconcept.co.nz. Flos IC F1 floor lamp, $2410, ecc.co.nz. Eames LCW lounge chair in natural, $460; Wanaka shaggy throw, $350, homage.co.nz.
Alex Fulton
Dulux Colour Ambassador
The inspiration I often wonder why New Zealanders tend to be so afraid of colour when it can provide such joy. The look I’ve put together here provides a fresh take on approaching colour that fans of white-on-white may feel inspired to try. It is all about reversing the common (and safer) trend of painting walls white and adding ‘pops of colour’ in the form of accessories; flipping this rule on its head by using my go-to white Dulux Okarito on the floor, with white-on-white furniture and accessories. Then it was on to the next mission: be gone plain walls! I wanted to add life to them by marking out ‘zones’ with different sized carnival stripes. I chanced an odd duo of Dulux Alexandra (dusty pink) and Dulux Manaia (muddy mustard) – and it paid off, with there being enough contrast from the pink, especially, with the Dulux Okarito white wooden floors.
GET THE LOOK Walls painted in Dulux George St; Dulux Colombo St; Dulux Manaia; Dulux Alexandra and Dulux Big Lagoon, dulux.co.nz. Floor painted in Dulux Okarito, dulux.co.nz. Minimalux neon light, $288; Circus stool by Martino Gamper, $230, simonjamesdesign.com. White Monsterra leaves, $45, afdstore.co.nz. Dante vase, $270, republichome.com. Joe sofa, $3600(3 seater), stclements.co.nz. Stevie cushion by You’re Welcome, $130, afdstore.co.nz. Mohair pompom throw, $179.99, alexandcorban.com. Miranda Parkes painting, POA, johnathansmartgallery.com. Areaware Pig money box, $295; Flokati rug 3mx2m, $1200, afdstore.co.nz. Helix table by David Moreland, $2995, davidmorelanddesign.com.Branching Acropara coral, $375, republichome.com. Tom Dixon Elements glass candle, medium, $238; large, $440, simonjamesdesign.com. Gidon Bing maquette 01 and 02, $150 each, gidonbingceramics.com
Planning on painting at your place? Pop online for Dulux Colour Chat, live every Tuesday and Thursday from 10am-2pm. With the advice of an interior designer and free Large Colour Swatches delivered to your door, you’ll be able to make confident colour choices. Dulux.co.nz/colour
Styling Alex Fulton & Alex Walls
Photography Wendy Fenwick