Inside style
Making connections
Interior designer and director Sophia Cole of Yellowfox explores meaningful colour in a Bay of Plenty farmhouse.
TELL US ABOUT THIS PROJECT.
Omanawa Farmhouse is a new home designed by Jason Macdonald of JMAC Architecture, situated on a dairy farm in Omanawa, Bay of Plenty. In addition to selecting all the interior colours and materials for this project, Yellowfox designed the bespoke cabinetry for the kitchen, sunken lounge, laundry and bathroom vanities.
WHAT’S THE MAIN COLOUR YOU USED?
I started with the Lume tiles in Musk from Tile Warehouse, which are an incredible dusty green. I paired the wall and kitchen panelling with Resene Double Stonewall, and I am thrilled at how perfectly they match.
AND WHAT WAS YOUR INSPIRATION?
I am still learning to embrace colour in my designs. So when the client asked me to reference the greenery in the surrounding landscape and as a nod to their Ma ̄ori culture, I felt that a soft, muted green was ideal to weave through the colour palette. It was applied in different mediums for a flow throughout the home, and helps to create that sense of natural calm. Colour helps to connect our indoor and outdoor spaces, as well as connect to something more deeply within us. I now love using colour in context with other textures and materials, to help form a more holistic interior experience for my clients.
WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE ON USING COLOUR AND PAINT?
Trust your instincts and go for it! You can always change paint colours if you decide it’s not working for you. If a certain colour makes you happy, then you should find a way to incorporate it into your interior scheme, whether it be a whole room, a feature wall or accents.
WHAT COLOURS DO YOU LIKE TO USE?
I’m a fan of the Resene Merino colour family for layered, neutral tones for walls, doors and trims, and I love bringing Resene Element indoors to reference the popular FlaxPod roofing and joinery colours we’re seeing in new builds. I have also taken a liking to Resene Scrub. If you visit us at either the Hamilton or Tauranga Yellowfox studios, you’ll see this colour feature prominently on our walls. The mid-green tone sets a calming, natural backdrop for our working environment, and pairs well with most floorings and soft furnishings.
HOW DO YOU WORK WITH HOMEOWNERS?
The process starts with a relaxed meeting, where you can outline your project and share your ideas. We’ll then dive deeper into the details with plenty of opportunities for feedback before presenting the final concepts. Whether it’s a colour consultancy, a full house design or anything in between, we aim to make interior design approachable, creating homes that are both beautiful and functional.
