Inside style
Join the club
Get on board with warm neutrals at The Papanui Club with Lucy Chappell, senior interior designer at Armstrong Interiors.
WHAT HAVE YOU DONE AT THE PAPANUI CLUB?
The Papanui Club in Christchurch is an award-winning, architecturally designed club facility with entertainment, dining, bars and a fitness centre. They approached us about a year ago to work with them to turn an existing restaurant space into a new, fresh cafe, and we couldn’t wait to get stuck in. They wanted to retain the oak flooring, so we removed much of the detailing on the walls and painted throughout in a soft beige colour to give warmth and lighten up the whole space. We then redesigned the bar area to include a coffee station, and injected some colour with a beautiful feature panoramic wallpaper. The entire space now feels completely different: contemporary, fresh and inviting.
HOW HAVE YOU USED COLOUR IN THIS PROJECT?
We used a warm lighter colour as a base for the whole area and then layered earthy colours on top. So in this project I’ve used Resene Half Drought and Resene Double Kalgoorie Sands, which are both lovely warm colours. This is a versatile approach that keeps the spaces feeling open and neutral, with the added character and grounded feeling of the warmer colours. Colour is one of the many ways to inject personality into the space. It can evoke many emotions and create different feelings based on the client’s wants and needs. Paint is also one of the fastest ways to update a room.
WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE ON USING COLOUR?
I say don’t be afraid of it. A dark colour doesn’t have to mean a dark or cold-feeling room if you choose correctly. Some more of my favourite suggestions are to add colour
to your ceilings and doors, and to play with different finishes to create texture and layers.
WHAT ARE YOU LOVING RIGHT NOW?
I love earthy colours – toffees and terracottas – and calming colours such as smoky greens and blues. I’m also desperate to do a vibrant blue room one day; it would be wonderful in a study or bedroom.
