After two years of spending more time in our living rooms than ever before, they've become increasingly important spaces in our homes — an area where we rest, play and spend quality time.
This week on The Block NZ we saw the teams create luxe family living rooms that wowed the judges and added all important value to their homes before auction — as well as showing the competition is tighter than ever ahead of next week's winner announcement.
Resene Marketing Manager Karen Warman says various lockdowns have shown how much we value these spaces.
"As we have all been spending more time at home, living rooms have become spaces where comfort is important. For many they have also become dual-use spaces, with a corner or nook used for work, life admin or a time-out space to indulge in a good book," she said.
Whether you're looking to give your living room a zhuzh or you're wanting to add value to a space before you sell, don't overlook this heart of the family home. We chatted to the experts at Fujitsu and Resene for their considerable knowledge on how to make a living area that's warm, inviting and functional for the family.
Dare to stand out…
Judge Jason Bonham has repeatedly called for use of colour over this season of The Block NZ, and this week praised Christchurch couple Quinn and Ben for their use of "beautiful colour" on the walls in their living area.
Warman says the lounge is a place where buyers shouldn't be afraid to be confident with colour. A great way to do this is using non-permanent options, like Resene's wallpaper designs which "add a talking point to a space that will often be host to guests".
"Typically this is used for the main feature wall in the room complemented by more neutral Resene colours on the walls and ceiling," she said.
For those feeling especially creative, Warman says "large hand-painted wall art is an easy way to add personality to a lounge".
"It's an evolution of the colour blocked painted feature wall from the past but instead of covering the whole wall, just one part of the wall is turned into an artwork with tone on tone or contrasting Resene paint colours. This allows you to have a one of a kind feature in just the right colours to suit your room that can be easily updated and refreshed later."
We think Bonham would approve.
… Or keep a neutral tone
For those wanting something a little more timeless, Warman recommends opting for more neutral tones as this season's "masters of neutrals" Stacy and Adam went for in their lounge, using Resene Double Merino and Resene Quarter Bianca to create a sophisticated, expensive-looking space.
"Neutral colour palettes are hugely popular, ranging from the lightest hues of Resene Black White through to weathered dark greys like Resene Baltic Sea and a myriad of combinations in between," says Warman.
Much like we saw during guest bedroom and bathroom weeks, using various tones of the same shade can also be an effective way of bringing the space together.
"The Resene whites and neutrals collection has up to six strengths of the most popular Resene colours — simply choose your favourite colour then go up and down the strength scale to add depth variation to your room," Warman advises.
"You can also play with sheen levels – a lower sheen finish, like Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen, will make a colour seem earthier and more weathered than a higher sheen finish like Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss waterborne enamel which will make the colour seem cleaner and fresher."
Consider the whole space
A living area is a space where various types of furniture are often working together to create a cohesive space — comfortable couches, side tables, coffee tables, rugs and decorative items.
All The Block NZ teams carefully considered their furnishings this week: Maree and James were praised for their "big comfortable couch", friends Chloe and Ben used soft character details and custom corner storage, while Stacy and Adam won points for creating a warm and inviting environment through mismatched furniture.
Warman says it's important to consider your furniture when planning your living room palette.
"Older furniture can easily be rejuvenated to be part of your new look. Many decorators who want to keep their walls neutral use their furniture as the feature with colour blocked paint finishes or artistic designs."
"A boldly painted piece of furniture is an easy way to bring in a bolder accent colour that you might not be brave enough, yet, to use on your walls," she says.
She also advises opting for a focal point to draw the eye, like Quinn and Ben did with striking artwork, or Stacy and Adam achieved with the Samsung Frame television.
"Living rooms are the ideal place to create focal points or feature areas. Select a focal point for your room and decorate around that. The focal point may be a feature area, lounge suite or similar."
Turn up (or down) the heat
New Zealand's notoriously inclement seasons mean that it's important to make your living space as temperature controlled as possible.That's where the experts at Fujitsu General come in — all The Block NZ teams used Fujitsu heat pumps and air conditioning units in their living areas this week to ensure their buyers will be comfortable in all seasons.
Country Manager of Fujitsu General New Zealand Todd Scoble says "there is no one size fits all" solution when it comes to a particular heat pump or air conditioning solution for a family living room — instead it's a space where size really does matter.
"Generally, a bigger area will need more heating/cooling capacities but there are many other factors to consider when selecting a heat pump/air conditioning unit," he says.
"Selecting the correct system really depends on the existing infrastructure of your home, as well as your lifestyle and comfort needs."
Scoble says the three main points to consider when starting your search for a heat pump/air conditioning solution are your budget, the number and size of rooms to be air conditioned, and the construction and design of your home.
Modern and open plan homes like the ones on this season of The Block NZ will have different needs than, say, a small inner-city apartment or an older classic Kiwi villa.
"Know your space – it's a good idea to be aware of the features and layout of your home. This includes knowing the number and size of your rooms, the direction the building is facing, and whether there is insulation," says Scoble.
"This will save you time and money."
Knowing your lifestyle and the number of rooms that need heating/cooling will play a part in your decision. If you work away from home, you may want a Wi-Fi-capable unit so you can turn your heat pump/air conditioner on before you get home. If you want to heat/cool multiple rooms, then a whole home ducted system may be the best solution for you.
Scoble recommends that those keen to give their homes the same The Block NZ treatment should speak with their local Fujitsu Accredited Installer or use the Fujitsu Assist Product Select Tool on the Fujitsu General website.
"This will help you to better understand the variables that can impact the selection and can guide you to the most efficient solution for your home."
Colour combos to kick things off
Keen to get started on creating your dream living space, but not sure where to begin? Karen Warman has put together some of her favourite Resene colour combos to help get you started!
For a warm off white look, Resene Albescent White from the Karen Walker Paints collection with Resene Alabaster.
For a Hamptons style look, Resene Duck Egg Blue with Resene Sea Fog, or Resene Periglacial Blue from the Karen Walker Paints collection with Resene Colorwood wash hues on timber.
For a cocooning and cosy room, deep blue Resene Coast with Resene Alabaster or use Resene Bokara Grey in place of Resene Coast for a greyed alternative.
This article was created for Resene and Fujitsu General.
