Article Photo

Kandinsky called, and he wants to move in!

05 Jun 2025

Not all homes are made the same – and thank goodness for that! Tucked away somewhere green and leafy, beyond the curious eyes of the road, is a homethat’s anything but ordinary. Dressed head to toe in stripes and squares of brilliant blues, wild reds, electric greens and every other hue under the sun, this homeis a love letter to colour, creativity and doing things your own way. 

The masterminds behind the kaleidoscope? Alex and Ilse, a duo who clearly aren’t afraid to splash outside the lines. 

“Years ago, I suggested to my partner repainting the house in off white again,” says Alex. “She said no. She would like some colour.” 

The challenge was accepted and what started as a small green and purple experiment turned into a full-blown explosion of Resenetestpots. “She loved it,” Alex says. “So, I let loose.” 


The colours that started it all, a couple of testpots of purple and green.  


From purple and green to a multicoloured dream – Alex and Ilse’s home quickly grew with colour.  

Let loose he did. There’s no neat colour palette here, no rules, no symmetry, just pure joy, painted onto weatherboards in what Alex describes might be “the slowest and most expensive way to paint a house”, one Resenetestpot at a time. But they well and truly enjoyed it.  

“Nobody can see it from the road, so we got no critics,” Alex says. “People either love it or hate it. We don’t care. We like it. And if we have to sell, it can go back to white again.” 


The vivid hues painted using Resenetestpotscontrast beautifully with the surrounding greenery. 


Even Alex and Ilse’s downpipes and metre box got a splash of colourusing Resenetestpots. 

Alex, a self-described doodle artist, pulls inspiration from the likes of Kandinsky, Miro, Klee, Picasso and Hundertwasser. “I love colour. When I paint, I try not to think, just go, do,” he says. “With hindsight the house walls would have 'faces' with lots of 'eyes’.” 

It’s a house that doesn’t whisper, it sings. It laughs. It doesn’t try to blend in, it celebrates standing out. Technicolour door trims and cheeky yellow boxes, hanging felt sculptures and bright art drying on the deck, every corner of this home is bursting with personality. 

It’s a reminder that homes don’t need to follow a rulebook. They just need to feel like you. 


Homeowners Alex and Ilse.  

If you're thinking of painting your house beige, maybe think again. Or at the very least, grab a few Resenetestpots and see where the brush takes you! 

If you’re keen to add some bright spots to your home, here’s some colours to get you started - Resene Dizzy Lizzy, Resene Blue Gem, Resene Bright Spark, Resene Havoc, Resene Half Resolution Blue and Resene West Side: 

Published: 05 Jun 2025