Chris and Kim’s lavish Lockwood in Nelson is the beach house of our dreams

Four feature walls in stunning Resene Aviator spectacularly tie together an otherwise neutral space with blazes of bold blue.

Lockwood owners are often looking for inspiration to spruce up the timber in their older homes. While Chris and Kim’s holiday home is only four years old, their bright idea to use Resene Aviator on four key walls right from the outset is sure to embolden others to make some equally impressive updates.

The house itself, based on Lockwood’s Phoenix design, was customised to owners Chris and Kim’s own needs and preferences. The couple had visited another Lockwood home in St. Arnaud that had also been personalised, which inspired them to do the same for their site.

A colleague of Kim’s had just built a Lockwood holiday home on the Kapiti coast, and when we saw the possibilities and flexibility of the Lockwood system, we decided to try it. It turned out really well both in terms of design and value.”

The look they went for was a classic bach that fits harmoniously into its natural surroundings. The location of the house within the lot was partly determined by how it could best capture views of the bush.

Chris said the approach Lockwood used – where everyone contributed their ideas and worked through the options together – was key to coming up with the final design. “We spent quite a bit of time looking at the standard Lockwood designs. We chose the Phoenix and had some ideas about how we wanted to modify the design. We spoke with Andrew La Grouw [the Lockwood Nelson Contractor at the time] about our ideas, and worked with him to come up with a design adapted to our location and what we wanted for our beach house.”

“The Lockwood approach ensures all the basics are accounted for and there is scope for creativity and originality. We were very impressed with the collaborative approach, which is a key feature of the Lockwood business model,” says Chris. “The materials and workmanship were also of a high quality, which means minimal maintenance.”

At the end of the build, Andrew was especially pleased with the bold blue Resene Aviator walls, which Kim picked. Kim says he was quite uncertain about it when it was first discussed as the colour to be used in tandem with the natural Tasman oak wood flooring, but that he completely fell in love once it was finished.

“Kim saw how the use of a similar colour in an art gallery mitigated the bright New Zealand light and how the addition of a strong colour added a whole new dimension to the space,” Chris added. “Andrew was hesitant at first about this departure from the norm for a Lockwood home but went with us, and when it was done, everyone was enthusiastic about how well it worked. The large living space that is the centrepiece of the house was ideal for this bold use of colour. The combination of the blonded finish on the wood and the dark blue walls works really well in the large light-filled space.”

“We love our beach house,” he says, “and the quality of the Lockwood system means maintenance is very minimal, so that when we are there, we can enjoy a break.”

Top tips: Refreshing a Lockwood with paint or whitewash

Updating a Lockwood is easier than you might think. 

To paint:

Prep all surfaces using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner, then apply a thin coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and allow it to cure for at least 48 hours before overcoating with two coats of Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen. Be sure to allow adequate drying time between coats and remember that adhesion will take at least a week to develop and it won’t reach final adhesion until after three weeks of curing.

To whitewash:

Degrease the surfaces to be painted using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner, then sand the existing varnish surface to achieve a dull finish ready for topcoatings. Next, apply a full even coat of Resene Colorwood Whitewash and two coats of Resene Aquaclear, allowing proper dry time between coats. If you want to increase the level of whiteness, add one container of Resene Colorwood Enhance White per litre of the Resene Aquaclear. A steady hand will help you get the best result, as even application of the Resene Colorwood Whitewash is needed to achieve an even finished look.

If there are changes in the dimensions of the boards there may be an appearance of a line of the original varnish.

images Jamie Cobel?
builders Andrew La Grouw (now Managing Director of Lockwood), Garry Miller and Michael Whyte)

Published: 24 Jan 2019

Do you have a home full of wonderful Resene paint and colour? Send us some snaps by emailing editor@habitatbyresene.co.nz.

painted lockwood, lockwood interior, blue lockwood, blue feature wall, blue living room

Within the main multi purpose room in Chris and Kim's Nelson Lockwood, Resene Aviator feature walls help to define different living areas. 

painted lockwood, lockwood interior, blue lockwood, blue feature wall, blue living area

“The high ceilings create a feeling of spaciousness,” says owner Chris. “At the same time, the spaces are delineated in a way that also gives each area a feeling of intimacy and separateness.” The feature walls in Resene Aviator also help to break things up and create more definition within the home’s main large, multi-functional room.

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Lockwood builder Andrew La Grouw’s favourite part is the contrast with the Resene Aviator blue and the clear timber reveals around the door and window reveals because “it’s like they have their own picture frames.”

painted lockwood, lockwood interior, blue lockwood, blue feature wall, blue bedroom

The house is well adapted to the Nelson climate, with the high ceilings keeping things cool in the summer and the north-facing orientation brings in the sun during the winter. Feature walls in the living room, lounge, kitchen and bedrooms have all been painted in striking Resene Aviator.

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