Last week I visited Wellington and attended the Resene Total Colour Awards. Resene always puts on a great party, so I was already excited about heading along, but this year the Awards had a personal connection in that I was also one of the judges.

Along with architect Paul Leuschke, interior designer Sylvia Sandford and entertainer Jackie Clarke, we looked at over 100 entries, and with a bit of intense discussion, whittled down the list to the finalists. There were some amazing entries, and I found it fascinating after looking at so many presentation boards how some people had such an instrinctive feel for colour (and others really struggled). I actually talk about this same thing in my editorial from the current issue (63) about how slight variations in hue can either make or break a colour and colour scheme.

We awarded the striking colours of Albany Senior High School in Auckland by Jasmax with the top Resene Colour Awards prize.  The architects were using a huge colour palette which could have been problematic for many, but the designers used the bright colours in a bold and striking way, that enriches the architecture of the school and really underscores that this is a place for students.

Gascoigne Associates were runners up in this supreme award for their clever paint scheme for the Glassons flagship in Newmarket, combining rosey pinks with a startling charteruse and a deep abergine.

We were also very impressed with the proposed colour scheme for a skyscraper by student Kate Andrew, and we also awarded this project not only the student winner, but also a runner up to the supreme award.

Not all the winners used a bright palette, and we also complemented a beautiful and relatively nuetral colour palette in the interior of the recently refurbished Theatre Royal in Nelson, by Palmer and Palmer Architects. Similarly, in the residence designed by Daniel Marshall Architects, the white walls were offset with a single wall in a deep red.

For more information on all the winners head to Resene’s website.