Here's a taste of some of the Colour Expert questions and answers to help you with your own colour scheme.
If you would like more colour advice for your project, please ask our Colour Expert for help or come in and see our staff at your local Resene ColorShop or Reseller. Colours are a representation only.
Please refer to the actual paint or product sample. Resene colour charts, testpots and samples are available for ordering online.
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Q. We are considering using Resene Lumbersider Low Sheen tinted to Resene Ironsand for our new retaining walls and the concrete block wall (which will be stuccoed), and then the fence portion and the stucco of the home, pergola, soffits, downpipes (all the white areas) with Resene Half Friar Greystone. Do you think that would look good – or can you suggest a better – perhaps bolder solution? We are struggling to make the house look cool given the existing greyish bricks. A. Have you considered painting the brick – it is a popular option – this will modernise the entire home – and give it that cool vibe. I am a little concerned that introducing two new colours with the brick will not give you the effect you are after – however if you are opposed to painting the brick – I suggest you test Resene Element in place of Ironsand – it is a bit deeper and not as brown as Ironsand so will pair with your window joinery and bricks. If you did paint the entire house including the bricks I suggest Resene Element for all substrates except the white areas – I suggest a soft white with a hint of grey such as Resene Sea Fog. If you choose not to paint the brick then Resene Element with Resene Gunsmoke might work for you. Resene Gunsmoke is a warm grey which is deeper than Resene Half Friar Greystone. Feb 2023 |
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Q. What colour should we paint our front door? We have stucco walls in Resene Sandstone and kwila decking for our beach-front house. A. See if any of these Resene colours appeal: Resene Porter, Resene Kia Kaha, Resene Aroha, Resene Unite, Resene Cutty Sark, Resene Lakeside or Resene Azure – these colours will be further enhanced in a semi-gloss or gloss finish. The front door may also need to co-ordinate with the roof and window joinery.  Resene Porter  Resene Aroha Feb 2023 |
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Q. My house exterior walls are painted in Resene Double Truffle. I need a darker shade for the garage door, but Resene Triple Truffle is too close. Also, I would like to paint my front door red. Resene Pohutukawa is nice but I feel it’s a little dark. A. Investigate Resene Friar Greystone – it is a warm stone grey and will pair with Resene Double Truffle. For the front door see if Resene Half Pohutukawa or Resene Red Berry works for you. Feb 2023 |
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Q. We have chosen Resene Triple Sea Fog for our internal walls and Resene Alabaster white for our windows, ceilings and skirting boards. I have done one room and we are very happy. I still need to do the doors and wardrobes – the plan was to do those in Resene Alabaster white as well. Will this be too much white? Is there a better colour we should consider for our wardrobe and internal doors? A. I suggest you use Resene Alabaster for the wardrobe doors and internal doors – Resene Triple Sea Fog and Resene Alabaster are a great combo and painting all doors Resene Alabaster will keep the scheme light and fresh, and won’t limit combinations in accessorising. The scheme won’t appear too white as the Resene Triple Sea Fog lends to a light grey and has enough contrast to the trims etc. Feb 2023 |
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Q. We are keen for colour advice for the exterior of our 1930s Californian bungalow. Something like a soft light grey (not green or lilac toned). A complementary shade of white for the windows and recommended colour for window ledge trim and the base of the house. A. See if these two soft greys appeal: Resene Concrete or Resene Silver Sand – they have a slight warmth to them and will pair with the brick. I suggest painting the face of the window sill only and leaving the top of the ledge the same as the windows – for the face of the windowsill – Resene Foundry (to match in with roof). Consider using Resene Foundry on your front door if applicable. For the windows I recommend Resene Half Sea Fog. For the base – consider painting it the same colour as the main walls (weatherboards) as a darker colour might be a bit harsh. I don’t recommend bringing in another colour as you have the roof and sills, walls, windows and bricks – four colours already – but if you do want to accentuate the base – a deeper variant of the chosen wall colour is acceptable – Resene Triple Concrete or Resene Mountain Mist (if choosing Resene Silver Sand). Feb 2023 |
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Q. We are repainting our home. I’m really stuck on the colours. Our hard floors, kitchen cabinetry and bench are all warm beige/neutrals. Our bedrooms are carpeted a warm grey. The current colours on the walls are nice, however just slightly too dull, so I am looking for some recommendations for a neutral. I tried some warm neutrals, we get a lot of sunlight, and they look very creamy and not very nice. A. My suggestions are: Resene Half Merino, Resene Half Sea Fog or Resene Quarter White Pointer. Feb 2023 |
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Q. I need some help to choose a colour for our hallway please! We have Tawa floors and wooden trims. The ceiling is Resene Half Black White but we are looking for a light colour that isn’t quite as stark for the walls. It isn’t a super light space so we do want it to be bright but I just feel the current white is a bit too cold. A. Green edged whites look good with Tawa and Resene Half Black White – see if these three appeal – they do have more warmth to them than the grey whites. Try Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream, Resene Merino or Resene Half Ecru White. Feb 2023 |
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Q. We have an old villa in Mangonui that has been painted in Resene Haven. The roof needs to be repainted soon and any advice you can give us on a complementary colour would be appreciated. A. A mid grey with a green undertone which complements the existing colours and doesn’t dominate is what I suggest – Investigate Resene Quarter Gravel or Resene Lattitude. If you do want to try a deeper colour, try Resene Armadillo. Feb 2023 |
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Q. Our interior is going to be Resene Rice Cake throughout most of the house, with Resene Quarter Rice Cake for the ceiling and window frames etc. In one daughter's bedroom, I'd like her wall colour to be very light, but more of a coral/peach (but not too pink) to complement the rust/terracotta and plant type theme. A. Try Resene Despacito – it is a soft beige meets pink – or Resene Soulful for more saturation – or for a cleaner colour – Resene Inspire. Feb 2023 |
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Q. I have our family home which is in Ahipara facing 90 Mile Beach and is north facing. The plaster downstairs is thick heavy old fashioned plaster and the home is 25 years old. Unfortunately I chose the bright blue and I am not going to go through the process to change this. The upstairs is cedar. I have tried at least 10 testpots and I cannot get this right. I have tried different colours. I am trying to modernise the house and paint over the ochre yellow below and undermine the blue. One issue is there is a lot of concrete leading to the house on the entrance so that limits things a little as it looks like the concrete is going up the wall. A. I feel the issue with the house is the big contrast between the ochre and the blue – to modernise and minimise the impact of the joinery I suggest a soft grey – as this is a current colour and blues and greys blend together – grey will naturally work with the concrete. The blue will still be dominant but it will be modernised and hopefully have less impact. Try Resene Kensington Grey, Resene Quill Grey or Resene Duck Egg Blue (more of a coastal colour). A warm white to try for the interior is Resene Bianca – it is a lovely light warm white and it has the ability to borrow and reflect light. Feb 2023 |
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Q. I’m trying to decide on a colour for the exterior door that opens into the garage. At the moment it is painted in Resene Thorndon Cream. The garage exterior has recently had the stucco replaced with cedar. I’m thinking a charcoal or very deep blue but am willing to go with whatever advice you can offer. We have two parts to our house, the original 1930 stucco house and a cedar addition that houses the kitchen and living area at the back of the house. The original stucco house is painted in Resene Thorndon Cream, with Resene Licorice on the shutters, Resene Pohutukawa on the window ledges and Resene Stack on the base. The addition and garage are painted in Weathermaster Shadowmatch. The aluminium joinery of the sliding doors in the new addition is a dark bronze. A. I feel a very deep blue toned charcoal will work – as it will tie in the colours on the house and being dark enough it won’t enhance the blue undertone too much in natural light, which would then not match the joinery of the garage/addition. Try Resene Invincible or Resene Twilight Zone. Feb 2023 |
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Q. We want to replace the blue colour on the lower bricks and garage doors. But looking into the future the garage doors will be replaced as well as redoing the roof and putting new aluminium windows. We need help with what colours to go with for everything really, with only the brick and mortar staying. The red wood is Resene Pioneer Red and I guess they used that to match the mortar colour. A. For now I suggest painting the blue including garage doors into a dark grey such as Resene Half Baltic Sea – this will make a huge difference. For the red timber, eaves and railings use Resene Sea Fog. Moving forward – the garage and roof will lend themselves to a dark grey/charcoal and the window joinery a white such as Appliance White. Feb 2023 |
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Q. We want to repaint our house with a more modern colour, we are thinking to paint all frames, trims and detail (fascia, soffits etc) in Resene Half Black White (window frames are currently that colour), and then redo the weatherboards in either a lighter grey (current colour is Resene Foggy Grey) or maybe a more neutral white? Our roof is Ironsand COLORSTEEL® which we will leave as is. A. See if these colours appeal – Resene Quarter Ash, Resene Triple Sea Fog, Resene Quarter Silver Chalice or Resene Quarter Foggy Grey. Feb 2023 |
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Q. I'm trying to encourage her to move to a darker colour so her garden's greenery ‘pops’ and so the large white roof has some contrast. At this stage she's thinking Resene Sandstone but I think it’s too muddy. I like the looks of Resene Foundry or similar. Greys are also nice but probably darker rather than lighter so not been too washed out. Unfortunately changing the colour of the roof isn't an option so we are trying to find the best colour to complement without being too loud but not look too wishy washy if that makes sense. A. I have to agree with you – Resene Sandstone won’t make a huge difference on the overall appearance of the house. Resene Foundry will work really well – however if your mother in law likes warmer/softer tones perhaps show her Resene Half Fuscous Grey or Resene Fuscous Grey which are less blue than Resene Foundry or Resene Masala or Resene Double Stack. Feb 2023 |
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Q. I need a neutral white to paint throughout a medical clinic. The existing panelling and roof can’t be painted. Currently it all feels yellow and brown. A. I suggest Resene Alabaster if you want to tone down the warmth of the wood – or for a little bit more warmth use Resene Half Bianca or Resene Quarter Rice Cake. Feb 2023 |
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Q. We have a 1920s character home and need to paint the walls. We've been looking at Resene Half Rice Cake for a warm white to match our neutral and black furniture. We have a deep brown coloured carpet and our ceilings are currently painted Resene White. Most of the tips I have read recommend painting the ceiling half or quarter strength of the wall colour (unless you're looking for a statement contrast which we aren't). We only have to paint a ceiling or two. Do you think Resene White on the ceiling will work with Resene Half Rice Cake on the walls, or will it bring out the yellow tones in the Resene Half Rice Cake? We also considered Resene Quarter Rice Cake but feel that could be too modern for the age of our home. A. I don’t feel painting your ceilings white will necessarily bring out the yellow – it depends on the lighting in the rooms also. It is more likely to show that it is a warm off white against the true white ceiling – creating more contrast and depth to the walls. Consider Resene Eighth Rice Cake or Resene Alabaster – Resene Eighth Rice Cake will blend with the wall colour but is white enough for the age of the house and Resene Alabaster has a tint of umber which may absorb any yellow light and is white. Feb 2023 |
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Q. We have Ironsand coloured guttering and roof but are looking to change this to a dark colour for the house as well with light windows and soffits. We are open to suggestions for a charcoal grey colour to complement Ironsand. The house is 1960s summerhill stone with wooden window trims. A. See if any of these Resene greys work for you – Resene Fuscous Grey, Resene Half Fuscous Grey, Resene Tundora, Resene Dune, Resene Solstice or Resene Quarter Bokara Grey. Resene Half Wan White will pair with the above deep grey, for the windows and soffit.  Resene Solstice Feb 2023 |
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Q. A painter recommended I get Resene Pearl Lusta to paint the interior walls of a bedroom. I didn’t like the colour so got Resene Double Pearl Lusta which is very creamy and a bit darker than expected. I was a bit quick to get paint. The house interior is painted with Resene Cararra so wanted a flat tone a shade darker. This bedroom is a sunny room in a 1970s house with a high window, doors in stained rimu, and carpet in natural earthy tones. Is there any wallpaper to match for a feature wall or can I use Resene Double Pearl Lusta as a feature and another complementary paint maybe Resene Quarter Dutch White to paint three walls with Resene Pearl Lusta as a feature. A. The painter possibly recommended Pearl Lusta as it does pair well with Rimu and taupe. Resene Double Pearl Lusta is deeper and creamier as it is twice the strength of Resene Pearl Lusta. Resene Quarter Dutch White will most likely be too creamy for you – it has more yellow than the Resene Pearl Lusta family. There are many wallpapers which will pair with Resene Double Pearl Lusta – it does depend on pattern and texture and what style you are wanting to achieve – have a look at the wallpapers on the Resene website or visit your local Resene ColorShop – there is also a handy little booklet called ‘habitat plus wallpaper’ – you can pick one up at your Resene ColorShop or browse the booklet online for inspiration. Wallpapering one wall might not tone down the three walls in Resene Double Pearl Lusta however. Painting three walls a much lighter tone will help – such as Resene Half Bianca – and having one wall in Resene Double Pearl Lusta – generally the wall behind the bed if suitable. Resene SpaceCote or Resene Zylone Sheen is the most popular finish for bedroom walls, including feature walls. Feb 2023 |
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Q. We have Resene Quarter Malta doors and trims throughout the house. We need a refresh but don't want to have to repaint all of these a new colour. 34 doors is a lot. Our bedroom walls are north east facing and get a lot of sun. We would like a colour not white as the house will be an airbnb. We like Resene Duck Egg Blue, Resene Emerge or beige tones but need something to work with. In the kitchen we have the same window trims but the kitchen is worn white with an engineered stone bench that has grey and brown flecks. I was thinking Resene Quarter Lemon Grass as it is north facing and has a sea outlook? A. You are definitely on the right track with your colour scheme – and with the new colours, you might just like the colour of the doors! I suggest Resene Duck Egg Blue or possibly Resene Half Duck Egg Blue as this is a bit less grey. For the kitchen I suggest testing Resene Quarter Lemon Grass or Resene Beryl Green. Feb 2023 |
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Q. My house is painted in Resene Longitude. I want to paint the steps going off the house the same shade but give them more depth of colour. Is there a Resene Double Longitude? Or is Resene Forecast what I am looking for? A. There won’t be a big difference in colour depth with Resene Longitude and Resene Forecast – check out Resene Baring Head – this is in the family of Resene Longitude. Double strength Resene Longitude can be mixed at your local Resene ColorShop – they may need to have it formulated for you. Feb 2023 |
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Q. I'm painting the exterior of our house Resene Napa, what would be a good shade of white to paint the eaves please. A. Resene Black White is a great white to pair with Resene Napa for the eaves. Feb 2023 |
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Q. We have an old 2 storey villa with a porch. The roof is Gull Grey COLORSTEEL®. The garage is Resene Thorndon Cream with a blue roof. Should we paint the villa Resene Thorndon Cream with a Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream trim or should we use a blue in it somewhere? The nearest blue is Resene Timeout. A. It sounds like the garage is separate from the house? Even if not – I don’t feel you will like the overall appearance if you bring the blue on to the house – unless you can bring it onto the porch or front door. It doesn’t have to be the exact same shade – perhaps the porch could be a blue grey and the door could be similar to Resene Timeout, possibly darker – you can even bring blue ceramic pots or plants onto the porch – furniture etc – there are many current ways to incorporate the blue. Porch colours to consider: Resene Baring Head, Resene Regent Grey or Resene Gull Grey. Front door colours to consider: Resene San Marino, Resene Takaka or Resene Rulebreaker.  Resene Baring Head Feb 2023 |
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Q. Painting the exterior of our house. What colour would work with Karaka green joinery. We have very dark brown cedar and silver pearl louvres. This colour would be the main colour of the house. A. See if any of these Resene colours appeal – Resene Half Napa, Resene Triple White Pointer, Resene Half Cloud, Resene Quarter Stonewall, Resene Foggy Grey or Resene Half Friar Greystone.  Resene Half Friar Greystone Feb 2023 |
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Q. We are repainting our open plan lounge/kitchen area. We have large floor to ceiling windows on the north and east walls and live rurally. There is also a large south facing kitchen window. We prefer earthy tones and like Resene Quarter Tea for the lounge walls with a Resene Double Tapa feature wall and we are trying to pick a colour for the kitchen cabinets. This colour will only be on the cabinets from the benchtop down. The cabinets from the benchtop up, will be the same colour as the kitchen walls. I like the darkness and green undertone of Resene Gravel but wondered if there was a colour with a little more green in it. We would have Resene Eighth Tea or Resene Double Alabaster or similar for kitchen walls. A. Consider Resene Quarter Tea with the following suggestions as Resene Eighth Tea might just throw an unusual undertone with greens – paint A2 card using testpots of Resene Quarter Tea, Resene Eighth Tea and Resene Double Alabaster, and see how they react in the space and with the natural light. As the colour for the cabinetry is below the bench top (you didn’t mention the colour of the bench top) depending on the position of the cabinetry – the light might not affect the colour so much – but once again test on to A2 card. I quite like muted blue/greens with the Resene Tea and Resene Tapa family – see if any of these work for you – Resene Innocence, Rolling Stone or Dark Slate. For more green based greys try Resene Mangrove, Resene Ravine, Resene Vantage Point or Resene Rocky Point (brown based green).  Resene Vantage Point Feb 2023 |
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Q. What darker grey colour will go with Resene Silver Chalice? I have painted some furniture in Resene Silver Chalice and Resene Quarter Silver Chalice. I love the colour, however, I am looking for a darker grey that will complement the existing colours. A. Try Resene Double Silver Chalice, Resene Stack, Resene Double Stack, Resene Scarpa Flow or Resene Half Baltic Sea.  Resene Double Silver Chalice Feb 2023 |
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Q. I am seeking to get some colour advice for the exterior cladding of our house. We are based in Te Anau on a rural property adjacent to the Fiordland National Park. Due to our close proximity to the National Park we are within a Visual Amenity Zone which under district council rules limits the LVL value of our exterior build materials to a maximum of 40%. The cladding we have selected is a combination of plaster with axon weatherboard as a feature at the ends of the house. The plaster cladding also has an LVL limit of no lower than 26%. So we have a colour range limited to an LVL of 26-40%% for the plaster and 40% and below for the Axon. There are two colour schemes which my husband and I were keen on, one to go full black/ dark grey but with the lowest limit of LRV 26% for the plaster but I don’t think we would get a colour dark enough to achieve the look we're after. The second is a dark beige/brown colour but we are unsure on whether to use a feature colour on the Axon (or keep it all one colour or at least similar shade) and what exact beige/brown colour to go for. We have currently selected COLORSTEEL® – FlaxPod for the roof, spouting and window frames. The colours which we have considered are Resene Double Napa for the plaster with Resene Gravel for the Axon weatherboards. We don’t think the Resene Double Napa is quite the right shade that we're after or if the Resene Gravel Axon weatherboard is a good complementary colour. A. I feel that the Resene Double Napa isn’t quite right and may date the overall appearance, but you are on the right track – a brown with more of a grey base will pair well with FlaxPod – try Resene Triple Truffle for the plaster (39%) and have a look at Resene Armadillo, Resene Nocturnal or Resene Times Square for the Axon. Feb 2023 |
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Q. We are renovating our house and adding a second storey. I am keen to paint the downstairs in Resene Double Black White and then upstairs in Resene Half Black White. (slightly grey downstairs and then white upstairs). What colour would you paint ceilings and trims to go with these colours? A. Resene Half Alabaster will look good with both these colours. Feb 2023 |
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Q. My house is going to be painted soon and I am deciding on the wall colour. The house has vertical weatherboards but more brick and a lot of windows. The roof is black already. I was thinking soffits in Resene Black White, chimney in Resene All Black, carport in Resene Black and brick and weatherboards in Resene Quarter Silver Chalice or Resene Half Silver Chalice? I would like the finish to be crisp and clean. A. Resene Half Silver Chalice will possibly work on the brick better – it is a popular grey with your existing colours – but if you want it fresh and clean consider Resene Quarter Silver Chalice, Resene Surrender or Resene Half Surrender – the best advice I can give you is to paint two coats of Resene testpots onto A2 card (available at Resene ColorShops) of at least three colours that appeal to you and attach to your house to determine which colours work – we don’t recommend painting straight on to substrates as existing colours can alter the appearance of the new colours you are testing. Feb 2023 |
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Q. We have recently painted our deck with Resene Bokara Grey. We now want to replace our roller garage doors with the best matching COLORSTEEL® colour. It seems that the choice is out of Ebony, Ironsand or Grey Friars in the COLORSTEEL® range? Can you please confirm which would be the closest match? A. Ironsand pairs well with Resene Bokara Grey – it is a bit lighter in tone – but the two are used together frequently. Feb 2023 |
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Q. I would like to know which mid-tone or dark grey will be darker than Resene Silver Chalice? I have painted a vintage bookcase in Resene Silver Chalice, however I would like to add a darker grey for the coffee table (with a glass top). Resene Black will be too stark I think. The rest of the furniture is black and white with greige couches. Resene Double Silver Chalice will be too light. A. I recommend you try Resene Double Stack. Feb 2023 |
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Q. I am trying to find an exterior wall colour for my plaster house that has a matt Karaka COLORSTEEL® roof and Karaka aluminium joinery. It needs to be a lighter colour because of plaster. I would love to update colour to be modern and crisp, but am unsure of how light it will look in NZ's bright sunlight. A. Lighter colours will be best in the NZ environment as they reflect the sun more – we tend to suggest colours that appear to have more colour than ‘white’ or off whites if glare is an issue – colours will appear lighter outside in bright natural light anyway. See if any of these Resene neutrals appeal – they will all pair well with Karaka – Resene Triple Merino, Resene Eighth Arrowtown, Resene Thorndon Cream, Resene Half Tea or Resene Titania. Feb 2023 |
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Q. We have just pained our roof charcoal. We are not sure what colour to paint the fascia at either end of the house and the porch posts. Note the aluminium windows are brown. We also put up a new fence before painting the roof but now I don't think it goes. We think we could change the fence posts to charcoal rather than black. A. Yes I agree – paint the fence posts Resene Charcoal to soften the overall effect – keep it simple, that will give the house structure – I suggest you paint the fascia’s and posts Resene Charcoal. At some stage you might like to stain the fence in between the posts – this can be quite effective – maybe as it ages a bit – stains give a softer appearance – food for thought. Feb 2023 |
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Q. I’m planning on painting my kitchen cupboards. They are Tasmanian oak, finished with a semi-gloss wash. It is not durable and wears off. The counter tops are a mixture of stainless steel, and varnished timber. The question is what colour to use? A. This depends on what type of colour you are looking for – the cupboards have quite a traditional feel – and the wall colour is to be considered too. One suggestion if you want a similar look but in a solid finish is Resene Truffle – perhaps paint a testpot onto A2 card (available at Resene) and see if the colour works for you. Feb 2023 |
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Q. I have a terracotta coloured roof and the current exterior is a sand Tuscan look. A house near me was recently transformed by being painted in Monument black. I thought I’d try something similar but my neighbour said it’s been hard to keep clean, showing up every bird dropping etc. I’m back to thinking the usual Tuscan shades of sand etc but feel like a change. Would something in white work? A. I agree that a white or sandy beige colour will work better than black! White could be stunning – a warmer/soft white is what I suggest – not too stark – but keep in mind that all colours including white lighten and brighten outside in natural light. Try these Resene Whites – Resene Half Villa White, Resene Villa White, Resene Creme De La Creme, or Resene Wan White or colours – Resene Half Stonewall, Resene Tua Tua or Resene Foundation.  Resene Creme De La Creme  Resene Tua Tua  Resene Foundation Feb 2023 |
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Q. I am repainting my house exterior. Its stucco/rextured plaster over brick with white timber joinery and New Denim Blue roof, gutter and fascia board. It’s a two storey house and the current colour is Resene Double Parchment. I like the colour and plan to stick with it but was thinking of painting the lower storey a darker colour. Do you have any ideas on what colour would go well with the Resene Double Parchment, white denim blue? I was thinking maybe even just using Resene Triple Parchment. A. I do suggest staying within the same family of Resene Double Parchment, but with Resene Triple Parchment you might not see too much of a difference – perhaps paint A2 card with two coats of a testpot of Resene Triple Parchment (available at Resene ColorShops) and attach to the basement to see how the colour reacts outside in natural bright light – colours do tend to lighten outside. Alternate colours to try are Resene Pale Oyster and Resene Open Sesame. If these do not work for you, then talk to your local Resene ColorShop about containing a stronger version of Resene Parchment – this can be formulated.  Resene Open Sesame Feb 2023 |
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Q. I am painting a yurt in Ohakune. I have stained the main part Resene Woodsman English Walnut. I want to do the base boards and roof a grey. I have testpots for Resene Ironsand and Resene Porter. The current roof and boards are Karaka green. What do you recommend? A. Resene Porter is more grey than Resene Ironsand which lends towards brown – I suggest painting the roof and base Resene Porter. Feb 2023 |
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Q. I want to pint rough stucco retaining wall. About 10m long and 1.2 high first floor is grey schist but the existing wall colour is deep cream to match bedrooms upstairs, which is stucco. I feel a dark grey to match the first floor as the cream wall joins first floor and I feel it should blend. I was thinking Resene Grey Friars or Resene Ebony Clay. A. Resene Grey Friars and Resene Ebony Clay both may throw a little too blue – check out Resene Foundry, Resene Double Stack and Resene Fuscous Grey. Consider using a Resene CoolColour finish which uses clever pigment technology – more of the harmful sun’s energy is reflected away from the colour and substrate – helping to reduce heat related issues. Feb 2023 |
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Q. We are doing an extension to a brick house. Unfortunately we don't have enough brick so are using Linea on the wall facing the road and under windows. The car shed door is a wooden cedar garage door. Our roof is COLORSTEEL® Ironsand and our window frames are also Ironsand. The brick is a mix or red/orange. I was wondering if you could recommend a colour for the Linea now on our house on the wall that faces the road and under the windows on one side of the house taking into account our colour scheme. A. I feel a deeper colour will work better to blend with the bricks and complement the Ironsand. See if any of these appeal: Resene Gauntlet, Resene Masala, Resene Eighth Bokara Grey or Resene Double Friar Greystone.  Resene Double Friar Greystone  Resene Eighth Bokara Grey Feb 2023 |
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Q. We are currently renovating a Queenslander style home and selecting colours for the exterior. We have gutters and garage door in Titania (COLORBOND® Surfmist). Will that work with weatherboards in Resene Triple White Pointer and white trims? A. Although the combination isn’t perfect – it can work – perhaps trial three colours – Resene Triple White Pointer, Resene Double Sea Fog and Resene Bone White. Feb 2023 |
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Q. I am needing to paint a 1950s house. The top cladding is stucco and stucco lip, the lower cladding is brick and it has a concrete base. Originally it was white and natural brick but the brick has been painted over. This house can afford to be bold as it stands strong and tall compared to the two houses either side. I intend to stencil paint the patio that runs the full width of the front with an art deco pattern. My original thought was to go Resene Ironsand for the house and Resene Sea Fog for the windows. It has been suggested to go white for the house and black trims. I even thought perhaps Resene Scoria on the house to reflect the red brick era? I very much resonate with modern Hampton style so the style within the home will be natural and authentic textures. I like sooooo many colours but think the greys and duck blues are great on cottages etc, love blues but think better on coastal homes, could go green to enhance the green pittosporum privacy hedging (could be too much?), and so now am stuck. A. To be in keeping with the modern Hamptons style for the interior and to tone with the roof – I agree painting the main walls a soft white such as Resene Sea Fog. For the windows I suggest a softer colour than black but not as brown as Ironsand – try Resene Porter – you can incorporate the dark colour onto the lower part of the house – on the bricks and base and still nod to the Victorian era with the stencil for the patio – this will be a feature in itself and too many features will not enhance the overall appearance. You can then bring in any other colours you love into the stencil, furniture, planters etc. Feb 2023 |
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Q. We are presently recladding our single level house. We are not sure of the roof colour but the new spouting and fascia are to be COLORSTEEL® Slate and sections of the house are cedar stained slate. The new joinery is Silver Pearl. The remainder of the house is Integra block. There is quite a bit of this and we would appreciate your suggestions of what would look good. We have thought of a mid grey but do not want it to be too blueish or greenish. A. See if any of these Resene greys appeal: Resene Silver Sand, Resene Half Mountain Mist, Resene Atmosphere, Resene Quarter Tapa, Resene Silver Chalice or Resene Double Concrete. Feb 2023 |
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Q. We want to repaint our house with a more modern colour, we are thinking to paint all frames, trims and detail (fascia, soffits etc) in Resene Half Black White (the window frames are currently that colour), and then redo the weatherboards in either a lighter grey (current colour is Resene Foggy Grey) or maybe a more neutral white? Our roof is Ironsand COLORSTEEL® which we will leave as is. A. Try Resene Silver Chalice or Resene Quarter Foggy Grey. Please test colours on to A2 card, leaving a white border on all edges of the card to neutralise any adjacent colours, and attach to the house – painting directly on to the substrate might change the true reality of how the new colours will appear. Feb 2023 |
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Q. I’m after some help to pick exterior colours to repaint 1960s weatherboard attached units. The roof had been replaced with silver corrugated iron, and one has white aluminium joinery. I want modern but also practical colours since it's a rental. I like and am considering Resene Double Black White for the weatherboards with Resene White for the trim colour. I’m not so into grey houses so want something more neutral/warm. For the base, I do like Resene Black, but I’m wondering if it might be too harsh and need repainting sooner. I also like Ironsand. The deck handrails have been replaced recently. I’m not sure whether to paint them or leave them unpainted. A. Consider Resene Triple Black White for the weatherboards – it is warmer than Resene Double Black White and colours lighten up to 30% outside in bright light – so it won’t look overly grey – having a bit more colour will also hide dirt etc – it is a very popular exterior colour. Windows and trim I agree to keep white. For the base I suggest a dark grey – black will be high maintenance and a bit too much of a contrast – you can always paint the front door black – I also suggest you do paint the railings as over time they will get dirty and possibly mouldy – the options are to paint them into the base colour or white. Try Resene Half Baltic Sea for the base and railings. Feb 2023 |
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Q. We have a roof to continue painting in Grey Friars to match our new gutters. We would ideally like to paint the house in grey tones, rather than white or brown. We are in an agricultural setting, with native bush and paddocks around the house. We would also like to pick out the remaining architectural details left on the house, given the previous owners have made alterations which enclosed the porches on our 1921 bungalow. A. Greys will definitely work well with Resene Grey Friars. I also suggest painting your bargeboards, fascias and soffit in the white you currently have on your windows – if the windows are not being repainted – this is a good white to pick out architectural detailing. I have recommended lighter greys, to brighten the overall appearance. Try Resene Double Concrete, Resene Silver Chalice, Resene Surrender or Resene Quarter Grey Chateau. Feb 2023 |
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Q. I chose Resene Half House White and Resene Quarter House White for the doors and trims. I want to go eighth strength Resene House White for the ceiling and cornice but I see there is no such a product on a colour chart. Can they make it for me if I order at the store? Or is there something similar? A. Resene Eighth House White can be made in a 10L size pail only – so it depends on how much paint you require – as an alternative, I suggest Resene Quarter Black White for the ceilings as this will create a nice contrast with the walls and trims – perhaps paint a testpot of Resene Quarter Black White on to A2 card available from Resene ColorShops, and view in your space to see how it pairs with the walls and trims. Feb 2023 |
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Q. I have an Ironsand roof with dark brown aluminium joinery on the windows. Our house is surrounded by greenery but we also have a large charcoal black deck and our fencing is all charcoal too. What would you recommend to have as the house colour? Possibly a sea fog or a bluish grey? A. I wouldn’t suggest a blue/grey with the brown tonings – however check out Resene Triple White Pointer – which is a popular neutral for exteriors and will bridge the gap between the charcoal and brown – we generally tend to recommend darker tones of whites and neutrals such as triple strength – as colours do lighten up to 30% outside in natural light. Feb 2023 |
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Q. I have a Karaka green roof with Gull Grey aluminium joinery. What colour would you suggest for exterior weatherboard walls? The house is amongst native bush beside the sea and I would like it to blend in to the bush as much as possible. A. Colours do tend to appear lighter outside and if you are using a darker colour over a light base – you might want to investigate Resene CoolColour paints – which is where due to clever pigment technology, the colour looks normal, but the sun’s harmful energy is reflected away from the substrate, reducing heat related issues. Try Resene Quarter Gravel, Resene Castle Rock, Resene Dusted Grey, Resene Hindsight, Resene Quarter Karaka, Resene Rocky Point or Resene Half Masala.  Resene Hindsight  Resene Rocky Point Feb 2023 |
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Q. I would appreciate some advice about Resene colours. The idea is to paint a rainbow on the wall of a child's nursery room. That means I need seven colours. Can you help to advise me on which of your paints I should order? A. Try this Resene combination: Resene Roadster, Resene Grenadier, Resene Turbo, Resene Japanese Laurel, Resene Optimist, Resene Daisy Bush and Resene Twice As Nice.  Resene Twice As Nice Feb 2023 |
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Q. We have a Jennian home that is ready for a repaint on the exterior. We have had the Linea painted in Resene Foggy Grey (very light so it may be Resene Foggy Grey or Resene Quarter Foggy Grey). As contrast the two outer sections of the house are painted Resene Fuscous Grey. We are now wanting to lighten up the Resene Fuscous Grey to more of a mid grey rather than the dark Resene Fuscous Grey. Can you suggest several mid greys that have a fresh, warm look to them that would work well with Resene Foggy Grey. A. Colours will lighten outside depending on the aspect – so perhaps this is why Resene Foggy Grey is appearing lighter in strength. See if any of these appeal: Resene Quarter Fuscous Grey, Resene Gauntlet, Resene Gunsmoke, Resene Half Chicago, Resene Tundora, Resene Ironside Grey or Resene Dune. Feb 2023 |
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Q. We need help choosing colours for our interior. We have Resene Swans Down on our ceiling and doors and they are in excellent condition. We have painted the bedrooms in Resene Thorndon Cream which is ok but I want a neutral colour for the lounge dining and hall that will go with my silver curtains, black grey suite, black curtain rods and black sunscreen blinds. A. Check out Resene Merino – it will work alongside the Resene Thorndon Cream and pair with Resene Swans Down. Feb 2023 |
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Q. I'm looking for colour inspiration for my home. I've just replaced the joinery now it's time for a repaint. I'm looking for a modern bach feel. So far I've tried Resene Duck Egg Blue and Resene Breeze but they seem a bit plain. A. Finding a colour which works with the joinery and has more depth is the key – see if any of these appeal: Resene Sorrento, Resene Conch, Resene Jungle Mist, Resene Bali Hai, Resene Bounty, Resene Excalibur or Resene Powder Blue. Feb 2023 |
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Q. We have recently bought this rather boring brown brick house. It’s only 6 years old but very dated from the get-go. I know we will improve it by new landscaping, but wonder if we should paint it first. The aluminium joinery is ivory rather than white, and the (artificial) schist has to stay in place! The garage door is cedar. A. It is a lovely home and I am sure you will make it your own. Yes landscaping will improve the overall appearance but if you are going to invest in landscaping then I recommend painting first. Paint colours need to work with the roof, schist and windows. Try Resene Quarter Foggy Grey, Resene Half Ash, Resene Double Ash, Resene Truffle, Resene Eighth Arrowtown or Resene Triple Merino. Feb 2023 |
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Q. We have an open dining/kitchen/lounge area. The dining table and chairs are an orange pine colour. The kitchen cabinets and big island are white with a black countertop. I want to update the dining suite. I have already painted the armoire and entrance table in silver chalice, so I can't decide between painting or staining the dining furniture. Should I stick to the greys or introduce another colour? Or should I stain the furniture? I read that pine wood does not stain well? The table is the perfect size for the room, therefore hard to replace it with something else. A. I suggest you stay with the deeper greys – so that you can accessorise with colour and metallic finishes, and I feel paint will pair better with your existing scheme. Try Resene Nocturnal, Resene Westminster, Resene Fuscous Grey or Resene Double Stack. Feb 2023 |
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Q. Next week we are having the exterior painted of our concrete brick and tile home. The house has an orange/terracotta roof, and we’ve settled on Resene Quarter Biscotti as the main house colour for the painted brick. We are looking for a balancing colour for the front and garage doors, with a preference for green tones. Do you have any recommendations to match? We have tried a couple of testpots and were tossing up between Resene Jurassic and Resene Dark Slate, but it’s been hard to gauge with the rain/poor lighting and we are torn on which we prefer, or if we should try another shade. Would either of those work or another colour? A. Resene Dark Slate or Resene Atomic will pair well with Resene Quarter Biscotti – Resene Atomic being more blue however. Both great colours. I did consider suggesting keeping the garage door white with the front door one of the above colours and painting the soffit and fascias white such as Resene Alabaster – but this is bringing in another colour (neutral) and would work better if the windows were white. Feb 2023 |
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Q. I am painting my walls in Resene Half Duck Egg Blue, with trims in Resene Alabaster. Would Resene Truffle or Resene Tea on the doors work? A. Resene Truffle or Resene Half Truffle are my recommendations – they will pair nicely with Resene Half Duck Egg Blue and giver a modern twist to the scheme. Feb 2023 |
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Q. We are looking to paint the exterior of our strata building and would like your input for the walls, beams and fascia. A. My suggestion is to use three shades of colour – a soft grey white on the walls which are white at present – Resene Sea Fog, a deep grey on the steel beams – Resene Westminster and Resene Black on the purple columns and the main fascia. Feb 2023 |
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Q. I have an ornate vintage dark brown bookcase (about 1.5m tall) with glass doors that can close that I want to paint. It is in my open plan lounge along with couches in greige leather, rest of furniture in black and white in my 3 year old townhouse. We are looking out onto a green bank filled with NZ natives like tee trees, grasses and ferns) through sliding doors. I love a classic look using a yellow-green paint colour. If it was your project, what greens or greys or any other colour would you suggest? A. I suggest an olive green – because with decorating it is a neutral to work with but it still injects a beautiful input of colour – repainting a bookcase is exciting and a great way to change up a room! See if any of these colours appeal – Resene Contour, Resene Tic Tac Toe, Resene Green Days, Resene New Leaf, Resene Untamed or Resene Green Smoke.  Resene Green Days  Resene Contour  Resene Tic Tac Toe  Resene New Leaf  Resene Untamed Feb 2023 |
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Q. A couple years back I bought a little 1975 block and cedar clad unit. Being my first home I would like to create something a bit special/make it stand out and also be very attractive when I come to sell it in a few years and move on. Therefore as well and being special I would need a design that would likely appeal to the masses. I did do a repaint, in Resene Streetwise for the cedar, Resene Alabaster for the block and Resene Half Black White for soffit. I do think it looks a lot better, but have been in two minds if I can do better. I was hoping I could grab some feedback and thoughts? A. If you want to improve on the overall appearance – balance and proportion of colour is as important as the colours used – therefore I suggest that you do paint the soffit to match the blockwork – otherwise it will be difficult to adjust the appearance. To enhance the windows – I actually think extending them is the best option and introduces a darker colour to the building without painting the entire walls dark which I don’t recommend in this instance – consider painting the fascia and vertical timber above and below the windows – Resene Ironsand. For balance I feel the block walls and soffit need to be one colour (otherwise the soffit become a highlighted feature) and less of a contrast to the fascia and windows – consider Resene Double Sea Fog or Resene Triple Sea Fog. Feb 2023 |
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Q. We would like to paint the exterior of our villa in Resene Quarter Gravel. We were thinking of using Resene Black White for the windows etc and a grey roof. Can you provide advice about the most complementary white and also a colour for roof (that is available as COLORSTEEL®) to use? A. COLORSTEEL® Gull Grey will work well for a villa roof and to pair with Resene Quarter Gravel. Resene Black White is perfect for the windows, trims etc. Feb 2023 |
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Q. We have the colour Resene Corkscrew in our living/kitchen areas and Hallway. We would like a lighter tone, that would also go with our kitchen cupboards, which are Melteca Diesel. A. Resene Half Truffle, Resene White Pointer or Resene Quarter White Pointer may work for you. I recommend painting all three colours using Resene testpots onto A2 card (available at Resene ColorShops), using two coats, leaving a white border on all edges of the card, so the existing wall colour (Resene Corkscrew) is neutralised and attach to your walls, to see which tone and depth works in the space. Jan 2023 |
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Q. We have a beach holiday home and have just stripped the wallpaper in the two bathrooms/toilet. We would like advice on colour options. The Lino flooring will be pulled up at a later time and we won’t paint the rest of the interior for a few years yet as the house is rented. One bathroom is quite dark. A. Check out these coastal colours, which are light and breezy – choose at least three to test and see what works for the space – Resene Half Duck Egg Blue, Resene Slipstream, Resene Quarter Emerge, Resene Remember Me, Resene Merino, Resene Alabaster or Resene Elderflower.  Resene Elderflower  Resene Slipstream  Resene Remember Me Jan 2023 |
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Q. We are doing up an orchard house and sheds to accommodate our pickers. I am hoping to tie together the existing large two storey house with new buildings constructed out of COLORSTEEL® colour FlaxPod. The existing house is a mixture of Oamaru stone, creamish walls with reddish highlights. We have enclosed a large four bay garage and turned this into living area, and this adjoins a big implement shed. While not planning to paint the house this year, we will definitely give that a freshen up in the near future. We want to have a plan going forward that will tie all of the elements together – 1. We thought about painting the four bay garage area in a red/orange colour or highlights of, I have a swatch of Resene Hot August and half strength Resene Hot August but wasn’t sure if they had enough depth of colour. 2. We need to paint the implement shed to make it look like it is part of the complex. We thought maybe something to match the COLORSTEEL®, similar to FlaxPod. The architect has suggested a green colour Resene Contour which I am not so keen on. 3. There will be two further accommodation buildings added which will all be FlaxPod, so there is going to be quite a bit of the dark colour. I am interested in recommendations on what colour to paint the four-bay garage area, the large implement shed, and also to have a colour on stand by for the house when we get that far! A. I suggest you paint the implement shed and the four Bay garage area Resene Element – which is the Resene match to FlaxPod – so there are not too many colours being introduced – with a lighter colour on the house which sits well next to FlaxPod such as Resene Archive Grey, Resene Credence or Resene Copyrite – keeping in mind that colours lighten by up to 30% outside in bright natural light. The idea is to keep the utility areas as a colour which blends into the environment rather than highlighting one against the other. It is possible to inject a splash of colour on to the house and four bay garages (keeping Resene Element as the main colour for the shed) – I do suggest going with a more earthy colour, with depth, such as Resene Moccasin – these colours will appear brighter outside. Alternately – if you want the four bay garage area to be a different colour then see if Resene Cobblestone or Resene Castle Rock appeal.  Resene Credence Jan 2023 |
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Q. What is a good white paint for an older cottage, westerly facing with small windows (so not a lot of natural light)? I want to do the same colour on walls, trim and ceiling for ease too. Decor is more farmhouse cottage than contemporary too if that helps. Then to follow that, if we were to add feature colours, can you please give me recommendations for complementary colours to go with the suggested white please? A. A warm light white such as Resene Half Rice Cake which still has a little bit of depth and will pair well with greens, soft greys and wheaten yellows – try Resene Duck Egg Blue, Resene Rainee, Resene Spanish Green, Resene Open Sesame and Resene Santas Grey. Resene Open Sesame Jan 2023 |
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Q. We have been using Resene for generations and am considering it for yet another project. We have painted the majority of the exterior walls with Resene Half Mountain Mist and I am looking for a feature wall paint in darker grey. Unfortunately, we used Resene Half Tuna which has thrown a blue tint and needs to be changed. I am thinking either Resene Quarter Ironsand, Resene Half Grey Friars or Resene Quarter Fuscous Grey. A. Resene Quarter Fuscous Grey, Resene Half Fuscous Grey or Resene Fuscous Grey are worth considering – Resene Half Grey Friars may still be a bit blue for you and Resene Quarter Ironsand a bit brown. Also investigate Resene Baltic Sea or Resene Ship Grey. Jan 2023 |
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Q. We have a 1970 house with silver aluminium joinery. We want help with an external colour to match joinery in a light grey or other popular colour. A. With silver aluminium joinery grey tone neutrals do work best – check out Resene Iron, Resene Double Concrete, Resene Half Gull Grey or Resene Triple Sea Fog. I recommend testing the colours to view the different undertones with the joinery outside – it is best to paint two coats of Resene testpots on to A2 card (available at Resene ColorShops). Jan 2023 |
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Q. I am currently decorating a restroom. The walls are coloured Resene Rainee, while the toilet and vanity are white. The bulk of fixtures are composed of brushed brass. I am looking for a stain colour for the vanity door made of actual Tawa wood veneer, which is light coloured and has an oak-like grain pattern. A. It is difficult to advise a stain colour for timbers as they do appear different depending on what the timber is – however being a light timber, Resene ColorShops have samples instore of interior stains on pine which may give you a similar look when stained on to Tawa. I suggest you visit a local Resene ColorShop and have a look at the samples first and then purchase one or two colour samples that appeal. Try Resene Colorwood Ironbark or Resene Colorwood Whitewash. Jan 2023 |
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Q. Our walls are painted in Resene Robin Egg Blue. We have white drapes. I want to bring in other colour and texture with accessories – what colour would you recommend please? A. It really depends on what style or theme you are trying to create. If you take an A4 drawdown paint swatch of Resene Robin Egg Blue (available to be ordered from a Resene ColorShop or online, or paint a testpot on to A4 card – also available at Resene ColorShops), and take to various homewares stores, they will be able to show you accessories and soft furnishings which complement or contrast with Resene Robin Egg Blue. Colours which work well are deeper blues, deeper tones of greens, soft grey blues and pale terracotta’s – for inspiration look at the colours on The Range fashion colours – Resene Comfortably Numb, Resene Epic, Resene Baring Head, Resene Duck Egg Blue, Resene Awaken and Resene Deep Teal.  Resene Comfortably Numb Resene Baring Head  Resene Epic  Resene Awaken Jan 2023 |
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Q. We want to paint the exterior of our house in a muted grey green colour. I tried Resene Jurassic and it’s quite nice! But I’m unsure if it is my final choice. Is there anything you could suggest? A. You could try Resene Exactly from The Range fashion colours – it is a little deeper and slightly muddier, as colours do lighten and undertones may be enhanced in outside light. I suggest you investigate Resene CoolColour paint – basically this is where due to special pigment technology the harmful sun’s rays are reflected away from the substrate – reducing heat related issues which can come when using dark colours – talk to your local Resene ColorShop team to see if CoolColour paint is right for your project.  Resene Exactly Jan 2023 |
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Q. We have started to paint most of our house Resene Bianca, with white ceilings and window frames but wooden skirting and doors (mid colour wood). I thought about painting the kitchen and bathroom a pale blue or green, this would need to look OK with Resene Bianca and the kitchen is continuous with the dining area. The house is quite light. We will also get the kitchen cupboards resprayed – I would like a warmer cream that matches Resene Bianca and the green/blue OK. A. See if any of these colours appeal: For the creams try Resene Half Wheatfield, Resene Pearl Lusta or Resene Double Pearl Lusta. For greens and blues try Resene Halcyon, Resene Breeze, Resene Cut Glass, Resene Rainee, Resene Secrets or Resene Green Spring. I suggest you paint two coats of Resene testpots of at least three options onto A2 card (available at your Resene ColorShop) and attach to the walls. Jan 2023 |
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Q. I'd like advice on a paint colour for the wooden bargeboards and apex on a light grey asbestos tile (which I'm not going to paint) clad house in the Sounds. The window surrounds and attached carport will be in Resene Black White. The house is near the sea and in bush, so would be interested in a soft blue hue that would work with the existing grey cladding and window frames. A. See if any of these Resene colours work for you – some will appear slightly more grey than in reality as undertones of blue can be enhanced in outside light – I recommend you choose at least three that appeal to test, so you can see the effect – colours will appear lighter outside. Try Resene Half Gull Grey, Resene Gull Grey, Resene Half Dusted Blue, Resene Casper or Resene Spindle. Jan 2023 |
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Q. I want a more natural and homely feel in my large lounge. It gets a lot of sun during the day. It’s more of a feature wall that I want to do where the TV is? A. As the room is large and sunny – consider putting more depth on all walls – a slightly deeper shade will tie the room together, and help to cut light reflectance when watching TV – a feature wall is still an option if this is not a solution for you. Some options to consider are: all walls in Resene Sandspit Brown or Resene Foundation. Or the TV wall in Resene Double Duck Egg Blue with remaining walls in Resene Quarter Duck Egg Blue or (a look that will be fabulous for your room and in keeping with the natural theme is) Resene Vantage Point on the TV Wall and Resene Linen or Resene Hindsight on remaining walls – but with this option you may need to change your Roman Blinds.  Resene Double Duck Egg Blue Resene Foundation Resene Hindsight Resene Vantage Point Jan 2023 |
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Q. I just painted a sample of Resene Awash on my wall, but found it a bit bright and a dash too blue. What colour would have a touch more green in it and be more subdued? I prefer lighter than darker. A. See if any of these current, on trend colours work for you – they will look different in your space – due to lighting – undertones can be enhanced – Resene Juniper, Resene Ziggurat, Resene Sorrento, Resene Infused or Resene Upside. Test at least three so your eye can see the different undertones. Jan 2023 |
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Q. I would like to paint my front door yellow but there is such a range to choose from. My exterior is Resene Triple Sea Fog on the weatherboards and trim, with Resene Double Stack on the bottom foundations. Resene Double Stack also continues onto the steps leading up to the front door. The interior of the house has a coastal theme with blues and greys and light(ish) pine wood floor throughout. I’d like to introduce a few yellow decor components throughout the house, based on the front door colour, but wish to keep with the chilled coastal vibe. What yellows do you suggest? I’m drawn to sun kissed, starstruck and corn but wasn’t sure if these are a good match for the existing colours. A. A. Yellow is a great colour for a front door and to bring through in the interior via accessories and soft furnishings – you are on the right track with your tone, however, I have tweaked them slightly and chosen two yellows which may appeal from The Range fashion colours – try Resene Light Fantastic – a brighter yellow with depth and is a popular tone for front doors of grey homes – or for a more golden hue – Resene I Dare You. Paint A2 card (available at Resene ColorShops) with Resene testpots or order A4 drawdown paint swatches online or via your local Resene ColorShop – with both options, and take to homewares stores and see which you prefer to co-ordinate with – however – you can mix and match a bit – so if you choose the brighter cleaner option such as Resene Light Fantastic for your door – you can bring the golden hue into your home also. Jan 2023 |
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Q. Our roof is to be painted Resene Sandstone Grey. I have been really struggling to find a suitable neutral to go on the exterior walls. (I have collected too many testpots now!) I am going for a soft neutral look so want a good contrast but not something too dark. Our aluminium joinery is Resene Alabaster. A. I don’t recommend going too dark either – as your roof and windows are lighter tones – see if any of these appeal – Resene Concrete or Resene Double Concrete (if you prefer more contrast), Resene Truffle, Resene Half Ash or Resene Half Mountain Mist.  Resene Sandstone Grey Jan 2023 |
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Q. I am painting the exterior cladding of a single-storey house. It is mostly weatherboard, but at the front, there is a feature section of brick. I have decided on the colour of the weatherboards which is Resene Atmosphere, but need advice on possible colours for the brick. Also, any suggestions on the type of paint to use, to make it look ‘not-painted’? A. If you want the brick to look like it is not painted have you considered painting it the same colour as the weatherboards? This might modernise the overall appearance and particularly works for a single level house – alternately a deeper variant may appeal to you such as Resene Quarter Chicago or Resene Half Chicago. Resene Lumbersider Low Sheen is an exterior paint which is suitable for painting over bricks – painting with a low sheen will help disguise any defects and not highlight the area. You may need to seal the bricks first – your local Resene ColorShop can advise the right paints for this. Jan 2023 |
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Q. Is there a way to precisely colour match paint? If I were to bring in some existing dry paint, do you have the means of scanning it to match? A. Yes certainly you are welcome to take a dry paint sample into a Resene ColorShop and they will arrange a colour match for you. It helps if the sample is at least a 50c coin size or larger. For precise matching you may be required to leave it with them for a short time. Jan 2023 |
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Q. We have Resene Rice Cake in our kitchen and dining but want something different in the lounge. Do you have any recommendations? A. It does appear to be a low light room – with a lovely green outlook – why not bring the outdoors in with a green which has a slight brightness to it such as Resene Transcend from The Range fashion colour fandeck or a neutral that sits alongside Resene Rice Cake such as Resene Thorndon Cream, Resene Double Thorndon Cream or Resene Linen. When testing the colours – paint on to A2 card (available at Resene ColorShops), two coats, leaving a white border on all edges of the card – to neutralise the existing wall colour – and attach to the walls to view in different lights. Jan 2023 |
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Q. I have painted our beach house in Resene Cod Grey. The fences around the house are painted this colour too. What is the best colour to paint the roof? The house is a pretty ugly 1970s design. The joinery is brushed aluminium, and it has kwila coloured cladding in places and kwila decks that have been stained in Resene Kwila Timber Stain. We are having copper spouting. A. I suggest a lighter roof for a beach property – this will help with the reflection of light to help keep the house cooler – check out Resene Atmosphere on the Resene Roof Colour Systems chart – being a light grey it will also tie in with the joinery. Resene Cod Grey is a great complex deep grey and sits well with Resene Atmosphere. Jan 2023 |
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Q. Is Resene Triple Sea Fog suitable for harsh sun on the outside of a house? It won’t be too glary compared to lighter shades? Do you have a suggestion for the trims? Would Resene Half Sea Fog be the way to go? A. Resene Triple Sea Fog is suitable and won’t be too glary – it is very popular in this situation. Resene Half Sea Fog is perfect for the trims. Jan 2023 |
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Q. We are renovating our 1920s bungalow and have added a large (75sqm) open plan living area (kitchen, dining, lounge) with two large sliders so there is plenty of light. We also have skylights over the kitchen island. Our joinery is warm white pearl matt and we've colour matched this for frames around the windows and will probably use this for skirtings. Our kitchen (yet to be installed) is in Melteca Snowdrift satin and our benchtops and island is Quantum Quart concrete matte. I need help as to what colour to put on the walls and ceiling that will balance/blend with the kitchen and go nicely with the warm white windows? We also need to repaint the interior of the entire house, probably the same colour? Our external house is being done in Resene Lemon Grass (green/grey). A. To bridge the gap between the warm white joinery and the cooler tones of the kitchen I suggest you test Resene Quarter Rice Cake. Perhaps for the bedrooms you could bring in some lovely earthy tones to tie in the exterior colour – try Resene Linen, Resene Half Ash or Resene Secrets. Jan 2023 |
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Q. We are repainting our 60s weatherboard house. The roof and balustrade on deck is Resene Grey Friars. The walls are Resene Half Napa which we will retain. The base, concrete deck and stairs are Resene Pravda but we would like to go a little darker. Is Resene Double Pravda suitable – or is it too brown? It has to look good with both walls and balustrade but we don't want anything that is very dark. A. Resene Double Pravda may be too brown and date the overall appearance. Check out Resene Double Stack. Resene Half Napa does appear slightly grey on weatherboards and can work with other greys as long as the undertone is right – Resene Double Stack will pair with Resene Grey Friars well. Jan 2023 |
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Q. We have finally settled on Resene Quarter Ash to paint our internal walls. Can you suggest an appropriate colour for the ceilings, window trim, door trim and internal doors? A. Resene Quarter Ash is a beautiful neutral and fits in well with the current natural themes. Check out Resene Half Black White or for a softer alternative and less contrast have a look at Resene Quarter Merino or Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream if you want slight warmth to the scheme. Jan 2023 |
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Q. My house is Resene Half Stack Grey and has a white picket fence out the front. I have built some extra fencing at the back of the house which has a bush view and now I need to paint it. I don't want to do white as that will be too stark and make the fence a feature when I'd rather it just blend in and becomes ‘invisible’. I have done a coat of Resene Half Stack as I had some left over, but I feel like it's too light. I would love some recommendations to make the fence stand out less, while sticking to the general theme. A. Please note that two coats are recommended when testing a colour – as the colour will appear darker after the second coat – however, with your bush backdrop I do feel Resene Half Stack will be too light regardless. I feel you need a much deeper shade to make the fence disappear into the environment – see if any of these colours appeal – they will tone with Resene Half Stack – Resene Double Stack, Resene Half Shark or Resene Grey Friars. Jan 2023 |
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Q. I have decided I am painting all the interior walls in Resene Black White. My question is which neutral colour would suit to paint the interior doors/cupboards etc? Currently, they are the old wood look style doors that we would sand back and repaint. A. Resene Alabaster in a semi-gloss finish looks great with Resene Black White for a modern slight change of neutral from the walls. Jan 2023 |
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Q. By chance, do you have the RGB or Hex codes for Resene Eighth Baltic Sea. My client wants to use it on their front fence. A. The RGB and HEX of a colour can only be determined after the colour is made. So usually the physical colour would be made first then we could identify the RGB or HEX value from there – it is relatively easy to do that once the colour has been made as an actual colour as we can use the physical colour data read to determine the electronic colour info. Jan 2023 |
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Q. We are painting the exterior of our home, and installing new joinery. The home currently is bright white plaster and limestone brick, with green joinery. We are considering Matt FlaxPod for the new joinery, garage, and front door, but we are unsure about the exterior wall colour and brick. Would Resene Triple Sea fog be an option for the exterior wall colour and bricks, alongside matt FlaxPod joinery? Our interior is Resene Half White Pointer with Resene Alabaster trim and ceilings. A. Matt FlaxPod is going to make a huge improvement to the overall appearance of your house. Resene Triple Sea Fog is worth testing – I recommend testing these neutrals too, just to compare tones to see which actually sits better with the brick – they will all pair with FlaxPod – try Resene Triple Black White, Resene Double White Pointer, Resene Double Merino or Resene Quill Grey. Please test outside as colours do appear lighter and brighter in natural bright light. Jan 2023 |
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Q. What Resene colour do you recommend to get a colour like International orange? A. You could try Resene Daredevil, Resene Grenadier or Resene Kamikaze (deeper). Resene ColorShops have a stock library of A4 swatches – ask the staff to assist you with finding the above suggestions. The colours will appear brighter in natural light, so view the colours outside. Jan 2023 |
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Q. We have a beachside kiosk due for an exterior repaint. It's located in an affluent suburb. I am looking for a contemporary colour scheme that will not date quickly, and is sympathetic to its Edwardian character – by having a lighter colour for the main body of the building, and darker colour(s) for the trim. The building suffers from overheating, so light toned walls are preferred. A. I feel with the setting and suburb, and the fact that there are heat absorption issues, a softer palette will look stunning. Traditionally warm whites were used for the main body of the house in Edwardian times with darker greens or reds as accent colours. A blue green like above is a nice contrast for trims etc in a sea side setting. Or you could go for more of a traditional Edwardian green on trims, but I feel that is not necessary. For any dark accent colours you can opt to use Resene CoolColour paints, which is where the colour looks normal but thanks to special pigment technology it reflects more heat, so the substrate is exposed less to heat damage. Try Resene Elderflower for the main body, with Resene Atmosphere on the roof. For trims try these options: Resene Bali Hai, Resene Ziggurat, Resene Awash or the brighter, Resene Kumutoto. For a traditional green try Resene Aquamarine. Jan 2023 |
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Q. We are currently building a house and getting Rockcote installed. The plasterer has advised that he needs us to choose our paint colour for this. While he originally advised that most of his customers choose Resene Black White, we went and had a look at a few houses that were done in Resene Black White and feel like we want something whiter. A. All off whites/whites used outside will look brighter/whiter on a sunny day. The sun washes out the colour and makes it seem around 50% lighter in many cases. Lighter than Resene Black White are colours like very popular Resene Alabaster or you can use untinted Resene White. Resene Black White does come in lighter variations also. Most people do avoid very white whites as they can tend to be a little glary on very sunny days. I'd recommend you choose the darkest white you are comfortable with as this will look lighter on sunny days. You can also use a darker contrast colour on other surfaces which gives you a starker contrast and makes the white seem whiter also. Have you tried viewing a painted out testpot of Resene Black White held vertically outside on a sunny day to see how that looks? Or you could pop into your local Resene ColorShop and use their instore samples to compare the colour differences. It's best to hold the samples vertically as they can look quite different that way. Jan 2023 |
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