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 renovating our older style house and want to change the red bargeboards to another colour. The house is painted in Resene Karaka green and the new joinery will be FlaxPod. I have testpots in Resene Quarter Karaka and Resene Tuna, but I'm struggling to find the right colour to give it contrast, a visual lift and be visually pleasing. I also think that the front porch area could benefit from being a lighter colour than Resene Karaka as it's very dark being recessed between the two front rooms but do I introduce yet another colour? There are two outbuildings both painted the same, except one has white windows in it as well. Do I attempt to paint them or paint the balcony railing white to match them? A. I have looked at options from a white bargeboard to a colour which tones with Resene Karaka and FlaxPod – but to be completely honest – I suggest painting all the red bargeboards Resene Element – which is the Resene equivalent to FlaxPod. It ties in the joinery and it is a modern colour while complementing the house and buildings. Consider using a Resene CoolColour paint – this is where the colour looks ‘normal’ but due to clever pigment technology more of the sun’s energy is reflected away from the darker colour – which means less heat related issues and not having to repaint the bargeboards as often to keep them looking great! Talk to staff at your local Resene ColorShop to see if CoolColour paint is right for your project. I do suggest you paint the balcony railings white – this will look nice and it will balance the white windows. I don’t recommend introducing another colour but you could use a lighter variant – Resene Quarter Karaka in the recessed area. October 2022 |
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Q. We have decided to paint the ceiling, skirtings and architraves in Resene Quarter Bianca while the walls and the door will be in Resene Bianca. We are having light coloured carpets in the bedrooms and natural colour wooden oak flooring in the living. We are installing half high wall panels in the bedroom and thinking of painting these Resene Truffle or Resene Eighth Pravda. Does all the colours go well with each other? A. Yes all these colours do work together and will look lovely. Resene ColorShops have a colour library of A4 paint colour swatches – ask the staff to assist you in finding the Resene Truffle and Resene Eighth Pravda and compare which looks better with the Resene Bianca and Resene Quarter Bianca. You might also like to look at Resene Half Truffle, Resene Quarter Truffle or Resene Quarter Pravda. October 2022 |
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Q. Which do you think would be the best white to paint the VJ walls of my cottage when I am doing the trim of windows and doors in Resene Cooled Green from the Karen Walker Paints? The room gets adequate north facing light but is definitely not a room with an abundance of natural light. The current paint is too yellow/cream but I’m not sure a stark white would be best either? However something too warm won't go with the green trim. A. Check out Resene Wan White from the Karen Walker Paints collection – an umber white that is not too grey but has enough depth to counteract north light, or Resene Merino – an off white with a green oxide undertone which is warmer than most grey whites. There are lighter variants of these colours if you prefer something lighter. October 2022 |
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Q. I am looking at painting a house as a do up to sell. I am going to paint inside and out. I am wondering if a soft pale grey, e.g. Resene Concrete, would be appealing for the outside with perhaps Resene Alabaster windows. Then maybe Ironsand or Grey Friars for the roof and I’m not sure about the gable ends and base. A. I suggest Ironsand for the roof – seems a popular colour at the moment. The weatherboards I suggest a bit warmer than Resene Concrete – try Resene Quill Grey with Resene Alabaster windows and windowsills, plus the bargeboards, fascias and eaves. The green gable ends and the green base, plus the concrete porch and steps – I recommend Resene Half Ironsand. For your front door – I recommend painting one colour – Resene Alabaster. October 2022 |
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Q. We are painting our retro caravan with the following – off-white for walls and ceiling. Resene Explorer for cupboard doors but we can’t seem to coordinate another colour for trims etc. We have tried Resene Ashanti and some of our own mixes, but they don’t look right. A. I recommend painting A2 card, two coats with Resene testpots and attaching these to areas in the caravan to view. Check out Resene Transcend, Resene New Day, Resene Mystery or even a mild mustard such as Resene See The Light. October 2022 |
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Q. I am looking for a sage green type colour for exterior paint for the weatherboards on a new house. The roof is COLORSTEEL® Karaka and all window and door aluminium joinery is Warm White. I am trying to find a colour to tone in with this. A. Check out Resene Peace, Resene Field Day or Resene Paddock. October 2022 |
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Q. I am painting a dining/living room in our rumpty beachfront bach. I like Resene Zen, or something a bit lighter, but one wall meets the kitchen wall which is painted in Resene Ipanema (which I love) and they don't look good together. Can you identify an off-white or pale colour that will look right with Resene Ipanema and with the ocean, sky and dune grasses out of the window? And not be too cold. A. Check out Resene White Noise, which should work better with Resene Ipanema.  Resene White Noise October 2022 |
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Q. I have a Huntly brick home and am getting my roof repaired. What colour would you advise I paint it as I don't like the red it is. I currently have a blue front door but plan to change that colour as well so advice on that would be great. A. Check out Resene Half Tuna it is a stormy blue edged grey and will sit nicely with the brick, without being too dark. For the front door – have a look at some of the fashion colours on the latest Resene The Range fashion fandeck. I quite like blue for your front door – check out Resene Ocean Waves – this could look great in a Resene Enamacryl gloss finish.  Resene Ocean Waves October 2022 |
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Q. My kitchen cabinets are Resene Half Alabaster. What white would you paint the bulkheads and surrounding walls to make the cabinets really pop? A. Resene Black White has a slight hint of grey and will tie in with your window joinery – it also looks great with Resene Half Alabaster, and being slightly muted it will allow the Resene Half Alabaster to pop. October 2022 |
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Q. What colours go well with a bedroom that gets the afternoon sun and sunset? I’m hoping for not just white walls! We will probably paint the timber wardrobe too. A. These rooms suit mid-toned muted colours, creams, beige and taupe will feel warmer than white or cool toned colours, in the low light of the morning, and will glow in the afternoon sun and at sunset. Look at using colours such as Resene Half Fossil, Resene Perfect Taupe or Resene Eighth Malta. October 2022 |
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Q. We have a bach in the coromandel (old 70s which we are wanting to modernise). The rooms we are starting with are on the south side so quite dark. We have used the colour Resene Black White for the ceilings at home and love the colour. We are just stuck on what colour to paint the walls. Which white would you recommend from the whites and neutrals chart to go with Resene Black White ceiling? Or can you paint the walls and ceiling the same colour? A. Yes you can paint the walls and ceiling the same colour – this looks good with Resene Black White and is currently trending. As the rooms are on the south side, I suggest you bring in some warmth through accessories and soft furnishings – look to the latest Resene The Range fashion colours for inspiration on what warm colours are trending, depending on what style you are creating. If coastal, then bring in warm timber or rattan, pale terracotta such as Resene Awaken or Resene Dawn Glow, and lots of texture in natural colours. Or if you like green and blues – look to the muted warmer tones, rather than clear and bright, such as Resene Upside or Resene Unite. You can have lots of fun decorating a 1970s bach! October 2022 |
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Q. I have renovated my home, open plan with all new plasterboard. The aluminium joinery is COLORSTEEL® Desert Sand. Can you suggest a white/cream that will complement this colour? A. Flooring and any accent/fixed colours will play a part in how any neutral appears on the renovated walls – but to start, and to pair with Resene Desert Sand, check out Resene Albescent White, Resene Half Albescent White, Resene Quarter Albescent White or Resene Eighth Drought. You might like to use a combination of two or three of the above colours – perhaps Resene Half Albescent White or Resene Quarter Albescent White for warmer brighter areas and Resene Eighth Drought for bedrooms. October 2022 |
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Q. We are building a new home. It will be an ehaus in a rural location with a (minimal!) view of the sea. We've been told to keep the colours of the exterior relatively light so as not to disrupt the performance of the ehaus. Our joinery is going to be white (and quite a decent width, so is a feature of sorts). We are thinking of a grey COLORSTEEL® roof (perhaps Sandstone or Gull Grey) with a lighter grey colour on the walls to contrast subtly with the white joinery. I have some concerns that a lot of 'light' grey might look tacky, but I suppose it depends on the contrast. The home is T shaped, relatively large and only one level, with a gabled roof. There is also exterior feature Hardiplank, which we are either looking at with a wood effect in a dark/chocolate blue based brown, or a non-wood effect in a blue such as Resene New Denim Blue – or another colour that would accent the house colours well. A. Before I can really recommend exterior colours for your new build – you need to decide what direction you want to go in – starting with the roof – Gull Grey and Sandstone Grey are completely different greys – one on the cool spectrum and one on the warm. From what you are looking at for the Hardiplank features – undertones of blue – I suggest Gull Grey might work better for you. I don’t believe a light grey will look tacky as you are not looking at a solid colour of grey – the architectural structure is T shaped and then you have the added texture of the Hardiplank and the large amount of white. Perhaps try to think of it that way – as an overall effect and choosing a colour that suits the environment and cladding. Gull Grey is at home in beach environments, and can suit earth tones – so coastal/rural, it sits well with deeper greys and lighter grey/whites and blues. I would tend to pair it with Resene New Denim Blue for the accent, with the lighter walls and roof – to create some visual contrast. Exterior wall colours to consider are: Resene Mystic, Resene Mountain Mist, Resene Quarter Silver Chalice or Resene Triple Sea Fog. October 2022 |
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Q. We have an existing 5 year old barn that is ply painted in Resene Grey Friars and has Titania coloured aluminium joinery plus some very old wooden French doors painted white. The roofing is Gull Grey COLORSTEEL®. This all sits well together but we feel the Grey Friars is too blue toned. We also have used an Ironsand colour in cladding a 30sqm shed. This has quite the brown tone to it! We are planning a new build in ply and batten that sits quite close to both and are worried it would look too brown in Ironsand. We would keep Gull Grey perhaps but what other Resene colour would suit. A. As the barn needs a repaint then I recommend painting the new build and the ply of the barn the same colour, and leaving the Ironsand shed a separate identity. This is quite common with numerous buildings – the shed can be different than the main buildings and it creates cohesion having similar substrates (ply, board and batten) the same colour – otherwise you are bringing in a third building in yet another colour. I recommend staying with the same roof colour – Gull Grey. If repainting the French doors then look at a softer white such as Resene Wan White. I suggest Titania for the new build joinery. Wall colours to consider – which will sit next to the Ironsand and pair with Titania and Gull Grey are: Resene Fuscous Grey, Resene Quarter Gravel, Resene Gauntlet, Resene Foggy Grey or Resene Lattitude. October 2022 |
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Q. We want to repaint the exterior of our house and we were hoping you could give us some advice on colour schemes. We’ve chosen two Resene colours we like which are Resene Triple Truffle and Resene Ironsand. We have just recently had a new roof put on and the colour is Ironsand. We are thinking of painting the bricks in the front of the house in Resene Ironsand and the rest of the house Resene Triple Truffle. We are thinking we would like to limit the house colours to just two colours. We are not sure if we should paint garage door and front door in Ironsand also. I don’t want to make the triangles at the top of the house into a feature so thought we would paint those parts Resene Triple Truffle also. We’re looking for fresh, modern ideas. A. Resene Triple Truffle and Resene Ironsand are perfect for your house. I recommend keeping the bargeboards, fascias and eaves white – the gable ends (triangles) and the base (presently red brown) plus the red/brown side wall to entrance, try Resene Triple Truffle. The garage door I suggest Ironsand – it is not a feature. Ironsand is an option for the front door, or you could opt for some colour on the door (keeping the frames white) – check out Resene Time Traveller, Resene Unite or Resene Rudolph for inspiration. October 2022 |
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Q. We are building a new house which has the roof and joinery all Grey Friars. We are looking at Grey Friars for the Linea weatherboards as well and are looking at a lighter colour to complement this on all of the plastered flat walls. A. Sharp accents look good when a new build has most finishes in Grey Friars. When looking at the recommendations please be aware that colours including whites and greys will lighten and brighten by approx 30% outside in natural light. Try Resene Black White, Resene Double Black White, Resene Double Concrete or Resene Triple Concrete. October 2022 |
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Q. I want to paint my 9 year old son’s room a warm neutral shade. It is on the colder side of the house, getting only a little morning sun. The windows and trims are Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream. I was looking at Resene White Pointer as an option – or maybe Resene Double White Pointer? Would these go with the window colour? Or are there any other warm neutrals you can suggest? They don’t have to be white based. A. Resene White Pointer although a slightly warmer grey – is still going to feel a bit cold in the afternoons and possibly dull – plus it isn’t the best match with Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream. A bit more depth of colour is good for these types of bedrooms – check out Resene Quarter Truffle, Resene Half Truffle or Resene Quarter Fossil. October 2022 |
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Q. We have a COLORSTEEL® Titania house with Ironsand aluminium joinery and are building a pergola with an outside kitchen and entertainment area. I made the mistake before in another area of painting the pergola Ironsand and would like this area to be lighter and brighter but I’m unsure if white would work with the Titania. What do you think? I am thinking a white benchtop and island benchtop and maybe oak backing or a concrete colour. The floor will be black marine carpet for part of it and concrete tiles in front of fireplace and through the galley kitchen it will be timber decking. I need help with that colour too. A. The following colours are lighter and brighter than Titania and may work for you – try Resene Half Titania, Resene Whitewater, Resene Quarter Ash or Resene Double Sea Fog. My first instinct is to paint the pergola, walls and cabinetry the same colour for continuity of structure – plus the cabinetry then becomes part of the wall so to speak, rather than a feature. The island backing might look fab in a concrete effect with the black marine carpet, the oak could then be on the galley floor. October 2022 |
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Q. We are painting our 1950s weatherboard house Resene Pearl Lusta with an Ironsand roof. What would be a good trim colour for window sills and doors, I thought maybe Resene Oilskin? A. Resene Oilskin is an option – I suggest testing the colours first – also check out Resene Outlaw, Resene Thunder Road or Resene Lignite. October 2022 |
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Q. Painting exterior of home That is mainly brick (1980s golden). We have painted the interior in Resene Double Sea Fog and have new exterior paving which is light grey and black pergola. We want to paint the exterior with Resene Double Sea Fog and then a darker trim, gutters, front door and garage door. What grey would suit? I thought perhaps Resene Baltic Sea but am open to any grey that co-ordinates with Resene Sea Fog and is smart and modern. A. Yes Resene Baltic Sea pairs well with Resene Double Sea Fog. It does depend on the brick colour – but you could also look at slightly softer tones – Resene Quarter Fuscous Grey from the Karen Walker Paints collection or Resene Quarter Baltic Sea. October 2022 |
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Q. We are looking at repainting the middle section of our home. We want to modernise it and find a complementary colour to the blue on the lower and roofing, which I believe is New Denim Blue. I have just done some paint swatches with Resene Rakaia and Resene Half Rakaia. A. Check out Resene Iron, Resene Half Grey Chateau or Resene Surrender – all are lovely on weatherboards. I suggest painting the garage doors into the base colour – so New Denim Blue and the concrete steps into the new wall colour. The eaves and fascias will look good painted Resene White to match the windows. October 2022 |
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Q. I need to choose a colour for broad soffits extending a flat roof over deck. The internal ceilings are pine ply. The exterior cladding is Titania. I wondered, firstly about having Resene Oscar or Resene Champagne to appear to extend the ceilings to the limits of the roof, or, secondly – if I should have a plain soffit – what is a light complementary colour to Titania? A. The second option will possibly work out better for you – see if any of these colours appeal: Resene Half Titania, Resene Whitewater, Resene Quarter Ash or Resene Sea Fog. October 2022 |
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Q. We're currently doing a full renovation of our Queenslander home and deciding on the colours for the exterior. I love the colours of Abbey Lang's Roseberry Villa home – Resene Triple White Pointer weatherboards, Resene Alabaster trims and Resene Windswept front door. I need to select our roof, gutter and garage door and am using COLORBOND® and would love some help! Would Surfmist gutter and garage door work with a Shale Grey roof? Or would you suggest something else? A. The paint combination is gorgeous, however, Surfmist and Shale Grey don’t sit that well with Resene Triple White Pointer on the weatherboards or the brighter Resene Alabaster trims. I recommend matching the roof with Resene Windswept – this is called TernStyle in COLORSTEEL® (not too dark once on roof) and gutters and garage doors in a white close to Resene Alabaster – ask your COLORBOND® supplier to advise which colours are the closest. October 2022 |
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Q. For our new house build we have selected Resene Half Surrender as the base colour for walls and Resene Sea Fog for ceiling and architraves. Other accent colours in the house are Resene Armadillo for the barn door and one accent wall and Resene Inside Back for the other three walls in the lounge. All rooms will have Resene Half Surrender or a similar grey. Could you please suggest which colour will suit more for the internal doors and wardrobe doors? We have looked at Resene Double Stack or Resene Sea Fog. A. I suggest Resene Stack – (more neutral than Resene Double Stack) or Resene Sea Fog. It depends on whether you want the doors to be highlighted or blend. Consider how many doors will be this colour and where they are mostly located – for example a long hallway with lots of doors painted white is not always the best option – however, if the space is modern or it has ornate features like a villa then this can work well. October 2022 |
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Q. I am building a new house. Our kitchen is a laminate concrete look bench and we have Warm White as cupboard fronts. The house is north facing. I am looking at Resene Sea Fog for walls or Resene Poured Milk – is this a good choice. We are also looking for a white for the eaves. Our roof is black and the exterior is black brick. A. Resene Sea Fog might work as a bridge between the cooler concrete look bench and Warm White cabinetry as Resene Sea Fog tends to be warm or cool depending on what it is put with. The slight hint of grey will counteract the north aspect light. Resene Poured Milk will possibly be too cool and clean with the cabinetry. Resene ColorShops have a colour library of A4 paint samples – take your kitchen samples with you and ask the staff to assist you in finding the samples of Resene Sea Fog and Resene Poured Milk – if you place the kitchen colours on to the A4 samples you will see the difference. You might also like to check out Resene Double Alabaster or Resene Quarter Rice Cake – two totally different tones which will allow your eye to pick up the undertones of the kitchen. Resene Black White is a good option for the exterior eaves.  Resene Poured Milk October 2022 |
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Q. We are painting our house interior. Our rooms are very spacious but in a few areas natural light is not great. I would like to go for a grey/white colour but nothing too cold feeling. I like Resene White Pointer and Resene Double Sea Fog. How would you describe the difference in these two colours? I’m also unsure about what white to paint the ceilings, doors and trims etc. Would you generally use the same shade of white to do all those? A. Resene White Pointer is a little warmer (more of a grey/taupe) than Resene Double Sea Fog, so it is a better choice for low light rooms. You might also consider an even warmer tone to counteract cool light in bedrooms where both colours may feel a bit grey/cold. My suggestion is Resene White Pointer for living areas etc and Resene Quarter Truffle for bedrooms. Ceilings, trims and doors are trending to be the same colour as the walls – incorporating different sheen levels – low sheen for walls, flat for ceilings, semi-gloss for doors and trims – this creates an upmarket, modern appearance however, Resene White Pointer or Resene Double Sea Fog can look a little grey on ceilings. Whites and neutrals shadow due to the angle of light on ceilings – you might like to go one or two lighter tones instead. Try Resene Quarter White Pointer or Resene Half Sea Fog if you decide to go with this colour. If you choose Resene Quarter Truffle for the bedrooms – I suggest continuing with Resene White Pointer for the doors and trims and Resene Quarter White Pointer for the ceilings – for consistency. October 2022 |
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Q. We are looking at either Resene Ash or Resene Half Delta for our house exterior. Our garage door is Ironsand and our aluminium joinery is French Grey (it’s a green tone). Do you think either Resene Ash or Resene Half Delta will go with these colours and what colour would you suggest we use for the pergola – perhaps Resene Grey Friars? Or something quite different. We are open to suggestions but want to stay in the smoky grey type colours (whether that be a blue grey or green grey). A. Resene Half Delta may look really nice – Resene Ash might look a little yellow next to the French Grey. Grey Friars is bringing in another tone – grey/greens will pair better. It’s best not to go too dark or the pergola will dominate – check out Resene Half Gravel or Resene Gravel. October 2022 |
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Q. Our roof, joinery, garage door etc are painted in Ironsand. We want to repaint the front door (not yellow!). A. See if any of these appeal. For the ones that do, paint samples on to A2 card, two coats (available at Resene ColorShops) and attach to your door to choose your favourite. Try Resene Dark Web, Resene Porter, Resene Night Magic, Resene Savour, Resene Aroha, Resene Tic Tac Toe, Resene Tenor or Resene Eighth Masala.  Resene Tic Tac Toe  Resene Tenor  Resene Porter  Resene Dark Web  Resene Night Magic October 2022 |
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Q. Can you please recommend some colours that would suit the exterior of my house. The roof is Rivergum and the windows are white. It is in a rural setting in Canterbury. A. See if any of these colours appeal – Resene Terrain, Resene Half Copyrite, Resene Green Spring or Resene Ash. October 2022 |
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Q. We have a home currently with Titania roof and we think the current exterior weatherboard painted in Ironsand. We want to repaint in a neutral grey tone. Any advice on what would suit with the Titania roof? A. Certain tones of grey work with Titania. Colours will lighten outside in natural bright light and the true appearance may change if you paint straight on to an existing colour – paint these recommendations on to A2 card, two coats (available at Resene ColorShops) and attach to the house – choose a few so that you can compare tones. Try Resene Atmosphere, Resene Scarpa Flow, Resene Half Baltic Sea, Resene Quarter Fuscous Grey or Resene Half Shark. October 2022 |
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Q. We are looking at either Resene Liberty for our bedroom but worried it could be too dark especially with plywood ceiling wood trims and dark brown doors. What do you think? Or is there something lighter? Maybe Resene Dusted Blue? A. You are definitely on the right track – the tone of blue you like works wonderfully with the timber. I suggest investigating blues a bit softer than ‘liberty’ such as Resene Seachange, Resene Lazy River or Resene Wayfarer. October 2022 |
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Q. We are looking to paint the exterior of our house, which is currently a pinky colour! We are completely open to suggestions re colours. We are keen to make it more modern looking, but are not sure if we should go dark or keep it light! The roof is a green/grey and the windows are white aluminium. A. I feel a mid-toned or lighter colour will suit the expanse of your house and the white joinery. A darker colour will only draw the eye to the windows. Try Resene Castle Rock, Resene Copyrite, Resene Quarter Pravda or Resene Half Delta. October 2022 |
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Q. My 70s cedar small house has or will have Resene Foundry coloured barge boards and gutters. The wall area on the south side painted in Resene Foundry looks great. I’m up on a hill and do not see the roof. It’s in a bush setting with old style bronze aluminium windows. I also have really nice style wooden windows that I would like a colour to match to a similar colour bronze. I am looking for a muddied up green medium strength colour for the east and west sides that get a lot of sun in Queensland. I don’t want paint it all in Resene Foundry. It can take some colour and I like colour, I’m happy to be a little different. A. Resene Lignite or Resene Half Ironsand are worth testing to match your bronze aluminium windows. Muddy green based colours which will pair with the windows and Resene Foundry are: Resene Cobblestone, Resene Raptor, Resene Off The Grid or Resene Vantage Point.  Resene Vantage Point  Resene Off The Grid October 2022 |
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Q. What colour best suits a red slate roof please? A. Earthy beiges, browns and neutrals with a hint of green can all look good with red slate roofs – such as Resene Helix, Resene Nomad, Resene Akaroa, Resene Double Tea, Resene Cobblestone or Resene Terrain. October 2022 |
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Q. I have a 1980s house with brown aluminium joinery. I want to paint the interior of my home to modernise it and ideally in light colours. I am asking for advice as to what colours would work on sills and walls while retaining the old fashioned brown joinery. I hope to use the same colour scheme throughout house. The interior doors and skirtings are all brown. I want to change the colour of these to co-ordinate with the wall colours. The carpet will be replaced throughout so that is not going to influence the colour choices. I have been an avid user of Resene SpaceCote for many years when doing renovations. A. For your doors – you need to consider whether you want them to be a feature. I am picking you don’t, and although they have been brown (varnished timber?) I recommend going a shade darker than the walls – so you don’t end up with an expanse of white doors which the eye is drawn to. Typically 1980s homes have quite a few doors – especially in the hallway. There is an option to paint them the same as the ceilings – it is personal choice, so paint out A2 card, two coats (available at Resene ColorShops) of any combinations which appeal, and attach to the doors and walls, to see which colours work for you. For the sills I have suggested keeping them the same colour as the walls – so the bronze is not popping to the eye – as it will be if they are painted white/off white, for example. When choosing carpet have a look for a grey with a brown undertone – flooring stores will be able to guide you to this type of colour – not too dark. Aim for a mid-range option. Resene Lustacryl – semi gloss – is generally recommended for sills, trims and doors – creating a contrast with sheen levels, creates a little bit more interest with neutral colour schemes. I have included a deeper shade to each combo for the doors: Option 1: walls, sills and trims in Resene Half Truffle with Resene Black White ceiling and doors in Resene Truffle. Option 2: walls, sills and trims in Resene Eighth Pravda with Resene Alabaster ceiling and doors in Resene Quarter Pravda. Option 3: walls, sills and trims in Resene Quarter Tea with Resene Alabaster ceiling and doors in Resene Half Tea or Resene Tea. Option 4: walls, sills, trims and ceilings in Resene Quarter White Pointer with Resene White Pointer doors. September 2022 |
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Q. We are looking at painting our home a new colour. It is an old heritage building in Braidwood NSW so we have to be mindful of council approval. We like Resene Hermitage or Resene Coriander. We like the Resene Coriander the most but some people think this isn’t a good fit. While Resene Hermitage is more popular I feel is a little too safe or common. We want something different to the ‘in’ greys or cappuccino colours popular at the moment as everything in town is being painted these colours. Something with a little more colour but not to grating on the eye. Would you have some further suggestions on a new colour for our home? A. Muted colours are the way to go. See if any of these appeal: Resene Eau De Nil (‘water of the Nile’ popular in the 1800s) looks fabulous on weatherboards. Or Resene Pewter. This has a bit more colour than Resene Eau De Nil. Resene Pewter is originally on the British standard 2660 Range an early colour selection from 1955 and has been reproduced onto the current Resene Multi Finish Range, Palette R39 – I have seen this on a two storeyed villa in Auckland and it looked grand. Or try Resene Half Dusted Blue which is the blue version of Resene Eau De Nil – a powdery blue with a slight warm undertone – it is from a recent fandeck – but a similar colour called Resene Heather is on the British Standard 2660 Range – a Resene ColorShop may be able to assist you in obtaining a sample of Heather – it is slightly bluer than Resene Half Dusted Blue, if it appeals. For these reasons and the style of your house I have recommended the above hues. Please note that the undertones of colours will be enhanced in bright light and look greyer in shadow – colours also tend to lighten, up to 30% outside, in natural light. September 2022 |
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Q. I have a cream coloured stone styled house and a weathered fence I want to paint that surrounds the house on three sides. What colour should I use? A. Fences should have a connection to their surroundings and the house. You might like to try Resene Grey Area, Resene Courtyard or Resene Foggy Grey depending on other colours existing on the house. September 2022 |
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Q. We are planning on painting the exterior of our one storey home. The house was built in the 1990s and I am wondering if I can update the 'apricot' look in both bricks and roof tiles. I am thinking that by painting either the roof tiles or maybe the bricks a different colour, I would achieve a more contemporary look. I have no idea if painting the bricks is a good idea though. We would aim to paint the walls of the house and also the walls around the property in a similar neutral tone to now. A. Painting the bricks will really modernise your home. Plus it creates relief from the roof to the pavers – the following colours listed below, will pair with the roof, windows, gutters and plaster. Colours do lighten outside, so test them first – but not directly on the bricks as these may need to be sealed first – speak to your local Resene ColorShop staff about prep and application. Try Resene Double Akaroa, Resene Double Sisal, Resene Triple Tea or Resene Half Stonewall. September 2022 |
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Q. I’m planning an exterior paint job on a new home. I am thinking of going with Resene Bokara Grey with Resene Black White for the trim. For the roof, I’d like to go silver or grey. A. Have a look at Resene Sword or Resene Mid Grey on the Resene Roof Chart – if you do go with a metallic which is the silver – the best result is if it is sprayed. September 2022 |
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Q. I recently had a deck and screen built with pine. I don't want to paint or stain the decking but think I do want to paint/stain the screen and balustrades. I also want to paint the garage doors and surrounds, gable ends, soffit, concrete block and downstairs screens (currently green). The brickwork will not be painted. I am thinking Resene Half Baltic Sea or Resene Chicago for the garage doors and surrounds, tops of windows, gables and concrete block. The soffit and downpipes in Resene Half Concrete or Resene Concrete. The balustrades, new screen and bottom screen either painted in Resene Stack, Resene Concrete or Resene Half Concrete or the same as the front in Resene Chicago or Resene Half Baltic Sea or would you recommend a woodsman waterborne stain in Resene Bleached Riverstone, maybe? Or leaving the timber to silver off? My concerns are that there are too many colours and materials, so I’m trying to tie it all in to look more cohesive and seamless. I am trying to make the hideous brown joinery blend! The downstairs screen, if painted Resene Chicago or Resene Half Baltic Sea may darken the space too much, especially with the block work painted. I don't want any blue or green hues in my greys! But I don't want it to look like a battleship either!! A. Yes there were definitely a lot of materials used back in the day. I feel the colours you are looking at don’t quite complement the brick which is the main body of colour or the joinery. Leaving the pine deck natural is great – it will be a bit of a feature and it will look great with darker balustrades to really make it pop! You can finish it in Resene Natural. I recommend using slightly warmer and softer colours, with less contrast than what you have now (green and white) this alone will make a huge impact. A lighter colour could work for the blockwork, garage surrounds, above windows and downstairs screens and beams – the soffit could be the same colour – but you can bring in the lightest tone which allows plenty of light into the windows. This is why eaves were always painted white – it is not bringing in another colour because it will be in the same family as the blockwork etc. Try Resene Double Truffle and Quarter Truffle for the soffit. For the bargeboards, gutters and fascias, downpipes, new screens and balustrades, gable ends and garage doors try Resene Eighth Ironsand. Alternatively try the combination of Resene Half Masala, Resene Half Napa and Resene Eighth Tea. It is good to have two palettes to compare tones – I recommend painting testpots onto A2 card, leaving a white border on all edges of the card, and attaching this to your house to see what you like best. That way no existing colours will influence the way the colours appear that you are testing.  Resene Eighth Ironsand September 2022 |
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Q. We just brought a new house and want to modernise it. It is currently a dark brown which we hate. The windows are Palladium Silver and the roof is being replaced and will be FlaxPod. We are going back and forth between going light or dark. I'm leaning to light for maintenance and longevity but am worried it will clash with the windows. We are currently looking at Resene Half Grey Chateau but are wondering if you had any other suggestions. A. Is it the dark colour or the brown tone you don’t really like? Changing to a different tone, such as browns to greys, and a new modern roof colour, will make a huge impact. I suggest a mid-toned grey – not too dark, but not as pale as Resene Half Grey Chateau. Colours lighten outside in bright light up to 30% so consider this when looking at them. If you are concerned about the longevity and maintenance – Resene have CoolColour paints which help to reflect more of the sun’s harmful rays away from the substrate. Talk to your local Resene ColorShop team for more information on CoolColours. Try Resene Scarpa Flow, Resene Half Scarpa Flow, Resene Trojan, Resene Double Silver Chalice or Resene Archive Grey. If you want to try the Resene Grey Chateau family I suggest full strength Resene Grey Chateau.  Resene Double Silver Chalice September 2022 |
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Q. We are in the process of having our house built and a section of the front of our house will be using the Resene Forester Jarrah Tree colour to have a wood stain effect. Since this will be the front of our house we will need it to co-ordinate our garage door and front door. We were looking at the colour Scoria for our garage door. Would you please be able to confirm if the Resene Jarrah Tree colour will be a very close match to Scoria? A. Scoria is a good garage door colour as an option, being a brown based red, but it won’t be an exact match. You will see a difference between the two colours. The best idea is to test out the combination. September 2022 |
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Q. I have a modern house with lots of north facing big windows. It's open plan with plywood flooring which are very yellow. For these rooms I can't decide on which white to use or whether to use Resene Duck Egg Blue. The back half of the house (bedrooms) is south facing and these rooms are very dark, can you also suggest a colour for these? The trim on all the windows is light timber. I'm also open to any other suggestions you might have. I love Resene paint and have used it before. I have a terrible reaction to VOCs, so finding Resene was a lifesaver! A. We’re delighted you have enjoyed using the Resene no added VOC and low VOC paints. To minimise the north light and ply floors, plus to simplify this area I recommend a white such as Resene Rice Cake which has a subtle grey edge which helps to minimise the effect of the yellow or you could investigate Resene Merino – a bit cooler. A true white or cool toned white won’t do the characteristics of your home any justice. For the bedrooms, try Resene Duck Egg Blue or Resene Half Duck Egg Blue as it has a hint of soft, warmth to it. For the master bedroom to bring life and warmth to the room and to enhance the gorgeous ornate headboard, you might consider Resene Despacito or Resene Soulful.  Resene Despacito  Resene Soulful September 2022 |
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Q. We are getting our kitchen cabinetry painted. The adjoining walls will be painted Resene White Pointer. Can you please suggest white or neutral colours to use on the kitchen cupboards doors etc. to make it the kitchen appear lighter? A. You might like to consider these neutrals: Resene Half White Pointer, Resene Wan White, Resene Truffle, Resene Double Truffle or Resene Quarter Pravda. September 2022 |
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Q. I'm a single senior living in Christchurch. My living dining area is open plan and is about 4 metres wide. East-west there is a two seater on one side, TV on the other. North-south there are two chairs either side each with a small coffee table (very conservative). I've just bought a nice rug that is 1.6 metres x 2.3 metres. I cannot decide if it looks best running lengthwise between, but out from, the sofa and TV or if it should run parallel and just out from the sofa. Would you have an expert on staff who would be kind enough to give an older man their opinion? A. Accent rugs are for anchoring furniture, so in a living room ideally the rug should extend under all the key pieces of furniture in the room – that is sofa, chairs and coffee table. If this isn’t possible, do not worry as it is a very common dilemma! It is okay to have the front legs of the main furniture on the rug and back legs off. The extended rug under the pieces of furniture, should be as equal as possible so it looks balanced. Quite often this will determine which way the rug runs. If the rug isn’t large enough then place it as close as possible to your sofa legs and run it slightly under your chair legs. But by your dimensions it should be big enough – to me it sounds like it will be running parallel regardless. September 2022 |
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Q. Please advise on the best COLORSTEEL® white match to go with Resene Double Merino. This is for window/door flashings, where Resene Double Merino is the main cladding colour, and Resene Dark Side is being used as an accent. I am thinking that Titania may be best, as it has a 'creamier' hue to it and the Resene Cloud looks a bit too stark, but your advice would be very helpful. A. Yes I agree – Titania is possibly the best match – both Resene Double Merino and Titania have a soft green oxide undertone. Titania is a wee bit deeper and slightly greener, but this won’t be so evident in natural bright light – plus hopefully the blue – Resene Dark Side – will counteract this light a bit. September 2022 |
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Q. I'm about to paint the walls of a small, west facing house, which isn't getting much direct light. I'm trying to find the brightest warm white to achieve a modern yet warm feeling. What would be your recommendation? Maybe Resene Eighth Villa White, Resene Eighth Bianca, Resene Eighth Rice Cake or Resene Eighth Black White? Should I use one white for all rooms or is it better to use a darker/lighter version for sunnier/darker rooms? A. Resene Bianca is a light, warm off white which gives a fresh, clean appearance for houses which don’t receive a lot of natural light. I recommend for the rooms which receive the most light – Resene Quarter Bianca; and for the colder rooms – Resene Half Bianca. Resene Eighth Bianca is great for ceilings and trims. If you want to use Resene Eighth Bianca for the walls – then pair it with Resene Quarter Bianca for the south and east facing rooms. Accessorise with colourful accents and mirrors help to emit light around a room. September 2022 |
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Q. We have Resene Half Wheatfield on the trims, ceiling and skirting boards and Resene Sisal on the walls . We want to lighten the walls without changing the Resene Half Wheatfield. A. Resene Rice Cake or Resene Half Bianca will lighten and brighten the walls and either pairs well with Resene Half Wheatfield. September 2022 |
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Q. I am trying to find a navy colour for my kitchen island. Resene Indian Ink is a touch too blue and Resene Cinder is too dark. Do you have any other colours that you could suggest that meet in the middle please? A. Try Resene Twilight Zone or Resene Blue Bark.  Resene Twilight Zone September 2022 |
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Q. We are looking to repaint the interior of our 1930s stucco home. We did all the trims – door and window frames and colonial bars a couple of years back in Resene Rice Cake. The walls are currently Resene Half Tea and we would like to brighten up the colour somewhat. What colours would you recommend to complement Resene Rice Cake trims? A. 1930s homes suit the tone of the Resene Rice Cake family really well. Lightening the walls will make a huge impact – I recommend painting the walls as a base colour – try Resene Half Rice Cake. The trims, which are usually significant in these homes, can be slightly darker to the walls – by not having too much contrast, however, it gives the illusion of flowing, open spaces. This allows you to bring in accents – whether that’s in bedding, accessories, art and soft furnishings or the odd room or wall painted, or even a ceiling. Accent colours which will work are: aquas such as Resene Kumutoto, muted pinks like Resene Wafer and warm greys such as Resene Friar Greystone. September 2022 |
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Q. We have Resene Half Tea walls and cupboards in our kitchen. The stone bench is white with flecks of light grey and dark grey. We want to warm it up a bit and would like to put copper pendants over the bench with maybe Resene Avocado on the walls. It’s a big open plan modern home and all our furniture is vintage/rustic so we need to warm the kitchen up to match as it looks cold. A. I recommend you compare at least two or three colours, including Resene Avocado, to compare tones in the space – paint on to A2 card using two coats of a Resene testpot, available at Resene ColorShops, leave a white border on all edges so colours adjacent don’t alter the perception of the colour you are looking at; and then move the card to different walls of the room. Try Resene Flax, Resene Bitter, Resene Siam, Resene Grey Olive or Resene Napa. September 2022 |
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Q. What colour of soft green you would recommend for an ancillary building in the bush (not rainforest) on a farm. The roof will be COLORBOND® Dune. Would something like Resene Ottoman, Resene New Leaf or Resene Rainee work? A. Try Resene Peace or Resene Green Spring – or you could paint the building Resene Settlement (a match to COLORBOND® Dune) and doors if needed in Resene Squall. I don’t recommend painting the entire building dark as this will only highlight the roof. My recommendation is to paint the whole building Resene Settlement – this will still fit in with a farm environment – the same reason you chose it for the roof. September 2022 |
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Q. I want to know what colour will complement Resene Half Tea for a feature wall? For my doors throughout my house what strength should I use – Resene Pearl Lusta or Resene Double Pearl Lusta? My ceiling/scotia/architraves are Resene Quarter Spanish White. A. Resene Half Tea sits well with other deeper neutrals such as Resene Colins Wicket, Resene Pale Oyster, Resene Soya Bean, Resene Triple Tea or Resene Rebel. For colour investigate Resene Pohutukawa, Resene Rivergum or Resene Bismark – but that will depend on your other furnishings. For your doors I find that Resene Quarter Spanish White likes to sit next to deeper variants, so I recommend Resene Half Spanish White for the doors. September 2022 |
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Q. I am painting my open plan living, dining, kitchen area and am looking for a warm neutral colour. My kitchen cabinetry is Resene Nomad so the wall colour would need to work with that. The windows are Resene Quarter Spanish White. The existing walls that I'm covering are Resene Nomad which is a bit dark so I want something much lighter. Do you think Resene Thorndon Cream would work with the existing cabinetry and window colours? I was thinking either Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream or Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream for the ceiling. My house is a 1930s bungalow and the room faces north. A. Resene Thorndon Cream is a good option for a north facing room as it has a hint of grey and green, and this counteracts the yellowing light of the north aspect. It will work with Resene Nomad and I recommend Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream for the ceiling. Bungalows tend to have distinct scotias and ceilings which Iend themselves to being brighter with lighter colours. However, I find Resene Quarter Spanish White works well with deeper variants. If you can I recommend painting the windows – Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream. Alternatively you could look at Resene Sugar Loaf for the walls with Resene Quarter Spanish White on the ceiling and windows or Resene Quarter Spanish White on the walls and windows. September 2022 |
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Q. We're renovating a former state house and would like to choose an exterior paint colour. The current exterior is a bright blue that's pretty close to French Pass/Charlotte, with grey and yellow trims and grey and peach foundations. We'd like to use Resene Grey Friars on the foundations and Resene Alabaster on the trims, but I'm stuck on an exterior colour for the weatherboards. Would something like Resene Half Kumutoto work on the exterior with Resene Grey Friars and Resene Alabaster, or is there another similar colour you could suggest? For the interior we are going with Resene White Pointer on the walls and Resene Alabaster for the trims – I’m not sure if that affects the exterior paint choice or not? A. I feel you may be disappointed with another clear blue for your weatherboards. Depending on which aspect your house faces – colours will brighten in natural sunlight, so please test the colours outside using Resene testpots before deciding. I recommend trying Resene Hermitage, Resene Ziggurat, Resene Sorrento, Resene Juniper, Resene Jet Stream or Resene Bluff. September 2022 |
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Q. Can you suggest a milky grey for exterior cladding (plaster over block) to go with Resene Bokara Grey and FlaxPod joinery. A. See if any of these appeal: Resene Quill Grey, Resene Half Mountain Mist, Resene Half Foggy Grey or Resene Quarter Foggy Grey. September 2022 |
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Q. We are currently planning our home in a semi-rural setting in Queenstown and looking for advice on exterior colours. Our resource consent only allows us to have an LRV of 30 or lower which I'm struggling with, though we may be allowed to go up to 35%. We have bevelback Linea and plaster. The roof and joinery will be FlaxPod. Our overall feel is classic and natural, nothing too striking or modern. So far we have picked Resene Greige for the plaster and Resene Dune for the weatherboards. Do you think these colours are complementary or is there any other combinations you would suggest? A. Yes the colours you have chosen will work together – Resene Dune is a fabulous colour and will work well. Consider pairing it with Resene Castle Rock – it is more of an olive/grey – more grey, not so brown as Resene Greige. That works really well as an exterior colour with Resene Dune and FlaxPod. September 2022 |
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Q. We have an Art Deco styled home. We have put a new roof in Ironsand, but are not sure what to paint the exterior of the house? We are north facing, so I’m guessing nothing too light as it will be very bright and glary? We have a concrete porch also. A. The rough cast concrete exteriors of Art Deco houses look good with today’s warm complex beiges that were also used in the era. Resene Grain Brown from the Karen Walker Paints collection looks good with Ironsand and white windows. Paint Resene Ironsand on any recessed detailing, railings and the top roof lintel. You could paint he concrete porch in Resene Eighth Masala to tone with the Ironsand. Alternatively, you can keep all the above recommendations but investigate for the walls: Resene Double Merino or Resene Quarter Heathered Grey from the Karen Walker Paints collection. September 2022 |
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Q. I want to paint our lounge a neutral colour. I think it is currently Resene Rice Cake but I would like to try something a bit different from an off-white like it is now (but not a cool white either). It is a small, modest 1950s weatherboard home and the lounge is NW facing with lots of windows. I really like colours like Resene Quarter Blanc, Resene Quarter Biscotti and Resene White Linen which are more on the pinky-beige side (I think!). However, our lounge does have some quite bright furnishings and I do like a bit of colour. I'm worried the pinky-beige won't work with these so I would love some advice. I have a floor lamp that I love that I painted deep teal, there is also bright pink and yellow in the mix. A. I agree you need more than an off white to balance these colours. Northern light can pick up a bit of the yellow undertone more than we would like at times – I feel you can afford to use a bit more colour too – although bright rooms do tend to like light tones. I recommend you paint A2 card available at Resene ColorShops using Resene testpots and compare the tones of the three neutrals you like in the room. Also consider trying a neutral with a bit more colour, and to neutralise any yellow – see if either of these appeal: Resene Despacito or Resene Sandspit Brown from the Karen Walker Paints collection. Resene Despacito September 2022 |
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Q. Our walls are painted with Resene Double Parchment. I’m not sure on the ceiling colour which looks like it may be Resene Double Alabaster or Resene Half Sea Fog. Can you advise the colour that you would recommend to match the Resene Double Parchment walls? A. Resene Alabaster or Resene Half Sea Fog will pair with Resene Double Parchment – for a warmer white you might like Resene Half Rice Cake or Resene Eighth Parchment – especially if your trims, furnishings etc have warmer tones. I suggest you paint two coats of these whites onto A2 card available at Resene ColorShops and compare with the Resene Double Parchment on the walls. September 2022 |
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Q. We are having our villa interior painted shortly and I'm looking for recommendations of a very pale cool grey. We have white pressed ceilings in the living areas so want to offset the white with a nice cool pale grey. It will be going over the current mid grey. A. See if any of these appeal: Resene Concrete, Resene Athens Grey, Resene Quarter Surrender, Resene Quarter Iron or Resene Black Haze. Cool toned greys can appear a bit ‘no nonsense’ and chilly in rooms with low light, like south or east facing bedrooms. Using bold and warm accessories, curtains and furniture and lots of real white as trims and ceilings will modify this general ambiance however. September 2022 |
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Q. We are installing a new kitchen and the cabinets are a French white gloss, the floor will be oak wood, the kitchen island oak slats, the benchtops white speckled engineered stone and splashbacks black mirror. While the skirtings and window frames are Resene Quarter Rice Cake we would like some advice about what colour to paint the walls. It will be a large open plan kitchen family room. A. I recommend a greyed green neutral on the walls to pair with all the elements and the Resene Quarter Rice Cake – the Resene Rice Cake family is in the green/white spectrum. I suggest painting the ceiling Resene Quarter Rice Cake or Resene Eighth Rice Cake – to tie in the trims. My suggestions are: Resene Quarter Ash, Resene Half Ash or Resene Triple Thorndon Cream – as long as they work with the window joinery. If you go lighter on the walls the trims will become a feature – alternatively you could use Resene Quarter Rice Cake, Resene Rice Cake or Resene Double Rice Cake for the walls. Paint the options that appeal on to A2 card using Resene testpots (available at Resene ColorShops) and move around the space at day and night. September 2022 |
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Q. We are doing a renovation in our kitchen, living and dining and wanting a mostly white interior. Unfortunately, our existing aluminium joinery is Arctic White which has quite a cold/blue tone. Our architraves and skirting are currently Resene Quarter Black White and this seems to accentuate the starkness of the arctic white joinery. Our internal walls are a combination of Resene Black White and Resene Double Black White. Is there a white for the architraves that would go with the Arctic White joinery? What colours would you recommend for the walls given we are going for a white/very light grey colour scheme? A. Yes Arctic White on joinery can be tricky to put with other whites/neutrals – in my experience the best option is to keep the framing ‘Arctic White’ or Resene White which has no tint – this may neutralise the joinery from the walls. However even Resene White can look a little creamy next to the cool blue tone of Arctic White. I have seen Resene Black White on walls with Arctic White joinery and frames, work successfully – of course lighting will accentuate undertones. Window dressings and blinds in neutral tones (no blue, red or yellow) so greys and natural tones – will also help to neutralise the effect. My suggestion is to paint the frames and skirting Arctic White (Resene can mix this into paint for you) and leave the walls Resene Black White – I recommend doing one window Lustacryl White (this is available in 500ml). Whites in different products can have a slightly different undertone, so for the best outcome test with the product in each room with Resene Black White walls and Resene Double Black White and see how it appears – then if that doesn’t appear right to your eye – try a small pot of Arctic White in the same rooms. It is a process of elimination – but worth the effort and small expense to get it right. September 2022 |
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Q. We have a recessed ceiling in a lounge area, new plaster and flat white ceiling paint. We want to colour the flat centre ceiling with a product to give a 'suede' effect and think Resene FX Paint Effects Medium should be right, with a sponge finish. What first coat (over the existing flat white) as a colour base do we use? I have tentatively selected Resene Frontier as the colour. A. A darker colour sponged over a lighter base will bring the ceiling in visually – if the ceiling is recessed this could be a perfect option. Colours do appear darker on the ceiling – so If you want the overall effect to be the depth of Resene Frontier then I recommend quarter strength Resene Frontier as the base colour (two coats), and sponge full strength Resene Frontier over the top. A true suede effect is a textured finish – so you could use a product like Resene Sandtex. This is a good base coat for paint effects as the texture adds an extra dimension to the effect. A range of colour combinations are available online. Always do a test area first – you can always apply another layer of basecoat and start again. Practicing on A2 card (available at Resene ColorShops) is also a good idea, before you start. Good on you for being creative with your ceiling and sage greens like Resene Frontier are right on point – so good choice. Contact your local Resene ColorShop to organise the quarter strength Resene Frontier for you. September 2022 |
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Q. We have a rural property with a Resene Nocturnal grey round barn and the house, an 80s Keith Hay home with very dark brown aluminium joinery. How can we tie these two structures in a cohesive colour palette? We will finish the whole barn in Resene Nocturnal and completely repaint the house. A. Resene Nocturnal is a warm toned charcoal so it will sit alongside the aluminium windows – you can integrate this colour by painting your house roof Resene Nocturnal. This will blend into the landscape, the same way it works well on the barn. I suggest you consider using Resene Triple White Pointer for your main colour – it is a light grey with a bit of brown in it. This will help tie in the brown joinery on the house. Colours do lighten outside by up to 30% so remember this when looking at colours. Resene testpots are the best way to sample the colours. September 2022 |
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Q. I would love some advice for colours to repaint my house. I would like a light colour after having dark brown for so long. The front of the house is wood with a concrete block basement, whereas the rest of the house is brick with only a little wood above windows. I am quite keen on having a red door if it will look good! I would like ideas of colour and also whether to paint the basement, deck, railings etc a different colour. I tried to match a Resene colour to the brick and the closest I could get was Resene Bronze or Resene Woodburn – although there are many colours in the brick. A. I am giving you two palettes – one is brownish tones which will complement the bricks and the other is grey tones –these tones of grey will complement the orange tone in the brick and this is why you can have a red door. I recommend a high gloss using Resene Enamacryl for the door to make it pop and to give added protection. Keep the frames white. You might like to talk to your local Resene ColorShop staff about using a ‘CoolColour’ for the timber walls – the colour will look the same but the paint has a pigment in it which reflects more of the sun’s heat away from the substrate. The balance of colours is as important as the tone – I have placed the colours where you will achieve the best overall balance and proportion. Option 1: timber walls and garage door in Resene Nest Egg, basement, railings and posts in Resene Archive Grey, eaves of house and under deck in Resene Black White (to match windows, without being too stark) and deck in Resene Eighth Masala. Option 2: timber walls and garage door in Resene Steam Roller, basement, railings and posts in Resene Half Grey Chateau, eaves of house and under deck in Resene Black White and deck in Resene Mountain Mist. September 2022 |
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Q. Is concrete a good colour for a villa in a sunny position and if so what white would look clean and uplifting round the windows? Will a Grey Friars roof be ok with all this and a Resene Indian Ink front door? A. Your combination of colours is perfect for a villa in a sunny position. Colours do look up to 30% lighter in the natural sunlight, so often you need to select a paint colour one tone darker to achieve the actual colour you like, especially for the main body. Whites will also appear cleaner and whiter. On the south side of the house or under shadow the colour will look greyer or deeper, but if you like the colour on the front facade then this is the colour. I recommend – if you are happy with Resene Concrete appearing as Resene Half Concrete then choose this variant, otherwise consider Resene Double Concrete. As for the windows I recommend Resene Alabaster or Resene White. September 2022 |
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Q. We have recently purchased and moved into a small converted cowshed and have begun renovating, painting the stained plywood interior walls Resene Island Spice in an attempt to lighten/open up the space. Now onto the kitchen, we have installed a bamboo and a granite benchtop and are about to paint all the old (antique white) cabinetry. We had totally thought a shade of white but are now unsure. Actually, totally stuck! We are wondering if in the small space it may look odd with the creamy Resene Island Spice and may lack interest. We are planning a light colour timber floor and copper pendant lights. A. A white may work – a cooler white will balance the warmth of the walls and copper, while working with the harder finishes. You can bring in lots of colour through accessories and greenery, or you might like to keep with softer tones or completely contrast. The options are up to you depending on what ambience you are trying to achieve and how the colours look with the granite, copper and timber tones as well as the walls. In saying that there are tones that will complement all of these better than others – blues, greys and warm beiges/whites. See if any of these appeal – Resene Alabaster, Resene Chalk Dust, Resene Eighth Malta, Resene Eighth Joss, Resene Quarter Fuscous Grey or Resene Biscay. September 2022 |
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Q. We have an older weatherboard house. The COLORSTEEL® roof was recently replaced and is Ironsand. I am not sure what colours would look good on the weatherboards and windows, as well as the deck and concrete front door step. A. See if any of these combinations appeal, to get you started:
 Resene Quarter Friar Greystone  Resene Friar Greystone September 2022 |
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Q. Could you please tell me what colour to paint the ceilings, door and trims if the walls in an office are painted Resene Half Napa? A. I recommend painting the ceilings and trims Resene Black White – a popular cool toned white – which will keep the overall atmosphere professional and not too residential like a warmer white might. For the door I recommend a deeper version of Resene Half Napa, not too much contrast though and in a semi-gloss finish for serviceability – try Resene Napa. September 2022 |
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Q. I have previously painted our garage in Resene Woodland with a New Denim Blue roof and white joinery. Although I did like how it looks, I always felt like it was too dark. I now want to paint a garden shed but keeping it in line with the garage I just want to go a few shades lighter. Would Resene Avocado be suitable? The roof is also New Denim Blue. Or am I better to go half strength Resene Woodland. A. My recommendation to blend with Resene Woodland and to pair with New Denim Blue is to try Resene Wilderness, Resene Bitter, Resene Flax or Resene Finch. September 2022 |
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Q. I adore Resene colours and have used them extensively. However I’m a bit stuck as to what off white/neutral to use in part of my large open living room. The pitched roof is painted Resene Half Alabaster with a small nib feature wall in Resene Gravel. The walls are Resene Travertine which works well with the kitchen and dining. I painted the concrete floor in Resene Stonewall and have ordered a couch which is in the beige colour range and blends with the floor. The problem is that the east and north facing walls look really green! I’m looking for a colour that won’t compete with the Resene Travertine on the walls and that will also sit with the Resene Gravel feature wall and not blend in with the floor. I’m wondering if Resene Half Thorndon Cream or maybe Resene Sea Fog would work? I don’t really want to draw attention to the walls – just wrap the room and let the focus be on furniture, art and feature wall. A. East facing walls can emphasise the green and the floor may also be reflecting light up on to the north wall. Resene Travertine does have an acidic green edge. Resene Half Thorndon Cream also has an acidic green edge to it. You could try Resene Sea Fog as it will adapt to its surroundings. If you want to emphasise art and furniture then try a lighter variant – Resene Double Alabaster. Resene Snow Drift, a chalky grey white, sits well next to travertine and beige – it may be a bit grey in the afternoons though but depending on your art, it might be worth trying to see if you like it. September 2022 |
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