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 painting a new house and we have decided to go with Resene Iron for the walls, white on the ceiling and door trims, but we are wanting a darker grey to go with Resene Iron, but can't quite find one that we like. If you could help out with some colour options would be great. Our carpet is a charcoal with a hint of lighter grey throughout. A. A grey between the Resene Iron and charcoal carpet will work well – perhaps see if any of these appeal: Resene Ted, Resene Grey Chateau, Resene Half Raven, Resene Raven or Resene Shuttle Grey. November 2022 |
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Q. Thanks to your advice we will be painting the house Resene Watermark. Now we need to decide on a colour for the new boundary timber fence that will complement the new house colour. We have a lot of vegetation. We are also in Hawkes Bay so are mindful that dark colours may warp the wood. A. You can investigate Resene CoolColour paint for the fence – it is basically where, thanks to clever pigment technology, more of the sun’s energy is reflected away from the substrate, reducing heat related issues to the colour and timber. I feel a mid-toned colour will work best with your house colour and one which tones with the joinery as well. To start see if any of these work: Resene Eighth Masala, Resene Eighth Ironsand or Resene Quarter Fuscous Grey. November 2022 |
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Q. We've got a large adobe plaster house in the countryside with an iron sand roof and windows. I am struggling to come up with a wall colour. I want it to blend with the surroundings – but have character. I started out loving Resene Half Grey Olive but decided it was too yellowy? I want warm and earthy in appearance but not beige. I have partially painted it in Resene Ash but am not quite happy with it. A. I believe the issue is the fact your house is of such a magnitude, that the colours you are choosing are too light – colour in natural bright light and on expanse will lighten at least 30% and undertones (such as yellow) are emphasised, so for example Resene Half Ash will appear closer to Resene Eighth Ash on your house. You might like to check with your painter if there are any restrictions on the use of darker colours – I don’t suggest using a darker colour as such – but even some mid toned colours are not recommended for certain substrates. I agree the grey olive family will be too yellow – but I like the tone of the Resene Ash colours – I suggest you try Resene Double Ash (LRV 44%) I have included the light reflectance value – the higher the % the lighter the colour – so Resene Double Ash is not a dark colour but a deeper tone which may work better once it appears lighter on your house. Other colours you might consider which work well with Ironsand: Resene Copyrite (LRV 53%), Resene Castle Rock (LRV 32%), Resene Archive Grey (LRV 41%) or Resene Quarter Taupe Grey (LRV 52%). November 2022 |
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Q. We have painted our plaster 1950s house in Resene Half Tuna. The soffit and window frames are Resene Half Sea Fog I think or Resene Eighth Black White or similar. Then the guttering and garage door I did New Denim Blue to match the roof but I don't like it. I don't like the blue, it may be the plaster. Anyway I was thinking of Resene Double Foundry for the roof, guttering and garage door but I'm not sure if it will make the internal guttering and house look squat again like it did when it had a red roof. My front door is hidden and is black. We can change that too. Soon we'll have a nice deck with steps out the front and fence. A. A. Your house won’t look squat because the roof being a deep grey/black will tone with the new wall colour where before, the red contrasted. I do suggest trying a slightly lighter shade – Resene Ebony Clay. We always recommend testing the colours first so perhaps try Resene Ebony Clay, Resene Foundry and Resene Double Foundry – a black front door will work or you can choose a pop of colour. November 2022 |
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Q. We're painting a wooden cabin. The boards are relatively thin because it's a kitset cabin. After much thinking, we thought we'd found a great colour scheme, but have now found out it won't work because the LRV for the weatherboards is too low. The scheme we worked out was Resene Whizz Bang for the weatherboards, Resene Whiteout for the trim, Resene Supernova for the picnic table and Resene Nebula for the inside walls (with white trim). We found all this by being drawn in by the burnt orange of Resene Whizz Bang, and then we looked at complementary colours to find the rest. Are you able to recommend a colour scheme that will work for us and have a similar feel? I see there's a couple of oranges that have a LRV of 40% plus – Resene Melon Orange and Resene West Side. I don't know whether these would be a good starting point? With the scheme we had, my impression of the colours is they were bright and cool, with a little bit of complementary colour with Resene Nebula. A. Have a look at Resene Tahiti Gold (LRV 40%) you could swap the Resene Whizz Bang out for Resene Tahiti Gold and keep the remaining colours – this will work. Also check out Resene Lightning Yellow as an alternative to Resene Supernova with the remaining colours – but Resene Supernova should work. November 2022 |
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Q. We are looking at painting our roof and external board and batten house. The current window joinery colour is New Denim Blue. We won’t be changing this. Can you recommend an exterior wall paint and roof paint to match this? A. I recommend painting the roof to match the joinery or similar tone so try Resene New Denim Blue or Resene Grey Friars. For the board and batten you might like to investigate Resene CoolColour paint as darker colours on timber can cause heat related issues – CoolColour paint is basically where the colour is the same but due to clever pigment technology, more of the sun’s energy is reflected away from the colour and substrate, reducing potential heat damage. See if any of these colours appeal: Resene Ebony Clay, Resene Quarter Grey Friars, Resene Half Tuna, Resene Half Stack, Resene Stack, Resene Triple Concrete or Resene Cloudy. November 2022 |
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Q. We would like to paint our roof Resene Ironsand and have quite a lot of white trim, including a colonial balcony. Would Resene Double White Pointer go well on the weatherboards? If so what colour would you suggest for the base? A. Colours including whites lighten up to 30% outside – I recommend Resene Triple White Pointer – quite a popular choice at present as it works well with Resene Ironsand. Try a testpot of both Resene Double White Pointer and Resene Triple White Pointer if unsure – just don’t paint directly on to an existing colour – paint two coats onto A2 card (available at Resene ColorShops) leaving a white edge on all sides of the card to neutralise existing colours, and attach to your house to see which you prefer. For the base investigate Resene Credence – a subtle shift in tone is on trend. November 2022 |
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Q. After a recent kitchen upgrade and new paint scheme I am looking for a suitable colour for a glass splashback. The kitchen walls are in Resene Gum Leaf and the dining area is in Resene Half Wheatfield, with Resene Alabaster on the ceiling and trims. It is an open plan area with good amounts of natural light. All work surfaces and cabinets are in a neutral tone, furniture is mostly natural wood with some accessories having red accents. I like a mid-century, warm, bright and natural palette. A. As you have the red and green already – a modern mid-century blue will work to balance the scheme and you could then pair the red or tone of red back into kitchen accessories. Perhaps check out Resene Boost or Resene Idyllic. The factor to consider is glass splashbacks are more permanent than paint as they paint the back of the glass with a specialised finish – also to ensure the colour looks the same to the paint swatch – clear glass is best – the standard float glass has a green tint to it so will change the appearance of the blues or other colours for that matter. You could opt to keep the splashback tonal – with Resene Bay Leaf or Resene Transcend, allowing another accent colour to be brought into the living area through soft furnishings, furniture or art in true mid-century style. Start with painting A2 card (available at Resene ColorShops) two coats with testpots and placing in the area the splashback will be – from there contact your glass supplier and ask for samples with the specified Resene colours – these really do help – as glass tends to soften the overall look of the colour.  Resene Transcend  Resene Boost November 2022 |
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Q. I want to paint the exterior of our house in a ‘sky’ blue. The aluminium joinery/garage door is in New Denim Blue. The quarter and half tint paint pot samples in Resene New Denim Blue come out very grey. What do you suggest and also what colour for the front door? I was thinking yellow. A. Blue undertones can be more evident in natural bright light – so it does pay to test the colours – not onto the existing substrate – but on to A2 card (available at Resene ColorShops) two coats and attach to the house – leaving a white border on all edges of the card to neutralise any adjacent colour – the variants of Resene New Denim Blue look great used together – maybe test the lighter variants on to card as suggested above – however they are definitely not a sky blue. Blues also change depending on the substrate – see if Resene Half Dusted Blue appeals more it is a bit less grey – for a sky blue try Resene Spindle – however this is much more blue. For the front door I suggest a mustard yellow – try Resene Rob Roy or Resene See The Light – depending on which blue or grey/blue you choose.  Resene See The Light November 2022 |
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Q. I need a dark green colour for my exterior door, that is not olive or jade tonings so perhaps green/black tones. Of the three testpots I've tried Resene Gordons Green – not dark/deep enough, Resene Black Forest – dark but olive green, Resene Midnight Moss – dark enough but jade green. A. Try Resene Forty Six or Resene Marshland.  Resene Forty Six November 2022 |
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Q. What is the closest Woodsman stain to use on pine to be the same as COLORSTEEL® Ironsand? A. The colours which complement Ironsand are Resene Charred Black or Resene Treehouse. Some people go darker and prefer Resene Crowshead. Resene have testpots of these colours and if you can get an off cut of pine or have unstained pine, then I suggest you try two coats to compare tones. If this is not possible Resene ColorShops have wood samples in store for you to view with the range of stain colours – ask staff to assist you in finding the colour samples to view. November 2022 |
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Q. I have painted my exterior Resene Half Taupe Gray. What white would be good for all the trimmings, windows etc? A. Resene Half Wan White looks great with Resene Half Taupe Grey. November 2022 |
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Q. I have a weatherboard house by the sea. It has a Gull Grey roof. I was thinking of putting white on the bargeboard and soffit and also around windows and doors, but am unsure what colour to use for the weatherboards. A. Check out Resene Sea Fog, Resene Triple Black White, Resene Concrete, Resene Quarter Silver Chalice or Resene Athens Grey. Colours including whites will lighten/brighten outside so I tend to recommend those with a bit more tint – but I feel the best application for you is to use tonal colours to give a soft coastal, elegant appearance. November 2022 |
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Q. The top half of my house is cedar and the oil stain is Redwood in colour. I wish to change the colour of the block base to something more complementary to the Redwood colour. We are surrounded with bush so something more in keeping with earthy colours? A. See if any of these Resene colours appeal: Resene Half Stonehenge, Resene Triple Masala, Resene Double Ash or Resene Friar Greystone. November 2022 |
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Q. I need advice on a deck and step colour please. The walls and skirting are Resene Rakaia, the pergola and doors are Resene Alabaster and the roof is Grey Friars. I am thinking somewhere between the wall and roof colour rather than lighter than the walls as long as it doesn’t heat up too much as it is north facing. A. Check out Resene Scarpa Flow or Resene Quarter Grey Friars. November 2022 |
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Q. We wish to paint our apartment. At the moment, all the walls and ceilings are yellow throughout. The living room and kitchen (and one bedroom) face north, are light and bright, and get all day sun. The hallway and two bedrooms are quite dark. The carpet throughout is brown/grey. We would like to paint the ceiling and walls within the apartment a neutral shade of white. We have not yet selected a final flooring. Please could you advise which colours would work? A. I recommend to pair with your windows and carpet, and to counteract some of the bright light – try Resene Half Sea Fog – this will also work with the white doors – any lighter on the walls and it will be too bright. For the bedrooms consider changing tone slightly – which is a trend at present – to Resene Merino – this is slightly warmer for the darker areas, or alternately keep all the walls Resene Half Sea Fog and use lots of natural linens, sheers and warm textures in the bedrooms. With your flooring possibly investigate the choice of a natural coloured textured carpet/hard finishes – to help with the effect of bright light and to warm and soften the darker spaces. November 2022 |
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Q. I live in Fiji and my kitchen faces north and west. I get a lot of strong afternoon sun. It has just a half wall on two sides so it is open to our gardens and trees. We use the room all day except for a few hours in the afternoon when the sun is too strong. I want to paint the cabinets Resene Triple Duck Egg Blue on the top cabinets and Resene Artemis on the lower ones (which aren't very attractive and I want to minimise them). I have Resene Dutch White on the rest of the room and the ceiling. But it really washes out in the strong sun and looks much paler most of the day. I like how the warmer whites look with all the wood tones, but want to bring down the temperature, hence the blues and bluish greens for the cabinets. Is there a white or other neutral colour that would hold up to that much sun without going too pale and would go with wood and blue? The newer popular colours like Resene Black White don't seem to go with my more cabin rustic farmhouse kitchen vibe but the yellow ones like Resene Half Spanish White might add too much warmth. A. Have a look into Resene Wan White – an umber white, warmer than grey – or Resene Rice Cake – warm but with a hint of green to counter act the warmth. November 2022 |
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Q. I have a colonial style small house which is painted white. The roof is currently Ironsand but I am now choosing Resene Touchstone. The front door has been polyurethaned in the past but I now want to paint with a colour. The front door gets very hot in the summer as even though it is under a veranda it gets all the afternoon sun therefore, I don't want a colour that is too dark. I had thought yellow, red or maybe a lighter blue. A. Any of the accent colours you mentioned will complement, Resene Touchstone and Resene White, however, I suggest a clear bright yellow – it is more reflective and currently on trend. See if any of these yellows appeal: Resene Turbo, Resene Happy, Resene Wild Thing or Resene Spotlight. November 2022 |
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Q. I am planning to paint my house in the New Year. I would like to paint it a shade of grey. But which one? It needs to sit well with the unpainted concrete roof tiles and contrast the white aluminium door and window frames. A. Investigate these Resene colours: Resene Silver Sand, Resene Double Stonehenge, Resene Double Pravda, Resene Half Fuscous Grey, Resene Quarter Bokara Grey, Resene Double Ash or Resene Rocky Point. Choose at least three options – paint two coats of testpots on to A2 card (available at Resene ColorShops) leaving a white border on all edges of the card (to neutralise the existing brick colour) and attach to the exterior walls to compare tones. Colours will lighten in natural bright light. November 2022 |
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Q. I have painted a room’s walls, ceiling and trim all Resene Sea Fog. I’m finding it cold looking in the bedroom. What would warm it up? Maybe paint the walls a different white or trim? A. Yes this can happen in bedrooms, due to the different aspect of lighting, Resene Sea Fog can appear warm or cool. I suggest using a slightly warmer white and deepening the tone also will help to create warmth and pair with the Resene Sea Fog on the trims and ceilings. Check out Resene Double Merino or Resene Merino for the walls. November 2022 |
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Q. I have Resene Parchment doors, shutters and kitchen all cabinetry with Resene Quarter Parchment on all walls. We are looking to change the Resene Quarter Parchment to possibly a different version. A. I am guessing you have Resene Quarter Parchment on the ceilings too. To modernise the room I suggest not going to another version of Resene Parchment but toning with it – see if any of these appeal – they will work with the Resene Parchment trims etc and the ceiling – try Resene Rice Cake, Resene Ecru White or for some colour Resene Eau De Nil. November 2022 |
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Q. We are struggling to know which white colour to use above the dado rail and on the ceiling of a bedroom. The windows, skirtings, architraves are Resene Wan White and the walls are Resene Half Parchment. We have looked at Resene Pearl Lusta, Resene Alabaster and Resene Rice Cake and just can’t decide which colour and what strength to use. A. A. I suggest Resene Alabaster or Resene Double Alabaster for less contrast – as they work well with the trims and wall colour – for a slightly warmer tone you could try Resene Quarter Rice Cake. November 2022 |
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Q. I am repainting my son’s home interior. Currently it has Resene Half Fossil walls, Resene Quarter Fossil ceilings and Resene Double Fossil trim. It is very gloomy. We tried Resene Quarter Fossil walls and Resene Eighth Fossil on the ceiling but it seemed a little pink. Can you recommend a ceiling colour to take away the pink? Or, should we go back to Resene Half Fossil walls with a different ceiling colour? We really don't want to change the trims as it was only done last year. A. Yes sometimes lighter strengths of certain colours will enhance the strongest undertone – so in this instance the red of the Resene Quarter Fossil is showing through as pink because the green and umber tints have been weakened in strength – therefore, to work with the existing double trim I do suggest using Resene Half Fossil for the walls and Resene Half Black White for the ceiling. November 2022 |
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Q. What is the best grey to complement Resene Wanaka? I have used (and love) Resene Midwinter Mist in my bedroom, but have Resene Wanaka in the kitchen and I’m not sure Resene Midwinter Mist is the best grey to go through to the living area (open plan). The flooring will be light oak laminate, the blinds are light grey. A. I suggest trying Resene Half Mountain Mist. Other options to consider are Resene Quill Grey, Resene Silver Sand or Resene Half Rakaia. November 2022 |
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Q. Our roof is already painted Resene Half Grey Friars. The windows and trims we would like to use Resene Alabaster. I’m struggling with the weatherboard colour – I am either considering Resene Half Grey Chateau or Resene Triple Sea Fog. I would also love to paint the sills darker, but am not sure what dark colour would complement the weatherboard colour. A. See if Resene Quill Grey or Resene Silver Sand appeal – I feel with the size of your house and location the boards can have slightly more depth, plus colours do tend to lighten up to 30% outside in natural bright light. To balance the roof – I recommend not going too dark on the sills – but you can definitely use a dark grey – I suggest you paint the facing and top and bottom of the sills. Try Resene Tuna, Resene Half Shark or Resene Ebony Clay. November 2022 |
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Q. We have a villa and are based in Mt Eden. We're about to undergo some significant backyard landscaping changes, including the introduction of a pool. Around 10 years ago we painted the exterior in Resene Pravda but are now looking to make a change. We were looking for a grey and after quite a bit of consideration we selected Resene Quarter Stack but now think we want a mid-grey. The current roof colour is Ironsand, so we are contemplating a new matching roof colour as well. A. Your villa will definitely be modernised heading into the colour direction you are looking for – just to note. Try Resene Stack, Resene Half Grey Chateau, Resene Half Scarpa Flow and Resene Half Silver Chalice. For the roof – try Resene Tuna, Resene Grey Friars, Resene Foundry or Resene Double Foundry. November 2022 |
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Q. What colours would you suggest painting the bricks and the roof of this 1980s brick and cedar home with aluminium coloured joinery to modernise it and give it a stylish look? A. I suggest painting the roof Resene Solstice and the bricks Resene Half Bokara Grey – a warm charcoal which will blend with the aluminium joinery and simplify the scheme.  Resene Solstice November 2022 |
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Q. We are repainting our weatherboard home. Our roof colour is Karaka, and our windows and garage doors are Titanium. We quite like the colours Resene Half Delta or Resene Silver Chalice for our weatherboards and wanted advice as to whether these would work ok with our existing windows and roof. And a trim colour that would work also please. We're looking at Resene Black White, Resene Alabaster or something similar? A. Resene Silver Chalice might appear too blue next to Karaka. See if Resene Copyrite, Resene Foggy Grey or Resene Quarter Tapa appeal – Resene Alabaster will be a good option for the trims. November 2022 |
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Q. We are building a house. Most of the house is in dark brick – Elda with charcoal mortar. The roof is COLORSTEEL® FlaxPod, with the joinery, main entrance door, garage door all in FlaxPod Matt. The soffit is painted in Resene Sea Fog. The main entrance and the garage share a similar design. Both have a gable roof with a recessed feature. If we get the colour right, it should give some nice street appeal. This is where we need help to get some ideas of what colours will go well with FlaxPod but also show some contrast? We have a LINEA® section and want to know what colour would work on this. I am not big fan of painting it too light, every house you see nowadays is black and white, sometimes the contrast is too much, maybe they pick the wrong ‘white’? A. I feel for the Linea an earthy tone will work – not too dark as there is enough contrast and interest created with the expanse of FlaxPod and brick – plus less contrast between Linea and soffit will marry the two together without being the same colour. I have included lighter and deeper tones to see what appeals. Resene ColorShops have a colour library of A4 paint colour swatches – ask staff to assist you in finding Resene Sea Fog, Resene Element (Resene's equivalent to FlaxPod) and the recommendations – take outside as colours appear differently in natural light and compare contrasts. Colours which will work with the Resene Sea Fog soffit, FlaxPod and to complement the brick, for the Linea are: Resene Quill Grey, Resene Silver Sand, Resene Archive Grey or Resene Castle Rock. November 2022 |
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Q. We are going to paint the exterior of our house. The problem we have is half our windows are old white wooden windows and half are brown aluminium windows. We want to find an exterior colour paint that will suit. A. A pale to mid tone neutral will work with both – that isn’t too clean – it also depends on the colour of the roof. See if any of these appeal: Resene Triple White Pointer, Resene Truffle, Resene Half Cloud, Resene Eighth Pravda or Resene Eighth Friar Greystone.  Resene Eighth Friar Greystone November 2022 |
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Q. I am looking for a dark blue/grey colour for our studio and house and am having trouble finding the right colour. A. Check out Resene Navigate, Resene Wayfarer or Resene Time Traveller. Colours may change outside in natural bright light – test the colours by painting A2 card (available at Resene ColorShops) two coats, with testpots – leaving a white edge on all sides so that any existing or adjacent colours won’t influence the way your eye perceives the new colour, and attach to the house or studio. November 2022 |
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Q. Could you please recommend a few colours that would work with a base of Resene Tea that I can use in some rooms or walls? A light to medium grey for a room and a darkish colour that would work well between Resene Tea and Resene Black for a feature wall. And lastly a Resene Sage Green that would also work. A. Resene Tea sits well with Resene Tapa, Resene Dune, Resene Triple Dune, Resene Friar Greystone, Resene Kensington Grey and Resene Stonehenge. For the sage, check out Resene Paddock or Resene Field Day. November 2022 |
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Q. We would love some recommendations for the exterior paint for our 1920s bungalow stucco finish which we are currently renovating. We would like to keep a neutral base colour but something with a bit of depth, such as Resene Merino or a warm white or a green tone. For the windows we are considering a bright white. We would also like colours which complement the natural river stone pillars at the front of the house. We will likely remove the line trim (currently blue) around the bottom of the house and just want three main colours, the base colour, the windows and the decorative elements. We are not redoing the roof at the moment so that will remain the same. We also like colours with green and purple tones. We are not keen on blue or cold colours. A. See if any of these combinations appeal:
I suggest painting the blue line of the base the same colour as the chosen base colour. November 2022 |
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Q. I have an old 70s cream brick house and have just had the old terracotta orange tile roof painted light grey. Now I want to paint the spouting and am thinking of Resene Blue Bark. Will this work? Should the fascia board under spouting be painted the same or a white. Then the board which goes under back to the house should it be white or something else? A. Resene Blue Bark might appear a bit blue, especially in natural bright light – try Resene Blue Charcoal – it is a bit more grey. It will be better for overall balance of the scheme if you can possibly repeat the Resene Blue Charcoal or a similar tone – even lighter on to a door or garage doors, planters, pots or even colour in the garden – blues and lilacs for example. I suggest painting the fascia and spouting the same – investigate Resene CoolColour paints – this is where the colour looks the same, but more of the sun’s energy is reflected away from the dark colour, reducing heat related issues. The eaves (underside of the house) I suggest a white such as Resene Alabaster. November 2022 |
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Q. I have a large bedroom with a 4m stud. It is a converted garage under our house and has large windows north facing at one end of the 5m side only. Surrounding bush means that it does not get a great deal of winter sun and is even a tad dark. I wish it to be warm feeling and if possible to look not so cavernous. There is an added complication of a partial mezzanine. Your Resene advice says to choose a darker colour to lower the ceiling but this concept is challenging me with wanting the room to feel light/warm. A. Try Resene Bianca or Resene Half Rice Cake – these warm off whites lift spaces visually and emit any green or shading coming from lots of trees/shadow outside. I suggest all painted surfaces, including the ceiling to be the same – this will stop any confusion, it won’t lower the ceiling, but it will help to ground the ceiling without being darker than the walls – it is also a current trend to paint all surfaces the same colour – although we only recommend this option if it is really suited to the space. November 2022 |
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Q. What is Hampton White and do you have it? A. Hamptons white is referring to the base white that is generally used for most Hampton themed interiors (coastal) – so white walls which have an undertone of cool or slightly warm depending on the style of your house and colours in your furnishings. The Hamptons theme traditionally includes a lot of timber and blues so the white chosen will enhance these features. Try these whites: Resene Alabaster, Resene Half Sea Fog, Resene Quarter Rice Cake or Resene Chalk Dust. November 2022 |
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Q. We are renovating our kitchen and dining room. The cupboard doors are in Baikal Naturale with Storm Pearl. I am wondering what colour I should paint the walls. The floors are a natural (laminate) wood. A. Check out Resene Half Sea Fog or Resene Double Alabaster. November 2022 |
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Q. I have a small home with almost all mid-century furniture that is mostly wood with pops of coloured upholstery and decorative items with wood flooring. I want to use a white that I can use in all the rooms because it almost one open space 900sq ft. The kitchen is all Douglas Fir with white cabinets and Fir drawer faces with a stainless sink and appliances. I want to do a clean but soft white that will work for all whole space and then add a few decorative circles and or a darker wall behind the TV. What would you suggest for the white colour? I was looking at Resene Rice Cake. Also what about the trim? I have a lot of it and I do not want anything shiny, but I have to have something that cleans up well. But mostly, something warm, clean, but modern and calming. A. Resene Half Rice Cake is a warm off white and will pair with your timber and mid-century theme. Also consider Resene Bianca – this is a cleaner, warm off white – but works very well with timber and lifts smaller spaces. Perhaps test both colours – paint two coats on to A2 card (available at Resene ColorShops) leaving a white border around all edges to eliminate any existing colours – which can influence the way our eye perceives the undertone, of the new colours. Trims we generally recommend a Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss waterborne enamel – being a water based enamel it isn’t as glossy as a traditional semi-gloss enamel paint – but it is durable, easy to clean and these areas are subject to wear and tear. Semi-gloss paints tend to impart more warmth and life than flat paints. I suggest if you feel the spaces are small and there is a lot of trim – to paint the trim a couple of tones lighter than the walls – such as Resene Eighth Rice Cake or Resene Quarter Bianca. November 2022 |
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Q. I am needing advice on a main exterior colour and accent colour for a new build that has Ironside as the roof colour and O'Keefe Grey for the window frames. Our current home built 2008, only about 25m from the new build on same property, has Resene Tea coloured walls and Cannon Black accents so thought it should be similar but want to keep it modern. I would probably prefer a warm grey but I’m open to whatever that's not too dark especially as walls are timber. A. Investigate Resene Quarter Friar Greystone (LRV 46%) or Resene Half Taupe Grey (LRV 42%) – these will pair nicely with your joinery and roof. You might want to ask your builder or council what the recommended LRV rating is for your substrates – there are lighter versions of the above colours – I have listed the LRV next to each colour. For the accent check out Resene Dune or Resene Triple Dune – once again this will depend on the substrate to what is recommended. November 2022 |
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Q. We want to repaint an old bathroom. We don’t really want the expense of replacing the bath and vanity. The bath is a beige colour and the vanity a creamy colour, almost a yellowy cream. What colours would go this these? A. Complementing the wall colour with the bath and vanity colours, will actually modernise the room because any contrast, even white, will emphasise these hard finishes. I suggest choosing a neutral which carries a similar tone to the bath and vanity on to the walls – try Resene Thorndon Cream, Resene Villa White, Resene Double Wheatfield or Resene Half Pavlova. November 2022 |
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Q. Would Resene Rivergum or Resene Half Rivergum be a good colour for kitchen cabinets? My main colour is Resene White Pointer with ceilings etc in Resene Alabaster. A. Resene Rivergum is a lovely mid greyed green which works with both warm and cool colours and will pair well with Resene White Pointer and Resene Alabaster. November 2022 |
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Q. We are needing some colour advice for painting our new deck. The house exterior is Resene Duck Egg Blue with white trim. The roof is COLORSTEEL® New Denim Blue. My husband painted the deck in Resene Blue Night but I’m not convinced in his choice. I will be looking at getting a white cane chair for the corner near the door which I will dress with a floral vintage type chair pad, so I want a colour for the deck that is neutral and goes well with Resene Duck Egg Blue and New Denim Blue. The door is an original door and will be replaced in the future. I would be interested to know what colour you would suggest for the door panels for when we paint this. A. I suggest swapping the colours – Resene Blue Night on the front door with the white trim (your husband still gets his choice of colour) and check out Resene Half Raven, Resene Regent Grey or Resene Baring Head for the deck.  Resene Baring Head November 2022 |
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Q. I want some suggestions for a trim colour and maybe an accent colour for the exterior painting of our bungalow. We are thinking we will keep the weatherboards and possibly shingles as the existing Resene Pearl Lusta. We also want to keep the front porch and steps in Resene Pohutukawa. The roof will need to be repainted Resene Noir we think to match a new external building with COLORSTEEL® roofing in Windsor Grey. The window frames are white but what colour could we make the front edge of the sills and lower boards of the house? We are also needing a stain for a new deck. We loved a dark brown one we used to have. Will this still work? A. I feel you need to pick up the red somewhere else so consider the windowsills and trims in Resene Pohutukawa. A brown stain for the deck will work – something like Resene Bark, will also tie in the red porch and steps. For the lower boards of the house I suggest Resene Noir to balance the roof. Alternately you can use Resene Noir for the accent colour as well. November 2022 |
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Q. We are painting our 1910 cottage in Lyttelton with weatherboards in Resene Blue Charcoal. I need help with finding an appropriate colour for the door frame, windows and veranda posts/fretwork. Also, what would work as a light grey roof colour? A. Check out Resene Sea Fog for the trims and Resene Atmosphere for the roof. November 2022 |
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Q. I am painting my 1960 weatherboard home and wanted to paint it a light grey. I have a New Denim Blue COLORSTEEL® roof and Resene Half Black White trim. Is there a popular light grey that people use for weatherboard houses? At the moment I am somewhere near Resene Silver Chalice or Resene Half Grey Chateau. What would you recommend? A. Resene Silver Chalice is very popular with your existing colours – also check out Resene Half Stack or Resene Half Silver Chalice. Resene Half Grey Chateau will look nice too – the best way to decide is to paint three greys you like on to A2 card (available at Resene ColorShops) with two coats of testpots, leaving a white edge all the way around the card, to neutralise any existing wall colour – and attach to the house – your eye will pick up the different undertones when comparing three different greys and one will appeal more. November 2022 |
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Q. We bought a reno property a couple of years ago and I think we stuffed up painting the exterior. We did it a dark grey and we don’t like it. I think the dark is too much of a contrast and looks horrible with the brown roof, so we are going to redo it. Could you please suggest some colours for the walls? A. I have included in my suggestions – lighter, mid and deeper tones which might appeal – try Resene Thorndon Cream, Resene Triple Thorndon Cream, Resene Eighth Masala, Resene Double Friar Greystone, Resene Solstice, Resene Triple Truffle, Resene Eighth Bokara Grey or Resene Quarter Bokara Grey.  Resene Double Friar Greystone Resene Solstice  Resene Eighth Bokara Grey November 2022 |
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Q. I want to use Resene FX Paint Effects Medium to achieve a limewash effect on my walls. I want the average tone and darkness of the wall to be that of Resene Triple Sea Fog. What colours should I use for the base and the Resene FX Paint Effects Medium coat? A. I would start with Resene Half Sea Fog for the basecoat and Resene Silver Sand for the topcoat. Colours in the Resene FX Paint Effects Medium topcoat tend to lighten and Resene Silver Sand is a deeper tone relating to Resene Triple Sea Fog – then you will have the dimension of the lighter base coming through. It is truly trial and error with special effects – the best advice is to practice on to A2 card (available at Resene ColorShops) first before applying to a wall – to get your technique and combination right. November 2022 |
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Q. I want to use Resene Eighth Fossil on my walls. What ‘white’ should I use on the ceiling to provide a gentle contrast or flow? A. Resene Alabaster looks lovely with Resene Eighth Fossil, alternately if you want to keep in tone with Resene Fossil then you might like to contact your local Resene ColorShop and ask if they can formulate a half strength of Resene Eighth Fossil for you. November 2022 |
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Q. I have FlaxPod roof, gutters and joinery. I am looking at doing painted black Linea board to break up the Rockcote. What colours would you suggest to do the Rockcote? A. See if any of these colours appeal: Resene Triple Sea Fog, Resene Quill Grey, Resene Archive Grey, Resene Castle Rock, Resene Silver Sand, Resene Quarter Taupe Grey or Resene Concrete. November 2022 |
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Q. We are having COLORSTEEL® Slate cladding on our new build and are looking for suggestions for the soffit colour. A. Check out Resene Wan White – it is an umber white so has a bit of warmth as does Slate, or Resene Half White Pointer – slightly greyer, still on the warm side – or for more of a contrast without being a stark white – Resene Half Sea Fog. November 2022 |
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Q. I am using Resene White Pointer on interior walls. What’s the best colour for the skirting, doors and ceiling please? A. Resene White Pointer has a slight warmth to it – which complements the oak flooring and melamine – to balance the cooler toned finishes – carpet, bench tops – I suggest using a true white – which will also help to keep the Resene White Pointer from looking too ‘muddy’. My suggestion is Resene Half Black White – it is not too stark against the walls either – but there is a definite contrast, semi-gloss is the general sheen level for the doors and trims, flat for the ceilings. November 2022 |
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Q. We are putting a new COLORSTEEL® roof on. There is stained wood on the house. There are also the fences. I was thinking of Ironsand iron and wood stain though I’m not sure how this will stain over the current stain on the house. A. Yes Ironsand will work but consider FlaxPod – it is currently a big seller as it has been developed to suit most NZ environments. For the stain – check out Resene Shadow Match for the house and fences – it is a soft black/charcoal. If you go for Ironsand – you can consider Resene Charred Black for fence and house, or Resene Charred Black for the fences and Resene Treehouse for the house. Resene ColorShops have a colour library of A4 paint swatches and small wood samples. I recommend you visit to view the options altogether. November 2022 |
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Q. We are repainting the weatherboards on our villa. Our veranda and windows are already Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta and we want another white to do the weatherboards with. Something that will look rich warm white but still look like a white house. I am afraid the house will take on a yellowness or look cold and undercoat like. The roof is Ironsand. A. Investigate these warm whites – they may look like they have a yellow undertone but outside they can lighten up to 30% – depending on the aspect. Try Resene Half Pearl Lusta, Resene Meringue, Resene Villa White or Resene Cararra.  Resene Meringue November 2022 |
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Q. We are about to paint our house and garage and are wanting a Hamptons feel colour scheme. We have decided on Resene Half Gull Grey for the main body of the house with an Resene Alabaster trim. Can you please recommend some darker shades (but not too dark) that lean on the blue/grey side that we can use for our garage doors and garage roof? A. Check out Resene Grey Friars, Resene New Denim Blue, Resene Tuna, Resene Half Tuna, Resene Quarter Grey Friars, Resene Regent Grey or Resene Shuttle Grey. November 2022 |
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Q. Our house was built in 2015. We have all the original paint colours on the original documents, all except for the colour of the white used on all the walls and ceilings! I now need to repaint just one wall in a bedroom. The colour used on our soffit was Resene Quarter Bianca – is it normal to use the same colour white on the soffit on the internal walls too? I'm desperately trying to find the colour white as soon as possible. A. Some choose to use the same white on the walls and ceilings – however, it is impossible for me to say that is the case in your room – the only thing you can do is purchase a testpot of Resene Quarter Bianca and see if it matches the walls – there will be a bit of fading to consider – so painting one wall may still look slightly different. I also suggest you try a testpot of Resene Half Bianca or take a chart home and hold against the wall to see how close the colours are. November 2022 |
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Q. We plan to paint our living room walls Resene Negroni to continue a warm theme from an adjoining room with Resene Florentine Pink walls and terracotta tiles. I would love advice on the ceiling colour to keep with warm tone but maybe lighter than Resene Negroni. A. Try Resene Quarter Solitaire or Resene Despacito. November 2022 |
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Q. We would like to change our exterior colours to a pale grey (currently white render) and perhaps a darker grey (currently grape colour) leaving the garage doors and all gutters etc all in Surfmist. Could you please suggest two greys that would go nicely with this scheme? A. Try Resene Atmosphere or Resene Half Delta with Resene Quarter Gravel or Resene Lattitude. November 2022 |
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Q. We have a two storey home which is quite dark downstairs. I am thinking of painting Resene Quarter Merino. What colour should I paint sills and doors? A. It depends on whether you want the doors and sills to stand out – you could opt to paint them the same colour as the walls but in a Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss finish. This will give you a modern fresh and overall light appearance – or you could paint them white – such as Resene Quarter Alabaster. November 2022 |
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Q. Which Resene white paint is best for modern coastal design home with high ceilings and lots of natural light coming through. A. Check out Resene Merino a soft green toned white or Resene Sea Fog – a light grey infused white. Both of these are cool toned whites and not too light so they will balance lots of natural light. There are lighter versions of these colours. November 2022 |
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Q. I have Resene Half Pearl Lusta on my doors and trim. I'm really struggling to find a neutral paint colour that will look ok with the trim colour. Painting the trim is not really an option at the moment. A. Do you want the trims to be darker than the walls? If you paint the walls a lighter neutral colour such as Resene Half Bianca it will pair with the Resene Half Pearl Lusta but the trims and doors will be a contrast – if you paint the walls darker such as Resene Pearl Lusta then the doors and trims will be highlighted. The other option is to paint them the same colour as the walls in a Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss finish for a fresh, modern appearance. The Resene Pearl Lusta family tends to work will with saturated colours or warmer toned neutrals which are similar in tone. November 2022 |
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Q. We are repainting our weatherboard timber Queensland home. It has a blue roof (I suspect it is COLORBOND®, so likely their deep ocean colour). However in the sunlight the roof colour looks a little lighter than Deep Ocean. I would like to paint the walls a very pale grey, either Resene Athens Grey or Resene Sea Fog, the gutter trims Resene Coast and windows Resene Alabaster. I wanted to ask if these colours would work well together? Ideally I want to main walls to be a pale regular grey, without it having any other colour undertone like yellow, brown, purple or green. I just want a straight light grey. Which out of Resene Athens Grey and Resene Sea Fog would work best with the roof and trim colours I am considering? A. Resene Sea Fog will pair better – Athens Grey may take on a slight purple hue. Consider the deeper versions of Resene Sea Fog – Resene Double Sea Fog or Resene Triple Sea Fog, if you want a straight light grey outside – as colours do lighten up to 30% in bright light. November 2022 |
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Q. We have a two storey weatherboard house which has a New Denim Blue roof and window joinery. It is currently painted Resene Double Bison Hide, but is in need of repainting. We’re looking for a nice white colour, but are not sure what white to pick to go well with New Denim Blue. A. Check out Resene Sea Fog, It is a versatile white which pairs well with denim blues and isn’t too bright outdoors. November 2022 |
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Q. Please recommend the best roof colour to go on the roof of a mid-1950s Plimmerton Red brick bungalow please. The only other colour showing is white aluminium window joinery. A. Try Resene Half Tuna, Resene Steel Grey or Resene Mid Grey – these are classic Resene greys which will work well with the red brick and white windows. November 2022 |
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Q. We have a villa that we are painting. We like Resene Double Concrete as the main colour with possibly Resene Alabaster around the windows. Is this a good combination? We do want some contrast. We would then like a strong colour for the front door and garage doors. What suggestions would you have? A. Yes Resene Double Concrete and Resene Alabaster is a good contrast. Investigate for the front and garage doors Resene Tuna, Resene Shark, Resene Blackjack or Resene Foundry. November 2022 |
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Q. We are building a new home. The roof and window frames are Grey Friars and the Rockcote is finished in Resene Half Bison Hide. I am looking to paint the fence which has shrubs nearby. I tried Resene Half Baltic Sea but it looks quite blue. A. Try Resene Cod Grey or Resene Double Cod Grey. Colours will look lighter on the fence – these colours have a slight green undertone and will pair with the house colours and work with the shrubs etc. November 2022 |
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Q. We have just reroofed a house with COLORSTEEL® Sandstone Grey and need to know if Resene Stack would work on the walls. We are thinking also of painting the windows and surrounds white to make them stand out. Would this work with a Sandstone Grey roof? A. The windows white with the Sandstone Grey roof will definitely work – I suggest softening the weatherboards a little and choosing a colour a bit less blue than Resene Stack to work with the warmer Resene Gauntlet and windows. Try Resene Foggy Grey, Resene Half Foggy Grey or Resene Mountain Mist. November 2022 |
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Q. I need to choose wall/ceiling/trim colours for our bathroom reno, keeping in mind we will soon paint the whole house interior and want to keep it consistent. I am leaning towards Resene Half Merino but am not sure. The floors are rimu throughout the house but the bathroom will have concrete-look vinyl tiles and white fixtures so I want to have a white that helps to bring warmth. The vanity is oak-look. I am also considering a light sage (Resene Secrets or Resene Eighth Lemon Grass) but the room is on the west side so does not get a whole lot of sunshine so it may be too dark. Also, should we have a lighter ceiling/trim or just paint all the same colour? It seems like there will be lots of whites competing. A. Resene Half Merino will work really well. I recommend painting all trims and ceilings the same. This will give you a modern, fresh appearance and consider painting the doors and trims Resene Half Merino in a Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss finish. Leave the floors as the timber feature and then the oak won’t look out of place. November 2022 |
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Q. I am currently recladding my own home and the interior is Resene Half Spanish White or Resene Quarter Spanish White (not sure which one) and I would like to keep it one colour as it has a high cathedral type roof but I would like a more modern colour but still warm rather than greys or white. I am looking at Resene Half Bianca and Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta. Which would you recommend? I was recommended to use Resene Eighth Blanc but I feel this is too pink. Another option could be Resene Half Rice Cake? The carpet is brownish/grey. A. I suggest Resene Half Bianca as it is modern, light, warm and is great at bouncing light off of walls and ceilings – especially in low light rooms. For brighter rooms it isn’t too cream. Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta and Resene Half Rice Cake may appear a bit green/lemon in certain lights. November 2022 |
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Q. I’m looking at painting the exterior of our house. We have had double glazed Titania windows installed and are looking for a colour to go them. We have a red brick (section toward bottom of house) and are looking at New Denim Blue for the fascia/roof (we could change this to a darkish grey colour?) I was looking at Resene Triple White Pointer for the house but think maybe a grey a bit darker but too dark. A. Yes I agree – Resene Triple White Pointer is a bit pale and on the warm side of grey. Try Resene Foggy Grey with Grey Friars for the roof and fascia. November 2022 |
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Q. We have chosen Resene Half Grey Chateau to paint our house and want a dark but not black roof. What colours would you suggest we check out? A. Try Resene Ebony Clay, Resene Foundry, Resene Double Foundry, Resene Grey Friars or Resene Windswept. November 2022 |
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Q. I don't like the mintiness of Resene Thorndon Cream. Could you recommend a bone/warm white neutral which isn't too ochre please? I'd like it to feel cocooning and to go with both greens/blues and warmer coral and camel colours. A. Try these Resene colours – Resene Despacito, Resene Albescent White, Resene Rice Cake or Resene Quarter Sandspit Brown. November 2022 |
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Q. I have painted my upper storey in Resene Tea for the batten and board cladding, with Resene Triple Truffle for window frames, bargeboards and finial and Resene Alabaster for the inner window casements. Downstairs (and below a veranda) I am stuck with Mission Brown oil stain for the horizontal macrocarpa weatherboards. I intend to use the same colours for the windows as above, but I would like to paint the French doors in a warmer, less neutral colour. I am attracted to Resene Ayers Rock but am dithering a bit. I do know I want an earthy orange/mustardy tone, but I'm not really looking for a ‘pop’ of colour or something muddier. A. Resene Ayers Rock is perfect ! It isn’t too bright or muted – it is a fabulous colour, which has been repeated on to Resene charts many times and will pair with the other colours you have for the house. If you are unsure then I suggest you paint A2 card (available at Resene ColorShops) with two coats of a testpot and place outside next to the French doors. November 2022 |
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Q. I have some outdoor furniture at our beach house I want to smarten up for the summer. One is an outdoor table and chair set – aluminium frame with wooden slats that have 'greyed' – the other a 'new' seat made from recycled pallets. I want a stain and would prefer a light colour – whitewash appeals but I am not sure how preserving it is (I primarily want to protect the wood). I don't want anything orange/yellow so guess I am otherwise looking to go with Resene Weathered Grey or Resene Limed Ash. The house has a Grey Friars roof and window frames and white exterior – so something that will tone in with this too. A. Resene Woodsman Whitewash will protect to a certain degree as it is still a coating – stains are also semi-transparent so not as ‘protective’ as a paint finish. My suggestion which I think will look great with your house colours is Resene Woodsman Greywash. The great thing about washes is they don’t have to be perfect and can marry two different types of timber together. November 2022 |
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Q. I am putting up new weatherboards which will be painted in Resene Half Tea. New windows will be Bronco. What colour should I do the window trim? I would prefer a lighter colour for the exterior window trim to give cleaner fresher look. I have looked at a couple but makes the Resene Half Tea look dirty. A. Resene Half Tea is very muddy so it is difficult to make it appear less muddy with whites – however, if you use lighter colours with a similar tone – then this might work and freshen the look. A slightly lighter tone might also be the best option – such as Resene Quarter Tea – not much contrast but you need to consider why you want to highlight the window trim – is this the best option and area to highlight. These are possible options: Resene Quarter Tea, Resene Quarter Blanc or Resene Eighth Tea. November 2022 |
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Q. I purchased Resene Pearl Lusta, but found it looked too yellow. So then I tried Resene Half Spanish White which was too light and a bit too yellow so tinted it to Resene Spanish White, however this was too yellow and green and a bit too dark. Which Resene colours are as light as Resene Half Spanish White, but without the green/less green, and don't look too yellow? It is for south facing rooms so needs to be a warm colours. The kitchen cabinets are Resene Bianca which look great, and looks like pure white in the south facing room, so would need to be a colour darker than this. A. I feel you need to try a different tone, one that is warm but less yellow based – more a little umber based (like the Resene Spanish White family, but less yellow). I have also included a couple of other lighter warm whites which are more earthy than the ones you have tested, even if they look lighter on the chart – they may just work in a south facing room. Try Resene Albescent White, Resene Half Albescent White, Resene Quarter Sandspit Brown, Resene Cararra and Resene Chalk Dust. November 2022 |
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Q. We are re-doing our kitchen. The white kitchen cabinetry will be Resene Sea Fog. We are deciding on what colour to paint the walls. We are thinking Resene Sea Fog to tie in with the cabinetry but I am not sure whether to go quarter, half or full strength. I wouldn’t want it to appear too grey as we will have grey floor tiles, grey bench and also our big glass doors in the dining room will have grey tint in the glass. So I think lightening the area up with walls that look more white than grey would be good. A. I am learning towards Resene Sea Fog for the walls to match the cabinetry. Lighter tones of white are more likely to reflect the surrounding greys – fortunately grey glass doesn’t alter the perception of colour – but it can create a bit of a shadow at times of the day – the other factor is going a lighter tone of Resene Sea Fog for the walls might make the cabinetry appear greyer. As you have wood tones and not a lot of Resene Sea Fog cabinetry visually – I suggest Resene Sea Fog for the walls to tie it all together and if it does appear a little grey at times – it will appear as a soft white mostly. Resene Sea Fog is a great white and it is very versatile. November 2022 |
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Q. We are doing a new build and painting the walls Resene White Pointer. Our painter has suggested we go with Resene Black White on the doors, ceilings and architraves, etc. I am a little concerned it won’t be enough of a contrast. A. If you prefer more contrast, rather than the tones blending then I suggest Resene Half Black White. November 2022 |
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Q. I am considering using Resene Masala to paint the exterior of my house. I would like to use half strength however have been told by my local paint store that this is not something Resene like to do. Can you recommend what colour of the paint chart would be best to give me that half strength look that I desire for my exterior? A. Resene Half Masala is a standard colour from the Range Whites and Neutral palette. It is a great colour and works well on exteriors. Depending on the substrate, investigate using a Resene CoolColour paint – this is basically where due to clever paint technology, more of the sun’s energy is reflected away from the substrate, helping to minimise heat related issues. Talk to the staff at your local Resene ColorShop to see if a CoolColour paint is right for your project. November 2022 |
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Q. We spent a while on Saturday morning at the local Resene ColorShop and we liked Resene Silver Chalice and Resene Quarter Fuscous Grey. Do these go together OK and will they be OK with Resene Alabaster? Our 60s house sits on block wall, two high for half the house and then full wall height for the other half of the house. I believe we painted the blocks a slightly different colour to the main walls, would you recommend this? Also what colour would you suggest for under the eaves? We were thinking of a wow factor for the doors. Last year we brought a bright yellow Resene Cleopatra, but due to problems with the deck we did not get to use it, would this work? A. Resene Silver Chalice is a beautiful grey – yes it will work with Resene Quarter Fuscous Grey. Yes they will pair with Resene Alabaster. Yes do paint the block walls a deeper shade – investigate Resene Double Silver Chalice. The eaves should be the same as the windows – you could do them Resene Double Alabaster so the eaves are a bit less stark. Yes Resene Cleopatra will look fabulous!  Resene Double Silver Chalice  Resene Cleopatra November 2022 |
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Q. We are about to paint the exterior of our house. We love black and white exteriors but I don’t want to end up with hard black boxy window frames. I’m thinking black roof, black underline of windows, a type of grey around the top three sides of the windows and under the roof overhang? Note we are inserting cold white metal windows in all windows and don’t want to emphasise the metal. Also over the top window we are adding a black gloss fake shutter. Also two thirds down the house there is small wooden ridge we could highlight in black? A. For the roof check out Resene All Black or Resene Nero – these are popular black roof colours – black is a good option for your roof, as it will visually lower the height. Paint it on all the roof as they are at different levels and this will balance the black shutter and main roof. Although we may love a combination of colours – this doesn’t mean they will necessarily suit our own house – you can be disappointed when the scheme doesn’t balance which means it isn’t visually appealing. For this reason I suggest painting the window frames and ‘underline’ (bottom windowsill – face and all sides of the sill) a grey – keeping the frame and sill the same will help minimise the cool white window joinery and it will disguise the fact that the windows are different sizes and placement is random. Keep the concrete walls and steps in Resene All Black – and with the white weatherboard you will have a modern, appealing house. The soffit (under the roof overhang) can definitely be the same grey as the window frames. A mid grey is best – with a cool undertone, to go with the cool tone of the white windows, while minimising the effect of the joinery – so not too dark. Consider a grey white for the exterior – the house is quite large and high, so a stark white will be very bright and whites/colours lighten and brighten outside – the grey won’t be strongly evident, (perhaps on the darkest elevation only) – it will just calm the brightness of the white. The small wooden ridge would have been too much of a feature in black – but you can consider painting it the same grey as the window frames – as long as it continues evenly on all sides of the house. Try these greys/whites: Resene Sea Fog, Resene Double Black White or Resene Mystic – check these whites against a sample of the joinery if possible – it will depend on the colour of the joinery to which white works – look at the whites outside with the metal sample. For dark greys, try Resene Quarter Stack, Resene Half Raven, Resene Atmosphere, Resene Half Scarpa Flow or Resene Quarter Scarpa Flow. November 2022 |
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Q. I am currently changing out a few weatherboards and will be looking to repaint the house this summer. Our roof is Ironsand and I think we would be looking to repaint it using just two other colours. One being a feature colour where it is currently darker with the stain glass window and then the rest a lighter colour. We would like to use perhaps some greys as we are not fans of the colours currently there as they seem to have a tinge of brown. I was thinking maybe Resene Half Delta or similar for the darker part but am not sure what to paint the rest of the house. A. Ironsand when on a roof and with brown joinery does limit the greys which complement it – we may like a certain grey but if it doesn’t look good on the house – it really isn’t worth investigating. I recommend painting the weatherboards one colour. Resene Foggy Grey or Resene Half Foggy Grey will still look grey but have a better undertone with Ironsand. As an option, you could create a floating effect with the top half of the house – so the complete bottom is darker – as long as there is a definite separation on the opposite elevation – Resene Foggy Grey or Half Foggy Grey for the bottom and Resene Triple Sea Fog for the top. November 2022 |
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Q. What warm/neutral colour palette would be best for our small ensuite? It’s on the cold side of the house, doesn’t get much light and currently has light green wallpaper with dark forest green carpet/brownish vinyl (we are looking at changing the flooring to a warm, wood-look vinyl planking). Two of the walls have a plastic white backing halfway up the walls and the vanity, toilet, shower are all white units. I’ve considered a warm white like Resene Pearl Lusta but I’m not sure whether it will make the bathroom look too white and boring with no contrast. Cream would also be a nice soothing colour but will it look off against the stark white plastic on the walls? I’ve also looked at a few yellows but I’m not sure what would be a soothing/happy/buttery yellow (not pastel) that doesn’t look tacky in large quantities and doesn’t knock you out when you open the door. Another option I’ve considered is to paint it a warm white and then add a wallpaper on one of the walls to make it a feature wall. A. With ensuites you can definitely afford to be more daring! Resene wallpaper in a small area with not much interest will create texture and pattern, while not being harsh like a solid colour, plus yellows can tend to be tricky in low light areas as they may end up looking a bit sour. With wallpaper you can choose any colour you like – but try to choose something which suits the rest of the house and style. A random pattern will work so you can wrap it around the room, including the half walls. You have the white to break the colour/pattern and the timber look vinyl – which looks great with wallpaper. I recommend you visit a Resene ColorShop and check out the Resene wallpaper library, or get a taste of it online. Alternatively if you feel like being more creative than that – then definitely paint one wall with a special effect and you might like to check out Resene Bianca as the warm white – it is a great pale warm white, which is good for low light areas – for the remaining walls. The habitat plus – special effects create with paint book available free from Resene ColorShops or online is full of good ideas for a feature wall. November 2022 |
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Q. We have a plaster house with a Grey Friars roof. We are near the sea and the house gets a lot of sun. We are trying to decide whether to go for Resene Half Silver Chalice or Resene Silver Chalice. A. Definitely the full strength Resene Silver Chalice – it is not too dark and is lovely for a sea outlook and to pair with Grey Friars. Colours lighten by up to 30% on expanse, in natural bright light. Resene Half Silver Chalice will appear too blue and light. November 2022 |
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Q. We live in the bush and are trying to decide between FlaxPod and Ironsand for our window joinery. The house has silvered macrocarpa. Our roof will be Viking Enviroclad membrane in medium bronze. A. That is a tricky one as they both potentially could work – however – my suggestion is FlaxPod – it has been developed to suit the natural landscapes of NZ, both rural and urban and it is the biggest seller at present, where Ironsand has been around for a while. Trends are not always the deciding factor – all colours past and present can have a place – but FlaxPod will work and one of the main reasons I recommend it is because it is easier to decorate with for the interior, especially with the current warm earthy, trending colours at the moment, but also with many styles. Joinery colour has to be considered when choosing the interior palette too. November 2022 |
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Q. I am currently having my laundry renovated. It will have two benches on opposite sides of the room. One with cupboards below and the other will have appliances below. Above one will be chunky, open shelves. I have chosen a grey and white mosaic tile style vinyl for the floor. I would like mid grey cupboards and white walls. I assume the white should match the slightly creamy white on the vinyl? The painter is suggesting that I paint the walls grey, and have white window and door frames, and white open shelves. For the grey aspects, should we match the grey from the flooring to the cupboards? Or maybe a bit lighter? What is your opinion on having white walls and grey cupboards, with dark wood benchtops? Should we consider grey walls, white window/door frames, white cupboards, and white shelves? I am colourblind and find this very difficult when people talk about colour bases etc. The grey is probably a big decision because we plan to paint our kitchen cupboards the same colour. A. Mid grey cupboards and shelving will look sophisticated and durable – a mid-grey that tones with the vinyl will be perfect. It doesn’t have to be an exact match to the vinyl but it needs to tone – same for the white. I recommend Resene White walls, window frames and door frames – all the same white. In the laundry you could opt to have the shelving only white, to match the walls, but it really depends on the design. I recommend you take the vinyl sample into your local Resene ColorShop staff who will be happy to assist in matching the colours. November 2022 |
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Q. I am hoping you can help me select a colour for my kitchen and dining rooms please. I have painted the adjacent bathroom in Resene Wafer, and the foyer area which leads into the kitchen in Resene Half Bianca. All trims and doors are Resene Alabaster. My kitchen cabinets are a bright white and the bench top is a dark grey with flecks of light grey. The kitchen and dining is currently in Resene Half Tea, and I'm wanting to tone down the beige look. The kitchen is east facing and gets early morning sun, and the dining room is south and gets no direct sun. We have large windows though so they're not dark, gloomy rooms. Outside all the windows is greenery – lots of trees and bush. The house is mid-50s weatherboard. The style I like is modern and warm. I don't mind pops of colour and don't want white walls everywhere. There is a fireplace in the dining, it's a cosy room. I will replace the curtains/blinds and move artwork to suit the paint colour. A. Resene Wafer and Resene Half Bianca are perfect colours with Resene Alabaster to counteract the low light and greenery outside – even if these rooms aren’t so affected. Resene Alabaster keeps the tones of neutrals and colours from being too muted. With that being said – I have given your spaces a lot of thought and for your dining room I suggest a warm mid toned colour – this will counteract the greyness of the south facing light and it will lift the room – although you have large windows the light is filtered from the trees and being warm and mid toned – these colours won’t be influenced by the green from outside. The following suggestions will pair with the existing Resene Wafer and Resene Half Bianca – you can bring in further contrast through accessories, soft furnishings, art etc. Consider Resene Biscotti, Resene Bone, Resene Despacito or Resene Crowdpleaser for the dining room walls. The kitchen I suggest keeping neutral as you have lovely hard finishes which take centre stage – you can opt to carry the Resene Half Bianca through – as this is a good warm white which will also counteract the effect of any outside greenery and will give borrowed light in the afternoons when the east light is shadowed – or you could use a deeper variant – Resene Bianca or Resene Double Bianca – you might also like these aged whites which suit the older style homes – Resene Half Cararra and Resene Rice Cake – these do have a slight green undertone but that complements the outlook – you will need to test the colours on to A2 card, two coats and attach to the walls, leave a white border around the card to neutralise the existing wall colours. The safe option is to use Resene Double Bianca in the dining room – but I feel the dining room will benefit from some colour. November 2022 |
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