Choosing a colour for your interior

Dark and hardwoods absorb less stain, so several coats may need to be applied, whereas light-coloured timber or plywood will make the same stain look stronger. Use a small amount of Resene Colorwood to try the colour out before starting on your project. Resene Woodsman exterior colours (see Resene exterior woodcare range) can also be tinted into Resene Colorwood if you want to bring your exterior wood stain colours into your interior. See the Resene Colorwood colour range at Resene interior Colorwood natural wood stain.

• White ideas – Resene Colorwood Whitewash and Resene Colorwood Greywash (available in mid and light strengths) are not absorbed into timber like a stain but enhance the surface with a lightened white or grey look. Apply over uncoated timber or composite boards or over aged, yellowed polyurethanes and varnishes for a contemporary whitewashed look without the need to strip the existing polyurethane coating.

• Dark arts – If you love the look of black and dark brown interiors, but you're worried about it seeming too severe, wood stains might be an excellent middle ground. As wood stains are semi-transparent and show the grain of the timber, they give dark interiors a soft, cosy quality. Try Resene Pitch Black or Resene Dark Ebony.

• Resene Natural – This natural colour brings out the best of any timber, enhancing the grain with a slight tint that looks great on everything from pine to cedar.

• Timber specific – Resene Colorwood comes in a range of colours designed to enrich the natural timber colour or mimic the colour on another wood, e.g., to give pine an oak colour. Choose from Resene Mahogany, Resene Deep Oak, Resene Walnut, Resene Teak, Resene Dark Ebony and Resene Jarrah. There are also native timber colours such as Resene Matai and Resene Dark Rimu.

• Primary colours – The Resene Colorwood range comes in primary colours such as Resene Apollo Blue, Resene Red Pepper and Resene Emerald Green which allow you to be creative with your interior design while still enjoying the natural feeling of timber. These vibrant colours are best used on light timbers such as pine or plywood and work well as accent colours in a room.

top tip  Stain colours can be intermixed or diluted. Resene Colorwood Reducing Base may be used to soften or stretch a full strength colour. If the selected colour of Resene Colorwood is too intense, reduce with Resene Colorwood Reducing Base. Resene Colorwood Reducing Base is also perfect on dark timbers to enhance the grain and appearance of the timber, without making the timber appear even darker.

Want to get your own free copy of future issues of Habitat magazine?

• Retail customers and homeowners: All Resene ColorShop and DIY Cardholders are sent a copy of each issue of Habitat. Sign up for your free card here - Australian residents - New Zealand residents.
• Specifiers: Sign up for Habitat here.

If you have an idea, project or story that you think would suit Habitat plus, we’d love to hear from you. Please drop us an email with your details and include photos if submitting a project.

Habitat plus are not mailed directly. They are available free from Resene ColorShops and resellers while stocks last and available for viewing online.