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Answers to your questions from our colour experts, p. 58

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.

 
 
 
 

Q&A   p. 58

Please refer to the actual paint or product sample. Resene colour charts, testpots and samples are available for ordering online.


Q. Our kitchen/dining room is painted Resene Jungle Mist. We want to paint our back door (off the kitchen) a dark grey but are finding it hard to find a good colour match.

A. All dark greys carry undertones of colours in them so these ones pick up on blues or blue greens - they may work sympathetically with Resene Jungle Mist.

Some colours for you to try: Resene Cinder, Resene High Tide, Resene Dark Knight, Resene Grey Friars, Resene Tuna, Resene Charade or Resene Cape Cod.

Resene Jungle Mist
Resene Jungle Mist
Resene Cinder
Resene Cinder
Resene High Tide
Resene High Tide
Resene Dark Knight
Resene Dark Knight
Resene Grey Friars
Resene Grey Friars
Resene Tuna
Resene Tuna
Resene Charade
Resene Charade
 
November 2016

Q. I'd like to paint our weatherboards Resene Quarter Fuscous Grey. We will have Arctic White joinery and Resene Half Periglacial Blue inside. Have you a recommendation for the roof colour please, probably prefer a lighter colour roof?

A. Do you want a lighter grey for the roof? Perhaps you might look at these options - Resene Transmission, Resene Jumbo or Resene Mid Grey.

All colours seen on the exterior of a house can appear lighter than you might expect. This is very prevalent with roof colours due to the angle of roof in relationship to the sunlight.

Resene Quarter Fuscous Grey
Resene Quarter
Fuscous Grey
Resene Half Periglacial Blue
Resene Half Periglacial Blue
Resene Transmission
Resene Transmission
Resene Jumbo
Resene Jumbo
Resene Mid Grey
Resene Mid Grey
November 2016

Q. My kitchen is Resene Tea and Resene Half Tea on the walls and ceiling, the flooring is vinyl plank which is a rimu colour as is the trim around my cupboards. My cupboards are currently a dark blue, which haven’t been changed since I purchased the house. I want to paint the cupboards, what colour would you recommend. It’s an open kitchen with lots of light.

A. I suggest you undercoat (in white) all of the dark blue so that any testpots you trial will be seen against a real white background. It makes choosing colour so much easier if there is nothing distracting your attention. You might check out these colours - Resene Coast (deep green/blue), Resene Atlas (deep viridian forest green), Resene Quarter Tea (lighter/tonal), Resene Napa (deeper/tonal) or Resene Half Fuscous Grey (warm charcoal).

Resene Tea
Resene Tea
Resene Half Tea
Resene Half Tea
     
Resene Coast
Resene Coast
Resene Atlas
Resene Atlas
Resene Quarter Tea
Resene Quarter Tea
Resene Napa
Resene Napa
Resene Half Fuscous Grey
Resene Half Fuscous Grey
November 2016

Q. We are looking for a more modern colour to paint our house. We have just purchased and quite like the tone of Resene Triple Truffle. We tend to like the ash, greyish tones rather than brown. Or any other suggestions would be great. The joinery is all brown.

A. I like Resene Triple Truffle too - it has a lot of ash/yellow/taupe tone to it. If you like that colour you may also like these ones - Resene Half Friar Grey, Resene Foggy Grey, Resene Taupe Grey, Resene Archive Grey, Resene Double Ash or Resene Atmosphere.

Resene Triple Truffle
Resene Triple Truffle
Resene Half Friar Grey
Resene Half Friar Grey
Resene Foggy Grey
Resene Foggy Grey
Resene Half Grey
Resene Taupe Grey
Resene Archive Grey
Resene Archive Grey
Resene Double Ash
Resene Double Ash
Resene Atmosphere
Resene Atmosphere
 
November 2016

Q. We are painting our interior walls and ceiling (with exposed light timber beams) in Resene Half Blanc. We have white cabinets in our kitchen and a white snow composite granite benchtop. I wanted to get our splashback and one other small wall near our kitchen in a bright bold feature colour. I love teal or blue, but as we have no windows in our kitchen I was worried it would be too overpowering. I don't like baby colours or red/brown colours though. Can you recommend a colour to test against the Resene Half Blanc and white cabinets? Would a charcoal or teal colour work?

Firstly - charcoal or teal would definitely work.

If you are worried about the lack of natural light in the kitchen you may need to put in some extra lighting - perhaps tiny LED spots to highlight the work top area and also the splashback area. Lighting is the key to solving problems where little or no natural light creates shadowy or dim areas.

You might check out these teals and charcoals to see if they appeal to you - Resene Seeker, Resene Such Fun, Resene Dauntless, Resene Sea Crest, Resene She’ll Be Right, and for greys - Resene Steel Grey, Resene Tuna, or softer blue/greys - Resene Avalanche or Resene Half New Denim Blue.

There are two types of glass used in splashbacks but only one that shows the colour behind it really true to reality. This is called low iron oxide crystal clear glass. The other one - standard float glass - has a greenish cast to it and makes colours seem far less clear and unlike what they are in truth.

Resene Half Blanc
Resene Half Blanc
Resene Seeker
Resene Seeker
Resene Such Fun
Resene Such Fun
Resene Dauntless
Resene Dauntless
Resene Sea Crest
Resene Sea Crest
Resene She’ll Be Right
Resene She’ll Be Right
Resene Steel Grey
Resene Steel Grey
Resene Tuna
Resene Tuna
Resene Avalanche
Resene Avalanche
Resene Half New Denim Blue
Resene Half
New Denim Blue
November 2016

Q. We are after a dark brown ceiling colour for a Balinese style house with raking ceilings and exposed rafters. Do you have any suggestions?

A. If you aren't having a beautiful rich dark teak planked ceiling then a few options to consider in the rich warm dark brown colours to replicate the look might be like these colours - Resene Barbecue, Resene Sepia or Resene Toorak.

Resene Barbecue
Resene Barbecue
Resene Sepia
Resene Sepia
Resene Toorak
Resene Toorak
November 2016

Q. We are updating a beach house and we were wondering whether we could paint the bedrooms in Resene Quarter Tea and living areas in Resene Black White. What ceilings and trim colour would we use? Alternatively we have considered Resene Alabaster as a wall colour. We are also painting over timber walls and ceiling to lighten the rooms up.

A. If you wanted a ceiling and woodwork trim colour to go with Resene Quarter Tea and Resene Black White you could use Resene Quarter Black White. If you decided on Resene Alabaster for all the walls you could use Resene Quarter Alabaster for all the ceilings and woodwork trim colour. If the timber walls are varnished now you would need to wash down thoroughly, lightly sand all over and use a varnish sealer like Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer prior to applying 2-3 coats of the topcoat colour.

Resene Quarter Tea
Resene Quarter Tea
Resene Black White
Resene Black White
Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
Resene Quarter Black White
Resene Quarter Black White
Resene Quarter Alabaster
Resene Quarter Alabaster
November 2016

Q. We are renovating our bathroom and laundry. In both rooms, the fixtures and cabinetry will be white, the floor tiles will be Resene Nero (dark brown/black) and the window frames and doors are mahogany. In the laundry, the walls will be Resene Westar - what white should we use on the ceiling for a crisp, clean look? In the bathroom, walls will be half-tiled in white and half painted - what white should we use on the walls and ceiling for a warm but clean look?

A. White tiles and white ceramic bathroom fittings may be subtly different 'whites'. Rather than introduce another 'white' colour which may look warmer or cooler (because they do carry colourants that make them not pure white) I suggest you just use real white paint - i.e. Resene White. It is the simple option and is always crisp and clean.

Resene Nero
Resene Nero
Resene Westar
Resene Westar
Resene White
Resene White
November 2016

Q. We have a barn that is all COLORSTEEL® Ebony and the house is timber and batten in Resene All Black. I want to paint the wooden barn doors and front door the same colour and want to go dark grey but are unsure which colour will look amazing. We have dark floorboards in the house and a neutral off white wall colour. The outside lighting including gooseneck barn lights are a galvanised iron colour.

A. For the very monochromatic look (with nothing really standing out as a contrast) you might check out these colours for the doors: Resene Half Bokara Grey, Resene Fuscous Grey, Resene Baltic Sea or Resene Grey Friars.

I strongly recommend that you use CoolColour™ reformulated versions of the dark grey colours to reduce the amount of heat that is absorbed.

COLORSTEEL® Ebony
COLORSTEEL® Ebony
Resene All Black
Resene All Black
Resene Half Bokara Grey
Resene Half Bokara Grey
Resene Fuscous Grey
Resene Fuscous Grey
Resene Baltic Sea
Resene Baltic Sea
Resene Grey Friars
Resene Grey Friars
November 2016

Q. We have a house painted in Resene Cello and I was wondering what colour to paint the baseboards? I was thinking about Resene Double Foundry but the testpot I tried looked too light so I thought of going up to Resene Blackjack.

A. You could try Resene Blackjack which is a warm black colour. Or alternatively you could use Resene All Black or Resene Nero - both are black and dark enough to create a contrast to the Resene Cello.

If you felt that they were too black you could investigate a dark blue colour like Resene Tangaroa.

Resene Cello
Resene Cello
Resene Double Foundry
Resene Double Foundry
Resene Blackjack
Resene Blackjack
Resene All Black
Resene All Black
Resene Nero
Resene Nero
Resene Tangaroa
Resene Tangaroa
November 2016

Q. We are renovating the master bedroom in our Californian bungalow. Throughout the house all the skirting boards, window frames, sills and doors are painted in Resene Double Spanish White and the walls are Resene Half Spanish White. I love the Hamptons style, however every wall colour I like is matched with cool white trims. We could repaint the trims in white - but then the bedroom would be out of step with the rest of the house. Could you please give me some ideas on wall colours that will work with Resene Double Spanish White and has a Hamptons feel (husband hates blue and green). Carpet is warm grey and the room is SE facing.

A. You can have colours that work with Resene Double Spanish White or you can have a Hampton’s type of colour scheme - but not together as the Resene Double Spanish White won't allow it to happen.

The Hamptons look is all about certain types of pale neutral colours and cooler whites being used together.

In order to make the Resene Double Spanish White woodwork look you would have to have a much stronger deeper colour or what you have now - a related lighter version of Resene Spanish White.

An idea that you might not have considered that is a possible way to go is to use a warmer grey or a grey/beige on the walls - it would have to be quite a deep colour however because of the trims being the colour they are -i.e. Resene Triple Rakaia or Resene Triple Truffle.

Resene Double Spanish White
Resene Double
Spanish White
Resene Half Spanish White
Resene Half Spanish White
Resene Spanish White
Resene Spanish White
Resene Triple Rakaia
Resene Triple Rakaia
Resene Triple Truffle
Resene Triple Truffle
November 2016

Q. We currently have creamy walls but we want to get them painted and lighten it up a bit - it currently has Resene Half Drought on the windows sills, door frames and doors which is in great condition so just wanting to get a lighter colour on the walls to lighten it up but not be too contrasting to the Resene Half Drought.

A. The best way to alter the room to lighten it would be to repaint the woodwork to a much lighter colour. By maintaining the very definite deep warm beige on all the woodwork you do compromise what colours you might use on the walls.

Will you mind if the woodwork looks deeper than it might do now and more of a feature colour?

You could use a lighter version of the Resene Drought colour - i.e. Resene Eighth Drought. Alternatively you could look at Resene Quarter Biscotti or Resene Quarter Spanish White.

Resene Half Drought
Resene Half Drought
Resene Eighth Drought
Resene Eighth Drought
Resene Quarter Biscotti
Resene Quarter Biscotti
Resene Quarter Spanish White
Resene Quarter
Spanish White
November 2016

Q. I have previously used Resene Half Malta, which I love; I want to use it again in my current home but am unsure of my ceiling paint. We have a wood burner in the lounge so there is currently discolouration from accidental smoke getting out. A friend has suggested Half Black White as it will help to hide future discolouration. Everyone has said "don't use white" but looking at the paint charts, I see there is no such thing as just white.

A. Nothing will hide discolouration from smoke stains on a light coloured ceiling apart from a black- not a lot of people paint their ceiling black.

You can clean the stained ceiling with Resene Emulsifiable Solvent Cleaner - which works like a detergent/solvent combination to remove both the smoke stains - these are the ones that can be seen - and the greasy carbon stains - these are invisible - rinse off really well and then seal with an oil based sealer – Resene Sureseal - prior to repainting. This cleaner and sealer will stop the stains bleeding through the (newly painted) acrylic ceiling paint.

Acrylic paints - usually all standard ceiling matt paint is acrylic -are not that good for being washed as they show shiny patches as well as allowing older stains to show constantly. If you want a ceiling paint that allows for washing then you might use Resene SpaceCote Flat waterborne enamel as it is tougher.

Colours for ceilings - apart from real white (Resene White) - this is a standard untinted white and appears on the Resene Whites & Neutrals charts and fan decks - which you might check out, are these soft/warm options - Resene Eighth Spanish White, Resene Eighth Blanc or Resene Half Soapstone, or for greyer options - Resene Half Barely There, Resene Half Sea Fog or Resene Black White.

Resene Half Malta
Resene Half Malta
Resene Half Black White
Resene Half
Black White
Resene White
Resene White
Resene Eighth Spanish White
Resene Eighth
Spanish White
Resene Eighth Blanc
Resene Eighth Blanc
Resene Half Soapstone
Resene Half Soapstone
Resene Half Barely There
Resene Half
Barely There
Resene Half Sea Fog
Resene Half Sea Fog
Resene Black White
Resene Black White
November 2016

Q. I’m looking to paint our new house interior in Resene Half Akaroa and Resene Quarter Akaroa... what ceiling colour do you recommend? I lean towards yellow... would Resene Half Bianca work?

A. I think your idea of Resene Half Bianca is good - there is a lighter (less yellow) version also - Resene Quarter Bianca that you might check out. Other 'whites' worth looking out are these ones - Resene Double Alabaster or Resene Quarter Merino.

Resene Half Akaroa
Resene Half Akaroa
Resene Quarter Akaroa
Resene Quarter Akaroa
Resene Half Bianca
Resene Half Bianca
Resene Quarter Bianca
Resene Quarter Bianca
Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Quarter Merino
Resene Quarter Merino
November 2016

Q. We want to paint our white concrete blocks and cedar extension in a colour that will make our house look less bitsy. We want to keep the brick unpainted so it is low maintenance. Our deck is a bluey grey (close to Resene Hammerhead) and we are thinking of using a colour similar to this. Our garage is a blue grey too. What is a blue/grey colour that complements red brick?

A. Seeing as you have used a blue colour already on the deck you could choose to use it on the cedar so that particular facade of the house is exactly the same - this would tie it together nicely. If you are unsure about the exact colour used on the deck then you could use another (so you do know what it is) such as Resene New Denim Blue. The reason I mention this particular colour is it may be similar to your garage door if it is powder coated. Using a slightly lighter - but related - colour for the block base would then make the whole exterior look tidier – try Resene Quarter New Denim Blue.

Using another colour that has a little more green in its grey/blue hue might be an alternative idea - because it may complement the bricks better - i.e. Resene San Juan but that would mean re-doing the deck - and the garage door - so it matched the cedar. The concrete blocks could be Resene Warrior.

Resene Hammerhead
Resene Hammerhead
Resene New Denim Blue
Resene New Denim Blue
Resene Quarter New Denim Blue
Resene Quarter
New Denim Blue
Resene San Juan
Resene San Juan
Resene Warrior
Resene Warrior
November 2016

Q. We are completely renovating our '50s ex-state home. We are choosing the interior paint colours for the kitchen, dining and lounge (which is open plan and in a long room about 10 x 3.9 metres in the lounge and 4.4 metres wide in the kitchen. We will have polished matai floor boards, varnished as light as possible. Our kitchen is white with a stone benchtop and cabinets in white gloss. The room should be quite light-filled. There is a three-panel bi-fold on the north west wall and a French door on the north side. I am thinking of a light-mid grey feature wall on the east side of lounge. The room will get lots of light so I think possibly we could go with a medium colour.

Could you also give some advice on popular colours for skirting/scotia and ceiling please? My husband is considering not putting scotia on as we think it could look very modern without them, but have not decided yet.

For the other three walls of the room I am thinking of quite neutral and modern. I have heard of the colour Resene Alabaster (but actually haven't seen it in person so I am unsure if it may be too stark and white) and Resene Black White variations.

We will also potentially aim to use the same colour throughout the house. But we have also seen light grey used on some renovation programmes more recently so are open to this. We will live in this house for a couple of years and then plan to sell it. We will probably have charcoal carpet in the bedrooms and hallway/atrium area.

A. You mention Resene Alabaster - it is a white. This is very popular with people who want white walls but not too stark a white. Resene Black White is a slightly greyer white - again it is very popular.

Both of these colours are very modern and for people who want a smart contemporary look they work really well.

Resene Black White might allow the white gloss kitchen cabinets to stand out as a 'real white'. This could be an important consideration when choosing a modern neutral. Other colours that are finding favour with people are these ones - Resene Sea Fog or Resene Half White Pointer.

Light to mid toned greys that are popular and could appeal to you as a feature wall are these ones - Resene Quarter Friar Grey, Resene Kensington Grey, Resene Half Stack, Resene Foggy Grey or Resene Transmission. All greys are quixotic and changeable so I do suggest that you test them very carefully. They all carry undertones of colour in them which may show at certain times of the day or night according to the natural and artificial light.

Not having a scotia between the wall and ceilings relies on a very sharp 'true' edge which is sometimes difficult to achieve. Many modern houses rely heavily upon a straight edge and masking tape to achieve this in order for the wall paint not to look 'wavy’ where it meets the ceiling.

A word to the wise - using the same colour for both walls and ceilings is popular but ceiling angles show more shadow so the ceilings can often look deeper than the exact same colour that is used on the walls.

A popular look is for the woodwork to be the same colour as the main wall colour - usually it is only the sheen level that marks it out as different from the walls - i.e. semi-gloss enamel on wood work and low sheen or matt acrylic on walls and ceilings. If the woodwork is architecturally gorgeous it deserves to be picked out (lighter or deeper than the walls) so that everyone can appreciate it. If it is like a lot of woodwork in modern houses and is minimal and narrow and not architecturally gorgeous then it isn't worthy of highlighting it - hence the reason why people paint it to match the main wall colour so it can hide and not draw attention to itself.

Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
Resene Black White
Resene Black White
Resene Sea Fog
Resene Sea Fog
Resene Half White Pointer
Resene Half White Pointer
 
Resene Quarter Friar Grey
Resene Quarter Friar Grey
Resene Kensington Grey
Resene Kensington Grey
Resene Half Stack
Resene Half Stack
Resene Foggy Grey
Resene Foggy Grey
Resene Transmission
Resene Transmission
November 2016

Q. What's the best colour for interior walls and doors?

A. There is a huge amount of possibilities that you might consider but these are a few for you to check out - walls - Resene Half Tea with doors - Resene Double Tea, or walls - Resene Quarter Spanish White with doors - Resene Spanish White, or walls - Resene Half Thorndon Cream with doors - Resene Thorndon Cream.

Resene Half Tea
Resene Half Tea
Resene Double Tea
Resene Double Tea
Resene Quarter Spanish White
Resene Quarter
Spanish White
Resene Spanish White
Resene Spanish White
Resene Half Thorndon Cream
Resene Half
Thorndon Cream
Resene Thorndon Cream
Resene Thorndon Cream
November 2016

Q. We are currently renovating a 1950s weatherboard house and need to replace the roof (we're using COLORSTEEL®) and repaint the exterior. We would like a dark grey roof, and a lighter grey exterior paint with white trim. At a glance, we love Ironsand, FlaxPod, Thunder Grey, Windsor Grey and Grey Friars. What are the undertones of these roof colours? Our house is surrounded by bush and big trees; I'm not sure what colours would work best in that environment. I don't want anything too blue or brown toned.

A. The undertones of the roof colours in order of how you have listed them are - Yellow/Brown, Warm Black/Brown, Olive Green/Brown, Black/Charcoal and Steel Blue/Black.

Thunder Grey has some olive green undertones that might suit your environment or if you wanted a much darker roof colour you could use FlaxPod. You might use one of these colours for the weatherboards - Resene Ash, Resene Eighth Stonewall, Resene Foggy Grey or Resene Thorndon Cream.

Resene Ash
Resene Ash
Resene Quarter Stonewall
Resene Eighth Stonewall
Resene Foggy Grey
Resene Foggy Grey
Resene Thorndon Cream
Resene Thorndon Cream
November 2016

Q. We'd love some suggestions for what to paint for our exterior. We have a 1952 weatherboard house. We like colour and have renovated the interior with the 1950s in mind. We chose a few colours from the 2660 palette - our kitchen cupboards are Resene Celery with Resene Sea Fog walls and our lounge is Resene Hippie Blue. The bedrooms are Resene Joanna and the bathroom/laundry is Resene Windfall. We have rimu floors and doors. The front of the house gets all day sun. The fence encircling our property has been painted a dark green, unfortunately I don't know the colour name.

We'd like an exterior colour that goes well with the fence and Resene Hippie Blue as when we are in the lounge all three colours will be visible.

The stucco around some parts of the base of the house (the front is brick) could be a contrasting colour, we don't mind using multiple colours. Our roof is concrete tile and is black from age but will be replaced at some point in the near future.

A. Using a very definite colour on the exterior as the main colour may not be the best way forward. If you were to use a neutral - no it isn't a cop out, it will just allow you to see the green fence and then be immersed in the Resene Hippie Blue B62-052-217 without a discord of colour happening - it would be a fresh clean look.

You might consider this scenario: main colour - Resene Quarter Ecru White (like a lighter/brighter version of Resene Joanna), stucco base of the house - Resene Teal Blue (quite deep but with a vibrant heart), tubular steel handrail - Resene Black to match the gate (goes with everything), trims (doors and windows sills) Resene Chelsea Cucumber (relates to the deeper green fence, looks lovely with the main house colour and goes well with the Resene Teal Blue and the Resene Hippie Blue).

Resene Celery
Resene Celery
Resene Sea Fog
Resene Sea Fog
Resene Hippie Blue
Resene Hippie Blue
Resene Joanna
Resene Joanna
Resene Windfall
Resene Windfall
Resene Quarter Ecru White
Resene Quarter Ecru White
Resene Teal Blue
Resene Teal Blue
Resene Black
Resene Black
Resene Chelsea Cucumber
Resene Chelsea Cucumber
 
November 2016

Q. We are getting our house repainted. We currently have Resene Tea on the walls and a white on the door/window surrounds. We wanted to go lighter to modernise somewhat but want to keep a good colour match with the curtains. Would you recommend Resene Half Tea? We would be looking at a darker carpet than we currently have. We do have terracotta tiles in the kitchen and a cream bench etc.

A. Resene Half Tea is certainly a possibility. If you wanted another option to consider you might check out Resene Quarter Truffle which has a little more grey in its undertone. The kitchen colours are a little warmer (cream and terracotta influenced) and may pose a little problem with co-ordination which is why I suggested the slightly greyer alternative option.

Resene Tea
Resene Tea
Resene Half Tea
Resene Half Tea
Resene Quarter Truffle
Resene Quarter Truffle
November 2016

Q. We are doing up our garden and have large concrete retaining walls on one side of the house. I would like to paint these walls, to update the space and make it tidy. We currently are thinking a dark blue (Resene Space Cadet is leading so far), but something about it isn’t right.

The colours we need to work with are
1) Soft lemon-yellow (house colour).
2) Dark forest green - roof and doors.
3) Orange/red tiles.

It’s not a big area so anything that helped expand the space would be nice. Also I’m not keen on the greys, I tried Resene Concrete and it just looks to flat for my liking.

A. You mention Resene Space Cadet which is a deeper bright blue - combined with the colours on the house you would effectively have a multi coloured palette of colours with the retaining wall attracting the most attention. Was this what you had in mind?

If you do want a blue then perhaps you might check out these ones - Resene Cobalt, Resene Matisse or Resene Bellbottom Blue.

Have you considered a lovely fresh green? This could follow on from the roof and door colour. You could try Resene Killarney or Resene Glade Green.

Resene Space Cadet
Resene Space Cadet
Resene Concrete
Resene Concrete
     
Resene Cobalt
Resene Cobalt
Resene Matisse
Resene Matisse
Resene Bellbottom Blue
Resene Bellbottom Blue
Resene Killarney
Resene Killarney
Resene Glade Green
Resene Glade Green
November 2016

Q. We have a dementia area of our rest home that we really need advice on what colours would go where that would brighten up the place but also be practical for the residents to identify certain areas.

A. There can be several issues to address - this can be related to eyesight problems as well as cognitive problems and personality disorders.

I think that colours that are clearer are more appealing (not muddy or complex neutrals) as they tend to remain as 'sight memories' and are more easily recognised.

People with dementia may need definite colour clues to identify toilet or bathroom doors, dining room colours (not all walls - perhaps as one wall around a servery area) and day/activity rooms and with that in mind I think that colours like these are great - Resene Glorious, Resene Reflection, Resene Sweet Spot or Resene Freelance.

Warm colours increase the ambiance for areas where people may be sedentary so these can be used as main colours - Resene Clotted Cream, Resene Half Dutch White, Resene Eighth Biscotti or Resene Half Spanish White.

Personalising individual rooms with colour may not be appropriate but coloured bedspreads and curtains can go a long way to aid room recognition.

Resene Glorious
Resene Glorious
Resene Reflection
Resene Reflection
Resene Sweet Spot
Resene Sweet Spot
Resene Freelance
Resene Freelance
Resene Clotted Cream
Resene Clotted Cream
Resene Half Dutch White
Resene Half Dutch White
Resene Eighth Biscotti
Resene Eighth Biscotti
Resene Half Spanish White
Resene Half Spanish White
November 2016

Q. I am having trouble choosing colours for the interior walls of a house we are building, so far we are looking at Resene Truffle but are worried that may look too dark. We have grey flint carpet and light grain look vinyl. We have a limit of three colours including doors and ceilings.

A. If you like Resene Truffle but are a little concerned that it may be too deep a colour - and all colours in an interior look deeper not lighter - then you might check out these colours - Resene Quarter Truffle and Resene Eighth Truffle, or Resene Half White Pointer and Resene Quarter White Pointer or Resene Double Sea Fog and Resene Sea Fog.

By using the first colour in very large, sunny or open plan areas and as an semi-gloss enamel for doors and the second colour in hallways, smaller rooms of the bathroom/toilet/laundry you can adjust the colour to work with the different quality of natural light and closer proximity of walls that create more shadow.

Ceilings - if they are a colour instead of pure white - offer you another colour that can be used in other rooms or surfaces - like skirting boards, door frames, cupboard doors and window frames.

You might use one of these colours - Resene Alabaster, Resene Double Alabaster or Resene Quarter Merino.

Resene Truffle
Resene Truffle
Resene Quarter Truffle
Resene Quarter Truffle
Resene Eighth Truffle
Resene Eighth Truffle
Resene Half White Pointer
Resene Half White Pointer
Resene Quarter White Pointer
Resene Quarter
White Pointer
Resene Double Sea Fog
Resene Double Sea Fog
Resene Sea Fog
Resene Sea Fog
Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Quarter Merino
Resene Quarter Merino

Q. We are painting our bach and we have chosen Resene Half Cut Glass for the rooms which looks good but is probably a bit strong unfortunately. We need paint for the rest of the house - big stairwell and living areas. The house has wooden ceilings. We want a light airy feel but also something that is practical in a bach - something white/neutral but not going to mark too easily. I was thinking Resene Quarter Rice Cake? But I would love to hear some suggestions. Someone has also suggested Resene Eighth Napa.

A. Someone will always suggest a colour - usually because they have used it and think it is perfect - which may be the case with Resene Eighth Napa. It is a lovely muted grey/brown colour but I am not 100% sure that it would work in close proximity to Resene Half Cut Glass which is a lovely translucent green edged blue.

All colours in an interior have the potential to appear twice the depth that you might imagine they will do - this is possibly the reason that Resene Half Cut Glass looks a bit strong. A sneaky way to force the eye to see a colour as lighter is to use deeper colours as accessories - i.e. Resene Norwester and Resene Arapawa.

A colour that is light airy feeling (but practical) might be one of these colours - Resene Half Ecru White or Resene Sea Fog.

These colours don't rule out using the much whiter/brighter Resene Quarter Rice Cake but if it was used as a main colour through the house and up the stairwell it might show marks. It could be used as a trim for the woodwork or as a main wall colour in a master bedroom with either of the two suggested colours as a feature wall colour.

Resene Half Cut Glass
Resene Half Cut Glass
Resene Quarter Rice Cake
Resene Quarter
Rice Cake
Resene Eighth Napa
Resene Eighth Napa
 
Resene Norwester
Resene Norwester
Resene Arapawa
Resene Arapawa
Resene Half Ecru White
Resene Half Ecru White
Resene Sea Fog
Resene Sea Fog
November 2016

Q. I need a colour scheme for my villa. I'd like lighter window surrounds but the painter says that it's best to keep dark colours where they are for the best finish. As for colours I like; I love Resene Pohutukawa for the door and lacework, and maybe Resene Spirulina for the roof. Would these look ok with Resene Thorndon Cream or similar?

A. You could use Resene Spirulina or other green options you might want to consider are Resene Paddock, Resene Gecko or Resene Rivergum; Resene Pohutukawa is a splendid colour for the doors and decorative lacework. Other very traditional style red colours you might check out are these ones - Resene Red It or Resene Trouble.

Resene Thorndon Cream is a good choice for a main colour on the house but please check out these colours also to see if they are appealing - Resene Joanna or Resene Triple Merino.

Resene Pohutukawa
Resene Pohutukawa
Resene Spirulina
Resene Spirulina
Resene Thorndon Cream
Resene Thorndon Cream
 
Resene Paddock
Resene Paddock
Resene Gecko
Resene Gecko
Resene Rivergum
Resene Rivergum
 
Resene Red It
Resene Red It
Resene Trouble
Resene Trouble
Resene Joanna
Resene Joanna
Resene Triple Merino
Resene Triple Merino
November 2016

Q. We want to repaint with a true grey and a complementary blue.

A. All greys have undertones of other colour with in them. I am not sure what a 'true grey' means to you but you might check these greys out to see if they are what you have in mind - Resene Double Concrete, Resene Surrender or Resene Silver Sand.

Blues that work with greys for you to consider might be like these colours - Resene Biscay, Resene Avalanche, Resene Wishing Well or Resene Bellbottom Blue.

Resene Double Concrete
Resene Double Concrete
Resene Surrender
Resene Surrender
Resene Silver Sand
Resene Silver Sand
 
Resene Biscay
Resene Biscay
Resene Avalanche
Resene Avalanche
Resene Wishing Well
Resene Wishing Well
Resene Bellbottom Blue
Resene Bellbottom Blue
November 2016

Q. I've just painted my house Resene Kensington Grey and am looking at Resene Double Stack for the bottom concrete block of the house. But I'm not sure it's dark enough to complement with our black fence. Is Resene Double Stack able to be turned into Resene Triple Stack? Or am I just making up names?

A. Yes, Triple Stack or another deeper and related variant is called Resene Chicago. It looks very smart with Resene Kensington Grey. Another much darker colour might be Resene Armadillo.

Resene Kensington Grey
Resene Kensington Grey
Resene Double Stack
Resene Double Stack
Resene Triple Stack
Resene Triple Stack
Resene Chicago
Resene Chicago
Resene Armadillo
Resene Armadillo
November 2016

Q. Should the roof colour match the guttering colour?

A. It often does match the roof. But you can choose to do something different - it is your choice. If the guttering is to be a different colour to the roof it is often wise to match some other element on the house - like the window and door joinery. Otherwise it might be the odd one out.

November 2016

Q. We have a small high ceilinged bathroom on the south side of the house. The floor tiles I have chosen are a greenish grey, greenish black and dirty creamy white and the dado height subway tiles are matte white/ivory. What colours would you suggest for the plasterboards, skirting and doors. The closest black I could find is Resene Double Gravel. I don't want it to look busy.

A. Resene Double Gravel isn't a black - it is more of a sludgy yellow/green charcoal. Is this what you want?

I suggest you test colours really carefully. If you paint up all of the testpot (two coats) onto A2 card (available from Resene ColorShops) and stand it vertically up against the tiles you will soon see whether it works or not. Without testing you may be in danger of getting it wrong. Testpots are your best friend - they are cheap colour insurance.

You might check out these black colours so you can compare with the Resene Double Gravel - Resene All Black or Resene Nero. You may need extra lighting in the bathroom if you do such large areas in a black - it will absorb a lot of light.

Resene Double Gravel
Resene Double Gravel
Resene All Black
Resene All Black
Resene Nero
Resene Nero
November 2016

Q. We are about to paint the exterior of our brick house including fascia, soffits, downpipes and concrete blocks at the bottom of the house. We wish to use Resene New Denim Blue on the fascia and soffits and a dark charcoal on downpipes and blocks. We also have hardboard on parts of the house which we want to replace with cedar, however we are concerned that by staining the cedar (dark) and the combination of the other two colours it would be too many colours and will not give us the modern and crisp look we wish to achieve.

A. You have a lot of different surfaces on the house. You have bricks (coloured) and window joinery (coloured) as well to consider. I think I would be inclined to paint the cedar (not stain) to match the colour on the fascias and soffits so it was less visibly confusing.

If you want a dark charcoal on the downpipes and the blocks you could check out Resene Gumboot or Resene Double Cod Grey.

Resene New Denim Blue
Resene New Denim Blue
Resene Gumboot
Resene Gumboot
Resene Double Cod Grey
Resene Double Cod Grey
November 2016

Q. I am looking to paint the exterior of my house in a Resene Triple Wheatfield on weatherboards and a Resene Villa White on the trim around windows. I want to paint the front door and new picket fence in a matching colour (preferably dark) to offset the colour of the house however I can’t find a contrasting dark which would suit. Resene Double Cod Grey was my original thought - I purchased a testpot and found this to be too hard against the white and the Resene Wheatfield. I am looking for a suggestion of a suitable grey or similar.

A. Perhaps you could consider using a warmer earthier dark grey so that the main house colours harmonise with it better. These may be a start point for you to consider - Resene Double Gravel, Resene Fuscous Grey, Resene Ironsand or Resene Half Bokara Grey.

Resene Triple Wheatfield
Resene Triple Wheatfield
Resene Villa White
Resene Villa White
Resene Double Cod Grey
Resene Double Cod Grey
 
Resene Double Gravel
Resene Double Gravel
Resene Fuscous Grey
Resene Fuscous Grey
Resene Ironsand
Resene Ironsand
Resene Half Bokara Grey
Resene Half Bokara Grey
November 2016

Q. I have Resene Double Sea Fog walls and would like to do a feature wall in Resene Dusted Blue, do they go together?

A. They are both very nice colours. Used together they create a soft muted look - neither is over emphasised or defined crisply. If you like the cloudy, gentle but sophisticated look then go for it.

Resene Double Sea Fog
Resene Double Sea Fog
Resene Dusted Blue
Resene Dusted Blue
November 2016

Q. With the traditional coloured red roof, what would be your recommendation for an exterior paint colour? I like Resene Tana and Resene Masala but am not sure they'd go well.

A. I like the colours together - they are warm and earthy. I think it depends very much upon which would be the main colour and how much of the secondary colour was going to be used on the house.

If you were considering using the Resene Masala as the main house colour it would create a very heavy look. If Resene Masala was only a small amount of trims (roof line fascias, detailed plastered fascia over the front entry porch/front window and garage door and main house doors) and you used a much whiter colour for the under soffits and window frames - i.e. Resene Sea Fog it could look really nice.

Resene Tana
Resene Tana
Resene Masala
Resene Masala
Resene Sea Fog
Resene Sea Fog
November 2016

Q. We are going to replace our tiled roof with a COLORSTEEL® roof but we are unsure of what colour to go with. The colours painted on the house are Resene Double Dutch White (weatherboards), Resene Marshland and Resene Lonestar. What colour(s) would you suggest for the COLORSTEEL® roof?

A. As you have probably already realised there is only a limited range of colours available in COLORSTEEL® roofing. Your choices are even more limited due to the existing house colours compromising your options.

You might consider these ones – Karaka or FlaxPod.

Resene Double Dutch White
Resene Double
Dutch White
Resene Marshland
Resene Marshland
Resene Lonestar
Resene Lonestar
November 2016

Q. If I used a colour like Resene Aloha as a feature in a bedroom, would it be better on a wall that gets sun or a wall that doesn't? Also, what would be a good neutral colour with Resene Aloha?

A. Resene Aloha might be better on a sunny wall. It has an unusual earthy/sharp edge to it. If it was painted on a dim wall the lack of natural light might make it look a bit 'dirty'. It is a personal choice of course.

Some neutral colours that look good with Resene Aloha are these ones - Resene Perfect Taupe, Resene Grey Chateau, Resene Wheatfield, Resene Quarter Taupe Grey or Resene Half Lemon Grass.

Resene Aloha
Resene Aloha
       
Resene Perfect Taupe
Resene Perfect Taupe
Resene Grey Chateau
Resene Grey Chateau
Resene Wheatfield
Resene Wheatfield
Resene Quarte Taupe Grey
Resene Quarter Taupe Grey
Resene Half Lemon Grass
Resene Half Lemon Grass
November 2016

Q. We are looking to paint the outside weatherboards on our two storey home. The bottom is a varied warm beige toned 80s brick. We are putting in new black aluminium joinery and have used various shades of Resene Rice Cake on the inside. We have a garage door in the colour Desert Sand; this complements the bricks really well. Would this be too strong a colour for the top storey boards?

A. If you test the colour by painting all of a testpot onto A2 card (available from Resene ColorShops) and taping it above the bricks you see enough of the colour to make a good judgment on it. Do not trial the testpot colour on to the already coloured weatherboards - it will make you see the colour wrongly. If you have reservations about the depth of the colour after carefully testing the colour then you might look at these options to see if they appeal to you - Resene Shelter, Resene Triple Spanish White or Resene Double Spanish White.

Resene Rice Cake
Resene Rice Cake
Resene Shelter
Resene Shelter
Resene Triple Spanish White
Resene Triple
Spanish White
Resene Double Spanish White
Resene Double
Spanish White
November 2016

Q. We are building a new house and my kitchen cabinet colour is mainly Resene Concrete. We have bulkheads meeting the top of the cabinets and I was wondering what colour to paint that area, same as the walls which I was thinking would be Resene Double Concrete or same as the cabinets (Resene Concrete).

A. If the bulkhead looks as though it might be part of the kitchen cabinets then by painting to match them the cupboards would look as though they go right up to the ceiling. If you painted the bulkheads the same as the walls the cupboards might look squashed down by the bulkhead. Think it through very carefully - a new house means lots to think about and lots of decisions.

Resene Concrete
Resene Concrete
Resene Double Concrete
Resene Double Concrete
November 2016

Q. I am trying to find a colour to use on windows, door surrounds, and doors throughout my house. My house is 12 years old and a fairly traditional design (i.e. not super modern). My living areas are Resene Wheatfield, the bedrooms are Resene Half Spanish White, the bathroom, toilet and ensuite are Resene Black White and Resene Sea Fog, and the hallway needs to be a light neutral, either Resene Quarter Spanish White or maybe Resene Quarter Wheatfield. What do you recommend for doors etc that will work well with those colours? Also, how would Resene Quarter Wheatfield and Resene Quarter Spanish White differ in appearance in my long and narrow hallway?

A. I think because you have so many light or white colours in your rooms you could use Resene Alabaster for the woodwork - it looks good with all of your colours. Resene Quarter Spanish White is a little warmer looking than Resene Quarter Wheatfield. Either colour would work for you. But if you can't make up your mind you might check out Resene Eighth Wheatfield - it is a possible option for the hall.

Resene Wheatfield
Resene Wheatfield
Resene Half Spanish White
Resene Half Spanish White
Resene Black White
Resene Black White
Resene Sea Fog
Resene Sea Fog
Resene Quarter Spanish White
Resene Quarter
Spanish White
Resene Quarter Wheatfield
Resene Quarter Wheatfield
Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
Resene Eighth Wheatfield
Resene Eighth Wheatfield
November 2016

Q. I am painting the exterior of my house and roof and I am want a grey colour combo but I am not sure what to go for. I was thinking a darker charcoal roof, light-mid grey weatherboards with white around windows etc. My house is a 1920s cottage, currently white. The door is black and will stay that colour.

A. These colours may appeal to you - Resene Silver Chalice, Resene Half Black White and Resene Grey Friars (roof), or Resene Half Foggy Grey, Resene Quarter Wan White and Resene Windswept (roof), or Resene Half Grey Chateau, Resene Alabaster and Resene Steel Grey (roof).

Resene Silver Chalice
Resene Silver Chalice
Resene Half Black White
Resene Half Black White
Resene Grey Friars
Resene Grey Friars
Resene HalfFoggy Grey
Resene Half Foggy Grey
Resene Quarter Wan White
Resene Quarter Wan White
Resene Windswept
Resene Windswept
Resene Half Grey Chateau
Resene Half Grey Chateau
Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
Resene Steel Grey
Resene Steel Grey
November 2016

Q. I’m not sure what to paint my fence as it is so big. I also need a house colour to suit the fence and stain for the wooden front deck. I tried Resene Stack and Resene Tiri stain; I thought it a little dark. I really like neutral tones. I am not keen on white fences.

A. You might look at these palettes of colours - House colour - Resene Double Truffle (suggest you carry main house colour down to include the foundations), trims - windows/under soffits/pergola/posts/handrails/balustrades - Resene Half Sea Fog, fence colour - Resene Double Friar Grey and deck stain - Resene Woodsman Tiri (this would only be the deck floor. steps and front base of the deck).

Or house colour - Resene Ash (suggest you carry main house colour down to include the foundations), trims - windows/under soffits/pergola/posts/handrails/balustrades - Resene Quarter Villa White, fences - Resene Evolution and deck stain - Resene Woodsman Tiri or lighter Resene Iroko (this would only be the deck floor, steps and front base of the deck).

Or house colour - Resene Triple Sea Fog (suggest you carry main house colour down to include the foundations), trims - windows/under soffits/ pergola/posts/handrails/balustrades - Resene Half Black White, fences - Resene Tapa and deck stain - Resene Woodsman Grey Green (this would only be the deck floor, steps and front base of the deck).

Resene Stack
Resene Stack
Resene  Woodsman Tiri
Resene Tiri
   
Resene Double Truffle
Resene Double Truffle
Resene Half Sea Fog
Resene Half Sea Fog
Resene Double Friar Grey
Resene Double Friar Grey
Resene  Woodsman Tiri
Resene Tiri
Resene Ash
Resene Ash
Resene Quarter Villa White
Resene Quarter Villa White
Resene Evolution
Resene Evolution
Resene Iroko
Resene Iroko
Resene Triple Sea Fog
Resene Triple Sea Fog
Resene Half Black White
Resene Half Black White
Resene Tapa
Resene Tapa
Resene Grey Green
Resene Grey Green
November 2016

Q. I am trying to recreate a water wash mural on my daughter’s bedroom wall. Her room is painted Resene Green Mist and I need a yellow, pink, purple and blue to match.

A. This type of mural where the colours are blended through in a water/wash effect is sometimes difficult to achieve. It is difficult to isolate exactly the colours also because of how they change as the next colour alters them and creates several different tints and tones.

You might check out these ones to see if they suit: Resene Half Melting Moment - lighter yellow, Resene Golden Glow - warmer yellow, Resene Touche - orange yellow, Resene Irresistible - warmer pink, Resene Colour Me Pink- cooler pink where it merges, Resene Studio - purple influenced by pink and Resene Blue Gem- purple turning to blue.

Resene Green Mist
Resene Green Mist
Resene Half Melting Moment
Resene Half
Melting Moment
Resene Golden Glow
Resene Golden Glow
Resene Touche
Resene Touche
Resene Irresistible
Resene Irresistible
Resene Colour Me Pink
Resene Colour Me Pink
Resene Studio
Resene Studio
Resene Blue Gem
Resene Blue Gem
November 2016

Q. We are painting the exterior of a 1950s stucco house and I'm thinking of Resene Squall for the roof, Resene Truffle for the stucco with white window frames. I'm stuck on an accent colour for the doors, balustrades and hand rails. The occupier is our late 20s son and I want to choose something that is cool, masculine and fresh but not overly confronting. Some possibilities include Resene Fiddlesticks, Resene Clockwork Orange, Resene Ayers Rock, Resene Sambuca or more neutrally Resene Half Bokara Grey.

A. Has your son seen the colours that are being considered for the accent on the house? What colour does he favour the most? Or is he leaving all the decisions up to you?

My thoughts - not the brown - Resene Sambuca - it is too heavy against the gentle tone of the Resene Truffle. Not the Resene Half Bokara Grey - it doesn't sit that comfortably with the main and the roof colour. The oranges are quite bright toned - another orange colour to consider is Resene Rumour Has It - it has more soul and richness than the two you have listed and suits the roof colour and the main colour. Other options are Resene Evolution (lighter than the roof but related) or Resene Eternity - darker than the roof or for something different Resene Trouble. Consider letting your son choose then it will be his choice of colour on his house.

Resene Squall
Resene Squall
Resene Truffle
Resene Truffle
     
Resene Fiddlesticks
Resene Fiddlesticks
Resene Clockwork Orange
Resene Clockwork Orange
Resene Ayers Rock
Resene Ayers Rock
Resene Sambuca
Resene Sambuca
Resene Half Bokara Grey
Resene Half Bokara Grey
Resene Rumour Has It
Resene Rumour Has It
Resene Evolution
Resene Evolution
Resene Eternity
Resene Eternity
Resene Trouble
Resene Trouble
 
November 2016

Q. I have a red brick, roughcast house. We had previously painted the windows Resene Half Akaroa and roughcast Resene Double Akaroa. We have redone the windows this time with Resene Akaroa as I forgot they were half last time. What would you suggest to do the roughcast now? I'm not that happy with the window colour.

A. If you are not happy with Resene Akaroa and you aren't planning on changing it to something better or lighter the only thing I can think of is to use a deeper colour on the roughcast so your eyes are forced to think of Resene Akaroa as a lighter colour. Is that what you had in mind?

These colours may be worth checking out to see if they appeal to you - Resene Craigieburn, Resene Triple Akaroa or Resene Coffee Break.

You could use lighter colours but the windows may pop out more and be noticeable - Resene Half Akaroa (this is a reversal of the colours used last time you painted) or Resene Half Spanish White.

A random alternative would be to paint the roughcast a very definite colour - i.e. Resene Scaramanga - which because it is a green will work with both the red brick and the Akaroa on the house.

Resene Half Akaroa
Resene Half Akaroa
Resene Double Akaroa
Resene Double Akaroa
Resene Akaroa
Resene Akaroa
   
Resene Craigieburn
Resene Craigieburn
Resene Triple Akaroa
Resene Triple Akaroa
Resene
Resene Coffee Break
Resene Half Spanish White
Resene Half Spanish White
Resene Scaramanga
Resene Scaramanga
November 2016

Q. I want to know if you can give me exterior wall and roof colour options to match old black joinery.

A. I think you may need to consider a type of black for the roof colour - just so that the windows have a 'friend' and aren't the only black element on the house. You might check out these two blacks to see if they appeal to you – Resene All Black or Resene Nocturnal.

I don't think it would be a good idea to match the main house colour to the windows and roof though - it would be too much black and may look really hard edged and ominous. You might consider using one of these complete warm neutrals - Resene Eighth Masala, Resene Friar Grey or Resene Half Tapa.

If you weren't keen on a really deep colour on the house you might also check out these 'coloured whites' - they can look really striking with black - Resene Double House White, Resene Triple Black White, Resene Triple Merino, Resene Half Titania or Resene Triple Sea Fog.

Resene All Black
Resene All Black
Resene Nocturnal
Resene Nocturnal
Resene Masala
Resene Eighth Masala
Resene Friar Grey
Resene Friar Grey
Resene Half Tapa
Resene Half Tapa
Resene Double House White
Resene Double
House White
Resene Triple Black White
Resene Triple Black White
Resene Triple Merino
Resene Triple Merino
Resene Half Titania
Resene Half Titania
Resene Triple Sea Fog
Resene Triple Sea Fog
November 2016

Q. I need help to choose a main exterior colour. I am using Resene Gravel as a trim colour. I need a grey (ideally) that looks ok next to the existing bronze aluminium joinery.

A. It can be difficult when you are forced to work with existing elements (coloured windows in this case) that compromise your freedom of choice. Perhaps one of these warmer greys might work for you - Resene Half Friar Grey, Resene Taupe Grey, Resene Half Tapa, Resene Eighth Masala, Resene Archive Grey or Resene Greige.

Resene Gravel
Resene Gravel
Resene Half Friar Grey
Resene Half Friar Grey
Resene Half Grey
Resene Taupe Grey
Resene Half Tapa
Resene Half Tapa
Resene Masala
Resene Eighth Masala
Resene Archive Grey
Resene Archive Grey
Resene Greige
Resene Greige
 
November 2016

Q. I require a mid-grey paint for the Titan board exterior part of a new build to go with Grey Friars joinery and garage door and cedar, stained black. It cannot be too light as it is in full sun which turns lighter shades to white.

A. You might check out these lighter variants of the Grey Friars joinery colour to see if they appeal to you - Resene Half Grey Friars or Resene Quarter Grey Friars.

Alternatively these slightly warmer greys may suit - Resene Quarter Baltic Sea or Resene Half Fuscous Grey.

Resene Half Grey Friars
Resene Half Grey Friars
Resene Quarter Grey Friars
Resene Quarter Grey Friars
Resene Quarter Baltic Sea
Resene Quarter Baltic Sea
Resene Half Fuscous Grey
Resene Half Fuscous Grey
November 2016

Q. I have a purple wall and two taupe walls in my bedroom and I was wondering what colour I should go for in the ensuite.

A. I recommend that you use a soft off white with a warm taupe/grey undertone. One of these colours will look lovely with the white bathroom fittings. You could try Resene Eighth Truffle, Resene Whiteout or Resene Quarter Cloud.

Resene Eighth Truffle
Resene Eighth Truffle
Resene Whiteout
Resene Whiteout
Resene Quarter Cloud
Resene Quarter Cloud
November 2016

Q. We are building our first new home and are going for Antique White bricks with an Ebony Black roof and black window frames. For the interior wall colours, we are looking at the grey palette and I like Resene Triple Concrete. However, I'm not sure if this colour will go well with the black window frames and Resene Alabaster or Resene Black White ceiling. We are also looking at Resene Concrete for the trims. Our kitchen will have white joinery and we are looking at a dark grey/brown carpet. Could you please suggest if the interior colours will go well with above colour options?

A. Almost any colour will work with the black window joinery and the much whiter ceilings. If the kitchen joinery is a true white that too will allow almost any other colour to work well with it.

I suggest that you paint up large samples of the colours you favour and stand them upright on the carpet sample and any other flooring that you like. Don't lay the samples flat on the flooring because that is not how the walls are. Colour will look different when seen horizontally and vertically.

Resene Concrete and Resene Triple Concrete have a soft lilac undertone and this will look more definite in an interior. Colours have the potential to double their depth inside the house and this may be even more obvious when seen close to the carpet. If that isn't the look you want - but you are very happy with the carpet you have chosen - then you must test another 1 or 2 colours to see if they work better for you.

All greys carry undertones of colour - you may need to test several to find a grey that works with the other elements in the house. Colours alter when seen in different qualities of light and shade and when close to other colours. Take your time to test colour – testpots are your best friend in this regard.

Resene Triple Concrete
Resene Triple Concrete
Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
Resene Black White
Resene Black White
Resene Concrete
Resene Concrete
November 2016

Q. I would like to repaint the fascia and soffits of a 1960s Huntly brick house with a COLORSTEEL® Permanent Green roof. What colours would you recommend?

A. You might check out these colours - Resene Quarter Albescent White, Resene Merino or Resene Eighth Parchment.

None of the colours suggested are too stark or white but have a little colour in them to work with the warm buff colour of the bricks and the definite green roof.

COLORSTEEL® Permanent Green
COLORSTEEL®
Permanent Green
Resene Quarter Albescent White
Resene Quarter
Albescent White
Resene Merino
Resene Merino
Resene Eighth Parchment
Resene Eighth Parchment
November 2016

Q. I'm painting a small media room black and was wondering what black you would suggest to go with the Resene Eighth Tea. It's a sunny room with white windows and blinds and wooden floors. I don't like browns.

A. You might check out these slightly warmer blacks to see if they appeal to you - Resene Bokara Grey, Resene Blackjack, Resene Double Foundry or Resene Baltic Sea.

Resene Eighth Tea
Resene Eighth Tea
Resene Bokara Grey
Resene Bokara Grey
Resene Blackjack
Resene Blackjack
Resene Double Foundry
Resene Double Foundry
Resene Baltic Sea
Resene Baltic Sea
November 2016

Q. I have just installed a glass splashback in my kitchen in the colour of Resene Half Oilskin. I am looking for a colour that will complement it for the walls in the open plan living room and dining room attached to the kitchen.

A. You have mentioned the splashback colour but not the colour of the kitchen walls or the kitchen cabinetry and bench tops. These may have a marked influence over what will or won't work for you.

The some ideas that might offer you a little inspiration - Resene Half Akaroa, Resene Half Wheatfield, Resene White Pointer, Resene Albescent White, Resene Half Duck Egg Blue or Resene Half Tasman.

Resene Half Oilskin
Resene Half Oilskin
Resene Half Akaroa
Resene Half Akaroa
     
Resene Half Wheatfield
Resene Half Wheatfield
Resene White Pointer
Resene White Pointer
Resene Albescent White
Resene Albescent White
Resene Half Duck Egg Blue
Resene Half Duck Egg Blue
Resene Half Tasman
Resene Half Tasman
November 2016

Q. I am looking to find a colour scheme for my house. It has a COLORSTEEL® green roof. We are looking at a two tone colour scheme i.e. top and bottom half. The top is Hardiboard® and the bottom cinder block. We like darker colours of greys and blacks but the roof isn’t getting painted. It seems hard to find a match.

A. I think the roof colour is probably a standard COLORSTEEL® colour called Permanent Green. You could check out these colours - Resene Half Gravel, Resene Ironsand, Resene Baltic Sea or Resene Bokara Grey.

COLORSTEEL® Permanent Green
COLORSTEEL®
Permanent Green
Resene Half Gravel
Resene Half Gravel
Resene Ironsand
Resene Ironsand
Resene Baltic Sea
Resene Baltic Sea
Resene Bokara Grey
Resene Bokara Grey
November 2016

Q. We're looking for a colour scheme for the exterior of our house. It's a 1920s villa to which we're adding an extension. I was looking at light greys and thought Resene Athens Grey might be the one, but it's so light it looks almost white when it's on and dry. The others we've looked at are too blue/purple. I am keen on a 'purer' grey - would Resene Silver Chalice with Resene Black White trim tick the box? We're also looking roof colours - keen for a dark roof colour but not something that's too much for the house.

A. All colours on an exterior - in bright natural light- take on a much lighter or brighter look. Perhaps if you use a colour with more depth it won't wash out so much.

You mention Resene Silver Chalice and Resene Black White. Please take the opportunity to paint up a very large sample (all of the testpot) onto A2 card (available from Resene ColorShops) and pin it up on each side of the extension so that you can see exactly what it looks like - at all times of the day. Seeing such a large sample is a tremendous aid. If you leave a narrow white band all around the edge of the card unpainted the sample will not be negatively influenced by the colour of the boards because the barrier created by the white will emphasise the colour.

Another colour that you might also try - just to compare because without comparing the eye can't adjust and see underlying tints and tones within the colours - is Resene Transmission.

A dark colour for the roof might be one of these - Resene Grey Friars (this can look steely grey/blue when seen in very bright light at a 45 degree angle), Resene Half Fuscous Grey (a warmer grey/charcoal) or Resene Windswept (a deeper warm grey/charcoal).

Resene Athens Grey
Resene Athens Grey
Resene Silver Chalice
Resene Silver Chalice
Resene Black White
Resene Black White
 
Resene Transmission
Resene Transmission
Resene Grey Friars
Resene Grey Friars
Resene Half Fuscous Grey
Resene Half Fuscous Grey
Resene Windswept
Resene Windswept
November 2016

Q. We have an Ironsand coloured roof and soffit plus Resene Castle Rock house colour. We need a fence colour to go with the house colour.

A. You might look at these colours to see if they appeal to you - Resene Bokara Grey (darker than the roof colour) or Resene Evolution (deeper than the main house colour). Or use a stain colour, such a Resene Woodsman Tiri or Resene Woodsman Banjul.

Resene Castle Rock
Resene Castle Rock
Resene Bokara Grey
Resene Bokara Grey
Resene Evolution
Resene Evolution
Resene  Woodsman Tiri
Resene Tiri
Resene Banjul
Resene Banjul

Q. I am seeking advice as to a suitable colour to paint the eaves of my home. It is a 1970s brick veneer house (brick colour is brown/grey with some of the bricks having a pink/salmon tone).The roof/gutters/fascia are COLORBOND® Jasper. I am thinking of painting the window/door trims and French doors in Resene Cougar. I have tried all of the following for the trim and felt Resene Cougar was the most suitable: Resene Half Cougar, Resene Quarter Craigieburn, Resene Quarter Napa, Resene Tea and Resene Bison Hide. I do not want the eaves to be a stark white and wondered whether Resene Half Albescent White might work?

A. I am inclined to agree with you - the subtle warmth of Resene Half Albescent White could be really good and work well with your bricks, roof and the Resene Cougar. You have chosen well.

Resene Cougar
Resene Cougar
Resene Half Cougar
Resene Half Cougar
Resene Quarter Craigieburn
Resene Quarter Craigieburn
Resene Quarter Napa
Resene Quarter Napa
Resene Tea
Resene Tea
Resene Bison Hide
Resene Bison Hide
Resene Half Albescent White
Resene Half
Albescent White
 
December 2016

Q. I would like to repaint our home with Karen Walker Paints colours; our kitchen has white cupboards with a black bench top and light grey tiles. The rest of the house has wooden flooring; we have dogs so we want something not too light, as it marks easy, for the lounge, hall, two teenage girls’ rooms, main room, laundry and kitchen.

A. If you really like the Karen Walker Paints colours you might consider these ones - Resene Quarter Foggy Grey - lounge and hallway, Resene Half Wan White - ceilings and wooden trims, Resene Half Robin Egg Blue and Resene Blanched Pink for bedrooms and Resene Quarter Periglacial Blue for the laundry and kitchen.

These colours are really pretty and have masses of modern style.

Resene Quarter Foggy Grey
Resene Quarter Foggy Grey
Resene Half Wan White
Resene Half Wan White
Resene Half Robin Egg Blue
Resene Half Robin Egg Blue
Resene Blanched Pink
Resene Blanched Pink
Resene Quarter Periglacial Blue
Resene Quarter
Periglacial Blue
December 2016

Q. I am contemplating painting our house exterior and would like some colour advice. I am thinking Resene Tea or Resene Truffle; however I have a COLORBOND® Paperbark roller door.

A. It is the Paperbark that is the sticking point - it is so warm compared to the grey/beige tones of Resene Tea and Resene Truffle. Will you mind if it looks ‘odd man out' and not well related or harmonious in regard to the two colours you are considering using?

I think you might be wise to check out some other colours that may work better for you. These are some to consider - Resene Double Spanish White, Resene Double Drought or Resene Outback.

However, if you painted over the existing garage door (to match the house colour or a deeper neutral colour that did work better) then it would free up your options to have the Resene Tea or Resene Truffle. You possibly hadn't thought of doing that but it is possible - you don't have to have it the colour that it is now if it is the only thing that stops you going with a whole new look on the house.

Resene Tea
Resene Tea
Resene Truffle
Resene Truffle
Resene Double Spanish White
Resene Double
Spanish White
Resene Double Drought
Resene Double Drought
Resene Outback
Resene Outback
December 2016

Q. I am building a house and the exterior cladding is cedar weatherboard stained Resene Treehouse, the roof and fascia is Bone White, I am really struggling putting a colour with those for the James Hardie Stria® panels that will cover the rest of the house. The whole back side of house is Stria® so quite a vast area. The sides and front are broken up with weatherboard and Stria®.

A. You don't mention what colours you have chosen for the windows - is it the same as the roof? If you didn't want the Stria® to be too dark a colour you might check out these mid toned colours – Resene Taupe Grey, Resene Stonehenge or Resene Friar Grey.

If you wanted a much lighter colour you could look at these ones - Resene Titania (lighter than the Bone White), Resene Half Tana, or much darker – Resene Touchstone or Resene Triple Friar Grey.

Resene Treehouse
Resene Treehouse
Resene Half Grey
Resene Taupe Grey
Resene Stonehenge
Resene Stonehenge
Resene Friar Grey
Resene Friar Grey
Resene Titania
Resene Titania
Resene Half Tana
Resene Half Tana
Resene Touchstone
Resene Touchstone
Resene Triple Friar Grey
Resene Triple Friar Grey
December 2016

Q. I have a bathroom with mid tone blue tiles. I am looking to paint the walls which at present are a slightly purple blue. I want light, there’s probably a tone of white but something that will go with the blue... but am also open to other suggestions.

A. You might look at these slightly coloured 'whites' - they fall between the more definite coloured blue tiles and the very optic white ceramic bathroom features – Resene Wan White, Resene Half Barely There, Resene Half Athens Grey, or warmer hues like these ones - Resene Villa White or Resene Orchid White.

Resene Wan White
Resene Wan White
Resene Half Barely There
Resene Half Barely There
Resene Half Athens Grey
Resene Half Athens Grey
Resene Villa White
Resene Villa White
Resene Orchid White
Resene Orchid White
December 2016

Q. We want advice about our exterior colour scheme. Our new roof is Colorcote® 'Slate' and weatherboards we think are Resene Double Pearl Lusta. The previous roof was Heritage Green so we are proposing painting all the green trims and garage door to match the new roof. What is a good match to Slate? For the window trims we want to find something modern that is not too dark. One option is to go for a lighter white than the Resene Double Pearl Lusta. Are there other colours that would match this scheme?

A. I like the idea of making the windows lighter and crisper – you could try Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta or Resene Half Rice Cake.

They are both good options to go with. A coordinating colour for the trims and the garage door might be one of these options - slightly lighter than the roof – Resene Grey Friars, or slightly deeper – Resene Nocturnal.

Resene Double Pearl Lusta
Resene Double Pearl Lusta
Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta
Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta
Resene Half Rice Cake
Resene Half Rice Cake
Resene Grey Friars
Resene Grey Friars
Resene Nocturnal
Resene Nocturnal
December 2016

Q. We have tried many greys using testpots on our house! The nearest we get to what we like is Resene Moon Mist but at times it appears a little 'pink'. Others had too much yellow, or Resene Half Gauntlet too dark, Resene Quarter Scarpa Flow too lifeless. We realise that with a dark roof and eaves in white, and cladding either dark or a white, this could bring relief to the large grey areas. The windows are silver aluminium. Can you please suggest an alternative colour scheme, with options of cladding being white or dark? Or should we go a white for the house to emphasise the aluminium window colour? We have a lot of green planting near the house some with white or yellow flowers and didn't want to have a yellow/green murky under base for paint.

A. Did the Resene Moon Mist look a little pink in the late afternoon? This may be because that is what the natural light is like as it drops lower in the sky to the westerly aspect

The best way to test colours is to paint it onto A2 white card (available from Resene ColorShops). If you use all of the testpot/two coats and leave an unpainted white card border all around the edges of the card the large block amount of colour is better for seeing what the colour is truly like. The unpainted border acts as a barrier to keep the tested sample away from any other existing colour which may negatively influence how you see it and it helps you to focus on the colour. You can tape it to different sides of the house and see how changes of natural light and angles alter your perception of the colour plus it is large enough to make a good judgment about what it really looks like.

These light greys may be worth testing - Resene Quill Grey, Resene Silver Sand or Resene Triple Black White. Some whites to test – Resene Barely There, Resene Half House White or Resene Black White.

Resene Moon Mist
Resene Moon Mist
Resene Half Gauntlet
Resene Half Gauntlet
Resene Quarter Scarpa Flow
Resene Quarter
Scarpa Flow
Resene Quill Grey
Resene Quill Grey
Resene Silver Sand
Resene Silver Sand
Resene Triple Black White
Resene Triple Black White
Resene Barely There
Resene Barely There
Resene Half House White
Resene Half House White
Resene Black White
Resene Black White
December 2016

Q. We want to change the exterior of our house to a more modern colour. We are reluctant to go grey as have seen some awful looking ones around the neighbourhood, but are open to more earthy colours including 'mushroom', tans etc. Our aluminium framing is bronze in colour.

A. Some colours you could try are: Resene Tea, Resene Akaroa, Resene Double Parchment, Resene Eighth Colins Wicket or Resene Half Bison Hide.

Resene Tea
Resene Tea
Resene Akaroa
Resene Akaroa
Resene Double Parchment
Resene Double Parchment
Resene Eighth Colins Wicket
Resene Eighth
Colins Wicket
Resene Half Bison Hide
Resene Half Bison Hide
December 2016

Q. We are in the midst of changing our living room and kitchen walls. Our ceiling is painted in Resene Double Alabaster and I would like to do a feature wall with Resene Dusted Blue. What colour would go best in keeping with the blue tones?

A. Because of the shadowy white - Resene Double Alabaster - that you have on the ceiling you may need to use a colour similar but a bit deeper for the walls. The slightly deeper wall colour would allow the ceiling colour to still look 'white'.

The following are some colours that would be worth checking out - Resene Sea Fog, Resene Merino, Resene Eighth Truffle or Resene Quarter Ecru White. Or the default – Resene Double Alabaster - yes the same as the ceiling.

Any colour that is deeper than these ones may rob the Resene Dusted Blue of its lovely soft blue/grey ambiance.

Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Dusted Blue
Resene Dusted Blue
Resene Sea Fog
Resene Sea Fog
Resene Merino
Resene Merino
Resene Eighth Truffle
Resene Eighth Truffle
Resene Quarter Ecru White
Resene Quarter Ecru White
December 2016

Q. We are painting our new build interior - walls to be Resene Black White and the ceiling Resene Eighth Black White. Are the doors usually the same as the walls? Are the skirtings and architraves usually the same as the ceiling, with maybe a different sheen?

A. If the skirting boards and architraves are a lovely generous size (like older style houses have) you can use a lighter version of the wall colour to enhance them - in a semi-gloss enamel finish such as Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss waterborne enamel.

Window frames and sashes would either match the ceiling or the wall colour - again in a semi-gloss enamel finish. If the skirting boards and architraves are narrow and very understated you might prefer not to highlight them but to use the wall colour so they merge in seamlessly - but in a semi-gloss enamel finish.

Ceilings are usually the lightest of all colours and a matt acrylic paint finish - but in the kitchen, bathroom and laundry they may need to be a superior matt or low sheen product such as Resene SpaceCote Kitchen and Bathroom formula - this is able to be easily washed and doesn't show burnish marks. It also has extra silver fungicidal protection and mould additives added so it resists steam and cooking moisture and fumes.

Walls are often a low sheen acrylic – Resene Zylone Sheen - but for more of a durable finish Resene SpaceCote waterborne enamel would be the preferred finish.

Resene Black White
Resene Black White
Resene Eighth Black White
Resene Eighth Black White
December 2016

Q. I have recently had my car pad done and the garage re-clad. I was going to paint the garage and house with Resene Silver Chalice. My question is, do I off set this with some other colours? i.e. the garage side door or the garage surrounds? If I paint the other side of the garage, will it look too grey?

A. You might consider two alternative options for the trims – Deeper – Resene Double Stack (this will make you see the Resene Silver Chalice as a lighter colour), or paler or whiter options - Resene Snowdrift or Resene Quarter Silver Chalice. Or - for the brave of heart a strong contrast colour – Resene Tiki Tour (might look very smart/traditional like a private school tie colour with the grey).

A change of angle (side wall of the garage or back garage wall) will make the main colour look different- lighter on the side wall and darker on the back wall.

It is your choice as to what you go with but the back wall of the garage (in shadow and closer to the house) might be painted a lighter colour (like the trims and doors) just to stop it looking heavy where the sun doesn't 'bless it' with light.

Resene Silver Chalice
Resene Silver Chalice
Resene Double Stack
Resene Double Stack
Resene Snow Drift
Resene Snow Drift
Resene Tiki Tour
Resene Tiki Tour
December 2016

Q. We have painted the exterior of our house Resene Ironsand and we have white windows. We have painted the bargeboards and fascia Resene Half Friar Grey. We are trying to decide a suitable colour for the roof?

A. You could consider Resene Double Friar Grey - this could look lighter because of the sunlight stripping the depth of the colour away.

Or a really pale colour – Resene Quarter Friar Grey - this could look paler - almost like a galvanised metal. Or a deeper colour - Resene Bokara Grey.

But if you are using a COLORSTEEL® roof then your options are much more constrained you could try BasaltBase or Resene Bone White.

Resene Ironsand
Resene Ironsand
Resene Half Friar Grey
Resene Half Friar Grey
Resene Double Friar Grey
Resene Double Friar Grey
Resene Quarter Friar Grey
Resene Quarter Friar Grey
Resene Bokara Grey
Resene Bokara Grey
December 2016

Q. We are about to re-clad and replace all aluminium joinery in our bach. We have a grey/blackish roof and a cream interior which we are not changing. The re-clad will be with pine weatherboard and were thinking of painting it Resene Half Duck Egg Blue and using black aluminium joinery to contrast with the main and match the roof. In your opinion could this work? Also what colour would you use for the bargeboards and soffits, spouting etc? We would like the exterior and interior colours to flow nicely; it is a property with an estuary view.

A. All colours on an exterior look lighter/brighter so you may need to use full strength Resene Duck Egg Blue in order for it to look like the half tone colour. Does that make sense? I think the real Half Duck Egg Blue may just look - apart from half again as light - like a grey/white - so no soft delightful blue/green edge at all to the colour.

Yes I think the black joinery will work really well. Do you know which colour the roof is? Are you planning on matching that particular colour so roof and joinery match up? It would be a very wise move.

You could use a warm 'white' for under the soffits, the bargeboards and the spouting - perhaps Resene Eighth Pearl Lusta - I have recommended this colour and not a true white as you have a cream interior and it is nice to carry through on the warmth.

Resene Half Duck Egg Blue
Resene Half Duck Egg Blue
Resene Duck Egg Blue
Resene Duck Egg Blue
Resene Black White
Resene Black White
Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
Resene Eighth Pearl Lusta
Resene Eighth Pearl Lusta
December 2016

Q. I have a Melteca® Snowdrift Natural kitchen being made, will the Resene Alabaster be white enough for the internal doors in nearby rooms or should I go Resene Half Alabaster? Will Resene Alabaster interior doors be enough of a contrast with Resene Black White walls?

We are painting the exterior of the house and on the small testpot sample size both Resene Wan White and Resene Black White look the same, but in mass, a new house we know that is painted Resene Wan White looks too white (but it has dark wood with it). Will Resene Black White give a white look but be less stark and suit an older 80s full plaster home better? It is going with black roof and joinery?

A. If you want to see the contrast between the wall colour and the kitchen cabinetry then I think it might be better to use Resene Quarter Alabaster or even Resene Quarter Black White.

There is a subtle difference between Resene Wan White and Resene Black White - it may only be noticeable when the light changes or when you change the angle on which it is viewed. Colours alter all of the time and yes if Resene Wan White is near a really dark colour then it will look whiter than you think it will do. It is because of the polarity of the dark and light colours reacting off each other.

I strongly suggest you paint up testpots to see more of these 'whites'. The best way to test colours is to paint it onto A2 white card (available from Resene ColorShops). You can place a sheet of white printer paper partially over the large painted sample to see the difference in tints and tones in the test sample compared to a pure optic white paper.

You can move the sample to different walls and different rooms to see how changes of natural light and angles alter your perception of the colour plus it is large enough to make a good judgment about what it really looks like. If you stand the sample upright - not placed flat on a floor or table - as it would be on a wall - close to the kitchen cabinetry you will get a better idea also.

Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
Resene Half Alabaster
Resene Half Alabaster
Resene Black White
Resene Black White
Resene Wan White
Resene Wan White
Resene Quarter Alabaster
Resene Quarter Alabaster
Resene Quarter Black White
Resene Quarter Black White
   
December 2016

Q. I am currently completing a renovation of a Californian Bungalow. It is currently painted heritage yellow/green/white. I am looking to use a more neutral colour tone, with the walls of the house to be a light/medium greyish tone and the window frames, fascia, etc. being a darker charcoal. After a lot of Resene sample testpots we have come up with Resene Friar Grey for the house exterior and Resene Baltic Sea for the exterior woodwork. I am slightly concerned that Resene Friar Grey may be slightly too light, but I do like it.

If I stick with Resene Friar Grey for the house exterior, do recommend Resene Baltic Sea and/or any other colours for the exterior woodwork that would be complementary? Alternatively, do you have any other suggestions of colour options for the tones and feel I'm looking for.

A. I like the colours you are considering - they are modern but still very appropriate to the style of the house. An alternative main colour that you might check out - slightly greyer than the Resene Friar Grey - is Resene Quarter Chicago.

An alternative dark colour for the exterior woodwork might be Resene Quarter Bokara Grey - it has a soft warmth to it that is very appealing with Resene Friar Grey - and there is also a darker version of the colour - Resene Half Bokara Grey that might also be considered. It does pay to compare colour to ensure the ones you favour look better than other options.

Resene Friar Grey
Resene Friar Grey
Resene Baltic Sea
Resene Baltic Sea
Resene Quarter Chicago
Resene Quarter Chicago
Resene Quarter Bokara Grey
Resene Quarter
Bokara Grey
Resene Half Bokara Grey
Resene Half Bokara Grey
December 2016

Q. We are planning our house build and need to decide on our exterior colours. The roof, garage door and front door joinery are all Ironsand. We will have a bright red front door and all the rest of the window joinery is Warm White Pearl. The house cladding is a combination of Titan® board and weatherboard. We would like a darker grey tone for the Titan® board and a much lighter neutral tone for the weatherboard.

A. You might check out one of these deeper colours for the Titan® board - they look really nice with the joinery and the roof, door joinery and garage door - Resene Quarter Ironsand, Resene Half Baltic Sea or Resene Quarter Bokara Grey.

Lighter colours for the weatherboards might be one of these options - Resene Triple Merino, Resene Eighth Friar Grey, Resene Half Foggy Grey or Resene Triple Sea Fog.

Resene Quarter Ironsand
Resene Quarter Ironsand
Resene Half Baltic Sea
Resene Half Baltic Sea
Resene Quarter Bokara Grey
Resene Quarter
Bokara Grey
Resene Triple Merino
Resene Triple Merino
Resene HalfFoggy Grey
Resene Half Foggy Grey
Resene Triple Sea Fog
Resene Triple Sea Fog
December 2016

Q. I want to repaint my house; the roof now is New Denim Blue. I chose Resene Half Surrender for the wall and soffits, Resene Half Stack for the garage door, Resene Double Stack for the bands and garage frame. Does this match? How about the fascia? Resene Half Surrender or something else?

A. I like the Resene Half Surrender very much, as your main colour and for the fascia but I do have reservations with the Resene Half Stack and Resene Double Stack. They are a different type of blue/grey to the main colour and the roof colour.

Perhaps you could check out these colours - they relate really well with the roof colour - Resene Neutral Bay for the garage door or Resene Half New Denim Blue. Or slightly deeper - Resene Quarter Tuna for the garage door or Resene Tuna.

Resene Half Surrender
Resene Half Surrender
Resene Half Stack
Resene Half Stack
Resene Double Stack
Resene Double Stack
 
Resene Neutral Bay
Resene Neutral Bay
Resene Half New Denim Blue
Resene Half
New Denim Blue
Resene Quarter Tuna
Resene Quarter Tuna
Resene Tuna
Resene Tuna
December 2016

Q. Your consultant recommended our colours for the house exterior which have turned out great. It was Resene Double Truffle as an accent and Resene Double White Pointer for main areas. I now want to paint the fences along the sides of the house with a dark colour. We have used some ‘charcoal' stain on some landscaping which looks great where it is, but the fence needs to be paint not stain. I am looking for something about the same depth of Resene Fuscous Grey which I used at my last house - but this is the wrong tone. I'm wondering about Resene Bokara Grey, Resene Black Magic or Resene Kilamanjaro but am open to suggestions.

A. I am inclined towards Resene Bokara Grey. It has lovely rich warmth which relates well to your bricks and other colours. The two other colours are nice but they do have more dark brown in them.

Resene Double Truffle
Resene Double Truffle
Resene Double White Pointer
Resene Double
White Pointer
Resene Fuscous Grey
Resene Fuscous Grey
Resene Bokara Grey
Resene Bokara Grey
Resene Black Magic
Resene Black Magic
Resene Kilamanjaro
Resene Kilamanjaro
December 2016

Q. I would like to paint the roof, gutter and fascia on my house. Currently the roof is Terracotta, the gutter and fascia is Mission Brown. My aluminium window frames are Mission Brown. What colour would be best for my roof, gutter and fascia, I'm thinking Woodland Grey?

A. Will you mind if the windows are the only brown on the house and 'pop' and draw attention to themselves and away from the other colours on the exterior? I would be more inclined to suggest another darker brown for the roof, gutters and fascia so the windows have a 'friend'- perhaps you could check out Resene Cave Rock or Resene Lignite.

Resene Cave Rock
Resene Cave Rock
Resene Lignite
Resene Lignite
December 2016

Q. I am building a brick and weatherboard home. We are using a Midland brick called Grande Blanco (white mortar) and about a third is weatherboard. I'm considering using Titania for the joinery. Can you give me advice on a COLORSTEEL® roof colour and a weatherboard colour?

A. You don't say whether you want a very pale look or a dark contrasting colour to set off the brick. If you did decide to use Titania for the window joinery you could use a deeper version of that sort of colour for the weatherboards- and much a deeper COLORSTEEL® (but related) for the roof colour - Resene Archive Grey or COLORSTEEL® Thunder Grey. Or a greyer option - Resene Half Tapa or COLORSTEEL® TernStyle.

Resene Archive Grey
Resene Archive Grey
Resene Half Tapa
Resene Half Tapa
December 2016

Q. I'm looking for a very soft primrose yellow to paint our dining room and kitchen. The rooms face west and south and the trim colour (to match adjoining rooms) is Resene Quarter Milk White. I like Resene Moon Glow. How do you think that would work?

A. Will you mind if the trims (Resene Quarter Milk White) take on a distinctly grey/mauve tone when seen close to any yellow colour?

I recommend that you paint up large samples and move them around the walls in the kitchen and dining room so that you can see how the colour looks. The best way to test colours is to paint each on to A2 white card (available from Resene ColorShops). If you use all of the testpot/two coats and leave an unpainted white card border all around the edges of the card the large block amount of colour is better for seeing what the colour is truly like. The unpainted border acts as a barrier to keep the tested sample away from any other existing colour which may negatively influence how you see it and it helps you to focus on the colour. You can tape it to different walls/different rooms in the house and see how changes of natural light and angles alter your perception of the colour plus it is large enough to make a good judgment about what it really looks like. You may notice in south facing spaces the yellow looks really sharp and sour and in west facing rooms it looks warmer. This needs to be seen before you make the final decision.

Soft yellows are the trickiest type of colour to get right. Yellow has a habit of looking a lot stronger than you think it will do. Resene Moon Glow has a lovely fresh (almost transparent) green edge to it - is this what you like about the colour? Other primrose yellows that you might look at are these ones - Resene Corn Field or Resene Cumulus.

Resene Quarter Milk White
Resene Quarter Milk White
Resene Moon Glow
Resene Moon Glow
Resene Corn Field
Resene Corn Field
Resene Cumulus
Resene Cumulus
December 2016

Q. We are finalising the exterior colours for our new home. The cladding is a mix of Firth Antique White brick and Axon® panel. The roof will be Graphite Corona Shake and the joinery Ironsand. My question is which colour should we use for the garage door and Axon®? Ironsand, ideally something lighter. Can you recommend a soffit colour that will tie in with the Antique White brick?

A. I think it may be a good call to do the garage door in the Ironsand.

Do you want the Axon panel to be a dark feature (Resene Ironsand) or slightly lighter and softer looking? You might consider using a variant of Ironsand - i.e. Resene Half Ironsand CC or Resene Quarter Ironsand. For the soffit you could try Resene Double Alabaster.

Resene Ironsand
Resene Ironsand
Resene Half Ironsand
Resene Half Ironsand
Resene Quarter Ironsand
Resene Quarter Ironsand
Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Double Alabaster
December 2016

Q. I want to paint some bedrooms in a soft, warm grey colour. The bedrooms have very dark grey carpet, which I hate, but I am stuck with it as the last owners only put it in a year ago and we can't afford to replace it. Can you recommend a light, warm grey that would be suitable? Or should I go with some other neutral? I don't want anything too dark or cold. I was thinking of something like Resene Quarter Rakaia but then I read somewhere that it's a cool colour, so probably not what I'm after. In case it makes a difference, three of the rooms are south facing and one is north facing.

A. The south facing rooms may make the greys look cooler/deeper - it is the nature of that light aspect. The north facing room will be shadowy until the sun reaches right into the room and baths the walls with light - this may only happen in winter when the sun is lower in the sky. Testing the colours carefully is the only way you will get a good idea what they look like in the rooms and how the natural light alters them throughout the day and into the evening when artificial light changes them again.

You might test these greys to see if they appeal to you – Resene Mercury, Resene Flotsam, Resene Pale Slate, Resene Half Rakaia or Resene Half Cloud.

Resene Quarter Rakaia
Resene Quarter Rakaia
       
Resene Mercury
Resene Mercury
Resene Flotsam
Resene Flotsam
Resene Pale Slate
Resene Pale Slate
Resene Half Rakaia
Resene Half Rakaia
Resene Half Cloud
Resene Half Cloud
December 2016

Q. I am renovating a bathroom. The vanity will be Resene Wan White. Will this work with either Pure White or Organic White Caesar stone? The floor tiles are a charcoal colour and the wall tiles are Carrara.

A. Resene Wan White would still allow anything that was crisper and a true white to stand out more as a clean contrast. It is a soft toned white that takes on a slightly greyed look - it would look very nice with charcoal floor tiles.

Resene Wan White
Resene Wan White
December 2016

Q. I have a brick house with a charcoal roof. What are popular colours to paint eaves and veranda poles and doors?

A. Whites are still top of the pops for eaves and veranda posts - not stark but softly coloured like these ones - Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream, Resene Double Black White, Resene Barely There or Resene Villa White.

Doors are often a far more definite statement. People often use the colour of their dreams on a door to make a statement. You might do that too - so that everyone knows they have arrived at your house and not at the neighbours' place.

Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream
Resene Quarter
Thorndon Cream
Resene Double Black White
Resene Double Black White
Resene Barely There
Resene Barely There
Resene Villa White
Resene Villa White
December 2016

Q. We have an early 1900s villa which has recently (before we bought it) been painted Resene Tapa and trims in Resene Rhino. The overall scheme looks very dark and gloomy despite it being on a sunny section. We won't change the main Resene Tapa colour but we want a light, neutral and sophisticated/smart scheme to pick out the villa details/possibly guttering - and remove the blue entirely. One challenge is to paint out the raised base of the house which is currently Resene Rhino but I think it highlights an unattractive feature. Please can you help with a colour scheme that will look great with the Resene Tapa?

A. If a lighter colour was used with Resene Tapa it would make that colour seem a lot deeper. You mention wanting a light neutral and sophisticated scheme but that would mean getting rid of the Resene Tapa so that colour wasn't compromising your options and stopping you from having the look you want. Is that an option?

You could use these types of colours with the Resene Tapa - Resene Triple Merino, Resene Triple Sea Fog or Resene Triple Black White.

They are not too starkly white but are much lighter than Resene Rhino so they could work for you. They may not make the Resene Tapa look less dark and gloomy but certainly they would be worth checking out.

Resene Tapa
Resene Tapa
Resene Rhino
Resene Rhino
Resene Triple Merino
Resene Triple Merino
Resene Triple Sea Fog
Resene Triple Sea Fog
Resene Triple Black White
Resene Triple Black White
December 2016

Q. Our doors are currently Resene Spanish White and we were looking for a colour to complement. The walls are currently Resene Sisal but I’m looking for a change. I like the Resene Truffle range but am unsure if it goes with Resene Spanish White.

A. Because the Resene Spanish White is such a definite colour you may need to use a colour on the walls that is deeper so the doors appear a little lighter by comparison. Resene Truffle is nice but you may need to check out these colours also to see which one works best - Resene Quarter Stonewashed, Resene Triple White Pointer or Resene Tea,

Resene Spanish White
Resene Spanish White
Resene Sisal
Resene Sisal
Resene Truffle
Resene Truffle
Resene Quarter Stonewashed
Resene Quarter
Stonewashed
Resene Triple White Pointer
Resene Triple White Pointer
Resene Tea
Resene Tea
December 2016

Q. I am after a very deep green, almost black colour that is used on park benches in botanical gardens and also on metal gates and Victorian letterboxes. Last season, I painted my garden seats and plant pots with Resene Burnham the closest I could get; but it still does not have the rich dark reflective colour that I am after. Is it possible to get colour, depth and gloss?

A. If you use either Resene Hi-Glo gloss acrylic, Resene Super Gloss solvent enamel or Resene Enamacryl gloss waterborne enamel you will get the rich full gloss sheen that you want. Any other paint with a softer sheen or a matt finish will make colours appear duller. You could check out these colours to see if they are dark enough for you - Resene Racing Green, Resene Midnight Moss, Resene Black Bean, Resene Holly or Resene Black Forest. These are really dark greens - they make Resene Burnham look bright by comparison.

Resene Burnham
Resene Burnham
       
Resene Racing Green
Resene Racing Green
Resene Midnight Moss
Resene Midnight Moss
Resene Black Bean
Resene Black Bean
Resene Holly
Resene Holly
Resene Black Forest
Resene Black Forest
December 2016

Q. We are going to paint the exterior of our house but we are struggling to choose a colour scheme. For the cladding I was thinking a blue but I'm worried that it will look too dark. I'm not sure whether to paint the downstairs a different colour or keep the whole house the same colour. Another option is going for a grey colour like Resene Trojan with Resene Triple Sea Fog trims but I'm worried that it will look too boring. Overall I am leaning towards blue/grey colours but could do an olive colour if I could find a colour like that.

A. I think as long as there is a reasonable amount of contrast between your colours it should look really smart and contemporary.

For a deeper grey with a blue undertone you might consider this palette of colours - Resene Quarter Tuna - main cladding and base of house, Resene Black White - trims/under soffits/windows surrounds/sashes and Resene Grey Friars roof.

Or a warmer grey - Resene Trojan for the main cladding and base of house, Resene Sea Fog - trims/under soffits/window surrounds/sashes and Resene Nocturnal – roof.

Or a darker more olive toned colour palette - Resene Quarter Evolution - main cladding, Resene Triple Merino - base of house, Resene Half Rice Cake - trims/under soffits/window surrounds/sashes and Resene Ironsand.

Resene Trojan
Resene Trojan
Resene Triple Sea Fog
Resene Triple Sea Fog
   
Resene Quarter Tuna
Resene Quarter Tuna
Resene Black White
Resene Black White
Resene Grey Friars
Resene Grey Friars
 
Resene Trojan
Resene Trojan
Resene Sea Fog
Resene Sea Fog
Resene Nocturnal
Resene Nocturnal
 
Resene Quarter Evolution
Resene Quarter Evolution
Resene Half Rice Cake
Resene Half Rice Cake
Resene Triple Merino
Resene Triple Merino
Resene Ironsand
Resene Ironsand
December 2016

Q. We have a Spanish terracotta roof tiled home with dreadful Spanish plaster! The windows are chocolate brown aluminium. What colour would be best to go with the orange roof and brown windows?

A. You might check out these warm peachy creams and soft warm beiges - they work well with terracotta and brown windows - Resene Half Spanish White, Resene Solitaire, Resene Half Biscotti or Resene Half Drought.

Resene Half Spanish White
Resene Half Spanish White
Resene Solitaire
Resene Solitaire
Resene Half Biscotti
Resene Half Biscotti
Resene Half Drought
Resene Half Drought
December 2016

Q. We've recently painted the weatherboards of our 1920s bungalow and were having trouble deciding on what colour to stain the deck. The weatherboard is Resene Half Surrender and the roof is Grey Friars. We were thinking of going with Resene Timberland but wondered if this is too dark?

A. I really like the soft tones on the house - very charming. I think Resene Woodsman Timberland is a bit brown as well as quite deep. Have you thought of a softer colour like Resene Woodsman Nutmeg - it is not as out there/bold brown - or as a complete departure from the browns you might consider using a grey/charcoal - Resene Woodsman Bleached Cedar to co-ordinate with the house and roof colours.

Resene Furniture and Decking Oil doesn't colour the wood - if the wood is a pale pine then the oil just makes it look like it is wet - protection is via a lightly oiled surface film that repels water and makes the timber look nicer.

Resene Half Surrender
Resene Half Surrender
Resene Timberland
Resene Timberland
Resene Nutmeg
Resene Nutmeg
Resene Woodsman Bleached Cedar
Resene Bleached Cedar
December 2016

Q. I'm having trouble deciding on a colour for our internal doors. Our walls are in Resene Sea Fog, and I'd like something in a soft grey, not too dark. Can you suggest anything?

A. You may need to test several greys to see how they respond to the other colours in the house - i.e. flooring may have a marked influence on what looks good. Some greys - if they are too blue or cool toned - may make your main house colour - Resene Sea Fog - take on a slightly dirty look.

Perhaps one of these colours may appeal to you - Resene Quarter Delta, Resene Quarter Foggy Grey, Resene Quill Grey, Resene Flotsam or Resene Triple Sea Fog.

Resene Sea Fog
Resene Sea Fog
Resene Quarter Delta
Resene Quarter Delta
Resene Quarter Foggy Grey
Resene Quarter Foggy Grey
Resene Quill Grey
Resene Quill Grey
Resene Flotsam
Resene Flotsam
Resene Triple Sea Fog
Resene Triple Sea Fog
December 2016

Q. What are the 'on trend' colours for interior decoration? I'm looking for fresh colours to inject into artworks that will brighten up the grey/white walls/doors.

A. The Range Fashion Colours 2018 fan deck has a lot of inspirational colours that you might check out. The majority of colours are trend related and the others are via request for variations of colours we already have and a nice range of really popular neutrals.

What I have noticed is that there are some soft warm pastels happening and this is nice. You might look at these colours - Resene Balance, Resene Dusted Blue, Resene Miso or Resene Triple Rakaia.

The colours that appeal to you may not be these ones at all - you will know what you gravitate toward and what is appealing to you so please do get the fandeck so you have an assortment of colours to consider.

Resene Balance
Resene Balance
Resene Dusted Blue
Resene Dusted Blue
Resene Miso
Resene Miso
Resene Triple Rakaia
Resene Triple Rakaia
December 2016

Q. Various shades of grey for exteriors are clearly on trend. We have a 1950 stucco house that desperately needs painting. I believe paint looks way different on stucco compared to weatherboard. I like the greys/charcoals but am thinking what are the alternatives? Perhaps we can start a new trend! I am leaning toward blues and green inside. I am not afraid of black. We are getting a new roof so that could help too.

A. Whites, greys, charcoals and black are very on trend - and have been for some time now probably because unlike 'trendy' colours they are fundamental neutrals that are timeless and never age - which is very appealing. This is a good thing. Another factor to consider is that these types of neutrals allow for other colours to be used with them - pastels, moody tones and bright colours - as they are so versatile.

Stucco - if painted grey - can resemble unpainted concrete so sometimes because of that factor those types of colour may not be used. If you are considering a new prepainted roof then it pays to pick that first as there are far less options of colour to choose from - unlike paint which has an enormously large variety of choice.

Soft pastels in blue and green tones are everywhere at the moment - and there are some really pretty appealing colours to look at. If you favour those for the interior you might pursue using deeper more muted versions of those on the exterior to bring about a completely new look. These types of colours are not totally new - they have been sneaking into our decor and clothing for at least two years now.

You might check out these colours for the exterior - Resene Inside Back, Resene Organic and Resene Unwind. And these for the interior - Resene Duck Egg Blue, Resene Quarter Coriander or Resene Jet Stream.

All of the colours mentioned look stunning with white and black.

Resene Inside Back
Resene Inside Back
Resene Organic
Resene Organic
Resene Unwind
Resene Unwind
Resene Duck Egg Blue
Resene Duck Egg Blue
Resene Quarter Coriander
Resene Quarter Coriander
Resene Jet Stream
Resene Jet Stream
December 2016

Q. We have a 100 year old villa with a COLORSTEEL® roof in Grey Friars. We are painting the exterior weatherboards in Resene Double Concrete and the old wooden window frames and veranda in Resene Alabaster. The foundation ring and veranda floor will be in Resene Tuna. We want a yellow door and need some advice. We are not sure whether we should go into the mustard or ochre tones or a brighter yellow such as Resene Bright Spark or Resene Broom. I also like Resene Galliano.

A. Ochre toned yellows may look heavier and more traditional looking than brighter clean yellows. I feel brighter may be the way to go - but that is a personal thought - it may not be your thoughts.

If you are unsure of the overall effect and which type of yellow to use why not get a couple of your favourite yellows and some A2 sheets of card (available from Resene ColorShops) and paint all of the testpot (two coats) onto the super large card. Then if you tape them one by one to the front door to view the colours from a distance and close up you may have a better idea of what the yellow would look like. You need to see larger samples in order to judge the reality of the colour.

FYI - a handy hint - because brighter clear tones of yellow may need extra coats (not just 2) to get best coverage if you use a pencil to write heavily on the card prior to painting the two coats of the colour over top it will help you to find out if you need an extra coat to hide the pencil writing.

Two other yellows to consider - Resene Spotlight or Resene Wild Thing.

COLORSTEEL® Grey Friars
COLORSTEEL® Grey Friars
Resene Double Concrete
Resene Double Concrete
Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
Resene Tuna
Resene Tuna
 
Resene Bright Spark
Resene Bright Spark
Resene Broom
Resene Broom
Resene Galliano
Resene Galliano
Resene Spotlight
Resene Spotlight
Resene Wild Thing
Resene Wild Thing
December 2016

Q. What is a mid-grey that would go with Resene Fossil for the exterior of a house? Resene Fossil is on the boards and we have a grey COLORSTEEL® roof. We want a grey for around the base and sill of the windows.

A. You don't mention which grey COLORSTEEL® roof colour you have chosen. Sometimes it is possible to use a lighter version of the roof colour for the base and the window sills. This helps the whole palette of colours to work harmoniously.

If you don't want to use a co-ordinate and feel that any mid grey is fine - then you might check out these colours to see if anything appeals to you - Resene Half Gunsmoke, Resene Half Raven, Resene Tapa, Resene Stack or Resene Greige.

Resene Fossil
Resene Fossil
       
Resene Half Gunsmoke
Resene Half Gunsmoke
Resene Half Raven
Resene Half Raven
Resene Tapa
Resene Tapa
Resene Stack
Resene Stack
Resene Greige
Resene Greige
December 2016

Q. My new joinery in a bungalow rebuild is APL Appliance White. What colour would you match with that for the white trim around the windows, fascia and decorative trims? I'm thinking of Resene Delta or Resene Atmosphere for the weatherboards.

A. You could use a Resene match to the joinery colour for the white trim – this is available at your local Resene ColorShop. Using any other white may be off and appear different enough to be annoying. I love your idea of a soft grey for the weatherboards - either of these colours have great merit.

Resene Delta
Resene Delta
Resene Atmosphere
Resene Atmosphere
December 2016

Q. We have a new scullery adjacent, but not off, the kitchen. We ordered a white/grey marble bench, and would like a pale grey. This is an inside room, with no windows. The porcelain floor tiles are a marble look with grey, and a hint of beige. They are some that we had left over from the kitchen, and not a perfect match, but we will ignore them in the colour choice.

A. You could look at one of these colours - Resene Sea Fog, Resene Black White or Resene Quarter White Pointer.

They are very pale options but I suspect that the lack of light in the scullery and the small space are conspiring to make any colour that has a little more depth to it look too dark. The colours I have suggested may look very slightly deeper and greyer because of these reasons.

Resene Sea Fog
Resene Sea Fog
Resene Black White
Resene Black White
Resene Quarter White Pointer
Resene Quarter
White Pointer
December 2016

Q. I have just painted a deck in Resene Gunsmoke and I am after a darker grey to do the door step. What colour would you recommend?

A. You might check out these colours to see if they appeal to you - Resene Armadillo, Resene Wireless, Resene Possessed or Resene Nocturnal.

Resene Gunsmoke
Resene Gunsmoke
Resene Armadillo
Resene Armadillo
Resene Wireless
Resene Wireless
Resene Possessed
Resene Possessed
Resene Nocturnal
Resene Nocturnal
December 2016

Q. My house is Resene Half Stonewall with fascia and spouting in Resene Grey Friars. I want to paint a wooden window a lighter but complementary colour. What can you suggest please?

A. You might check out these colours - they all work really well with your main house colour - Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream, Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta or Resene Quarter Wheatfield. Or one of these deeper/light colours - Resene Quarter Grey Olive, Resene Joanna or Resene Ash.

Resene Half Stonewall
Resene Half Stonewall
Resene Grey Friars
Resene Grey Friars
 
Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream
Resene Quarter
Thorndon Cream
Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta
Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta
Resene Quarter Wheatfield
Resene Quarter Wheatfield
Resene Quarter Grey Olive
Resene Quarter Grey Olive
Resene Joanna
Resene Joanna
Resene Ash
Resene Ash
December 2016

Q. We are looking into getting replacement windows for our 1970s house. The current joinery is dark brown/matt bronze. Are there any pros and cons about having dark joinery vs light joinery (Black White or Appliance White) for the interior look, feel and type of wall colour of a house?

We are on an established leafy hillside with estuary and sea views. We would like a neutral interior that is light and bright without being stark and cold, probably with a coastal feel.

A. Light, bright with a coastal feel in the way of colours seems to lead naturally to white windows doesn't it? Appliance White is a good call as it isn't too stark and cold a 'white' and works well with a huge amount of other colours. I think that having dark coloured powder coated windows is very smart and contemporary but on the sides of the house that get the most sunlight you can see some oxidisation and fade back occur.

You might check out these colours to see if they appeal to you for your interior - Resene Half Thorndon Cream, Resene White Pointer, Resene Quarter Tana, Resene Quarter Tea or Resene Sea Fog.

They are light and neutral enough to have lots of more colourful coastal inspired accents if that was the look you were after.

Resene Half Thorndon Cream
Resene Half
Thorndon Cream
Resene White Pointer
Resene White Pointer
Resene Quarter Tana
Resene Quarter Tana
Resene Quarter Tea
Resene Quarter Tea
Resene Sea Fog
Resene Sea Fog
December 2016

Q. We would like to use Resene Camouflage colour on our roof but it is not available in the CoolColour pigment or in a semi-gloss. What is the nearest colour to that that has those attributes please?

A. Resene Camouflage is quite a bright yellow/olive green which is made into a Green tone. It can be tinted into Resene Summit Roof Paint which is a semi-gloss.

The reason it isn't a CoolColour™ is because it isn't dark enough or black toned. Some colours are naturally cooler because they are not black toned. This colour may appear - in bright natural light - to be more vibrant in hue when reflecting the sun’s rays off the roof at a 45% angle.

A colour that has less brightness to it but still resembles a warm yellow/olive green is Resene Woodrush which because it has a deeper and blacker type of base to the colour can be made in a CoolColour.

Resene Camouflage
Resene Camouflage
Resene Woodrush
Resene Woodrush
December 2016

Q. We are in the early stages of a new build in a semi-rural area with some bush and sea views. We are looking at doing three sides of the house in Cedar with the back wall in Shadowclad® ply. I am thinking of going for either Ironsand for the roof, with the back wall painted in either Resene Half Ironsand or Resene Quarter Ironsand or the roof in Grey Friars with the back wall painted in either Resene Half Grey Friars or Resene Quarter Grey Friars and tying it all in with a Wood-X finish for the cedar. But the question is what colour? We also have some baseboards that will need to be painted or stained that can be seen from the front and the back. Should I match this up with the paint colour of the back wall?

A. A semi-rural new build with bush and sea views sounds absolutely wonderful! With semi-rural in mind you might favour having Ironsand on the roof as an earthy/warm charcoal. The lighter variant Resene Quarter Ironsand may be a good option for the back wall. I do strongly recommend that you use the CoolColour™ reformulated version of the colour to minimise as much as possible the heat absorption that can occur. Yes it is a good idea to paint the baseboards to match the back wall colour. It keeps it all harmonious and well-co-ordinated.

Please do discuss the depth of colour with your builder as I do know a lot of different surfaces require very specific colours (and LRV (light reflectance value) percentages) otherwise using the non-approved depth of colour can void your build guarantee. I would hate for you to lose your heart to a colour then find it isn't considered appropriate. Other lighter options you could look at are - Resene Quarter Masala, Resene Double Friar Grey or Resene Taupe Grey. Again check with your builder any specific limitations for the substrate.

For the cedar one of these colours might appeal to you - Wood X - Flint or Forge.

Because I know how important it is to know exactly what the stain colour will look like I suggest you ask to see real stained cedar samples.

Resene Half Ironsand
Resene Half Ironsand
Resene Quarter Ironsand
Resene Quarter Ironsand
Resene Half Grey Friars
Resene Half Grey Friars
Resene Quarter Grey Friars
Resene Quarter Grey Friars
Resene Quarter Masala
Resene Quarter Masala
Resene Double Friar Grey
Resene Double Friar Grey
Resene Half Grey
Resene Taupe Grey
 
December 2016

Q. Please advise on a warm/neutral brown for LINEA® with lux value around 26 and a neutral cream for poly to go with an Ironsand roof (inside is painted with Resene Napa and Resene Tea).

A. I think you may be getting confused in regards light reflectance value (LRV%) which is how the reflectance ratio of colour is rated. Warm neutral browns with a LRV of approximately 26 that you might check is one of these types of colour - Resene Quarter Mondo (LRV 27%), Resene Triple Napa (LRV 25%), Resene Quarter Oilskin (LRV 28%) or Resene Triple Malta (LRV 28%).

A cream to go with Ironsand might be one of these colours – Resene Eighth Sisal, Resene Albescent White or Resene Quarter Spanish White.

Resene Napa
Resene Napa
Resene Tea
Resene Tea
   
Resene Quarter Mondo
Resene Quarter Mondo
Resene Triple Napa
Resene Triple Napa
Resene Quarter Oilskin
Resene Quarter Oilskin
Resene Triple Malta
Resene Triple Malta
Resene Eighth Sisal
Resene Eighth Sisal
Resene Albescent White
Resene Albescent White
Resene Quarter Spanish White
Resene Quarter
Spanish White
 
December 2016

Q. We are redecorating our house, and have chosen to use Resene Alabaster for the main kitchen cupboards, and the island in Resene Jumbo. All kitchen benches are going to be in Corian Glacier white. The existing ceilings are in Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream, and are in good condition so we would prefer not to paint them. The aluminium joinery is in a grey very close to Resene Jumbo. What colour would you suggest to paint the walls? Although the room is north facing we would like to paint whole interior the same colours. I would like to keep the wall colour light and fairly neutral. We are going to do the floor in a light or white washed timber.

A. Your first option might be to use another of the Resene Thorndon Cream palette - perhaps Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream - this then would work really well with the ceiling colour.

A soft greyed colour might also be considered – Resene Double Sea Fog, Resene Triple Black White or Resene Barely There.

These colours would work well with the light coloured floors.

Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
Resene Jumbo
Resene Jumbo
Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream
Resene Eighth
Thorndon Cream
Resene Thorndon Cream
Resene Thorndon Cream
Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream
Resene Quarter
Thorndon Cream
Resene Double Sea Fog
Resene Double Sea Fog
Resene Triple Black White
Resene Triple Black White
Resene Barely There
Resene Barely There
December 2016

Q. I currently have Resene Zambezi as a feature wall with (I think) Resene Spring Wood. I am about to update colours with Resene Alabaster on the ceiling and Resene White Pointer on the walls. Would you be able to provide me with the correct colour range to look at to replace the Resene Zambezi with (with a similar depth, warmth, and colour)?

A. You do have a lot of options to choose from for a feature wall, because your new main colour is a sophisticated grey/beige hue you might look at these colours to see if there is a something that really appeals to you - Resene Woody Brown, Resene Falcon, Resene Matakana or Resene Eighth Oilskin.

They are all very different from each other - this may challenge you a little bit - colours should do that so you embrace a new unique look in your life.

Resene Zambezi
Resene Zambezi
Resene Spring Wood
Resene Spring Wood
Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
Resene White Pointer
Resene White Pointer
Resene Woody Brown
Resene Woody Brown
Resene Falcon
Resene Falcon
Resene Matakana
Resene Matakana
Resene Eighth Oilskin
Resene Eighth Oilskin
December 2016

Q. We are repainting the side fences, window frames, fascia, pergola, veranda, bargeboards and trim on our 1980 brick homestead style home and would like some help with colours. The bricks are tumbled red brick with random earthy orange and dark flecks; the roof is charcoal tiles and the guttering COLORBOND® Bushland. We have a large native garden and would like something that complements that too. I have thought about using Bushland and a darker shade but am going around circles in deciding on colours and on what colour paint goes where.

A. Are the windows frames painted to match Bushland? If they were powder coated in Bushland, then that would be enough (with the guttering) of this colour. If however, they are wooden and can be painted, then I think they need to look lighter and fresher and the fascia, pergola and veranda timbers could be the same colour. This then will make these features stand out more as light relief. You might look at one of these colours to see if it appeals to you - Resene Half Thorndon Cream or Resene Half Ecru White.

If the bargeboards that follow the roof line and other trim around the gable were darker and slightly grey/brown/green toned (to pick out the colour of the mortar between the bricks) it might make the guttering (Bushland) and the windows and the other lighter timbers stand out more. You could consider using one of these colours - Resene Gravel or Resene Touchstone.

The side fences could match the guttering - Resene Climate (Resene match to Bushland) and this colour could also be used for gables on the house. Then they tie in the powder coated guttering.

Resene Half Thorndon Cream
Resene Half
Thorndon Cream
Resene Half Ecru White
Resene Half Ecru White
Resene Gravel
Resene Gravel
Resene Touchstone
Resene Touchstone
Resene Climate
Resene Climate
December 2016

Q. I want to change the colour on the walls of the living area - currently Resene Half Tana. I have installed a gas fire with TV above and have painted that wall and one wall in the entrance in Resene Double Mondo. I like Resene Gull Grey. Would that work? Any other suggestions for a better colour for other walls in house which are all bland Resene Half Napa with doors and architraves the same but a different strength.

A. I am not sure that a mid-toned cool grey - Resene Gull Grey - would harmonise well with dark warm Resene Double Mondo. It will look heavier, cooler and more austere than the Resene Half Tana. If you are keen on these types of serious greys you may have to alter the feature wall colour - would that be ok?

Perhaps you could compromise and use a warm grey/beige - Resene White Pointer, or a yellow edged grey that can sometimes look a little green - Resene Quarter Atmosphere, or an interesting blue/grey - Resene Duck Egg Blue.

For all the woodwork and doors you could use a whiter/lighter colour - Resene Double Alabaster.

Resene Half Tana
Resene Half Tana
Resene Double Mondo
Resene Double Mondo
Resene Gull Grey
Resene Gull Grey
 
Resene White Pointer
Resene White Pointer
Resene Quarter Atmosphere
Resene Quarter
Atmosphere
Resene Duck Egg Blue
Resene Duck Egg Blue
Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Double Alabaster
December 2016

Q. We are looking to paint the exterior of our beach house. The main cladding is white coated boards (more an off white) which have been waterblasted and will be left as is. The balance of the cladding to be painted white is a vertical type timber cladding is currently white and mainly just in the entrance deck area, large upstairs deck and trim work. I have tried a few samples of white next to the precoated weatherboards and they appear quite stark and make the precoated weatherboards look grubby. I am thinking we need a warmer white to match them better. We also need to repaint the decks which are currently almost black. We are thinking of painting them a grey to make it look more beachy.

A. Are you sure the precoated weatherboards are White and not Off White? Off White precoated weatherboards tend to be an earthy cream like Resene Spanish White.

I recommend you collect whites colour charts from your Resene ColorShop to check them out against the cladding. There are a huge amount of whites - some are warm, some are sharp/crisp, some are cool, some are greyish and there are many other kinds of white. At least when you armed with the colour samples it may give you a better idea of which white may work. If you do fail to find the right white to use alongside the cladding (and I can't imagine this would be a possibility at all) then is it possible to choose a pale grey? It may solve your problem.

Pale greys like these ones look stunning alongside white cladding - Resene Half Silver Chalice or Resene Quarter Delta.

If the decks are painted (not stained) a really dark colour now and you want a softer grey to create a beachy look then one of these might be a possibility - Resene Stack, Resene Kensington Grey or Resene Half Tapa.

Resene Spanish White
Resene Spanish White
Resene Half Silver Chalice
Resene Half Silver Chalice
Resene Quarter Delta
Resene Quarter Delta
Resene Stack
Resene Stack
Resene Kensington Grey
Resene Kensington Grey
Resene Half Tapa
Resene Half Tapa
December 2016

Q. We're building a new house and have a FlaxPod roof and garage door, with silver pearl joinery. Our exterior is LINEA® and plaster. We're thinking of having Resene Double Black White on the plaster and gravel, Resene Double Gravel or Resene Zeus on the LINEA®. For the interior, we've got a bright white kitchen, light wood floor and mid grey carpet. So we are thinking of Resene Alabaster, Resene Black White or Resene White Pointer for the walls. Do you think that would work or have other suggestions?

A. I like the colours you are considering for the exterior and interior. Resene Black White in the interior would work well with the Resene Double Black White on the exterior - a nice flow through of co-ordination.

Resene Double Black White
Resene Double Black White
Resene Double Gravel
Resene Double Gravel
Resene Zeus
Resene Zeus
Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
Resene Black White
Resene Black White
Resene White Pointer
Resene White Pointer
December 2016

Q. We are renovating and wish to change the paint colours inside our home. On the ceiling we currently have Resene Spanish White. The new colours for the walls will be predominantly Resene Tea and Resene Double Tea. Can you confirm what colour we should use on the ceiling? Can it be Resene Spanish White or is another colour a better idea?

A. I am inclined to think that Resene Spanish White is too definite a yellowy/cream to work well with the beige tones of Resene Tea and Resene Double Tea. If you want a 'coloured' ceiling - not pure white - you could check out these colours - Resene Quarter Albescent White, Resene Half Sea Fog or Resene Quarter Bianca.

Resene Spanish White
Resene Spanish White
Resene Tea
Resene Tea
Resene Double Tea
Resene Double Tea
Resene Quarter Albescent White
Resene Quarter
Albescent White
Resene Half Sea Fog
Resene Half Sea Fog
Resene Quarter Bianca
Resene Quarter Bianca
December 2016

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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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Colours shown on this website are a representation only. Please refer to the actual paint or product sample. Resene colour charts, testpots and samples are available for ordering online.   See measurements/conversions for more details on how electronic colour values are achieved.

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