Colour for all seasons

Outside surfaces are usually exposed to the elements, which makes your paint selection all the more important. Resene has a range of exterior paints to meet the challenge.

In any outdoor living environment, hard landscaping elements are just as pivotal to the design as the planting. And just as you choose your plants to suit a particular theme, so you also need to consider the effect of the colour on your exterior walls.

Resene has developed a range of paint products specifically designed for the outdoors. As well as offering colour variety, they're also formulated to withstand the effects of sun and rain.

Resene AquaShield, for example, is a water-repellent coating designed for use on most porous building materials. Available in a range of white and pale earth tones, Resene AquaShield dries to a flat finish. Colours will lighten with exposure to the elements, resulting in a natural weathered appearance, says Resene marketing manager Karen Warman.

"These paints suit a range of house styles, including those with a Mediterranean look," she says. "But it's not just the colour that makes it a good choice for homeowners.

Resene AquaShield is particularly suited to highly stressed weather-exposed facades."

Warman says the paint combines the water-repellent properties of silicones with a special outer micro-structure, considerably reducing the contact area for water and dirt. This means dirt particles adhere only loosely and are more easily carried away by raindrops.

Resene Waterborne Woodsman is another product designed to cope with the vagaries of the weather. This exterior wood stain colours timber while still allowing the natural grain of the wood to show through. The company says it's an ideal way to add colour to new or previously stained timber without hiding its natural beauty.

"Resene has embraced the current trend towards non-traditional wood stain finishes and now offers a new range of 38 exterior wood stain colours in traditional, limed and bright hues. As the stains are transparent, the final finish colour depends on the timber being stained," says Warman.

The full range is showcased in the new Resene Woodsman colour chart.

Resene Lumbersider is another paint formulated for exterior use. This 100% acrylic resin paint comes in the full range of Resene colours and provides a natural, low-sheen look. It can be used on weatherboards, stucco, blockwork, brick, fibre-cement, timber and galvanised iron surfaces.

To simplify paint selection for your home, Resene has introduced a free tool on its website - Resene TechSpec. This programme makes it easy to choose the paint system that best suits your needs.

Colour selection needn't be difficult either - you can also preview a colour scheme on your computer with Resene EzyPaint virtual painting software. This is free to download, or you can purchase or borrow a CD-ROM copy from your local Resene ColorShop.

All Resene paints are available from Resene ColorShops.

Colour plays a key role in the design of this landscape by Mira Martinazzo of Out From The Blue.	Resene’s EzyPaint software lets you experiment with colour on your computer. This home, clad in Rockcote, is shown in Resene Sisal.
Resene Zumthor.	Resene Spanish White.
AquaShield, a waterproof paint system from Resene, is shown here in Parchment. This Albany show home was designed and built by The Masonry Group.	Resene Resitex Medium in Pravda.
Resene Stonewall.	Resene Raffia.

Find out more home design, landscaping and decorating ideas at www.trendsideas.com.