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Answers to your questions from our colour experts, p. 100

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. 100

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


Q. I have a barn style house which needs repainting. Unfortunately I am stumped. The roof is very close to the Resene Trainspotter colour palette. So a very dark green. I bought a Resene Double Gravel paint sample but is too similar to the roof. I’m not sure if I should steer towards a dark contrast or keep it light – just not feeling the green colour anymore.

A. Some colours that you might check out to see if they appeal to you – Resene Triple Black White, Resene Triple Duck Egg Blue, Resene Double Tapa or Resene Eighth Bokara Grey. Or for something a little different you could try Resene Red Oxide.


Resene Triple Duck Egg Blue

Resene Eighth Bokara Grey

October 2020


Q. I have a cottage with a timber lined varnished ceiling. It is throwing a yellow onto the wall. Could you please suggest a white colour that won’t turn cream?

A. Any white will be influenced by the yellow reflection of the wooden ceiling – i.e. a 'real/standard' white may look creamy a greyed white may take on a slightly beige look or a blue toned white may take on a slightly aqua look. 

This reflection influencing the wall colour may not be all (natural light) day or (artificial light) night but would occur as the light in the room alters throughout the day. Are you happy to maintain the colour of the timber lined ceiling as it is now? 

If it is the main cause of concern to you then you might coat it in Resene Colorwood Whitewash to remove the yellowness that the ceiling has that reflects onto the walls.  Then you could use almost any white on the wall and it may 'behave' and could look more as you might expect it to. 

Or you could trial various whites to see if they are less influenced by the yellow reflection – though I can't guarantee that they will work for you – try Resene Half Sea Fog, Resene Half Barely There or Resene Wan White.

October 2020


Q. We are replacing the deck on the front of our house and looking to repaint the house. Do we stick with the same colour we have or go for something different? Also my husband is interested in exploring the idea of painting the lower half of the house a different colour than the top half and leaving the bottom base as is. We don't know where to start – help!

A. If your husband is keen on a different colour for the lower storey it may make the upper storey look a wee bit scrunched up and small sandwiched between the bottom of the house and the roof – would that worry you at all? If not then perhaps using two related colours (so a softer look is achieved rather than a hard contrast) could be considered – try Resene Triple Truffle (lower storey) and Resene Truffle (upper storey). Or Resene Double Stack and Resene Stack.

Alternatively you could stay with the same colour on both levels of the house and just repaint it the colour you have now as it is still very fashionable. 

October 2020


Q. We live in the Far North and while it is hot over summer, it can get damp and cold during winter. With that in mind, our kitchen faces east, and our lounge room backs on to it facing east. I'm looking for a neutral colour to paint it and was tossing up between Resene Eighth Ash (warmer) and Resene Half Barely There (cooler). My goal is not to have one room feel colder or warmer than the other during the seasons, as light is a problem as the sun moves.

A. I think that Resene Eighth Ash may work better for you but it can look grey (not green) and not so warm when the sun moves higher in the sky and the rooms have more shadow in them. 

Light is always a problem as its influence on all paint colours is quixotic and changeable. It is not something that can be totally controlled. Very rarely does a chosen paint colour remain unaltered as the natural light changes throughout the day. 

October 2020


Q. We are building a new home which on the exterior has black joinery and roof and Resene Triple Masala walls with white front and garage doors. On the inside we have American white oak floors and a neutral (anchovy) carpet, black joinery and all the walls and ceiling. I have decided on Resene Quarter Rice Cake. I would like to paint our master bedroom (all walls, ranch slider on one wall) a feature colour. The bed and bedside cabinets are Rimu and the hanging pendant lights above the bedsides are amber coloured glass with a long bookcase in fuscous grey. I am aiming for a mid-century look. I can't decide between Resene Smoky Green or Resene Finch.

A. Mid-century colours were reasonably bold – both the colours you are considering are fairly subdued. Perhaps Resene Finch may look a wee bit brighter because of the yellow undertone it has.

I recommend that you paint all of a Resene testpot (2 coats) onto A2 card leaving a narrow unpainted border all around the perimeter. 

The unpainted border will help your eyes to focus on the reality of the colours and if you roll the card into a tube with the colour innermost you will see the colour intensified. 

This will represent very well how the colour will look if all four walls are painted. This is handy to know so that you don't inadvertently end up with a much stronger colour than you imagine it will be.

October 2020


Q. I wondered if you could suggest an appropriate colour for our window surrounds? I’ve chosen Resene Black White (possibly Resene Half Black White) for our walls, and I’m unsure what colour white to paint the window surrounds. Our (steel) window frames are a very dark grey/black and we have large windows so the surrounds are quite important. It’s an old house but had been renovated to a more contemporary sort of look. I’ve heard mixed things about the colour of window surrounds, some say they should be a lighter white and some say they should be a darker white, so I’m a bit unsure.

A. Another alternative – and this option is quite often used – you could paint the window surrounds (and any other woodwork) the same colour as the walls but in Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss enamel finish so it is a sheen difference not a colour difference. 

Or you can revert to using a standard white – Resene White – as it is a really crisp, clean contrast. This was always the norm before there were so many different whites available – so quite a classic look.

October 2020


Q. I’m wondering if Resene All Black or Resene Nero is best for our front door and side light window and front step.

A. Resene Nero is slightly softer toned – and sometimes shows an inky undertone – than Resene All Black which is a harder edged black. It will depend which hue you prefer.

October 2020


Q. What would be a good classic colour to use for a large bookcase that we are repurposing? It is going in a small study that is at the moment plain white with grey carpet.

A. A charcoal or a deep maroon may appeal. Perhaps one of these colours in Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss enamel – Resene Double Cod or Resene Smoulder.

Or – something really different – a metallic sparkle – such as Resene Blast Grey 3.

October 2020


Q. I'm after quite a white white, with perhaps slight beige undertones. It’s going to be for a room which gets a reasonable amount of sunlight and will be having oak flooring. I wondered whether Resene Alabaster white would be too white.

A. I think Resene Alabaster could be quite a good white to use – but you might check out Resene Double Alabaster also as it isn't as clean a white colour and may work better with the oak flooring and the bright natural light in the room.

October 2020


Q. I have just purchased Resene Green Meets Blue, Resene Helix and Resene Secrets paints. Our carpets throughout are very similar to Resene Green Meets Blue. Our house has high ornate ceilings (1910 era). Could you please recommend a ceiling paint colour that would complement/suit my paint, carpet etc?

A. The following whites are really nice with the soft toned greens you have in the house. Try Resene Eighth Rice Cake or Resene Double Alabaster.

October 2020


Q. We are building and I am wanting some help with internal colours. We are thinking of maybe doing our interior walls Resene Half Rice Cake. What would you suggest for skirting, door frames and the ceiling? Our external joinery is Appliance White.

A. You could use one of the following colours – Resene Quarter Rice Cake or less yellow toned white – Resene Half Alabaster.

Some people decide to use a slightly more coloured white for their doors. Doors get a hard life – but if you do go that way, please be aware that full strength Resene Rice Cake can look quite yellow/green. 

The use of definite colours (to add more interest to the palette) might be best as fabrics for drapes, blinds, upholstered furniture, bedlinen, flooring, kitchen benchtops or splashbacks in your laundry, bathroom and kitchen. 

October 2020


Q. I am stuck with trying to choose a colour for our 1950s weatherboard house. I have about five different samples on and am still stuck. Our fence is painted in Resene Karaka. The neighbour’s house looks to be painted in Resene Half Napa or Resene Double Truffle... which I don’t want to look the same. I have sampled Resene Triple Wheatfield, Resene Innocence, Resene Caraway, Resene Half Napa and Resene Double Truffle. I am looking at Resene Eighth Ironsand but am stuck.

A. Before making a decision on colour if you can look at the A4 colour swatches in the Colour Library at the Resene Colour Library to see which ones may be appropriate it may help you narrow down your choices.

Visualising colour is all about painting very large samples – but not on the house itself as it is coloured and that stops you from seeing the colour true to reality.

I always recommend that you apply all of the Resene testpot (2 coats) to A2 size card leaving a narrow unpainted border all around the perimeter. The unpainted white card portion helps your eyes to focus on the tested colour. You see the depth or brightness and the undertones of colour clearly. The sample swatch is 1 square metre in size. This is the best size of a sample to view – anything smaller is not helpful. The unpainted white card portion also acts as a barrier to stop the existing house colour from negatively influencing the tested colour. You can move it around each side of the house to see how changing natural light, shadow and the N/S/W/E aspect alters how the colour is seen. 

So – with this information in mind – please start again.  Possible new options to try are Resene Quarter Arrowtown, Resene Eighth Friar Greystone or Resene Double Ash. I know you are already frustrated but if you use the Resene testpots the way I have indicated you will be much better at making a decision.

October 2020


Q. I've recently put down new decking boards and a ceiling and am now looking to paint them. I'm likely to paint the ceiling white, however, am stuck on the colour for the decking boards.

A. Perhaps one of the following greys that have blue undertones in their colour may appeal to you and look good with the existing colours on the house – Resene Steam Roller, Resene Raven or a bit lighter Resene Half Raven or Resene Revolution.

October 2020


Q. I am trying to find a mauve/lilac/violet colour with cream/rose/grey undertones instead of white undertones. Impossible? Unfortunately I painted over a colour I really liked and now can't find anything similar.

A. These tones can be very tricky when trying to pick the perfect one – try these options to see if they suit – Resene Marionette, Resene Mesmerise or Resene Vintage.

October 2020


Q. I am looking at painting our open plan lounge/kitchen and am loving green. I really love the Resene Peace colour however unfortunately our space can be quite dark and I think this won’t work. I have also tried Resene Eighth Lemon Grass however found this a little grey. Can you suggest a couple of colours similar to Resene Peace that are a shade or two lighter?

A. You could try these lighter hues – Resene Haven, Resene Half Robin Egg Blue or Resene Green Spring.

October 2020


Q. Can you please recommend a couple of options for Resene Woodsman stain for a proposed new pergola and existing decking which will smarten up this existing complex. I was thinking of Resene Tiri for both, but am wondering if it is too dark for decking?

A. I don't think Resene Woodsman Tiri will be too dark on the deck. If you were concerned about that you could use Resene Woodsman Iroko which is a paler colour.

October 2020


Q. Much of my Waiheke Island home was built in the 1990s. The exterior is Shadowclad which has never been tinted nor painted. The roof and aluminium window frames are Grey Friars. I want to paint the exterior a colour that is going to suit Grey Friars but I don't want to paint my house grey! I would prefer something that has more colour, character, warmth... and not too dark. Help!

A. You might check out the following colours to see if they appeal to you – they are very eclectic but not too dark. Try Resene Inside Back, Resene Triple Ash, Resene Half Sandstone, Resene Helix, Resene Artemis and Resene Sixth Sense.


Resene Sixth Sense

October 2020


Q. We have a period style home with a new galvanised iron roof. We love Resene Merino for our weatherboards but are unsure of the correct white for the trim? 

A. Resene Merino could have one of these 'whites' used with it – it is a personal choice. Try Resene Quarter Black White, Resene Eighth Rice Cake or a very light variant of Resene Merino – Resene Quarter Merino.

October 2020


Q. What is the most common white colour paint for external door and window frames?

A. Popular whites for trim and joinery are Resene Half Black White and Resene Alabaster.

October 2020


Q. I am hoping for guidance about any colour green that would suit Resene Vista White. The walls are Resene Vista White and the ceiling is a light colour plywood A frame. I'm looking for a contrast colour for the skirting and doors. Not bright. We don’t have carpet yet.

A. Usually I recommend that if new flooring is to be purchased that you choose that before paint colours – so you have freedom of choice. Choosing colours and completing the painting may compromise your carpet choices. 

But if that isn't a worry for you then the following greens may appeal and look pretty with the delicate pink edged white that you have on the walls – Resene Swans Down, Resene Carefree, Resene Paris White or Resene Nebula.

October 2020


Q. We would really appreciate some advice or suggestions on colour(s) for a very boring concrete block building previously painted Resene Spanish White.

A. Commercial building often fall into two themes – simple (could be boring or bland) or attention seeking (bolder and brighter). The following are some suggestions that you may find appealing –

Option #1 – Resene Tapa – main colour, bargeboards across roof line, concrete porch and steps at entry with Resene Half Putty – gable over frontage, raised square edged columns, planter box on frontage and Resene Double Gravel – wooden fence at side of front parking.

Option #2  Resene Eighth Ironsand – main colour, bargeboards across roof line, concrete porch and steps at entry with Resene Triple Sea Fog – gable over frontage, raised square edged columns, planter box on frontage and Resene Double Ironsand - wooden fence at side of front parking.

I think once you look at the colours as larger A4 swatches in the Colour Library at your nearest Resene ColorShop you will get a better idea of what you may like. 

October 2020


Q. We are renovating our bathroom. It has pre-existing cedar wood walls and we have painted the remaining in Resene Half Chicago. The toilet we have decided to go with Resene Hemlock which was a suggested complementary colour. My question is what would be a good neutral colour for the trim and doors etc? We were wondering about Resene Double Barely There but the rest of the house is a Resene Spanish White – not sure whether it is quarter or half strength as the previous owners painted it.

A. Those colours look gorgeous, you've made some great selections there. In regards to Resene Double Barely There. It would look okay with the new colours but not so great with the Resene Spanish White variants. You could try these colours instead – Resene Half Rice Cake or Resene Quarter Black White.

October 2020


Q. We are doing a feature wall in our bedroom made using sanded down pallet wood. Our room is small and cold in winter. We would like some advice on what colour would work well with wood but also warm up the room and not make it look so small.

A. One of the following colours may appeal to you and look light, warm and make the room look larger – Resene Albescent White, Resene Quarter Spanish White or Resene Half Villa White.

October 2020


Q. I am looking at painting my outside concrete fireplace and want a natural sandstone colour. From what I just seen I like the Resene Half Truffle and Resene Half Cloud.

A. Those are both really nice colours, they are both quite grey toned but perfect if that's what you are after. I would probably lean towards Resene Half Truffle as it has a little more warmth. 

However if you would prefer something truer to sandstone then you could try Resene Quarter Cougar or Resene Half Akaroa.

October 2020


Q. I was just after a recommendation. I am getting a Grey Friars coloured roof and was wondering what light grey/white would go with this? I like cool greys, but no brown undertones for me. I’m struggling to find something that marries up.

A. One of the following colours may be what you are looking for – Resene Quarter Iron, Resene Surrender, Resene Wan White, Resene Half Concrete or Resene Half House White.

October 2020


Q. We are building a corrugated iron house in Grey Friars with a roof and window frames in FlaxPod. What is a good colour to paint a low wall of concrete? I’m thinking of a natural concrete look. I think there is enough dark colour. There is also some natural wood doors and deck.

A. I think a light grey would work well – try Resene Half Delta or Resene Foggy Grey.

October 2020


Q. We are getting a new roof in COLORSTEEL® Thunder Grey. I was wondering what other colours would go well with it. We have a two storey house, half brick and half roughcast. I was also thinking of doing the soffits in Resene Alabaster – would that match?

A. Yes, Resene Alabaster would work well with almost any colour choice. The following are some other colours that you might check out that work well with COLORSTEEL® Thunder Grey – Resene Triple Sea Fog, Resene Triple Merino, Resene Quarter Taupe Grey, Resene Overland or Resene Half Parchment.

October 2020


Q. We want to repaint the walls in our lounge in an oatmeal colour. The other two walls are Resene Sea Fog. Our floor is very light and the carpet/curtains are light grey and our kitchen is mostly white. Can you recommend a colour we could use for the two walls that won't make the place look too light/gives warm tones? We are in Central Otago so need warmer tones!

A. I really like your idea of using an oatmeal colour. You could try Resene Half Bison Hide or Resene Double Parchment.

October 2020


Q. I wish to paint my 21 year old son’s room Resene Eighth Spanish White. What colours should I paint the ceiling and skirtings? The rest of house has Resene Bianca ceilings. Would that be ok or maybe a half, quarter or eighth Resene Bianca? Also what colours would you recommend for an inbuilt wardrobe and drawers in his room? They are some shade of white at the moment.

A. I think it would be best to have some contrast so I would recommend painting the ceiling and skirting in Resene Quarter Bianca. I would also paint the inbuilt wardrobe and drawers in this same colour. It is best to keep these as light as possible.

October 2020


Q. I'm about to paint my bathroom. It’s been totally gutted and I'm needing to match my paint with the vanity (which I painted in Resene Thor) and the new vinyl flooring. The bathroom is only about 2m x 5m but has a decently high ceiling. I was thinking of painting the whole room one shade of white to increase the light (initially I thought Resene Black White but I'm worried that shade is too cold for the room). What are your thoughts on colours and do you think I should do a different colour on the scotia/skirting boards? I have an 80cm round mirror to go in above the vanity as well.

A. I think a slightly warmer white may work for you. You might check out the following colours – Resene Half Sea Fog, Resene Half Merino or Resene Quarter Albescent White.

If you could visit your Resene ColorShop to view the A 4 colour swatches in their Colour Library and compare them to each other and to a pure white you would find it helpful.

A sheet of printer paper is a good comparative white. The colours all have their unique undertones and that is why you need to see larger swatches of colour.

I like your idea of doing the walls and the ceiling the same colour – it is a very tidy, well balanced look. 

However the skirting boards, door frames, window frames etc could be a brighter white – Resene White – to add a crisp contrast to the space.

October 2020


Q. I have a weatherboard house painted in Resene Quarter Foggy Grey with white windows. Can you suggest a colour to paint the roof and gables (not sure if roof and gables should be same colour or different) and foundation battens?

A. The following are some options for the roof – Resene Windswept, Resene Gauntlet or Resene Atmosphere.

The gables and foundation battens could be a deeper variant of the main house colour for a soft tonal look – Resene Foggy Grey. Or alternatively you could do these elements in Resene White – the same white as the windows. 

October 2020


Q. We are looking at repainting the front door, garage door and staining the gables/outdoor wooden pergola etc. The roof is COLORSTEEL® Grey Friars with sandstone gold bricks and cream window joinery. We are thinking of going a dark colour.

A. For the gables you could try staining them in Resene Waterborne Woodsman tinted to Resene Crowshead, Resene Pitch Black or Resene Dark Oak.

A dark colour for the garage door might be the same dark colour for the front door – or totally different. Do you have a preference? If not then the garage and front door could be one of these very dark colours – Resene Indian Ink or Resene Dark Side.

Or if you like the idea of a front door colour that can be more of a bright feature then perhaps one of the following may appeal to you – Resene Raging Bull or Resene Aloha.

October 2020


Q. I have nearly got the correct colour for my cladding. I am tossing up between Resene Bokara Grey or Resene Dark Web. Could you please suggest a roof colour to complement these colours?

A. Resene Dark Web (also known as Resene Triple Ironsand) has a distinctive dark olive/brown charcoal undertone. Resene Bokara Grey is a warm yellow/red black based charcoal. Sometimes the undertone of colour is only apparent when you compare colours in a large A4 format in the Resene Colour Library at your nearest Resene ColorShop.

If you use Resene Dark Web the roof colour could be Resene Ironsand or a lighter variant.  If you used Resene Bokara Grey you could use Resene Quarter Bokara Grey or a lighter variant or Resene All Black.

October 2020


Q. We're building a house with Rockcote INTEGRA cladding, COLORSTEEL® corrugate roof and James Hardie fibre cement sheet or weatherboard feature cladding. We're thinking about using COLORSTEEL® Ebony for the roof, window joinery, garage door and entrance door. What would be a good Resene white colour to go with the Ebony to create a contemporary look with a sharp contrast? We're also thinking about using a lighter grey for the fibre cement sheet, what would be a good Resene colour for that? What if we want to go for a darker colour (grey or brown) for the fibre cement sheet? What would you recommend?

A. The most popular whites are the following colours – you might check them out by popping into a Resene ColorShop to view the A4 colour swatches in their Colour Library – Resene Black White, Resene Alabaster or Resene Half Sea Fog.

Some light greys that may appeal to you – Resene Quarter Silver Chalice, Resene Half Surrender or Resene Double Concrete. Darker colours to consider are Resene Gunsmoke, Resene Gauntlet, Resene Stonehenge or Resene Half Sandstone.

October 2020


Q. My walls are Resene Eighth Akaroa. What colour shall I paint the doors as we are having them professionally sprayed?

A. If you want a softer look then you could use Resene Quarter Akaroa which is one tone deeper. But if you wanted the doors to look a wee bit stronger then Resene Half Akaroa is two tones deeper. 

October 2020


Q. I’m about to paint our wooden deck light grey with Resene Non-Skid Deck & Path. I’m leaning towards Resene Off Piste or Resene Quarter Foggy Grey. What is generally the most popular light grey you recommend?

A. Colours always appear much lighter on an exterior. People often choose a light grey that has a bit of depth to it and its undertones relate to their house colour. They choose colours like Resene Landscape Grey or Resene Traffic

I think Resene Quarter Foggy Grey and Resene Off Piste are similar in depth so it is very much a personal choice. 

October 2020


Q. We are painting our fence Resene Double Foundry and have a brick with wood 1960s block house with dark bronze joinery. We want to paint the accents on the house Resene Double Foundry (like the shutters and skirting of the windows/house) but can’t decide on what to paint the majority of the house. We have tried Resene Sea Fog as a test as well Resene Quarter Iron but still can’t decide as we feel at large scale it might be too white. We are toying with the idea of something a bit greyer but are not sure where to start.

For the interior, it does get a lot of sun on one side of the house. Originally, we were thinking of Resene Black White but we want a really pure white. What would you recommend? We are going to have wood floors and charcoal coloured carpet throughout.

A. The very dark charcoal – Resene Double Foundry – may emphasise the brown of the joinery. Would that worry you? 

Perhaps a grey/beige toned white may sit better as the main colour on the house – not as stark as a lighter or cooler grey based white. One of the following colours may appeal to you – Resene Double Black White, Resene Merino, Resene White Pointer or Resene Double Sea Fog.

For the interior it may pay to check out the whites against the wooden flooring and the carpet.  All white colours have undertones (yes, the flooring does as well as the paint colours) so it is very important that you see how they interact with each other. You might check out the following and compare them to Resene Black White Resene Half Barely There or Resene Alabaster.

 

October 2020


Q. I have a "what colour do I paint our new garage fascia?" question. We have a transitional villa with the main colour (house and garage) Resene Atmosphere, trim in Resene Helium and the roof in Grey Friars.

A. If you want the fascia on the garage to stand out – between roof colour and main colour – then Resene Helium would be a definite contrast. Or if you preferred it to be a colour that didn't draw attention to itself you could paint to match the main body of the garage – Resene Atmosphere

October 2020


Q. I need an exterior colour that is less than LRV 37%. Do you have some suggestions for a grey or brown on the exterior? I prefer to have a lighter colour option as I am going for a coastal feel inside but am happy to look at a darker colour. The cladding is Linea board.

A. You don't mention what colour the roof and window joinery is. That would have a direct bearing on what colours might work for you.

You could try one of these lighter colours to see if they suit – Resene Quarter Delta, Resene Triple Black White or Resene Triple White Pointer. Or try one of these deeper colours – Resene Archive Grey, Resene Delta or Resene Regent Grey.

October 2020


Q. We have painted our living room walls in Resene Half Pearl Lusta but would appreciate advice for the window and door trim, and the door surfaces. The house is a bungalow style with large windows that look out to a view of trees and sea. I think it is traditional for bungalow windows to be a white tone but we wondered if using a darker tone would frame the view better. Can you suggest some lighter and darker tones (semi-gloss) for the architraves and we will try them out? Should we use the same colour for the window architraves, door architraves and skirting? Could we use the wall colour (Resene Half Pearl Lusta) on the door surfaces (with a semi-gloss finish) or should we use a lighter or darker tone?

A. Yes you could use Resene Half Pearl Lusta in Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss enamel for the doors. Many people do use the same hue (as the walls) in a different sheen for doors. 

You could try lighter variants such as Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta or Resene Eighth Pearl Lusta. Deeper variants are – Resene Pearl Lusta or Resene Double Pearl Lusta.

The deeper variants will show a lot more yellow. Yellow attracts the eyes. It is attention seeking. 

Is it your thought to use a deeper variant to arrest the eyes and stop them from noticing any other element in the room or in the view from the window? I personally would be inclined to use a lighter variant for all trim work. It effectively says (if these colours could talk) 'I am lesser/paler/whiter so the walls are important as they are deeper, the doors are important because they too are deeper and the view through the windows is very important because it is more in every way compared to the paler trim colour.

October 2020


Q. I'm trying to find a contemporary warm white, which I hope to use for the interior and exterior. I tried Resene Rice Cake and Resene Quarter Albescent White but both are a bit too yellow up against the white joinery and tiles. On the exterior we also have some heritage red brick. We would like to avoid grey/blue as it’s too cool.

A. Perhaps some of these warm whites may work for you – try Resene Half Merino, Resene Quarter White Pointer, Resene Half Sea Fog, Resene White Linen, Resene Eighth Truffle, Resene Half Wan White or Resene Half Barely There.

It is only by comparing them with each other and with true white that you can identify their unique undertones.

October 2020


Q. We have a 1960s concrete block house with an extension build in the 1980s clad in stucco. We are replacing the roof with COLORSTEEL® Windsor Grey and were considering painting the house Resene Tapa or Resene Half Tapa. We like Resene Tapa because it is less grey and adds some interest. We were thinking Resene Half Alabaster for the window frames. What are your thoughts on this darker colour for the house? Is there anything we need to look out for when choosing a colour (either dark or light)? We are also replacing the balcony at the same time and that will be clad in Hardiplank.

A. I like your idea of using Resene Tapa (or slightly lighter – Resene Half Tapa) – it will give you a deep grey/olive green look. It will be very smart with the roof and Resene Half Alabaster window frames. 

October 2020


Q. Currently our front door is painted Resene Wasabi green. However, as we are changing the door, we thought we would also change the colour. We're wanting something with an earthy tone, perhaps a mustard yellow – Resene Thumbs Up is too light and although I thought Resene Cleopatra would be perfect the tester looks too gold and bright. Or perhaps we should use an earthy orange?

A. It is always difficult viewing colour patches on an already strong coloured door – it will make you see the colour a bit wrong. If you paint all of the Resene testpot/2 coats onto A2 white card it will give you a swatch of colour approximately 1 square metre in size. 

Some earthy golds and oranges that you might check out are Resene Hot Toddy, Resene Noosa, Resene Vesuvius or Resene Rock Spray.

October 2020


Q. I need help selecting white for windows (inside and out) of a bungalow. I am looking at a bright white. Can you paint with Resene White or Resene House White or is this too stark?

A. There are a huge amount of 'coloured ' whites as well as Resene White – which is the true standard white. A coloured (or the true standard) white is often chosen in association with the other colours on the house. 

If you can visit a Resene ColorShop to view several A4 real drawdown paint colour swatches in their Colour Library it may help you come to a decision. The following are a few whites to start – Resene Half Black White, Resene Alabaster, Resene Half Barely There or Resene White.

October 2020


Q. We have a villa built in 1908. It has a COLORSTEEL® Pioneer Red roof. We aim to paint the door the same colour and blue highlights (architraves, handrails etc) in Resene Astronaut. My question is what to use for the white walls. Is there anything traditional that is not perhaps completely white? I'm thinking 100% white would be too much.

A. Back in the time – 1908 – when the villa was built there were no true stark optic whites.  So using a soft toned white – now – is a good idea and very appropriate. The following are some that are clean, crisp and white enough – try Resene Black White, Resene Double Alabaster, Resene Half Barely There, Resene Half Wan White or Resene Quarter Merino.

If you visit your nearest Resene ColorShop to view the listed whites in the in-store Colour Library and compare them to Resene White you may find it easier to make a decision. 

October 2020


Q. Can you please recommend a grey colour to go with Sandstone Grey joinery and white bricks? The colours we are looking for have to be a very very light grey and a dark grey or black colour.

A. Perhaps the following may appeal – light grey options – Resene Quarter Atmosphere or Resene Triple Black White. For dark grey options try Resene Dune or Resene Steel Grey.

October 2020


Q. We have a Linea® house painted in Resene Half Friar Greystone. I want to paint two Cape cod chairs for the deck outside for a pop of bright colour. Can you suggest suitable colours?

A. I can certainly suggest some bright colours – the following are a start point for consideration – Resene FOMO, Resene She’ll Be Right, Resene Yowza or Resene Pink Ribbon.


Resene FOMO

Resene Yowza

Resene Pink Ribbon

October 2020


Q. We have just bought an old house and want to freshen up the internal areas with new paint. The current colour is a light mustard with brown trim. We want something fresh and light and are keen for a ‘white’ with a hint of grey undertone. We are attracted to Resene Poured Milk for the walls, but a couple of people we've showed test patch samples to seem to think it is ‘too white’. We were wondering if Resene Poured Milk was a common colour to use for interior walls (and if it is, whether there is a recommended a match to use for the trim)? If not, is there another colour recommendation that fits the bill – modern, fresh, light and with that slight grey undertone? We will be putting new light grey carpet in the rooms soon. Joinery is silver aluminium.

A. Resene Poured Milk is a very new white colour. It is very a cool blue toned white. In some situations it may look icy or stark. 

Very popular 'whites' that have a subtle grey undertone are the following – Resene Black White, Resene Half Athens Grey or Resene Half Barely There.

A deeper trim colour to replace the dark brown might be a mid – deep charcoal – had you thought of that? Perhaps Resene Fuscous Grey or Resene Foundry.

I always suggest that test colours be applied (all the Resene testpot/two coats) to very large A2 card leaving a narrow unpainted border all around the perimeter. This is the best way to see colours (and whites that are coloured) compared to the real white card border. The unpainted border also acts as a barrier to stop the test colour from being negatively influenced by the greater amount of wall colour. 

The card can be moved from wall to wall or room to room and viewed throughout the day in changing natural light and under artificial light by night. 

October 2020


Q. I stained my fence with Resene Waterborne Woodsman Skywater colour and I really love it. I want to paint doors with same colour, but I can't find it in paint range. Can you please let me know the name of the most identical or same colour in your paint colour ranges?

A. There is a marked difference between how a stain looks on timber and a paint – even if you managed to choose a somewhat similar colour. The paint will always look stronger and will cover more densely as well as having a rich gloss. You might check out Resene Hammerhead or Resene Rhino to see if they appeal to you.

October 2020


Q. Please advise best white colour to complement Resene Element.

A. The following whites work really well with Resene Element Resene Merino, Resene House White or Resene Double Black White.

October 2020


Q. I am about to paint my interior and would like advice. The house is 100sqm, NE facing the beach and only 200 metres to the water. The ceiling is 2.5m flat and I was looking at Resene Alabaster on the ceilings all the way through. I would like a beachy/coastal look inside.

The lounge/dining end walls I am thinking of Resene Seacrest or Resene Java. What colour should I put on the lounge wall to bedroom two that would complement these types of colours. Could I carry that wall colour through to walls of bedroom two or a separate colour?

What do you recommend for the two small bathrooms?

For bedroom one I like a bluey look. For the laundry I’m thinking of an off white type of colour. In the kitchen the benchtops are Laminex Storm and the cabinets are a tan/white.

A. If you are using Resene Alabaster for all the ceilings you might consider using Resene Sea Fog as a continuing colour through a lot of the rooms unless indicated to the contrary.

For the lounge/dining room feature colour on end walls, I recommended Resene Seacrest. For bedroom 1, a blue look, I recommend using Resene Fountain Blue for the feature wall that has the ensuite and wardrobe doors on it – and Resene Sea Fog for all other walls.

For the second bedroom, bathrooms, kitchen and laundry I recommend Resene Sea Fog. In the kitchen you add a splashback in a bold hue such as Resene Java. Please remember using an off white colour in rooms doesn't rule out the use of colour – it allows you to have drapes, bedlinen and towels etc in beautiful colours. 

October 2020


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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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