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Answers to your questions from our colour experts, p. 101

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. 101

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


Q. Are you able to advise whether the door frames, skirting boards and architraves would look great all the same colour rather than the look of framing the door etc?

A. A lot of people over the last 10-15 years have painted the wood trims and doors in a semi-gloss enamel (Resene Lustacryl) version of the wall colour. It is a simple look – often because modern houses have minimal architectural detailing that may not be worth highlighting. It relies on a sheen difference rather than a colour difference.

Other people will choose to highlight the doors (only) as a different colour – usually slightly deeper toned. This is possibly because they feel that doors may need a little more colour to prevent finger marks showing up so obviously. But other people do all the woodwork – i.e. window frames, door frames, skirting boards and doors a deeper colour. This is a nice way to emphasise beautiful woodwork in colonial houses. 

There is no right or wrong thing to do. It is a personal choice.

October 2020


Q. Can you please suggest some possible colours for weatherboards with a very slight hint of green? I’m considering FlaxPod for concrete base but would consider something else similar depending on weatherboard choice. It’s a 1950's house. 

A. The following may be worth checking out – they are slightly earthy green toned colours so they may relate well to FlaxPod – try Resene Eighth Tana, Resene Quarter Linen, Resene Half Joanna or Resene Quarter Titania.

October 2020


Q. I am getting a new kitchen next month and am trying to decide on interior paint colours. The main cabinetry colour is Limestone (Bestwood Melamine and Dezignatek). The kitchen island cabinetry will be Dezignatek Black Bark. The benchtop is Prime Stone Athena. My exterior paint colours are Resene Triple Concrete for the walls and Resene Half Sea Fog for the trim (window frames, handrails etc). I would like a similar colour scheme inside but don't want it to look too dark as I have smaller rooms, but also not too white. I am wondering about keeping the interior trim (windows, doors and ceilings) in Resene Half Sea Fog like the exterior but am not sure what colour would be best for the walls. I will take whatever colour scheme I settle on throughout the whole house eventually. The house is an old 1950s cottage.

A. I recommend you take samples of the cabinetry colours and benchtop colours with you to check out the A4 real paint colour samples in the Colour Library at your local Resene ColorShop. That way you could see if they work well with one of the following colour suggestions – Resene Sea Fog, Resene Black White and Resene Wan White.

If you compare these colours with a true white – perhaps a sheet of printer paper could be used as a guide – you will be able to see the unique undertones that they have. They are slightly more coloured than you think they are. 

I think using a slightly lighter colour for all the woodwork instead of Resene Half Sea Fog may be better – i.e. Resene Quarter Sea Fog (Resene Double Alabaster).

All colours in an interior look slightly deeper than you might imagine they will do.

October 2020


Q. We are building a home to market and would love some colour ideas for an interior hot bloc wall in the lounge? We have trialled Resene Kelp but it’s too dark. We would like to paint the other walls in a lighter colour that complements the main wall. We would like to create a contemporary but cosy look.

A contemporary but cosy look means different things to different people. Perhaps one of these interesting colours may appeal to you for the Hot Bloc wall – try these green options – Resene Viktor or Resene Templestone. Or you could try a deep blue such as Resene Fast Forward or Resene Safehaven. Some lighter colours that might be considered for the main colour are Resene White Pointer, Resene Merino or Resene Quarter Truffle.

You may find that once the flooring has been chosen and the furniture and drapes, kitchen cabinets and benchtops etc that you can make decisions much quicker. That is because you have already chosen the most expensive and most limited options – choosing the wall colours should be done last – as that gives you the best range of options and flexibility. 

October 2020


Q. I need suggestions for a neutral colour to paint living room, kitchen and hallway walls. As our home is a big old country home, I am not keen on cool whites. I have looked at Resene Half Spanish White and Resene Albescent White but am unsure. I'm probably leaning more towards a 'dirty' white but would welcome your advice.

A. Resene Albescent White is a really gorgeous off white, not too dirty but with a bit of warmth too. I would then do Resene Quarter Albescent White for the trims/ceilings. Here following are some other suggestions for you to try also: Resene Double Rice Cake on walls with Resene Quarter Rice Cake for trims and ceiling, or Resene Half Thorndon Cream on walls with Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream for trims and ceiling.

October 2020


Q. We live in an 1892 cottage in Queensland which is very dark inside. We’ve painted the original interiors Resene Quarter Wheatfield throughout (walls and ceilings). We are renovating the newer part of the house (kitchen and bathroom). What whites can you suggest for the new area to complement the old? The new area has a green leafy outlook and I’m looking to maximise interior light. We would prefer a white that is less cream than Resene Wheatfield but still belonging to the green family of whites.

A. I recommend you try Resene Quarter Rice Cake or Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream.

October 2020


Q. We have New Denim Blue aluminium windows and roof. We want to choose a mid-grey (we think) that will look good with this please.

The building is built of Shadowclad® ply and we have previously stained it a rustic oak colour but have been told that this is not sufficient protection anymore and that it needs to be painted. We liked the look of the stain so that's another idea if we can get a look alike match in paint.

A. If you have been recommended to paint the ply in order to add a better protective film on it, have you also been told that dark colours are not recommended? I believe the recommendation requires the colours to be very light. A light - mid grey like one of the following may appeal to you – Resene Quarter Stack, Resene Surrender or Resene Triple Concrete.

Alternatively a light beige/brown might be worth considering – try Resene Cloudy or Resene Eighth Stonewashed.

October 2020


Q. I am looking for a nice light grey colour for my hallway in our character villa. What would you recommend? 

A. There are lots of nice light greys available – you might like to try Resene Half Silver Chalice or Resene Half Foggy Grey.

October 2020


Q. We've just painted the outside of our weatherboard house Resene Halcyon with Resene Alabaster windows. Any recommendations for a door colour? We are looking for something that will stand out - either bright or dark (jewel like).

A. The following colours may inspire you – Resene Lip Service, Resene Rock N Roll, Resene Celery, Resene Warrior or Resene Tulip Tree.

October 2020


Q. I am repainting the interior of my home. I have already done the ceiling in Resene Half Sea Fog. I am going to paint the walls in Resene Sea Fog. My question is do I go for Resene Half Sea Fog trim and doors or Resene Double Sea Fog trim and doors? What would you suggest?

A. If you used Resene Half Sea Fog it would be a subtle difference – a slightly lighter look – to the wall colour – Resene Sea Fog. Lighter/whiter doors will show up finger marking. 

If you used Resene Double Sea Fog for the woodwork the deeper tone would emphasise the greyness of the colour and draw attention to the difference between the walls and the woodwork. Having woodwork and doors painted in a deeper tone can be forgiving of finger marking and dust.

Are the woodwork trims and doors very attractive architecturally as in a colonial house?  Drawing attention to the very attractive architectural features may mean you choose a deeper option or pure white to add contrast. 

Or are they plain, modern and minimal? If it was the latter, you might consider the lighter option or even exactly the same as the wall colour. 

October 2020


Q. Which whites should I use for a crisp kitchen wall colour and kitchen cabinets. My chairs are Early Settler vintage white, do you think these will go together ok? The door and window trims are kauri with a high gloss finish. The house is 150 years old.

A. Perhaps one of the following whites may work for the walls – Resene Barely There or Resene Black White.

For the cabinets you might consider using real standard white – Resene White – in a real gloss enamel so there is a crisp, clean contrast and no clash between the white of the chairs and the slightly toned white on the walls. 

October 2020


Q. We have done a coat of white then two coats of Resene Black White on our hallway and bedroom walls. Basically one half of the house is finished. There is lots of light in all those areas with green grass outside all windows. We are rural. Weirdly it’s somehow reflecting eggshell blue or purple or yellow depending on the time of day. Very bright. Only when it’s almost dark does it become a nice light grey colour, which is why we chose this colour. The carpet is a dark brown/grey. Our painter used low sheen. What can we do to stop the bright colours issue?

A. This colour shift at different times of the day is normal. Lots of light from different aspects – N/S/E/W – carries different colours in it. Light waves carry all colours of the spectrum and it is that which creates rainbows. So a whiter type of colour may show those colours quite distinctively. 

I suspect that one of the bedrooms may face south or east (eggshell blue) and another one perhaps faces north or west (reflecting warmer tones). That is what changing light does to all paint colours.  Not just natural light but often under artificial light as well. And sometimes the colours that present are caused by other definite colours seen close by – like flooring and drapes etc. 

The only way to stop it happening is to remove all natural light. This is hardly an answer but it does stop the colour sway. A matt finish may add shadow and slightly deepen the look of the colours but it may not stop the reflective colours happening.

Using a slightly stronger grey like Resene Double Black White may help but it may not stop the reflective colours happening. 

October 2020


Q. I am redecorating a room that will have a majority of mahogany furniture in it and I am looking for a paint that is warm toned, light and more on the neutral side (I think). What Resene paint colours would you suggest?

A. The following colours are warm toned, light and neutral – Resene Quarter Spanish White, Resene Quarter Fossil or Resene Eighth Biscotti.

October 2020


Q. We have had major water damage to our home and have had to make some very big decisions quickly. We have decided to paint all walls in Resene Eighth Napa. Could you please advise us what colour to use on the ceilings, doors and trims?

A. A good colour to work with Resene Eighth Napa would be Resene Black White or slightly more toned – Resene Double Black White.

October 2020


Q. I have two questions about white paint: What is a good exterior white that is not glary (we live in Bay of Islands) and would go well with a dark roof (FlaxPod) and stained wooden details? 2. What is a good popular white paint for the interior walls? We don’t mind it being a slightly off-white but not cream. We will have black and wood detail such as doors and feature walls.

A. For the exterior you might check out the following colours as they work well with FlaxPod – Resene Sea Fog, Resene Half House White or Resene Merino. The natural light in NZ is very harsh. If the previously mentioned colours still appear too glary there are slightly deeper variants of all of them that may also be worth checking out. 

Some options for the interior might be one of the following – Resene Quarter Merino, Resene Half Sea Fog and Resene Double Black White.

October 2020


Q. My kitchen, dining, family and lounge are basically open plan. I wish to paint the walls throughout to make the area seem brighter. The closest colour on the Resene swatch to my kitchen is Resene Ash. From memory the wall behind the kitchen and one other wall in the area is Resene Friar Greystone and the others are Resene Half Parchment. I was thinking a white but am not sure how this would look with the kitchen. It needs a lift.

A. I think an off white would work really well. Here are some suggestions for you to try – Resene Rice Cake or Resene Sea Fog.

October 2020


Q. I am wanting a modern white that is crisp for my living room.

A. I recommend you try Resene Half Wan White or Resene Half Sea Fog.

October 2020


Q. I have picked a Resene Quarter Tea and Resene Eighth Tea for our lounge and want to tone it in with a white for the kitchen. Which white would blend in better, Resene Black White, Resene Quarter Black White or Resene Half Alabaster?

A. A white that will blend better with the colours you have picked might be Resene Black White. It would certainly look best with the warm greyed/mushroom pink undertones of Resene Eighth Tea.

October 2020


Q. We are getting ready to paint our new house. For the kitchen/living area and hallways I am looking for a neutral colour that is not a white or a grey or beige. I would then like a complementary colour in a deeper tone for the smaller lounge. There are lots of big windows and doors in the living and lounge areas and the two hallways also have sliding doors. All the joinery is black aluminium and the flooring is a mix of light oak planking and dark grey carpet.

A. You might check out the following neutrals to see if they appeal to you. All neutral colours carry coloured undertones so these ones carry green, mushroom, orange and yellow – Resene Quarter Ash, Resene Quarter Perfect Taupe, Resene Quarter Solitaire or Resene Quarter Parchment.

Complementary colours are those directly opposite from the main colour on the colour wheel – i.e. Resene Quarter Ash (green) and a red hue like Resene Merlot. Is that what you would like?

Or do you want a deeper tone related to the main colour – like the following colours –  Resene Ash, Resene Perfect Taupe, Resene Half Haystack or Resene Parchment.

October 2020


Q. I like Resene Transmission for my weatherboards and Resene Alabaster for my window trims. What colour could I use for the roof please? I do not want anything to black looking. Someone recommended Ironside but I think it is too dark.

A. Would you prefer a pale roof? One of the following colours may appeal to you – Resene Atmosphere or much whiter – Resene Whitewater.

These colours – if they are on a roof that gets a huge amount of sun – will look quite silver grey or white. Colours on a roof have the potential to look much lighter or brighter. 

October 2020


Q. We are about to paint our house and need advice please. It is a concrete tilt slab house, close to the estuary. It is currently a light grey (similar to Resene Double Concrete). We like grey but do we go lighter or darker? I like warm greys but don’t want it to throw blue or pink tones. There is a lot of glass, and we are putting in a French Grey pool which will be nearby. Our front door and garage will most likely be a Matt charcoal colour.

A. Some lighter options to try are Resene Quarter Atmosphere or Resene Quill Grey, or paler Resene Athens Grey. Or for deeper options try Resene Quarter Baltic Sea, Resene Half Gunsmoke or Resene Scarpa Flow, or for very dark options – if you are brave – try Resene Chicago or a rich red/brown black – Resene Bokara Grey.

 

October 2020


Q. We are ready to paint our two storey, flat roof, plaster house again. The window frames are in New Denim Blue and the house is currently painted in Resene X-200 Drought. We have been happy with this colour but are looking for a change and something paler, without going to white. We are surrounded by bush (greenery) and at times don't get a lot of sun.

A. The following are some paler colours that you might check out – Resene White Pointer, Resene Triple Black White, Resene Triple Merino or Resene Orchid White, or try lighter variants such as Resene Quarter Drought or Resene Quarter Biscotti.

October 2020


Q. I am painting my interior in Resene Half Albescent White for the darker rooms and Resene Albescent White for the lighter rooms, with Resene Alabaster ceilings and trims. What sort of contrast colours will look good for furnishings etc. I have kauri flooring.

A. The following are some types of colours that may appeal to you and will work well with Resene Half Albescent White and full strength Resene Albescent White Resene Innocence, Resene Biscay, Resene Red Oxide or Resene Sorrell Brown.

October 2020


Q. We are painting the exterior of our weatherboard house. The roof is COLORBOND® Shale Grey. The windows are aluminium pearl white with white trims. We would like a light grey or blue-grey but with enough colour to contrast with roof and windows. I like Resene Silver Chalice but it might be too similar to roof. We are unsure whether to add a third colour as a trim, perhaps a darker grey like Resene Double Stack. We are also thinking of panting the veranda tiles. What do you recommend?

A. Resene Silver Chalice is the same depth of colour as the Shale Grey on the roof. The roof may appear much lighter if the angle of the roof is 45 degrees to the sun. If that is the case then the roof will look more silver and much paler.

If you chose a deeper tone of Resene Silver Chalice – i.e. Resene Double Silver Chalice – it may look better – more balanced and with enough contrast to look good with the roof and the window joinery.

A darker grey – Resene Double Trojan – might be considered – as a trim – it has a lovely warmth to it. Or Resene Double Stack which relates well to Resene Silver Chalice. Alternatively a much paler variant of the roof colour might be used, such as Resene Quarter Atmosphere. This might create more of a contrast as it will look more silver white. 

October 2020


Q. I have a two storey steep double gabled villa painted in Resene Black White with a Resene Chimney Sweep front door. The house has no other colour (the windows, sills etc are all Resene Black White). We are about to start with painting the roof and I am suddenly second guessing myself!! I had always thought I would use Resene Ironsand as we want a clean smart look to set off the sharp lines of the house. BUT now I am wondering if it is too deep and if Resene Grey Friars would be a better option (but it feels a bit boring).

A. If you are – now – uncertain about using Resene Ironsand and are tossing up about Resene Grey Friars perhaps I should throw another option up for consideration as well.

Less olive brown toned than Resene Ironsand and not as steel blue as Resene Grey Friars is Resene Windswept. If you visit a Resene ColorShop to view the A4 colour swatches in their Colour Library and compare them to each other it would help you make a decision.

October 2020


Q. I am looking to paint the bedroom walls Resene Half Pearl Lusta. What colour should I choose for the ceiling? Which white? Do I use the ceiling colour for the skirting board and windowsills?

A. If you want a gentle merging of colour between walls and other trims ten you might use Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta. If you wanted more of a contrast then you could use Resene Eighth Pearl Lusta or even 'real' white – Resene White.

October 2020


Q. Could you help me with ideas for a colour for new kitchen cabinetry please? All walls are Resene Quarter Drought. The oven is a charcoal range. I don’t like two different colour cabinets in a kitchen.

A. The following are some options for you to consider – Resene Quarter Albescent White (whitest), Resene Albescent White (light), Resene Drought (deep), Resene Coffee Break (dark) or Resene Quarter Bokara Grey (darkest). Whichever colour you choose all the cabinetry would be the same – carcasses, frames, doors and drawers. 

October 2020


Q. Our house has exposed wooden ceiling beams, which we plan on painting with Resene Element/FlaxPod. I haven’t finalised wall colour palettes yet but Resene Flax, Resene Zen, Resene Explorer and Resene Escapade are options that we are considering. Our house has a lot of wood and also some brick features. Would these colour options be suitable? And would Resene Half Sea Fog be a suitable colour for the ceilings?

Or can you suggest another white that might be more appropriate to go alongside Resene Element? Or any other colours that we could add to our colour palette.

A. I like the colours that you are considering – mostly the greens as they work so well with natural elements like wood and bricks. Yes, Resene Half Sea Fog is a good choice for ceilings. Other whites worth checking out is Resene Sea Fog (slightly more toned than the paler version) or Resene Half Barely There.

October 2020


Q. We have recently purchased a late 50s/early 60s house which needs the windows and exterior painted. It has a strip of brick with roughcast above and below and I want to paint the whole house one colour (painting over the brick). The garage door is more modern and is Grey Friars.

I would like suggestions for exterior colours – something that will work well with the Grey Friars. I have been looking at Resene Quarter Truffle for the house, Resene Black White for the windows, soffits and fascia. Will these colours work with the Grey Friars? Do you have any other suggestions? The two storeyed side of the house faces south so I don’t want the house to look too grey or cold but would like it to be fresh and more modern looking. Also if we replace or paint the roof in the future, we will probably go with Grey Friars for that.

A. The colours that you mention are very good. You could go slightly deeper as the bright natural sunlight strips away the depth of all colours on an exterior and makes them look lighter/brighter/whiter. Perhaps Resene Half Truffle might be considered. 

To illustrate how colours look lighter on an exterior – Resene Half Truffle might look like Resene Quarter Truffle and that colour might look like Resene Eighth Truffle.

Very pale colours can look cooler than ones that have a wee bit more depth. 

Another alternative colour – slightly warmer and deeper – that could be checked out also is Resene Double White Pointer.

It would be a good idea – when it comes time to do the roof – to use Resene Grey Friars.

October 2020


Q. We've just purchased a rustic style house, currently with dark green walls, a natural look fireplace and macrocarpa/Rimu ceilings. What colours could we use for the walls and carpets?

A. If you are contemplating getting new carpet if you use the natural colours in the stones of the fireplace as a guide you won't go far wrong. The house has a rustic ambiance and some of the following colours may work well – Resene Triple Thorndon Cream, Resene Pearl Lusta, Resene Sisal, Resene Grey Olive, Resene Thor or Resene Gecko.

October 2020


Q. I am looking to repaint our 1920s stucco bungalow. The roof is dark brown/slate tiles. I would like to have a slate/black window finish with a black/white or greyish base, and white window surrounds/sills.

A. If you use a warmer slate/black on the windowsills and a slightly warm toned black white so the look isn't too stark it should work well with the roof tiles. These are 'for example' colours – you may have others in mind but if not, then these are a good range for you to consider – Resene Half Bokara Grey (windowsills), Resene Triple Black White (main colour) or Resene Quarter Black White (white window surrounds/sashes).

October 2020


Q. I am after some advice on what colour to paint our one wall in our bedroom. We are going to make a board and batten feature wall and want to paint it a different colour. Our walls are painted in Resene White Pointer at the moment.

We aren't sure whether to go for something a bit moodier – or something light and pastel. We love the idea of going a bit moody with the colour, however it is a small room so am worried it will look too small if we paint the one wall darker. We have a larger window that covers most of the wall so get plenty of light.

A. I think soft mid toned pastels may add a lovely dimension to the room and not be too deep toned that the wall gobbles up the light and makes the space seem smaller. I recommend you try Resene Raindance, Resene Memory Lane, Resene Moonlight or Resene Just Dance.

But if 'moody' and deep toned is more to your taste then perhaps these mysterious colours may appeal to you – Resene RSVP, Resene Safehaven, Resene Green Meets Blue, Resene Sixth Sense or Resene Eighth Bokara Grey.


Resene Raindance

Resene Memory Lane

Resene Just Dance

Resene RSVP

Resene Safehaven

Resene Sixth Sense

Resene Eighth Bokara Grey

October 2020


Q. I am painting the interior of a new spec home. The colours I'm considering are the ceiling in Resene Half Alabaster, walls in Resene Half Sea Fog and internal doors, architraves and skirting in Resene Black White. The aluminium joinery colour is Titania. The kitchen flooring is a mid-brown vinyl plank and the carpet a dark taupe colour. I want the colours to be neutral enough for potential buyers to be able add their own splashes of colour, but not stark. Do you think these colours will be ok?

A. Are you wanting to merge the interior colours with the Titania aluminium joinery? If that is the case then perhaps you might use Resene Quarter Titania for the walls and ceilings, and all doors and woodwork trims Resene Half Black White – keeping the palette as simple and pared back as possible with just the changes of sheen – matt ceilings, semi-gloss enamel woodwork and low sheen walls – attracting the eyes. 

If you don't mind the Titania aluminium joinery standing out more then you could use some of the colours you are considering – but not all as the differences between them are minimal and may not be noticeable. Perhaps Resene Half Alabaster for ceilings and Resene Black White for walls and all woodwork trims. 

October 2020


Q. We are repainting the interior of our north facing rural home and love the grey and white contrast look. For the walls It will likely be either Resene Sea Fog or Resene Half Athens Grey. Can you recommend a white for the ceiling (perhaps Resene Alabaster?) and doors and window frames? Also would they usually be all the same colour or would you have a different white for the ceiling?

A. Resene Half Athens Grey – or Resene Sea Fog – looks very nice with Resene Quarter Alabaster. Any white that is more coloured may not show as a contrast with Resene Half Athens Grey or Resene Sea Fog. It is often an option that people use to have the same colour for walls and all woodwork trims (but in different sheen levels) and a much whiter colour on the ceiling. 

October 2020


Q. What wall colour would go well with Resene Triple Rakaia and Resene Half Bokara Grey?

A. The following are a selection of colours that I think may work well and appeal to you – Resene Sea Fog, Resene Half Rakaia, Resene Half Blanc or Resene Double Black White.

October 2020


Q. We have a cream house with an Ironsand roof and brown joinery. I would like to repaint with Resene Lumbersider in a modern colour with a brownish base but not with a yellow, grey or green tint.

A. The warmer toned browns usually have yellow or green in them. They are the type of colours that I would normally be recommending with the olive/brown charcoal of the Ironsand roof and the bronze brown joinery.

The following are some other options that you might check out to see if they appeal to you and work well with roof and joinery – Resene Stonewashed, Resene Cloudy, Resene Bronco, Resene Settlement or Resene Schooner.

October 2020


Q. We are building a new north facing house on a lifestyle block. It has an Ironsand roof, exterior joinery and front door, and also fossil estate clay brick around most of the house. However, from the garage to front door it is all weatherboard, and we are trying to find a colour that would soften the front but make a nice accompaniment to the brick/roof combination.

A. To soften the look of the front facade of your house and to bring the Ironsand and the brick together in a well co-ordinated and harmonious way means creating a muted contrast. You might feel inclined to consider a deep colour or a very light colour but the north face of the house will receive a lot of weathering and maximum UV from our fierce sunlight.

You might look at the following mid toned colours to see if they appeal to you – Resene Bison Hide, Resene Half Napa, Resene Eighth Stonewall, Resene Eighth Arrowtown or Resene Triple Thorndon Cream.

October 2020


Q. We have a 1960s weatherboard house and are looking to paint the exterior. We are looking at using two different tones. We like Resene New Denim Blue or Resene Quarter New Denim Blue for the dark tone but are struggling to find a lighter tone to complement. We are looking for a pale blue/grey colour, we quite like Resene Half Halcyon but found it a bit too blue and Resene Silver Chalice a bit too grey.

A. You could try Resene Half Gull Grey or Resene Half Dusted Blue.

October 2020


Q. I will be painting my walls in Resene Blanc and am looking for a feature wall colour. I like Resene Aquamarine. Can you recommend other colours in the same shade as this that are slightly lighter?

A. I recommend you try these options – Resene Stromboli, Resene Green Pea or Resene Sea Green.

October 2020


Q. Is there a yellow that would complement Resene Double Napa? I'm looking to paint our front door.

A. Yes there are a range of options. You could try Resene Southern Cross or Resene Turbo.

October 2020


Q. Can you please recommend some pretty pinks that could be used for my 6 year old’s feature wall. It is the northern wall off the room so doesn't get direct bright light. The rest of the walls are in Resene Concrete. She likes Resene Ballerina and Resene Cupid. Not too light, not too dark.

A. Some colours you might like to try are Resene Paper Doll or Resene Shilo.

October 2020


Q. Our weatherboards are finished in Resene Lemon Grass, our roof is Karaka and the windows will be aluminium matt Appliance White. What white should we use for the exterior and interior window trims? We also want white for the internal walls and are unsure which colour, as the place gets a lot of light.

A. You could try Resene Half Sea Fog for internal walls and Resene Alabaster for window trim. Or for an alternative option try Resene Half Black White for internal walls and Resene Eighth Black White for window trim.

October 2020


Q. What external Resene paint colours go with dark brown aluminium joinery?

A. Do I detect a 'don't like' undertone about the dark brown aluminium windows? Any distinctively coloured window joinery can be a stumbling block when it comes to choosing a new modern look to a house. The window joinery colour makes you compromise your preferences.

The following are some earthy colours – they will work with the brown aluminium joinery.  But the windows will always be seen – the new colour won't make the joinery merge or disappear. You could try Resene Half Sandstone, Resene Bison Hide, Resene Napa or Resene Double Ash.

There are many other similar types of colours that might also work but these may be a start point for you.

October 2020


Q. My kitchen joinery is cream Melteca, my flooring is terracotta tile (although quite a pale terracotta), my bathroom has been painted in Resene Tea, my ensuite is in Resene Half Spanish White. I’d like to repaint the remaining rooms in my home (over the wallpaper) and thought something to tie Resene Tea and Resene Spanish White together would be good. Could you give me the name of a colour or colours I could try?

A. You might check out the following colours to see if they appeal to you – Resene Fossil, Resene Eighth Canterbury Clay, Resene Half Biscotti or Resene Sandspit Brown.

Or you could check out lighter and deeper variants of Resene Half Spanish White, such as Resene Quarter Spanish White and Resene Eighth Spanish White, which are both very versatile hues.

October 2020


Q. When painting a roof does the colour once on the roof often look darker or lighter than the sample? I'll be painting a large bit of cardboard first to make sure we've got the colour right.

A. Roof colours appear lighter/brighter due to the angle of the roof to the sun. 

October 2020


Q. I was keen for your advice on what colour to paint our house. It is having a major refurbishment. We have a Grey Friars roof and I like your Resene Silver Chalice. I am keen on white trims and windows. I don't want the house to look too cold.

A. Resene Silver Chalice is a very nice pewter grey which looks lovely with real white trims. I don't think it will look too cold. Another grey that is delightful and might be compared Resene Silver Chalice is Resene Quarter Stack.

October 2020


Q. Our 60s cinderblock house is painted in Resene Quarter Gravel outside and Resene Drought inside. It looks fine, but very neutral, and we want to start putting our own stamp on the interior and would like a range of colour options that would work with Resene Drought. We impulsively did the bathroom in Resene Wild Thing and love its boldness.

A. The following colours work well with Resene Drought but they should not be considered only as wall colours. There are so many things that you might have as colourful accents – rugs, drapes, duvets, cushions, china, upholstered furniture, artwork etc.

Try Resene Atlas, Resene She’ll Be Right, Resene Salsa, Resene Spanish White, Resene Leap Year or Resene Coffee Break.

October 2020


Q. Currently our interior walls are Resene Spanish White and the ceilings look Resene Half Spanish White (the ceilings appear the same colour as the walls). I want to update the walls and ceilings colour within the same palette and was thinking Resene Eighth Spanish White for the walls but am not sure what lighter colour to do the ceilings so they look the same colour or at least complementary.

A. Resene Eighth Spanish White is very pale. You could use the same colour for the ceiling but it may look – at certain times of day or night – slightly deeper toned.

If you wanted a white for the ceilings (that was lighter than the walls) you might have to use 'real' white – Resene White which isn't a colour – it is just White.

October 2020


Q. We are repainting our two storey plaster house and looking for a neutral colour with LRV minimum 40 to go with our garage door/roof which is Ironsand (although is faded after 17 years) and dark brown joinery. We are thinking of a lightish grey/brown tone, modern colour. 

A. I agree with your ideas. You could try Resene Quarter Friar Grey or Resene Half Taupe Grey.

October 2020


Q. Do Resene Double Ash for walls, Resene Triple Ash for trim and Resene Java for the door work well together?

A. I think these all work great together however there isn't much contrast between Resene Double Ash and Resene Triple Ash. I would recommend using Resene Ash on the walls with Resene Triple Ash for the trims (rather than using Resene Double Ash on the walls). Resene Java is a great colour for a door.

October 2020


Q. I am using Resene Half Fossil and Resene Quarter Fossil to paint the interior walls of our bach set in native bush. I don't want it to look too crisp and city like but want advice on what colour to paint the doors and skirtings etc.

A. I would still suggest painting the doors, trims and skirting something lighter but more of a warm off-white rather than a cool crisp white. You could try Resene Half Rice Cake or Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream.

October 2020


Q. I'm looking at painting three bedrooms in our home and I'd really appreciate some advice. We own a character home and would like to accentuate its beautiful features. I plan on having the furnishings in browns, mustards and deep greens and I'm wondering whether to go with a yellow white, mid green or full green white.

A. I love the sound of your palette of colours you are using, absolutely perfect. I personally would lean towards a warm white rather than a green tone. A green tone could tend to feel cooler. You could try Resene Rice Cake (in some lights this can have a very subtle green edge to it so it actually covers both concepts but definitely more towards a warm white, a very versatile white) or try Resene Cararra.

October 2020


Q. I’m moving into a new home, a very small townhouse with semi open concept. My plan for the colour palette of the first floor is a navy blue accent wall in the entryway, a light greige on all walls on the first floor and a light grey/greige on kitchen cabinets. I want a light, crisp feel in the home with a little depth. Can you suggest some paint colours I should use?

A. If you were keen on light greige toned colour for the walls you might check out the following options – Resene White Pointer or Resene Quarter Truffle. Other light grey/greige colours that might be considered for the kitchen cabinets – Resene Half Cougar or Resene Truffle.

A navy blue accent colour might be one of these – Resene Midnight Express or Resene Bunting.

October 2020


Q. I am repainting all the interior of our house – ceilings, doors, skirting, trims etc. The house has very dark tinted windows and we wish to make the interior brighter, we would like white colours not any cream. We thought Resene Alabaster for the ceiling, trim, doors, skirting and maybe Resene Eighth Rice Cake for the walls. When looking at them they seem alike. The carpet will be a light silvery grey.

A. In order to see your whites as harmonious and but still different enough to show contrast you may need to stay in one palette. A colour on a ceiling will always show as a deeper tone because of the way the light falls away from the surface making the ceiling more shadowy.  The following is how it may work best for you – option 1 try Resene Half Rice Cake for walls with Resene Eighth Rice Cake for the ceiling and trims, or option 2 try Resene Double Alabaster for walls with Resene Half Alabaster for the ceiling and trims. Or alternatively if you are using whites that are from different palettes there must be a much lighter/whiter one and another that can be definitely seen as different, such as Resene Half House White for walls and Resene Alabaster for the ceiling and trims.

October 2020


Q. I am painting my bathroom toilet and hallway Resene Half Surrender. What colour should I paint my ceiling, doors and skirting boards?

A. I recommend you try Resene Double Alabaster or Resene Eighth Black White.

October 2020


Q. We have a 1990s Hardiplank clad house in Coromandel, with a new garage/studio in board and batten extension being built adjoined to the house, so the colour scheme is the key to uniting everything! I’m wanting the overall look to convey lightness, airiness and watery-ness! I love the muted greys of the winter sea/skies in this part of the world. I’ve settled on a COLORSTEEL® Gull Grey new roof (with the old roofing repainted in Resene Atmosphere to match) as well as Ghost Grey for the new joinery on the extension, which is as close as I can get to the COLORSTEEL® Gull Grey. This leaves me with the decision on the cladding. At the moment I’m thinking of going for Resene White Thunder or perhaps Resene Seashell, Resene Quarter Surrender, or Resene Mercury. You can probably see where I’m going with this – pale!! Do you think these colours are too pale in the outdoors light? If so, what other colours would you recommend to best achieve a delicate, airy look? We also have a small wall I want to paint in a muted, watery soft blue – maybe Resene Half Duck Egg Blue, Resene Ziggurat or even Resene Cut Glass. We also have wide soffits under the veranda and deck railings that I have imagined in a white and an old deck to be painted.

A. COLORSTEEL® Gull Grey/Resene Atmosphere are soft greys with a yellow/stony undertone. This colour is not all like Ghost Grey. 

Ghost Grey has an almost lavender under tone so the main house colour options must harmonise with it or the windows will be 'odd man out' in the colour scheme. 

But in saying that relating the main house colour to the windows will make the Gull Grey look to be the 'odd man out' colourwise – will that worry you? 

Some of the muted, watery blues that you mention are not happy with the roof or the joinery colours unfortunately. 

Because all colours appear lighter/brighter on an exterior (due to bright natural light stripping back the depth) you may need to consider slightly deeper tones of colour to compensate for that – the following suggestions may be worth checking out – Resene Surrender or Resene Half Grey Chateau.

Resene White Thunder is very pretty and is worth checking out as it will look good with Ghost Grey. It will look to be much lighter/whiter in bright light though. 

Have you thought of using white – perhaps Resene Black White – it is a default choice and it will emphasise the colour in the window joinery and be a starker look but it won't add more colour to the colour scheme.

October 2020


Q. We want to repaint our spare room. It is a relatively light room but can be cold in winter. Trims are currently wood but we plan to paint these (probably Resene Half Black White) and one wall has a large wardrobe that will mainly be white. I want something neutral and am thinking of a soft grey. We have Resene Half Iron in another bedroom which we find looks quite blue in many lights and want something a bit ‘purer’ grey or warmer. We are not keen on the 'greige' tones. I was wondering if Resene Athens Grey or Resene Mercury may be less 'blue' or any other suggestions you have. 

A. May I ask – if the room is cold in winter does it face south? I am slightly concerned that if it has a cool/grey/sour aspect (as South facing rooms are inclined to have]) that using the any of the colours that you have mentioned may make it more cool – not less cool. 

Do the wooden trims make the room feel warmer? Wood often does add warmth to a room.

If you painted the trims and wardrobe white – which would make a crisp clean statement – it might add more light to a shady room. Is that what you are wanting to achieve? 

You mention wanting something more 'pure' – all greys carry undertones of colour in them so pure isn't an option when it comes to grey unfortunately. Also the constantly changing quality of natural and artificial light alters how colours are seen so trying to stop that from happening is a battle you are unlikely to ever win.

In order to make the room feel warm you may need to investigate a slightly deeper tone. Pale always feels cooler and mid tones or deep tones feels warmer by comparison. Perhaps you could check out the following colours – yes, they do carry warmth but they throw red/mauve undertones – Resene Flotsam, Resene Half Rakaia, Resene Midwinter Mist or Resene White Thunder.

October 2020


Q. We are painting the exterior of our house. I really love teal and jewel colours as accents. The main colour could be a soft, fresh and happy green. Would Resene Vermont work? What other green could work well? I also thought a dark pink/red door could be fun. I find it really hard to choose the main colour.

A. If you are open to bright colours the following options may appeal to you – try Resene Caper for your main colour with Resene Eighth Pearl Lusta for trims and frames, Resene Deep Sea for small trims like windowsills and base of the house and doors in Resene Lip Service. Or try Resene Anise as your main colour with Resene Alabaster for trims and frames, Resene Blue Gem for small trims like windowsills and base of the house and doors in Resene Scrumptious.

October 2020


Q. We are finalising colours for a complete repaint of our 1910 weatherboard bungalow. Our roof and guttering are in Grey Friars. Our garage is in Titania and Grey Friars. After testing over a dozen samples we’ve narrowed it down to Resene Frozen (first choice hoping not too light) or Resene Nepal. What would be a good white/ neutral colour to use for either of these on the windows, door frames, lintels, corners and bargeboard? We quite like Resene Double Sea Fog or Resene Quarter Surrender. We’d also like a recommendation for an accent colour for the doorsteps and concrete foundations – thinking something darker like Resene Seachange or Resene Blue Bayoux.

A. Resene Nepal is a blue with a green undertone and is very interesting to the eye. Resene Frozen is a prettier type of blue. Colours always appear lighter (like a half tone version) on the exterior as the sunlight strips their depth and leaves them looking lighter/brighter. 

A good white might be one of the following – Resene Sea Fog (lighter is better than Resene Double Sea Fog as it isn't so grey toned), Resene Poured Milk (a very cool crisp blue toned white – will emphasise the main colour of whichever blue you use) or Resene Quarter Titania (chosen because of the garage main colour – a link colour).

Doorsteps and concrete foundations could be a lighter variant of the Grey Friars, such as Resene Quarter Grey Friars, Resene Undercurrent or Resene Escapade.

October 2020


Q. We are repainting our 1950s house. We have chosen Resene Loblolly for the cladding. Our question is what colour to paint the many wooden windows and under the eaves? We are considering Resene Hint Of Grey or is it better just to stick with a white?

A. Either of these whites would work very well with Resene Loblolly – for a warm option try Resene Quarter Rice Cake or for a cool option try Resene Quarter Black White.

October 2020


Q. We are getting our exterior painted but we are struggling with colours. The roof is Ironsand and would love to have our sheltered front door in shiny black.

A. Because you have a sheltered front door you could definitely have a front door in full gloss enamel in Resene Black.

For the rest of your home you could try Resene Double Ash for the main colour with Resene Quarter Ironsand for bargeboards and Resene Sea Fog for trims and under the soffits. Or you could try Resene Triple White Pointer for the main colour with Resene White Pointer for the bargeboards and Resene Quarter Black White for trims and under the soffits.

October 2020


Q. I am painting the exterior of my house. I am using COLORBOND® Shale Grey for the roof. I am thinking of using Resene Half Truffle and warm grey decking. Can you help with this please as I don’t want the whole exterior to be all greys?

A. Resene Half Truffle is a warm grey/beige. I think as long as you use real white – Resene White – on window frames and sashes, door frames, under the soffits, on the fascias and bargeboards to lift the look of the house it won't look too grey. But if you feel you might like a less grey colour then you could use one of these instead of Resene Half Truffle – Resene Titania or Resene Triple Merino.

Using a more distinctive colour for the doors might also add extra character to the house. That is when you get to choose something that you are really keen on to add Wow. 

October 2020


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