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Answers to your questions from our colour experts, p. 102

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. 102

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


Q. Resene paints will be used throughout our 270sqm Jalcon home. All walls will be Resene Rice Cake with feature walls in the three bedrooms. In the small (double) guest room we would like to use Resene Seaweed for the feature wall. Will that be good with the other walls in Resene Rice Cake? The ceiling is Resene Quarter Rice Cake. Everything else is white, including the shutters.

A. Resene Seaweed is a lovely deep olive green with undertones of yellow ochre and brown umber in it. It does look very nice with Resene Rice Cake. If you are keen on having the colour, I recommend you paint up an A2 sample swatch using a Resene testpot so you see a huge amount of it to check you are happy with it before buying your paint.

November 2020


Q. I am currently painting the bedrooms in my home. I’m looking for a light grey, I currently have white walls and framing. I have tried numerous greys and decided that Resene Half Iron was the best. I painted my bathroom on the weekend and found the colour has a noticeable blue tinge. I’m happy with the shade, but the blue tinge is more evident now that I have painted the whole room. Do you have another grey I could try that might suit my needs?

A. Yes you are correct – Resene Half Iron has undertones of blue in it.

All colours in an interior have the potential to look deeper (or brighter depending on the type of colour ) so can often double their intensity. This can be a bit of a surprise to people. It is always wise to test colours prior to buying a large amount. A Resene testpot (all of it/two coats) painted onto A2 card provides you with a large sample swatch. If it is moved from wall to wall/room to room and viewed throughout the day (natural light) and night (artificial light) you will be better able to judge the reality of the colour. 

To see how it will look when all four walls of a room are painted if you roll the large card into a tube with the colour innermost and look into it you will see the colour intensified. This is helpful for gauging if a colour is alright for the whole room or whether you might need a paler colour. 

One of these greys may appeal to you – Resene Athens Grey, Resene Quarter Surrender or Resene Triple Black White.

November 2020


Q. I have a 70s weatherboard house with a brick base about a metre high. Would a charcoal roof, weatherboards painted in Resene Masala and brick painted in Resene Double Masala look ok or should I make the brick the same as the weatherboard?

A. A charcoal roof would look really great.

If your weatherboards are real timber, I don't feel it would be wise using a dark colour on them. It will attract a lot of heat and may jeopardize the boards. It is recommended that very light colours be used on real timber weatherboards.

If the weatherboards are a Linea® type of weatherboards (not real timber) then the surface can tolerate a dark colour.

If both the weatherboards and the brick are the same colour it will make the house look simpler and less like a sandwich with each layer making the house look squat. But it is your choice. 

A softer colour that might be considered is one of the following – Resene Eighth Masala or Resene Friar Grey.

November 2020


Q. We have a yellow house and want to move into more grey tones like COLORSTEEL® Grey Friars, Resene Quarter Concrete and Resene Double Sea Fog but the joinery is very creamy. Are there any colours that we might be able to use to move us into a greyer palette without having to paint the joinery? Much appreciated!

A. Without changing the window colour you will be compromised in regard the new palette of colours you are wanting to have. Your powder coat window colour is likely called Off White – so yes, it is quite a strong yellow cream. 

Some of the following yellow/green based greys may work – Resene Taupe Grey with a lighter variant – Resene Quarter Taupe Grey for the gable and fascias, or Resene Foggy Grey with a lighter variant – Resene Quarter Foggy Grey for the gable and fascias, or Resene Quarter Tapa with a deeper variant – Resene Tapa, or Resene Quarter Friar Greystone with a deeper variant – Resene Friar Greystone for the gable and fascias.

If you are replacing or painting the roof and garage door you might consider a colour like one of the following – Resene Windswept or Resene Element.

Alternatively you could paint the existing powder coat window joinery and have the colours that you have mentioned.


November 2020


Q. We have a 1960s brown clinker brick house with white wooden windows and white cinder block base. We would like to paint the house a dark colour (with the cinder block a lighter colour). We also have a COLORSTEEL® Grey Friars roof.

A. The following are some colours that you might check out to see if they appeal to you – they work well with Grey Friars – Resene Half Tuna, Resene Shuttle Grey, Resene Double Silver Chalice or Resene Regent Grey.

I am hesitant to suggest a light grey for the cinder block to link with the upper storey. I think it may make the blocks look like unpainted concrete. 

A different type of white with a grey/blue undertone might work but may have to be used on the wooden windows as well – Resene Poured Milk or Resene Black Squeeze.


Resene Double Silver Chalice

November 2020


Q. I am looking to change the kitchen colour scheme – at the moment is green (the colour when I purchased the apartment). I was looking to do the island black or a variation, with a stainless steel benchtop. The splashback would be in a rolled mild steel. I was wondering what colour the cupboards should be. I was trying not to be black but didn't want white and was wondering if you had any suggestions. The walls are painted Resene Half Black White and the carpet has been ripped up and it has polished concrete floors.

A. I have had some thoughts and they may appeal to you. Using warmer blacks will make a difference to the (usual) standard black and pure white look favoured by most people. Try Resene Extraterrestrial 40-007-072 (a pyrite bright metallic charcoal which will have to be sprayed in order to obtain the high sparkle factor] for the kitchen cabinets) and Resene Charcoal for the kitchen island. Or try Resene Triple Black White (this will add some greyed tonal depth to cupboards and relate to the wall colour) and Resene Gumboot (a charcoal with a black heart).

November 2020


Q. I am trying to find a colour that will complement the brick colour of our house and the greens of our garden. The gutters and fascia colour is equivalent to COLORBOND® Monument Grey and the windows are white. The paving and bricks are terracotta. I would like the exterior to be a green shade (not dark, but also not too light). The joinery is Arctic White.

A. When you have Arctic White joinery you may have to add a bit of chill to the greens as well in order to stop the white windows looking bluer and from being the 'odd man out' in the colour palette.

Perhaps one of the following colours may appeal to you – Resene Rolling Stone, Resene Thor or Resene Spanish White. They may look really nice close to the bricks and paving.

November 2020


Q. We have a New Denim Blue roof and joinery – can you recommend a colour for half the plaster cladding on our house? The other half is cream brick so the colour would have to go with both the New Denim Blue roof and joinery and cream bricks.

A. You could use a very pale cream white – Resene Half Bianca or Resene Eighth Pearl Lusta. Or you could try a paler variant of the New Denim Blue colour – Resene Quarter New Denim Blue or a much cooler blue/lilac silvery grey – Resene Half Mischka.

November 2020


Q. We are painting an open plan lounge, dining, kitchen area. We will use one of the Resene Sisal family colours for the main walls. We plan to do one feature wall in Resene English Sage. There is another smaller wall at right angles to the wall that we will paint in Resene English Sage. We would like to do this as a feature wall as well – possibly in a deeper green that works with the Resene English Sage. Are there any greens you would recommend? 

A. A deeper green might be one of the following colours – Resene Half Forest Green, Resene Gecko or Resene Mother Nature.

November 2020


Q. I want a neutral wall colour for a new house for the integra wall system to go with FlaxPod roofing and aluminium windows. I am currently considering Resene Barely There, Resene Sea Fog, Resene Half White Pointer or something in that range. I don't want white or any of the yellow whites.

A. I think one of the slightly deeper toned variants may appeal to you – Resene Double Sea Fog or Resene White Pointer.

The reason I suggest the slightly deeper versions of the colours you have mentioned is because the bright natural light strips back a colour (any colour) and makes it look lighter/brighter/whiter.

November 2020


Q. Help please! We are putting ply on our walls and don’t know what we should varnish/stain it with. We want to keep it as natural as possible and don’t want any markings coming out more dominant, just a nice natural look.

A. If it a very natural look that you want and you like how it looks now then perhaps just finishing it with Resene Aquaclear Natural. If you would like a little sheen then Resene Aquaclear Satin could suit you.

November 2020


Q. Is there a colour that is similar to Resene Riptide if it was diluted by 50% white. I want to use it as a splashback colour and like the tone but would prefer a paler version. I used Resene Riptide for a glass bench which was much thicker than splashback glass but I worry that straight Resene Riptide would be too strong/dark if used on a splashback.

A. There are two types of glass used for splashbacks – one is called Standard Float glass which has a green cast and makes all colours seen under it take on the greenish look or alters how the colours look (usually makes them look deeper or in the case of real white makes it look like aqua) because of that green look.

There is Crystal Clear low iron oxide glass which is totally clear and all colours seen behind it look perfectly accurate and true to reality. 

I suggest – if it is at all possible – that you obtain a sample of both types of glass so you can lie them on top of colour swatches. 

Your local Resene ColorShop has all colours available to be viewed in their Colour Library. Check out how Resene Riptide looks under both types of glass – you may find it looks ok under the Crystal clear glass and too deep toned under the Standard Float glass.

If you still feel you would like a lighter variant of Resene Riptide, Resene staff could arrange if for you.

Or a practical and economical way of testing to see if it is ok – purchase a testpot of Resene White and a testpot of Resene Riptide and very carefully mix them together and paint up on a large A2 white card and when dry test under the two types of glass.

November 2020


Q. We are doing a new build and have chosen Resene Half Ash and Resene Quarter Ash throughout the house for the walls to go with grey flooring (tiles, carpet and vinyl) and a kitchen with some pewter accents. We'd like white ceilings, architraves, skirtings and doors (it's square-stopped, so no scotia) – which white would you recommend?

A. You may like these options – Resene Eighth Ash, Resene Quarter Merino, Resene Half Sea Fog or Resene Half Rice Cake.

The suggested whites are slightly coloured. All colours on ceilings pick up a bit more depth because of the light falling away leaving them in shadow. If they aren't clean, crisp and contrasting enough to appeal to you to use with Resene Half Ash and Resene Quarter Ash then you can consider using 'true' white – Resene White

November 2020


Q. Can you please help with a south facing bedroom. I like Resene Edward and Resene Robin Egg Blue/Resene Half Robin Egg Blue. Are any of these suitable for South/late West sun in summer only? Or can you suggest a similar colour with suitable tonings? Trims are Resene Alabaster.

A. South facing rooms are known for having a cool natural light aspect. This can grey up colours (even real White) or make them take on a sour look (primarily yellows and some greens) so I strongly recommend that you test the two colours that you favour really well.

Over a day with changing natural light and at night under artificial light you can see how the test colour swatch alters – and it does – often to a surprising degree. This is the only way that you will be able to see how the colours look in the room. 

Resene Half Robin Egg Blue is very slightly lighter and warmer than Resene Edward – but they are both gorgeous and worth checking out. If neither work (or look) as nice as you would like then Resene Quarter Robin Egg Blue and Resene Paris White are worth checking out – they are lighter and a bit warmer/sweeter than the other two.

November 2020


Q. We are repainting the interior of our home, part is painted in Resene White Pointer. I have chosen Resene Quarter Truffle for the walls and Resene White Pointer for the ceiling. This has been done in the garage and I am not sure it is right. The contrast between the walls and ceiling is too much. What would you recommend? It is a modern seaside home and I’d like a modern look.

A. Resene Quarter Truffle is almost the same depth/tone as Resene White Pointer. So no definite contrast is seen. Just two ill matched colours close together. The other thing is that Resene Quarter Truffle is a pale warm taupe and Resene White Pointer is slightly greyer in tone and probably looks more so because all colours on the ceiling are shadowy and look a bit deeper. 

I think you have to decide whether the Resene White Pointer is staying as it is or is it being changed. If it being changed you will have the total freedom to get a new look. 

Total freedom – if you really want to modernise the interior – is a ceiling colour that is paler/whiter than the wall colour – like Resene Half Sea Fog.

November 2020


Q. I would really appreciate your advice in choosing two colours please. The first colour is for my laundry cabinets. The laundry is south facing; the walls are Resene Double Sea Fog, which was chosen to complement the sheet vinyl floor, which is Polyflor Sherwood Cracked Oak. I was thinking of a soft green for the cabinets to add a bit of colour to the room. The Resene website states that Resene Coriander is complementary to Resene Double Sea Fog, but I worry it's a bit yellow as I'm aiming for Scandinavian-style colours. Would Resene Peace work or is there another soft green I could try please?

The second colour is for my roof, which I hope to replace shortly. I currently have green decramastic tiles but want to move to COLORSTEEL®. The house is painted Eighth Lemon Grass (I know, I'm doing things the wrong way round) and is mostly concrete block with some lovely skinny vertical cladding. It is very mid-century modern (the house was built in 1968). The bargeboards and soffits are Resene White and the windows are aluminium silver. My accent colour (used on a concrete block retaining wall and the front door pergola) is Resene Half Baltic Sea, but I'm OK with changing that if needed. The fence is being painted Resene Double Tapa. Any thoughts on a roof colour please?

A. I think as long as you test colours carefully – because the rooms that receive southern light can make colours look either greyish or sour – you may be fine with Resene Peace.

If the colour doesn't look as good (in the test swatch) as you thought it would then the following are some others options to investigate – Resene Rainee, Resene Pewter or Resene Spanish Green.

Some ideas for the roof are COLORSTEEL® Thunder Grey, which looks good in relation to the main house and fence colour or COLORSTEEL® TernStyle which looks good with the concrete block wall and front door pergola colour. 

November 2020


Q. I am painting the walls of our bach Resene Thorndon Cream. What colour is best for the skirting, door frames and window ledges?

A. You could use one of the following colours to complement your walls – Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream or a paler/whiter colour – Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream or a warm white – Resene Eighth Rice Cake.

November 2020


Q. I’m looking for a dark navy or teal type colour for a feature wall. Could you please let me know a couple of options to go with Resene Triple White Pointer?

A. The following dark navy blues may appeal to you – Resene King Tide, Resene Indian Ink or Resene Bunting. Or some interesting teal colours for you to check out – Resene Retro, Resene Kitsch or Resene Teal Blue.

November 2020


Q. I have a 1980s bach that I need to get painted. It has an orange tiled roof. What colours do you recommend to paint the walls and wooden joinery? We wouldn't mind stepping outside of the box.

A. When you mention stepping outside the box – how far outside the box? Would you like to paint over the bricks... or choose a dark colour?

Here are some colour ideas to get you started – option 1 try Resene Triple Duck Egg Blue for the walls with joinery in Resene Quarter Spanish White. Or option 2 try Resene Double Villa White walls with Resene Quarter Villa White joinery. Or option 3 try Resene Rakaia walls with Resene Quarter Rice Cake joinery. The main colour suggestions are soft and carry unique undertones so they aren't boring.

November 2020


Q. I need a highlight colour for my hallway. The house is a 1910 old cottage. I have painted the ceiling and top of the wall light blue Resene Breathless. The rest of the wall is Resene Half Hammerhead

The hall is t shaped so the very back wall is Resene Bunting and the other side of that hall is all Resene Breathless.

I need a highlight colour to go on the archway. Around the beading is Resene Breathless and the inside of the archway could be Resene Half Hammerhead or changed back to Resene Breathless. I was considering a contrast colour like mustard gold or rose?

A. You might check out the following colours to see if they appeal to you – Resene Pizza or Resene Lipstick. These are stunning with the deeper colours but possibly not so good with Resene Breathless because it is a delicate pastel.

If it is very important that the colour works with the paler colour then you might also check out these following colours – Resene Splash or Resene Rouge.

November 2020


Q. We have recently purchased a 1995 brick house which (unfortunately) has sage green windows and roof, and we aren't planning to replace both, so we need to work with them.

My question is whether we could improve the look by changing or painting the front door and garage door or replace. The only colours I have thought of are a cedar/brown or black.

A. Yes, painting the front door and the garage door would alter the look of the frontage of the house. 

You might check out the following colours to see if they appeal to you – Resene Element, Resene Scoria or Resene Porter.

November 2020


Q. We are just updating our small bathroom and have beige tiles on the floor and ivory subway tiles on one wall with a white vanity. The rest of the (very small) house is Resene Eighth Bison Hide. I would really appreciate a suggestion for a new white for the bathroom.

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

November 2020


Q. I plan to paint my master bedroom Resene Half Beryl Green from the Karen Walker Paints collection. Does Resene Black White go with that or would you recommend another shade of white?

A. Resene Black White does work with Resene Half Beryl Green but I would probably suggest actually looking at Resene Half Black White just so there is a little more contrast with it to look a bit fresher.

November 2020


Q. I have painted the exterior and entrance way with Resene Quarter Surrender The soffits are white. I wish to give the entranceway some bang with a blue coloured door. What colour would you suggest?

A. The following are some gorgeous vibrant blues – Resene Aviator, Resene Resolution Blue or Resene Tory Blue.

November 2020


Q. I am looking for three colours that range from orange to lighter. Going for a '70s wave' thing on my bedroom wall.

A. These oranges may work for you – Resene Kamikaze, Resene Sebedee or Resene Ruby Tuesday.

These aren't tonally related but they have a nice flow. I hope these oranges are helpful and you achieve the look you have your heart set on.

November 2020


Q. We have a 2000 built rendered brick home with Deep Ocean window frames and terracotta roof tiles and we are stumped with colour choice. The garage door is cream.

A. The window joinery which is a very 'definite' colour possibly controls your exterior options a wee bit more than the terracotta roof does. 

The colours already on the house – roof, powder coat joinery and garage – almost demand that you work with them rather than allowing you to have freedom of choice.  Is that the way you see it?

The following colours are worth checking out – Resene Double Biscotti, Resene Shelter, Resene Safehaven, Resene San Juan or Resene Triple Spanish White.

The third and fourth colour option are slightly more radical choices as they are lighter variants of the window joinery colour – the other colours work with the garage door and the roof colour but are ok with the window joinery colour. 

I hope these suggestions offer you options and inspiration even if they don't allow you total freedom of choice. 

November 2020


Q. I would love to have suggestions for what colours can go directly next to Resene Half Linen as a feature colour.

A. The following may appeal to you – they work well with Resene Half LinenResene Americano, Resene Crail, Resene Lusty, Resene Undercurrent, Resene Tapa or Resene Double Ash.

November 2020


Q. I'm looking for advice on a feature wall colour for our lounge area. It has high ceilings with dark beams but I'm quite keen to whitewash these. At the moment the feature wall is a purple colour which I'm not that happy with. The rest of the walls are Resene Quarter Napa and I like that. We have dark raisin coloured curtains and I was hoping to keep them, they look more black than brown. I like the dark blues that are popular at the moment but I'm not sure if that works, perhaps a deep earthy colour?

A. The following are some colour ideas that you might check out to see if they appeal to you – Resene Biscay, Resene Rhino, Resene Dark Slate, Resene Stonehenge or Resene Zulu.

November 2020


Q. Our new home has Lichen aluminium window frames and doors. What colour do you recommend for walls in the kitchen, dining and living room I don't want it to look cold or too white.

A. The following colours may appeal to you as they are warm and not too white – Resene Half Thorndon Cream, Resene Rice Cake or Resene Half Ecru White. If you favour one of these three colours they come as lighter and deeper variants also. 

November 2020


Q. I am helping a client who is renovating a rental property to sell and has painted the walls Resene Rice Cake. We have selected a light grey wood look laminate flooring for the kitchen and were thinking about painting the cupboard doors a dark grey.

A. One of the following colours may appeal to your client – Resene Half Fuscous Grey or Resene Half Baltic Sea.

If you and your client paint all of a testpot (two coats) onto A2 card it will provide a large sample swatch. Taping them up on the cupboard door in the kitchen may be helpful. Seeing the reality of the colour in situ near the flooring and walls helps with decision making. 

November 2020


Q. I am leaning towards a pale olive/taupe colour for the walls and white/off-white around the windows. The green guttering is going to be replaced with white, and we will paint the fascia and soffit the same as the windows.

Can you please provide suggestions for the wall and window colour that will go with the terracotta roof tiles?

Is it common to paint the bottom section of the house (where the ventilation grates are) a different colour or the same as the walls?

A non-slip paint has been used on the flooring outside the front and back doors (currently green), to paint over this, and still maintain the non-slip properties, do I need to use your Resene Non-Skid Deck & Path product? Or will your Resene Walk-on range be sufficient?

I would like to get rid of the maroon wall in the kitchen, currently Resene Spitfire. The other walls in the room are painted in Resene Half Ash and the cabinets are roughly the colour of your Resene Tom Tom or Resene High Tea.

Are feature walls still a thing?

A. If you choose to paint the foundation base of the house a different colour it draws attention to it – is it worth highlighting? Or by painting it the same as the main house colour it will merge in seamlessly – is that a better option? 

B. You can just repaint the porch and steps with Resene Walk-on paving paint in the colour of your choice. 

The following options offer variations of an olive/taupe look and a lighter more subtle ashy/bone colour – try Resene Quarter Taupe Grey as the main colour with Resene Rice Cake for trims. Or try Resene Bone White as the main colour with Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream for trims. Or for a lighter grey/green neutral, try Resene Triple Merino as the main colour with Resene Quarter Merino for trims.

Yes, feature walls are still a thing – especially behind areas like a cook top – i.e. usually a glass with paint behind it.

If you don't like the depth of the colour that you have now you might consider painting it the same colour as the other walls. 

You have a fair amount happening in the kitchen – i.e. bench tops, cabinets, main wall colour, timber floors etc – so simplifying the look is a viable option. If you undercoat it in white to block the red you get a dress rehearsal of 'no colour' behind the cook top. Another type of colour could be chosen if desired or it could be painted with the main wall colour.

November 2020


Q. Our living areas and upper half of hallway are Resene Parchment. We have stripped wallpaper from the lower part of the hallway and want to paint, but I’m worried Resene Parchment will be too dark throughout this area. What colour could we use instead? (Our bedrooms are Resene Rice Cake, but only one bedroom is off the hallway, the other rooms off it are all Resene Parchment). Our entranceway is largely wood.

A. If you want the hallway to look lighter but to maintain the Resene Parchment on the upper portion of the wall so it links with other rooms you could use a slightly deeper variant of Resene Rice Cake, such as Resene Double Rice Cake. Or try a paler variant of Resene Parchment, such as Resene Quarter Parchment. Both these options work well with existing colours and the wood panelling in the entranceway. 

November 2020


Q. I would like to paint a bedroom with a feature wall too. The room carpet is dark grey blue. Could you recommend colour for a feature wall, subsequent walls and also the door, door frames and window frames? It's a well-lit room on the ground floor. I’m open to green, blue, grey, beige, cream and white colours.

A. The following options may provide you with a bit of inspiration – option 1 warmer colours try Resene Bianca for main walls with Resene Juniper as a feature wall and trims in Resene Quarter Bianca. Or for option 2 cooler colours try Resene Quarter Surrender for main walls with Resene Half Raven as a feature wall and trims in Resene Half Alabaster.

November 2020


Q. We are updating our bach, which is east facing sitting on a hill overlooking a bush clad valley to the lake. The rooms are dark after the sun departs late morning and we need the lights on for the rest of the day. I need help choosing a wall colour that has a high light reflectivity and also a colour for ceilings and doors. The stud height moves from 2.5m to 3.5 m and the room is 8m x 7m which includes the kitchen, dining and living. I was considering Resene Quarter Rice Cake as a starting point but I would really appreciate your advice.

A. The Resene Rice Cake range of colours are really beautiful and I think would make for a great choice. I would recommend using Resene Half Rice Cake for the main walls and Resene Eighth Rice Cake for the doors and ceiling.

November 2020


Q. I painted my villa Resene Half Atmosphere and the trim is Resene Eighth Rice Cake. I am thinking of what to paint my front door – perhaps Resene Green Meets Blue.

A. I love that colour combination. Resene Green Meets Blue is a gorgeous colour. I think it would look amazing. However, here following are another couple of options for you to try Resene Streetwise or Resene Casal.

November 2020


Q. I’m going to paint my walls Resene Double Sea Fog. What colour would you suggest for the bedroom ceiling?

A. Perhaps one of the following might be used for the ceiling in the bedroom – Resene half Sea Fog or Resene Double Alabaster.

November 2020


Q. We have planned Resene Quarter Rakaia for the interior walls of our new home However, in the master bedroom we would like a feature room. We like Resene French Grey but found in the house the colour is too strong. Could you please recommend something that would work with Resene Quarter Rakaia and be approximately half the strength of Resene French Grey without being too lavender. The architraves and skirting throughout the house are Resene Quarter Black White.

A. A half strength variant of Resene French Grey may look like Resene Athens Grey – so it would be much lighter. 

Some of the following colours could be good used in conjunction with Resene Quarter Rakaia and Resene Quarter Black White Resene Half Rakaia or Resene Pale Slate.

November 2020


Q. Our home is painted in Resene Double Rice Cake and I'd like to paint our dining and living area separating wall grey and make it more of a feature wall. Our curtains are a light beige, our sofa is tan leather and our furniture is light wood – so all pretty neutral colours.

If I wanted to go with a mid/light grey to complement Resene Double Rice Cake, what would you suggest?

A. The following colours may appeal to you – Resene Half Stack, Resene Neutral Bay or Resene Half Raven.

They do have some unique undertones of blue in them which is a good co-ordinate for the tan sofa. 

November 2020


Q. I was wondering if I could arrange some suggestions, please for the exterior colour scheme of my 1960s weatherboard house.

A. You don't mention any particular types of colours that you favour so the following are some ideas to get you started – try Resene Linen as the main colour with Resene Condor on trims and doors and Resene Alabaster on windows and frames. Or try Resene Quarter Napa as the main colour with Resene Double Stonehenge on trims and doors and Resene Sea Fog on windows and frames.

November 2020


Q. I am looking at repainting the exterior of a house that has standard weatherboard cladding with brown aluminium joinery.

So far, I have found your Resene Stonehenge a nice fit for the weatherboards, but I have not been able to find a colour that complements it for the roof and eaves. I have tried Resene Steel Grey and Resene Grey Friars but I am not sold on either of them. Can you please recommend some other shades that may complement the weatherboard exterior?

A. The following are some great roof colours that work well with Resene Stonehenge – try Resene Ironsand, Resene Windswept or Resene Squall.

November 2020


Q. What product do you recommend for a deck stain? We are looking for a greyish colour. The house is painted in Resene Gauntlet, the roof in Grey Friars and trim in Resene Double Concrete.

A. You might check out the following Wood Oil Stain colour – it looks good with Resene Gauntlet – Resene Woodsman Iroko.

You can check the Wood Products display stand in all Resene ColorShops to see samples of colour and to get more information about cleaning and staining decks.

November 2020


Q. I am wondering on colour paint suggestions for my kitchen. My home is a 1930 Queensland workers cottage. I want to freshen it up for sale so looking at light colours. I like the mix of the two colours at present except the blue is a bit too dark. The cupboards will stay the same wood grain. My lounge room is painted with Resene Pearl Lusta. I am not sure about this colour for the kitchen though so open to suggestions. 

A. I think that if you have used Resene Pearl Lusta in the lounge then you might use a lighter variant of this colour so you get a related – but fresh look – in the kitchen. Try Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta. You might consider one of the following colours to replace the blue you have now – Resene Half Escape, Resene Half Halcyon or Resene Jet Stream.

November 2020


Q. We have a weatherboard house, currently cream boards with deep red trims. We want to freshen the house up with a ‘white’ but are worried about clashing with the red bricks and mortar so want to pick a white than is not too much of a contrast. We thought Resene Merino or Resene Sea Fog.

A. Either of the colours you mention would work. Perhaps Resene Merino may be slightly better as it is slightly earthy in ambiance and has a subtle undertone of green. Green loves red.

FYI – all colours appear lighter/brighter on an exterior. The colours you mention may look like half tones – much whiter than you imagine they will do. You might also check out the slightly deeper variants.

November 2020


Q. We are looking for a weatherboard suitable white. We are looking for the whitest of the whites plus suitable white trim please. The house is a 1920s two storey weatherboard California bungalow. I have used Resene Albescent White with Resene Double Blanc trim for the last paint job on the house but my wife now wants a ‘whiter’ look.

A. The following may be the sort of white on white look your wife would like – Resene Black White with Resene Eighth Black White, or Resene Half Sea Fog with Resene Half Alabaster or Resene White – for weatherboards and trims – there is nothing whiter than this option.

November 2020


Q. I am looking at repainting my house. It currently has an orange roof, the house is white and the fascia, base and deck are Karaka. We are looking to paint the roof Resene Gauntlet, the house Resene Alabaster and the fascia and trim Resene Ironsand. We have brown aluminium joinery. The alternative would be to keep the Karaka and just repaint the roof in Resene Gauntlet and house in Resene Alabaster. I feel an Ironsand roof would be too dark?

A. You mention that you are worried that a roof painted Resene Ironsand might be too dark. Often the angle of the roof that is directed to the sun (45 degrees) makes the roof colour look much lighter. A lot of people don't realise this. Ironsand may look like Resene Half Ironsand. If by choosing a light colour for the roof – Resene Gauntlet – you feel it is just the right depth I do need to say that it may look like a half tone of the colour. You may be best to opt for a darker version of the roof colour knowing that it will appear lighter once painted.

November 2020


Q. I am looking to use Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream. What ‘duck egg blue’ type colours or other blues would work best with Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream?

A. The following are some colours that may appeal to you – they do look lovely with Resene Eighth Thorndon CreamResene Duck Egg Blue, Resene Half Halcyon, Resene Zumthor, Resene Quarter Robin Egg Blue, Resene Quarter Periglacial Blue or Resene White Island.

November 2020


Q. I am repainting my dark brown Lockwood home in a lighter colour as the sun is damaging the wood. The aluminium window frames and roof are green so thought perhaps a lighter shade of green for the walls and darker green for fascia boards. Could you please advise what would be a suitable colour combination? I tried testpots of Resene Triple Merino and Resene Eighth Lemon Grass (for the walls) but they are too light for me in the sunlight.

A. You mention that you want a lighter colour but all colours on an exterior have the potential to look much lighter/brighter – more like a half tone version of a colour. This is due to the bright natural light stripping back their depth. You may need to consider a slightly deeper tone.

The following are some options for you to consider – Resene Terrain, Resene Copyrite or Resene Half Grey Olive. A deeper colour for the fascia boards might be a colour similar to the roof and the window joinery colour – Resene Quarter Karaka or Resene Cobblestone.

These are deeper and will add definition to the roof line and the base boards on the house.

November 2020


Q. What white has the highest LRV rating?

A. I know that it might be thought that Resene White would have the highest Light Reflectance Value but the following have exactly the same – Resene Quarter Alabaster, Resene Eighth Black White and Resene Eighth Rice Cake.

The only thing that these three have – compared to Resene White – is small amounts of colourants in them. Resene White hasn't got any colourants added to it – it is just a standard white.

November 2020


Q. Our splashback is going to be Resene Pure Pewter. What would be a good colour to paint our exterior door that is in the kitchen?

A. Resene Pure Pewter has an almost yellow/olive undertone. You might check out the following colours to see if they appeal to you – Resene Dune – or a deeper tone with a bit more black in it – Resene Chicago.

There are two types of glass used for splashbacks. Only one shows the colour behind it true to reality – Crystal clear low iron oxide glass. The other glass is Standard float glass which is a green toned glass that makes all colour behind it look deeper and not like it is in reality. It even makes real white look aqua/green.

November 2020


Q. What colour should I paint my fence when I have a 70s clinker brick house?

A. The following suggestions may offer you some colour ideas – Resene Zeus, Resene Squall, Resene Ironsand or Resene Lignite.

November 2020


Q. We have green metal joinery and I want an interior paint colour to suit and lighten our house, as we have a covered veranda. I believe the joinery is Rivergum.

A. The following options work well in low light rooms and are harmonious with Rivergum – Resene Rice Cake, Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream or Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta.

November 2020


Q. I am painting my Victorian villa exterior. It is currently a very yellow cream with burgundy sills and green window frames and roof. The roof will remain green and I want a simple white. I have purchased Resene Half Barely There but after some research am worried it will be too bright for an exterior white. Can you suggest a suitable exterior white that will complement the green roof – and also some potential accent colours for trim/sills etc. I would prefer to keep it simple and soft.

A. If you like Resene Half Barely There but feel it is too bright have you considered taking it back to the shop you purchased it from and asking them to tint it to darker Resene Barely There. This can be done quite simply as long as the original container of paint hasn't been partly used. If it has already been used, you could use the Resene Half Barely There as a first coat and purchase another colour for the topcoat – you might consider using Resene Double Sea Fog.

Some options to consider as trim colours are – Resene Castle Rock or Resene Mocha.

November 2020


Q. I am painting four rooms with Resene Half Beryl Green at my beach house – two bedrooms, a hall and a sunroom. The architraves are timber. The house was built in the 40s. I am pondering on what colour to paint the ceiling and the cornices. I wonder if you could make some suggestions. This house gets cold in the winter.

A. One of the following slightly warmed whites may appeal to you – Resene Quarter Rice Cake, Resene Half Bianca or Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta.

November 2020


Q. We're about to replace the roof and repaint our exterior on our small 1940s weatherboard house. We like a light grey for the house, white for windows and a darker roof. The roof will be COLORSTEEL® so we can choose our colour. We were thinking of Windsor Grey, Grey Friars or Ironsand. We have looked at Resene Iron for the main part of the house on weatherboards and Resene Alabaster for the windows but it's very light. Is Windsor Grey too dark for a fairly little house? The fencing is currently black.

A. Windsor Grey is a nearly black colour. I think it may work well for you because you already have a black fence.

All colours on the exterior look lighter/brighter than you might imagine they will do – that is the consequence of our extremely bright sunlight.

The following are some interesting greys that you could check out to see if the appeal to you – Resene Silver Chalice, Resene Surrender, Resene Triple Concrete or Resene Half Stack.

November 2020


Q. We’re in the process of painting our house Resene Athens Grey with Resene Quarter Silver Chalice on the bottom trim but I’m struggling to find a white that stands out against the Resene Athens Grey.

A. Often when very pale colours are chosen – as you have done – the best white to use is a standard white – Resene White for a clean, crisp contrast. All others – because they are slightly coloured – don't provide the classic, crisp look that you want plus they merge in with the main colour if it is very light.

November 2020


Q. What colours go with Resene Quarter Concrete? We have painted our living room with Resene Quarter Concrete and it looks great. Now we want to paint bedrooms with colours, not neutral.

A. The following are some definite delicate pastel colours that might be considered for the bedrooms – they flow on nicely from the living room in Resene Quarter ConcreteResene Zumthor, Resene Swans Down, Resene Half Pot Pourri and Resene Seashell. Alternatively you could use slightly deeper variants of the lounge colour – Resene Half Concrete or Resene Concrete. Or even a white, such as Resene Eighth Black White – as this allows you to use a colour (or a Resene wallpaper) as a feature in the room.

November 2020


Q. We are looking at repainting the exterior of our house. It is a red brick house with tiled roof. The exterior of the house also has sections with wood panelling, which is currently a dark green. We definitely want to get rid of the dark green. We are thinking of keeping the red brick as it is, that is, to not paint the bricks. Please could you give us advice of a colour scheme that would work well with red brick and is modern. Also, would you actually recommend painting the red brick? We have considered painting it white.

A. The following are some colour ideas for the wood panelling that look very nice with red brick – Resene Quarter Gravel, Resene Triple Truffle or Resene Tapa.

If you were keen on painting the brick the following colours may appeal to you – Resene Rice Cake, Resene Sea Fog or Resene Black White. Many customers do paint over brick. It really depends how much you like the red brick or whether you would prefer a change.

November 2020


Q. We are looking at colour options for our house to work in with our window trim and roof etc. We want to move away from the yellow/green colour that is our main wall colour to something else. We just don't know what else might look good and could get trapped into picking something similar. The window trim is Rivergum and we would be looking at a full colour set – walls, fascia, soffit, etc.

A. When definite colours are chosen for the window joinery it is always difficult making changes to the house colour. Perhaps one of the following colours may work for you – Resene Napa, Resene Double Bison Hide, Resene Thorndon Cream or Resene Double Spanish White.

The reason I have suggested slightly deeper neutral tones (instead of lighter colours) is to stop the green window joinery from looking deeper and more dominant than it is now.

November 2020


Q. We are considering a New Denim Blue roof with Titania window joinery. What white would work on plaster walls?

A. One of these suggestions may work with the window colour – Resene Quarter Titania, Resene Rice Cake, Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream or Resene Quarter Villa White.

November 2020


Q. I am using Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream around my house and my daughter would like a grey feature wall. What colour grey would tone well?

A. Perhaps one of the following greys may appeal to your daughter – they are soft tones and slightly warm – Resene Delta, Resene Double Silver Chalice, Resene Mountain Mist or Resene Half Stack.

November 2020


Q. I am looking at painting a 70s Modulock inside. It has bronze joinery. I am looking at Resene Milk White. I also want to paint ceilings and beams that are currently dark brown, doors etc What would you suggest for a beachy feature wall? I have a driftwood lamp on the wall and American oak furniture.

A. As long as you have carefully tested Resene Milk White to ensure you know how different walls, different rooms, constantly changing aspects of natural and artificial light alter the colour and you are happy with it overall then that is good. Colours that work well with Resene Milk White are the following ones – Resene Breeze, Resene Conch, Resene Caper or Resene Neutral Bay.


November 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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