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Answers to your questions from our colour experts, p. 107

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. 107

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


Q. We are redoing our kitchen/living/dining area. My cabinets are being painted Resene Tangaroa, I was thinking or Resene Cararra on the walls but am now stuck with what white I should use for the woodwork (doors, windows and trims). I will also be using the white for the woodwork through the rest of the house.

A. I think the colours you have chosen – Resene Tangaroa and Resene Cararra – are lovely. The following are two possibilities if you want a slightly warmed coloured white – Resene Eighth Pearl Lusta or Resene Eighth Rice Cake.

February 2021


Q. We have an early 1970s Summerhill stone and shiplap timber home. I am currently painting the bricks with Resene Lumbersider CoolColour Grey Friars. I am looking for some suggestions for colours for the vertical shiplap exterior wall and gable ends?

Also we want to paint the front and back door red (perhaps Resene Pohutukawa?). Some ideas of which red to use to tie in with the Resene Grey Friars and shiplap timber colour would be great. I am also planning on repainting the roof. It is currently an Ironsand colour. Do we go lighter on the roof or keep the same darkish colour? Someone suggested Resene Black White for our window frames? Would this work? If not, what are some other options?

A. If we start at the roof – Resene Grey Friars to match the painted brickwork. Or one of the lighter variants – Resene Half Grey Friars or Resene Quarter Grey Friars. These provide a simple co-ordination.

For the vertical ship lap and gable ends you might check out these diverse and interesting ideas – Resene Ironsand, Resene Triple Black White, Resene Double Thorndon Cream or Resene Triple Concrete.

The wooden windows, windowsills, door frames, under soffits, barge boards and guttering fascias could all be the same colour – for simple co-ordination. Try Resene Poured Milk, Resene Black White, Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream or Resene Quarter Concrete.

Each 'white' is related to the colour previously listed as options for the ship lap and gables. I have included the windowsills as the same white to increase – visibly – the size of the windows and to provide a cooler, UV resistant and more light reflecting option. You could choose to paint the sills a red like the doors if you wanted to. It is your choice. Windowsills do get blasted by the sun and the paint usually deteriorates far more quickly that the doors would so it would usually need repainting more often.

I love your idea of using Resene Pohutukawa for the doors. Another red that you might check out is Resene Salsa. It is slightly deeper in tone but totally delicious. Compare both to ensure you choose the one that appeals the most.

February 2021


Q. Our interior doors are Resene Black White and the frames are stained timber. As the windowsills and door frames are modern and slim, we want to paint them white to match the doors. What would be a nice light neutral/white for the walls to complement Resene Black White. Do you generally paint the frames to match the doors or would you recommend a different white for the frames? Our lino is a warm wood look and the carpet is a mushroomy colour. The ceiling is Resene Alabaster.

A. Door frames are often painted to match the doors especially if they are modern and slim – and windowsills as well. The following are some light neutral/white colours to complement Resene Black WhiteResene Double Sea Fog, Resene House White, Resene White Pointer, Resene Eighth Tea or Resene Quarter Truffle.

February 2021


Q. I have painted one wall in the bedroom in Resene Deep Sea. I would like to paint two more walls with it and have a contrast colour on the last wall? Then I wish to paint the other bedroom with the contrast colour on three walls with the Resene Deep Sea on the last one.

A. A warm soft grey may work well as the offset to Resene Deep Sea – try Resene Rakaia or Resene Athens Grey. Alternatively a sharp clean yellow toned white may be worth looking at as well – try Resene Rice Cake or try a sweet white like Resene Orchid White.

February 2021


Q. We are completely repainting inside and out, an 80s plaster house with brown aluminium joinery and lots of windows. Outside, the metal roof will be repainted Resene Titania and I was thinking Resene Cararra for the walls but half the exterior faces south - does that work?

Inside, I’m looking for a recommendation on a ‘white/s’ for the walls, trims and ceiling. Previously I was a Resene White Pointer fan but half the house (all bedrooms) is on the south side while all the living areas on the north side gets loads of sun. The floors which we won’t change are slate (greens and browns) and the bathroom has black tiles. The children’s rooms will have one feature wall each, one in Resene Sports Star and one in Resene New Denim Blue. I’m thinking of a feature in the living area using Resene Sunbaked. I’m not a fan of yellow whites but would like to ensure we achieve a warm rather than cool feeling in the south facing rooms.

A. For the exterior if you proceed with Resene CARARRA G92-014-091 the south facing aspect of the house may make the colour take on a bit of dirty green undertone or look a bit sour.

It is hard to know just how much colour change there will be so I strongly recommend that you paint all of a Resene testpot (two coats) onto A2 white card leaving a narrow unpainted white card border. The unpainted border helps your eyes focus on the reality of the test colour. You can then move it around the house and see how it looks.

The interior – especially the south side – may benefit from a warm beige tone – perhaps one of the following – Resene Eighth Akaroa, Resene Quarter Tea or Resene Albescent White. The following whites that may be considered for ceilings and all woodwork – Resene Half Alabaster or Resene Eighth Black White.

February 2021


Q. What lighter greys go well with Resene Half Shark?

A. I recommend you try Resene Freestyling, Resene Triple Surrender, Resene Grey Seal or Resene Mischka.

February 2021


Q. We are painting the exterior of our 1920s two storey house and we have decided to go with an all-white colour scheme. We are deciding between Resene Double Alabaster and Resene Half Black White for the walls and we were thinking about using either Resene Quarter Alabaster or Resene Eighth Black White depending on which colour we decide on. Our painter has said that you wouldn't be able to notice any difference between the trims and walls as the colours are too close and it will just look all white.  We really wanted a crisp white look so do you need to paint your trims a different colour?

A. Your painter isn't wrong in drawing attention to the whites looking the same in bright natural light. Ideally - in order for there to be contrast and definition actually seen - the colours need to have more difference between them. You could try Resene Double Black White as your main colour with trims in Resene Eighth Black White or Resene Half Sea Fog as your main colour with trims in Resene Quarter Alabaster.

The deeper white may seem too 'coloured' to you but in bright natural sunlight it probably won't look like that.

February 2021


Q. I have a 60s weatherboard and iron roof house currently with grey weatherboards, white trim round windows, green balustrades, bargeboards and roof and brown aluminium joinery.  The brown aluminium is the part that we need to work with - but my ideal colour palette is more greys. Are there some greyish tones that will work with my brown joinery? I am thinking of using a dark roof colour and a light to mid colour on the weatherboards.

A. If you are considering a dark roof colour perhaps you could check out these options – try Resene Ironsand or Resene Nocturnal.

I think one of these roof colours would help to integrate with the window joinery and stop them from being the only, lonely brown based colour on the house.

Perhaps you might not use a white around the windows as it serves to emphasise the brown colour of the window joinery by drawing attention to it.

I think you may need to consider a greige (grey/beige) colour rather than a full on grey. You could try Resene Triple White Pointer, Resene Foggy Grey, Resene Friar Greystone or Resene Eighth Ironsand.

February 2021


Q. I'm changing my wall colour from Resene Half Spanish White to Resene Black White. Our ceilings are Resene Soapstone. Will this still work well with the Resene Black White or will I need to paint them too? Also should I keep the window trims Resene Black White or go with Resene Half Black White or another white?

A. You may find that Resene Soapstone looks quite a warm pink/beige compared to the cooler greyer undertone in Resene Black White. I think you should repaint the ceilings - perhaps Resene Half Black White or Resene Quarter Black White. The window trims could be the same as the ceiling colour.

February 2021


Q. I want to paint my weatherboards Resene Black White. What colour should I use on the windows?

A. If you want a sharp, clean contrast to the Resene Black White then you might use either of these whites – Resene Eighth Black White or Resene White.

If you wanted to do something different you could go a bit deeper in shade – Resene Triple Black White.

February 2021


Q. My garage doors are closest to Resene Twizel (terracotta colour) and I need to find a new exterior paint to modernise the house and get rid of the buttermilk colour.

A. You might use greys, grey/blues or grey/green colours – they look good and modern with terracotta garage doors. Try these colours – Resene Surrender with deeper Resene Half Tuna for gables and other trim areas. Or Resene Half Lemon Grass with deeper Resene Canyon for gables and other trim areas or Resene Quarter New Denim White with deeper Resene New Denim Blue for gables and other trim areas.

Or you could paint the garage doors and not have to consider the terracotta at all.

February 2021


Q. I would like to use Resene Eighth Bokara Grey as a feature wall in a media room. What is the best tone/shade of white to use with this? I’m thinking Resene Quarter Black White?

A. Using a really stark 'white' colour will be very optic – like a checkerboard. You could use a slightly more coloured white to create a softer transition to the Resene Eighth Bokara Grey – you could try Resene Double Alabaster or Resene Half Black White.

February 2021


Q. We are going for a blue paint, possibly a navy. We are looking at New Denim Blue for the roof and then something brighter but not too light for the walls with off white joinery.

A. If you would like a navy – darker than the New Denim Blue – you might check out the following colours – Resene Biscay or Resene High Tide.

February 2021


Q. We need to paint an investment property. I'd love to go mid grey on the stucco, maybe a darker grey on the front entrance concrete, a vibrant colour for the front door and a colour for the window trims. The roof could just be dark as you can't see it. We are building fences, so do we just use the same colour as the concrete front entrance colour for the fence?  Inside we are doing monochrome modern bathroom, grey carpets and neutral wall colours.

A. You could try option 1 – Resene Double Delta for your main colour with Resene Black White trims, Resene Mako for the entrance, doorstep and fences, Resene Tulip Tree as your feature door colour and Resene Lattitude for your roof. Or option 2 – Resene Eighth Tuna for your main colour with Resene Black White trims, Resene Grey Friars for the entrance, doorstep and fences, Resene Rock Spray for your feature door colour and Resene Half Tuna for the roof.

February 2021


Q. Please can you suggest an exterior colour scheme for a new transportable house to be located on a farm in Central Otago where the LRV requirements are under 32% for the roof and under 38% for the walls. There will be a full height external chimney section that will be clad in Cedar at one end. I like the roof colours Sandstone Grey/Grey Friars/Ironsand and would prefer the window joinery to be lighter than the roof colour and a contrasting wall colour.

A. If you used Ironsand for the roof you would try it with Resene Gauntlet for the main colour and Resene Quarter Atmosphere for joinery. Alternatively if you used Resene Grey Friars for the roof the following are some suggestions for the main colour and window joinery – Resene Stonehenge or Resene Double Black White.

February 2021


Q. I have a wooden bungalow with Resene Half Pearl Lusta weatherboards and Ironsand guttering.  At the moment the windows, frames and soffit are Resene Tea. I would like to change this to something that nearly blends in with the weatherboards.

A. If you want a blending colour, it might be the exact same as the main house colour or one of these options – Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta or Resene Eighth Pearl Lusta.

February 2021


Q. We have started painting the interior of our 110 year old villa in the colour Resene Athens Grey with Resene Quarter Alabaster for the ceiling and trims. However, in our new kitchen that’s being made we have chosen soft grey cabinetry. So I am thinking I’d prefer a white on the walls rather than Resene Athens Grey. This room is an extension to our villa so it has a standard stud height, not the high ceilings like the rest of the home. Is there one white paint/near white I can use that could be used for the ceilings, walls, windowsills and trims?

A. Seeing as you have used Resene Quarter Alabaster for the ceiling and trims you might continue with that in the kitchen as well. If you use a very obliging (very slightly more toned) related white, such as Resene Alabaster, for the walls you may find it gives the kitchen that special, light, open look and emphasises the soft grey cabinetry. You could use Resene Alabaster on every surface if that was your preference.

February 2021


Q. We are looking at colours for our front door. Our spouting is Ironsand, our cladding is painted in Resene Quarter Ironsand. The balustrade is Resene Black White. The interior is Resene Half Sea Fog. We have looked at Resene Space Cadet for the door but am not sure if this will work. We want to lighten the area but also make it fun and welcoming.

A. I quite like the colour you mention – Resene Space Cadet. Some others that might appeal to you and look very good with the deep earthy Resene Quarter Ironsand could be – Resene Blue Lagoon, Resene Pacifika, Resene Rock Spray or Resene Sunflower.

February 2021


Q. We are building a home with the lounge, kitchen and dining having a light wooden cathedral ceiling, an ochre colour polished concrete floor, black aluminium joinery and possibly wooden kitchen cabinetry. We favour earthy colours. We quite like light sage as the main wall colour. Can you recommend a look?

A. My idea of light sage may be completely different to yours but you might check out the following colours to see if they appeal to you – Resene Secrets as the main colour with Resene Quarter Alabaster for ceilings, Resene Bison Hide and Resene Mangrove for earthy contrast. Or Resene Pumice as the main colour with Resene Rice Cake for ceilings and Resene Triple Rice Cake and Resene Stonewashed for earthy contrast.

February 2021


Q. We have a 50s stucco home with Titania on the wooden windows and Ironsand on the iron roof. What would the best grey to go with this? We are also looking at putting black paint on our wooden fences.

A. Because the wooden windows and the roof are warm toned, I recommend you check out colours that favour those colours – try Resene Half Friar Greystone, Resene Eighth Masala, Resene Eighth Ironsand or Resene Gauntlet.

If you have Ironsand on your roof which is an olive/brown toned charcoal and you are considering doing the fences I suggest you use a warm toned black to coordinate with the roof. Try Resene Double Ironsand, Resene Element or Resene Blackjack.

Resene Eighth Ironsand

Resene Double Ironsand

February 2021


Q. I own a beach house and am about to have the roof painted. Can you recommend a paint which has UV control? I am keen on a light blue colour.

A. If you are keen on a light colour, it will have a natural advantage – compared to darker colours – per its light reflectance value. Plus the following light blues can be made in a Resene CoolColour which will provide more reflectance to minimise UV damage – try Resene Forecast, Resene Half Dusted Blue or Resene Longitude.

February 2021


Q. We are surrounded by grey and white houses.  I would like to repaint our house white and grey with black guttering and windows. 

A. Try these options and see if they suit – Option 1 – Resene Merino with Resene Quarter Baltic Sea and Resene All Black. Or option 2 – Resene Wan White with Resene Half Stack and Resene Double Cod Grey.

February 2021


Q. I have a small residential home that has Titania on the roof, spouting and windows. The walls are weatherboards with corner and window trims. What type of white would complement the Titania? What colour could you suggest if I paint the trims a different colour?

A. Try these whites that work well with Titania – Resene Double Alabaster, Resene Quarter Titania, Resene Rice Cake, Resene Helium or Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream. For trims if you want a slightly deeper colour then you could try Resene Bone White or Resene Climate.

February 2021


Q. My house is Resene Double Napa. Can you suggest an aqua blue colour that would complement the Resene Napa for my front door?

A. Perhaps one of the following colours may be worth checking out – Resene Ziggurat, Resene Wishlist, Resene Half Kumutoto, Resene Unwind or Resene Sea Nymph.

February 2021


Q. Our house is Resene Powder Blue from the Karen Walker Paints range with white trim and a Grey Friars roof. What colour do you recommend for the front door and garage door?

A. The garage door could be Resene Grey Friars to tie in with the roof colour. The front door could be Resene White like the trim or it could be a standalone feature colour.

This is probably where you can exploit a favourite colour that you have always favoured. Or – if you don't have any favoured colours lining up to be chosen for the front door – the following are some suggestions – Resene Pohutukawa, Resene Ayers Rock, Resene Vermont or Resene Shadowy Blue.

February 2021


Q. Some 7 years ago we extended our home (out the back) and the exterior was painted Resene Truffle with the soffits and fascia painted Resene Alabaster. At the time we didn't repaint the front and we are now looking to repaint the front half of the house. The roof is Ironsand and we think we'll paint the small roof overhang at the front Ironsand so that it matches the roof, would you recommend this?

In relation to the front half of the house would you recommend that we carry the same colours as we used at the back to the front or would you recommend another option/s? We'd also like to paint the deck and the front door as well, what would you recommend?

In our bathroom we used quite a bright blue which we like and wondered if something along that colour scale would work for the front door.

A. Unless you no longer like Resene Truffle – I think it still is perfect and I recommend that you continue using it. For the small roof overhang it is a very good idea to use the same colour as the roof – Resene Ironsand.

The porch floor could be a lighter variant of Ironsand, such as Resene Quarter Ironsand using Resene Walk-on paint. The front door is the exciting focal point of the house so a big yes to a bright blue – either exactly the same as the bathroom or one of the following slightly deeper more vibrant colours – Resene She’ll Be Right or Resene Kitsch.

February 2021


Q. We have the inside of our house painted in Resene Quarter Tea which we love. We are renovating our lounge room and thought something lighter would be nice. Would Resene Soapstone be the same toning but lighter? We are going to have a white Hamptons kitchen and timber floorboards.

A. To find exactly the right lighter colour I think you may need to carefully test two colours - Resene Quarter Albescent White and Resene Soapstone.

I often pair Resene Half Albescent White with Resene Quarter Tea. Resene Soapstone can throw off a little mushroom/grey in some lights - but that may be what you are looking for.

February 2021


Q. We're about to have our 1950s weatherboard house reroofed and freshly painted. I'd like a bit of advice on colours. We're planning to paint the house in Resene Duck Egg Blue or Resene Half Duck Egg Blue (we're still trying to decide which one). The roof will be New Denim Blue. The windows/trims will probably be in Resene Alabaster. We'd also like to paint the concrete foundation wall around the bottom of the house, which is currently unpainted, and the front door. Could you please provide some advice on colours for the concrete and door?

We'd like to paint the front door an orange (nothing too fluorescent!) that goes with the colour of the weatherboards. We'd like the concrete base to be darker than the weatherboards – but not too dark (e.g. not as dark as New Denim Blue). Any tips would be most appreciated. Also, if you have any views on whether Resene Half Duck Egg Blue or Resene Duck Egg Blue would be advisable we would be keen to hear them. I'm guessing it's just a personal preference. The front of the house faces North and gets a lot of sun, if that's a factor.

A. The bright sunlight strips back the colour on an exterior so it will appear lighter. So because of that I recommend the full strength version of the main weatherboard colour may be better than the lighter – half tone – variant.

The concrete base of the house might be a soft deeper colour – but as you say – not as dark as the New Denim Blue. You could try Resene Quarter New Denim Blue. Or – something that you may not have considered – a deeper variant of the Resene Duck Egg Blue, such as Resene Triple Duck Egg Blue. Either option would work. You might consider painting the porch and steps in the same colour as the base of the house. Because of the foot traffic I would be inclined to use Resene Walk-on paint for durability. The following are some types of orange (nothing too fluorescent!) to check out for the front door – Resene Sunbaked, Resene Tuscany, Resene Japonica or Resene Smoke Tree.

February 2021


Q. I'm painting my bungalow in May and need a Resene colour scheme. The house gets a lot of sun which washes out light colours. I'll be installing aluminium double glazing in Arctic White when the house is painted. I like grey or cream more than yellow neutrals. I'd like a dark roof but have been told it's not advisable for older homes. The house is raised and I’m worried if I go with a grey it could look like a battleship if I get it wrong.

A. All colours on an exterior appear lighter/brighter due to the extreme bright quality of the sunlight here. I strongly recommend that you use the Resene CoolColour version of colours. This is what the CC means in the colour codes.

Because of the Arctic White window joinery – which is a chilly blue/grey white – I think a grey may work better than a cream for the main colour on the house. You can look at the joinery alongside a sheet of white print paper to see its undertones of cool blue/grey. This will limit your freedom to use any colour but there are still many to choose from.

You could try, option 1 – lighter tones with roof (and windowsills and doors if desired) in Resene Half Tuna, main weatherboards in Resene Surrender, foundation in Resene Quarter Surrender and trims in Resene Poured Milk.

Or option 2 – slightly deeper tones with roof (and windowsills and doors if desired) in Resene New Denim Blue, main weatherboards in Resene Raven, foundation in Resene Freestyling and trims in Resene Poured Milk.

February 2021


Q. I have brown aluminium windows and door frame. The front door has been painted black and I want to brighten it up but have no idea what colour would even look acceptable with brown?

A. If you think of the brown aluminium as being akin to the (brown) trunk of a tree then you might consider using one of the following  (foliage inspired) greens – Resene Turtle Green, Resene Waiouru, Resene Paddock or Resene Palm Leaf.

Alternatively some blues look nice in close relationship with bronze/brown – you could try Resene Billabong or Resene Madison.

February 2021


Q. We are painting our two storey exterior with Resene Quarter Duck Egg Blue on the bottom storey and Resene Triple Duck Egg Blue on the top storey with Resene Slate for the garage, trim and deck. We are now needing to do our roof, could you please tell us what you would suggest as roof colour to match our colour scheme?

A. You could try Resene High Tide, Resene Steel Grey or Resene Grey Friars or lighter and with a blue undertone – Resene Half Tuna.

February 2021


Q. I am looking for a pale more blue than grey colour (but not too green, verging on duck egg) to paint a Queenslander with white palings and black/dark grey gutters/railings. I am drawn to Resene Slipstream, Resene Geyser or Resene Mystery but am open to suggestions. I am after a crisp fresh blue look, not too dark at all.

A. Of the three colours that you have mentioned one is more grey/almost lilac blue – Resene Geyser. Resene Slipstream is slightly green/blue. Resene Mystery is a definite blue – pastel and pretty.

Some other options for you to check out are – Resene Half Sail, Resene Pattens Blue, Resene Quarter Frozen or Resene Half Spindle.

Using a true white – Resene White – for the fences and latticework is a lovely contrast to the blue.

Some dark nearly black edged charcoals that may appeal to you are – Resene Double Cod Grey or Resene Double Foundry. Both of these colours are available as slightly lighter variants also.

February 2021


Q. I need a yellow ochre for my front door that goes with Resene Titania.

A. There are several types of yellow ochre that may appeal to you and work with Titania – a paler tone with Resene Sandbar, a softer tone with Resene Canterbury Clay, a brighter tone with Resene Putty and an earthier tone with Resene Castlepoint.

February 2021


Q. What contrasting, yet muted or soft colours go with Resene Half Rakaia for a lounge? I am thinking Feng Shui placement, so am looking at the yellow, orange and brown range, but I do need it to work with Resene Half Rakaia that is on our walls. This is for a feature wall and soft furnishings.

A. The following are some colours that may appeal to you – Resene Double Dutch White, Resene Tacao, Resene Felix, Resene Half Moonbeam, Resene Tango or Resene Toorak.

February 2021


Q. I have selected Resene White Thunder for my wall colour and Resene Limitless for the door colour. I am now looking for the right white for skirting and architraves.

A. There is a lovely cool white that is related to Resene White Thunder (same as Half Iron) that you might consider – try Resene Poured Milk (same as Eighth Iron).

February 2021


Q. The joinery in our home is green, similar to Permanent Green. We are looking to repaint the interior. What colour palette would you recommend?

A. If the strong green joinery is partially covered with drapes, sheers or blinds it may not have too great an influence upon what types of colours you use in an interior. It is more the carpet flooring, the tiles or vinyl, the kitchen cabinets and worktops and the furniture that you need to work closely with.

Here’s some colour ideas to get you started – Resene Quarter Spanish White, Resene Quarter Tea, Resene Rice Cake, Resene White Pointer or Resene Bianca.

February 2021


Q. I will be painting a roughcast house shortly. There is no character to the house. I initially thought of the colour black or nearly black with white window frames and white coloured sills. Or do I paint the house very white with white windows and just black sills leaving the original grey foundation? I will pull all the garden out and plant the fence lines with hedging and buxus so it will be framed in bright green hedging. 

A. I must ask – are you wanting to be trendy? That is the black main colour and white trims look. I am seeing so much of that look on both new build houses and existing older ones. If you are keen and want that trendy look then the following colour options are a nod in that direction – Resene Nocturnal for the main colour with trims in Resene Black White, or main colour Resene Double Tuna with Resene Poured Milk. These 'blacks' are quite different to each other.

The 'white' house look is a very timeless look – it is not trend driven – and will always be classical and elegant. You could try Resene Wan White with trims in Resene Quarter Wan White or Resene Rice Cake main colour with trims in Resene Eighth Rice Cake. These whites are quite different from each other.

February 2021


Q. I am painting my son’s bedroom. It’s a small sized room with limited sunlight during the day with a feature wall. Would Resene Arrowroot work on all walls with a feature wall of Resene Armadillo and Resene Black Haze skirting? We would like to know colours that would lighten the room but my son is keen on the feature wall being a dark colour.

A. If you aren't super keen on the dark feature being as dark as your son would like perhaps you could help him choose a very black toned duvet or fleece blanket as an alternative.

Based on the information you have supplied in regard to the room (small and lacking sunlight) the following are similar to those colours you have mentioned but slightly lighter/softer tones. Any colour used in an interior can look much brighter and much deeper so modifying the colours used is often a wise thing to do. Option 1 – try Resene Half Villa White as the main colour with a feature of Resene Half Gravel, or Option 2 – try Resene Double Rice Cake with a feature of Resene Triple Friar Greystone.

N.B. the lighter wall colour could be used for all the skirtings, door frames etc  in a semi-gloss enamel. On the skirting board of the feature wall you might use the feature wall colour instead of using a different colour.

February 2021


Q. We are renovating a Queenslander. Verandas will be reinstalled around the whole building with extensive decks at rear (painted). Can you please provide suggestions for grey/white/combinations?

A. You might check out the following colours to see if they appeal to you – Resene Silver Chalice, Resene Half Stack or Resene Triple Concrete.

These whites will work well with any of the greys I have listed – Resene Quarter Black White or Resene Alabaster.

February 2021


Q. We are painting the exterior of a coastal 1980s Keith Hay house. The walls are currently Resene Black. The corrugated roof looks like Resene Surrender. The aluminium joinery is bronze, typical of many buildings of that era. We would like to maintain the dark walls/light roof combination and of course work in with the bronze joinery. What colour combinations would you recommend?

A. You could try a roof in Resene Atmosphere with the house in Resene Ironsand. Or you could try the roof in Resene Bone White with house in Resene Zeus. Or try the roof in Resene Truffle with house in Resene Coffee Bean.

February 2021


Q. I painted my townhouse with Resene Cod Grey - it is shiplap timber with brick cladding on most of the lower level. I am now about to market and I am now wanting to repaint the front door (plus frame?) and would appreciate your advice on what colours would look good. I had been keen on a bright lime green, however my young real estate agents looked somewhat horrified and suggested I use something less polarising. I would appreciate any suggestions for an up to date sort of colour for the door which is currently a traditional burgundy colour (and possibly door frame, three feature beams and garage door). The joinery is bronze aluminium. The door is an older style painted wooden door. I am also planning on cleaning and painting the low fence at the front of the house and the new timber fence on the left boundary of the small garden and side fence at the front of the house. Would Resene Cod Grey look too much and if so any other suggestions?

A. After careful consideration and taking into account the bronze aluminium joinery, the bricks and the main house colour I think it may be a case of  'keep it simple'.

The low fence at the front, the new timber fence on the left boundary of the small garden and the side fence at the front of the house could be painted Resene Cod Grey but I think a bit darker but related colour might be a better course of action – try Resene Double Cod Grey.

The garage door and the three feature beams could be the same colour – a colour that may tie in the bronze joinery but be a bit lighter in tone – try Resene Lignite.

The front door and frame are burgundy now  and relates well to the colours in the bricks so perhaps instead of that particular colour another that is a wee bit similar  might be used – try Resene Vanquish.

February 2021


Q. I have just had my kitchen cabinets painted Resene Merino in my small darkish apartment. I would like to use Resene Half Wan White from the Karen Walker Paints collection to paint the other walls, but just checking would this be a good idea?

A. I am not 100% certain about Resene Half Wan White for the walls. It has a cool very slightly grey undertone and it may look deeper (like full strength Wan White) in your darkish apartment. Have you considered using a slightly lighter/warmer variant of the kitchen cabinet colour - i.e. Resene Quarter Merino.

February 2021


Q. Our roof is COLORSTEEL® Sandstone Grey and the weatherboards will be Resene Triple Sea Fog. What cream/white colour do you recommend for the trim, balustrade and architraves? Our house is a two-story 1880s villa.

A. The following whites would work well with Resene Triple Sea Fog and COLORSTEEL® Sandstone Grey – try Resene Double Alabaster or Resene Half Sea Fog.

February 2021


Q. We have a cedar weatherboard house with brown aluminium windows. Ideally, we would like to change the window joinery but have no budget. The house and roof are in dire need of some paint. I’m thinking white but would love some suggestions.

A. If you were to use a white it would make the brown aluminium pop out more – is that what you would like? I think that one of the following neutrals and roof colours may be more harmonious and work better with the windows – try Resene Double White Pointer as your main colour with Resene Ironsand for the roof, Resene Bone White for the main colour with Resene Touchstone for the roof or Resene Rice Cake for the main colour with Resene Groundbreaker for the roof.

February 2021


Q. We have recently got a new roof on our 1920s Californian bungalow in the colour Ironsand. I am now having roof regret and feel as though I should have gone with Grey Friars. I am really struggling to imagine what our house will look like painted with the new roof. I was thinking colour wise of possibly using Resene Sea Fog type colour, a grey or some sort of white.

A. I think if the type of colours that you are interested in were warmed or deepened a wee bit they would work well with the new roof.

You might check out these colours for the main exterior – Resene Double Sea Fog or Resene White Pointer. For a white option try Resene Double Alabaster or Resene Quarter White Pointer. Or for a grey option try Resene Gauntlet or Resene Eighth Ironsand.

February 2021


Q. I need to replace the weatherboards on my home and want to paint the new boards a different colour to the cream that is there at the moment. I have a Hinuera type stone at both the ends of the house with a multitude of neutral colours in them and with a grey grout/cement. The gutters are new in a FlaxPod colour and a new roof will be in the same colour. The joinery is dark brown. What colour suggestions do you have for my replacement weatherboards?

A. Some colours that may appeal to you and to provide a completely different new look for your house might be one of the following – Resene Truffle, Resene Cougar, Resene Half Friar Grey or Resene Foggy Grey.

February 2021


Q. Can you suggest a mid-grey exterior house paint colour that would co-ordinate with red brick? Also what colour roof paint would you suggest?

A. You could try earthy greys with Resene Quarter Taupe Grey for the main colour, the roof and garage door in Resene Windswept and then any other feature cladding in Resene Taupe Grey. Or try stone greys with Resene Atmosphere for the main colour, the roof and garage door in Resene Element and then any other feature cladding in Resene Gunsmoke. Or try steel blue greys with Resene Half Stack for the main colour, the roof and garage door in Resene Grey Friars and then any other feature cladding in Resene Double Stack.

February 2021


Q. I’m looking for a neutral green/grey to paint our renovated kitchen. The kitchen cabinetry/tiles will be light off white. The room is mostly east facing so it gets a variation of lots of sun and shade so I think a grey/green tone would have a good feel.

A. You mention that the kitchen is mostly east facing. Because colours alter throughout the day light hours and again under electric light in the evening you do have to  watch those changes.

You could try these colours – Resene Harp, Resene Quarter Lemon Grass or Resene Pumice.

February 2021


Q. We are repainting our house and are having trouble deciding on a colour. Our painter advised us to use a light grey with a black door because it is popular at the moment. We have chosen a few samples but the lighter colours are quite unforgiving for the imperfections on our house. We quite liked Resene Concrete but are thinking a darker one like Resene Half Stack might be better? 

A. Lighter colours can show up a lot of imperfections. Perhaps Resene Half Stack would be more forgiving. Or – alternatively try one of the following colours – Resene Double Silver Chalice or Resene Delta.

If the door is shielded from the heat of the direct sun, then a black might be a very smart choice. You might consider using Resene Double Cod Grey or Resene Double Foundry – they are softer shades of black.

February 2021


Q. My Mum is having the exterior of her house painted. It will need to complement her COLORSTEEL® garage which has Resene Smooth Cream for the weatherboards and Resene Lichen for the doors. What colour white should we use to complement the warmth of these colours? The white would be for the windows, gutters, downpipes, soffits, and fascia etc. What about Resene Half Rice Cake or Resene Alabaster?

A. Both of the whites that you have mentioned would work but some alternatives that you might check out are – Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta or Resene Half Orchid White. These whites are a wee bit warmer.

February 2021


Q. We have a cupboard we are wanting to change up in our entrance way. At the moment it’s just a white and we have done Resene Quarter Tea throughout our house. We're wondering what darker colour we could use in our cupboard to not look weird but pop out instead of having more Resene Quarter Tea.

A. If you would like the cupboard to be a feature – and perhaps different from all other cupboards and doors to rooms in the house – then you have these options – slightly different/deeper than the wall colour, such as Resene Half Tea or even darker again – Resene Tea.

Those colours wouldn't look weird as they are tonally related to the main house colour – Resene Quarter Tea. You might consider using a semi-gloss paint, such as Resene Lustacryl, to enhance the cupboard more.

Or you could be radical. I saw a cupboard door that had a lovely wallpaper on it with a painted frame (like a photo or art frame) around it. It was a cross between a feature and a lovely piece of art. This might suit you.

February 2021


Q. I’m looking to paint the exterior of a weatherboard house a soft black. I really like Resene Double Ironsand but would like a fraction darker or with more of a hint of black.

A. Some colours you might like to try are – Resene Dark Web (which is the same as Triple Ironsand), Resene Porter or Resene Charcoal.


Resene Dark Web

Resene Porter

February 2021


Q. We are building and I’m looking at using Resene Truffle as our main neutral paint. We’ll have oak floors, a black and ply kitchen with grey benches, and I’d like to use greens and blues as accents (I love Resene Indian Ink and Resene Dark Slate). I’m wondering whether Resene Half Truffle or Resene Truffle will be too strong as a base neutral on the majority of the walls? I can’t test on the walls themselves as it is a new build, I’m also not sure yet how much natural light there will be.

A. It can be very tricky trying to build a colour scheme when the areas that you want the colours to be used in are not yet built.

Light and space really does drive the whole exercise. But if you feel that the Resene Truffle palette is too cream/beige - and that isn't what you are aiming for - then I recommend doing the following -

  • Gather flooring samples/ kitchen cabinet and worktop samples (and any fabrics that you have or may be considering) and visit your local Resene ColorShop.
  • Look at the Resene Truffle palette of colours in their Colour Library.
  • Compare all the samples you have brought with you with several other 'white' options and the feature colours you want to use.
  • Check out the Resene White Pointer palette of colours and the Resene Cloud palette of colours and judge them against Resene Truffle.
  • Look at all of them against a true white (a sheet of printer paper is a best white)  to get a better idea of the depth and undertones etc in each colour.

Keep in mind that in any interiors paint colours appear deeper (or brighter depending on the type of colour) often appearing to be double the depth you imagine they will be.

Colour applied to the window walls will also look deeper. So lighter variants of any colour may be better to use as a main colour.

February 2021


Q. We have a 60s red brick with white mortar house that has had additions built onto the front and back of the house over the years. The back addition was done with woodgrain Hardiplank and the front garage addition was done in recycled brick. We wish to paint the Hardiplank and possibly at a later stage may paint the 60s red brick (but we would keep the recycled brick as we like that). We think it might be best to paint the red brick and the Hardiplank different colours to highlight the different claddings rather than painting them the same colour to try and disguise that they are different? Is this a good idea? It has been suggested to us to use Resene Half Fuscous Grey for the Hardiplank and Resene Fuscous Grey for the red brick if we decide to repaint that at a later stage. I wonder whether you think these two colours would be okay or if you have any suggestions regarding another colour/s? The windows are a mix of white aluminium and painted white wooden windows.   

A. I like your idea of using a deep grey – Resene Half Fuscous Grey – for the Hardiplank and a deeper variant – Resene Fuscous Grey – for the bricks.

February 2021


Q. Our living room is painted in Resene Half Blanc and we have just bought a light grey sofa. We think it would be nice to introduce a feature wall behind the sofa. Could you recommend a grey that would go well with Resene Half Blanc?

A. The following greys might appeal to you – Resene Bokara Grey, Resene Fuscous Grey or lighter Resene Scarpa Flow or Resene Quarter Baltic Sea.

February 2021


Q. I am interested in using Resene Linen to paint the exterior of my house. I would like to paint the veranda and window trims in white but I am having trouble choosing a suitable white. I am after a cottage look and don't want a stark white. I have painted the roof gutters and barge boards Resene Ironsand.

A. Resene Linen will look quite a bit lighter/brighter (more like Resene Half Linen) on the exterior due to the clarity of our sunlight. For the white you could try Resene Half Rice Cake, Resene Black White, Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream or Resene Alabaster.

February 2021


Q. We have chosen Resene Bokara Grey to paint our fences but would like a complementary colour for our garage door that is not Resene Bokara Grey. It’s currently a blue-grey colour and we’d like a refresh in a deeper colour than is currently there. We also have red brickwork.

A. You could use a lighter variant of Resene Bokara Grey, such as Resene Half Bokara Grey or Resene Quarter Bokara Grey.

A colour that looks good with the bricks and the Resene Bokara Grey may be a little unrelated, but you could try – Resene Double Lemon Grass (greens always look good with bricks and red based charcoal/blacks), Resene Triple Sea Fog (a neutral that isn't too white always works with bricks and red based charcoal/blacks) or Resene Scoria (along the lines of the bricks but deeper).

February 2021


Q. We have a two storey house with a Resene Gull Grey basement. The top floor is Resene Quarter Surrender. We would like suggestions for three basement doors, something that will tone in.

A. Your two greys are radically different to each other. Resene Gull Grey is a stone grey warmed with a yellow undertone and Resene Quarter Surrender is a silvery grey with a tinge of lilac in it. Using a cool white would work well for you – Resene Half Black White. Or alternatively a much deeper grey could also work – try Resene Half Gunsmoke.

January 2021


Q. We’ve recently purchased a home, which we are renovating. We would like to repaint the exterior but we’re finding it hard to choose the right colours. We’d like to keep the window trims white. We’re considering painting the weatherboards soft stone grey and the shutters white. Or going for white weatherboards with duck egg blue shutters.

A. The ideas that you have had about colours are very good – perhaps the soft stone grey might be like one of the following colours – Resene Archive Grey, Resene Half Stonehenge or Resene Grey Area.

The shutters might be Resene Alabaster or Resene Half Black White.

The other option that you have mentioned might be these colours – Resene Double Alabaster, Resene Barely There or Resene Eighth Rice Cake.

The shutters might be – Resene Duck Egg Blue, Resene Half Periglacial Blue or Resene Half Emerge.

If you think a slightly deeper 'duck egg' may look better the three suggested options do have slightly deeper variants which you could check out also.

January 2021


Q. I am wanting to paint my small ensuite which has an angled/sloping ceiling. It's currently painted Resene Spanish White and I'm thinking I might keep the same tones - say Resene Quarter Spanish White for the walls but I'm not sure what colour to paint the ceiling and windowsills. Rather than a white, would I be better to go for Resene Eighth Spanish White? 

A. If you wanted a lighter colour to work with Resene Quarter Spanish White then you might use Resene Eighth Spanish White. Or you could use Resene Quarter Albescent White which is less peach toned than Resene Eighth Spanish White but still works very well.

January 2021


Q. We have a COLORSTEEL® Karaka roof and joinery. We are looking for a new colour for the weatherboards. We are thinking of a light grey colour as we would like a Cape Cod style look.

A. The following are a few light greys that you might consider – Resene Triple Sea Fog, Resene Quarter Foggy Grey, Resene Quill Grey or Resene Quarter Atmosphere.

January 2021


Q. I want to do a white on white (beachy) colour scheme for the exterior of our house. One of the colours recommended to me was Resene Merino. We have a terracotta roof, so I'm wanting to make sure I get the ‘right white’. Do I go with a more vivid white for the timber/eaves/gutters? We’re in a beachside suburb and the back garden faces due north.

A. Resene Merino is a good option to use as the main house colour. A soft reduction of that colour for the timber, eaves, gutters and the posts and balustrades/handrails around the deck may work better than a vivid stark white – try Resene Quarter Merino.

Alternatively you might consider the following whites – Resene Double Black White with Resene Quarter Black White or Resene Sea Fog with Resene Alabaster.

January 2021


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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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