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Answers to your questions from our colour experts, p. 108

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. 108

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


Q. We are in the process of building very close to the ocean. We were originally going to have Grey Friars for the roof/garage colour but we have now decided perhaps Windsor Grey is more what we are after. We are also having sections of Grey Alps Schist. We are still unsure which joinery colour to have – we are thinking of Silver Pearl. The rest of the house will be plaster – can you recommend any colours to look at?

A. Windsor Grey is very, very dark and the Grey Alps Schist is a myriad of grey mid tones and Silver Pearl is light but warm toned. Perhaps one of the following pale colours may appeal to you for the plaster – Resene Quarter Tapa, Resene Silver Chalice or whiter Resene Double Black White or Resene Double Sea Fog.

The whiter colours are very obliging and allow the colour in the schist, the joinery and the roof to have prime importance.

February 2021


Q. Currently our bach is painted in a colour like Resene Triple Sisal which closely matches the shed beside it. Neither the shed nor the windows of the bach, which are an aluminium forest green colour can be changed. We would like to modernise the exterior colour of the bach to something like a charcoal/grey colour. 

A. If you were keen on a deep grey, you might check out the following to see if one of these suggestions appeals to you – Resene Half Gravel, Resene Fuscous Grey, Resene Double Tapa, Resene Ironsand or Resene Windswept.

February 2021


Q. We're painting our apartment interior walls Resene Black White and our ceilings Resene Half Black White. We're a bit stuck as to which colour to use for our internal doors and door frames. We'd like to create a bit more colour inside by doing something different to Resene Black White (nothing too colourful, perhaps a grey or dull teal) and we're wondering if there are any rules, we need to be aware of or anything we should definitely avoid? Or if this is a bad idea and we should just continue with the Resene Black White everywhere!

A. I think your idea of doing something  'different' for your doors and door frames is wonderful.

Don't rush in and please do test some colours to see how you feel it looks. If you paint up all of a Resene testpot onto a very A2 large card and tape it up on the doors you will have a chance to judge the reality of the colour in a large enough swatch.

Some greys to try – Resene Rakaia, Resene Shady Lady or something deeper – Resene Quarter Baltic Sea. Or try a muted blue/green such as Resene Blue Bayoux or Resene Atomic.

February 2021


Q. We are struggling with what colour to put on our gables. We are beachside and want to create a casual beach vibe so we thought we may use blue? For the interior walls we have Resene Mantle which looks great.

A. You could try Resene Safehaven or lighter/brighter – Resene Bismark or more muted – Resene Lazy River.


Resene Safehaven

Resene Lazy River

February 2021


Q. Our joinery/roof/front door are New Denim Blue. What colour suggestions for our plaster exterior would you suggest? Our home is early 2000s with a mix of gable and hip roof style. We also have dark brown stained decking and kwila outdoor furniture.

A. Perhaps the following neutral colours may appeal to you – Resene Triple Black White, Resene White Pointer or Resene Half Wheatfield. Or more definite colours – Resene Secrets or Resene Duck Egg Blue.

February 2021


Q. We will have Resene Rice Cake on our interior walls and our floor is painted white. We are wanting to pick out the floor and door trims with a very subtle (pastel?) colour – possibly a very subtle green-blue? Do you have any suggestions? The door may also end up painted this colour.

A. The following are some delicious pastel colours that look really lovely with Resene Rice Cake – Resene Half Halcyon, Resene Slipstream, Resene Half Escape, Resene Half Kumutoto or Resene Breeze.

February 2021


Q. We have a block of two flats that have bronze aluminium windows and garage doors in Desert Sand. What colour choices do you recommend for the walls? We also want to paint the roof which is currently unpainted.

A. In order to coordinate with the colour of the garage doors you might be inclined to do the roof the same colour using Resene Desert Sand.

The following are some suggestions for the main colour on the two flats – Resene Quarter Spanish White, Resene Biscotti or Resene Sandstone.

February 2021


Q. I could do with some advice regarding my three bedroom home with courtyard to change the exterior paint colours and to give it a fresh new look. At present the home is mainly ebony and white (including the fence which I am happy to keep).

A. Fresh – to me – means greens, blues, creams, beige or mid toned greys. But those types of colours may not appeal to you as 'fresh'. The following are some colours that may be a start point for consideration – Resene Haven, Resene Casper, Resene Arrowroot, Resene Tea or Resene Mountain Mist.

February 2021


Q. I have nearly finished painting a weatherboard cottage in Resene Quarter Napa. The new aluminium is silver. I am struggling to find a white trim colour for around the windows and under eaves that looks good. On the southerly sides the walls it looks quite dull.

A. Are you referring to your main colour – Resene Quarter Napa – as looking quite dull on the southerly sides of the house? The aspects of light – N/S/E/W – definitely do influence how a colour is seen. Colours constantly alter with the changing natural light.

On the south side you may notice a bit duller/grey in Resene Quarter Napa. On the east side (early morning) the colour may look slightly greener, the west side (late afternoon) it may look warmer/browner. All colours are controlled by light.

You may need to use a deeper version of the main house colour for around the windows as a white may sit uncomfortably around the silver – had you thought of doing that? You could try Resene Napa.

A white for under the eaves is easier to find – try Resene Sea Fog or Resene Quarter White Pointer.

February 2021


Q. I have a 1925 bungalow. It has an open plan kitchen faces northeast (but on a hill), and the main sitting room faces southwest. We are very elevated with views southwest to the Waitakere ranges. One large bedroom is southeast facing (cold and dark), but the other is west-southwest and once extended into the sunporch will be very light with lovely afternoon sun. The current colours are dated: earthy greens/yellow and were done 17 years ago. It has floorboards throughout.

I have chosen Resene Athens Grey and Resene Double Athens Grey for most of the house – it’s the right depth of tone and is considerably lighter than currently painted and feels fresh and classic. The dilemma I have is would a much warmer colour like Resene Half Rakaia or Resene Quarter Rakaia work better with my furniture/artwork and the kitchen (which won’t be renovated for a while). But they don't give the fresh crisp look I'm after. I want the colour story to be consistent throughout.

I don't really want grey in my bedroom (the south-west facing room). I love the look of Resene Inside Back, or something similar, but need a recommendation to work with Resene Athens Grey. 

A. Resene Athens Grey (same as Eighth Silver Chalice) is part of the Resene Silver Chalice palette of colours so deeper variants will always work well – but only if the natural aspect of light within a space enhances the colours. If a room feels cold and dark sometimes it can't be changed completely with colours to make it light/bright or warm but soft furnishings and accessories – if they are warm or bright colours – can make it feel better.

Resene Triple Duck Egg Blue is lighter than Resene Inside Back and is worth checking out. Or try Or Resene Gull Grey or a lighter variant – Resene Half Gull Grey.

February 2021


Q. We are planning on using Resene Black White on our ceilings, doors and frames and are wanting another colour to complement this. I don’t want a stark, clinical looking white throughout but a nice light colour to go with this.

A. Have you considered staying in the Black White palette of related colours? You could try Resene Double Black White or Resene Triple Black White. Alternatively you could try Resene House White, Resene Athens Grey or Resene Quarter Atmosphere.

Some warmer types of white used in close association with Resene Black White may make the ceiling and woodwork take on more of a grey look.

February 2021


Q. I would like a colour to paint my roof. The weatherboards will be painted Resene Delta Grey and the joinery is off white.

A. Try one of these colours to see if they suit – Resene Windswept, Resene Steel Grey, Resene Squall or Resene Ironsand.

February 2021


Q. I am trying to be brave and create a white and sage green kitchen in our current renovation. We live on a bush block in Queensland in a 100 year old Queenslander. There will be warm pine timber floors, white cupboards, satin brass tapware and handles and a stone. I have tried testpots of Resene Half Rivergum and Resene Xanadu but feel they are a bit dark still. I am looking for the green and grey tones not blue or greyer. Sage grey-soft and relaxing but bringing the colour of the gum tree leaves inside. If you could recommend a colour, it would be so appreciated. At this point I am so worried I'll make the wrong decision that I think I'll go all white.

A. I think I have found a delicate soft toned peaceful sage  that may appeal to you – Resene Eighth Lemon Grass. This colour looks lovely with white and grey but especially nice with warm pine floors.

All colours have the potential to double in depth (or brightness depending upon the type of colour) when used inside and this must be kept in mind.

You could check out  Resene Quarter Lemon Grass if you wanted a deeper toned colour.

February 2021


Q. I am looking for an interior green (or other ideas) for a lounge area to go with New Denim Blue joinery. I want the joinery to appear more grey than blue. I also need a neutral light colour (but not white) for the living area.

A. Is the New Denim Blue window joinery totally without curtains and blinds so you see a huge amount of the colour? If that is the case then perhaps slightly grey toned greens may work well and bring out a little bit greyer in the New Denim Blue. Try Resene Helix, Resene Triple Duck Egg Blue, Resene Inside Back, Resene Pumice, Resene Haven or Resene Harp.

February 2021


Q. We are doing a renovation project on a single storey cottage in a coastal estuary setting. I'm looking for suggestions for a blue – not in your face, but soft and stylish. The joinery will be an aluminium matte white, and the roof will be COLORSTEEL® Sandstone Grey. I'm thinking USA eastern seaboard style but it’s a small house so can't be too dark.

A. Some blue ideas – soft and stylish – that may suit you are – Resene Botticelli, Resene Periglacial Blue, Resene Powder Blue, Resene Clouded Blue, Resene Triple Duck Egg Blue or Resene Frozen.

February 2021


Q. I am looking for a light grey stain that we could use on the exterior of our house instead of the brown stain. My husband is not convinced so I need advice on what a good colour would be.

A. A stain (new colour) over an existing stain colour may need to be a bit darker in order to cover the previous colour. Stains are not like paints – they are semi-opaque and don't block out what the 'before' colour was completely.

The following are some stain colours that may appeal to you – Resene Waterborne Woodsman Iroko, Resene Waterborne Woodsman Tiri or Resene Waterborne Woodsman Bleached Cedar.

I recommend you visit your local Resene ColorShop to view the Wood Products display stand to give you a better idea of what the colours truly look like. The old stain colour will affect how the new one looks. It is wise to apply some Resene testpots of colour to discrete areas of the existing stained timber so you can see what the new colour/old colour combination actually looks like.

February 2021


Q. I am planning on painting the exterior of my house. Issues to consider – it’s 70s style with old cedar boards on upper level and plaster with terrible texture on lower half. I'm thinking of using Resene Woodsman oil stain for the cedar and Resene Lumbersider for the bottom. The windows are silver aluminium and the garage door a dark green. The front door will be changed also. I think everything will be fairly dark, but I don't know if I should go 'grey' to match windows (with near black wood stain) or 'earthy' (with dark green stain) to match the garage door. 

A. Yes – you do have two different options – so perhaps you need some suggestions to mull over before launching into the decorating.

For a grey option try Resene Woodsman Crowshead with Resene Half Gravel for the painted plaster and Resene Thumbs Up for the front door. Or earthy option try Resene Woodsman Grey Green with Resene Taupe Grey and Resene Red Planet for the front door.

February 2021


Q. We are repainting the exterior of a property attached. We are thinking of grey weatherboards and white trim but are not sure which grey to choose.

A. Perhaps one of the following greys and whites may appeal to you – Resene Delta as the main colour with Resene Double Alabaster for all trims, Resene Double Silver Chalice as the main colour with Resene Half Black White for trims, or Resene Half Friar Greystone with Resene Half Merino for trims.

You might choose to use a standard white – Resene White – instead of the slightly coloured white options that I have included with each grey if you prefer.

February 2021


Q. We have Karaka gutters, spouting and window frames. We also have a light brown brick (with flecks of warm yellows, browns, orange/tans), a terracotta garage door and have plasterboards we are looking to paint a lighter shade.

A. The following colours may appeal to you and work with the existing colours you have – Resene Orchid White, Resene Half Bianca, Resene Half Rice Cake or Resene Eighth Spanish White.

February 2021


Q. We have a Grey Friars roof and are painting our weatherboard house Resene Half Silver Chalice with Grey Friars on the brickwork at the bottom of the house. We would like to know whether to go for Resene Half Black White or Resene Quarter Black White for the wooden window trims. We want the windows to look fresh.

A. Either colour would work but the lightest – Resene Quarter Black White – may provide the crispest contrast.

February 2021


Q. We need to paint our two storey home’s exterior. It has bronze coloured aluminum joinery. We are thinking perhaps white on the top half and maybe a light grey on the bottom half. There is a covered pergola over two decks which I would like painted in white. We’re not sure whether to paint the balustrade/railings white also? Or just stain them (what colour though?) 

A. The following colour options may appeal to you – option 1 – try Resene Half Caraway for the top, Resene Eighth Arrowtown for the bottom and Resene Alabaster for the pergola, railings etc. Or option 2 – try Resene Double Sea Fog for the top, Resene Half Taupe Grey for the bottom and Resene Quarter Black White for the pergola, railings etc.

If you did prefer to stain the railings, posts etc then you might consider using Resene Woodsman Iroko – a warm/earthy grey with a hint of yellow/green in it or a deep traditional brown – Resene Woodsman Bark.

February 2021


Q. Our 1930s weatherboard bungalow is Resene Yucca with Resene Lignite bargeboards, sills and foundations. Our window frames are a yellowy cream. We are thinking of an exterior repaint, keeping the Resene Yucca but changing the Resene Lignite to a darker grey (possibly Resene Mako?).

A. The following are some dark greys that you might check out – Resene Ebony Clay, Resene Gunmetal or Resene Mine shaft. They are darker than Resene Mako and have undertones of dark blue and they look very smart with Resene Yucca.

February 2021


Q. The inside of our house is painted in Resene Quarter Tea. We are about to renovate our open plan family room but want something lighter. Should we paint that room with Resene Eighth Tea or Resene Soapstone? Is Resene Soapstone the same sort of toning as Resene Quarter Tea? We are wanting it to look lighter and brighter with a white kitchen.

A. Resene Eighth Tea is a pink/grey toned white. Resene Soapstone is lighter/warmer but can also throw up a mushroom undertone.

If you want a light alternative that flows on nicely from Resene Quarter Tea you might consider using Resene Half Albescent White.

February 2021


Q. I am about to have my three bedroom 1950s bungalow repainted. The base is brick and a close match to the colour of the base is Resene Apple Blossom. The house is northwest and gets a lot of sun in the afternoon. It is also small so I need a lighter colour, but preferably not a cool grey or anything like that. The roof is New Denim Blue. 

A. Perhaps one of the following light colours may appeal to you – Resene Quarter Tea, Resene Eighth Tana, Resene Orchid White or Resene Double Sea Fog. These types of colours work well with bricks and New Denim Blue.

February 2021


Q. Could you please suggest a dark grey/charcoal colour that has the least blue undertone?

A. These charcoals have many undertones of colour in them but absolutely no blue – try Resene Zeus, Resene Baltic Sea, Resene Fuscous Grey or Resene Quarter Bokara Grey.

February 2021


Q. I am currently repainting the  interior of my small three bedroom home and would like some ideas about bedroom colours. I am going for Resene Quarter Robin Egg Blue for the living areas and hallway but would like something warmer perhaps a pinky/peach shade for the bedrooms. Nothing too bright but bright enough to contrast with the Resene Alabaster ceilings and trims.

A. The following are some sweet, warm colours that you might check out to see if they appeal to you – Resene Eighth Blanc, Resene Eighth Biscotti, Resene Half Sauvignon, Resene Island Spice, Resene Half Pot Pourri or Resene Quarter Solitaire.

February 2021


Q. We are in the process of building and I would like to know the closest exterior paint colour that you have to Resene Smokey Ash. We love this colour but unfortunately cannot get it in a stain so would like a paint alternative.

A. No paint colour can duplicate exactly a stain colour. Paint will always appear denser compared to a stain. And in this case a paint colour – at best – is either too brown or too grey.

You could try these colours to see if they suit – Resene Schooner, Resene Half Sandstone, Resene Triple Truffle, Resene Quarter Oilskin, Resene Pravda or Resene Stonehenge.

February 2021


Q. We are looking at renovations and can’t decide on a colour combo. We like Resene Tea and Resene Half Tea or Resene Half Fossil and Resene Quarter Fossil for walls and ceilings either Resene Villa White, Resene Alabaster or Resene Half Alabaster? We have a feature wall of Resene Oilskin. What combinations would you recommend please?

A. Resene Half Fossil or Resene Quarter Fossil has a little bit more of a yellow undertone and looks slightly lighter/brighter than Resene Tea or Resene Half Tea. Either will work with the feature wall colour – Resene Oilskin.

If you prefer the lighter/brighter option (Resene Half Fossil or Resene Quarter Fossil) then you could use Resene Half Villa White as the ceiling colour because it is yellowish. The Resene Tea options looks best with Resene Alabaster or Resene Half Alabaster.

Another thing to take into account is how all colours look deeper in an interior.  To see that – without painting the whole room – paint a testpot onto a large piece of A2 card and then, once dry, roll the large card into a tube with the colour innermost. Looking into that cardboard tube you will get a good idea of how the colour will look once it is on all walls.

February 2021


Q. We have a new build with a roof in Thunder Grey and Bone White aluminium joinery. What’s your suggestion for plaster on the outside and an interior wall colour throughout?

A. The following are some light colour suggestions for the exterior – Resene Helix, Resene Titania or Resene Triple Rice Cake, or deeper colours – Resene Taupe Grey, Resene Double Friar Greystone or Resene Climate.

Some interior colour suggestions – Resene Sea Fog, Resene Merino or Resene Rice Cake.

Ceilings and wooden trims and doors might be a very pale variant of whatever colour is chosen for the walls.

February 2021


Q. We are painting our new front fence and would like some advice on what colour to choose. We are after a classic look. We have had a look at Resene House White but feel it may be too much of a 'bright white'. Could you please suggest something creamier but not yellow? Something perhaps like the window trim. What do others use for similar fences? Would a darker colour (like our roof) be a better option?

A. A deeper colour for the fence may be a good idea. Try Resene Grey Friars, Resene Double Cod Grey or Resene Foundry. A lighter fence and gate – creamy but not yellow – may be ok. Or perhaps just the top capping could be painted the same colour as the window joinery. 

February 2021


Q. Our house colour is Resene Ironsand. We have some wooden fences to stain – is there a stain available in Ironsand?

A. Unfortunately stain colours are limited and don't match paint colours. If you want a warm brown/black then you might use Resene Waterborne Woodsman Sheer Black or a darker colour – Resene Waterborne Woodsman Banjul.

Either of these colours look harmonious when seen close to Resene Ironsand.

February 2021


Q. We are looking to paint the exterior of our house and would really like to modernise it as much as possible. The house is built in the 80s with brown aluminium frame windows which we can't change. The roof is also brown. Can you please suggest a colour for the gutters, cladding and the trellis at the bottom?

A. The guttering and the garage door could be the same colour – Resene Groundbreaker or Resene Lignite.

February 2021


Q. We are painting a villa. The roof and aluminium joinery colour are Ironsand. The fascia, soffit and window trim will be white. We are looking for a grey shade for the weatherboards (not too light but not too dark) and a darker grey for the veranda trim. If we used Resene Surrender for the weatherboards, would you suggest Resene Stack for the veranda? Would Resene Surrender look too light? Would Resene Stack blend in with Resene Surrender? Various family members can’t agree.

A. I am not 100% certain about Resene Surrender as it has a warm lilac undertone. Are you wanting the greys to work well with the Ironsand roof and joinery? Or do you want the greys to be a very distinctive contrast?

Perhaps one of the following might be harmonious with the Ironsand – Resene Quarter Friar Greystone and a deeper shade for the veranda trim – Resene Eighth Ironsand or Resene Half Mountain Mist, or a deeper shade for the veranda trims – Resene Scarpa Flow, or if you were keen on the silvery greys for a distinctive contrast – perhaps try these ones that are related to each other – Resene Half Silver Chalice and a deeper shade for the veranda trims – Resene Stack (Triple Silver Chalice).

February 2021


Q. We are trying to select colours for the exterior of our 1930s bungalow. We need to work in with the Karaka corrugated roof. Can you advise age appropriate colours combos for weatherboards and window trims and front fence please? Ideally the shingles would remain Karaka too but we are open to suggestions for these too. Note too that all our internal fences are Resene Bokara Grey.

A. You mention the internal fences are Resene Bokara Grey. Is there a reason that the front fence might not be the same colour? This would be a tidy well balanced choice and it might be considered for continuity.

The following are some suggestions for the weatherboards and window trims – option 1, try Resene Malta for the main colour and Resene Touchstone for the window trims. Option 2 – Resene Fossil for the main colour and Resene Burnt Crimson for the window trims. Option 3 – Resene Double White Pointer for the main colour and Resene Quarter Bokara Grey for the window trims.

February 2021


Q. I have chosen a Resene Quarter White Pointer for my main wall colour. What would you suggest for the ceilings and trims?

A. The following are some whites that would work well with the wall colour – Resene Half Alabaster, Resene Eighth Black White or Resene White. You might consider using (same as the wall colour) Resene Quarter White Pointer in a Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss enamel paint finish for all the wooden trims. This will give you a different sheen – not a different colour.

February 2021


Q. For small rooms with low roof and little natural light, what are the best colours to use for walls?

A. Sometimes the following colours can lighten up rooms that aren't blessed with natural light – Resene Eighth Spanish White, Resene Half Orchid, Resene White Linen or Resene Quarter Joanna.

A coloured white on the ceiling may make it appear lower. I recommend that the ceilings be painted a standard white – Resene White.

Curtains or blinds that are similar to the wall colour help small rooms appear a bit better proportioned. Whereas bright, dark or heavy or bold patterned drapes or blinds can gobble up the space in a room. The bedspread or duvet can be bright, dark or boldly patterned. It is all about placement.

February 2021


Q. What colour do you recommend to paint the concrete block base of our house (currently dark brown, far too dark I feel)? The house is a mixture of dark brownish bricks, white aluminium joinery. Our wooden deck is a redwood colour. I want it fresh and clean looking. Would prefer not a white. 

A. I am not 100% certain about very dark or very light colours – perhaps a mid-tone colour may be better. The following are some earthy grey/brown suggestions that may work for you – Resene Masala, Resene Stonehenge, Resene Gauntlet and Resene Traffic.

Resene Albescent White or Resene Half Merino.

February 2021


Page 108

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

 

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