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Answers to your questions from our colour experts, p. 110

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. 110

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


Q. Our media room has tobacco oak flooring and large windows facing west towards Otago mountains and lake. The interior of the house will be painted Resene Merino but I would like to paint this room dark.

A. Will the media room be used for any other purpose?

The west facing room with large windows is a lovely warm later afternoon/towards sunset aspect and with the view as well it sounds divine. The following colours may appeal to you – Resene Fast Forward, Resene Quarter Bokara Grey or Resene Rocky Mountain.

Some others to check out – Resene Double Ironsand, Resene Half Barista or Resene Sidewinder.


Resene Fast Forward

April 2021


Q. Our roof and joinery are in Ironsand. Currently our vertical weatherboards are a creamy colour which we don't like. Could you advise a complementary colour for Ironsand? We don't like brown and are hoping for more of a grey palette.

A. You might check out the following colours – they are a wee bit greyer/beige which might work better with the olive/brown undertones in the Ironsand colour – try Resene Gauntlet, Resene Quarter Friar Greystone, Resene Archive Grey, Resene Half Foggy Grey or Resene Atmosphere.

April 2021


Q. I would like some advice on exterior colour schemes for our Hamptons inspired new build using Resene paints. We are planning on a grey COLORBOND® roof. I quite like Shale Grey. I am totally lost on undertones etc and really want to get this right. I would greatly appreciate a few exterior colour scheme suggestions.

A. COLORBOND® Shale Grey or a deeper grey like COLORBOND® Windspray are lovely colours. All colours on an exterior (especially a roof due to the angle it presents to the bright sun) can appear much lighter/brighter, often as much as a half tone of the colour you have chosen.

You could try, option 1 with Resene Quarter Atmosphere for the main colour with a COLORBOND® Shale Grey roof and trims in Resene Black White. Or try option 2, with Resene Triple Black White as the main colour with a COLORBOND® Windspray roof and trims in Resene Black White.

April 2021


Q. I have a shed and chicken coop painted in Resene Stratos. I have another project and would like a lighter shade of blue which will tone in with the Resene Stratos and work with the white trim.

A. You might check out the following blues to see if they appeal to you – Resene True Blue or Resene Biscay.

April 2021


Q. We are painting the rooms in our new build Resene Tangaroa, Resene Mantle, Resene Juniper and Resene Mother Nature with the central living area and halls in Resene Half Sandspit Brown. What colours would you recommend for the trims? I am looking for a bright clean white but want to avoid anything with a grey tinge.

A. The following whites are worth checking out to see if they are bright and clean with no grey tinge – Resene Half Alabaster, Resene Eighth Rice Cake or Resene White.

April 2021


Q. What is your most popular colour for a front porch? We have a villa.

A. I am not sure there is one particular colour that is used more than any other. Most people choose a colour that relates in some way to the other colours on the exterior of their house. But if you just want an idea of a reasonably versatile colour then you might consider one of the following – Resene Walk-on paving paint in Resene Gunsmoke or Resene Stack.

Have you looked at the Resene Decks, Paving and Recreational areas colour chart? That may provide some other colour ideas.

April 2021


Q. We are looking for a colour to go with our feature wall in the living room and master bedroom which is going to be Resene Rivergum (or Resene Half Rivergum). We would like to choose a light grey colour. We have Resene Black White for the skirting and windowsills. Is there a light grey colour that you suggest that would work well with this green?

A. One of the following colours may offer you some options and inspiration – Resene Double Sea Fog, Resene Triple Black White, Resene Quill Grey, Resene Grey Nickel or Resene Silver Sand.

April 2021


Q. I painted my bedroom a beige a few years ago but am finding the colour uninviting. It is for a bedroom with very poor lighting. I have tried to adjust the lighting but it always feels dull/basement like. I am generally a fan of dark, rich colours. My office is the fabulous Resene Seaweed and my kitchen/dining is in Resene Half Masala. I have Resene Stonehenge in my living area. I want a darker colour for the bedroom but I am thinking of a deeper tan. Ideally something warm, cosy, lifting, relaxing, not too orange, not too bright and nothing insipid. I am also interested in suggestions of soft greens – eucalyptus or sage colours for a different project.

A. The following rich/tan/orange/old gold colours may offer inspiration and be a start point – Resene Dark Buff, Resene Sorrell Brown, Resene Sunbaked or Resene Colins Wicket.

Some greens for another project to try are Resene Peace, Resene Bud, Resene Ravine or Resene Green Spring.

April 2021


Q. I'm looking for three colours and I'm hoping you've got some suggestions. First, a mid-green, likely on the cooler side: this is to go in a kitchen with white cabinets. The kitchen gets full sun during the day through big windows. Second, a mid-denim blue for a feature wall in the living room next to the kitchen. And third, a soft white (not stark) that still looks clean for the hall connecting them. It's a 1930s house with lots of original wood details. The other rooms in the house will likely have a soft lavender (study) and maybe a lighter green or a blush (bathroom). The bedrooms haven't been decided yet.

A. The following cooler mid toned green colours may appeal to you – Resene Juniper or Resene Cutty Sark. A mid denim blue might be one of the following – Resene Biscay or Resene Bunting.

A soft white that will work with any of the previous colours might be one of the following – Resene Half Bianca or Resene Eighth Spanish White.

April 2021


Q. I am painting our house with Resene Half Stack. Which white will make it pop and be bright – Resene Alabaster or Resene Black White?

A. The best white to create the most contrast with Resene Half Stack might be a standard white – Resene White. But if you prefer a coloured white then lighter variants of the two colours you have mentioned may provide more 'pop' – try Resene Half Alabaster or Resene Eighth Black White.

April 2021


Q. We are having a tiny home put on our front lawn. Our house is orange and brown brick and the front fence is dark blue. The tiny house has a black roof and window frames so I'm looking for a colour that will match the colour schemes. I like Resene Designer White but wasn't sure if a warmer colour would be better suited.

A. Your house is warm toned (brown and orange bricks and the front fence is a warm dark blue) so I am not 100% certain about using Resene Designer White on the tiny house. The colour is cool blue/white with a subtle undertone of purple in it.

If you want the tiny house and the big house to relate harmoniously it may be better to think of a colour that looks well-coordinated. Perhaps one of the following whites might be considered – Resene Sea Fog or Resene Black Haze.

You could use exactly the same blue as your fence for the fascias, bargeboards around the roof line and perhaps for the door of the tiny house. That could help the tiny house look as though it belonged to the property.

April 2021


Q. We have a tiny kitchen and living area in one 20’ container. Outside are beautiful views of bush and sea. The exterior of the container is painted Resene Tangaroa, as are some of the cabinets. The look is sharp and clean but I’m struggling with interior colour scheme for walls/cabinets and benchtops. We also have an alcove for legs in the seating area. We don’t want anything too busy but to give a ‘wow’ factor.

A. You might consider using a crisp white for the walls and ceilings – try Resene Rice Cake.

If you have a few cabinets in Resene Tangaroa it could link quite well to the exterior. The rest of the cabinets could be the same as the wall colour so it makes a minimal impact and creates more light and space.

As the alcove is such a small, recessed area you could use a bright colour to create a bit of 'wow' – try Resene Green Smoke or Resene Twisted Sister.

Soft furnishings and accessories may be the best way to add extra eye interest.

April 2021


Q. We painted our nursery Resene Vista White and the ceiling and trims are Resene Half Alabaster. What colour would look good in the hallway that doesn't get a lot of light? Also we want to paint our bedroom and do a feature wall behind the head of the bed in a grey tone. The room isn't big. It gets lots of sun in the afternoon.

A. The following are some options that you might check out for the hallway – Resene Half Sea Fog or Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream. You could use the same colour as the hallway as the main colour in your bedroom for continuity.

Some soft toned grey ideas for your bedroom feature colour – Resene Whiteout, Resene Half Rakaia, Resene Half Surrender or Resene Quarter Silver Chalice.

April 2021


Q. I'm searching for the right blush pink colour for our bathroom, which has warm light wood colour flooring. We want something quite subtle – erring towards a mushroom pink and steering clear of baby pink/candy floss colours. The main wall colour we have used nearby is Resene Half Merino.

A. Sometimes mushroom pinks have a subtle beige, grey or mauve undertone. Is that what you are looking for? Try the following options – Resene Half Blanc, Resene Umber White, Resene Spring Wood, Resene Ebb or Resene Cest La Vie.

April 2021


Q. I’m painting the exterior walls of my house on Resene Dark Knight. The roof is Grey Friars. I’m looking for a colour for the window frames. I like Resene Iko Iko but I feel it’s too green. Is there a mustard yellow or similar colour that works?

A. You might check out the following colours that look really great with Resene Dark Knight – try Resene Tussock, Resene Stinger, Resene Noosa, Resene Karma or Resene Mai Tai.

April 2021


Q. I have painted the three bedrooms in my 1935 bungalow Resene Half Robin Egg Blue. I am looking for what colour or colours you would recommend for the lovely wide hallway, the lounge and dining room.

A. The following are some colour ideas that you might check to see if they appeal to you – try Resene Quarter Drought, Resene Smoky Green, Resene Quarter Heathered Grey, Resene Helix or Resene Half Orchid White.

April 2021


Q. I want to inject some colour into an office-turned-nursery. The room is small, probably about 5-6sqm, but is warm and gets all the morning sun. The furniture is off-white and we'll put a couple of white floating shelves on the coloured wall with natural baskets on them and some ornaments. I was hoping for a deep blue that also tones with the green fabric we'll be using to cover a chair, but don't want the wall to feel 'in your face' as the room is so small. I want the colour to be restful, not stimulating and definitely don't want an icy tone. We tried Resene St Kilda but it was a little bright for this room.

A. If you wanted a softer tone that is a bit similar to Resene St Kilda you might check out Resene Navigate. Or try a more subdued navy – Resene Bunting or Resene Biscay.

April 2021


Q. We have just put on a new COLORSTEEL® roof in Windsor Grey. We want an earthy colour to go with the roof and the rural setting.

A. Colours that look great in a rural setting with your COLORSTEEL® Windsor Grey might be like the following suggestions – Resene Waiouru, Resene Triple Ash, Resene Double Pravda or Resene Grey Area.

March 2021


Q. We have chosen (and started painting) exterior of our house in Resene Tiara with Resene Alabaster frames and are considering Resene Jurassic for the trim. We haven’t started roofing yet but are looking at Ironsand or Grey Friars. I prefer the former and it seems to work okay with the Resene Tiara but I’m worried it will clash with the Resene Jurassic.

A. I think that Grey Friars may be better than Ironsand. Grey Friars is a steel blue charcoal and it has a classical look. It sits well with Resene Tiara, Resene Alabaster and Resene Jurassic.

Ironsand is an olive/brown charcoal and has a warm earthy look to it.

March 2021


Q. We have a two storey house, with Siberian larch horizontal cladding on the top, which we would like to stain in Resene Woodsman Nutmeg. The ground floor is Shadowclad. What do you recommend we stain this? All the joinery is in FlaxPod.

A. I think you could stain the Shadowclad the same colour – Resene Woodsman Nutmeg – as the upper storey. It is the simple option. Or if you would prefer a deeper tone then one of the following may appeal to you – Resene Woodsman Banjul, Resene Woodsman Sheer Black or Resene Woodsman Tiri.

March 2021


Q. We need some colour advice on painting our board and batten house. We have Titania joinery and a New Denim Blue roof, so need to work with these colours. We want to keep it on the lighter side but still wanting a difference between the joinery and the house. We are thinking slightly warmer tone (not yellow) and not white. We were originally thinking stain but can't find a stain we like in a lighter colour.

A. You may find it difficult to find a colour (slightly warmer but not white but different to the joinery) as bright natural sunlight makes all exterior colours look lighter/brighter. I have included some greyer types of colours in the hope that they may prove useful as different to the joinery.

Some colour options that may appeal to you – Resene Bone White, Resene Atmosphere, Resene Archive Grey or Resene Greige.

March 2021


Q. What suggestions do you have to work with a new COLORSTEEL® Grey Friars roof? The aluminium windows and ranch sliders are brown (1980s build) and won't be updated. There's also one New Denim Blue ranch slider at the back of the house. I'm thinking of a light grey shade for the Hardiplank cladding, will this work? Are the guttering, downpipes, and baseboard best to be Grey Friars?

A. The following light greys may work well with Grey Friars and New Denim BlueResene Half Raven, Resene Freestyling, Resene Mischka or Resene Gull Grey.

If you can do the guttering, downpipes and baseboards in Resene Grey Friars or – slightly lighter – Resene Half Grey Friars – it will maintain a well-balanced look.

March 2021


Q. I am planning to paint the interior of my home. It is a large home with lots of large windows with views onto farmland. The aluminium joinery is Resene Lichen. Despite the large windows some areas of the home are quite dark because there is a veranda around the house. I want to reflect the green pastures around us so have chosen Resene Tana. I thought the doors (including cupboard doors) could be painted in Resene Double Tana, the rooms that are quite light and bright in Resene Half Tana (lounge and three bedrooms) and the kitchen, living and dining area and one bedroom in Resene Quarter Tana as these rooms are darker. The hall would be Resene Eighth Tana. I was thinking the ceiling could be painted in Resene Alabaster and the window frames in Resene Eighth Tana. I am stumped what colour to paint the door frames to ensure flow. I wondered about Resene Double Tana, same as the doors, but then wondered if they should be the same as the window frames.

A. The door frames could definitely match the door colour.

You don't mention the skirting boards. Does the house have skirting boards? Did you have any ideas about what you would use on them in different coloured rooms? The skirting boards meet the door frames so are you considering using the same deep tone of Resene Tana – i.e. Resene Double Tana – on them?

Or alternatively you could paint the skirting boards and door frames to match the colour of the walls so instead of highlighting them you would be merging the woodwork.

Have a think about all the doors, door frames and skirting boards and consider the impact in each different coloured room.

March 2021


Q. I am painting the interior of my new home with Resene Duck Egg Blue and a feature wall in Resene Blue Night. What white would you recommend for the ceilings and doors etc?

A. A few options of colours that are not too stark a white for you to try – Resene Double Alabaster, Resene Half Black White or slightly warmer/sweeter – Resene Half Blanc.

March 2021


Q. Please suggest bedroom wall colours. I am going with a navy blue and bright yellow wardrobe. We are a young couple with a baby and we like positive and quirky colour.

A. Everyone has their own ideas about positive and quirky but perhaps the following colours may appeal to you – Resene Delta Blue, Resene Quarter Moonbeam, Resene Tacao or Resene Unicorn.

March 2021


Q. We are trying to decide a colour for our weatherboards. The roof and gable ends are done in Resene New Denim Blue and Resene Kashmir Blue respectively with white trim. For weatherboards we think we’d like a very pale colour, not pastel blue, but something with blue undertones. We've tried a few testpots in pale blues and pale blue-greys but they all look like pastel blues on the wall.

A. You could look at a white like Resene Sea Fog or Resene Barely There. Or a pale silvery grey/white like Resene Mystic. Or try these neutrals – Resene Half Tea or Resene Quarter Bison Hide.

March 2021


Q. We have Resene Quarter Black White on the hall ceiling. We have painted the hall walls, frames and doors all in Resene Quarter White Pointer, hence it appears very stark. We wondered if we should paint the main doors and/or frames another colour.

A. Were you thinking perhaps of a colour like one of the following for the doors? Resene White Pointer or Resene Double Black White. It is often good to choose not too deep a colour as it unduly emphasises the doors and makes them a feature when you may not want them to be singled out that way.

Other ideas – using the walls as a gallery for bright coloured artwork and family photos would stop the stark look.

Or if you paint the walls a slightly deeper tone of Resene Quarter White Pointer – i.e. Resene Half White Pointer with the Resene Quarter Black White ceilings, wood trims and doors would also have stopped the stark look.

March 2021


Q. I’m looking at painting my bach with a Resene Candy Floss exterior with white windowsills and am also going to utilise Resene Stack underneath.

A. I think a slightly deeper colour, such as Resene Double Stack, may look better on the base to balance the very, very bright Resene Candy Floss.

March 2021


Q. I have a COLORSTEEL® Permanent Green roof and Permanent Green aluminium window framing. I want to paint the exterior of the house which is currently a yellow/cream colour.

A. You don't mention what type of colours you are interested in so the following are some random colours that may appeal to you – Resene Tea, Resene Napa, Resene Cloud or Resene Quarter Taupe Grey.

March 2021


Q. Would Resene Triple Sea Fog be considered a mid-grey or light grey?

A. Resene Triple Sea Fog is a pale warm stone/grey. It isn't deep enough to be referred to as a light grey.

If you are considering using it on an exterior it will appear a lot lighter – more like Resene Double Sea Fog which is described as a greyed white.

March 2021


Q. We want to paint our interior walls and trim (windows, door frames, etc). We would like to use a grey based white on the walls (e.g. Resene Alabaster or Resene Double Alabaster) and were after advice as to what colour to use on the trim with this.

A. If you want to make the wall colour appear very slightly more coloured then you could use one of the following whites – Resene White or Resene Quarter Alabaster.

March 2021


Q. I am having the exterior of my house painted. I have chosen Resene Pale Leaf for the main colour. I would like a creamy white for the windows etc. I had not realised how many different sorts of white there were! I am thinking that Resene Buttery White or Resene Half Scotch Mist would fit the bill.

A. The colours that you have mentioned as quite yellow based creams. Any colour with a definite yellow tone has a habit of taking over the colour scheme. Are you wanting the green and the yellow based creams to be nearly equal in dominance or do you want a bit more contrast between the green and a coloured white?

If you are interested in a slightly warm white (but not a definite yellow based cream) then perhaps you might consider one of the following colours – Resene Eighth Pearl Lusta, Resene Quarter Bianca or Resene Quarter Villa White.

March 2021


Q. I am trying to choose a white for my trims and doors. I am considering Resene Eighth Black White or Resene Quarter Rice Cake. I have a room painted Resene Quarter Napa and another Resene Quarter Tea. I’m not sure either white I picked up well and I want to paint the rest of the house a warm white grey. Can you please recommend a colour, perhaps Resene Half Surrender?

A. I think Resene Eighth Black White will work best for your trims and doors. If you were to use Resene Quarter Rice Cake it may look a bit yellow – especially if you tried it next to some of the greys. The following are some warm white greys for you to consider – Resene Triple Black White, Resene Quarter Delta or Resene Quarter Foggy Grey.

You mention Resene Half Surrender – it is a wee bit cooler in tone and has a silvery blue undertone.

March 2021


Q. We are renovating the top storey of our villa/beach bungalow which has lots of sun with attic type sloped roofing and wall panelling in the hall along the bottom half. We want a bright warm white that isn't yellow or blue and a contrast for the panelling.

A. The following are some bright warm whites that may appeal to you – Resene White Linen, Resene Half Albescent White, Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream or Resene Half Sea Fog.

The contrast colour for the panelling could be very simple – i.e. the same colour as the upper walls/sloped ceiling but in a Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss waterborne enamel instead of a low sheen or flat paint.

If you prefer a definite colour on the panelling so it is a feature you might consider one of the following colours – Resene Sandspit Brown (looks good with Resene Half Albescent White), Resene Quarter Drought (looks good with Resene White Linen) or Resene Quarter Tana (looks good with Resene Half Sea Fog or Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream).

March 2021


Q. I am doing up an old rumpus room for my craft space/office. The Pinex wall will be Resene Birthday Suit as I love it and that wall gets some morning sun. The other walls don't get direct sunlight. The ceiling is Resene Quarter Rice Cake and the windows/doors will be Resene Half Rice Cake as I want to use up some leftover paint. I’m struggling to find a warm lighter pink for the other three walls. I’m not sure if complementary colour Resene Cest La Vie works? It looks a bit odd with Resene Half Rice Cake. I like Resene Springwood but would that be ok?

A. If you have Resene Quarter Rice Cake on the ceiling and the windows and doors will be Resene Half Rice Cake then those colours will control what other options will work.

Have you thought of using Resene Half Rice Cake for the other walls? It works well with Resene Birthday Suit.

It is only when you try and use another pink colour close to Resene Half Rice Cake and Resene Birthday Suit that the plan starts to unravel. Resene Cest La Vie could be used to paint some furniture if you really wanted to use it.

You could also try this Resene Vintage as a feature with Resene Cest La Vie – they work well together and with Resene Half Rice Cake as well.

March 2021


Q. We want to stain the deck, screen and balustrades with colours from the Resene Woodsman range. We also want to paint the house in a couple of years. So the stain colour needs to coordinate with the future colours of the house not the present colours. We would like a colour palette for the house and deck. The roof will stay the same colour – Sandstone Grey. The preferred main colour of the house is a modern grey with blue in.

A. Try these stain colour options – Resene Woodsman Nutmeg or deeper toned – Resene Woodsman Bark.

Some blue/greys for the house might be one of the following – Resene Rhino, Resene New Denim Blue or Resene Grey Friars.

March 2021


Q. I am trying to decide on a splashback colour for a three sided splashback with 45 degree angles. It’s quite big overall so I do not want a bright colour. The kitchen walls are Resene Albescent White which runs through the rest of the open plan style house so it’s not easy to change without a major repaint. The kitchen cupboards were a dark aubergine colour and with the black granite benchtop and matai wood floor it made it too dark – it is west facing so the sun doesn’t come around until the afternoon. We had the cupboards repainted to Resene Black White to lighten up the kitchen. It is definitely a lot better but I don’t know what colour to do the glass splashback given I want it to lighten the room, or at least not darken the room. Do you have any ideas? I’m wondering about metallic paints? Or a very pale something?

A. There are two types of glass used for splashbacks.

Standard float glass has a green cast to it so all colours seen behind that glass are not true to reality.

Using that glass can be a shock to the system as what you can end up with isn't what you are expecting i.e. white looks like aqua/green. Crystal clear – starbright – low iron oxide glass is totally clear. Any colours seen behind that are exactly true to reality.

So if you wanted Resene Black White you could have Resene Black White but if you would prefer a metallic then the following are some options to consider – Resene Space Station, Resene Silver Aluminium or Resene Silver Steel. They are sparkly but neutral enough that they will work with any other colours.

March 2021


Q. We are about to paint the exterior of our house in Resene Double Concrete. We’re not sure on the right white to use on the window frames. The Resene Half Black White seems ok in tested areas. Can you advise which white would be best?

A. Resene Half Black White is quite good. If you wanted a cooler/crisper/cleaner white for more contrast you might consider using Resene Poured Milk.

March 2021


Q. I want to use Resene Quarter Sisal on the lounge windows/doors/skirting boards. What is a great colour for the walls? I like soothing colours. The lounge faces northeast and holds a lot of heat in summer. Would Resene Quarter Bison Hide look good on the walls?

A. If you are using Resene Quarter Sisal for the woodwork in the lounge it is a very definite colour which makes it harder to find wall colours that are harmonious. It could never be referred to as a flexible 'white'.

Any of the deeper variants of Resene Sisal will work as they are related. Full strength Resene Bison Hide would work but paler variants won't. Other options that may work are Resene Tea or Resene Fossil. Lighter variants of those two colours wouldn't work.

Most living rooms – especially the lounge – use Resene Zylone Sheen low sheen acrylic or Resene Spacecote Low Sheen water based enamel.

March 2021


Q. I painted my main bedroom in Resene Half Truffle and trims too. No feature wall. The smaller room off the main bedroom, I went with Resene Travertine. I now have the ensuite to paint and this is directly off the main bedroom and next to the bedroom that I painted Resene Travertine.

What colour options would tie in with these rooms?

The door trim and door in the bathroom is in the Half Truffle. So I need a wall colour and possibly a trim colour too for the wood around the shower that is now currently in a deep grae.

I do like the pink currently in the bathroom, so I could stick with it but repaint as it needs to be painted but it doesn't really match the Resene Half Truffle trim.

A. To harmonise and link the bedroom (Resene Half Truffle – mushroom beige) and the smaller room (Resene Travertine – acidic cream/green) off the main bedroom you might consider one of the following colours – Resene Rice Cake, Resene Blanc or Resene Eighth Truffle.

I recommend that the wood around the shower be painted to match whatever wall colour you choose.

March 2021


Q. We have a 1930s stucco home which we are wanting to paint the exterior in a very light greyish or crisp white colour (no hints of cream). Exterior wall colours we are considering so far are Resene Sea Fog and Resene Half Concrete. Do you have any suggestions of other wall colours with a similar look to these? Do you have any suggestions on what whites would go well on the trim with these wall colours? We are also considering painting the doors to the house and the garage door in Resene Grey Friars.

A. Resene Sea Fog is a slightly warm shaded white which works really well with paler variants of this colour – Resene Alabaster (same as Resene Eighth Sea Fog).

Resene Half Concrete is also a bit warm shaded but with a silvery slightly eel skin undertone – it looks wonderful with Resene Eighth Black White. Both of the light grey/whites can also be used with real white – Resene White.

Other light grey/white colours that may appeal are – Resene Athens Grey or Resene Quarter Surrender. These also work well with real white – Resene White and Resene Grey Friars.

March 2021


Q. I have a weatherboard bungalow-style house currently painted a light green with a very faded Karaka roof, white trims and a mid-grey veranda with white posts. I am on the edge of a greenbelt with lots of large green trees bordering my section, and my property also has a couple of big trees, greenery and lawns. My family are advising greys but I find them austere, and so many nearby homes are grey. I'm thinking of a greeny-grey main colour with a very dark grey roof? I like warm rather than cold shades.

A. Try these colours – Resene Lattitude, Resene Templestone or Resene Tapa. For the roof, try Resene Nocturnal, Resene Element or Resene All Black.

March 2021


Q. I’m looking for an exterior colour scheme for my house. It has a terracotta roof. It has just been rendered and it is near the beach, so I’m thinking a light, sandy white for the render. The trim is the problem and the big visual garage door. I quite like a Resene Duck Egg Blue kind of colour and colours like Resene Sea Nymph which I could perhaps use on the garage and front door. I am thinking of going to the Burleigh store to get some advice but thought I would try this first – thanks

A. Try these colours – Resene Quarter Parchment, Resene Quarter Foggy Grey, Resene Merino or Resene Double Sea Fog.

If you like Resene Sea Nymph, you may like Resene Juniper or Resene Unwind.

March 2021


Q. I am painting a north south room, which is going to be the spare bedroom. It only gets morning The house is mainly white. I just painted our north facing room Resene Inside Back – I love it! I want a colour that’s not cold or makes the room look too small. I checked out Resene Dusted Blue. Any other contenders?

A. You might consider the following colours – Resene Half Duck Egg Blue, Resene Half Emerge or Resene Breeze.

March 2021


Q. On our old villa we have Resene Eighth Masala with Resene Quarter Black White and an Ironsand garage door. What colours can I use on the interior to complement this? I am not keen on browns at all though, which I understand is an undertone of the Resene Eighth Masala? I would like to stick to predominantly greys with white trim but am open to suggestions.

A. The undertones of the Resene Masala palette are yellow/black – this creates a warm olive. Charcoal may not be so obvious in Resene Eighth Masala. You could continue using Resene Quarter Black White for all the woodwork trims and the ceilings as it works so well with greys.

You might check out the following warm greys to see if they appeal to you – Resene Quarter Foggy Grey, Resene Triple Black White, Resene Triple Sea Fog or Resene Whiteout.

March 2021


Q. We have a red brick house that has a weatherboard extension. We want to repaint the extension – but can't find many examples of houses with red brick next to weatherboards. What colours would you recommend?

A. It doesn't show your weatherboard extension but I see that you have dark earthy coloured window joinery so perhaps that may be a start point in regards to choosing a colour. The following are a few colours to check out – Resene Half Napa, Resene Double Truffle, Resene Ash or Resene Quarter Taupe Grey.

March 2021


Q. We are building in Otago. Our house will have views of lake and mountains. The house faces north and west and will have a lot of glass with tobacco oak floors. The joinery is black. What colour would you suggest for the interior walls? Should the trim be the same colour? What colour ceilings go well with the suggested colour? I was considering Resene Merino due to the lovely undertones.

A. Resene Merino is slightly warm, slightly earthy, very versatile and it has a subtle hint of green in it. If you use the same colour for the trims in a Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss waterborne enamel you will get a sheen difference rather than a colour difference for a contemporary look.

Or you could use a clean white, like Resene Quarter Alabaster, for the ceilings to highlight the lovely undertones in Resene Merino. Or try a soft tint of Resene Merino, such as Resene Quarter Merino.

March 2021


Q. I have an older house. My walls are Resene Eighth Bison Hide with Resene Half Bianca trims. I am looking for a white to paint the kitchen cupboards. I have kauri wooden floors and a black benchtop. There is also some Resene Half Masala on one of the kitchen walls. Can you please suggest some whites that would go well on the cupboards? The cupboards are currently a mushroom colour. I would like them brighter and crisper.

A. I note that you have already used Resene Half Bianca for trims. Have you considered using the palest variant of that colour – Resene Quarter Bianca – for the cabinetry? The practical reason for suggesting that colour is that if a whiter colour was chosen it may make Resene Half Bianca look creamy by comparison. If you don't mind about that happening then you could use Resene Quarter Alabaster for the cabinetry.

March 2021


Q. I am doing a renovation and I'm going to paint the exterior of my house after 25 years. My roof has recently been replaced with corrugated iron in Titania. I have black aluminium windows and a glass door. What neutral colours can I paint my external wall made with fibre cement board? How about the colour for fascia and guttering? I am not keen on buttery colours. I am thinking of staining the timber soffit and posts on the deck with Resene Woodsman Natural or Resene Woodsman Heartwood to blend with the oak tree and the greenery around.

A. I like your idea of staining the timber soffit and deck posts. Either colour could work but Resene Woodsman Heartwood may look quite orange. Would that worry you? Another option might be Resene Woodsman Nutmeg as it is browner and more like an oak tree.

Some options for the house to work with Titania and black joinery might be the following colours – Resene Climate, Resene Craigieburn, Resene Taupe Grey or Resene Kelp.

The fascias and guttering might be one of the following colours – Resene Quarter Titania (pale and related to the roof colour) or Resene Element (not as black as the window joinery).

March 2021


Q. Could you recommend a blue colour for a front door to complement a villa that has Resene Double Truffle weatherboards and white window frames?

A. Try out these few varied types of blues to see what suits you – Resene Wishing Well, Resene Fast Forward, Resene King Tide or Resene Bewitched.


Resene Fast Forward

Resene King Tide

Resene Bewitched

March 2021


Q. I would like to paint our living area and like Resene Smoky Green as a feature wall. Are there any lighter neutral colours for the other walls you would recommend? We are going to change the floor to a warm hardwood.

A. The following are some neutral colours that may appeal to you – Resene Milk White, Resene Half Albescent White, Resene Eighth Bison Hide or Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream.

March 2021


Q. I am looking at Resene Quarter Perfect Taupe on the walls but don’t know if it’s a good neutral greige colour – not too pinky or too yellow. I have Resene Alabaster on the ceiling.

A. Resene Quarter Perfect Taupe is a warm toned taupe. If you trial it by painting all of the testpot, two coats onto A2 card and move it around from wall to wall and watch how changing light – natural and artificial – alters it, you can see how it will look.

Some other options for you to consider if after testing you find Resene Quarter Perfect Taupe isn't quite right – Resene Half Cloud (slightly greyer/beige), Resene Quarter Tea (slightly warmer beige) or Resene Eighth Bison Hide (slightly more greige).

March 2021


Q. We are currently painting the exterior of our house using Resene Joanna as the main colour and Resene Double Tana for the wood around our green aluminium doors. We have a section of the house upstairs that we were thinking of painting a different colour, maybe something darker that would still look nice with Resene Joanna.

A. Perhaps one of the following might appeal to you and work well with your other colours – Resene Log Cabin, Resene Dragon, Resene Double Tapa or Resene Half Ironsand.

March 2021


Q. Could you please recommend a red front door colour to complement a villa with Resene Double Truffle weatherboards, a Grey Friars roof and white window frames.

A. I think it is time to investigate reds of rich depth and staunchness of spirit. You could try Resene Salsa, Resene Code Red or deeper Resene Smoulder or Resene Vanquish.

March 2021


Q. I am about to repaint my 50 year old Hardiplank home. The roof and garage door are New Denim Blue and all of the aluminium joinery is white. The house base is cement board and is very high in places, especially in the front of the house. I want to paint the house a light grey and am considering Resene Double Concrete but am concerned it may be too lilac – what would you suggest as other options? Should I paint the base the same as the house or go for the New Denim Blue? I was also thinking of painting the bargeboards, soffits etc white – which white would you suggest? I am looking for a clean modern look.

A. If you are concerned about the pretty almost lilac undertone in Resene Double Concrete then the following may provide you with alternative options – Resene Surrender, Resene Half Gull Grey, Resene Half Duck Egg Blue or Resene Quarter Dusted Blue.

A cool, crisp white for the barge boards, soffits etc might be Resene Poured Milk. The base of the house could be the same as the main house colour so the distinctive levels of house are pulled together in a better way or a softer lighter variant of the roof colour – i.e. Resene Quarter New Denim Blue.

March 2021


Q. We need to replace our 30 year old wooden front door. Ideally, we want to replace it with a fibreglass one that we can paint. The interior walls, skirting boards and window frames of our house are painted in Resene Double Sea Fog and the kitchen cabinetry is painted in Resene Quarter Tapa. We painted a sample with Resene Tapa and that looked good on the inside face of the front door but doesn't work that well on the outside. It’s not dark enough. The aluminium frame surrounding the front door is a very dark brown as it was 30 odd years ago. What colour would you recommend that would well on both sides of the door please? Would Resene Double Tapa work? We don't mind how dark we go so long as the colour works well on both sides of the door.

A. I think the important thing is to get the exterior colour just right. It doesn't have to be the same colour on the interior. The interior colour might be more related to the other interior colours.

Resene Double Tapa may be ok but all colours seen on an exterior have the definite potential to look much lighter/brighter than you might imagine they will do so perhaps test the following to see how they look – Resene Triple Tapa or Resene Gravel. Alternatively if you wanted to use a colour slightly more related to the door frame you might trial this one – Resene Double Ironsand.

March 2021


Q. We are renovating our early 1900s villa. We have chosen Windsor Grey for the roof and have warm white pearl window joinery. We are stuck on a weatherboard colour. We want the windows and trims to pop out white but many of the colours we have tried make the windows too cream or dirty white. We don’t want anything too dark.

A. Warm White Pearl – is definitely cream. The following are some options that are light but carry enough undertones so the Warm White Pearl doesn't look quite as cream – Resene Ecru White, Resene Eighth Napa, Resene Half Fossil, Resene Half Caraway or Resene Quarter Lemon Grass.

March 2021


Q. We want to paint the internal areas of our townhouse. So I start first with the open plan living area. The dining area opens out onto a front balcony (south/west) with floor to ceiling sliding doors so this is a very bright area with reflective glare from the whitish roofing of the neighbouring apartments. The lounge area once again with floor to ceiling glass doors opens up into a small courtyard area. The walls are high and are currently a worn whitish/cream colour. As I want to decrease the glare, I’m thinking a flat paint and definitely not white but rather an earthy soothing colour with grey/green undertones. On this level we have a powder room, a small kitchen which is to be renovated and a cupboard laundry. On the third level we have three small bedrooms two face SW and the third faces north. The two SW bedrooms are hot in the summer and open onto a front facing balcony with sunshades. The first level is the entry facing SW with staircase up to the living area. This is a darker area with just the front door and window.

A. A matt (flat) will definitely help to absorb the reflectivity and glare.

An earthy soothing colour (not too pale) in grey/green undertones that may appeal to you could be one of the following – Resene Titania, Resene Half Ash or Resene Triple Merino. Or try deeper tones to make a restful ambiance or as a feature wall using Resene Helix or Resene Templestone.

A versatile neutral to use in spaces that you want the flexibility to add other colours through soft furnishings, blinds, rugs, artwork etc or where the quality of natural light is dim could be Resene Merino, Resene Half Thorndon Cream or Resene Quarter Titania.


Resene Helix

March 2021


Q. I'm about to paint my bathroom walls white but I don't know what white to pick. The floor and feature walls are grey slate tiles, the celling and trims are Resene Alabaster. If it helps, the hallway outside the bathroom is Resene Alabaster and Resene Quarter Titania.

A. You have already used two 'whites' in your house – Resene Alabaster and Resene Quarter Titania – so they provide a start point. Slightly deeper variants of Resene Alabaster could be used – try Resene Double Alabaster or Resene Half Sea Fog (same as Resene Triple Alabaster). Or try warmer Resene Half Titania which will tie in with the colour used in the hallway and will enhance all the white bathroom elements.

March 2021


Q. I am painting the back wall of a room surrounded by Kauri forest in Resene Celery. What white colours work well with Resene Celery?

A. Try Resene Quarter Ecru White or Resene Rice Cake but if these whites which have a slight yellow/green undertone look a bit grubby beside the sharpness of Resene Celery you might consider one – Resene Double Alabaster or Resene Half Black White.

March 2021


Q. We are building a new house and the roof, garage door and joinery are going to be COLORSTEEL® FlaxPod. The house is going to be Resene Double Truffle. The garage and a very small area of the house will be covered in BGC board. I am struggling to get a colour for the BGC board that looks good with FlaxPod and Resene Double Truffle. I want another dark colour to complement FlaxPod but a lot of dark colours I have tried throw off other tones which I don't like. The best colour I have found so far is Resene Nocturnal but I'm not sure if it’s enough of a contrast? Would Resene Half Nocturnal be better? Or do you have another suggestion?

A. All colours are made with multiple colourants and bright natural sunlight and the differing aspects - N/S/E/W - makes the undertones more obvious as well as looking lighter/brighter.

Resene Nocturnal is very slightly lighter than FlaxPod. You might check out the following colours – Resene Windswept or Resene Baltic Sea.

March 2021


Q. We have a beach house. I have used Resene Regent Grey in the front bedroom which gets a lot of light and sun – we love it. I want to paint the back bedroom but wonder if this colour would be too dark for a smaller room that really only receives sunlight in the mornings. Should we add some white to lighten the Resene Regent Grey or could you suggest maybe a silver blue colour. We would like to keep the same blue hues if possible.

A. The back bedroom will need a lighter colour. All colours in an interior have the potential to double in depth. So even a half tone may still look a bit too deep.

Try these colours to see if they suit – Resene Dusted Blue, Resene Half Dusted Blue, Resene Casper or slightly greyer – Resene Half Gull Grey.

March 2021


Q. I need a green based scheme for a bedroom that gets lots of light. The only colours in the room at the moment are the carpet which is a light off white Bremworth. The skirting boards and the trim around the wardrobe which are Rimu. There is planting outside and an inner inlet view of sea and hills.

A. The following are some neutrals with a green undertone – Resene Half Thorndon Cream, Resene Half Titania or Resene Half Joanna.

Or some slightly more definite green colours – Resene Secrets or Resene Celeste.

March 2021


Q. What colour would best suit my roof? I've selected Resene Tea as the weatherboard colour. I would really like to know what roof colour would complement it the best, taking into consideration the red brick chimney. I firstly had suggested to me either Ironsand or Grey Friars. I'm not sold on either or those, as I found the Grey Friars has too much blue to it, and on the other hand the Ironsand is too brown. I came to a decision of using Resene Nocturnal... then after the roof was primed yesterday, we actually felt that it wouldn't look horrible in a lighter colour. So now I am truly lost as to which way to go. My painter has suggested Resene Mid Grey and I'm thinking more along the lines of Resene Steel Grey. Can I please have some suggestions as to which way to go – either light or dark?

A. A deeper colour – but not as black as Resene Nocturnal – might be Resene Windswept. It is a warm grey but not a dark olive brown charcoal like Ironsand. Alternatively a lighter grey colour might be one of the following – Resene Mid Grey – a warm mid toned grey, Resene Gauntlet – a warm stone/grey or much lighter – Resene Atmosphere – a light stone/ash grey. All of these look good with Resene Tea.

All colours on an exterior have the potential to look much lighter/brighter – often by as much as a half tone. This is often very noticeable on the roof because of the 45 degree angle to the sun.

March 2021


Q. I have a 1950 red brick and roughcast bungalow with a concrete tile roof (unpainted). There is a small amount of roughcast above the brick and again below the brickwork, and where the section slopes away there is more roughcast basement than brick. We have painted the fence adjoining the house in Resene Bokara Grey. The garage door is similar to Resene Masala/Resene Double Masala but with a hint of green in it and the windows are high gloss white, but we are struggling to choose a colour for the roughcast masonry. We like warm colours as opposed to cool colours.

A. The following colours are worth checking out – they may appeal to you and work with the fence colour and the garage door – Resene Quarter Bokara Grey, Resene Squall, Resene Suits or a bit lighter – Resene Dune, Resene Eighth Bokara Grey or Resene Touchstone.

March 2021


Q. Our house is quite old fashioned in colour with a minty green roof and joinery. How would you suggest modernising it with the wall colour?

A. The following colours are some modern mid toned neutral options that you might consider – Resene Triple Sea Fog, Resene Triple White Pointer, Resene Double Truffle or Resene Quarter Taupe Grey.

March 2021


Q. I’m wanting to paint a small bedroom with only a small window and doesn’t get much natural light. I need a colour to give the feeling of larger space. I’m thinking perhaps a blue shade. Or green.

A. If you wanted a lighter, warmer, more spacious feel to the room you might use drapes or blinds in a colour that look very similar to the wall colour – this will help make the room feel larger. And the colour might not be a green or a blue. It might be a warm cream/white so that any other colours in the room had precedence.

You might check out the following colours to see if any of them appeal to you – Resene Half Bianca or Resene Eighth Spanish White. If you have your heart set on a green or blue you might check out the following – Resene Surf Crest, Resene Rainee or Resene Slipstream.

March 2021


Q. We are having a tiny house built to go on beach section. We will also have a shed. We have decided on Grey Friars for the entire shed and therefore thought to tie in the cabin with a Grey Friars roof. I'd like a light grey for the Shadowclad exterior walls. The following colours have been suggested, but they seem similar to me – Resene Gull Grey, Resene Silver Chalice, Resene Double Ash or Resene Stack? It’s been suggested we look at warm white for the aluminium joinery.

A. Some greys with a slightly bluer undertone might be considered as they would work well with the steel blue undertones in the Grey Friars – try Resene Duck Egg Blue, Resene Quarter Regent Grey or Resene Half Grey Chateau.

March 2021


Q. I am going to reroof my house in Pioneer Red. I was opting for Resene Sea Fog on walls with a dark grey like Resene Double Gravel, but Resene Double Gravel doesn’t look quite right. What really dark grey near black would you recommend? I was also going to put some Resene Pioneer Red or something similar on trim. The house is a 120 year old big farmhouse villa with no neighbours around. I need a spruce up but want to keep it traditional.

A. A traditional look using a bright red and a white often favours using a dark green like Resene Palm Green or Resene Ivy Green. But if you like the idea of a very dark charcoal nearly black then you might check out the following – Resene Bunker, Resene Element or Resene Foundry.

March 2021


Q. Our 1910s house has a high stud, matai flooring, wooden sash windows and skirting boards (which we don't want to paint). The house gets morning sun but no late afternoon sun. We have painted the ceilings in the open plan kitchen/dining/living in Resene Quarter Albescent White and walls in these rooms are painted in Resene Half Albescent White. We are thinking of continuing with the Resene Quarter Albescent White for the ceilings and going for full Resene Albescent White for the walls in the hall and bedrooms. We would love your suggestions for a couple of complementary colours for these rooms. We also have rimu picture frames on the walls in the hall and bedrooms.

A. Some complementary colours for the hall and bedrooms might be like the following options – Resene Smoky Green, Resene Powder Blue, Resene Fast Forward, Resene Just Dance or similar to Resene Albescent White but slightly deeper – Resene Sandspit Brown.


Resene Fast Forward

March 2021


Q. What whites would go with Resene Cougar?

A. You might consider one of the following colours to see if they appeal to you – Resene Black White, Resene Sea Fog or slightly warmer – Resene Quarter Albescent White.

March 2021


Q. I have oak flooring and cabinets painted in Resene Double Alabaster in an east facing dining room. What grey would be best for the walls?

A. An east facing room only has a cool sharp natural light for a while first thing in the morning and as the sun rises the room may be in shadow. You will need to carefully trial colours by painting up large samples and watching how the changing natural light alters how the colour is seen.

The following greys may work with this type of natural light – but they may pick up a bit of green undertone so it is important to be aware of that – try Resene Quarter Delta, Resene Quarter Silver Chalice, Resene Triple Sea Fog, Resene Triple Black White or Resene Half Gull Grey.

March 2021


Q. I have just completed an art studio for painting above the garage. It has a low pitched ceiling and short walls. The main window is south facing. What would be two good colours to paint the ceiling and walls to reflect light and give an air of spaciousness?

A. You may find with a low ceiling and short walls that using exactly the same colour will blur the wall/ceiling definition and make the space seem larger. Had you thought of that? Using a slightly warmed white may help to make the southern natural light aspect more friendly and reflective – not as cool or grey.

Perhaps the following colours might appeal to you – Resene Quarter Bianca and Resene Half Alabaster.

March 2021


Q. I have a boundary fence in vboard around a pool area with light grey decking which is all new. I would like to paint it in a black or softer colour.

A. A slightly softer type of black colour might be one of the following – Resene Double Cod Grey, Resene Blackjack or Resene Double Foundry.

March 2021


Q. I would like help choosing a musk, rose, salmon type colour for the inside of a 1940s Mt Albert bungalow. I want to do white ceilings and a second colour right through the house, except for the bathroom and laundry. Some of the rooms are a bit dark.

A. The following could be main colours in the lounge and other living rooms – or only feature walls to add a soft salmon to the paler main colour – try Resene Sorbet, Resene Sazerac or paler for most rooms – Resene Half Solitaire.

The ceilings might be pure white – Resene White or a soft toned colour to merge in – try Resene Half Bianca.

March 2021


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