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.
Please refer to the actual paint or product sample. Resene colour charts, testpots and samples are available for ordering online.
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Q. I am looking for a soft blue based grey wood stain. I have teak furniture I’m trying to neutralise out the gold from. Something I can wipe on/off to see if I can cut through the orange/gold tone. I’ve sanded and prepped back as far as I can but there is still too much gold. I love that natural teak look. A. Try Resene Colorwood interior stain in Resene Apollo Blue. Resene Colorwood Reducing Base can be mixed with the stain to dilute and soften the effect – a few drops at a time. May 2023 |
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Q. We've painted our old villa as per the advice of one of the Resene consultants in Resene Rice Cake with trim in Resene Bianca and front door in Resene Nero with Resene Ironsand on the roof. The fences have all been painted in Resene Karaka but we want to go darker. A. I suggest Resene Bokara Grey – it will pair well with your house and roof – and is a fabulous background colour to plants and greenery. May 2023 |
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Q. I’m trying to get a smoky mirror look for my glass splashback. Probably in a grey colour. What Resene colour would you recommend I use for this? A. To choose a grey will not give you the mirror look – it will give you a grey splash back If you do decide to go for a grey splashback then deeper greys will be better, to create a moody, smoky effect. Try Resene Westminster, Resene Fuscous Grey or Resene Baltic Sea. You can also investigate metallic greys from the Resene Metallics and special effects chart. May 2023 |
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Q. I am looking at exterior colours for a house in the Australian bush and am drawn to your colour Resene Wabi Sabi. Do you think this would work? Can you recommend a palette? A. Yes with a complementary palette Resene Wabi Sabi might look great! Consider these colours as options to pair with Resene Wabi Sabi – Resene Merino, Resene Rocky Point, Resene Hollyford Track, Resene Times Square, Resene Noir, Resene Epitome, Resene Rice Cake or Resene Exactly.  Resene Epitome  Resene Hollyford Track  Resene Rocky Point  Resene Exactly  Resene Wabi Sabi  Resene Times Square  Resene Noir May 2023 |
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Q. I want to paint over our textured wallpaper in order to lighten the colour in the house. My ceilings are currently Resene Quarter Pavlova. What would be the lightest – whitest colour I could use on the walls without making the yellow in the ceiling noticeable? A. Colour on ceilings tends to appear darker – due to the way the light falls on to the surface – or lack of – therefore going too light or clean on the walls will always accentuate the ceiling colour and any undertone of yellow. A muted off white with a hint of grey and green might help to neutralise the ceiling colour – neutrals to try are: Resene Thorndon Cream, Resene Double Rice Cake or possibly a muted white such as Resene Chalk Dust – however this might be too light. May 2023 |
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Q. I want to paint our house black a matt black. I’m unsure of what colour but a suggestion would be great and I need to stain the deck. A. Resene Black or All Black seem to be the most popular exterior blacks – Resene Black is neutral – not as deep as Resene All Black because it doesn’t have the blue tint which Resene All Black appears to have. Consider using CoolColour paint – depending on the substrate – this will help to detract the sun’s harmful rays from the substrate, therefore reducing heat related issues. May 2023 |
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Q. Just wondering whether you might have some suggestions for us with regards to the walls of our new build. I’m firstly looking for a white that has a slightly warm feel and quite like the idea of Resene Quarter Rice Cake. We then have feature walls (Laminex scallop profile) in the lounge and master bedroom where I’d love to use an subtle oatmeal colour – something nice and tonal to the white. Would you have any recommendations on a colour that would work? A. See if any of these lovely oatmeal tones work for you – there are deeper variants as well of some of these colours – Resene Creme De La Creme, Resene Half Fossil, Resene Thorndon Cream, Resene Half Parchment or the deeper Resene Awaroa Bay. The colour you choose can appear different from a master bedroom to living room – due to the aspect of lighting. E.g. In a brightly lit living room the golden undertones might be enhanced, in a south facing bedroom the beige or red undertones might be enhanced. Resene have a colour library of A4 swatches of colours in-store – which you can view the colours and compare tones. The staff at the Resene ColorShop will be happy to help you find the suggested colours. Consider Resene Half Rice Cake as well as Resene Quarter Rice Cake – Resene Half Rice Cake has slightly more warmth and might pair with the oatmeal tones better – you might like to then use Resene Quarter Rice Cake for other spaces that don’t have the oatmeal feature.  Resene Creme De La Creme  Resene Awaroa Bay May 2023 |
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Q. We are re cladding our bach in Omaha with COLORSTEEL® Thunder Grey. What colour would look good for the joinery? I find black far too heavy with the Thunder Grey. I’m thinking Resene Half Bokara Grey maybe? We will also have a louvre tec out the front. I’m thinking a Resene Concrete type colour for that? We have lots of greenery around. A. Try Resene Times Square – it has similar tones to Resene Half Bokara Grey but is more grey, where Resene Half Bokara Grey might appear more brown. For the louvre tec I suggest Resene Atmosphere. May 2023 |
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Q. We are redecorating our interior and have used Resene Triple Sea Fog on the walls and Resene Alabaster white on windows, skirting, scotias, ceiling and existing kitchen cupboards – we are very happy with the results. What could we use for the benchtop colour? A. I recommend a warmer/grey toned bench top to pair with your new scheme – Resene Friar Greystone or Resene Ironside Grey. May 2023 |
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Q. We are re-doing our bathroom. It’s quite a small room. The fittings will be quite standard – simple white acrylic shower box and a white wall hung vanity with a native timber floor. I am thinking of a very light green wall colour for the walls. I have done testpots of Resene Quarter Beryl Green and Resene Swansdown, but I’m still unsure how it will look and if it will look too full on and odd against the white fittings. A. The soft greens you are looking at – shouldn’t feel overwhelming as you do have the timber for warmth and the white to break the colour. Resene Swans Down might be a bit clean and cool for your bathroom. I suggest you try Resene Beryl Green, Resene Green Spring or Resene Tasman – the latter being greyer but a lovely bathroom colour. May 2023 |
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Q. I'm renovating my bathroom and would like to create a limewash effect on the walls. We've got a dark colour on the walls right now and I was just wondering if there is any way we can just paint over it with the desired colour to achieve the limewash texture? Or if I'd have to repaint the entire bathroom and start from scratch? A. Provided the current paint coating is a water-based paint, then once the surface is clean Resene FX Paint Effects Medium can be used in conjunction with a lighter colour than your existing wall to create a limewash effect. Testing the colours and technique on to A2 card first is recommended. May 2023 |
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Q. Do you have a metallic paint that looks like stainless steel to paint kitchen drawers and some cabinet doors? A. Yes we do – Resene FX Metallic paint and the colour I suggest is Resene Silver Steel. Resene Colo Shops have large swatch books with the metallic colours to view in store – perhaps talk to the staff about preparation and application techniques while in store. May 2023 |
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Q. I want a warm beige for my bathroom (small area), 2710 x 1810. I looked at Resene Quarter Bison Hide which may be a bit dark with different lights so thought would go with Resene Eighth Bison Hide. Do you think that would be good? It seems to look okay on card but I’m trying to imagine it all over. I have neutral wood grain vanity and cork tiles for flooring. What would you suggest for trim with Resene Eighth Bison Hide. I’m also thinking of the trim working for the rest of the house, doors, window frames, skirting. A. Resene Eighth Bison Hide is a lovely beige and will pair well with your existing elements – I suggest pairing it with Resene Eighth Rice Cake for trims to keep it light and fresh but with a very slight hint of warmth, opposed to a grey white. May 2023 |
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Q. Please suggest a warm colour for one wall in tiny bathroom with a lot of wood and tiles. A. I suggest Resene Tua Tua if it is only one wall – it is warm and will pair well with the wood – alternatively you might like a lighter neutral such as Resene Spanish White or Resene Half Spanish White. May 2023 |
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Q. We have decided to paint a new renovation Resene Duck Egg Blue and just wanted some guidance regarding the roof/skirting colour. We were wanting a white that would look really bright and fresh. We requested our painter use Resene Quarter Alabaster but he has come back suggesting Resene Alabaster instead. I am not good at visualising colours and wanted to see if Resene suggests a trim/roof colour for Resene Duck Egg Blue? A. Yes Resene Alabaster will be fresh and bright paired with Resene Duck Egg Blue. Resene Alabaster is one of Resene’s top selling whites for ceilings and trims. May 2023 |
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Q. We would like a white/cream colour for windows to complement Oamaru stone? A. Resene Bianca, Resene Half Bianca or Resene Quarter Bianca pair well with Oamaru stone – depending on what other colours are existing, such as the roof. May 2023 |
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Q. We are in the process of building and have decided on a white exterior with feature FlaxPod window and door joinery. The majority of the exterior wall is Rockcote which we have decided on Resene Rice Cake, to be paired with a Gull Grey Colorcote roof. We have feature James Hardie vertical cladding at the front of the property and I’m wondering what white would provide a slight point of difference while still working with Resene Rice Cake and Resene Gull Grey? Our building colour consultant has advised of Resene Triple Merino. Would these colours gel or clash side by side? A. Resene Rice Cake is a warm white without appearing too yellow – and Resene Triple Merino has a subtle, warm grey undertone – so they will pair together – especially on an exterior where whites tend to lighten and brighten – so the contrast is less noticeable so to speak. They both pair well with the other elements you have chosen – roof/joinery. May 2023 |
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Q. I have painted cupboards in Resene Tusk. What would be a good choice for walls? It’s a well-lit small room modernist mid-century style house by John Trengrove. I’m thinking something light? Would Resene Merino or Resene Double Merino work? Or thinking a combination of these colours? A. Resene Double Rice Cake or Resene Rice Cake might pair better – the Resene Merino family might appear a bit ‘muddy’ next to Resene Tusk. May 2023 |
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Q. We have a small villa and I want to paint the exterior weatherboards in Resene Woodrush with a natural colour deck. What other colours would you put with this for sills and trims? A. Try Resene Maire, Resene Bastille, Resene Incarnadine or Resene Burnt Sienna, a neutral such as Resene Creme De La Creme or a gold green like Resene Tarzan. Resene Creme De La Creme  Resene Incarnadine  Resene Tarzan May 2023 |
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Q. The interior of our house is painted Resene Quarter Foggy Gray but this colour seems a bit dark in our hallway which does not get much natural light. The ceiling is Resene Half Black White. The skirtings and floor is natural wood. Can you recommend a lighter grey that would still match in with the rest of the house. A. Try Resene Triple Black White, Resene Double Sea Fog or Resene Triple Sea Fog. You might also like to try Resene Half Concrete or Resene Quill Grey. May 2023 |
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Q. I am looking for a light grey colour to paint the majority of the walls in my house. I need a shade that would work well with cool and warm decor if possible? A. Try Resene Concrete, Resene White Pointer, Resene Quarter Truffle, Resene Eighth Friar Greystone or Resene Sea Fog – there are lighter and deeper variants of these colours. The deeper variants tend to be warmer – these light greys will morph into warm or cool, depending on what colours you combine them with. They will appear darker in certain aspects so test on to A2 card and attach to the walls of different rooms – you might find you need a combination of greys – perhaps two.  Resene Eighth Friar Greystone May 2023 |
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Q. Will Resene Black White or Resene Alabaster go better with Resene Ironsand? This is for the plaster walls on the exterior of our house. The timber cladding around the doors and windows will be done in Ironsand to match the existing joinery. A. I suggest Resene Black White – it is slightly more grey and therefore will be less glare than Resene Alabaster. I also suggest testing Resene Double Black White as colours including whites lighten and brighten outside. May 2023 |
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Q. I have bought Resene Quarter Grey Friars for the roof but I’m worried it will throw mauve/purple. We have used Resene Mid Grey before on a tin roof and it was great but this house has decramastic tiles and light colours I’ve seen on them, tend to look plasticky. I’m wondering is there a darker version of Resene Mid Grey? Or can you add black to make it a bit darker but keep the same tone? It’s to go with all black and white. A. A deeper version of this colour to try is Resene Scarpa Flow or Resene Ship Grey. Perhaps try Resene testpots of these and the Resene Quarter Grey Friars painted onto A2 card and hold near the roof to see if undertones are being enhanced. Generally Resene Quarter Grey Friars will throw blue, if anything – but colour is a chameleon and with light and adjacent colours – it can morph into something unexpected – testing the colours first is the best advice. Also consider Resene Half Grey Friars and Resene Grey Friars – deeper shades can throw less blue. May 2023 |
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Q. My home is a 1930s bungalow with vertical weatherboards and a row of fibre cement panels (beneath the weatherboards). There are gable bay roofed windows so the roof colour is visible. There was a communication mix-up and my new roof is COLORSTEEL® Ironsand. The weatherboards are being painted Resene Triple Concrete. The trims and joinery are Resene Black White. We were intending on painting the fibre cement panels the same but could change to try and tie in the roof better. What would recommend? A. I suggest you paint the window panels the same as the vertical weatherboards – the change of substrate creates interest and I feel you will only enhance the change in colour if you highlight these cement boards – the scheme will all pair together regardless. May 2023 |
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Q. I am looking for a light feet colour to paint the majority of the walls in my house. I need a shade that would work well with cool and warm decor if possible? A. Try these neutral colours – Resene Blanc, Resene Half Albescent White, Resene Quarter Sandspit Brown, Resene Quarter Fossil or Resene Eighth Joss. You can dress rooms appropriately to enhance cool or warm tones by the soft furnishings, fabrics and accessories you choose. Lots of texture will add warmth. May 2023 |
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Q. We would like to change the exterior colour from brown to black/dark grey or white to modernise the house. What would you recommend and do we paint the whole house, including the bricks. A. A dark grey will work – painting the bricks will truly modernise the house and that will be further achieved by painting the house one colour – the windows and garage door will be the accent and I recommend painting the eaves and fascias a soft white such Resene Wan White. Try Resene Fuscous Grey or Resene Double Stack for the exterior. May 2023 |
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Q. I need to paint the roof of our small cottage. The outside walls are Resene Half Bokara Grey. Trims are white and it has silver aluminium joinery. What colour would look great on the roof? A. A lighter roof will tie in the joinery and not overwhelm the cottage. Try Resene Atmosphere or Resene Gauntlet. May 2023 |
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Q. We have a 1950s weatherboard painted white with clay roof tiles. It sits on rendered brick. I would like to paint the rendered brick, but I’m not sure what colour will go with the clay roof and white weatherboard. A. Try a grey which is neither too dark or pale might appeal – Resene Silver Chalice, Resene Kensington Grey, Resene Double Silver Chalice, Resene Shuttle Grey or Resene Ship Grey.  Resene Double Silver Chalice May 2023 |
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Q. I have selected Resene Half Tea for the render on my house, but I need assistance with choosing a fence colour and a colour for my soffits, patio ceiling and eaves. I am keeping the black gutters and existing roof. I am replacing the garage door with a door in the colour Southern Cedar. I was thinking of COLORBOND® Monument for the fences and the letterbox but I am concerned that it would be too hot. My kitchen window looks onto the patio and is a very hot area in summer especially as I have the neighbour’s roof above the fence. Would you have any suggestions from the Resene range that would be suitable for my fences. I would also like a suggestion for a nice white colour for my patio ceiling and eaves. Also my painter has suggested using a membrane paint on my render to cover and minimise the small cracks I have. Does Resene have a membrane paint for render? A. Resene Mondo, Resene Half Masala or Resene Sandstone might be lovely – all toning with Resene Half Tea and not being too dark to look at from the kitchen window. If you are concerned about heat retention – investigate Resene CoolColour paints – which help to reflect more heat than the normal version of the colour. For the patio ceiling and eaves consider Resene Quarter Black White. Resene X-200 is an acrylic weathertight membrane that is a popular finish on render. May 2023 |
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Q. I intend repainting a studio/sleepout. It is in a peaceful garden setting, birds on the trees outside the deck doors etc. Do you have suggestions for colours? There is a small bathroom off the main room. I’m thinking of light green or light blue, is a feature wall a good idea? I will recarpet also. Keeping the relaxed atmosphere is important. A. I don’t feel a feature wall is necessary – colour can be introduced via accessorising. See if these soft Resene green and blues appeal – Resene Half Secrets, Resene Quarter Periglacial Blue, Resene Quarter Robin Egg Blue or Resene Half Emerge. May 2023 |
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Q. I am painting the outside of my bungalow and am looking for a white with a touch of either soft green or duck egg blue – can you recommend some to try please? A. See if any of these colours appeal – please note that colours outside tend to look up to 30% lighter – Resene Celeste, Resene Green White, Resene Ottoman, Resene Half Secrets, Resene Zumthor, Resene Saltpan or Resene Quarter Duck Egg Blue. May 2023 |
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Q. I am wanting to limewash bedroom walls in my house in greige type colours. Can you please help me on which colours I need to get this look? The current wall colour in the room is a light bluey/green colour. A. Try the Resene Truffle palette. Using Resene FX Paint Effects Medium as your topcoat – you can read about this product online – it is a tintable glaze used to obtain a variety of broken finishes, including limewashing. It reduces the intensity of the colour – so always choose a colour a couple of shades darker to achieve the desired outcome – e.g. if you like Resene Truffle as your overall colour then choose Resene Double Truffle or Resene Triple Truffle. May 2023 |
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Q. We are renovating our house into an open plan layout. The ceilings and trims will be in Resene Alabaster, walls in Resene Lemon Grass and entrance wall in Resene Foundry. I’m stuck on an interior door colour. A. Try Resene Sea Fog, Resene Black White or Resene Quarter Linen. May 2023 |
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Q. We are looking to paint our living, kitchen and dining walls and roof in Resene Half Alabaster and the trims in Resene Alabaster. It is a large 11m x 5m room with large north windows. I just wanted some feedback if this is a good colour combination? Or should it be the other way around? A. Yes it is a good combination – the north facing aspect and large windows, may create a warm glow across the room at times – but this creates a nice ambience, rather than using a cooler white. May 2023 |
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Q. Our aluminium joinery is Rangoon Green and our roof is Thunder Grey, I want ideas for the house, sills and under eaves. My preference for the main exterior colours is something in grey shades with a lighter/neutral colour for sills, eaves. A. Rangoon Green has a green undertone. Try it with these greys – Resene Tino Pai, Resene Delta, Resene Foggy Grey or Resene Quarter Delta and pair them with Resene Merino or Resene Half Merino.  Resene Tino Pai May 2023 |
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Q. I am looking to use Resene Wishlist and Resene Boost as colours for feature walls in my house. I would like your advice on a white palette that would go with these. It would be great if you can suggest a white where I can choose how dark or light it is. e.g. the Resene Tea range. A. Check out the last leaf of the Resene fashion colours fandeck – it consists of whites from Resene Merino through to Resene Half Alabaster. This complete range of whites will pair well with your blues – you can also introduce Resene Double Sea Fog for a bit more grey if desired. May 2023 |
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Q. I am painting my 1920s bungalow in Wellington and I am wondering about Resene Half Rice Cake. I used Resene Quarter Rice Cake inside and it works very well. I prefer a white colour but given Wellington’s weather, I don’t want a colour that looks a mucky white. The house is north facing, the street entrance is south facing. Would you recommend Resene Half Rice Cake for the exterior? A. The Resene Rice Cake family are popular interior colours – however, Resene Rice Cake for exterior weatherboards also works well – colours, including whites do lighten and brighten outside – especially with a north facing aspect. Perhaps consider testing Resene Rice Cake and Resene Half Rice Cake for your bungalow. It is not recommended to test colours directly on to existing substrates/colours unless you undercoat an area first – with a product such as Resene Quick Dry, as the existing colour might alter the perception of how the new colours will appear in reality. May 2023 |
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Q. Is there a Resene colour that would be a match or a close match with COLORBOND® Mangrove? A. The closest match is Resene Raptor – however, it is not a perfect match – it is darker. Alternatively, you could enquire at your local Resene ColorShop regarding a custom match to COLORBOND® Mangrove – if they don’t have a formula on file, a sample might need to be supplied for staff to organise a match for you. May 2023 |
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Q. Can you advise, our lounge is going to be painted with Resene Akaroa and we want to do an accent wall in blue? What would you recommend? A. Resene Rulebreaker or Resene Astronaut have a slight violet undertone which will pair well with Resene Akaroa. May 2023 |
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Q. I'm getting ready to paint our dining area, which currently is Resene Cleopatra I think. The dining area opens off a hallway that I've painted Resene Astra. I have enjoyed the Resene Cleopatra dining room for years but now it really doesn't flow comfortably from the Resene Astra hallway. Other colours that will be used in the kitchen and lounge areas in the same open-plan space are Resene Bleach White and Resene Washed Green. A. Perhaps the Resene Cleopatra is a bit too gold – I feel the colour needs to have a bit more caramel to it – staying within the mustard family is a good idea so there is some consistency to the scheme – see if Resene See The Light or Resene Twine works for you. May 2023 |
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Q. We are trying to decide on which shade of white for our exterior for our new house. We have FlaxPod for our roof and joinery with accents of Damper cedar from the Wood-X range. We have seen Resene Black White but think it may be too bright. Another suggested tone was Resene Wan White. Any suggestions? We'd love a modern look. A. Yes Resene Black White might be a bit ‘glary’ as whites do tend to appear brighter in natural light. Resene Wan White is a little warmer (without a hint of cream) and is more suitable for the exterior. As whites do brighten on the exterior, perhaps consider Resene Double Sea Fog – this has a little bit more grey to it – but will pair with the other colours, remembering it will also lighten outside. May 2023 |
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Q. I am repainting my steel roof. What roof colour would match copper gutters (the gutters are copper colour i.e. a dark brown colour)? We have white weatherboards, white wooden joinery and white PVC downpipes. The house is mid-century modern, close to the beach with views to the sea and in Auckland. I wonder if a type of grey would work as I see many new roofs that are grey? A. Try a neutral grey – not too light or dark – so that it pairs well with the lighter substrates, but with enough contrast – the copper spouting can then be a feature of its own, rather than blending too much by using a warmer roof colour. The colour I suggest you try is Resene Windswept. If you are concerned about heat retention – investigate using Resene CoolColour paints – this will help to reflect more of the sun’s harmful energy away from the substrate, reducing heat related issues. Alternatively, lighter colours which you might like to test are Resene Gauntlet (slightly lighter) and Resene Atmosphere (much lighter). May 2023 |
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Q. I am looking to have rafters in Monument and two columns in a light eucalyptus green, like Resene Off Green. There are also beams in the mix, and I think they would work in a colour that would complement both the Monument and the light green to help the transition. It's a 70s house. What other colours would you suggest? A. I suggest considering painting the beams the same green – so the columns don’t become the main feature and dominate the interior – the beams connect with the columns. There are other colours in the mix already – such as the bricks, floor, timber and drapery. You have a fabulous interior and I don’t feel you need to add too many accents – you can always add colour later – an option might be to choose a stronger green for both columns and beams, which complements your existing colours such as Resene Gingko, Resene Green Days or Resene Tarzan. May 2023 |
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Q. I’d love to paint my daughter’s room a subtle muddy rose pink (not too yellow, not too pink). Her room doesn’t have much natural light though. A. Resene colours to try are: Resene Despacito, Resene Bone, Resene Cest La Vie, Resene Pearl Bush, Resene Ebb or Resene Contented. May 2023 |
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Q. What white paint colour would go best with Titania aluminium joinery for the interior of my home? I want something quite neutral? A. Resene Black White, Resene Double Alabaster or Resene Half Sea Fog could all work – depending on natural light – one might appear cooler such as Resene Black White in south facing or low light rooms – and depending on what colours you pair with Resene Half Sea Fog it might appear warmer or slightly cool. May 2023 |
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Q. We have just purchased a small (house 80 square metre) property and are trying to decide exterior colours – green/greenish tones seem to be the only colour range that my husband and I currently agree on. We are both ok with a light/whitish colour on the spouting and eaves and on the deck balustrading to lift it a bit. It has a drab and unloved exterior at the moment. It is an investment property. We are intending to spray the roof as well. A. I agree a green/grey will look good! For the roof I suggest Resene Grey Friars. For the main cladding see if any of these appeal: Resene Ash, Resene Quarter Tapa, Resene Quarter Foggy Grey or Resene Half Lemon Grass. With the above greens for the white I suggest, Resene Black White. May 2023 |
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Q. I would love a recommendation on the colours for our new place. We are thinking Resene Half Athens Grey or full Resene Athens Greys for the walls and a white for the trim – do you have any recommendations? We do want something that goes well with timber. A. I recommend you try Resene Quarter Truffle – it will pair well with the rich wood. I suggest Alabaster for the ceilings. Warmer tones might pair a bit better with the richness of the wood. Resene Athens Grey and Resene Half Athens Grey might be too blue and cool – you might like to try Resene Wan White – it is a cool toned grey/white but has a warmth to it and might balance the warmth of the wood – if you prefer to go this way. May 2023 |
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Q. I am considering either Resene Merino or Resene White Pointer for our interior. Can you tell me which of the two colours is a warmer shade? I like the look of Resene Merino but I'm unsure the look of it will suit in bigger areas. Will Resene White Pointer appear grey in larger areas or areas with not so much light? For the ceilings in either of these colours would you go Resene Double Alabaster? Our ceilings are 2.3m. A. They both have a hint of warmth – but I would suggest Resene Merino is slightly warmer as it is less grey and can be paired with many cool or warm accents. Yes Resene White Pointer will appear more grey in darker areas. I suggest Resene Double Alabaster for ceilings with Resene White Pointer and Resene Alabaster with Resene Merino. May 2023 |
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Q. I am based in Melbourne but redoing up a house to move into in Oamaru. I am finding it hard to work out a colour scheme from over the ditch so want some advice. I quite like an airy modern winery retreat style. We will be fully repainting the house as well as redoing the carpet, adding floorboards and curtains.
I want to be able to maximise the feelings and natural light in each area of the house. The house does get a lot of nice sunlight. The kitchen and master bedroom room gets morning sun, and the lounge room, entrance get evening sun. The dining room is the middle of the house and doesn’t get too much light. I wondered about making the colouring throughout the home more modern by using a fresh white/grey? My only concern with this is during the winter months of down south not wanting the house to feel too ‘cold’. We could make the dining area moodier using darker coloured walls? With a darker coloured carpet and lighter floorboards through the entrance and dining and kitchen area – what would you recommend doing for neutral whites for the home, and then some darker tones to pair with different feature walls etc? Also, with the master bedroom which gets morning sun, we want to keep the room colours neutral but not necessarily white – do you have any recommendations for this? A. To pair with your kitchen, and because you do have good light I suggest investigating a grey/white – most of these do have a cool undertone but there are whites such as Resene Milk White or Wan White which have a hint of warmth. These whites might appear cooler or warmer depending on what you pair them with – so lots of texture, like wood and layering fabrics will help to keep the ambience feel warmer. For the master bedroom consider using a warmer white such as Resene Rice Cake, Resene Double Rice Cake or Resene Half Sandspit Brown, then you might like to bring in a taupe such as Resene Quarter Heathered Grey for the dining room. May 2023 |
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Q. We are building a house with a plaster exterior with a concrete finish. I have Resene Element on the roof and windows and can't decide on the plaster colour. I thought maybe Resene Triple White Pointer, Resene Double Spanish White or Resene Quarter Truffle. A. Resene Triple White Pointer will pair well – Resene Double Spanish White is too yellow and Resene Quarter Truffle is a bit warm with Resene Element. May 2023 |
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Q. Could you suggest a COLORSTEEL® roof colour to go with a cottage painted in Resene Bokara Grey with white windows. I’m thinking one of the greys but whatever you would recommend. A. I suggest COLORSTEEL® Sandstone Grey (Resene Gauntlet), it tones with Bokara Grey and balances the white windows. May 2023 |
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Q. I am considering either Resene Merino or Resene White Pointer for our interior. Can you tell me which of the two colours is a warmer shade. I like the look of Resene Merino but I'm unsure the look of it in bigger areas. Will Resene White Pointer appear grey in larger areas or areas with not so much light? For the ceilings in either of these colours would you go Resene Double Alabaster ? Our ceilings are 2.3m. A. They both have a hint of warmth – but I would suggest Resene Merino is slightly warmer as it is less grey and can be paired with many cool or warm accents. Yes Resene White Pointer will appear more grey in darker areas. I suggest Resene Double Alabaster for ceilings with Resene White Pointer and Resene Alabaster with Resene Merino. May 2023 |
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Q. We would love a recommendation on the colours for our new place. We are thinking Resene Half Athens Grey or full Resene Athens Grey for the walls and a white for the trim – do you have any recommendations? A. Investigate Resene Quarter Truffle – it will pair well with the rich wood. I suggest Resene Alabaster for the ceilings. Warmer tones might pair a bit better with the richness of the wood. Resene Athens Grey and Resene Half Athens Grey might be too blue and cool. You might like to try Resene Wan White – it is a cool toned grey/white but has a warmth to it and might balance the warmth of the wood – if you prefer to go this way. May 2023 |
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Q. What colour trim and windows should I use if my exterior is Resene Quarter Iron? I originally had Resene Quarter Silver Chalice and Resene Alabaster which I loved but it was a little too dark for me as the house faces south. I’m happy with Resene Quarter Iron as it’s soft and lighter. I was thinking about Resene Half Alabaster for trim. This is on a weatherboard cottage style house in the southern Highlands NSW. A. Yes Resene Half Alabaster will pair well with Resene Quarter Iron. May 2023 |
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Q. Could you tell me if Resene Terrain comes in a half colour? I also want the kitchen cupboards to be a white or maybe a quarter or Resene Terrain – what would you suggest? A. It is possible to have Resene Half Terrain mixed – a sample will need to be organised via your local Resene ColorShop. Investigate Resene Celeste, as an alternative – it is a lovely grey/green. I suggest Resene Half Sea Fog for your kitchen cupboards – it is a classic white, without being too bright and might make decorating easier, if you want to create changes later. May 2023 |
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Q. We are renovating our lounge/kitchen to be open plan, and 've just chosen Resene Black White for the ceiling and Resene Half Rakaia for the walls with Resene Quarter Rakaia from trims (skirting boards, windowsills, door frame). I'm wondering what I should do for the walls, door colour and hallway adjacent to the lounge (i.e. the door from the hallway to the lounge)? Should the door (a cavity slider) be the same as the walls, the trim or the ceiling in the lounge? And for the hallway that leads into the lounge, I was thinking of using Resene Quarter Rakaia (because it has limited light compared to the lounge which has lots of natural light), but I'm unsure what this means for trims/lounge door – can I use Resene Black White for the trims in this area or do the trims need to be the same as the lounge? A. Doors, including cavity sliders traditionally are the same colour as the ceiling – but with the endless architectural styles today – this isn’t always ideal. It is very usual to have the doors the same colour as the trims, walls or even a feature. Consider how you want the entrance and hallway to appear when entering your home – a white cavity slider and doors can be the first thing that jumps to the eye. I suggest for your cavity slider and doors using Resene Quarter Rakaia – generally the finish is a semi-gloss, where the walls are typically low sheen – so this creates another dimension without changing colour from the trims. The hallway is a transitional area and leads to the other rooms so where possible I suggest painting the trims the same as the rest of the house – so there is continuity – in bedrooms and separate rooms as such, it is easier to change the trim colour, without disruption. As there is less light in the hallway and different sheen levels from wall to trims – you may still get a slight contrast between walls and trims. May 2023 |
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Q. We're currently looking to do some concrete wash walls, just wondering if you'd be able to recommend some paint colours to achieve this effect? A. To achieve this wash I suggest Resene FX Paint Effects Medium as your topcoat – applied as a colour wash technique. Colours to test are Resene Thorndon Cream as your basecoat (two coats) with Resene FX Paint Effects Medium tinted to Resene Quarter Friar Greystone or Resene Half Friar Greystone. As Resene FX Paint Effects Medium tends to soften the colour – these combinations will create a warmer feel. For more of a concrete colour, but not blue/grey, consider the basecoat as Resene Half Concrete with Resene Double Concrete as the topcoat mixed into Resene FX Paint Effects Medium. Practicing techniques/colour combinations onto large card is always recommended.  Resene Quarter Friar Greystone  Resene Half Friar Greystone May 2023 |
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Q. Will Resene Quarter Silver Chalice still work if we have a galvanised roof? I’m also after a front door colour choice. A. Resene Half Silver Chalice will pair better with a galvanised roof – this is a very popular colour and look as well. It still gives you that soft Hamptons feel – colours lighten on exteriors in natural light. For the front door consider a complex contrast such as Resene Armadillo or a softer effect such as Resene Double Stack. May 2023 |
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Q. I am looking for the most popular colour combinations for a successful house sale. I need iInternal and external colour. This is a reno southern highlands cottage in NSW. We will have a walnut stain timber floor throughout and the veranda will be stained in a walnut two shades lighter. This house sits down on the lower side of the street. we want an upmarket Hamptons/soft light fresh welcoming home feel. A. A very popular colour combination for a Hamptons theme and to suit your home is: Resene Nocturnal for the roof with Resene Quarter Silver Chalice for the weatherboards and Resene Double Alabaster for the trims, windows and doors, including the finial (attached to bargeboard). For the interior – soft whites, duck egg blues and soft grey greens will work – consider Resene Half Rice Cake for walls in main areas, with Resene Alabaster for ceilings, trims and doors. It is safe to include shades of Resene Duck Egg Blue perhaps for the living room, and a green such as Resene Half Emerge for the master bedroom – consider a soft grey for the bathrooms such as Resene Quarter Rakaia. Homes are rarely one colour throughout – even to sell – as long as the colours are not offensive and work together well. Also think about how you dress the rooms – which the above colours I have mentioned are ideas to work towards, for soft furnishings, fabrics etc and of course lots of texture and white gives the Hamptons feel. May 2023 |
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Q. I've got kitchen walls in Resene Pearl Lusta and would like your advice for a darker contrasting colour to paint the kitchen cupboards. A. See if any of these Resene colours appeal: Resene Eighth Masala, Resene Double Tea, Resene Quarter Stonewall or Resene Terrain. Paint A2 card with two coats of Resene testpots leaving an unpainted border around the edge and attach to the cabinets. Please do not test colours directly on to the cupboards as the existing colour might influence how the new colours will appear, once the kitchen is completely painted. May 2023 |
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Q. We have a brick house with New Denim Blue joinery and roof. We want to paint the gables, any ideas for a more modern look? A. See if any of these colours appeal: Resene Half Delta, Resene Eighth Masala, Resene Eighth Arrowtown, Resene Half Stack, Resene Cloudy, Resene Half Truffle or Resene Triple White Pointer. I suggest you paint the gables and column the same and keep the soffits white. May 2023 |
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Q. What red colour would go well with Resene Eighth Pavlova on the interior walls of a mid-century house that has rimu polished floors? A. Check out Resene Rudolph or Arriba – both will look great with Resene Eighth Pavlova. May 2023 |
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Q. I am trying to choose a grey colour to paint my office walls in and was just wondering if all the grey tones are cool colours or are some warmer than others? A. There are definitely warmer greys – these are less blue or green toned greys and lean towards a beige – then there are some greys which have a silver edge which can be manipulated to appear warmer or cooler – even rooms with cool colours on the walls can be visually warmed with layering texture and colour – ceramics, natural fibres, dried flowers, wood and art – it really depends on the aspect of the office and the amount of natural light – for low light rooms or south facing rooms – if you want a truly warming comfortable space then nothing does it like a warmer tone on the walls. Darker greys tend to be warmer as well because basically there is less white and more saturation – but to bring life to the room – layering texture and adding pops of colour is the best approach. Darker greys do not always work for an office environment. Perhaps for your office choose three greys which appeal to you – paint A2 card with two coats of Resene testpots and attach to the walls to see what works in the space, and consider how you want to accessorise the office, and what you have to work with. May 2023 |
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Q. We have a two storey weatherboard home painted in Resene Grey Chateau. The boxed corners, soffits, windowsills and window frames are white, Resene Half Black White and Appliance White. We are completely stuck with knowing what colour to paint our front fence and would love some help. The front fence is plain picket-style and quite close to the house. A. As the picket fence is close to the house and your colours are lovely and soft I suggest painting the picket fence to match the windows and trim, or you could go a bit deeper to Resene Black White so the fence isn’t glaringly white. You might also like to test Resene Double Black White - picket fences look lovely white or a shade thereof. If you were considering Resene Grey Chateau and its lighter variants – this might draw attention to the trims and windows rather than the fence complementing the overall scheme. Perhaps do a few pickets in a couple of options and see how it works for you. May 2023 |
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Q. We are recladding our house. The cladding colour is going to be Resene Double Foundry, the joinery is charcoal. The roof we have painted FlaxPod but this colour seems to change from a blackish colour to brownish in different lights. I am now uncertain about the cladding and roof colour match. How do you think this will look once the house is fully painted? We got these colours from another new build and the FlaxPod on that house didn't seem to have the brownish tinge. I’m thinking now that Resene Grey Friars might have been a better match. A. FlaxPod is a brownish black to be honest – the warmth will be enhanced in certain lights – and I suspect this is because FlaxPod is on your roof, where the new build had FlaxPod on the walls? Regardless if the house is not facing the same aspect and the light is different – colours can appear differently. Yes Resene Grey Friars is probably a better match with Resene Double Foundry – which is a fabulous exterior colour. The red brown undertone of FlaxPod might be enhanced next to Resene Double Foundry which has a blue undertone. I suggest a slightly warmer toned cladding colour such as Resene Noir or Resene Nocturnal with FlaxPod. May 2023 |
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Q. I need to paint our new front door. The colour of our weatherboards is Resene Half Fuscous Grey. I was thinking of going towards black as that would work on the inside or bright colour. The inside of the house is small so the door can be seen internally. It’s mainly Resene Quarter Thornton Cream and white trim joinery with oak flooring but is adjacent to a black wire staircase. There is a red based Persian carpet at the entrance. I hope you can come up with something. It’s a quirky 80s house which we have renovated. A. Investigate Resene Black Sand or Resene Wild Thing – or perhaps there is a colour in the Persian rug that could be pulled out for the front door. May 2023 |
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Q. We have an older (1960’s) holiday home in Wanaka. The kitchen and open plan living area (for starters) is about to get repainted. Currently all whites which we like. The kitchen joinery is a denim blue with silver trim. There is one wooden island bench and one large stainless steel bench. Silver pearl aluminium window joinery. Which white colour shades would you recommend for the walls, ceiling and the wooden joinery and doors and skirting boards? A. I suggest a grey/white for the walls with a little bit of depth to balance the lovely strong elements – denim blue and stainless – try Resene Sea Fog. I suggest keeping it simple and painting the wooden joinery, ceilings, doors and skirtings – try Resene Double Alabaster. Resene Sea Fog does have a grey undertone but it morphs from cool to warm depending on what you pair it with – for your architectural style I don’t suggest going too white for the walls, but you might like to investigate the lighter variant – Resene Half Sea Fog, perhaps with Resene Sea Fog on the doors and Resene Double Alabaster on the ceilings, wooden joinery and skirtings. Generally the walls are low sheen, ceilings flat and the woodwork semi-gloss – so the varying sheen levels helps to create interest between the white shades. May 2023 |
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Q. I have a 90s three storey Lockwood home. Most of it is clad in white aluminium boards and there are three external Californian redwood feature walls. These have been stained in a typical 90s red brown as it the garage. They were very weathered and I want to paint them to make it look a bit more modern. These walls have a deck around them which is being redone in Resene Woodsman Decking Oil Stain in Resene Natural. The balustrade is painted in Resene Ironsand CoolColour. The roof is a similar colour to Ironsand. We are surrounded by native bush and other trees so the environment is very green. I would like a lightish grey that will look good with the deck and with Ironsand. I’m probably tending towards blue in the grey rather than green, but would consider comparing some colours. I don't want something that looks too much like dove grey. Do you have any suggestions? A. Investigate these Resene soft greys – Resene Double Concrete, Resene Quarter Foggy Grey, Resene Quarter Tapa, Resene Half Friar Greystone or Resene Quarter Friar Greystone. Colours tend to appear lighter outside. Resene Quarter Friar Greystone Resene Half Friar Greystone May 2023 |
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Q. I am needing some help to choose colours for our decking and handrail to complement our house. On our house we have used Resene Bokara Grey for the battens with some accents of Resene Quarter Masala on facias. The window and door frames we used Resene Triple Merino. Do you have suggestions for our two storey decking handrail and decking that would work with the black and white on the house. I’m a little stuck. A. I suggest tying the colours together for the railings and deck – so Resene Triple Merino for the railings and consider staining the deck if possible – Resene Iroko – check with your local Resene to see if staining is suitable – it does depend on what is on the deck at present and preparation – otherwise consider Resene Quarter Masala for the deck. Resene have CoolColour paints which I suggest if you do decide to paint your deck – CoolColour paint uses clever pigment technology to reflect more of the sun’s harmful rays away from the substrate, reducing heat related issues and keeping the deck cooler underfoot. Alternatively you might like to choose a lighter colour to paint such as Resene Foggy Grey. May 2023 |
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Q. Is Resene Double Bianca the same as Resene Quarter Dutch White? Would Resene French Grey be nice in a bedroom with one of the two trim colours I mentioned? I used Resene Athens Grey in my bathroom. I also like Resene Duck Egg Blue. A. No they are not the same colour – Resene Quarter Dutch White is more yellow cream, where Resene Double Bianca is a warm off white. Yes Resene French Grey could look lovely in a bedroom, with either of those colours for trims. May 2023 |
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Q. I am looking for a very unique and specific colour to paint my room and was wondering if you have something in this range or can make a colour up? So the colour I'm thinking of is for a room (office/bedroom) that is about 4x3. It is a very clean colour that is a pearly white with a little bit of pink/purple. Basically I'm thinking of something that is closer to a white colour with a bit of a pinky/purple hue. I don't want it glossy or anything – it should be matte. But with a pearly swirl to it (not glitter). A. Resene FX Pearl Shimmer is a waterborne pearlescent glaze which you can apply over standard Resene colours to soften the effect of the colour and create a lovely shimmering wall finish. Base coat colours to try are Resene Divine or Resene Petal – and is a little deeper than Resene Divine – but the Resene FX Pearl Shimmer will soften the colour – so it is best to do samples first.  Resene Petal May 2023 |
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Q. I’m looking for a colour to match our bright green colour in our new branding. Do you have a matching colour or could you create some paint based on this? It's for an internal wall for our new offices. A. Typically the signage colours are Pantone colours which Resene do have some matches to. If at all possible the best result would be to get the Pantone number from the branding company who designed your logo – then contact a Resene ColorShop and they can confirm if they do have a match existing – otherwise they will arrange a match for you – this needs to be done via a Resene ColorShop – so the formula is on file when ordered. Or we can suggest a close Resene colour if you have a physical sample. May 2023 |
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Q. We’re repainting our roof with Grey Friars and our exterior walls with Resene Quarter Silver Chalice. Our new windows are Matt Appliance White. We have the possibility to paint around the windows and are looking for a white to match the Matt Appliance White of the windows. Any advice? A. Try Resene Sea Fog (slightly darker) but colours including whites do tend to lighten and brighten outside – or you could test the slightly lighter Resene Half Sea Fog or Resene Black White. These tend to be the three whites people choose to go with Appliance White. Or you could ask your Resene ColorShop to tint the Resene version of Appliance White for you. May 2023 |
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Q. We have chosen Resene Eighth Biscotti for our interior walls (looking for more warmth). What colour I should do the ceiling and framework? In the past I have used the same colour but our ceilings are quite low and I don't want to close it up too much by going all one colour. A. Try these four whites – Resene Quarter Bianca, Resene Eighth Rice Cake, Resene Eighth Blanc and Resene Half Alabaster (crisp white, but an option). Please note that colours on ceilings can appear slightly deeper due to the fact that ceilings appear in shadow – the four suggestions all have slightly different undertones – test them on to A2 card and place near the Resene Eighth Biscotti to see how they appear in the natural light. May 2023 |
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Q. We have gone for Resene Half Scarpa Flow for the base of our house and are very happy with that. We want to do a highlight of pink for the art deco highlight stripes across the front piece of the house. Do you have an idea of what shade of pink to do in view of the rest of the house being Resene Quarter Silver Chalice and Resene Half Scarpa Flow? A. I am going to suggest five types of pinks/pale terracotta as colours do tend to lighten outside. I suggest testing at least three of them to see which you prefer – try Resene Paper Doll, Resene New York Pink, Resene My Pink, Resene Awaken and Resene Just Dance.  Resene Awaken  Resene Just Dance May 2023 |
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Q. I have a rustic home in the tropics. In keeping with the cabin flavour and all the wood and bamboo half walls, I am painting the walls of the living room in Resene Eighth Canterbury Clay, which looks wonderful with all the wood. The bedroom will be Resene Quarter Robin Egg Blue. I want a crisper white for the ceiling, can you suggest some whites that look good with those two colours? A. I suggest you try Resene Eighth Pearl Lusta (has a slight warmth to it to go with the wood) but is fresh and clean or for a crisper white try Resene Alabaster. May 2023 |
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Q. What are some practical but also fun/whimsical or creative ideas for making over a home office space – whether it’s a whole room, and outdoor shed or a nook in the corner of another room? A. Working from home you have the freedom to paint your space any colours you want! What’s more you can paint your desk, cabinetry, shelving and surrounding objects in colours which spur action and happiness! This is where you can have fun with colour and experiment with all surfaces – highlighting ceilings, woodwork and furniture. There are all sorts of areas being utilised as a ‘home office’ from outdoor sheds to integrated cabinets – just keep in mind the impact of colour, the purpose of the space (is it multi-functional?), check out the amount of natural light, the size of the space and whether you want the office to feel warm and cosy or light and breezy. Paint effects are a great place to start if wanting to inject some fun into the functional pieces – cubicles, storage and desks can be stencilled, painted with geometric shapes or simply up-cycled with Karen Walker Chalk Colour paint. You might opt to keep the walls neutral to enhance natural light and create a free flowing shape across a wall to really lift the room or a checkerboard pattern on the floor – this creates visual interest without clutter. Mid to dark colours in small spaces can pack a punch and make a huge impact through tone and depth of paint – Blues and greens work particularly well – the blue spectrum of light activates and awakens our brains, making it a perfect colour for our home office – this is an opportunity to saturate all surfaces with a green or blue – and let colourful objects pop or keep walls neutral and introduce these colours via furnishings and accessories. Resene Upside is a mid blue which will work well for the walls or a desk – team it with Resene See The Light for an alcove and Resene White Noise and Resene Butterfly for the ceiling. Resene Vantage Point is a rich green colour which could envelop the walls of an office, green is easy on the eyes and feels natural for a workspace – team it with Resene Colorwood Natural for furniture, Resene Aoraki for trims and artwork with greys, charcoals and soft blues. Resene Otter is a warm salmon brown – pair it with neutrals and blues such as Resene White Pointer and Resene Takaka to create that cosy vibe without being too expected. Natural light energises your body and mind – enhance brightly lit offices with whites and soft neutrals – layer in hints of calm grey blues and greens or a pop of black and a bright accent. Try Resene Kinship with Resene Alabaster for trims, pair with a strong black like Resene Black Sand, Resene Colorwood Natural wood stain for storage with a black and white checkerboard floor. Accent with a pop of Resene Wet N Wild and Resene Drop Dead Gorgeous or Resene The Ritz. Don’t forget the practical stuff such as creating an interesting talking point for the background of your zoom calls – consider a neat and tidy storage cubicle or shelving displaying keepsakes and colourful objects, plus books or fun boxes for storage. If you have travelled and have some fabulous pictures you can rotate these; wallpaper and painted canvas are other options – just be aware that bright colours for expansive areas, such as your walls, can be distracting and the end goal is to focus.  Resene Aoraki  Resene White Noise  Resene Kinship  Resene The Ritz May 2023 |
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Q. I thought to ask you another colour question as you helped us with our colours previously – Resene Ayers Rock, Resene Tic Tac Toe and Resene Bandicoot. We are loving these combinations and our window doors and windows are now ready. We were thinking Resene Decadence on the doors but wondering what off white colour to choose for the windows. What do you think? A. Consider Resene Aviator for the blue – it might tone a little bit better but it depends on the lighting. I recommend testing both Resene Decadence and Resene Aviator. For the off white I suggest Resene Half Sea Fog with these colours.  Resene Tic Tac Toe May 2023 |
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Q. We are building a replica villa on a one acre section adjoining a golf course and looking to the Southern Alps. Can you give some recommendations of some colour options for the exterior that would look good with two natural cedar gable ends and tie in with the surrounding area? Other houses being built nearby are more modern barn style houses, mostly FlaxPod COLORSTEEL® cladding. We had wondered about going for a Resene CoolColour (e.g. Resene Element) for the weatherboards with a whitish trim and dark roof, but could also go for a more traditional light coloured look. A. Can you tell me please if the window joinery is Aluminium and what colour has been chosen? Also with new builds generally there is a LRV restriction for weatherboards – which means choosing fairly light colours. You will need to check with your builder or council to see if a dark colour such as Resene Element, or similar in a Resene CoolColour paint, is going to be accepted and not forfeit any warranties. Resene Element is the equivalent to COLORSTEEL® FlaxPod and was developed to suit natural New Zealand environments – in fact it sits well in suburban, coastal or rural settings. I do feel Resene CoolColour Element will work well – or a slightly softer grey taupe such as Resene CoolColour Fuscous Grey from the Karen Walker Paints collection. For the roof it really depends on whether you want the house to stand out from the surroundings or blend – white trims are a great idea – perhaps a softer white such as Resene Sea Fog. May 2023 |
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Q. We have started painting our whole house. I have done the bedrooms so far in Resene Black White with a couple of feature walls – one in Resene Dusted Blue and another very dark grey blue – I can't recall the name!. Now we're ready to paint the hallway, living area and second lounge but we are wondering if the Resene Black White might be too impractical and a bit stark to continue with. Especially as we have three very young kids!! Can you recommend how we could continue on without making our house look disjointed? Any other colour suggestions for living areas that could work well with the Resene Black White bedrooms and bathrooms? And would we be best to do the hallway Resene Black White too (as all bedrooms come off the hallway and it is quite narrow/dark). Also we have a blue kitchen from early 2000s if it makes a difference. Or would the Resene Black White look okay and last okay with three rough young children? A. I suggest warming the hallway up slightly but still remaining with an off white which tones with Resene Black White – try Resene Wan White. Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen is a waterborne enamel which I suggest you investigate for your hallway walls – it is water based, but it has an oil carrier which means it is durable and easier to clean than a standard acrylic paint – it is also low VOC (volatile organic compounds). For the living room and second lounge consider a break from the blues and perhaps introduce a complementary green such as Resene Half Robin Egg Blue – this will pair well and be serviceable – or consider a pale grey blue such as Resene Half Duck Egg Blue – you may even want to paint just one of the lounges in a colour. May 2023 |
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Q. We have a white washed ply ceiling, sandy like flooring with a feature wall in Resene Bokara Grey. The large room captures loads of light. What white would you recommend to work with Resene Bokara Grey and a lightly whitewashed ceiling? A. Investigate Resene Eighth Rice Cake or Resene Quarter Rice Cake – they are whites but have a bit of softness which will balance with the warmth of the Resene Bokara Grey and sandy floor. May 2023 |
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Q. We have a villa with high ceilings and we want to paint our living room which has a fireplace wall, a built-in bookcase and a bay window. The ceiling is kauri, mid-brown. I'm really stuck on paint colours. I don't want to paint it in something that looks cold and stark or too dark – it's north-west facing and gets nice light so I want to keep that nice feel. But because the ceilings are high, I wonder if white or a very light colour on the walls would make it feel less cosy. Personally I don't suit pale colours so they're not what I usually gravitate towards – I usually wear cool bright colours. As you can see I'm very conflicted! I'm wondering what you might suggest? A. Yes I agree that whites and off whites sometimes can appear less cosy – however in a north/west facing room, being quite bright light – this generally wouldn’t be an issue – if the room was south facing or has a easterly aspect then a white or an off white can appear lifeless. There are warmer whites to consider, and these pair well with Kauri, but any yellow undertone might be enhanced. Clear bright colours – might also be enhanced in North facing rooms – so they appear brighter and more intense – complex muted tones will feel cosy and offset the clear light – perhaps you could introduce bright accent colours – with soft furnishings, linens and accessories. See if any of these colours appeal – Resene Half Cararra, Resene Chalk Dust, Resene Perfect Taupe, Resene Half Fossil, Resene Soft Amber or Resene Foundation.  Resene Foundation May 2023 |
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Q. I want to have a more interesting look in my renovated bathroom and toilet (thinking I need some more colour). We're also doing our other bathroom this year so wanting some advice there too. I really like the deep navy colours but not sure if it'd make the space look too small. A. I suggest a soft duck egg blue to go with the taupe tiles (and artwork) in your bathroom and a deeper blue for the toilet. The bathroom walls try Resene Duck Egg Blue with Resene Watermark for the toilet or Resene Periglacial Blue for the bathroom walls with Resene Half Smalt Blue for the toilet. You could try a navy but I feel this might look a bit too dark with low lighting or some navy hues have undertones of purple which can be enhanced with certain lighting. Depending on whether you are renovating the floor of the hallway – a navy botanical wallpaper might work for the toilet – to be effective it will need to be on all walls. If wallpaper is of interest to you investigate the range of wallpapers Resene have online or at your local Resene ColorShop. May 2023 |
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Q. We just removed old carpet in our living room which revealed what I think to be pine floor boards. The timber has not been coated/sealed previously. We've hammered all existing nails into the boards and filled in all the holes and now we are ready to sand and stain them. I really like Resene Colorwood Mid Greywash and Resene Colorwood Whitewash but am not sure which stain would look best in comparison to the high timber ceilings (which will eventually be stained to match). I’m also considering the timber floorboards throughout the rest of our house (which look a bit yellow). Which stain colour would you recommend to use? A. If you are staining both the ceiling and floor to match then I suggest the Resene Colorwood Whitewash might be effective – unless you like the idea of a grey ceiling. It is advisable to do samples, so you can practice with the wash – if you have any off cuts of timber you can source, even better.  Resene Colorwood Mid Greywash May 2023 |
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Q. We are looking to choose house paint for a home we are building in Coatesville. Are you able to let me know the latest trends in whites and if you should look to paint the trim and ceilings a different colour? I would be interested in the latest interior trends and the best whites to use for a modern, yet warm look (recognising our house is in the country, so surrounded by farmlands). A. Both cool and warm toned whites are being used – because one white will not necessarily suit one style or aspect of a space – for example your rural setting and being surrounded by a lot of greenery – the warmer whites with a soft hint of warmth are modern and will complement the green outlook – where a grey white might feel a bit cold and uninviting. There is a trend to paint the ceilings and trims the same colour to create a cosy atmosphere – but if you want to enhance the ceiling height or trims – then a brighter white than the walls is often being used. Consider these warm whites for your walls – Resene Rice Cake, Resene Half Rice Cake, Resene Merino or Resene Half Merino – for the ceilings and trims investigate Resene Alabaster. If you do decide to paint the ceilings and trims the same as the walls then consider the lighter variants – Resene Quarter Rice Cake, Resene Half Rice Cake or Resene Half Merino. May 2023 |
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Q. What are 3 or 4 great colour combinations or design ideas that bring a wintry comfort to interiors but would work year-round? A. Most of us want to embrace the bright, cherry season of summer and create a warm, cosy feel for winter – these are the two seasons where switching up colour and decor is most beneficial – you can start introducing the winter or summer palettes at the beginning of what I call the ‘in-between seasons’ spring and autumn – basically these two seasons are softer versions of winter and summer – rotating decor and playing around with the colours that represent the seasons is one of the best ways to effortlessly change the feel of a room as seasons change – you can let nature guide you. Most decorators don’t want a new colour scheme every season, so therefore it is important to consider the colours choose for your own home – Neutrals and whites which can morph between cool or warm are stunning background colours for all seasons – balancing the darker, richer tones autumn and winter bring, while keeping the rooms bright and fresh for summer. Painting your walls with a white which has depth or a hint of yellow undertone, will lend rooms to an overall feeling of warmth for those winter days, especially when layered with pattern and texture, but can be easily manipulated to feel cool and crisp when switching out to summer decor. If you like more colour on the walls consider complex neutrals. Resene Kinship is a warm, off white-nearly beige, which can be mixed with deep greys for winter such as Resene Four Winds and Resene Westminster, and accented with a luscious red such as Resene Pandemonium, or teamed with lighter blues, whites such as Resene Sea Fog and steel metallics for summer. Resene Stepping Stone is a light grey and beige blend – it pairs well with warm browns such as Resene Porter and Resene Courtyard accented with mid greens and copper browns like Resene Waiouru and Resene Trek. In summer switch out these accents for crisp whites and rich blues. Resene Contour is a lovely soft olive green – a great colour for the winter palette and with its hint of yellow undertone, can easily be morphed into a summer palette – team it with deeper earthy tones such as Resene Rocky Point, lighter lime greens like Resene Nirvana, accented with ochre greens such as Resene Bullwhip and warm whites like Resene Rice Cake. In summer botanical prints and Resene Colorwood Mid Greywash stain for flooring with Resene Colorwood Natural for furniture, will bring in the summer vibe. There is nothing more cocooning than deeper walls – try a room with moody brown walls such as Resene Outlaw paired with neutrals like Resene Rockbottom, Resene Epitome and Resene Rice Cake, off set with greens such as Resene Vantage Point – add soft pinks and natural sheer curtains in summer. Adding texture and pattern through wallpaper and fabric, can change the feel of a room instantly without having to change your entire colour scheme each season – bringing seasonal pieces from outdoors in, twigs in a vase in winter, sunflowers in summer, switching up scents with room sprays and candles, spice and vanilla in winter to sea salt and linen in summer, and creating ambience with paint, lamps and rugs are all ways to switch up rooms, but even one or two of these changes can make a huge impact. Resene Epitome Resene Kinship  Resene Four Winds  Resene Stepping Stone Resene Mid Greywash  Resene Courtyard  Resene Contour  Resene Vantage Point May 2023 |
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Q. Could you please advise which colour swatches I would look at to choose a warm grey. Our room is small and reasonably dark. A. You might like to investigate the Resene Friar Greystone family or Resene Stepping Stone. Resene Stepping Stone  Resene Friar Greystone May 2023 |
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Q. We are renovating our first floor consisting of a north/west facing kitchen, sitting room and lounge and north east bedroom and south facing bathroom and laundry. Across the north/west section of the house there are large windows looking out to the sky and sea. The floors are rimu and we have a large tan couch in the living room. The house was built in the 1960s, has architraves and skirting boards and the rooms are large and airy. The inside joinery has been painted the current paint colour, so will also need to be repainted. I really like the look of Resene Indian Ink, Resene Gull Grey and Resene Emerge as either feature walls or one of them as a full colour in the sitting room or living room. Before I buy testpots, I'd like to find a white, or a light neutral shade, that would complement these colours, the wooden floor and couch, and would work in the south facing part of the house too. Can you suggest some whites/neutral colours that I could use on the walls, ceiling, doors and trim that would complement the above colours, or suggest alternate colours that will work together throughout the house? A. Resene Emerge will look lovely with the Rimu and your setting – for all walls – in the sitting room. Then to pair with the Resene Emerge, couch and flooring – consider Resene Jurassic as a feature wall for the lounge. Resene Merino will work with the Rimu and suggested colours, with Resene Alabaster for the ceilings and trims – perhaps consider Resene Half Tea for your doors or Resene Alabaster. May 2023 |
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Q. We are planning on painting our deck Resene Tiri, and would like the lightest possible paint 'version' of Resene Tiri to go under our porch to lighten the area. A. Try Resene Quarter White Pointer or Resene Half White Pointer. May 2023 |
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Q. I want to paint our WC black. It is a tiny room and only has a toilet and a window. It is currently white and very boring. I want to make it more striking/fun by painting it black and hanging fairy lights around the walls. Which black would you recommend for this project? I prefer a matt look. A. Investigate Resene Black Sand – it is a strong black but has warmth to it and not too black – although it will appear deeper in this type of space.  Resene Black Sand May 2023 |
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Q. I am looking to paint the exterior trim/doors/roof and weatherboard gable ends on our brick house. We have chosen the roof and door colour to be Grey friars and are wondering which trim and weatherboard colour you would recommend? – I was thinking Resene Half Sea Fog for trim but what would be best on the weatherboard gable ends? And any other trim options? A. Resene Half Sea Fog will pair with Grey Friars and is a good option for trims – consider whether you want the gable ends to be a feature – it might be that you go a bit deeper to Resene Triple Sea Fog for these but not necessarily another colour. May 2023 |
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Q. We need to stain the cedar on our house. It has previously had a mineral stain so we have to use the Wood-X range from Resene. We are trying to choose a colour that will go with the Grey friars coloured porches and fence. We are intending to leave the roofing iron in the shade of green it currently is, but would like to paint the red trim out. The windows are bronze aluminium. What would you suggest from the Wood-X range for the colour of the walls and to paint out the red trim? A. I suggest going quite dark to cover the existing stain and to tie in the roof and fence. Wood X Foundry is a colour worth investigating and with this I suggest painting the red trims in Resene Sea Fog. May 2023 |
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Q. Could you please help me with a colour scheme for our 1980s wooden house. It is made of rough sawn Oregon wood. The aluminium window frames look like Ironsand or something similar. The house is currently painted in Mission Brown and Karaka verandas. The roof is Ironsand but is being replaced. We haven’t decided on the colour. The eaves and soffits are Resene Alabaster so would like to keep that colour and not change those. We seriously need an updated colour scheme. The house is surround by new builds in blacks, greys, browns and cedars. It is in Central Otago so is subject to weather extremes. Because the wood is rough sawn I don’t think it suits a pale colour as that would show all the imperfections. Pale on the veranda would probably be ok as that wood is a bit different. Could you suggest a new colour scheme for house (roof, walls, garage door and verandas) and fence? A. A dark colour on the main cladding could look stunning, such as Resene Bokara Grey – it is a deep charcoal with warmth which complements surroundings like yours – I suggest this colour for the fences also. Investigate Resene CoolColour paints – basically this is where, due to clever pigment technology – the sun’s harmful rays are reflected away from the dark colour, reducing heat related issues, but the colour still looks ‘normal’. If the roof and garage are to be painted – I suggest a complementary warm grey such as Resene Fuscous Grey – if it is not being painted and is a new COLORSTEEL® roof – which are pre coloured – then consider ‘slate’ which means the garage can be painted in Resene Porter (equivalent to Slate). The veranda railings I suggest Resene Quarter Ironsand with the deck in Resene Foggy Grey.  Resene Porter May 2023 |
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Q. What neutral colour suggestions might you have to paint a downstairs lounge, bedroom, hallway undergoing renovation. The old colour is Resene Pearl Lusta. I have tried Resene Alabaster on trim, and Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta. I would appreciate other suggestions. The light is low in winter until midday. I considered Resene Black White but it is too cool. A. See if any of these wall colours appeal – they will work with Resene Alabaster for the trim once the old wall colour (Resene Pearl Lusta) has been painted with the new colour – try Resene Vista White, Resene Milk White, Resene Half Albescent White or Resene Half Rice Cake. May 2023 |
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Q. I am making a ‘red blue chair’ and need to find some red and blue primary colour paint. A. Popular Resene primary blues and reds to consider are: Resene Resolution Blue, Resene Tory Blue or Resene Endeavour and for the Reds – Resene Bright Red, Resene Havoc or Resene Amped.  Resene Amped May 2023 |
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Q. The back of my house is a real sun trap and the white used on the trims and banisters is really glary. What colour or other suggestions would you suggest to reduce the glare? A. Yes colours including whites do tend to brighten outside – consider Resene Sea Fog or Resene Double Sea Fog – the slight hint of grey will lighten outside, but helps to soften the glare. May 2023 |
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Q. My kids are set on having a green pink and blue feature wall in their bedroom. Could you please suggest some options for the green and pinks that would work with Resene Powder Blue? A. Have a look at these combinations – test your favourites with Resene testpots. Resene Powder Blue is a smoky blue so will pair better with slightly muted accents. Try it with Resene Xanadu, Resene Valentine or Resene Awash or hues like Resene Unite, Resene Upside and Resene Shilo. If stronger pinks are desired then you might look to Resene Can Can or Resene Carissma. It will depend on the light in the rooms to how bright or muted the accent colours appear. May 2023 |
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Q. I am starting up a physiotherapy business and I would like to know colour recommendations to paint the walls. It is a south west facing room. A. South west rooms have low light which can be a little warmer in the afternoons – mid toned hues or deeper warm neutrals will suit this space. It is the ideal space to have one wall in a warm encompassing neutral which might appear warmer in the afternoon – you could try Resene Tom Tom or Resene Otter with Resene Cararra on the remaining walls, alternately consider painting all walls a warm neutral, such as Resene Tua Tua, Resene Foundation or Resene Sandspit Brown. May 2023 |
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Q. My partner and I are building and we have selected FlaxPod for our entry door and COLORSTEEL® roof, and have also selected Resene Double Foundry for our secondary cladding (James Hardie Axon Panel) . We are a little stuck on which Resene white paint to pick for our Integra Rockcote cladding. A. Investigate Resene Sea Fog – it will sit well with both those colours and is a versatile white which won’t produce too much glare compared to a stark white – however, colours including whites do brighten outside – so you might like to consider Resene Double Sea Fog as well – it has a little bit more grey to it, but if you want a definite white tone then Resene Sea Fog. Resene ColorShops have a stock library of A4 swatches – ask the staff to assist you in finding FlaxPod (we have this colour as Resene Element), Resene Double Foundry and Resene Sea Fog – take them outside while there to see what appeals and how the natural light affects the colour. May 2023 |
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Q. We’re looking at an exterior paint for our 1950s weatherboard home. We live in the dry, arid climate of country Marlborough surrounded by vineyards and dry farm land. We will be using the local limestone for fences, outdoor fireplace facades. Do you have any advice on a colour? We’re looking at the colour tones of the limestone A. Soft greys with a touch of green might work for your weatherboards – see if any of these Resene colours appeal: Resene Epitome, Resene Ash or Resene Half Ash. For windows and trims consider Resene Quarter Ecru White or Resene Sea Fog for a grey/white. It will also depend on the roof colour. I recommend painting samples onto A2 card (available at Resene ColorShops) and attaching to the exterior walls so you can compare the hues to the local limestone. May 2023 |
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Q. I'm repainting the interior of my house. It's a 1991 Fletcher build with plasterboard walls, white painted skirtings, scotia and ceilings and grey carpet. The place gets good sun in the lounge and two bedrooms but other rooms are shady. I am looking at reselling so want something generally acceptable. I have put up some Resene testpots and had a shortlist of: Resene Alabaster which I thought might be a bit too much like pure white, Resene Half Rice Cake – maybe too much of a tint to be really neutral or Resene Double Alabaster – a good in between? I'm thinking of going with the Resene Double Alabaster but just thought I'd run it by you first, so any input would be welcome! A. Investigate Resene Merino for the light sunny rooms – which will visually counteract the warmth of these areas and if possible Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream for the bedrooms – which is a bit warmer, considering some rooms are on the cooler/shady side. A slight shift in tone helps to modernise the overall look and creates visual interest. The Resene Alabaster family might be a bit stark for this style of home and yes Resene Half Rice Cake might appear a bit warm – if you do want one colour only you might like to test Resene Half Sea Fog or Resene Quarter Rice Cake – but neither are perfect for every room, due to the different aspects. I suggest you paint A2 card available at Resene ColorShops, with two coats of a Resene testpot of any colours which appeal and move the sample around the rooms to see how the colours appear – you want to create an inviting calm aesthetic. May 2023 |
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Q. I plan to paint the exterior of my house and was thinking about doing it a pale egg shell blue sort of colour, but hopefully one that throws warmer rather than cooler. Do you have any suggestions on places to start? A. Resene Duck Egg Blue is a pale shell blue that might suit your home – you might like to pair it with a pale grey such as Resene Athens Grey – or for more blue investigate Resene Mystery or Cut Glass for the weatherboards. Colours tend to appear up to 30% lighter outside – and the blue undertone might be enhanced. A warm rustic white will pair with Resene Mystery or Resene Cut Glass – such as Resene Rice Cake or Resene Bianca – there are lighter variants of these whites and the depth of the blue will determine which is the right strength of white. Roof colours to consider are Resene Atmosphere or Resene Half Tuna – these will also appear lighter on the roof in bright light than they appear on the chart.  Resene Mystery May 2023 |
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