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Answers to your questions from our colour experts, p. 13

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. 13

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


Q. We have purchased a home ‘Spanish’ in style. We would like to keep the theme going on the interior walls. What would be traditional but up to date?

A. There may be elements in the house that you need to work around therefore you may need to compromise. If the kitchen cabinets, work tops and floors and carpets and drapes are not being changed or replaced then all of the colours must work with them. I suggest you try to identify what the main colour is that was used - there is always a neutral of some kind that features strongly - it may be something like Resene Spanish White or Resene Solitaire especially if there is terracotta coloured flooring. If this is what you want to change you still will need a colour similar to this to work with existing elements. A lot of 'Spanish' styled houses used dark stained wood also - so perhaps this is where you can bring the decor up to date. Seal, prime and paint some of the woodwork so you minimise the amount of dark wood perhaps. You might like to investigate a series of warm earthy tones to see if they might fit what you already have in the house. The following colours are a start point as I don’t know what other existing colours you may need to work around: Resene Eighth Spanish White - main colours are much lighter now, Resene Half Haystack or Resene Half Sandcastle (these colours are rich, warm and earthy in a Spanish ochre gold way), or Resene Coco or Resene Bluff (these two are accent colours that you might use a feature walls or coloured upholstery, drapes, accessories or artwork).

Resene Spanish White
Resene Spanish White
Resene Solitaire
Resene Solitaire
Resene Eighth Spanish White
Resene Eighth
Spanish White
Resene Half Haystack
Resene Half Haystack
Resene Half Sandcastle
Resene Half Sandcastle
Resene Coco
Resene Coco
Resene Bluff
Resene Bluff
 
February 2014

Q. We’re looking for a colour scheme. We want a neutral on the walls such as Resene Alabaster or Resene Quarter Spanish White, but want some colour on the roof and trim. We also need a darker hue neutral to bring out stripes in the roof and sleep out.

A. Perhaps these two palettes of colours might help you decide – Resene White Pointer (main), Resene Alabaster (all windows, under soffits, and other trim), Resene Grey Friars (roof) and Resene Quarter Grey Friars (doors, sills, other trim), or Resene Quarter Spanish White (main), Resene White (all windows, under soffits), Resene Double Spanish White (sills and other trim) and Resene Ironsand (roof and possibly doors).

Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
Resene Quarter Spanish White
Resene Quarter Spanish White
Resene White Pointer
Resene White Pointer
Resene Grey Friars
Resene Grey Friars
Resene Quarter Grey Friars
Resene Quarter Grey Friars
Resene White
Resene White
Resene Double Spanish White
Resene Double Spanish White
Resene Ironsand
Resene Ironsand
February 2014

Q. We have a 1960s brick and weatherboard house. We have painted the roof Resene Quarter Grey Friars. We have red bricks visible from the rear and sides of the house but not the road frontage where the bricks are covered with shrubs. We would like a colour suggestion for the weatherboards to tie in with the aluminium joinery and the painted black iron terrace railing - possibly a colour in the grey realm.

A. You might look at the following colours as a start to making a decision on the new colour for your house – Resene Quarter Foggy Grey, Resene Double Concrete or Resene Quarter Silver Chalice.

Resene Quarter Grey Friars
Resene Quarter Grey Friars
Resene Quarter Foggy Grey
Resene Quarter Foggy Grey
Resene Double Concrete
Resene Double Concrete
Resene Quarter Silver Chalice
Resene Quarter Silver Chalice
February 2014

Q. I am stuck on what colour to paint my cottage. It has a dark green conservatory on the front, a green roof and a green garage door. I love the cottage look.

A. With all the strong green elements you appear to be held to ransom by the bossy green. Perhaps if the main colour was a bit deeper then the dark green might not be so 'in your face' . I would be inclined to paint the base of the house the same as the weatherboard cladding so it has less of a 'layer cake' look and appears to have more height between the ground and the roof. You do need to work with that green so if you look at the following colours it may help you see which way to go with the 'new look' you want to achieve – Resene Biscotti, Resene Quarter Akaroa or Resene Half Truffle.

I am really unsure about a 'cottage' look as nothing on the exterior really favours that style and certainly not the conservatory or front steps. When houses don't oblige in this style often beautiful large garden borders provide the 'cottage' look - is that a possibility?

Resene Biscotti
Resene Biscotti
Resene Quarter Akaroa
Resene Quarter Akaroa
Resene Half Truffle
Resene Half Truffle
February 2014

Q. I am having trouble deciding on colours for our kitchen update. We quite like Resene Gravel for the cabinets. We have terracotta tiles which have to stay, very pale silver grey benchtops, and I was thinking of Resene Linen for the walls. Is Resene Gravel a green based paint? Sometimes it looks almost a dark olive.

A. Yes Resene Gravel is a deep (olive) green based grey. I think that Resene Linen would work well with the Resene Gravel and you might to also investigate the following colours to see if you might like them better – Resene Quarter Tana and Resene Joanna. Colours tend to look a lot deeper in an interior so perhaps look at Resene Half Gravel as an alternative for the kitchen cabinets.

Resene Gravel
Resene Gravel
Resene Linen
Resene Linen
Resene Quarter Tana
Resene Quarter Tana
Resene Joanna
Resene Joanna
Resene Gravel
Resene Gravel
February 2014

Q. My living room walls are painted Resene Quarter Tea. What do you suggest for painting the ceiling and window joinery?

A. You might look at these two options to see if either would be ok for you – Resene Half Alabaster or Resene Quarter Bianca. The first option is cooler and crisper and the second has a little more warmth and sweetness.

Resene Quarter Tea
Resene Quarter Tea
Resene Half Alabaster
Resene Half Alabaster
Resene Quarter Bianca
Resene Quarter Bianca
February 2014

Q. We are thinking of using Resene St Kilda to paint the kitchen cupboards, I think it goes well with the stainless steel tops. What would you recommend for the kitchen wall with it being such a strong colour? The kitchen is open plan, good size and has a deep grey tile floor.

A. It depends whether you would like a cooler colour, a warmer colour or one that will work with other coloured elements you have in the open plan space - curtains, furniture or mats or carpets. The quality of light in the open plan space also has a strong bearing on how colour is seen as well. The use of Resene St Kilda doesn't automatically mean you have to use other strong colours in the room. Lighter ones may mean you are better able to accessorise or use other colours within the room.

Some ideas to get you started are: Resene Concrete, Resene House White, Resene Barely There, Resene Rice Cake or Resene Eighth Spanish White.

Resene St Kilda
Resene St Kilda
Resene Concrete
Resene Concrete
Resene House White
Resene House White
Resene Barely There
Resene Barely There
Resene Rice CakeResene Rice Cake
Resene Rice Cake
Resene Eighth Spanish White
Resene Eighth Spanish White
February 2014

Q. We live near the beach and have a weatherboard house. We want to paint our house a black and white colour scheme with the black being the weatherboards and the white being the trim. We have started with Resene Chimney Sweep but it is too black and the white that we like is Resene Double Sea Fog. Can you offer some combinations in a coastal setting that would match well?

A. The black and white look is very popular at the moment isn't it? I am nervous personally of a black being used on older weatherboards and in a coastal area I am hesitant to recommend it. But if you modify your black to a charcoal (and you have already decided that Resene Chimney Sweep is too black for you) and use colours that are re-formulated to CoolColour™ technology to modify the temperatures that dark colours attract to the surface of the timber then you might like to look at the following colours as they work really well with Resene Double Sea Fog – Resene Tuna (LRV 11), Resene Grey Friars (LRV 8) or Resene Baltic Sea (LRV 10).

RV denotes the light reflectance value of the colour - 0 being black and 100 being white - but this isn't an indication of heat reflectance. If you are unsure what CoolColour technology, there is more information on our website.

Resene Chimney Sweep
Resene Chimney Sweep
Resene Double Sea Fog
Resene Double Sea Fog
Resene Tuna
Resene Tuna
Resene Grey Friars
Resene Grey Friars
Resene Baltic Sea
Resene Baltic Sea
February 2014

Q. I am going to have my brick house and soffits painted in Resene X-200 and would like to know what colour options I have in neutral tones as I also want to choose colours for my roof guttering. Is neutral a popular choice and does it appear as a warm colour?

A. The neutral colours are very popular and about half of the 360 in the latest Resene The Range whites and neutrals collection might be termed warm. If you aren't wanting to match or co-ordinate the colours for the house with any other element (roof colour, powdercoated windows etc) then you might look at these colours – Resene Eighth Pravda with (deeper for roof guttering) Resene Quarter Ironsand, or Resene Double White Pointer with (deeper for roof guttering) Resene Taupe Grey, or Resene Quarter Drought with (deeper for roof guttering) Resene Half Gargoyle.

Resene Eighth Pravda
Resene Eighth Pravda
Resene Quarter Ironsand
Resene Quarter Ironsand
Resene Double White Pointer
Resene Double White Pointer
Resene Half Grey
Resene Taupe Grey
Resene Quarter Drought
Resene Quarter Drought
Resene Half Gargoyle
Resene Half Gargoyle
February 2014

Q. Can you suggest a few light to mid greys that are as neutral as possible? LRV between approx 60 and 75. I have a black and white (with brights) scheme so want something fairly clean, that doesn't tend toward beige and that doesn't have a strong undertone coming through either. Big ask I know!

A. You might look at the Resene Surrender palette - Resene Half Surrender and Resene Quarter Surrender. They meet the criteria of light reflectance you want LRV 73 and LRV 65. The colours are quite silvery and clean.

Resene Surrender
Resene Surrender
Resene Half Surrender
Resene Half Surrender
Resene Quarter Surrender
Resene Quarter Surrender
February 2014

Q. Can colours chocolate, lemon and gold match?

A. They are strongly different colours. They might be ok but it depends on which colour is the main one, which is the lesser one and what the third colour is used for All colours react with each other and some may be happy to be seen together and others may scream at each other.

Gold and chocolate could work but the lemon may not.


Q. I am going to repaint my 1980s fibroplank house and roof. I like the contemporary greys/neutrals and am considering Resene Ironsand roof with Resene Silver Chalice house and decks. The joinery is a dark brown. Is this a good combination or do you have other suggestions?

A. I think you could investigate these grey/neutrals as they are better related to the Resene Ironsand and the brown window joinery - Resene Quarter Taupe Grey, Resene Quarter Friar Greystone , Resene Eighth Stonehenge or Resene Cloudy.

Resene Ironsand
Resene Ironsand
Resene Quarter Taupe Grey
Resene Quarter Taupe Grey
Resene Quarter Friar Greystone
Resene Quarter Friar Greystone
Resene Eighth Stonehenge
Resene Eighth Stonehenge
Resene Cloudy
Resene Cloudy
February 2014

Q. I live in an old state house with polished wooden floors. I'm going to paint the walls with Resene Quarter Spanish White, but I'm not sure which ‘white’ to paint the ceiling, window frames and doors. I was thinking either Resene Eighth Spanish White, Resene Alabaster or Resene White. I have to be careful because we have a narrow hallway with three doors, so the door colour needs to make sense with the wall colour.

A. I would suggest Resene Alabaster as it is a softened white and will work well with anything and especially Resene Quarter Spanish White.

There is nothing at all wrong in using the Resene Eighth Spanish White however if you wanted the 'white' to blend in and not be noticeable.

Resene Quarter Spanish White
Resene Quarter
Spanish White
Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
Resene Eighth Spanish White
Resene Eighth Spanish White
February 2014

Q. We are about to reprint our beach house. It has white joinery and white COLORSTEEL® roof. Presently it is painted a light blue. Can you suggest a new colour? It is clad in fibre plank and I would like an accent colour for posts etc.

A. You might to try Resene Quarter Lemon Grass and Resene Double Lemon Grass or Resene Quarter Pravda and Resene Double Pravda or Resene Quarter Taupe Grey and Resene Half Chicago.

Resene Quarter Lemon Grass
Resene Quarter
Lemon Grass
Resene Double Lemon Grass
Resene Double Lemon Grass
Resene Quarter Pravda
Resene Quarter Pravda
Resene Double Pravda
Resene Double Pravda
Resene Quarter Taupe Grey
Resene Quarter
Taupe Grey
Resene Half Chicago
Resene Half Chicago
February 2014

Q. We are looking at painting our roof Resene Grey Friars. What colours will complement this for the exterior of our house (which has Rockcote cladding)? Thinking maybe a lighter grey or earth colour.

A. Resene Grey Friars is a lovely classical charcoal and there are literally hundreds of colours that will work with it. You might like to try Resene Double Concrete, Resene Half Cloudy, Resene Half Truffle or Resene Tea.

Resene Grey Friars
Resene Grey Friars
Resene Double Concrete
Resene Double Concrete
Resene Half Cloudy
Resene Half Cloudy
Resene Half Truffle
Resene Half Truffle
Resene Tea
Resene Tea
February 2014

Q. I am considering putting Resene Kumutoto on the feature wall of a bedroom and wondered what tonal and contrasting colours would suit. I have Resene Pearl Lusta on the architraves and the carpet is taupe.

A. Between the architraves - Resene Pearl Lusta, the feature wall - Resene Kumutoto and the taupe carpet you already have three colours attracting attention without counting the colour or colours of the curtains and the duvet or bedspread. The room may not benefit by introducing another colour to attract attention because it may end up being very busy. If you want the feature colour to stand out (and it should because it is really lovely) I would suggest using more of the Resene Pearl Lusta for the walls or possibly a lighter version of the Resene Kumutoto like Resene Half Kumutoto.

Resene Kumutoto
Resene Kumutoto
Resene Pearl Lusta
Resene Pearl Lusta
Resene Half Kumutoto
Resene Half Kumutoto
February 2014

Q. We are currently building a holiday home in Wanaka and we can't decide on a colour for the interior. We are looking for a neutral colour that will go with a white kitchen, black leather lounge suit. I want to bring in some colour with accessories in the primary colours like yellow, aqua, orange etc. We are looking at Resene Half Thorndon Cream for the walls and wallpaper feature walls.

A. Most any colour will work with a white kitchen and black leather suite. Resene Half Thorndon Cream may work but you do need to check it out with your flooring which will have the greatest influence on how you see your wall colours. The Resene Thorndon Cream family of colours can look quite shaded and a little cool so that is another thing you need to consider. If some of the rooms are small, dim or have a cool aspect (east or south) you may need to look a warmer/brighter neutrals or soft/rosy neutrals to make these spaces seem nice to be in. You might check out Resene Cararra as an option. This is similar in colour coding to Resene Half Thorndon Cream but is slightly lighter/brighter.

Resene Half Thorndon Cream
Resene Half Thorndon Cream
Resene Cararra
Resene Cararra
February 2014

Q. I would like a suggested colour for my hallway. It is an L shape which leads to the back door. The front door has glass in it - the only source of lighting for the hall (when all other doors are closed). The hall is about 1.5 metres wide. There are seven doors which come off it, and a small built in area where jackets can be hung up. All woodwork is going to be painted Resene Pearl Lusta - so I would like a suggestion for the wall space.

A. Hallways can be a problem as they aren't usually blessed with natural light and are full of door as yours is. If you are doing all the doors such a definite colour - Resene Pearl Lusta - then my first thought is that you could paint the walls the same colour. This will do two things -

Minimise the tyranny of the seven doors which could be too dominant and attract too much attention like a row of soldiers standing to attention. Lighten and brighten the whole area. Simplify the space so it appears larger because there is no contrast of colour.

Another option is to use a deeper/slightly more yellow based wall colour so that it glows as if sunlight is in all the spaces, even the dimmest part. Try Resene Double Pearl Lusta or Resene Half Beeswax.

I know this isn't exciting but it is light/bright and warm and will be a lovely offset for family photographs or artwork.

Resene Pearl Lusta
Resene Pearl Lusta
Resene Double Pearl Lusta
Resene Double Pearl Lusta
Resene Half Beeswax
Resene Half Beeswax
February 2014

Q. I am painting my house with Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream on the ceiling, walls and deck soffits in Resene Half Thorndon Cream. I need to put a feature colour on the dining room walls and I'm struggling to pick it. The lights in the kitchen (nearby in an open plan environment) are a slightly light pohutukawa colour. Would a green wall be right? The joinery is Titania and there is a window in one wall to be coloured.

A. If you want a green feature wall it needs to be chosen very carefully as it could make the Titania joinery, the wall colour Resene Half Thorndon Cream and the ceiling colour Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream look brownish or slightly grubby. If you didn't mind that happening them of course your options are more varied. I think you might start by looking at these colours to see if they suit you – Resene Double Lemon Grass, Resene Double Ash, Resene Ravine or Resene Panzano.

Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream
Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream
Resene Half Thorndon Cream
Resene Half Thorndon Cream
Resene Double Lemon Grass
Resene Double Lemon Grass
Resene Double Ash
Resene Double Ash
Resene Ravine
Resene Ravine
Resene Panzano
Resene Panzano
February 2014

Q. If I were to paint interior house walls in Resene Alabaster, what colour would I put on doors/frames/ceiling? The house is a bungalow.

A. Seeing as Resene Alabaster is very near to white you have limited options for painting the woodwork and the ceiling. I suggest Resene White as it will appear to be lighter/brighter than Resene Alabaster. A subtle colour (and in some lights it will appear to be the same as the walls) is Resene Half Alabaster so that is an option you could check out also.

Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
Resene White
Resene White
Resene Half Alabaster
Resene Half Alabaster
February 2014

Q. I have painted a feature wall in my open plan dining area in Resene Cherry Pie and love the resultant effect. I would like to match this wall with a tone like Resene Triple Napa or Resene Double Napa on the two adjacent walls. As my home is very open plan, I need to consider the blue tones present in the kitchen cupboards as well as the 'beige' of the wall trims. The ceiling is white. I am a very inexperienced painter and therefore hesitant to be too bold with colour matching. What are your views on my Resene colour choices?

A. Personally I am not sure that I would recommend another deep colour - three definite colours all vying for attention is too many. If you lighten the main wall colour (still deeper than the woodwork) I think it may work better with the very definite kitchen cabinet colour and the feature wall-and hopefully meld in a bit with the kitchen work tops. You could try Resene Double Truffle, Resene Quarter Pravda or Resene Quarter Arrowtown.

Resene Cherry Pie
Resene Cherry Pie
Resene Triple Napa
Resene Triple Napa
Resene Double Napa
Resene Double Napa
Resene Double Truffle
Resene Double Truffle
Resene Quarter Pravda
Resene Quarter Pravda
Resene Quarter Arrowtown
Resene Quarter Arrowtown
February 2014

Q. I'm looking at a kitchen colour scheme for a beach house that needs to be as light as possible. I'm looking at having the cabinets in Formica's Antique Wiluna White and I'm wondering if a glass splashback coloured Resene Half Tea would look OK?

A. Formica Antique Wiluna White is similar to Resene Quarter Spanish White and I am not 100% sure that Resene Half Tea will co-ordinate well. If you do decide to go with it the splashback will be subtle - is this what you would like? There are two types of glass used for splashbacks - one is standard float glass which has a greenish cast to it and it may make the Resene Half Tea look earthier/slightly deeper (it won't look like Resene Half Tea) and the other glass is crystal clear low iron oxide which will show the colour absolutely 'true'. You might look at these alternatives to Resene Half Tea to see which colour looks best with the warm creamy tone of the cabinets – Resene Parchment, Resene Half Akaroa or Resene Half Bison Hide.

Resene Half Tea
Resene Half Tea
Resene Quarter Spanish White
Resene Quarter Spanish White
Resene Parchment
Resene Parchment
Resene Half Akaroa
Resene Half Akaroa
Resene Half Bison Hide
Resene Half Bison Hide
February 2014

Q. We were hoping to repaint the whole house with grey and white but this will be too costly. The main house I believe is Resene Spanish White but I have never liked the blue and would like to replace it with another colour. Windows need to all be white as the extension at the back has modern white framed windows in UPVC. Can you suggest some good darker colours to complement Resene Spanish White?

A. You are really fortunate in that Resene Spanish White works so well with such a lot of colours. You might like to try Resene Port Phillip CC, Resene Tuna cc, Resene Half Gravel CC, Resene Half Oilskin CC or Resene Innocence CC.

The colour code CC indicates colours that are available as Resene CoolColours™ to reduce heat build up/U.V. damage because of the depth of the colour and modify the possible detrimental effects that dark colours can have on wooden surfaces.

Resene Spanish White
Resene Spanish White
Resene Port Phillip
Resene Port Phillip
Resene Half Tuna
Resene Half Tuna
Resene Half Gravel
Resene Half Gravel
Resene Half Oilskin
Resene Half Oilskin
Resene Innocence
Resene Innocence
February 2014

Q. We're looking at repainting our house exterior and are looking for a colour to complement the natural wood fence. We are planning on having white frames added to the outside of the windows to try to regain some of the house's character. We are thinking of fairly neutral colours but are also happy to have some stronger colour suggestions too. Are there any colours you'd recommend for the roof and walls?

A. You could try Resene Double Thorndon Cream (main), Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream (‘white’ trim), Resene Half Oilskin (might be good for window surrounds to tie in the dark brown windows and doors) and Resene Lignite (roof), or Resene Quarter Taupe Grey (main), Resene Sea Fog (‘white’ trim), Resene Taupe Grey (not as deep a colour as the windows but it may act as a 'bridge' between main house colour and very dark windows) and Resene Squall (roof), or Resene Half Gargoyle (main), Resene Eighth Spanish White (‘white’ trim), Resene Gargoyle (not as deep a colour as the windows but it may act as a 'bridge' between main house colour and very dark windows) and Resene Ironsand (roof).

Resene Double Thorndon Cream
Resene Double Thorndon Cream
Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream
Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream
Resene Half Oilskin
Resene Half Oilskin
Resene Lignite
Resene Lignite
Resene Quarte Taupe Grey
Resene Quarter Taupe Grey
Resene Sea Fog
Resene Sea Fog
Resene Half Grey
Resene Taupe Grey
Resene Squall
Resene Squall
Resene Half Gargoyle
Resene Half Gargoyle
Resene Eighth Spanish White
Resene Eighth Spanish White
Resene Gargoyle
Resene Gargoyle
Resene Ironsand
Resene Ironsand
February 2014

Q. I am wanting to choose a ‘white’ for my ceilings, window frames, doors and skirting boards. My kitchen cabinetry is Resene Black White, but the wallpaper in my bedroom has birds with cream wings. Resene Alabaster looks good in the kitchen but looks wrong in the bedroom. Will Resene Quarter Bianca be a good choice or will it be too cream against the Resene Black White - or is there a better match?

A. I think Resene Quarter Bianca may be OK but perhaps you might check out Resene Double Alabaster just so that you are absolutely certain you get the right 'white'.

Resene Black White
Resene Black White
Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
Resene Quarter Bianca
Resene Quarter Bianca
Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Double Alabaster
February 2014

Q. We have Resene Black White on our walls and Resene Double Black White on our doors with white trim. What colour carpet would you suggest?

A. It really is a case of the right carpet being the one that looks great at your house, in your light and with the wall and woodwork colours. Take the samples home with you and view them for several days so that you can judge how changes of light alters how you see the carpet colour. The one that you fancy at the carpet shop may well be the wrong one at your house. You might look at warm greys, deep taupes, stony greens, chocolates and charcoals as a start point.

Resene Black White
Resene Black White
Resene Double Black White
Resene Double Black White
February 2014

Q. I have three bedrooms and a large lounge all with plenty of sunlight and have dark grey carpet (Flint). I am thinking of doing Resene Alabaster ceilings, Resene Black White walls and Resene Concrete interior doors. Would these colours work together?

A. Resene Concrete for the doors may be a cooler/more silvery colour than the Resene Black White - it may make Resene Black White look almost creamy by comparison. If you like Resene Concrete perhaps you could look at using Resene Quarter Concrete for the walls or alternatively if you really like Resene Black White perhaps you could use Resene Double Black White for the doors. Resene Alabaster will work with either of these grey/whites.

Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
Resene Black White
Resene Black White
Resene Concrete
Resene Concrete
Resene Quarter Concrete
Resene Quarter Concrete
Resene Double Black White
Resene Double Black White
February 2014

Q. I need some help in deciding which colour would suit the exterior of our house. I was thinking of either painting the weatherboards in Resene Half Tea and trims/gutters etc in Resene Double Alabaster, or weatherboards in Resene Truffle and trims etc in Resene Double Alabaster, or weatherboards in Resene Rakaia and trims in Resene Alabaster. Our house has a dark green roof. This is making me unsure about which colour to go for... better a warmer tone or a colder one?

A. The roof, guttering and the window joinery look like a powdercoat colour called Rivergum. I like the Resene Truffle but you may need to use Resene Alabaster if you want to see a crisper/cleaner contrast. On an exterior colours blend together quite a bit and sometimes you can't notice the difference between them.

Resene Half Tea
Resene Half Tea
Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Truffle
Resene Truffle
Resene Rakaia
Resene Rakaia
Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
February 2014

Q. I want to update my whole home office with a Galant desk and wall cabinet (in birch veneer colour) as well as Billy bookcases (in birch or white). I want to lay carpet of perhaps a light cream colour and paint the walls. I am a bit lost as to what colour I should go for that would suit the birch colours. I do not want red, orange, brown, pink or any gloomy colours. Hopefully something relaxing because we use the room to wind down. I was thinking a nice green or blue something that will be very nice against the birch veneers. I do not want anything sharp but more blended in.

A. I have checked out the furniture you are getting and I think you could try – Resene Seagrass, Resene Seachange, Resene St Kilda or Resene Cross Country.

Resene Seagrass
Resene Seagrass
Resene Seachange
Resene Seachange
Resene St Kilda
Resene St Kilda
Resene Cross Country
Resene Cross Country
February 2014

Q. I am building a new house and would like some advice on exterior colours. I will have some cedar horizontal shiplap boards which I would like to keep a natural colour (like it looks when it's new) and a Gull Grey roof. I'm unsure about the window joinery colour (silver or dark), the plaster system colour (a lightish neutral) and a contrasting colour for the entry/front door. Maybe even one darkish colour for the entry walls and door. I like mid century modern colours and green colours.

A. The choice of Silver Pearl for the window joinery could be quite good and would tie in a bit with the roof, guttering and (perhaps) garage door colour of COLORSTEEL ® Gull Grey. A natural look for the cedar ship lap timber cladding might be either of these two Resene Woodsman stains – Resene Natural (this is so light and natural it looks as though it has just been oiled) or Resene Oiled Cedar (this is rich and deep as though the cedar is wet). The plaster system requires a very light colour so you might look to try Resene Quarter Foggy Grey, Resene Triple Sea Fog, Resene Quarter Delta or Resene House White. For a feature colour at the entry you might look at – Resene Envy, Resene Xanadu or Resene Panzano.

COLORSTEEL® Gull Grey
COLORSTEEL® Gull Grey
Resene Natural
Resene Natural
Resene Oiled Cedar
Resene Oiled Cedar
Resene Quarter Foggy Grey
Resene Quarter Foggy Grey
Resene Triple Sea Fog
Resene Triple Sea Fog
Resene Quarter Delta
Resene Quarter Delta
Resene House White
Resene House White
Resene Envy
Resene Envy
Resene Xanadu
Resene Xanadu
Resene Panzano
Resene Panzano
   
February 2014

Q. My partner’s daughter’s room is on the south side of the house and only has one window in it. It doesn't get a lot of light, except late summer in the late afternoon. Most of the interior of the rest of the house is painted Resene Alabaster white, with a few walls of soft greys in different rooms and splashes of bright accessories (turquoise and hot pink). She really wants a pink and purple room - she has specifically chosen Resene Cabaret and Resene Daisy Bush. I have read on the net, that painting a dark room white will not lighten it but make it look dirty or lifeless, so I am happy for her to use some warm colours but I am a little stuck on what walls to use which colour. She has a white dresser, white bedside table, white bedhead and white venetian blinds so I guess there is plenty of white to tone it all down. Can you suggest what walls to paint which colour and whether I need to introduce something much lighter for one or two of the walls or if I should just commit and be bold too?

A. You are not alone - parents throughout the world have exactly the same problem. Colour is good. I suggest either the Resene Cabaret or Resene Daisy Bush be used as one wall, possibly behind the bedhead or if the bed is placed longways on a wall then that might be the optimum wall to 'feature', and get her to paint some cheap custom wood photo frames or a wooden frames notice board with the alternate colour.

Another cute idea is that the interior of her wardrobe be painted - such a nice surprise when she hangs her clothes in the wardrobe to see one of her favourite colours featured in a 'secret' way.

Both the pink and the purple are quite warm tones so the colour reflection will help with the cool aspect of her room. A duvet cover, a throw rug, some cushions, lampshades (especially pink ones to make the room glow) and a few girly bits and bobs will use a little more of the pink and purple theme - a little retail therapy in this regard is great. It’s amazing what can be bought to zoosh up a room. The secret is to let her choose things within reason. I have seen a lot of paper leis with these hot colours that might look good hung in an artistic way or draped across the top of the window frame.

And the other walls? There is nothing wrong in a warm white like Resene Double Alabaster so that those lovely bold colours really pop out and make the room more special. It isn't about totally saturating the room in colours - more about getting there in a creative way with her involvement.

Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
Resene Cabaret
Resene Cabaret
Resene Daisy Bush
Resene Daisy Bush
Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Double Alabaster
February 2014

Q. We are building a new house and looking to paint the interior walls, ceilings and door frames all the same colour, with contrasting interior doors. We have COLORSTEEL® Mist Green aluminium joinery and have also painted the window sills the same colour. The house is over 300 square metres so the rooms are quite large. Is there a cream/white colour with a green tinge? I'm not a brown/beige fan and don't want anything that will make the rooms dark. How would Resene Black White (or Resene Half Black White) with Resene Nirvana on the interior doors look? I think I am leaning towards furnishings with a green tinge or hue throughout. The kitchen cabinetry will be Storm Melteca with a Flint Crystal Formica benchtop. Am I on the right track or can you make any similar suggestions?

A. Resene Black White is a great neutral but if you are wanting a neutral with a green tinge to it you might look at Resene Half Merino, Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream or Resene Eighth Ash. For the doors in the house you might look at these greens as they will look sympathetically toward your window joinery colour – Resene Secrets, Resene Green Spring, Resene Frontier, Resene Bud or Resene Bach.

If you compare the Resene Nirvana (which is quite yellow in tone) to these greens and then look at the window joinery and your neutrals you will start to see where your possible choices are.

COLORSTEEL® Mist Green
COLORSTEEL® Mist Green
Resene Black White
Resene Black White
Resene Half Black White
Resene Half Black White
Resene Nirvana
Resene Nirvana
Resene Half Merino
Resene Half Merino
Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream
Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream
Resene Eighth Ash
Resene Eighth Ash
Resene Secrets
Resene Secrets
Resene Green Spring
Resene Green Spring
Resene Frontier
Resene Frontier
Resene Bud
Resene Bud
Resene Bach
Resene Bach
February 2014

Q. We are thinking of having Pearl Grey as our aluminium joinery and would like to know what colour we should have for the outside. Our rebuild will be in concrete with LINEA above and or below the windows. It will have a dark grey roof. Should the front door and the other door and garage doors also be the same colour? We are thinking of an earthy tone.

A. If you like earthy tones then perhaps check these out - Resene Eighth Bison Hide for the concrete (or a much lighter alternative Resene Eighth Fossil), Resene Half Oilskin (for the LINEA) and Ironsand for the roof, garage and other doors, or Resene Quarter Cougar for the concrete (or a much lighter alternative Resene White Pointer), Resene Double Pravda for the LINEA and Grey Friars for the roof, garage doors and other doors. Ironsand is an earthy brown/charcoal and Grey Friars is a standard grey charcoal, both are dark.

Resene Eighth Bison Hide,
Resene Eighth Bison Hide
Resene Eighth Fossil
Resene Eighth Fossil
Resene Half Oilskin
Resene Half Oilskin
COLORSTEEL Ironsand
COLORSTEEL® Ironsand
Resene Quarter Cougar
Resene Quarter Cougar
Resene White Pointer
Resene White Pointer
Resene Double Pravda
Resene Double Pravda
COLORSTEEL® Grey Friars
COLORSTEEL® Grey Friars
February 2014

Q. We are stuck for ideas to change the grey colour that goes with our red brick house, any good suggestions? We are just in the middle of stripping and sanding the window frames which will probably stay white. I think we would prefer a light grey/blue/olive(ish).

A. You could check these colours out - they vary between olive tones and grey/greenish tones but they look good with red bricks - Resene Double Lemon Grass, Resene Archive Grey, Resene Tapa and Resene Double Ash.

Resene Double Lemon Grass
Resene Double Lemon Grass
Resene Archive Grey
Resene Archive Grey
Resene Tapa
Resene Tapa
Resene Double Ash
Resene Double Ash
February 2014

Q. We are painting the exterior of our bungalow. We like the look of Resene Half Robin Egg Blue, Resene Half Periglacial Blue and Resene Quarter Powder Blue. We want to paint the front door a colour along the lines of Resene Stack or Resene Trojan. Can you suggest a combination along these lines that would look good? Also, a whitish colour for windows and trims?

A. These may inspire you - option 1 Resene Half Robin Egg Blue, Resene Wan White and Resene Half Innocence, or option 2 Resene Quarter Periglacial Blue, Resene Alabaster and Resene Double Stack, or option 3, Resene Quarter Powder Blue, Resene Eighth Rice Cake and Resene Trojan.

Resene Half Robin Egg Blue
Resene Half Robin Egg Blue
Resene Wan White
Resene Wan White
Resene Half Innocence
Resene Half Innocence
Resene Quarter Periglacial Blue
Resene Quarter Periglacial Blue
Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
Resene Double Stack
Resene Double Stack
Resene Quarter Powder Blue
Resene Quarter Powder Blue
Resene Eighth Rice Cake
Resene Eighth Rice Cake
Resene Trojan
Resene Trojan
February 2014

Q. We are painting the exterior of our weatherboard 1960s farmhouse. The roof will stay (dark charcoal COLORSTEEL®) as will the windows (pure white aluminium). I would like a light warm grey for the exterior walls - any suggestions?

A. You might like these colour options - Resene Rakaia, Resene Double Concrete, Resene Half Silver Chalice and Resene Half Foggy Grey. They are all warm but their underlying tints and tones take them in quite different directions. You could never say that they look so similar you couldn't tell the difference.

Resene Rakaia
Resene Rakaia
Resene Double Concrete
Resene Double Concrete
Resene Half Silver Chalice
Resene Half Silver Chalice
Resene HalfFoggy Grey
Resene Half Foggy Grey
February 2014

Q. We are building and have Manor Stone Tranquillity blocks, with Windsor Grey roof and Matt Bronco aluminium joinery, garage windows and doors. We have Linea above bay windows and chimney. What colour do you think we should paint the Linea boards?

A. I think you could look at a similar colour to the aluminium joinery so it has a friend but perhaps a little deeper so it looks well balanced.

You might check these colours out to see if you like them - Resene Triple Napa or Resene Gargoyle.

Resene Triple Napa
Resene Triple Napa
Resene Gargoyle
Resene Gargoyle
February 2014

Q. I have a house with oregon sarking for the pitched ceilings, rimu architraves and window sills. I have painted the walls with Resene Quarter Tea and the window frames with Resene Panzano. What complementary colours can you suggest?

A. If you are looking for colours for accessories, upholstery, drapes etc then lighter greens or soft fruity reds and soft ochre golds will look good with the rimu, the oregon, the Resene Quarter Tea and Resene Panzano. It sounds rather lovely at your house - with lots of colours too if you include the colour of the wood and flooring. These following colours are indicating sympathetic tones you might use as a lead in for other elements in the house - Resene Green Spring, Resene Double Tea, Resene Half Putty and Resene Hot August.

Resene Quarter Tea
Resene Quarter Tea
Resene Panzano
Resene Panzano
   
Resene Green Spring
Resene Green Spring
Resene Double Tea
Resene Double Tea
Resene Half Putty
Resene Half Putty
Resene Hot August
Resene Hot August
February 2014

Q. I have a small narrow room with a door at one end and a sash window at the other (rather like a hallway). I wish to have dark red curtains over the window and the cupboards being built either side of the door. I am thinking of a cream/light brown for the ceiling and door/window etc and want an interesting but not overwhelming wallpaper to go around the walls. Can you help me nail down the exact ones to order from your store?

A. These options may not be the exact ones as I don't know which red you are going to use on the cupboards and what material you will choose for drapes or what the role of the room will be, who will use it etc but these are three quite different scenarios that you might like:

  • Resene Wallpaper - Pattern 47500 used with Resene Albescent White
  • Resene Wallpaper - Pattern 47134 used with Resene Quarter Tea
  • Or Resene Wallpaper - Pattern 47501 used with Resene Quarter Fossil.
Resene Wallaper
Wallpaper -
Resene Habitat 47500
Resene Albescent White
Resene Albescent White
Resene Wallpaper
Wallpaper
Resene Retro Linen 47134
Resene Quarter Tea
Resene Quarter Tea
Resene  wallpaper
Wallpaper Wallpaper -
Resene Habitat 47501
Resene Quarter Fossil
Resene Quarter Fossil
   
February 2014

Q. We own a block of flats. We wish to paint them all so that they tie in together. I would like suggested colours for the walls and windows please, ideally neutral. Wondering whether to paint the windows white... or should it all be one colour?

A. There is some tonal coloured brick cladding on the flats and with this in mind I think these colours might help it blend together a little more. You might consider painting the window frames etc a slightly tinted 'white' just so it looks modern. Option 1 - try Resene Half Pavlova and (lighter) for windows Resene Half Rice Cake or Option 2 - Resene Double Spanish White and (lighter) for windows Resene Quarter Spanish White. Of course if you prefer real white (Resene White) for the windows there is absolutely no reason for you not to use that option.

Resene Half Pavlova
Resene Half Pavlova
Resene Half Rice Cake
Resene Half Rice Cake
Resene Double Spanish White
Resene Double
Spanish White
Resene Quarter Spanish White
Resene Quarter
Spanish White
Resene White
Resene White
February 2014

Q. What exterior house, trim and balcony/steps colours do you recommend to go with brown aluminium joinery?

A. Perhaps you could check out these colours - there are three in each scheme - main, trim and window shutters and balcony/steps. Option 1: Resene Quarter Truffle (main), Resene Quarter Lignite (trim and shutters) and Resene Port Phillip (balcony/steps), or Option 2: Resene Double Rice Cake (main), Resene Double Ash (trim and shutters) and Resene Masala (balcony/steps).

Resene Quarter Truffle
Resene Quarter Truffle
Resene Quarter Lignite
Resene Quarter Lignite
Resene Port Phillip
Resene Port Phillip
Resene Double Rice Cake
Resene Double Rice Cake
Resene Double Ash
Resene Double Ash
Resene Masala
Resene Masala
February 2014

Q. I was wondering if you could recommend a 'duck egg blue' colour that will go with Resene Half Tea? I have Resene Half Tea in all living areas and it is for the back wall in the kitchen and laundry/entrance into the house. I noticed on the site Resene Paris White in your case studies - but am keen for your opinion.

A. Resene Half Tea is quite a definite mid toned beige colour and sometimes it swamps the prettier/ lighter duck egg colours. Perhaps check out the following colours as well as Resene Paris White to see how they work with it and how they respond to the light and space - Resene Periglacial Blue, Resene Half Robin Egg Blue, Resene Ashanti and Resene Nebula. These types of hues need to be seen with crisp clear whites to enhance then and bring them forward so they are seen and appreciated as the lovely colours they are.

Resene Half Tea
Resene Half Tea
Resene Paris White
Resene Paris White
Resene Periglacial Blue
Resene Periglacial Blue
Resene Half Robin Egg Blue
Resene Half Robin Egg Blue
Resene Ashanti
Resene Ashanti
Resene Nebula
Resene Nebula
February 2014

Q. Can you recommend a colour for external plantation shutters complementary to the house colour of Resene Bokara Grey?

A. You could do beautiful crisp sharp Resene White plantation shutters - especially if the window surrounds/sashes and sills are white too - so that the windows look larger and really pop out of the Resene Bokara Grey. This is a traditional approach to shutters which were nearly always painted white because if they were louvered and opened and shut then when closed cool air would blow through the slats to help the rooms remain cool.

If you wanted a 'colour' it makes choices a little more difficult - sometimes they are painted to match a roof colour - I have seen this used to good advantage - e.g. with a fresh green like Resene Gecko. Alternatively a much, much lighter grey colour - perhaps in this case a warm grey like Resene Concord might be used.

Resene Bokara Grey
Resene Bokara Grey
Resene White
Resene White
Resene Gecko
Resene Gecko
Resene Concord
Resene Concord
February 2014

Q. We are building a house. The main large living room faces west with large windows. I need a colour for internal walls and ceiling that will not be harsh when lots of light and the setting sun will be shining in.

A. With the quality of light that you will receive you may need to consider a colour that is a bit shaded and possibly cool so that the glare doesn't force you to wear sunglasses inside. Some ideas to get you started: Neutrals - Resene Double Sea Fog or (deeper) Resene Triple Sea Fog, Resene White Pointer, Resene Quarter Ash (slightly green) or Resene Quarter Periglacial Blue (slightly blue). Ceilings can be a type of white like Resene Quarter Wan White or Resene Alabaster - whichever looks best with all of your colours. You may need to build a colour scheme from the flooring up, including blinds or drapes and encompassing artwork, accessories and - in the bedrooms - duvets before you choose a colour. That way you can choose what you fancy and then find the colour that works with both the light and these elements.

Resene Double Sea Fog
Resene Double Sea Fog
Resene Triple Sea Fog
Resene Triple Sea Fog
Resene White Pointer
Resene White Pointer
Resene Quarter Ash
Resene Quarter Ash
Resene Quarter Periglacial Blue
Resene Quarter Periglacial Blue
Resene Quarter Wan White
Resene Quarter Wan White
Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
 
February 2014

Q. I want to paint my toilet a different colour. It's currently similar to Resene Danube and has a small north facing window. The lino is a mix of beige and buttermilk colours and ceiling is similar to Resene Sunflower. It's only small - about 1m by 2m. I was thinking Resene Peppermint maybe? Also, to get to the toilet we have to walk through the laundry which is 2m x 1.8m and it will be painted the same colour - this has a west facing window.

A. You don't indicate whether the ceiling colour is going to be changed as well - any new lighter colour may be totally swamped by the ceiling in something like Resene Sunflower. You definitely could change to Resene Peppermint or even Resene Swans Down which could be delicious, tranquil and make the spaces appear larger and much lighter especially if the ceiling is a soft warm white like Resene Quarter Bianca.

Resene Sunflower
Resene Sunflower
Resene Peppermint
Resene Peppermint
Resene Swans Down
Resene Swans Down
Resene Quarter Bianca
Resene Quarter Bianca
February 2014

Q. What colour do I put on my kitchen/dining walls? I have a brand new kitchen with Snowdrift cabinetry, bamboo natural floor, nougat Caesarstone bench, black sink and cooktop and stainless steel fridge and dish drawers. Lounge area is in Resene Half Sisal. I want a neutral light colour for the walls so I can have a coloured splashback. Any ideas on splashback would be good too if possible.

A. Perhaps you could look at these other options for a kitchen colour and see which one feels better to your eye - Resene Eighth Akaroa, Resene Thorndon Cream and Resene Double Merino.

If you compare with Resene Quarter Sisal then you will get a better idea of how the colours may enhance the space and go with the Snowdrift joinery. Testing the colours in the environment allows you to better judge how light and angles as well as existing elements may influence the wall colour and make you see it in quite a different way.

Splashback colour options may need to be considered carefully - a lot of people choose what they see in a kitchen showroom because it is bold and exciting which is ok as long as long as it is a colour that you have always loved, always had featured in some way in your home - then it is totally appropriate because it is part of you. But if you pick up on bold and trendy colours that you wouldn't normally use then you may tire of them and wish you had thought it all through a bit more because it will be there a long time. Metallic silvers, pewters and charcoal greys seem to be an alternative way to go especially as they often tie into other metallic finishes you may have in the kitchen - certainly they look really classy with 'whites' in kitchen setting.

Resene Half Sisal
Resene Half Sisal
Resene Eighth Akaroa
Resene Eighth Akaroa
Resene Thorndon Cream
Resene Thorndon Cream
Resene Double Merino
Resene Double Merino
Resene Quarter Sisal
Resene Quarter Sisal
February 2014

Q. As a Learning & Development Consultant I am seeking advice on colours for a corporate learning and development training room to ensure the colour scheme is conducive to adult learning.

A. Try soft turquoise and orange based yellow. These colours allow you to have a warm comfortable neutral as a main colour - Resene Half Dutch White (which doesn't sour up under hard white lighting and is an antidepressant and lifts the spirit and stimulates the mind) and Resene Kumutoto (this type of colour heightens communication and creativity). Clearer stronger colours of the same ilk can be used in much smaller ways to add interest - Resene Cream Can (yes it is still an orange based yellow - associated with the memory, recall and clear thinking) and Resene Origin (invigorates, encourages a new start, relieves mental strain) and very small amounts of this type of soft red - Resene Pulse (a good colour for ideas and communication - but not for the implementation of ideas as it can decrease motivation - it does overcome negative thoughts though).

Resene Half Dutch White
Resene Half Dutch White
Resene Kumutoto
Resene Kumutoto
Resene Cream Can
Resene Cream Can
Resene Origin
Resene Origin
Resene Pulse
Resene Pulse
February 2014

Q. Our house is mostly painted in Resene Quarter Spanish White but we are having repairs soon so some walls are to be repainted. The trims will not be touched so what are good neutral colour options? We are looking at Resene Soapstone, Resene White Linen (perhaps too pink?) or Resene Eighth Spanish White and one feature wall in the lounge in Resene Tide. Our kitchen cupboards are quite cream and I don't know if they can be painted. Do you have any advice or rules for wall and trim combinations?

A. If you have a kitchen with cabinets that are quite cream and the main colour (not being repainted) is Resene Quarter Spanish White and you favour using Resene Tide for a feature then I do think that Resene Eighth Spanish White may be the way to go so that it flows through in a nicely co-ordinated way. Yes, I do think that Resene Soapstone and Resene White Linen could be too pink and possibly too cool in comparison to the main colours and not work so well overall.

Generally trims are the lightest colour - either lightest relating to the overall palette that you have used as a main colour or real 'white' which works with everything. Now you know why people choose Resene White - yes it is the default but it stops the agony of indecision in regard painting trims and has the benefit of making all very pale colours look more interesting and slightly deeper. If you are doing a feature wall then make sure the skirting board matches the wall colour - don't use the main trim colour because then there would be two feature colours on the wall.

Resene Quarter Spanish White
Resene Quarter Spanish White
Resene Tide
Resene Tide
Resene Eighth Spanish White
Resene Eighth Spanish White
Resene Soapstone
Resene Soapstone
Resene White Linen
Resene White Linen
 
February 2014

Q. I am a teenager and I am wondering what colour I should paint my bedroom?

A. There are 1000s of options for you to choose from. I am positive there are colours that you are emotionally drawn to so that is a good starting point. Collect pictures and samples and build up a scrapbook of 'colour dreams' and see what lovely colours you might have - such fun!

From a practical point of view if you have carpet, curtains and duvet that are already in the room and aren't going to be replaced in the near future then you need to work with those coloured elements. Might I suggest that you talk to your parents and see if painting a piece of furniture a bright colour and perhaps one wall in a different colour - but nicely co-ordinated to the existing elements I have mentioned - and a good neutral colour on the other walls and woodwork would be the way to go.


Q. What colour will go with Resene Truffle?

A. Resene Truffle is a great colour - so many colours go with it. All of the lighter and deeper versions of Resene Truffle will give you tonal colours that work and then some contrast and accents that you might look at are - Resene Thor, Resene Seachange, Resene Double Arrowtown and Resene Red Red Red. Some of the many 'whites' that look good are Resene Alabaster and Resene Eighth Pearl Lusta.

Resene Truffle
Resene Truffle
Resene Thor
Resene Thor
Resene Seachange
Resene Seachange
Resene Double Arrowtown
Resene Double Arrowtown
Resene Red Red Red
Resene Red Red Red
Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
Resene Eighth Pearl Lusta
Resene Eighth Pearl Lusta
     
February 2014

Q. I have a board (cement board) and batten cottage that I was going to use Resene Waterborne Woodsman Iroko on, but I have now decided to use the Resene Iroko only on the wooden verandah, posts and deck. Could you please advise several colour options that I can paint the cottage with, as in light, medium and dark colours that will work well with Resene Iroko?

A. Try this combinations to see if they work for you - Resene Half Thorndon Cream, Resene Double Thorndon Cream and Resene Pravda, or Resene Rice Cake, Resene Triple Rice Cake and Resene Foggy Grey, or Resene Quarter Cloudy, Resene Cloudy and Resene Double Stonehenge.

Resene Iroko
Resene Iroko
   
Resene Half Thorndon Cream
Resene Half Thorndon Cream
Resene Double Thorndon Cream
Resene Double Thorndon Cream
Resene Pravda
Resene Pravda
Resene Rice CakeResene Rice Cake
Resene Rice Cake
Resene Triple Rice Cake
Resene Triple Rice Cake
Resene Foggy Grey
Resene Foggy Grey
Resene Quarter Cloudy
Resene Quarter Cloudy
Resene Cloudy
Resene Cloudy
Resene Double Stonehenge
Resene Double Stonehenge
February 2014

Q. We have white PVC guttering and downpipes. I am keen to try and emulate a greyed off copper colour to repaint them. The rest of the house is cedar weatherboard and black aluminium joinery. Any suggestions on a colour to emphasise aged copper?

A. I had to pop outside and investigate all the aged real copper at our house to see how best to advise you on this query. It wouldn't be easy to reproduce - the colour isn't uniform - some of it is deep almost bronze brown, some of it is blue/green verdigris randomly splattered over deep brown/charcoal. If you painted or tried to paint a deep colour onto PVC it could cause a lot of movement/flexing when the sun heats it up. This causes the guttering to open at the joiners and you get a nice exterior shower every time it rains - which is probably why it isn't a PVC manufacturers recommendation.

If you were going to do this big job I would recommend you use colours that are formulated to CoolColour™s to try and minimise the heat absorption that a deep colour will cause.

You might look at the following as a one colour only option - Resene Masala - or if you felt really creative you might look at these as a two colour option - Resene Gravel and Resene Torque (metallic). Application would be one careful coat of base colour then a rough brush all over (but not perfectly) of the metallic colour to replicate the indiscriminate old copper colour as it ages.

You may have to climb up and touch up the area around all the joiners as white PVC will show after heat causes movement and expansion.

Resene Masala
Resene Masala
Resene Gravel
Resene Gravel
Resene Torque
Resene Torque
February 2014

Q. We are repainting our stucco clad house by the beach. It is a double storey with a flat roof in the centre. The sides are single storied with sloping roof, concrete tiles, cedar garage/external doors, dark aluminium window frames. The property is fenced (walls) and is the same colour as the house, currently a pale yellow. Looking at the Resene Napa and Resene Tea ranges.

A. I like the Resene Tea and Resene Napa palettes of colours - and they are very, very popular. Another couple of colours worthy of consideration are these ones - Resene Quarter Stonehenge and Resene Quarter Arrowtown. They are slightly more grey/brown toned and look very smart. Stucco being a textured surface often makes colours seem a bit deeper than if the same colour was painted onto flat weatherboard, especially if you choose to use a semi-gloss (such as Resene Sonyx 101) or a low sheen (such as Resene Lumbersider) finish instead of a full gloss (such as Resene Hi-Glo) paint.

Resene Tea
Resene Tea
Resene Napa
Resene Napa
Resene Quarter Stonehenge
Resene Quarter Stonehenge
Resene Quarter Arrowtown
Resene Quarter Arrowtown
February 2014

Q. I would like some suggestions for colour in our small TV room. The existing colour is Resene Sisal but it doesn't go with the grey curtains, sofa or carpet. I really like grey, maybe a darkish grey. The hallway is Resene Half Sisal. So would like something that would transition ok.

A. In regards to a transitional colour that will still work with your existing Resene Half Sisal you may be better using a coloured white so that the curtains, carpet and sofa are highlighted and perhaps using a deep grey on one wall only. Try these colours to see if they work for you - Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta or 'whiter' Resene Eighth Pearl Lusta with a deep grey - Resene Quarter Tuna, or alternatively - warmly mellow Resene Eighth Sisal with Resene Triple Rakaia.

Resene Half Sisal
Resene Half Sisal
Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta
Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta
Resene Eighth Pearl Lusta
Resene Eighth Pearl Lusta
Resene Quarter Tuna
Resene Quarter Tuna
Resene Eighth Sisal
Resene Eighth Sisal
Resene Triple Rakaia
Resene Triple Rakaia
   
February 2014

Q. We live by the beach and wonder what would be the best internal colour through our house. We have dark brown joinery.

A. There are so many factors to take into account when choosing interior colours. It has to look good with all the flooring, all the curtains, all the bedspreads and with the existing kitchen cabinets and work tops and your lounge furniture. Colour also changes - sometimes quite radically - at different times of the day according to changes in natural and artificial light so it can be tricky. At the beach with dark brown joinery you might look at the following colours - Resene Quarter Spanish White, Resene Half Pearl Lusta or Resene Double Alabaster.

Resene Quarter Spanish White
Resene Quarter Spanish White
Resene Half Pearl Lusta
Resene Half Pearl Lusta
Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Double Alabaster
February 2014

Q. I have painted the basement blocks of my brick and tile town house (orange brick) Resene Double Ash. The wrought iron balustrades are now black. What colour would work for the front door?

A. You might look at another earthy olive/grey tone as it will befriend the Resene Double Ash - Resene Quarter Evolution or slightly deeper Resene Evolution or Resene Cobblestone. Alternatively if the front door was totally sheltered and never got direct sunshine on it you do a slick glossy Resene Black.

Resene Double Ash
Resene Double Ash
Resene Black
Resene Black
Resene Quarter Evolution
Resene Quarter Evolution
Resene Evolution
Resene Evolution
Resene Cobblestone
Resene Cobblestone
February 2014

Q. We're painting the exterior cladding of our house which has New Denim Blue aluminium frames – which is the best colour to use?

A. Because Resene New Denim Blue is mostly grey with a undertone of blue in it, it can work with 100s of colours. Lucky for you - you have lots of choices. Warm neutrals and greyish whites work well so perhaps you could check these out – Resene Truffle, Resene Quarter Napa, Resene Concrete or Resene Black Haze.

Resene New Denim Blue
Resene New Denim Blue
Resene Truffle
Resene Truffle
Resene Quarter Napa
Resene Quarter Napa
Resene Concrete
Resene Concrete
Resene Black Haze
Resene Black Haze
February 2014

Q. We are painting the exterior of our house. What colours would work well with our roof and brick colours? The roof colour is COLORSTEEL® Endura Smooth Cream. We are undecided about painting the bricks. We were thinking a soft white (not bright white) for fascias, soffits, trims. And maybe a grey with brown tones for the main colour, and something darker for the base? We also don't want too dark for the walls as we don't want to risk fading.

A. I think that unless you absolutely hate the colour of the bricks and they are totally wrong in all aspects and you feel it is only the brick colour that stops you having a nice new look then I wouldn't paint over them. Because of the bricks and the roof colour - both nice but very distinctive - you do have less options open to you but you might like to look at these colours – Resene Bianca (a soft white), Resene Double Biscotti (main colour and bricks if you decide to paint them, lighter versions are available) and Resene Heirloom (base of house) or Resene Eighth Spanish White (a softer white, deeper versions are available), Resene Cloudy (main colour and bricks if they are to be painted) and Resene Quarter Cloudy. The first scheme is a soft warm beige/brown and the second scheme is greyer.

I have thought a bit about your roof and bricks and you might also consider using the lightest colour as both the main colour and on the fascias, soffits etc as it may be more flexible and then the colour designated as the main for the base of the house for the same reason.

Resene
COLORSTEEL ® Smooth Cream
Resene Bianca
Resene Bianca
Resene Double Biscotti
Resene Double Biscotti
Resene Heirloom
Resene Heirloom
Resene Eighth Spanish White
Resene Eighth Spanish White
Resene Cloudy
Resene Cloudy
Resene Quarter Cloudy
Resene Quarter Cloudy
 
February 2014

Q. We are painting some exterior render in Resene Half Grey Friars and are looking for a very dark grey to paint weatherboards beside the rendered colour. We tried a sample of Resene Shark but it is too blue. What is a good dark charcoal grey (almost black but not quite that harsh) that would go alongside Resene Half Grey Friars – Resene Zeus perhaps? We have white windows/trims.

A. I wouldn't recommend Resene Zeus as it is has quite an olive green in the undertone which doesn't sit well with Resene Half Grey Friars. You might look at using Resene Foundry.

Really dark colours can cause heat related problems with real timber and it is recommended that you ask for the Resene CoolColour™ modified formulas as they can help to a certain extent in reflecting some of the heat away from the surface.

Resene Half Grey Friars
Resene Half Grey Friars
Resene Foundry
Resene Foundry
February 2014

Q. I have Stegbar Stone Beige aluminium window and sliding door frames throughout a two storey house which is to be rendered and painted and has Graphite roof tiles. I do not wish the frames to be a feature but to blend with a warm exterior colour and one or two contrasting colours for mouldings and feature entry/porch. What do you suggest?

A. I think if you work with colours that sit close to the Stone Beige colour - lighter rather than darker - you will find that the very distinct joinery colour blends a bit better. You might like to check these colours out to see if they might work – Resene Drought, Resene Double Drought or Resene Outback.

Resene Drought
Resene Drought
Resene Double Drought
Resene Double Drought
Resene Outback
Resene Outback
February 2014

Q. We've painted our new weatherboard house Resene Inside Back with Resene Half Rice Cake trim. We can't decide on the front door colour and the wide board porch colour. The roof is grey, bargeboards are Resene Chicago.

A. You have quite a few existing colours already so I don't think I would be introducing any more grey tones. If the front door is a lovely panelled style then it could look really nice painted Resene Half Rice Cake which will tie in the trim colour and would pop out of the deeper main house colour.

It is also a good idea to use this colour for any handrails or posts on the porch. You could perhaps use Resene Chicago on the porch as it is only on the bargeboards at the moment.

Resene Inside Back
Resene Inside Back
Resene Rice CakeResene Half Rice Cake
Resene Half Rice Cake
Resene Chicago
Resene Chicago
February 2014

Q. Our house is weatherboard and iron 1950s. The roof and base are Resene Karaka. What colour would you recommend as a good match for the weatherboards to give a contemporary feel?

A. Earthy grey/browns are in favour so you might look at the following colours to see if they give you the contemporary feel you want – Resene Rockbottom, Resene Double Truffle, Resene Quarter Stonewashed or Resene Quarter Stonehenge.

Resene Karaka
Resene Karaka
Resene Rockbottom
Resene Rockbottom
Resene Double Truffle
Resene Double Truffle
Resene Quarter Stonewashed
Resene Quarter Stonewashed
Resene Quarter Stonehenge
Resene Quarter Stonehenge
February 2014

Q. I am preparing to paint the roof of my unit but am not sure which colour. The unit is one of two, part Summit Stone brick and a wood veneer which is painted in Resene Dragon. I am thinking perhaps Resene Squall or Resene Nocturnal - what do you suggest?

A. Resene Squall will look tonally related to the main house colour - Resene Dragon - but it won't look much deeper due to the angle of the roof to the sun. Exterior colours often look lighter due to bright light 'bleeding the colour out'. Resene Nocturnal will give you strong contrast which may look smarter but the colour itself is really dark and will attract a tremendous amount of heat. I strongly recommend that if you do go for these dark roof colours that you use the Resene CoolColour™ version of the colour to try to reduce the heat absorption. Another roof colour worth investigating is Resene Karaka which looks good with the main house colour.

Resene Dragon
Resene Dragon
Resene Squall
Resene Squall
Resene Nocturnal
Resene Nocturnal
Resene Karaka
Resene Karaka
February 2014

Q. We have a deck out the back not attached to the house. We would like to stain it but unsure of which colour to use. We want to get away from the natural look. We had thought of green but not a stand out green. What do you suggest?

A. You might look at Resene Woodsman stain in Resene Grey Green as it is not too 'stand out'. Another thought is to use a deeper earthy colour like Resene Woodsman Touch Wood as it is neither green nor brown but a sludgy mix of both colours. Testpots of stain colours are available and because colour often looks a bit darker than you might imagine you could trial colour on some off cuts of the same wood as the deck.

Resene Grey Green
Resene Grey Green
Resene Touch Wood
Resene Touch Wood
February 2014

Q. We are building a house and have chosen the wall colour Resene Half Merino. It has been suggested that our ceiling should be Resene Quarter Merino, but will that be light enough?

A. You won't notice much difference between Resene Half Merino and Resene Quarter Merino but if you want a sharper contrast for your ceiling you might look at using Resene Alabaster. It will work with the Resene Half Merino.

Resene Half Merino
Resene Half Merino
Resene Quarter Merino
Resene Quarter Merino
Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
February 2014

Q. I like Resene Eighth Tapa for a grey, but want something a bit lighter. I like a slight green undertone that's barely noticeable. Can you suggest some greys that might look like this?

A. You might like to try these colours to see if they are similar to what you want – Resene Quarter Delta or Resene Mist Grey.

Resene Eighth Tapa
Resene Eighth Tapa
Resene Quarter Delta
Resene Quarter Delta
Resene Mist Grey
Resene Mist Grey
February 2014

Q. I am looking at painting our complete interior a nice warm grey (Resene Triple White Pointer) with trimmings in Resene Alabaster. Our house is a 1970s contemporary reno with Resene Black and Resene Silver Chalice outside. I love Resene Triple White Pointer but am concerned that at different times of the day/lighting that it might look a little ‘dirty’.

A. You are right about Resene Triple White Pointer looking dirty at different times of the day or night - it is a lovely colour but best seen in huge areas that get blasted by bright natural light.

Colour in an interior magnifies in strength so Resene Triple White Pointer is in danger of escalating to something that might replicate Resene Quarter Arrowtown. Might I suggest you lighten your colour to Resene Double White Pointer and use this only in the largest/lightest rooms and reduce down to Resene White Pointer for smaller/dimmer rooms. What this will achieve is something that will look deeper (more like Resene Triple White Pointer) in the largest/lightest room and using the lighter version in smaller/dimmer rooms will still look reasonably deep. To ensure this happens you may need to reduce your 'white' also - Resene Half Alabaster.

If you are still lusting after Resene Triple White Pointer think of which plain wall (no doors no windows) where you might use this depth of colour as a feature - a small amount of desired colour is sometimes better than none of it. Another way of doing this depth of colour is using it for drapes or blinds.

Resene Triple White Pointer
Resene Triple White Pointer
Resene Quarter Arrowtown
Resene Quarter Arrowtown
Resene Double White Pointer
Resene Double White Pointer
Resene White Pointer
Resene White Pointer
Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
Resene Half Alabaster
Resene Half Alabaster
   
February 2014

Q. We have a home with brown aluminum windows and would like to paint the exterior and trims. The property is in a coastal location. We have been thinking of a lighter colour, any suggestions?

A. You have hundreds of options - lucky you! As I am not sure what style of house you have and whether you like warm neutral colours or cool neutral colours and how much of the house constitutes 'trim' these suggestions incorporate some popular colour choices:
Resene Quarter Cloudy with Resene Half Sea Fog or mid toned trim colour Resene Cloudy
Resene Half Fossil with Resene Eighth Fossil or a mid toned trim colour Resene Double Fossil.

For a front door statement colour you might look at using a sea side blue to balance the brown of the joinery – Resene Seachange or a bit deeper Resene Undercurrent.

Resene Quarter Cloudy
Resene Quarter Cloudy
Resene Half Sea Fog
Resene Half Sea Fog
Resene Cloudy
Resene Cloudy
Resene Half Fossil
Resene Half Fossil
Resene Eighth Fossil
Resene Eighth Fossil
Resene Double Fossil
Resene Double Fossil
Resene Seachange
Resene Seachange
Resene Undercurrent
Resene Undercurrent
 
February 2014

Q. We have a 1970s Summerhill stone (pink) that we want to paint. We are thinking a lightish grey with darker grey roof. The biggest issue is we have white aluminium joinery. Could you please give us some ideas/thoughts?

A. If the windows are Arctic White powder coat which is really cool/blue/grey in its whiteness then you might look at this combination -
Resene Iron with Resene Grey Friars (roof) or Resene Half Silver Chalice with Resene New Denim Blue (roof). But if the windows are Warm White powder coat then you could look at – Resene Rakaia with Resene Nocturnal (roof) or Resene Eighth Friar Greystone with Resene Squall (roof).

Resene Iron
Resene Iron
Resene Grey Friars
Resene Grey Friars
Resene Half Silver Chalice
Resene Half Silver Chalice
Resene New Denim Blue
Resene New Denim Blue
Resene Rakaia
Resene Rakaia
Resene Nocturnal
Resene Nocturnal
Resene Eighth Friar Greystone
Resene Eighth Friar Greystone
Resene Squall
Resene Squall
February 2014

Q. I'm hoping to have my home painted asap; however I'm finding it difficult to decide on colours. My thoughts were main areas white or off white with a charcoal for timber posts and various other areas. Decking to be charcoal but am reconsidering a reddish/brown stain instead.

A. You might like to try Resene Merino with Resene Baltic Sea or Resene Rice Cake with Resene Gravel or Resene Black Haze with Resene Tuna. The decking could be nice in Resene Woodsman stain – Resene Timberland or Resene Oiled Cedar.

Resene Merino
Resene Merino
Resene Baltic Sea
Resene Baltic Sea
Resene Rice CakeResene Rice Cake
Resene Rice Cake
Resene Gravel
Resene Gravel
Resene Black Haze
Resene Black Haze
Resene Tuna
Resene Tuna
Resene Timberland
Resene Timberland
Resene Oiled Cedar
Resene Oiled Cedar
February 2014

Q. My kitchen cabinets/drawers are in a deep blue; so are the surrounding panels. I want to change the colour of the cabinets/drawers. What colour would look good with the blue surrounding panels?

A. Without knowing the exact type of deep blue and how big an area the panels take up in size relationship to the cabinets it is very hard to give precise colour recommendations. Generally warm beige and soft browns work well with deep blues as they soften and balance it and whites also work well as they will increase the depth of the deep blues and frame them making them appear much more eye-catching. Lots of other elements affect the possible options also - the colour of work tops, floor, walls and the amount of light within the space in question.

February 2014

Q. We are in the process of selecting house colours for the exterior, a complete repaint. The house is a 1930s character home, single level. Roof is to be Ironsand and going on soon. We were interested in Resene Linen for the weatherboards, but sills in Resene Diesel is a bit overpowering (recommended complementary colour). Is there another colour for the sills that still has presence to provide some added interest. The other colour scheme we're considering is Resene Caraway with Resene Mondo sills.

A. You might try teaming Resene Linen with Resene Gravel or (lighter) Resene Half Gravel to achieve a softer greener deep trim colour that still works well with the roof Ironsand. Alternatively there is the option of using Resene Quarter Ironsand. If you forgo your first option and go with Resene Caraway with Resene Mondo you could also consider as an alternative trim colour Resene Masala. I do think it would be wise to use the Resene CoolColour™ formulated versions of these deep colours to ensure less heat is attracted into the surfaces that you are painting. This will help to minimise possible problems associated with deep colours and UV.

Resene Ironsand
Resene Ironsand
Resene Linen
Resene Linen
Resene Gravel
Resene Gravel
Resene Half Gravel
Resene Half Gravel
Resene Quarter Ironsand
Resene Quarter Ironsand
Resene Caraway
Resene Caraway
Resene Mondo
Resene Mondo
Resene Masala
Resene Masala
   
February 2014

Q. I currently have my interior walls painted in a green toned white but the trim is a hideous 80s peach. Please can you suggest a better colour for the trim and perhaps an overall palette? I am really unsure of how to match a green based white. We are near the beach so coastal would work well. Currently the house has pine varnished ceilings which makes it darker (we'll paint them later) and a neutral carpet.

A. You might like to investigate using a crisp clean 'white' for all the trim to go with your main wall colour - perhaps Resene Quarter Rice Cake which has a tiny undertone of yellow/green hiding in it and build in a few other colours to increase the coastal palette of colours that are so popular – Resene Harp, Resene Quarter Powder Blue and Resene Caraway.

Resene Quarter Rice Cake
Resene Quarter Rice Cake
Resene Harp
Resene Harp
Resene Quarter Powder Blue
Resene Quarter Powder Blue
Resene Caraway
Resene Caraway
February 2014

Q. We have a one level 1960s beach house with aluminium joinery. Built of concrete block and fibrolite with a large expanse of ranchsliders and windows across the front. The roof was painted using Resene Winchester and doesn't need to be painted. The rest of the house is cream on the blocks and Resene Masala on the fibrolite. I would like to paint out the cream, but keep the Resene Masala. Can you suggest colours that I could use with this palette?

A. You could try Resene Quarter Pravda, Resene Quarter Taupe Grey or for a lighter option Resene Triple Sea Fog.

Resene Winchester
Resene Winchester
Resene Masala
Resene Masala
Resene Quarter Pravda
Resene Quarter Pravda
Resene Quarter Taupe GreyResene Quarter Taupe Grey Resene Triple Sea Fog
Resene Triple Sea Fog
February 2014

Q. We currently have Resene Black White upstairs (walls and ceilings) which were painted with earthquake repairs. The doors and architraves weren't painted at the same time but we would like to do so soon. What colour would you recommend painting these? It’s an industrial building so there are no character features. I am concerned that doors in Resene Black White will look dirty really quickly but maybe that is the best option?

A. If you are worried about finger marking showing up too much then perhaps you might go a little deeper – Resene Double Black White or Resene Double Sea Fog. I know there is quite a move toward more flat paint finishes on woodwork including doors but if you chose a semi-gloss or even a slick glossy enamel it would be easier to clean, resist marking better and look visually a bit more exciting.

Resene Black White
Resene Black White
Resene Double Black White
Resene Double Black White
Resene Double Sea Fog
Resene Double Sea Fog
February 2014

Q. What exterior colour scheme would give our beach house a Mexican/adobe type look?

A. If you have a stucco or plastered exterior I can imagine a nice adobe look being created by using either ochre golds, terracottas or toasted tans such as Resene Calico with Resene Dairy Cream, or Resene Sante Fe with Resene Kalgoorie Sands, or Resene Toast with Resene Alamo.

Usually the paint finish is a matt mineral finish like Resene AquaShield or a low sheen like Resene Lumbersider. Sometimes two colours are used in a paint effect application - one solid base coat (a deeper/richer colour) and a topcoat (often a lighter colour to make it look faded and dusty) - the top coat can be mixed in an acrylic glaze using Resene Paint Effects Medium - and rough brushed over to replicate worn, old, see through colour that shows some of the basecoat colour through it.

Trims on the house are often deep teal greens such as Resene St Kilda - or dark blues such as Resene Billabong. The roof - tiled usually - is a traditional red oxide terracotta such as Resene Red Planet.

Resene St Kilda
Resene St Kilda
Resene Billabong
Resene Billabong
Resene Red Planet
Resene Red Planet
February 2014

Q. I am building a house clad in a mix of cedar and Rockcote with an Ironsand COLORSTEEL® roof and guttering and matt black joinery. I would like a suggestion for a stain colour for the cedar and a paint colour for the Rockcote (has to be greater than 25% LRV). The front and basement entry doors will also be painted a stand alone colour so would appreciate some ideas.

A. You don't indicate what type of colours you favour or whether you want distinct contrasts between the stained cedar and the Rockcote so my suggestions are designed to get you thinking about colour options and helping you define your choices - Resene Double Thorndon Cream, LRV 64% (0 is Black and White is 92 so this colour meets the criteria), Resene Woodsman Iroko (lighter) or Resene Woodsman Banjul (darker) and a stand alone door colour - Resene Tweet - funky and fun or Resene Madam M - rich and luscious

COLORSTEEL_Ironsand
COLORSTEE®L Ironsand
Resene Double Thorndon Cream
Resene Double Thorndon Cream
Resene Iroko
Resene Iroko
Resene Banjul
Resene Banjul
Resene Tweet
Resene Tweet
Resene Madam M
Resene Madam M
   
February 2014

Q. I want to paint some outdoor furniture and need some advice. I am looking for a vintage green – can you suggest one?

A. Some options you might like to try are Resene Dingley, Resene Glade Green, Resene Spring Green, Resene Oxley, Resene Dell or Resene Highland.

Resene Dingley
Resene Dingley
Resene Glade Green
Resene Glade Green
Resene Spring Green
Resene Spring Green
Resene Oxley
Resene Oxley
Resene Dell
Resene Dell
Resene Highland
Resene Highland
February 2014

Q. I have to replace the cedar shingles on the upper storey of my house and will probably replace them with weatherboard which I will have painted rather than stained (for durability). My preference is to keep the new colour darker rather than lighter. The two colours I am looking at are Resene Barista and Resene Cedar. Could you please let me know your thoughts on the suitability of those two colours or is there is something else I should be considering?

A. Originally the cedar shingles would have been a light warm reddish colour. At the moment they are faded in some places, discoloured with age and mould so they look a lot darker. I think that though Resene Cedar is nice there are some other options that you might consider:
Resene Brown Derby, Resene Cioccolato and Resene Rebel.

I do recommend that you use Resene CoolColour™ versions of the colours to modify the heat absorption caused by the dark colour. It won't stop the heat - just help to reduce the extreme temperatures.

Resene
Resene Barista
Resene Cedar
Resene Cedar
Resene Brown Derby
Resene Brown Derby
Resene Cioccolato
Resene Cioccolato
Resene Rebel
Resene Rebel
February 2014

Q. We are looking at reroofing and repainting the exterior of an old villa. The aluminium windows are Titania. We like Grey Friars or Steel Grey for the roof and would like a grey exterior colour (but without blue/green overtones). What would you suggest for the weatherboards and windows that would match with the Titania coloured frames? As it is situated on a farm in a nice garden setting, we would like a more classic look, not too bold.

A. Resene Grey Friars is a good classic dark grey for a roof as is Resene Steel Grey but if at any time you have to consider a powder coat colour match for any fence, shed, garage door etc then the Resene Grey Friars will be a match to the COLORSTEEL®. Another roof colour that could look good in your setting is Resene Squall which is a match to COLORSTEEL® Thunder Grey. Perhaps you could look at these colours for the exterior colour - they will all work well with Titania which is quite a yellow/grey green toned neutral. Try Resene Delta Grey, Resene Friar Greystone , Resene Foggy Grey or Resene Eighth Tapa. For trims you might consider lighter than the Titania – Resene Double Rice Cake or even more of the same as the windows – Resene Titania.

Resene Grey Friars
Resene Grey Friars
Resene Steel Grey
Resene Steel Grey
Resene Squall
Resene Squall
Resene Delta Grey
Resene Delta Grey
Resene Friar Greystone
Resene Friar Greystone
Resene Foggy Grey
Resene Foggy Grey
Resene Eighth Tapa
Resene Eighth Tapa
Resene Double Rice Cake
Resene Double Rice Cake
Resene Titania
Resene Titania
 
February 2014

Q. We are going to completely revamp the formal lounge but it has a glass door to the family room and kitchen where the colours are warmer but we will consider painting the walls in those rooms as well. The new carpet is a darker warm grey and there are Rimu French doors and windows as well as an existing Rimu fireplace and a wooden piano. Am looking to put a chaise lounge settee of a similar colour to the carpet. The view is all bush so we do not want to detract from it. What colour would you recommend for the walls? I have tentatively picked Resene Double Sea Fog. Would like to continue to paint the foyer which has a prominent Rimu staircase going upstairs and kauri floors and big front doors and am unsure of whether to paint it in same colour or half the strength. We would like to paint the frames Resene Alabaster or whitish, as we have just done the bathrooms in Resene Half Tea with white frames. We would like a colour which will be timeless and refreshing but neutral enough to allow accessorising as the house has lots of character and rooms are spacious.

A. I do think your idea of Resene Double Sea Fog is good. It does have character but with the bush outlook, the Rimu influence and the darker grey carpet you could look at using Resene Triple Sea Fog with Resene Alabaster - deeper colours are quite atmospheric in a formal environment. Alternatively Resene White Pointer or Resene Quarter Truffle might also be considered. I suggest you trial the colours very carefully to ensure they work both in the lounge and foyer. All colour in an interior doubles in strength so you need to trial it very very carefully as light, space and angles as well as any dominant other colour (Rimu and Kauri are colours too, don't forget) will have a strong influence over how the colour looks. Reducing the level of colour in rooms that are full of shadow or are smaller is a good idea.

The family room and kitchen don't necessarily have to match the formal lounge but because of the view of the adjoining lounge room the colours have to like each other or even be a 'feature' that enhances the new colour of the lounge. The best way to ensure you have a handle on what the colour really looks like in each area is to paint all of the testpot (two coats) onto A2 card (available from Resene ColorShops) and leave a narrow unpainted border all around the edges of the card. This does several things -

  • Makes your eye focus on the reality of the colour.
  • Stops it being unduly influenced by the existing wall colour – that’s what the unpainted border achieves.
  • Allows you to move the very large sample from wall to wall and room to room to see how it alters according to light and space.
Resene Double Sea Fog
Resene Double Sea Fog
Resene Triple Sea Fog
Resene Triple Sea Fog
Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
Resene White Pointer
Resene White Pointer
Resene Quarter Truffle
Resene Quarter Truffle
February 2014

Q. We are doing a renovation - knocking out a wall to make way for an open plan kitchen. We are looking at white (not sure which Resene colour to use) for the kitchen cabinets and a grey benchtop. The kitchen is south facing and joins onto the lounge at the southern end. There is a fireplace, which will have French panelling, and a television at one end and a large window seat at the other.

We have Rimu floors and 10 feet high Resene Cararra ceilings and I have a blue Persian rug which I love the colours of, so would like to match it. We also have dark brown wooden antique furniture to consider. The couch and dining table will be replaced eventually.

My question is what colour do we paint the walls? We were keen on a warm grey, but after trying Resene Chicago, Resene Silver Chalice, Resene Masala, Resene Friar Greystone and Resene Sea Fog we are still undecided! I was thinking the panelled wall could be some sort of white, with the dado continuing the white theme, but do we paint the fire surround white too? Then what colour drapes and window seat cushion?

A. You might look at using Resene Double Alabaster as a fire surround, dado and wood paneling colour - it isn't too stark and then a crisper/sharper white for the kitchen cabinets - Resene Alabaster - this could be used for all ceilings also and then if you favour warm greys you could try the ones listed below. The ones you have already checked out are darker and not so warm by comparison and it would be lovely if nothing detracted from your beautiful blue rug. Try Resene Eighth Friar Greystone , Resene Rakaia or Resene Flotsam.

You don't say what grey bench tops you are considering but I know that Formica Elemental Concrete and the granite colour Luna Pearl will work beautifully with the Resene Alabaster cabinets. In regard the curtains and cushions you might like to pop into a Resene ColorShop to check out the lovely fabric range they have for curtains as a start point - there is so much available sometimes it helps to find and fall in love with a fabric first as everything then falls into place in regards to everything else as you have a 'anchor' to the scheme to work with.

Resene Cararra
Resene Cararra
Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
Resene Eighth Friar Greystone
Resene Eighth Friar Greystone
Resene Rakaia Resene Rakaia Resene Flotsam
Resene Flotsam
February 2014

Q. We want to brighten up a rather grim meeting room to be both bright and warm. We'll be cleaning and re-varnishing the Rimu cupboards, and need to work with the reddish maroon carpet and blue-green chairs. What would you suggest for the walls (including the concrete block walls), ceiling and windows?

A. You aren't wrong when you describe this meeting room as rather grim - all the concrete block doesn't make it a soft friendly place but colour can help to increase the ambiance. The quick option is paint and the better option is to seal the block walls with Resene Sureseal pigmented sealer, plaster with Resene Broadwall Surface Prep and Seal and then paint and then it is a totally new lovely room without the industrial concrete block look being so in your face.

I note that you also have some coloured brick under the windows and alongside of the entry door that is the same as out in the foyer. Are you planning to paint over this too? You could as it will remove the existing colour and free up your room from three colours (carpet, chairs and coloured brick) and make it just two colours to take into account and work with. If you painted the coloured bricks and the concrete blocks and any other walls you could try Resene Biscotti (a rich warm biscuit colour) and do a feature wall colour on the wall that the sink is on - Resene Rendezvous (a dynamic red) or alternatively for a slightly different option – Resene Dutch White (a sunnier cream colour) and do a feature wall colour on the wall that the sink is on – Resene St Kilda (a blue/green energetic colour).

If you paint the door frames and the window frames the same as the main wall colour to simplify the room and freshen up the ceiling with Resene Alabaster you may get a 'grim free' environment to have meetings in. The deeper colour on the sink wall is a good back drop to notices, posters and artwork.

Resene Biscotti
Resene Biscotti
Resene Rendezvous
Resene Rendezvous
Resene Dutch White
Resene Dutch White
Resene St Kilda
Resene St Kilda
Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
February 2014

Q. I want to paint my basement garage which has now become my work room - used for design/sewing. It has a garage door and very low light with one window. It has low beams and is fairly spacious. The remainder of the house is painted in either Resene Tea or Resene Half Tea. I want the work room to have the feeling of a gallery type of room but at the same time needs warmth, it is very cold in winter. Some of the walls are the old fashioned brick and there is an off-white wooden wide slat venetian style blind over the window. Do you suggest a lighter shade of Resene Tea or another shade of white?

A. With low light and low ceiling beams I think you might like a light warm colour not a 'white' as it could look a bit grey and glum. Perhaps seeing as you have some of the Resene Tea palette in the house you might look at – Resene Quarter Tea or possibly Resene Eighth Tea, or alternatively - a similar colour but slightly sweeter than the Resene Eighth Tea – Resene Half Albescent White.

Resene Tea
Resene Tea
Resene Half Tea
Resene Half Tea
Resene Quarter Tea
Resene Quarter Tea
Resene Eighth Tea
Resene Eighth Tea
Resene Half Albescent White
Resene Half Albescent White
February 2014

Q. I've decided that I would now like to paint my weatherboards white. None of the colours I tried look right on the house. You suggested in the past that we could use Resene Black White around our remaining wooden windows and the overhang part of the roof, because that white would go with our new grey/silver aluminium joinery. Now I would like your suggestion on what white would look good for the weatherboards. Would I use the same colour white for the weatherboards, the overhang of the roof and the remaining wooden windows or should they be different shades? What colour would you suggest for the base of the house if the weatherboards are going to be white. I would like my roof to be grey when it gets replaced.

A. Simple option - use Resene Black White on all and Resene Triple Sea Fog or alternatively Resene Quarter Foggy Grey on the base of the house and perhaps you might look at Resene Half Grey Friars or (light grey) Resene Gauntlet for the roof.

Resene Black White
Resene Black White
Resene Triple Sea Fog
Resene Triple Sea Fog
Resene Quarter Foggy Grey
Resene Quarter Foggy Grey
Resene Half Grey Friars
Resene Half Grey Friars
Resene Gauntlet
Resene Gauntlet
February 2014

Q. I am unsure about what colours will look like on big walls over the whole house from just looking at charts. We want something neutral, not too grey or white, and keeping away from yellow creams. We are keeping the same colour throughout the house and using Godfrey Hirst Pearl Bay carpet colour Shrimp, Ironsand window frames, curtains are Accord (colour Quill) and Ricochet colour aluminium. We are wondering about Resene Half Blanc, Resene Quarter Blanc, Resene Rice Cake, Resene Thorndon Cream might be too green? Maybe one of the Resene Sea Fog family?

A. It is good that you want to be sure of your options - you really are at a distinct disadvantage if you can't see the A4 samples of all colours that are at the Resene ColorShop in their Colour Library. It is truly worth the time to see them as it makes sense, clarifies everything and when you place the samples close to the carpet sample and curtain samples it is so easy. It is because they are so large that you can't be misled.

The Resene Blanc palette of colours is quite mushroom/beige and subdued. Resene Rice Cake is a yellowed white almost sharp with a touch of green hiding in it and the Resene Thorndon Cream palette is dull greenish almost cream/beige and the Resene Sea Fog palette is stone grey/nearly whites – Resene Sea Fog is the whitest and Resene Double Sea Fog and Resene Triple Sea Fog are the warmest and greyest of the colours you have listed.

The natural light, the space and shadows in your rooms and the dominant colours of the curtains and carpets will affect the colour (any colour) that you choose. You have all the aces - you can check everything out. A Resene testpot applied (2 coats) onto A2 card leaving a narrow unpainted border will give you a very large sample that can be placed on any wall in any room of your house to make absolutely sure that it works - it will alter with light and shade and with any other colour that is close to it. Please take the time to test colours after checking out how they look in the ColorShop Library - instead of many testpots I suspect you will take one or two and then confirm your colours on site.

Resene Blanc
Resene Blanc
Resene Rice CakeResene Rice Cake
Resene Rice Cake
Resene Thorndon Cream
Resene Thorndon Cream
Resene Sea Fog
Resene Sea Fog
Resene Half Blanc
Resene Half Blanc
Resene Quarter Blanc
Resene Quarter Blanc
Resene Double Sea Fog
Resene Double Sea Fog
Resene Triple Sea Fog
Resene Triple Sea Fog
February 2014

Q. We are trying to decide on a colour for the splashback in the kitchen and would like some suggestions. We have had lots of testpots to try but still no better idea of what will work well. Our walls are Resene Triple Rice Cake and the bench top is Rissoto Ice, an engineered stone which is white with small grey flecks in it. The cabinetry is Melteca Squareline gloss in Warm White. Our floors are a Karndean vinyl plank called Classic Oak which is a mid toned flooring. I like the sea blues and greens but don't want something too dark. I also like orange but think this might be too bright. Or the other option was to have two different colours, one on each side.We are thinking of having the splashback above the hob and extending it all the way around the wall to the oven tower.

A. I have slight misgivings about two splashback colours as they may compete for attention and draw your eye too much and be a bit fussy.

I like the practicality of the splashback extending around to the oven tower. Your ideas of having perhaps a sea blue or green sound nice but your main wall colour is quite rich and greenish and may look even stronger at certain times of the day or night or when the walls are shadowy so I suggest you trial the colour by painting your testpot onto A2 card and moving it around onto different walls just to make sure it isn't too deep.

Colour in an interior can double in strength. If you find this is the case using a lighter version of Rice Cake i.e Resene Double Rice Cake might still give you the look you favour without the colour escalating in value. You could try the following colours – Resene Chi, Resene Escape, Resene Rainee, Resene Robin Egg Blue or Resene Jet Stream.

A word to the wise - there are two types of glass used for splashbacks - standard float glass which is quite greenish and alters considerably how you see the colour behind it and low iron oxide crystal clear glass which shows the colour behind it absolutely true.

Resene Triple Rice Cake
Resene Triple Rice Cake
Resene Double Rice Cake
Resene Double Rice Cake
Resene Chi
Resene Chi
Resene Escape
Resene Escape
Resene Rainee
Resene Rainee
Resene Robin Egg Blue
Resene Robin Egg Blue
Resene Jet Stream
Resene Jet Stream
 
February 2014

Q. We have just purchased a boring 80s condo, windowless kitchen with pass through to combined dining and living room. For something different I'd like to try painting all 6 tertiary colours among the four walls (pale shades). Will I get an unusual eye pleasing scheme or will it look goofy?

A. Possibly - even as pale shades - it will break your spaces into smaller visual blocks. You say it is '80s boring but do you have nothing at all in the way of personal possessions or soft furnishings to add the eye interest without doing so many colours to create interest? I suggest you choose no more than three colours and add the other colours as artwork, fabrics and lovely accessories.

February 2014

Q. I would like white with a little of the background wood showing through in the new house we will be building soon, but I want to do it myself. Can you give me some help please?

A. Are your interior walls going to be pine plywood sheathed or tongue and groove panelled boards? If this is the case we do have a whitewash effect in Resene Colorwood interior stain. It applies like a wash of semi-clear white (doesn't soak in like a stain) over uncoated timber and composite board (particle board) lightening and enhancing the surface. It can be overcoated with Resene Aquaclear (waterborne urethane which doesn't yellow off like ordinary polyurethanes) to protect the finished look, especially good in hallways etc where abrasion and touchy feely fingers might mark the walls, and it is ideal for achieving blonded, French wash or whitewashed effects. It is best applied with a brush or speed brush. If you pop into your local Resene ColorShop you will see examples in the display for timber finishes. I think it may be wise to practice a bit on off cuts of timber so that you see how it applies, how much work you need to do to achieve the look you want etc.

February 2014

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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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Colours shown on this website are a representation only. Please refer to the actual paint or product sample. Resene colour charts, testpots and samples are available for ordering online.   See measurements/conversions for more details on how electronic colour values are achieved.

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