Here's a taste of some of the Colour Expert questions and answers to help you with your own colour scheme.
If you would like more colour advice for your project, please ask our Colour Expert for help or come in and see our staff at your local Resene ColorShop or Reseller. Colours are a representation only.
Please refer to the actual paint or product sample. Resene colour charts, testpots and samples are available for ordering online.
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Q. I'm looking to buy an exterior paint to use on primed metal and wood (mainly for signage) that is a match to the brand Pantone colour. Do you supply mixed paint that is a close match to Pantone swatches? A. Yes Resene ColorShops have matches to Pantone colours and you just need to contact them and provide the number and they will mix the colour for you – or arrange a custom match. You can view the colours we already have matches on file for at www.resene.com/pantone. October 2023 |
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Q. I am looking to modernise my deck/courtyard and possibly paint the deck and/or fence. I need some advice on colours. A. I suggest painting the fence a modern dark colour which pairs with the roof and joinery – darker colours recede so it will look smart but not invasive. Try Resene Grey Friars, Resene Ebony Clay or Resene Foundry. I suggest painting the fence first and then see how you feel about the deck. October 2023 |
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Q. We want to repaint the exterior of our house, including building a new fence and painting that. Currently the house looks old because the paint throws yellow. We will not be replacing the aluminium joinery. We want the house to feel welcoming but it’s not the prettiest of houses from the outside so don’t want it to stand out. We have considered lightening the weatherboards and plaster to white, but we don’t want that yellow look or for it to look dull/flat or be so bright it blinds people. Our current top picks are Resene Athens Grey, Resene Concrete Resene Half Concrete. We like a more bluey/grey tint for outside. We are thinking the garage door would be the same colour as the fence in a charcoal colour. And under the spouting would be a lighter white. A. I suggest you go a little deeper in colour – as colour tends to lighten quite a bit outside. Resene Ted is a lovely grey with a blue undertone, pair this with Resene Foundry or Resene Double Foundry for the fence and garage door, and Resene Black White for the soffit. You might like to compare Resene Ted with Resene Concrete and Resene Half Surrender.  Resene Ted October 2023 |
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Q. We are building a new home. We have a white brick and cedar exterior. The colour match to our brick is Resene Half Sandspit Brown. We’ve used this colour on our exterior soffits. What colour (white) would you suggest using on the walls to complement the brick as it’s being brought in through our entrance. We have medium brown timber flooring, and grey/taupe carpet. We would like a warmer white but more towards beige than yellow. We have a grey stone benchtop and splashback. A. I suggest Resene Milk White or Resene Eighth Truffle. October 2023 |
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Q. I have a blue wall that is painted Resene Comfort Zone. I now want to make my kitchen cabinets either a very pale blue or a taupe/beige colour. What colour blue would tone in well with Resene Comfort Zone? A. See if any of these Resene neutrals work for you – Resene Aoraki, Resene Kinship, Resene Half Cloud or Resene Eighth Stonehenge. October 2023 |
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Q. Can you please help me decide on a colour that would best suits my house? I’m unsure whether to go a classic beige/neutral colour or something like a very light green? My house is current a purple-grey is the best way I could describe it. A. I suggest a classic beige/neutral – see if any of these Resene colours appeal: Resene Truffle, Resene Triple White Pointer, Resene Cloudy or Resene Half Friar Greystone. Pair these with a white for the trims and windows such as Resene Alabaster.  Resene Half Friar Greystone October 2023 |
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Q. I need a colour to paint the inside of a pool shed. It is mostly going to be used for storing pool equipment/chemicals etc so probably not a white. Also, the shed has no windows. A. I suggest you paint the interior of the pool shed a light blue grey – greyed enough to be serviceable and the blue will complement with the pool – try Resene Triple Concrete or Resene Half Grey Chateau. Consider a harder wearing paint such as a waterborne enamel, or a waterborne alkyd so the clean-up is water, but it is more durable than a standard acrylic paint – talk to your local Resene Color Shop about which will suit best. October 2023 |
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Q. We have seen a colour consultant and have chosen a great colour scheme for our house. Our main wall colour is Resene Merino, with Resene Alabaster trim. We are working on painting through our house now. We have accents of greens, including Resene Mother Nature, Resene Secrets, Resene Helix and Resene Green Meets Blue throughout our house by way of feature walls and touches here and there. My problem is the kitchen. The walls will be Resene Merino, and as we are doing a very low cost reno we are limited in choice with benchtop and flooring. We really need to pull out and reinstall a new kitchen but that’s not in our budget. Our solution is to use vinyl to cover the benchtop and paint the existing cabinetry. The kitchen does not get a lot of natural light. There are good windows but the light only shines from that side of the house in the height of summer, so throughout winter it gets no direct sunlight at all. With our very limited choice at the price point, we have gone with a dark grey concrete tile which doesn’t clash with the existing flooring in the adjacent rooms. The benchtop vinyl we think looks best with the Resene Merino walls and the grey floor is a Matte Marble look vinyl. While I would love to go with green for cabinetry, I think my it will just be too dark for this space. I feel like white is our best option, which we are happy with, but we run the risk of this being a very cold feeling room with so many cooler colours. Should we go with a warmer white instead? A. I feel you should stay neutral and classic – you have a good amount of accent colour throughout your home, plus your benchtop is a classic design – the benchtop and tiles will look great by the way! A darker colour will absorb the little light you have and yes white might feel a bit cold – therefore I think stay in the Resene Merino family but go deeper – Resene Double Merino or Resene Triple Merino. You could also try a couple of neutral/pale greens such as Resene Half Linen or Resene Half Ash. I don’t recommend going to a warm white with your proposed hard finishes. October 2023 |
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Q. We are redecorating my teenage daughter's room and she has decided that she would like a feature wall in Resene Kumutoto (blue is her favourite colour). I am undecided which neutral to paint the other walls, to work with the feature wall. The room is currently Resene Half Drought, the ceiling is Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream and the carpet is light beige. It's a small double room, north facing and gets a lot of natural light. I'm a fan of colour so don't really want the 'stark' white look, so I wondered if Resene Thorndon Cream would work with the feature wall and tie in with the ceiling/trim? It seems to have some warmth to it. We do have also have Resene Half Tea in another part of the house with a blue feature wall which looks good so I'm also wondering if Resene Half Tea or Resene Quarter Tea would work? A. As it is a north facing room I suggest Resene Thorndon Cream will pair better. It has a grey/green undertone and this works well in rooms with bright light. October 2023 |
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Q. I live in a dear small old cottage painted in Resene Half Turbo’ It has white trim around the windows and doors. I chose to paint the front door in a strong aubergine (thinking a complementary colour would work). I’m not at all happy and have stripped the paint back to the timber. Now that I’m seeing this soft unsophisticated house without the purple I like the quieter simpler look of the timber with the Resene Half Turbo and feel either the natural wood or a pastel colour will be a better look. A white picket fence fronts the property with lemon trees primarily a green white and yellow colour scheme. Once the door is painted I’ll match it with a pot to sit either side. What would you suggest? A. As you have a gorgeous yellow cottage – I think the wood door is a fabulous idea using Resene Woodsman wood stain. If you are not happy with the result once the door is sanded (i.e. the timber is uneven or has marks that cannot be removed), you could paint it white or a soft grey such as Resene Triple Concrete. October 2023 |
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Q. Our new build is going to have Godfrey Hirst Vega Grey Mist LVP flooring – which seems more warm/greige than a true grey. What neutrals/whites would be suitable for the walls? The space is north facing with lots of windows. A. As the space is north facing I would tend towards the lighter variants of Resene White Pointer – such as Resene Half White Pointer or Resene Quarter White Pointer but you could test all three. You might also like to try Resene Milk White or Resene Half Milk White from the Karen Walker Paints collection. October 2023 |
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Q. For a house with New Denim Blue joinery, we have chosen Resene Kashmir Blue for the kitchen cupboards, Resene Half Wood Bark for the kitchen island surround and Resene Coral for a feature wall. What light neutral do you suggest we consider for the remaining walls? The house is a large, open plan with a high curved ceiling. We are after a warm, light and homely feel. A. Your colours are lovely and to balance with a soft neutral I suggest you try Resene Eighth Akaroa, Resene Quarter Akaroa, Resene Eighth Joss, Resene Quarter Sandspit Brown or Resene Half Albescent White. These are all similar, but with slightly different undertones. October 2023 |
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Q. Last year we repainted our TV room in Resene Safehaven after a recommendation by you, and we absolutely love it (it went from a feature wall to the whole room being painted!) so hoping you can help us again. We want to repaint our master bedroom. The current paint is the same as most of the house and is Resene Merino. We are waiting on a new headboard which is oatmeal in colour and after the success with adding some colour to our TV room, we’d like to add some colour to our bedroom and are looking for a soft light green/sage/olive hue. We both love Resene Spanish Green however this is a lot darker than we wanted. We’ve also tried Resene Pewter and Resene Rainee and Resene Half Robin Egg Blue and Resene Periglacial Blue from the Karen Walker Paints collection. We don’t want anything with a blue undertone. Can you recommend something similar to Resene Spanish Green that is lighter in colour? A. See if any of these greens appeal – Resene Peace, Resene Green Spring, Resene Secrets, Resene Bud or Resene Eau De Nil. October 2023 |
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Q. I have a house with a steel roof painted in Resene Lichen. Will this work okay with Resene Half Thorndon Cream as the main house colour? A. Yes definitely the two will pair together well, however, colours do tend to appear quite a bit lighter outside in natural, bright light, so you might want to consider Resene Thorndon Cream, which will pair well with Resene Lichen. It also depends on any other existing colours you might have to pair with, such as windows. October 2023 |
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Q. We are going to renovate and will be replacing the roof, garage doors, aluminium joinery and repaint the whole house, so I have flexibility to choose a new colour scheme for all these and get rid of the mish mash of colours we have at present. So far we have thought of the following but are open to ideas. Roof: We will definitely get rid of the red roof, its old and getting rusty so needs replacing. We are thinking of a new COLORSTEEL® roof in maybe Windsor Grey or Grey Friars. We would probably match the same for the garage doors and also the boat shed door at the front of the property and paint the boat shed the same as the house. For joinery, I was thinking of Appliance White aluminium joinery, getting away from the brown! We are right by the sea, so think we want a light 'Hamptons style' effect. I'm having trouble finding paint colours for the weatherboards that could work well with either roof colour. Could you recommend some colours that have a warm tone to them, but not too dark, but something that tones with the roof and looks good with the aluminium, light and warm. I would prefer not to have cool grey tonings on the weatherboards as the house on the other side of us is grey. Our other neighbours have a white house and blue denim roof, but that has faded quite quickly. Could you please recommend the colours for the base of the house which is currently that awful brown. Would you match it to the roof colour or the house colour, or go for something different? A. I like the idea of a lighter roof – Sandstone Grey – for your house in keeping with the Hamptons vibe and I feel it will suit the house but either of the following weatherboard colours will work with Windsor Grey (Noir) or Sandstone Grey (Gauntlet). For the weatherboards consider these warmer neutrals: Resene Cloud, Resene White Pointer, Resene Triple White Pointer, Resene Truffle, Resene Stepping Stone or Resene Quarter Stonehenge – Resene Foggy Grey looks lovely with Sandstone Grey but is a bit cooler. I suggest you paint the base the same colour as the weatherboards as this will modernise the house. Appliance White is my suggestion for the window joinery – it pairs well with many colours inside and outside. I recommend painting the garage doors the same colour as the roof in Resene Noir or Resene Gauntlet.  Resene Stepping Stone October 2023 |
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Q. I have a 1980s Hardiplank house with brown aluminium window joinery. I’d like to know if there are any grey paint colours that will work with the brown aluminium. My roof is not painted yet. I’d prefer a grey that’s not bluey or browny. A. Consider these greys – Resene Silver Chalice, Resene Atmosphere, Resene Quarter Tapa or Resene Kensington Grey. I suggest painting your roof Resene Ironsand. October 2023 |
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Q. I’m intending to paint the exterior of our 1910 bungalow in Resene Merino. Could you please suggest a suitable white colour for window trims and the picket fence? I’d like to be able to see the variation in whites. A. Resene Alabaster pairs nicely with Resene Merino for a trim and picket fence colour – you will see the contrast. October 2023 |
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Q. I would like to repaint the exterior of our beach house. It has grey/green aluminium. A. With the grey/green aluminium, a grey/white will look good – light enough to be fresh and modern – see if Resene Double Sea Fog or Resene Double Merino appeals to you or perhaps you might like more of a coastal feel and blend with the joinery with colours such as Resene Pumice or Resene Haven. October 2023 |
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Q. Can you give me a couple of good grey type colour palette ideas for a home exterior to cover brick and make it more modern? A. Some exterior paint options: Scheme 1 – Roofs and guttering in Resene Nocturnal, cedar in Resene Shadow Match, brick in Resene Half Silver Chalice and eaves and garage surround in Resene Half Sea Fog. Scheme 2 – Roofs and guttering in Resene Element, cedar in Resene Crowshead, brick in Resene Element, eaves and garage surround in Resene Half Sea Fog and garage door: in Resene Element. October 2023 |
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Q. I am having the exterior of my house painted. The foundation and to the weatherboards are both of equal size. Would Resene Steel Grey for the foundation look alright with Resene Triple Concrete weatherboards and Resene Half Grey Athens trim? A. Resene Steel Grey and Resene Triple Concrete are a great combination, but I am unsure about Resene Half Athens Grey for trims – consider Resene Quarter Concrete. October 2023 |
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Q. Could you recommend an exterior paint colour that is a deep navy blue? A. Resene colours are multifinish so they can be used for the exterior or interior. With dark colours and certain substrates such as timber weatherboards, consider using a Resene CoolColour paint – which reflects more of the sun’s harmful rays away from the substrate than the normal version of the colour. New builds may require consent to use a dark navy depending on the cladding. Popular blues to consider – Resene Indian Ink, Resene Blue Night and Resene Midnight Express. Colours tend to appear lighter outside and the blue undertone is enhanced in certain aspects. October 2023 |
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Q. We recently bought a property that's surrounded by gardens and apple orchards. It's a 1906 villa and is decorated in a traditional, glamorous style with peachy creams and wallpapers, which doesn't suit our young family (with two boys aged 9 and 11). I want to paint over the wallpaper and bring a more modern, calm feeling. I like a coastal look but given the house is amongst apple orchards, I was wondering if some green tones might also work. I don't like red so prefer a colder background to the colours. I was thinking Resene Black White in the lounge, kitchen and hallway, with the master bedroom in Resene Coast or Resene Timekeeper, ensuite in Resene Lemon Grass or Resene Tasman to go with the green in the stained-glass window and big bathroom in Resene Tasman or Resene Black White. For the children’s bedrooms, I was thinking Resene Quarter Robin Egg Blue or go a bit adventurous and have dark – Resene Black or Resene Timekeeper – feature wall. I'll also be replacing most of the curtains/blinds to go with the new colour scheme. We have warm timber flooring. A. I like your ideas – a few tweaks here and there is all that is needed. Resene Black White is quite a cool toned colour considering your timber flooring – consider Resene Double Alabaster for the lounge, kitchen and hallway, which is still cool toned but not quite as grey. For the ensuite and bathroom Resene Tasman is a beautiful colour. Resene Coast will look fabulous for the Master Bedroom – and for the boys’ rooms consider the darker options for feature walls, perhaps with Resene Double Alabaster – investigate Resene Welcome or Resene Invincible. October 2023 |
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Q. Our house is painted Resene Rickshaw. The joinery and trim was Mission Brown, but our new windows, roof and gutters are Grey Friars. I still like Resene Rickshaw, but it reads too pink now and seems to make the Grey Friars look more blue than grey. Is there a colour similar to Resene Rickshaw that doesn’t have so much red/pink in it that would work with the Grey Friars? I tried Resene Pravda, but I didn’t like it. I tried greys instead (Resene Inside Back for example), but it feels too cold to me. I would even be open to something dark. The weatherboards are concrete composite. A. I suggest trying a deeper neutral with less warmth than Resene Rickshaw as Grey Friars is a blue grey and suits cooler toned colours – but you can manipulate this and use a warmer, deeper neutral so it is less likely to enhance any undertones. Try Resene Triple Friar Greystone, Resene Credence or Resene Double Stonehenge – I suggest you pair these with a white such as Resene Half Sea Fog for your soffit and beams. If you want to try a similar colour to Resene Rickshaw with less pink perhaps try Resene Stonewashed – although this will enhance the blue.  Resene Credence  Resene Triple Friar Greystone October 2023 |
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Q. I am starting to look at house paint colours. I have a lovely old villa single story. The roof colour is Ironsand as is the front door. We would like to paint the house a shade of white (we didn't want anything with a blue, green or yellow hue) with the trim being a little more of a standout feature but still a neutral white. A white white would get too dirty where we live. A. I suggest you try Resene Sea Fog – it is a versatile white which isn’t too bright for exteriors but has a hint of grey which keeps it muted – but still looks white outside – I suggest you pair this with Resene Quarter Alabaster. You might also like to check out the deeper variants of Resene Sea Fog – Resene Double Sea Fog and Resene Triple Sea Fog – these can be teamed with Resene Alabaster. For a more forgiving white which pairs well with Ironsand investigate Resene White Pointer and pair this with Resene Alabaster. October 2023 |
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Q. I have an old weatherboard house, about 1890 or 1900. I have recently had it reroofed in FlaxPod. The setting is farmland with a native bush background. I would like something that blends in, but I don’t love green tones. My husband likes grey, but can I get your suggestions please. I would maybe like the windowsills in white as the guttering and downpipes are white. I had also thought of a grey with a slight mauve or lilac tinge, can you suggest one? Or a light mushroom colour? A. The warmer greys might work for you – I suggest pairing these with white for the windows. See if any of these work for you: Resene Half Ash, Resene Foggy Grey, Resene Eighth Arrowtown, Resene Atmosphere, Resene Copyrite or Resene Archive Grey. Or have a look at Resene Truffle (mushroom) or Resene Kinship – for an off white with a hint of lilac, or deeper variants Resene Shady Lady or Resene Monsoon.  Resene Kinship October 2023 |
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Q. We are thinking about Resene Quarter Tea on our main walls and Resene Half Tea on doors and skirting. What would be a best ceiling and window surround colour? A. I like a bright white with the Tea family it keeps it looking fresh and modern – try Resene Half Alabaster. October 2023 |
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Q. I would like to get your advice which colour is suitable for our house exterior paint. Our garage is dark grey so it will be a white/grey type of colour. A. I suggest Resene Sea Fog for your house exterior – it is a soft grey/white and will work with your other elements – it will complement your windows so they won’t be a feature but that works as there are plenty of other accents. If you want a bit more contrast consider Resene Double Sea Fog – this colour is slightly greyer. October 2023 |
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Q. I read on your website that they used gloss for architraves and skirtings. We have wide beautiful architraves and I wondered if the gloss might be a way to hero them. What's your advice? Looking at colours, for the walls we are thinking of Resene Concrete with the ceiling in Resene Black White with a dark painted mantle and fireplace in Resene Jaguar. A. Gloss finishes do highlight architectural features – but a ceiling is a critical light area – so it also can highlight imperfections, especially in a white. If the architraves were in a colour then it might make sense to highlight them in gloss – plus colours hide imperfections more so than white. If you have wide skirtings and door architraves in pretty good condition, then this could be an opportunity to highlight them with a Resene Enamacryl gloss finish. October 2023 |
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Q. What Is a nice green to paint the front door please? Something sophisticated for my European Farmhouse transformation. A. See if any of these greens appeal: Resene Off The Grid, Resene Double Lemon Grass, Resene Siam or Resene Paddock. Colours tend to appear lighter outside, in natural bright light and undertones are enhanced. October 2023 |
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Q. We are getting our cottage re-roofed with COLORSTEEL® FlaxPod. We want to paint it some white. We’re wondering which white to paint it? We have a red door. We’re thinking Resene Half Merino but are unsure if it will work with FlaxPod. A. Resene Merino is a little warmer and colours including whites tend to appear lighter outside. I suggest checking out Resene Merino rather than Resene Half Merino – as FlaxPod is quite deep and has an edge of warmth to it. October 2023 |
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Q. We're looking for a soft blue for a master bedroom which gets lots of sun, and a white/neutral that will go with the blue. We have furnishings which are a pale denim blue elsewhere in the house (and we're not a fan of grey whites). A. See if any of these blues appeal: Resene Duck Egg Blue, Resene Half Halcyon, Resene Breathless, Resene Nepal or Resene Quarter Frozen. Blues do pair well with the cool whites, especially in a sunny room, however, if you want a warmer classic neutral try Resene Bianca.  Resene Half Halcyon October 2023 |
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Q. For the interior living room and bedroom, we are looking for some neutral colours, but not very white. The hallway I can see in a darker colour, than the rooms, as it is naturally brighter. There is no fixed colour, as we are going to change the flooring for laminate. The kitchen will be the same colour as living room, as it is a part of it. Do you think all rooms should be the same colour? We have lovely views to outside. A. I suggest a neutral for all the walls which reflects what is happening outside. With a lovely setting, you should capitalise on that theme. You could try a deeper variant for the hallway (as it’s already brighter) and the bedroom – to make this space feel cosy. The living and kitchen I suggest changing the colour to the lightest variant to really take advantage of the borrowed light – and change the feel of the room. Resene Linen is what I am proposing for the bedroom and hallway and Resene Quarter Linen for the living room and kitchen. The base of the house I suggest Resene Athens Grey and for the garage door and gate either Resene Jaguar or Resene Bastille – to complement the blue tone that seems to be enhanced on the top level, stained cladding. October 2023 |
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Q. We are after a colour to paint our daughter’s room. We are after an ocean beach cosy feel. The room is 2.9m x 2.9m with a full height window that takes most of one wall. It is a north facing room. We are leaning towards the colour Resene Pelorous – do you this this would be ok? A. You can’t definitely use blues for a coastal feel and in a north facing room – however, I feel Resene Pelorous might be just a tad too bright and clean to give a cozy feel, investigate Resene Idyllic. These colours do tend to appear brighter in reality.  Resene Idyllic October 2023 |
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Q. What warm creamy whites for wall colour will marry well with Resene Quarter Lemon Grass kitchen cabinetry? It’s open plan with the lounge and dining so will carry the wall colour through to these areas. A. See if any of these warm whites work for you – Resene Cararra, Resene Half Cararra, Resene Half Villa White or Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream. October 2023 |
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Q. What are the best colours to match with red brick. The house is two storeys. The bottom half is red brick and weatherboard. The top story is fibrolite sheets. It has copper spouting. A. Classic dark greys look great with red brick, and going darker means that the different substrates blend together. See if any of these greys appeal: Resene Tuna, Resene Armadillo, Resene Zeus, Resene Half Gravel or Resene Baltic Sea. Undertones are enhanced outside and colours will appear lighter outside seen in natural, bright light. Investigate Resene CoolColour paint for your house to reduce any heat related issues, typical with darker colours – the above colours suggested are available as a CoolColour paint. I suggest you keep the lower level weatherboards the same grey as the upper level fibrolite to create uniformity. The windows and fascias, I recommend a soft white such as Resene Half Sea Fog. October 2023 |
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Q. I've chosen Resene Nebula as my accent colour and would love your recommendations of a warm cream/off white/neutral that will look good. I'm hoping to do the lounge/dining and hall area in this neutral with white window frames and skirting. A. Resene Wan White looks good with Resene Nebula – however if you want a warmer white consider Resene Merino or Resene Cararra. October 2023 |
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Q. We have a dark hallway in a villa. All the skirtings and architraves are stripped and varnished. We have stripped the old wallpaper off and want to paint the back two thirds of the hall a light white colour that works with wood. Would Resene Eighth Pearl Lusta work? A. Yes Resene Eighth Pearl Lusta pairs well with wood and villa interiors. October 2023 |
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Q. I am planning on painting my old villa Resene White Pointer, and trim Resene Alabaster, our roof and front door are Resene Ironsand. I would like a darker colour on the front porch and front steps what colour would you suggest? A. I suggest Resene Half Masala or Resene Solstice for the porch and steps. These colours balance between the Resene Ironsand door and Resene White Pointer weatherboards. I recommend you use a CoolColour paint to reduce heat underfoot. October 2023 |
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Q. Can you make some suggestions as to colour combinations that we can use for the plastered areas of the house, the windows, windowsills and the garage door. The roof is a mid to dark grey and was recently restored so doesn't need repainting. Our brick is red. A. Dark greys look great with red brick. You could try Resene Baltic Sea, Resene Tuna, Resene Half Baltic Sea, Resene Fuscous Grey or Resene Armadillo. I recommend painting the garage door the same grey as the plaster – this will be in a different finish – a semi-gloss – so this will create a slight contrast with the low sheen finish typical for plaster. For the windows I suggest a soft white such as Resene Half Wan White in a Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss finish. Investigate if Resene CoolColour paint which helps to reflect heat away from dark colours reducing heat related damage to certain substrates like plaster, is beneficial for your house. October 2023 |
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Q. I have a small unit that I painted Resene Half Thorndon Cream and Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream ten years ago. It’s tired and needs some light and life. It’s a two-bed unit with chocolate carpet and wood flooring, the new kitchen and bath benchtop is white with faint brown and the tiles are brown. Outside it has yellow brown brick replaced post-earthquake and I need to repaint the front door and outside trim too. It has a private sunny courtyard that is tiled and I have recently installed a security iron black gate and black wooden fence. A. Green edged neutrals look quite nice with chocolate carpet and wood flooring – consider Resene Quarter Linen which is nice and light, with Resene Quarter Merino for ceilings and trims – for a modern, updated look. October 2023 |
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Q. What colour stain should I paint my bach? The roof is Ironsand, the handrail on the deck is Karaka with some light green on some boards. The soffit is also a pale green. The timber might be unstained cedar. Approx 35 years old. The joinery is brown aluminium. I am leaning towards Resene Treehouse or Resene Bark. Suggestions for a soffit colour too would be appreciated. The roof colour has to stay. I don’t mind the Karaka but hate the pale green. A. Resene Treehouse is my preference as it will sit well against your green setting and also works with Karaka, whilst blending in the roof and joinery to modernise the overall effect. For the soffit I suggest Resene Quarter White Pointer. October 2023 |
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Q. I have chosen to paint a bedroom in Resene Quarter Lemon Grass and was wondering what the best white to paint the architraves, window surrounds, ceiling etc with would be. I have been told that Resene Double Alabaster is good – can you please advise or recommend a good white to use with this and should you use the same strength for ceiling as the rest? A. Yes Resene Double Alabaster will pair with Resene Quarter Lemon Grass. For the ceilings only, I suggest you use the lighter variant – Resene Alabaster – as grey/whites such as Resene Double Alabaster, can appear darker in shadow – unless the ceiling is higher than a standard 2.4 stud. Alternately you can use Resene Alabaster on all areas as it has less tint. Another option to consider is a slightly warmer white such as Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream – you can use this on all areas, as it doesn’t have the grey component. It’s a bit tricker than seems – but it really comes down to what ambience you are trying to create and how much light is in the room, and what type of white you like – cool or warm. Consider what other whites you might have throughout the house. October 2023 |
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Q. I need to restain my 22-year-old home. The current stain was probably applied 22 years ago and looks like only one coat was applied. I'm keen to use a dark colour from the Resene Exterior Woodcare range such as Resene Bushtrack, Resene Tiri or Resene Touch Wood. I'll get the CoolColour option, but I'm wondering should I choose a lighter shade as I'm in a coastal area (2-3 km as the crow flies from the sea) which gets very hot in summer. I plan to prep before staining, with Resene Timber and Deck Wash and Resene Moss & Mould Killer. A. Yes darker colours in a harsh environment will still attract heat absorption even with a CoolColour system. I suggest going lighter or to a mid-colour – and using a CoolColour. Resene Tiri, Resene Heartwood, Resene Nutmeg or Resene Natural are colours you might like to try – stains are difficult to represent on a chart, so make sure to view the cedar samples with stain colours at your local Resene ColorShop then try out your favourites with Resene testpots. October 2023 |
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Q. I've just had my outside metal deck window framings and the wood bits below them painted with Resene Armadillo and there is some wooden deck flooring on one side where I've used Resene Woodsman stain in Resene Equilibrium. Resene Half Delta on the stairs looks too white – I think I'm going to go Resene Armadillo there as well. My question is what colour should I do large fibreglass flooring? I think it needs to be a slightly darker colour than Resene Half Delta. I need something to better harmonise with the Resene Armadillo and the Resene Equilibrium. I’m also conscious I don't want a total sea of grey out there! A. Have you painted two coats of the Resene Half Delta onto the stairs? Two coats will deepen the colour – regardless, colours do appear lighter on decks, so consider a deeper colour such as Resene Quarter Gravel for the fibreglass deck – darker colours do create heat underfoot so you might want to investigate into a CoolColour paint for this floor – ask at your local Resene Color Shop what is suitable – or you might like to try Resene Delta – deeper than Resene Half Delta – but will still be light and not too hot underfoot. October 2023 |
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Q. We have purchased a home and hoping for some help with choosing a stain for the deck. It has previously been stained and is currently 2 different colours. Mostly a natural orange toned stain as well as a kwila red. We are unable to sand the stain off as the boards are laid with the grove facing upwards. We have water blasted but it hasn't taken much of it off. Would it be possible to use one of your wood oil stains overtop of the existing stain? We are open to suggestions! A. Being deck tread up, it is very hard to remove existing coatings completely so you would need to choose a darker colour to hide a non-uniform finish. Water blasting is not ideal for timber as it causes more damage and ‘fluffs’ the timber up. We recommend you use Resene Timber and Deck Wash and scrub using a hard bristle broom. October 2023 |
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Q. We have Resene Black Haze on all ceilings and trims in our relocated house. We have matai flooring that we have stained with Resene Colorwood English Walnut. Now we need to find a good bright white with a high LRV for a long dark hall. A lot of the whites make the Resene Black Haze look grey – interesting mission! I would love your suggestions for very high LRV colours to consider. We'd like a LRV that is higher than the Resene Black Haze. A. For the white – a stark white with a very high LRV will enhance the grey in Resene Black Haze if it is being used with it. I suggest using a white with less grey but in the same family, such as Resene Black White or possibly Resene Half Black White or Resene Quarter Black White the latter two have higher LRVs, so may enhance the grey in Resene Black Haze. unfortunately you probably won’t be able to achieve both solutions in this instance. The whites suggested are light enough for a hallway and sometimes going too bright can make a dark hallway appear cold – and keep in mind that ceilings tend to appear in shadow, so whites/greys on ceilings can appear deeper than the walls – even more so if the walls are whiter than the ceiling – this is totally fine as long as having the ceilings a deeper colour is what you want to achieve – especially if the ceiling height is standard 2.4m – which can bring the ceiling down visually. If you really don’t want to enhance the grey of the Resene Black Haze on the ceiling and trims you might want to consider painting the walls in the hallway Resene Black Haze – this is not unusual. If you want to make the ceiling appear lighter, and retaining the Resene Black Haze – then the walls need to be deeper than Resene Black Haze or paint the hallway ceiling and walls both a brighter white and then leave the trims a bit greyer in Resene Black Haze. October 2023 |
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Q. We are wanting to paint our 1920s bungalow. We are thinking white with a light blue or green trim (around the windows etc). What would you suggest? We live in a very green area with lots of trees around. A. If you have a lot of greenery around – this will reflect onto the white walls – if this is not an issue then look at the slightly deeper variants of the whites as they do brighten outside. Bungalows generally have nice windows – an option is to have a green (I favour green with your outlook) undertone for the walls and a complementary white for the windows. See if any of these whites appeal: Resene Merino, Resene Thorndon Cream or Resene Linen and with them you might like to consider a white such as Resene Alabaster – or if you choose Resene Linen – Resene Black White looks quite good. Also investigate Resene Half Lemon Grass for the weatherboards with Resene Quarter Linen for the windows and trims or a white such as Resene Double Alabaster for the weatherboards with Resene Quarter Linen for the windows and trims. We always recommend testing colours before making final decisions. Please don’t test colours directly on to the substrates as the existing colour might influence how the new colours will appear in reality (once the whole surfaces are painted out). Resene sell A2 card, paint two coats of testpots on to the card and attach to the house to compare tones. October 2023 |
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Q. We have a medium sized deck. Unfortunately a third is laid with kwila timber. The other two thirds is fibrolite. We cannot replace the whole deck. But we cannot decide what to paint the fibrolite. Do we match the house – a light blue grey or do we paint it kwila brown? The dining set is wooden. The outdoor seating is steel grey with light grey cushions. A. I suggest matching the house and choosing a blue grey a shade deeper than the house as it is surprising how much lighter colour appears on decks – but not too dark, otherwise it becomes too hot underfoot in summer! The blue greys will sit nicely with the wooden furniture (which brings in the brown tones of the timber deck), steel grey seating and lighter cushions. Trying to match the kwila timber with paint on fibrolite will be very difficult and will more than likely look unnatural. October 2023 |
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Q. We have red brick exposed walls and black exposed beams inside the house (a Roger Walker home 80s). We have large windows with lots of green trees outside and our floor is a beige Bremworth weave with sand, grey, beige weave. Due to the trees outside, the living room with red brick and black beans seems dark and depressing. I hate the vibe and am desperate to brighten everything up. So I painted the walls Resene Double Orchid White which worked well, but now I am painting the red brick wall in Resene Double Orchid White and it has a strong green/yellow undertone during the day that I don't like. I tried painting half the wall in Resene Orchid White but it’s not as bright warm white as I am after. I still have stairs and balustrades plus a massive red whitewashed brick fireplace in the room. I have painted lots of white testpots on the wall – Resene Spanish White, Resene Half Spanish White, Resene Pearl Lusta – all too creamy, too grey and or too green/yellow. What can I try next? I read that peachy undertones might counteract the green filtered light? A. Did you seal the bricks before painting them? If not then it is possible that the red of the brick is influencing the way the colour is appearing. The Resene Orchid White family is the right tone to counteract the green and lift the space, and it seems it is working on the other walls. I suggest you continue with Resene Double Orchid White but paint a coat of Resene Quick Dry primer/undercoat over the entire brick wall first, including the part you have painted and then test two coats of Resene Double Orchid, ensuring you do like the colour on this wall, before continuing with painting the entire brick wall. October 2023 |
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Q. I am in the process of building a house. The colour of the joinery is Ironsand. I like Resene Stonehenge and Resene Fountain Blue as feature wall/splashback colours. Will that go together? Which shade of white would you recommend for the walls? A. I quite like the warmer blues with Resene Stonehenge – such as Resene Gothic, and I would pair these two colours, considering the Ironsand joinery, with Resene White Pointer for the walls, or its lighter variants Resene Half White Pointer or Resene Quarter White Pointer. Colours do appear softer under glass, but it does depend on which type of splashback glass you are going to have – standard float glass has a green tinge to it and can give colours a murky greenish edge, while low iron oxide glass shows the colour to be truer. October 2023 |
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Q. What is a good exterior colour for a weatherboard home with a red roof? We have two toned COLORSTEEL® sheds in Slate with Gull Grey doors. I could use a Gull Grey equivalent but think that could be a bit much. We are rural so there is a lot of green reflected from the paddocks around. We live on a gravel road so dust is a problem. A. Resene Foggy Grey or Resene Kensington Grey work well with a red roof and will pair with the slate sheds – team either of these with Resene Wan White for the windows and windowsills, fascia and eaves – this white is not too stark. The greys suggested work well with the rural aspect – especially Resene Foggy Grey which has a slight green undertone. I would paint the porch and steps to match the doors of the sheds – Resene Atmosphere (matches Gull Grey) and the front door in a burnt charcoal such as Resene Fuscous Grey – a gloss finish such as Resene Enamacryl will be serviceable for the front door and look great! The base of the house I suggest painting the same as the weatherboards – this will keep it modern. October 2023 |
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Q. I recently bought a property but feel that some areas are in need of a fresher look. On the outside deck, the coating has almost disappeared, and I have no idea how to go about giving it a new face-lift or which product or colour to use. On the main house, I find the green and grey areas rather boring and was wondering if they could be improved. I prefer lighter, whiter colours. I am familiar, and also do like Resene Triple Sea Fog as I have used it at my other property. But of course the colour/s you suggest must complement the current colour of the bricks. I am not a fan of multi-coloured looking houses, but if you think certain accents will enhance the overall appeal, then I’ll consider it. The soffit and area above the deck doors are just fibrolite. The previous owners, who built the house hadn’t even painted them. Could you also please let me know if the fascia colour should stay or be changed as well? The wooden fences are just exposed natural timber. A. Resene Triple Black White (a bit warmer than Resene Triple Sea Fog) might actually work for this house and really modernise and lighten the exterior, plus it will work with the joinery and roof. The yellow bricks might not be perfect with the Resene Triple Black White, but these are of minimal impact. I do agree that one colour on both the weatherboard and plaster will modernise the overall look. I also suggest taking Resene Triple Black White above the windows onto the fascias and eaves. For fences – both roadside and decks I suggest a stain such as Resene Crowshead – I do suggest painting the garage doors a near black such as Resene Double Foundry. The deck I suggest a lighter grey such as Resene Tiri. The deck will need a wash with Resene Timber and Deck Wash, which helps to remove old coatings then coat with Resene Woodsman Decking Oil Stain. October 2023 |
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Q. I am purchasing a 6-drawer dresser and would like it painted navy. What would be your best option/s for a standard navy-blue colour? A. Try Resene True Blue, Resene Biscay or Resene Bunting. October 2023 |
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Q. I was recently in Miami and loved the colour used there and want to bring it back to my villa. Luckily I have dark stained wooden floors throughout the house, so now I just need to make my walls and furnishings come to life. I would like suggestions on a dark green, a light green, a pink, a red and a white. My first projects will be to paint my small office and dining room table dark green, so any tips on finishes appreciated there too. Also if you have any wallpaper recommendations – esp. those using gold and retro details. A. Try Resene Top Notch, Resene Contour, Resene Incarnadine, Resene Awaken and Resene Alabaster. Generally – low sheen (Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen) is the finish for walls, semi-gloss (Resene Lustacryl) for furniture and trims. Wallpapers are a big opportunity to add pattern and texture as well as colour – visit the Resene website online to view the Resene wallpaper collections – but being a tactile product I do recommend popping into a Resene ColorShop and the staff will guide you to the latest wallpaper books and can talk further with you about finishes. October 2023 |
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Q. Our new bach interior is painted with Resene Rice Cake on the walls and Resene Alabaster on the trim/doors/ceiling. We have polished wooden flooring, so we get a lot of warmth with that as well. I love the bright, warm, airy feel of those colours with the flooring, but I want to bring in some blues with a dot of brighter accent colours as well. Our bach is also by a black sand beach so it would be nice to incorporate some of those colours if possible (but not absolutely). I am useless with colours, so I'd really appreciate help with some suggestions! A. Warmer blues sit well with Resene Rice Cake – so bring in a softer palette of weathered blues that create that coastal, relaxed ambience, such as Resene Dusted Blue and Resene Escapade with deeper blues such as Resene True Blue and Resene Coast – then you can also bring in greys which echo the rocks and sand such as Resene Half Baltic Sea, and perhaps the deepest sea blues – Resene Indian Ink. For small pops of colour look to bold turquoise and greens such as Resene Japanese Laurel and Hullabaloo and flamingo pinks or soft reds such as Resene Sunglo, Resene Tropical and Resene Mexican Red or you might like to opt for more subdued pops of colour such as Resene Bone with Resene Wild West. Consider the accents in soft furnishings, fabrics and accessories – to upscale wooden furniture look to the Resene Colorwood We Speak Beach range of colourwash stains, to really create the coastal vibe or consider Resene Greywash for the more muted palettes.  Resene Tropical October 2023 |
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Q. My house is painted in Resene Nebula and the trims around the windows and doors are Resene Putty. Would you be able to suggest a colour for my deck that would match in with the house colours? The deck has to be painted and not stained. A. Investigate Resene Triple Truffle, Resene Half Tapa or Resene Delta for the deck. Colours on decks to tend to appear lighter. October 2023 |
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Q. How many colours is it best to paint the exterior of the house? A. It really does depend on the architectural style of the house and any existing elements which could be considered a fixed colour – such as brick – if being left unpainted; but as a general guideline 3-4 colours offers balance and contrast – this includes any fixed colours as mentioned – the fourth colour might be a pop of colour not introduced anywhere else but on the front door for example. October 2023 |
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Q. Is it ok to paint the exterior of a house just one colour? A. Yes absolutely – but it does depend on what colour, location and the architectural style of the house. So for example – whites can highlight ornate detailing – so a villa with an all-white exterior will work well, because it has plenty of architectural features. In saying that – a bright white is not commonly specified for the largest expanse of a house – such as the walls – as it will be too glary – generally a softer white might be used for the weatherboards and a brighter white for trims – so a monochromatic colour scheme, will work well in this instance. Sheen differences also help to create contrast when using one colour – such as a low sheen for the main body with semi-gloss for windows and trims and perhaps a gloss for the front door. A rural home might work better in one dark colour as it will give impact, but blend into the environment and a house with little structural relief or the ability to add contrast might also benefit from a modern dark colour in an urban setting. October 2023 |
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Q. What colour what you recommend for our exterior walls, pillars and roof. We would like to modernise the look of the house. The current wall colour is Resene Tea, the pillars are raw timber, the roof is Karaka and the joinery is Ironsand. We also have copper trims and downpipes. It is a board and batten house. We would like a light roof for the heat reflective properties. A. I suggest Resene Bokara Grey for the walls – this will look stunning and modernise the exterior – I recommend you use a CoolColour paint as this will help deter the heat away from the dark colour – helping to protect the substrate. Resene Bokara Grey will help to blend the Ironsand joinery into the scheme and I suggest Resene Gauntlet or Resene Atmosphere for the roof. Resene Atmosphere for the roof is a very light colour – if you want light walls as well this may not create any impact on your house – try a mid-colour such as Resene Gauntlet for the walls with Resene Atmosphere for the roof. Resene Gauntlet as a Resene CoolColour paint will reduce heat related issues compared to the normal version of the colour. For a lighter variant again – try Resene Credence with a Resene Gauntlet roof. October 2023 |
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Q. We are looking at accent walls of Resene Glamourpuss and Resene Cosmo with white as the main colour. Which white would you recommend with these colours? A. Resene Alabaster is a great white with these colours – crisp and modern, but not cold. October 2023 |
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Q. If you are using Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream on interior walls, what is best for the ceiling? A. Resene Eighth Rice Cake will pair with Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream – it has a similar tone but is much lighter. October 2023 |
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Q. We are in the process of painting our second lounge. I have started stripping the wallpaper off one wall. The whole house has been painted over wallpaper – it appears to be Resene Black White. This lounge gets only late afternoon sun through a window facing the sea view and some through the ranch slider, The ranch slider goes out to a carport and entertainment area which I have already painted Resene Freestyling with pops of Resene Bunting. The lounge is 5.2 by 6.2 metres. We are wanting to stick to colour palette of whites/greys/blues. I was considering Resene Midwinter Mist or maybe go bold with Resene Hammerhead or Resene Blue Night on all or some of the walls? We would leave the ceiling and skirtings as they look like they have been painted recently if we can. They all seem to be Resene Black White. We use this lounge for entertaining and watching movies as it is the bigger lounge. I could change my dark wooden furniture to a whitewash? What are your thoughts? A. I suggest softening the overall look of the room, by leaving the deepest blue as accents in soft furnishings and painting the walls in Resene Midwinter Mist or a slightly warmer tone Resene Quill Grey. A statement wall in a warmer blue such as Resene Escapade or Resene Watermark can create tonal interest. Resene Black White will pair well as a ceiling and trim colour. Consider a grey wash for the furniture. I suggest not white/grey washing all of the wooden furniture – try one piece first and see if the other pieces work. With one piece of furniture whitewashed, other timber furniture could look great in the room as warm timber accents.  Resene Watermark October 2023 |
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Q. Could you please let me know which Resene colour is closet to COLORSTEEL® Thunder Grey? A. Resene Squall is the equivalent to COLORSTEEL® Thunder Grey. October 2023 |
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Q. I have painted my house roof Resene Nocturnal and exterior walls Resene Half Truffle. The windowsills were already Resene Pearl Lusta. I need a colour for our front stairs and landing. I went instore and got Resene Double Stonehenge however it looks too brown and doesn't suit. Originally I was going to go with Resene Triple Truffle however I found the colour too light. Can you suggest a colour that is the same lightness/darkness as Resene Double Stonehenge but that won't look too brown? A. I suggest you try Resene Gauntlet, Resene Solstice and Resene Double Friar Greystone.  Resene Solstice  Resene Double Friar Greystone October 2023 |
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Q. We have painted the interior walls of our converted cowshed in Resene Island Spice. For the ceilings, should we use the same colour? What are the ceiling colour rules to follow? A. For ceilings it really depends on the space, height, how much natural light and ambience you are trying to convey. Standard ceilings painted the same colour – can appear darker than the walls – because of the way ceilings appear in shadow – however I feel for a converted cow shed that you should paint the ceilings the same as the walls – Resene Island Spice – this will create a warm cozy space. The other option is to paint the ceilings Half Strength Resene Island Spice if you want the ceiling to visually appear lighter than the walls. October 2023 |
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Q. We are building a new transportable home and need to decide a roof colour and aluminium windows. We’re keen on Grey Friars for the roof but for the windows go with Grey Friars or Titania? We quite like Resene Truffle for the cladding. If we went with Titania, we’re liking for the interior Resene Half Sea Fog and walls in Resene Quarter Truffle. If we went with Grey Friars for window, then we’d thinking Resene White Pointer for the interior. What do recommend? A. With Resene Truffle for the exterior I suggest with the Grey Friars roof to choose white joinery – use Appliance White. This works well with Resene Half Sea Fog and Resene Quarter Truffle for the interior. October 2023 |
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Q. Our whole house is painted in a combination of Resene Eighth Blanc and Resene Triple Blanc. My 12-year-old son’s room is being repainted. It is currently Resene Eighth Blanc. He has ADD and anxiety. He wanted blue. I am having real trouble finding a nice calm not too dark blue. The other option is moving to Resene Triple Blanc or something else in a neutral tone which is not too bright. A. Blue hues are a good option as they are known for slowing down the heart rate and encouraging calm and focus – pastel or muted shades are best. I feel it will be a lost opportunity to paint your son’s room a neutral – see if any of these blues appeal: Resene Blue Moon, Resene Halcyon, Resene Nepal or Resene Raindance. These blues have a little bit of depth and are muted without being too grey – which would not be advised for your son’s room. As they have depth it means they appear warmer than lighter blues – if the room has plenty of light this will also help – but isn’t necessary as you can dress the room up with warmer neutrals or pops of warm accents, and texture. For trims, Resene Alabaster will pair well with any of these blues.  Resene Halcyon  Resene Raindance October 2023 |
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Q. I am having such a hard time deciding on a colour scheme for our house. We have a boring blocky townhouse and I think we need to keep the two-tone colour scheme to keep the dimension. Our tricky issue is we have bronze joinery that we aren’t prepared to paint, we’d rather work with what we have. We are thinking of going darker as we do like that look and we have quite warm stained decking with black metal railing. I have tried Resene Bokara Grey for the bottom, which we like but we need something to work with the top part of the house that also suits the joinery. Please can you offer any suggestions that will go with our house. A. The Resene Truffle family pairs well with Resene Bokara Grey and bronze joinery. I suggest you test three variants – Resene Truffle, Resene Double Truffle and Resene Triple Truffle – see which you prefer. October 2023 |
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Q. We have a reclad project on a three-storey house up in the bush. We are recladding in JH Oblique, new FlaxPod aluminium joinery and keeping the existing terracotta roof tiles. Do you have any colour suggestions to paint the new cladding? I think a darker colour would look better, but not black. A. Investigate Resene Bokara Grey – a warm charcoal or Resene Night Magic – similar, but greyer based – both will pair well with terracotta and FlaxPod. A darker colour will modernise the house without compromising the strong architectural details – and it is good to take advantage of the fact you can paint Oblique safely in darker hues.  Resene Night Magic October 2023 |
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Q. Please recommend an off white that goes well with an Ironsand roof and joinery. I was thinking also of painting the soffit and gutter Ironsand. A. Resene White Pointer goes well with Resene Ironsand. Consider Resene Double White Pointer and even Resene Triple White Pointer – as colours do lighten outside up to 30%. I suggest the gutters/fascias and timber posts to be Resene Ironsand – however, for the soffit consider painting the same colour as the main cladding – going too dark under here will absorb the light and might decrease light reflected into the interior. October 2023 |
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Q. I am planning to repaint my house exterior. It has areas of weatherboards and shingles, and I would like the shingles to be a slightly darker or richer colour than the weatherboards. I am considering Resene Rainee, Resene Nebula or Resene Tasman for the weatherboards. But I am having difficulty identifying colours for the shingles that would match or look good with these weatherboard colours. Can you suggest some slightly darker/richer colours that could go with Resene Rainee, Resene Nebula or Resene Tasman? A. For the shingles Resene Dark Slate will look stunning – with any of the proposed weatherboard colours you are considering. Colours appear lighter outside and undertones are enhanced – so testing with Resene testpots is recommended. You might also like to try Resene Jurassic, Resene Gordons Green and Resene Forty Six. October 2023 |
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Q. Just wondering what colours you may put with our ugly orange brick. We are going do a new roof as well but haven’t chosen the colour for that yet. A. Resene Half Masala or Resene Masala pairs well with brick – I suggest keeping the windows, eaves and fascias a white such as Resene Half Sea Fog. Consider COLORSTEEL® Slate (Resene Porter) for the roof and gutters. October 2023 |
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Q. We are getting our home exterior repainted. The current colour is white with a roof in Karaka. Please advise colours for an exterior, coastal environment. A. The following Resene colours work well with Karaka and a coastal environment – Resene Triple Merino, Resene Eighth Arrowtown, Resene Quarter Tapa, Resene Linen, Resene Copyrite or Resene Terrain. October 2023 |
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Q. We would like to paint our external bricks. We live in a seaside village and would prefer a beach complementary colour, more on the side of clay and neutral colours rather than blues or green tones. A. See if any of these Resene colours work for you – Resene Quarter Arrowtown, Resene Cougar, Resene Double Truffle or Resene Awaroa Bay. Please note – colours do tend to appear lighter outside than what is represented on a swatch so it’s always best to test with Resene testpots or samples. October 2023 |
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Q. We are painting our Summerhill stone house with Resene Middle Earth, but are wondering what colour to paint the concrete foundation? It might look too heavy with a dark foundation. A. If you want to modernise and update the overall appearance then you might like to consider painting the foundation the same colour – Resene Middle Earth. The foundations of Summerhill stone houses tend not to be too deep. Painting it a lighter colour may date the house – the windows, eaves and trims I assume are light so this will provide enough contrast and ensure the foundations won’t appear too heavy. October 2023 |
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Q. We have old veneer doors that really need an upgrade. We have builders ready to either paint or stain them. The problem is my husband does not like any of the colours I came up with to paint and wants basically the same colour as we already have. I'm very resistant to the existing colour being maintained in any way shape or form. The house is light and has a 1965-year-old style. We've lived here for 33 years. I have come up with Resene Half Stonewall colour. But he's not happy with this... will go along but basically, he doesn't like change. He doesn't want white or pastel colours. I want black door handles which would marry up with the kitchen handles. He's fine with this. The walls are white. We are willing to look at stains as long as they are modern ones. The builder said he'd need to replace the wall door surround and suggested black. A. Painting the doors and pelmets will modernise the overall appearance rather than staining in this instance. I suggest testing Resene Quarter Arrowtown, Resene Eighth Arrowtown and Resene Quarter Craigieburn – these are a bit softer compared to Resene Half Stonewall – although I do feel this is on the right track and looks good with black as do the colours suggested above. Having more than one colour to compare to will help you to determine which undertone works best – using testpots paint out A2 card samples and attach to the door to see which you prefer. October 2023 |
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Q. I am struggling to decide what colour to do my deck. The problem is half the deck is older than the other so deciding on a colour is hard as they will be different on each side. I like the coastal look. My house will eventually be white. The decking is untreated pine. I wondered if whitewashing it would create a similar effect or which route I need to go. I don’t like anything too red. A. I suggest staining the deck a mid-grey to help hide the differences between the new and old timber – lighter stains will not achieve this. Greys can still give you a coastal vibe – especially when the house is white. You can add lots of white accessories or whitewash outdoor furniture. Resene Wood Oil Stain (turps based) will give a more natural appearance as it penetrates the timber further. Try Resene Woodsman Tiri and Resene Woodsman Iroko. October 2023 |
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Q. We have just finished building and staining a brand-new deck – just in time for summer! It is pine but stained in Resene Kwila Timber Stain. I have some cane furniture I can paint, and a little wooden table I can also paint to make a cute little nook. I’m also keen to accessorise with some pot plants and new cushions etc. I was just wondering what sort of paint colours you think would go with this setting. A. I suggest painting the cane chairs a mid-blue like Resene Lakeside with Resene Idyllic for the little table. Bring in pops of colour for cushions with richer, darker blues such as Resene Ocean Waves, bright yellow such as Resene Wild Thing and white. Planters could be matched with windowsills to tie this accent colour in – perhaps using a charcoal. The other alternative is to stay neutral and use a mid-grey like Resene Trojan on the cane chairs mixed with greens like Resene Vantage, espresso reds like Resene Trek and white with charcoal planters such as Resene Nocturnal – then fill the planters with colour. October 2023 |
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Q. We are about to freshen up our exterior and will be using Resene Karaka green on the spouting, fascia and garage door. We are looking for a colour to paint the gables in a mid-grey shade, with green undertones that would mean it wouldn't clash with the Resene Karaka. And we need a light grey with green undertones for the soffits. Are you able to give us a range of green-based grey shades that might help us out? We have a dark brown brick. A. Try these grey greens for the gables (the green can be emphasised in outside light) – Resene Quarter Gravel, Resene Double Tapa or Resene Quarter Karaka – All work well with Resene Karaka. For the soffit consider Resene Quarter Linen, Resene Eighth Tana, Resene Quarter Ash or Resene Titania – these will need to pair with the window joinery. October 2023 |
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Q. I am about to paint our 1960s weatherboard home and would like some colour tips for that style of house. The window frames are wooden and the veranda is painted too. The roof will be painted as part of the project. What are the current trends in colour for this style of house? A. There is much talk about current trends – but it remains that the deeper variants of whites such as Resene Triple Merino and Resene Triple Sea Fog with grey roofs or very dark/black roofs are trending still, and with soft white windows. Although I do see there is an interest towards lighter roofs too, due to less solar absorption. With weatherboards and timber windows you do need to be careful of darker colours – as they attract heat and can cause heat related issues – Resene CoolColour paint helps to reduce heat related issues. Timber windows look lovely highlighted in white – timber is seen as a feature these days – if it is in good condition. Other colours trending are grey greens, sage greens and warm sandy beiges with warmer brown/grey undertones for the roofs. The location and setting also can play a part to which colours will work best for the exterior. There are many examples of houses painted in Resene colours online – visit the Resene website and pop into a Resene ColorShop there is so much information and handy little habitat booklets for exterior inspiration – staff can help to show you popular Resene colours and testpots are great to have a play with and paint samples onto A2 card to see how you feel about the colours. October 2023 |
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Q. We are painting a brick and block house with Resene Nocturnal as a contrast on the garage doors and want to paint/stain the fence to match. Is there a Resene Woodsman colour to match? A. Resene Woodsman Shadow Match is a lovely charcoal which will pair with Resene Nocturnal – or consider going darker with Resene Woodsman Crowshead which is a warm near black that will complement Resene Nocturnal. Alternatively you can paint the fence Resene Nocturnal using Resene Lumbersider Low Sheen. October 2023 |
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Q. We really like Resene Half Napa for our weatherboards and have New Denim Blue on our garage door. I painted a window frame white and it looks very stark. I wonder what other colour for the window frames might go better with Resene Half Napa as opposed to stark white. A. Yes Resene Half Napa looks lovely on weatherboards. Whites do appear brighter outside – Resene Black White pairs well with New Denim Blue and Resene Half Napa – it has that slight grey undertone – not seen outside – but gives the white a soft chalky look. For a slightly warmer alternative you might like to try Resene Quarter Rice Cake. October 2023 |
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Q. We are building a new house in an alpine environment. Our roof, garage door and steel and tube by our front entrance will be FlaxPod. We are planning to have a front deck and garden with native flax and tussocks. We like the idea of a dark house in the alpine environment and we’re thinking of painting our James Hardie Linea vertical panels in Resene Karaka. Do you think this will clash or be too over the top/confronting? A. Resene Karaka might not be the best option – I have to agree with the builders that the tones of Resene Gauntlet will pair better – yes it has a grey undertone, but it is warm and not a cold hard grey. If you would like to investigate another colour – try Resene Bokara Grey – this is a warm charcoal with an undertone of brown and red. Just so you are aware – you have chosen the most popular COLORSTEEL® colour at present – FlaxPod – it is selling everywhere in NZ. It is a great colour! You could also try these Resene colours – Resene Gravel, Resene Double Tapa, Resene Quarter Karaka, Resene Cobblestone, Resene Raptor or Resene El Paso. They have the right undertone to pair with FlaxPod. It’s best to try them as testpots so you can see the colour well. Resene Ravine is also quite a nice cloudy green that pairs with FlaxPod – but it is much lighter. October 2023 |
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Q. We are renovating our 1960s home. We are coming up to painting the exterior and would love some colour suggestions! We like grey tones, not too dark for the walls. A. A warm deep charcoal such as Resene Nocturnal will look great on the roof. A warm grey with depth for the weatherboards such as Resene Silver Chalice or you might opt for a warmer hue such as Resene Cloudy or Resene Half Friar Greystone – mid colours look good on 1960s homes – plus very dark colours on weatherboards absorb heat and can cause heat related issues. If you do prefer lighter colours – a soft stony grey green can look good such as Resene Linen or Resene Ash. I suggest painting the fascias and soffit Resene Black White and the gable end the same as the weatherboards – this will give visual height to the house and modernise the overall appearance. For the concrete base – Resene Half Baltic Sea and for the windows, frames and sills – Resene Black White. Then you can add a funky colour to the front door – the latest Resene fashion fandeck has fabulous accent colours. Resene Half Friar Greystone October 2023 |
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Q. We are about to paint our fence. We like our new garage door colour which is Ironsand and our joinery. Do you think it is a good idea to paint our fence Resene Ironsand as well? A. Yes – Resene Ironsand will look good on the fence and it links in to the garage and window joinery. October 2023 |
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Q. I'm repainting my bedroom and wanted to run past someone the colours I'm planning on painting to check they work ok. For the ceiling and trims – Resene Double Alabaster, for the walls – Resene Quarter Rice Cake and for the feature wall – Resene Bokara Grey. A. The colours you are considering are lovely together – but there isn’t a lot of contrast between Resene Double Alabaster and Resene Quarter Rice Cake – consider Resene Alabaster for the ceiling – if you have a standard height ceiling. October 2023 |
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Q. Can you recommend colour schemes for our house? The fence at the back is dark green but we want to go with a pastel blue theme, heritage style. We live in Greymouth. A. A soft blue might look really great on your heritage home. I do suggest a pale blue with a slight grey undertone – to keep it looking elegant – plus blue undertones are enhanced outside – so when searching for colours online or looking on the Resene colour charts – the colours may look greyer than what they will appear in reality outside. I also suggest taking the colour right up to the gables (painting the gable the same colour as the weatherboards). If you are painting the roof, consider a light colour such as Resene Atmosphere. Colours to test: Resene Hermitage, Resene Periglacial Blue, Resene Halcyon and Resene Bali Hai – if you are willing to try a slightly deeper blue, try Resene Blue Moon. Pair these blues with Resene Quarter Spanish White for trims. Resene Halcyon October 2023 |
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Q. We’re stuck trying to decide on a colour to repaint my house exterior. The cladding is a mix of stucco and weatherboard. I’ve primed and painted some boards using Resene testpots. We’re leaning towards a grey green like Resene Green Smoke on the weatherboard but are unsure if this will work. A. You are on the right track – a warm grey green will look amazing on your house! However Green Smoke has a lot more yellow in it – less grey, so will be quite bright outside. Yellow and green undertones will be emphasised outside in natural light. Consider these lovely warm, grey greens – Resene Siam or Resene Flax. October 2023 |
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Q. Please suggest a colour for my study, which is quite a dark room. The rest of the house is being painted in Resene Sante Fe quarter strength. My husband's study is being painted in Resene Bluff. The floors throughout will be Signorino Nextone Grey tiles. Resene Birthday Suit has been suggested for my study, but I like the idea of a yellow shade. A. Yellow is a great colour for a study – it can boost creativity and positivity. See if either of these Resene yellows appeal: Resene Chenin or the softer Resene Mellow Yellow. Yellow does tend to intensify when on all walls – also in a dark room – a muted, rather than clear yellow tends to be warmer and softer. October 2023 |
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Q. I painted our bedroom walls with Resene Ravine. What colour would be best for the wooden built-in wardrobe to complement it? A. Consider Resene Quarter Foggy Grey for the built-in wardrobe – it pairs well with Resene Ravine and will blend in nicely with the room. October 2023 |
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Q. I have done my ceiling in Resene Abercrombie. I will do the walls in Resene Fog. What would be a good bold matching colour for a feature wall please? A. It really depends on what type of feature you are looking for – you could head towards the muted shades of violet such as Resene Strikemaster, Resene Marionette or Resene London Hue or a vibrant mix of violet and pink such as Resene Sugar Plum Fairy and Resene Butterfly or blues such as Resene Heliotrope, Resene Rulebreaker or Resene Epic.  Resene Sugar Plum Fairy October 2023 |
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Q. I have a small room 3.5 x 3.5 on the south side of the house. I am keen to make it a cosy space and wondered what colours you would recommend to help make a room seem warm. The ceiling is Resene Half Black White and currently three walls are Resene Sea Fog and one wall is an orange colour. The floors are ply but I am planning on getting carpet. A. South facing rooms benefit from warmer shades like pink, blush, gold and yellow tones – these colours can help you achieve a cosy, welcoming atmosphere. Greys and whites which contain hints of pink, gold and yellow will add a more subtle warmth to your space and lots of texture! Try colours such as Resene Biscotti, Resene Soothe, Resene Meringue, Resene Soiree, Resene Solitaire, Resene Inspire, Resene Awaken, Resene Daylight and Resene Eighth Drought.  Resene Meringue October 2023 |
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Q. I am in the process of repainting the interior of my 2000 build two storey home. The carpet is quartz (grey/brown) and the majority of the interior walls are Resene Sea Fog with Resene Alabaster skirting etc. I am seeking inspiration for the southeast facing double bedroom which I am using as an office. I have Resene Cello in my main bedroom (love this colour) and thinking of a muted green in the office – perhaps even as a feature wall. The furnishings are white oak wood. A. I suggest wrapping the green around the room – if you do it as a feature wall then the other walls will need to be a warm muted colour – rather than Resene Sea Fog which will look cold in a southeast room. Muted greens and olive-based greens will work as long as they have some depth to them – east facing rooms suit mid toned colours and south facing rooms tend to suit warmer colours – hence I suggest trying two types of greens. The green will be emphasised in east light. Try Resene Vantage Point, Resene Tic Tac Toe and Resene Contour. October 2023 |
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Q. How do we have coordinating colours in an art deco style house? The main weatherboards are painted Resene Rice Cake. The trim, doors and underside of wooden gutters are closest to Resene Wild Thing or Resene Turbo, and the lower level plastered brick is halfway between Resene Pewter and Resene Nebula. I feel there is a clash between the bright yellow, and the dull green, but am not sure which I should replace, and what the colour would be. A. I suggest you change the yellow. I suggest you paint the eaves Rice Cake – they will need undercoat first, and the base slightly deeper – Resene Double Thorndon Cream – less contrast between the weatherboards and base will create a more elegant effect. The yellow trims and fascias I suggest painting a soft green/grey – which looks lovely with Resene Rice Cake such as Resene Delta. You might also like to consider painting the concrete garden walls in Resene Delta. Alternatively, consider Resene Pewter for the fascias and trims only – which also pairs well with Rice Cake – with Resene Double Thorndon Cream for the base and garden walls. October 2023 |
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Q. I would like colour advice for our front cedar pergolas. Should we paint or stain? The front door is Resene Tarawera. A. I suggest staining the pergolas simply because it will give a softer effect. Resene Woodsman Iroko will complement the house and the Resene Tarawera front door – which is the feature – so you want the eye to flow past the pergolas to the entrance but will still enhance the pergolas and give colour. October 2023 |
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Q. I'm looking to paint the exterior of my brick house. The only areas I’m thinking of painting are the cream areas (not the brick itself). So I am looking for a colour that would look good with the roof and brick. I also have a blue fence. I am thinking a dark charcoal type of colour but would love to know what you suggest. A. I suggest trying Resene Baltic Sea or Resene Fuscous Grey – these charcoals need to also pair with the blue fence – but more so with the house. Changing the cream to a charcoal will definitely help to modernise the overall appearance. I have suggested slightly different tones with each dark grey – so that you can see how different undertones work with each element. October 2023 |
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Q. We are painting the exterior of our house – corrugated roof, weatherboard and window joinery. We got interested in Resene Coast for the roof – we liked the bluer base to the colour. We are struggling to choose weatherboard and joinery colours that go with this. We've been tossing around Resene Iron for the weatherboards and a white for the joinery. We are also intrigued in a light eggshell blue (not too bright) on the weatherboards instead of a grey. Is there anything for roof, weatherboards and joinery you'd recommend for us? Are there any other greys for the walls that we should look at to go with Resene Coast on the roof? The first colours we purchased test pots for were Resene Iron, Resene Coast and Resene Alabaster. We’ve since tried Resene Half Iron and Resene Quarter Iron. If going with Resene Coast, Resene Iron and Resene Alabaster would you recommend soffit and fascia in Resene Alabaster as well as opposed to Resene Iron? A. I do believe Resene Iron could work well or the deeper Resene Ted – consider taking this colour onto the base to modernise the overall look. Resene Coast is a great roof blue and I suggest teaming these colours with Resene Alabaster for joinery and trims. An eggshell blue might create too much of a coastal/cottage feel, but if you want to try colours in this range with Resene Coast and Resene Alabaster – investigate Resene Cut Glass or Resene Half Duck Egg Blue. Blue undertones are enhanced in certain lights – so even Resene Iron will appear bluer at times and grey others. Use Resene Alabaster for the fascia and soffit. As colours lighten outside in natural, bright light I tend to like the slightly deeper cooler greys so I would be looking at Resene Ted, which is Resene Double Iron or Resene Quarter Grey Chateau but this can throw a bit blue at times. Usually I suggest people go with their first instinct after testing a few colours – which you seem to come back to Resene Iron – so Resene Iron, Resene Ted or Resene Quarter Grey Chateau are the three colours I suggest you try, only then when you view these colours outside will you get a sense of which, with Resene Coast, you prefer. Resene Color Shops have a stock library of A4 swatches, staff will assist you in finding these three greys and Coast, whilst there, you can take them into natural light to view. October 2023 |
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Q. I have kitchen walls painted Resene Eighth Lemon Grass. The back door opens into it and is solid wood. What strength of same colour could I use on the door? It’s always open in daytime. A. I suggest Resene Half Lemon Grass as this pairs well with Resene Eighth Lemon Grass. Doors are generally painted in a semi-gloss finish – so this will also add nice contrast. October 2023 |
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Q. I want to paint my brick home. The fencing and gate will stay thus I want to paint the house complimentary colours to the fencing. I am open to have the full house one colour and adding a second colour to the cedar boards and/or garage door etc. A. As you have the brick, fencing and window colours existing – I suggest simplifying the scheme and painting the remaining substrates one colour. You might like to use a semi-gloss for the garage door which will create interest in sheen levels. Choosing a colour which isn’t too dark will mean you can paint all areas including soffit the one colour. See if any of these Resene colours work for you – Resene Quarter Tapa, Resene Quarter Friar Greystone, Resene Credence, Resene Double Ash or Resene Triple Concrete.  Resene Quarter Friar Greystone Resene Credence October 2023 |
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Q. I would like some ideas for painting my home in Napier. It was built around 1850 and was originally a coach house. The house is visible from all over Napier and is a quirky place. The gardens were designed in 1900 and have a lot of the original plants. The interior has been painted in your Karen Walker colours and its quite stunning. A. My first thoughts are to let it stand as a grand lady and let the architecture on top of the hill speak for itself – I am thinking along the lines of a neutral with a slight green undertone to complement the garden, such as Resene Ecru White from the Karen Walker Paints collection, paired with Resene Merino for the windows or a soft duck egg such as Resene Half Periglacial Blue from the Karen Walker Paints collection, paired with Resene Quarter Spanish White or Resene Bleach White from the Karen Walker Paints collection for the windows and trims. October 2023 |
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Q. Can I get a colour in a half or quarter strength? A. Many of our colours can be made in lighter strengths, depending on the original colour and whether it can divide into a very small can size. If your colour is light, then usually a half and quarter is relatively easy to do and your Resene ColorShop team can assist with this. They can arrange a colour match for you and a colour sample can be requested. Of if your colour comes off a white tone and you want to see what a quarter or half looks like, you can do this with testpots using the following method – for colours that come off a white base:
October 2023 |
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