Here's a taste of some of the Colour Expert questions and answers to help you with your own colour scheme.
If you would like more colour advice for your project, please ask our Colour Expert for help or come in and see our staff at your local Resene ColorShop or Reseller. Colours are a representation only.
Please refer to the actual paint or product sample. Resene colour charts, testpots and samples are available for ordering online.
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Q. I am redecorating my kitchen, dining and living room areas. It’s reasonably major. We are removing a number of walls so it is open plan and are removing the carpet to have a concrete floor throughout the entire level. There’ll be a lot of wide spaces/walls and the kitchen cabinets and islands are fairly large. The island is nearly three metres wide and the cabinetry behind that is over four metres). The cabinets are neo glacier ultraglaze and the benches are Tretheway Stone's Okere Falls. I’m mindful there’s a lot of scope for getting the shade of white on the walls wrong so I’d value any advice. Are you able to advise on a range of whites that don't have strong yellow undertones but still have some warmth? I plan to warm-up the area with neutrals/natural textures in furniture soft furnishings etc. A. Try Resene Half Carrara, Resene Half Milk White or Resene Half Rice Cake. You might also want to try a slightly cooler white such as Resene Wan White. Compare swatches with the benchtop and cabinetry samples, keeping in mind that natural light also affects colour – so a final check in the space that is being renovated is recommended. June 2024 |
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Q. We are updating our existing kitchen cabinetry and we have painted them Resene Merino. Our kitchen is quite small and the house was built in the 1980s and there is wallpaper which we would now like to paint over. The kitchen is a galley type kitchen opening to a dining room off the end and then a lounge around to the left. Even though the kitchen is not very big we have good light. There is a large window in the kitchen facing south/east and lots of sun that flows through from the North east facing dining room. There are exposed wooden beams in the dining/lounge which we intend to keep as we carry on with further renovations. We will at some stage be updating the flooring to be hush vinyl planking (flamed oak bepu colour). I am stuck on what colour to paint the walls in the kitchen/dining/lounge. The wall colour has to be consistent throughout those three spaces. I 'm not sure if I want to go lighter than the Resene Merino colour on the kitchen cabinets as I think that might look too stark but I don't want the kitchen in turn to look dark. Do you have any suggestions? I'm not a big fan of grey tones on walls. I quite like Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream or Resene Rice Cake but am not sure how that will go with Resene Merino. A. You're thinking on the right track – the Resene Thorndon Cream family pairs well with Resene Merino and warmer whites pair well with oak tones. With the aspect of the rooms – more complex variants are suitable, but with your concerns of keeping the kitchen light I suggest Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream may be best, and neutral enough for all rooms. The alternative that might work is Resene Half Sea Fog for the walls – it does have the palest grey tint, but depending on light can also look warmer and more of a bone colour – it also pairs very well with wood. Try Resene Half Sea Fog, Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream, Resene Half Thorndon Cream, Resene Rice Cake and Resene Half Rice Cake. June 2024 |
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Q. We're renovating a laundry and will have a concrete benchtop with cupboards similar (maybe) to Resene Rivergum. This is a guess as don't have the colour with me. Can you recommend a wall colour for green cabinetry and a dark room (south side of house with one small window)? We’re keen to keep the room light and functional. Secondly, we are going to clad the TV wall in our open plan kitchen/dining/laundry with recycled, mixed hardwood, rough sawn, exterior timber cladding. We've previously used Resene Merino paint for something similar – do you recommend a colour to complement the hardwood? Resene Merino again? Another white? Or even a non-white colour or two? A. South facing rooms have a cold, grey light so a warm white which can emit limited borrowed light around the room is probably your best option and is neutral enough to work with greens. Resene Bianca or Double Bianca are my recommendations – the deeper variant will create warmth. Resene Bianca has a lovely heritage feel to it so therefore it works well with recycled timber, which means being open plan you can continue the same colour through to the other areas. Alternately, you could investigate Resene Linen a light neutral with a green edge for the TV room etc. June 2024 |
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Q. We have a new build looking out over the sea. We've got an aerial shot of waves crashing on to a golden sand beach and we're trying to use this as our palette for the house. At the moment we've settled on Resene Eighth Canterbury Clay for the colour of the walls and are thinking we could add the blue highlights via artwork and sheer curtains. The ceiling and skirting/trim would be white. The carpet would be a sandy colour as well (maybe darker than the walls). I'm keen to hear your thoughts on this or any suggestions/alternatives please. A. Warmer, softer neutrals as opposed to whites are on point and Resene Eighth Canterbury Clay overlooking the sea is perfect. It is an ochre cream. You might like to also investigate Resene Half Biscotti or Resene Blanc, but these are more rose beige. They might be an alternative for a powder room or bedroom. The aerial shot for inspiration is wonderful and I agree, bring the blues and greens into fabrics, soft furnishings, and art. A soft sheer, blue or green, won’t distract from the view. You might like to consider a duck egg blue like Resene Quarter Periglacial Blue, Resene Half Periglacial Blue or Resene Quarter Robin Egg Blue or a soft blue such as Resene Half Halcyon for bedroom walls. These can be used together successfully. It is quite good to connect colours to rooms in different applications – so paint in one room, art in the same palette in a separate room or adjoining room, and linen in another – the colours don’t have to be exact, and can be of varying strengths. Definitely bring in a soft white for the trims and ceilings – Resene Alabaster is always a winner. A sandy-beige or caramel carpet – a bit earthier again than the walls, will look great on the floor – carpet colours do tend to appear lighter on mass – but a carpet consultant will be able to show you samples, which will pair with your ideas.  Resene Half Halcyon June 2024 |
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Q. I am hoping you might be able to give me some quick advice. We are renovating our house at the moment and our builder has just told us he needs the exterior colour confirmed asap. It’s currently a maroon/red colour. We have repainted our roof Resene Grey Friars and would like to paint the house a white colour. We definitely don’t want a yellow or cream tone to it but don’t wait it to be too dark, grey or cold. We were thinking either Resene Alabaster, Resene Half Rice Cake or Resene Half Merino. Is there a popular white colour you could recommend that would be suitable please? We are not painting architraves or the rich cream window frames differently it will all be the same colour. We are using Resene Wan White internally for everything. A. Resene Sea Fog is a popular exterior white as it suits most environments and is a bone white. However, with traditional homes like yours and the fact you are retaining the rich cream windows, I suggest you go to the warmer whites, or your windows may look muddy next to the walls. I suggest staying away from the lighter variants as they are too clean with the window colour. Try Resene Rice Cake. Resene Bianca is a popular warm, bright white on heritage homes and might also be worth testing. – although could look slightly lemon next to the rich cream windows. June 2024 |
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Q. We purchased a house three years ago. The walls are Resene Half Stonehenge, the aluminium windows are Desert Sand, the round windows/sills have been painted Resene Desert Sand and all the doors are Resene Half Sandstone. I would like to change the wall colour as it is very dark but don’t want to go too light. I don't really want to repaint the doors or windowsill even though Desert Sand is not my favourite and I would never have used that colour for windows. A. I would try Resene Triple Blanc or Resene Half Drought – warmer neutrals are currently trending, but also you are limited if working with existing colours. There are lighter variants of Resene Triple Blanc that may work, but you weren’t too keen on a paler colour. Going any darker and you are going to get the same effect you have now. June 2024 |
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Q. My brother is having his 1970s house painted. He's just had a new roof put on in which is COLORSTEEL® New Denim Blue. Which neutrals would go well with it? A. Try Resene Alabaster and Resene Triple Black White which look great with New Denim Blue. You might also like to try Resene Triple Sea Fog with Resene Half Sea Fog window, trims etc. A deeper colour for the bottom could be a variant of New Denim blue such as Resene Half New Denim Blue. June 2024 |
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Q. My son is renovating his lifestyle property which has dark green aluminium windows inside and out. He wants to go for a modern look, with dark charcoal carpets. What wall colours/trim colours could he do to tie the two colours together? He wants nice and bright. A. I suggest Resene Merino which is an off white that morphs between warm and cool but sits well with dark green and charcoal. There is also a lighter variant – Resene Half Merino, if he wants brighter. Too stark a white will not sit well, but he can go brighter on the trims, ceilings etc with Resene Alabaster. June 2024 |
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Q. We have recently brought a 26sqm cottage onto our section as a separate dwelling to our main house. I’m thinking of painting the weatherboards Resene Nero and the eaves and windows frames in white (not sure what white to use?). I’m now thinking of roof colours and wonder what you think about painting the roof a lighter colour than the sides which seems to be the opposite to what normally happens. What do you think about Resene Grey Friars for the roof or would the grey with the black look silly. Or maybe Resene Zeus. A. Resene Nero is a fabulous black – however, dark colours do attract heat, and heat related issues can occur. New weatherboards generally have restrictions on colour use – just check to see if there are any LRV restrictions – otherwise warranties are at risk, if instructions for painting new weatherboards are not followed. This may not be relevant to your cottage, but just wanted you to be aware, before committing to the colour. I do recommend if you choose Resene Nero to investigate using Resene CoolColour paint, which helps to reflect more heat. Lighter roof colours are quite often used with darker weatherboards – however, for minor dwellings using the same dark colour on the main cladding as the roof can visually make it appear larger as the substrates are not being defined by separate colours, so the eye just concentrates on the building as one. Resene Nero CoolColour can be used for the roof. Then you can have white windows and eaves (if there are eaves to paint) for contrast. Resene Black White is a chalky white which will pair well with Resene Nero – if you do go for a lighter roof check out Resene Half Black White. Resene Grey Friars is an option or Resene Steel Grey – if you choose not to do the roof Resene Nero CoolColour – then the lighter colour might also need to work with the main house roof colour – depending on how close to the main house the separate dwelling is. Resene Zeus has a slight green undertone which won't pair so well with the subtle inky blue undertone of Resene Nero. June 2024 |
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Q. I'm trying to narrow down a versatile neutral for the interior walls and trims of my soon – to – be – built two bedroom two bathroom home. I am drawn to using Resene Merino or Resene White Linen. The living, main bedroom and bathrooms get all day sun, while the kitchen (open to the living) gets a little morning sun. The second bedroom will get late afternoon and evening sun only. The hallway will have no natural light. I'm looking for an off-white that will complement a feature wall in Field Day (second bedroom) and also a feature wall in Resene Duck Egg Blue in the (sunny) ensuite that will not look yellow in the sunny rooms or cold and stark in the less sunny rooms! The kitchen will have beige gloss tiles and the main bathroom has a whole wall in beige tiles. I love beige tones. My flooring will be mid-brown throughout and my furniture rimu. I love house plants and views to the garden and distant Tararuas will be a focus. I'm trying to choose a colour that can look nice in varying levels of light as I only want one main wall/trims and door colour throughout. I also like to change cushions, throws etc for a summer or winter look. Would Resene White Linen or Resene Merino work? A. Resene Merino will pair with the elements you are describing. It is quite a complex colour in such that it does have a green tint and warmth – but the green is more about creating a dirtier/earthier white rather than a green white – it can appear a bit yellow in some lights – but not a rich cream or lemon yellow. It is nearly impossible to get the perfect white or off white to suit all aspects – as cool or warm undertones are enhanced by natural and artificial light and that cannot be changed; it can only manipulated with texture and adjacent colour. I suggest if you only want to use one colour and you spend most of your time in the warmer parts of the house – that you consider a lighter variant of Resene Merino such as Resene Half Merino to deter any yellow, then in the cooler parts of the house dress the rooms with warmer neutrals such as beiges, and use warmer accessories such as chocolate and pale terracotta or copper reds. Warmth can be brought through in other elements – like timber furniture, rugs, heavier fabrics, cushions, art etc. Even choosing warm toned bulbs in certain spaces. Lots of texture is the key. Resene White Linen may not be the right tone with your colour scheme – because of the earthier duck egg blue and greens. Resene Half Milk White is also worth trying – it is like Resene Merino, but a little brighter and it doesn't appear too warm. We always recommend before final selection, that you do test the colours in the actual house once built – even if at framing stage (before internal gib goes up), generally there is time. It is important to see samples of the hard finishes, such as tiles and flooring in the actual space too. May 2024 |
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Q. I have a new u-shaped kitchen/dining open plan renovation in a 1950 state home. We've sanded and clear coated the matai flooring (which we really like) in this area and the adjoining hallway. We chose slate grey cupboards and a white benchtop which really makes the floor pop. The area doesn't receive a lot of direct light. The kitchen is on the dark side (no direct sun) of the house and the dining area on the new side with one new glass door onto deck in place of an existing window. This lets in sunlight. There is an attached sunroom on the east face with a large opening which lets in plenty of light but nothing direct. The house is clad in multi colours of red, purple, peach brown brick which you can see from sunroom and deck. Resene Alabaster will be the colour of the ceiling as we have left over from a bathroom. We like the idea of a multi tone red Māori pattern feature wall on the SW wall into the hallway as there are reds around but equally we could forgo this to possibly do later if it’s too complicated or just do one colour. Mainly we are really struggling to settle on a colour for the walls to go with everything. Also as a wall was removed, there is a bulkhead/beam. My thinking is it gets painted like it’s the ceiling not the wall? A. I think the idea of a painted Māori pattern feature wall incorporating reds is perfect! It will bring that unique element to your home, and red is a good colour for walls where the light hits it mainly in the morning so it will be cosy at night. Red is a good colour for a kitchen area (for one wall) as it is believed to stimulate the appetite. Sometimes red can be over stimulating (in larger quantities) if you are occupying the area often, so if you are not going to incorporate a Māori pattern, try reds which are not too bright – such as Resene Raging Bull or Resene Aroha. For the rest of the walls, particularly in this room, I suggest a warm neutral, rather than a white or off white – it will pair with the proposed pattern and being a room that incorporates mostly East and South aspects – complex neutrals work best. I suggest Resene Tua Tua. This will pair with the Kitchen and complement the Matai. If that is too much colour – try Resene Quarter Tea – you might want to take this down the hallway even if you use Resene Tua Tua for the kitchen/living area. Yes, the bulkhead/beam becomes part of the ceiling so it is best to paint it the same as the ceiling using Resene Alabaster. May 2024 |
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Q. We are installing Appliance White aluminium joinery and a new roof in Grey Friars (probably). We are looking for two colours, a grey for weatherboards and a white for window frames to complement and pull it together. We also need a stunning colour for a standout front door. A. See if Resene Silver Chalice appeals for the weatherboards – it looks good with Grey Friars and Appliance White and is suited to timber claddings. For the window trims – Resene have a match to Appliance White – this will look the best – just ask at your local Resene ColorShop or advise your painter and they can get it tinted for you. For the front door consider a bright yellow such as Resene Wild Thing, a teal blue such as Resene Epic, a red like Resene Dynamite or an off black like Resene Invincible. The look of front doors can be further enhanced using a gloss finish such as Resene Super Gloss enamel for supreme durability or Resene Enamacryl which is a waterborne enamel, so it dries fast and clean-up is easier. With bold and darker colours (especially those that are exposed to the elements), consider a Cool Colour paint as this will help reduce heat related issues.  Resene Epic  Resene Invincible May 2024 |
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Q. We are mid a large renovation (including a pod extension and garden and outside renovation). At the moment it looks very disjointed but we will get there by softening up the outside with decking and plantings. Our question is what colour should we paint our house, roof, soffits etc. Our extension is Ebony and our existing house has Bronco windows. We have fencing that is Ironsand. We also have a self-contained unit which is separate but close to house. A. I suggest painting the roof Resene Noir which is warmer than Ebony but dark enough to blend. For the remainder of the build, including soffits I suggest Resene Nomad – painting it one colour will also make it pair in with the new building, as at present I feel the colour palette needs to be simplified. Resene Nomad will work with the joinery and look smart enough next to Ebony; it is pale enough to go onto the soffit – but not too pale. You can go a bit deeper – with Resene Triple Napa. If you choose this colour you might want to lighten the soffit with a lighter variant such as Resene Quarter Napa. If choosing the darker option – I suggest checking out Resene CoolColour paint – which will help to reduce any heat related issues. I agree, planting and decking will help to soften the overall look. May 2024 |
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Q. I have recently purchased a dental practice with a reasonably new fit out. I am looking at rebranding the practice. I would like to keep similar to what the practice already has. The main colours are Resene Foundry and a wood with blue, and white. I am thinking of updating the blue, perhaps to make it slightly more feminine but not significantly. A. Check out Resene Pearl Bush, it is a warm pink based brown, which is soft and feminine, but not in your face feminine so to speak. You could also change any artwork on the wall to soften the look. May 2024 |
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Q. My mother in-law is having trouble picking paint colour for her house which has lots of windows and plenty of natural light during day. She has silver/grey curtains, charcoal carpet, grey tones in the kitchen and original wood cabinets. They live on a farm that has a huge lake to look out onto. Please suggest some light neutrals – whites, greys or greyed greens that may suit. A. Try Resene Double Sea Fog, Resene Quarter Ash, Resene Quarter Linen, Resene Half Cloud or Resene Double Merino. May 2024 |
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Q. We would like help selecting wall and ceiling colours for the interior of our home. We have a distinctive European Farmhouse look and all skirting and doors etc are stained in Resene Bark. The rooms and spaces in the house are large and there is generally good light throughout. With our interior repaint, we'd like to modernise the look but will be keeping with the bark trims. We have had Resene Quarter Tea previously and would like to try a new colour. We've had Resene Black White suggested to us, but we’re not sure if that will complement the brown? We’re seeking a modern and fresh feel. We would also appreciate a recommendation for the ceiling colour. A. Resene Black White is a cool toned white – and won’t sit right with your aesthetic or Resene Bark trims. I suggest you try Resene Half Sea Fog as an alternative and consider using Resene Quarter Tea for the bedrooms – for a little bit of depth and warmth. May 2024 |
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Q. I am in the middle of building our house which has COLORSTEEL® Ebony for the roof and on two of the sides. The other two sides are Shadowclad/ply. They came already primed. We are after a colour that is greater than 50% LRV (I wanted black but that is not anywhere close!). I have a big front door which will be painted in a bold orange. A. With the Ebony and fabulous fiery orange door, I suggest trying these neutral tones for the ply – Resene Half Bison Hide, Resene Half Nomad, Resene Quill Grey, Resene Cloud, Resene Quarter Heathered Grey or Resene Eighth Arrowtown. May 2024 |
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Q. Any suggestions on a contrasting colour for garage doors and front and back doors. Our house is clinker brick on the bottom and the top storey is cedar painted in three coats of Resene Tapa. We are looking for a darker colour. A. Check out Resene Porter. If the doors are currently a pale colour – you might want to investigate Resene CoolColour paints for all the doors. This helps with reducing heat related damage on certain substrates.  Resene Porter May 2024 |
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Q. I have chosen Resene Half House White for my kitchen/lounges/hallways/study and Resene House White for bedrooms. I need to decide if I paint the ceiling in the same colour or if not what white to use. And whether to use the colour to paint the internal doors. We have a lot of internal doors. The ceiling and rooms also have lots of angles and house is in three levels so it’s very busy. The carpet is a warm pinky grey and flooring is warm grey oak. A. I do suggest painting the ceilings the same colour as this will create a cocooning effect and Resene Half House White is fairly pale. For the doors I suggest a slightly deeper contrast – Resene House White – if you use a semi-gloss finish for the doors, this will give the scheme a lift and a semi-gloss such as Resene Lustacryl is harder wearing for doors. May 2024 |
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Q. We are choosing interior colours for our house by the sea and we love the colour Resene Half Concrete as we’ve used that colour before. We want white trims and ceilings, what whites would you recommend? Carpets will be a dark charcoal. We also want to paint the internal doors a darker shade of concrete, how much darker would you recommend? A. Resene Quarter Black White pairs well with Resene Half Concrete, or for less contrast you might like Resene Half Black White or for a slightly warmer white – Resene Alabaster. For the doors – it really depends on how much contrast you want – plus a waterborne enamel such as Resene Lustacryl, which is a semi-gloss finish, will give added contrast and is recommended for this reason, as well as it being a harder-wearing finish for doors, Consider Resene Concrete or Resene Double Concrete. Generally, we do recommend two shades deeper for contrast. May 2024 |
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Q. We are seeking advice on a colour for our interior walls in a small two bedroom property. It doesn’t have a lot of natural light. We are installing light grey carpet and concrete vinyl. We would like a crisp colour and maybe even some pop of colour. The bathroom we were thinking also of adding a colour to the walls and it was suggested we try Resene Paris White. We do quite like those green colours so are wondering if should add more depth. We have painted the ceilings white. A. Try Resene Half Merino and Resene Merino – either of these will still give you the feeling of a crisp room, with a bit more warmth. Resene Paris White is a great colour but is a bit cool toned as well – try Resene Quarter Robin Egg Blue or Resene Tasman – the muted greens will pair well with Resene Merino and greys. I agree a touch of colour in the bathroom will make a difference to a small space. May 2024 |
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Q. I am currently renovating an old retro caravan. It’s a 1973 Sprite, 10ft of cuteness. The exterior is a lilac colour and I am considering colour options inside. I am thinking of painting the ceiling white, the walls a very pale lilac and the doors and cupboards a pale green. The floor will be black and white tiles. What would be your suggestions? A. Repeating the lilac to the interior is a good idea – otherwise the two don't connect (exterior/interior). Yes, you could use a very pale lilac for the walls and a green for the cupboards – it might be a good idea to have squabs or cushions in a deeper variant, such as a deeper green or a purple. You can play with curtain fabric too. Colours to consider are: Resene Sonique, Resene Half Fog, Resene Blue Chalk, Resene Petal, Resene Edgewater, Resene Kandinsky, Resene Half Reservoir or Resene Surf Crest.  Resene Petal May 2024 |
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Q. The exterior walls of our timber house are painted in Resene Equilibrium. The roof and fascia are Karaka. What colour would you suggest for the soffits? A. If you want to keep that earthy feel to the house, then I suggest not going too pale. Try Resene Copyrite. If you feel you need to bring more light into the house (which is why soffits were originally always white) try Resene Merino. May 2024 |
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Q. We are about to replace our roofing so want to ensure we have a good colour palette before choosing our colour. At the moment we are considering going with Ironsand roofing. We intend to also change the joinery at some stage to a black joinery. What colour do we do the house and decking? We would love to feature our stone wall and have a modern scheme. Please note we are coastal. We last considered Resene Sea Fog – would this still be suitable? A. Try Resene Triple White Pointer – it might just work wi3th the stone wall and pairs well with Ironsand, or you might like the paler Resene White Pointer. I suggest you paint the roof and gutters and garage doors in Resene Ironsand. For the deck I suggest Resene Stonewall. You might also like to check out Resene Wan White or Resene Rice Cake for the exterior with Ironsand. With these colours try Resene Foggy Grey for the deck. May 2024 |
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Q. What dark/black colour should we use to paint our James Hardie Axon panel cladding, to go with our Ironsand joinery/roof and also sections of Cedar (kauri gum colour stain). A. I suggest Resene Element or Resene Bokara Grey. May 2024 |
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Q. We are repainting an open plan living, dining and kitchen space. I have narrowed this down to Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream on living area spaces, with Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream to define the kitchen area. Would Resene Eighth Rice Cake work on the ceilings? These rooms are connected to a separate lounge which has Resene Joanna on the walls. I’m not going to paint there just yet. So we need everything to work together. A. Resene Eighth Rice Cake will work, more so with the Resene Thorndon Cream family than Resene Joanna. It will also not give much contrast to Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream, so depending on the look you are after I suggest considering Resene Half Black White. This works well with all your scheme. May 2024 |
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Q. I have painted a variety of yellows and hung by the door I want to paint. We quite like Resene Wild Thing, but feel it could do with a little softening. Would it be possible to maybe add more white to it. Or is there some other way we could achieve this? A. You could create a colour then take it into a Resene ColorShop to be matched. You can do this by gradually adding a white testpot to a testpot of Resene Wild Thing – until you achieve a colour you are happy with – then the staff will colour match it for you or send a sample to be matched to the Resene Colour Lab. An easier solution might be to investigate softer standard Resene colours such as Resene Energy Yellow or Resene Sweet Corn – these are basically softer versions of Resene Wild Thing. May 2024 |
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Q. We are about to repaint our home’s exterior. I believe the roof, fascia and window casings are Resene Half Tuna (or close to it). I would like to warm the house up a bit even though the Resene Half Tuna has a bluish tint to it. Would it look okay to do the base of the house and soffits in Resene Half Truffle? We also have some accents (currently purplish) that I would like to do in a darker colour that is not purple and was thinking of Resene Porter vs Resene Grey Friars. I want to warm everything up a bit and would love your advice. A. Your proposed scheme is lovely. I do like the Resene Truffle family with the blue greys, and it will help to warm the overall appearance of your home. Consider Resene Truffle (in replace of Resene Half Truffle), as colour appears up to 30% lighter outside in natural light. A bit more depth will also create warmth. Resene Porter is a deep, brown-based charcoal – it is not perfect next to Resene Half Tuna, but it is dark enough to work. Resene Grey Friars is a great complement to Resene Half Tuna, but it is a cool toned blue grey. If you are wanting to create more warmth to your scheme and add a bit of interest, try Resene Porter. May 2024 |
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Q. We are updating our kitchen and will be painting the cupboard doors. The walls are painted in Resene Bison Hide. I want the cupboard doors to complement in perhaps an off white. What colour would you recommend to go with Resene Bison Hide? The benchtops are a mottled black/grey look granite. A. You might like Resene Alabaster or Resene Double Alabaster (not quite so white) for a bright white or Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream for a slightly warmer white. May 2024 |
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Q. We have just bought a 2012 home. The doors and window trims in most rooms are Resene Eighth Spanish White and ceilings are in white. We would like to know of some nice neutrals that go with mainly the Resene Eighth Spanish White but also potentially with the whites as well. We're keen on neutrals that calm down the creaminess of the doors and trims and are warm yet modern. Options for both pale neutrals as well as some darker neutrals as we may put some colour into the master suite and bathrooms. The carpet is a typical darkish grey with a brown/warm tinge. We will be replacing the drapes too. A. The Resene Spanish White family is quite a dominant cream – it looks best with tonal layers. Painting the walls Resene Eighth Spanish White will open the spaces and blend the doors. For the bathrooms and master suite, you could consider a deeper variant such as Resene Double Spanish White or a warm beige or taupe such as Resene Half Drought or Resene Malta. Warm neutrals will work with Resene Eighth Spanish White – consider Resene Tua Tua, Resene Quarter Drought or Resene Eighth Joss for walls, but are not perfect complements. Natural and artificial lighting will determine how these neutrals will work. If you have warm light bulbs, consider changing these to cool white bulbs which can also help to tone down the cream of the doors. The bulbs will need to be changed before testing colours inside – perhaps try changing the bulbs in one room first. For a deep colour try Resene Oilskin.  Resene Tua Tua May 2024 |
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Q. Our home is 1930s weatherboard. The roof and bargeboard colour is Grey Friars and the timber windows are white. Please suggest some colours for weatherboards (ideally light colours to consider – maybe light grey (perhaps Resene Quarter Chateau), light sea green or perhaps duck egg blue). Would you do the concrete base of building in Grey Friars or the same colour as the weatherboards? And should I do the front door in Grey Friars? The eaves are white. A. Resene Ted is lovely for weatherboard homes – it is a little deeper than Resene Quarter Grey Chateau but is still considered a pale colour. Resene Duck Egg Blue sits between blue, grey and green and could also work – depending on the location. For the base, steps, and planters I suggest softening from Grey Friars – try Resene Half Grey Friars or Resene Quarter Grey Friars. Yes, the front door can be Grey Friars, or you can opt to make a statement by going to a deeper variant such as Resene Invincible (Resene Triple Grey Friars) – this could look great in a gloss finish. Darker colours do become hotter underfoot – investigate Resene CoolColour paint for the steps and base/planters – if you use the same colour for the base and steps then I suggest using CoolColour paint for both, so the colour is consistent. If the front door is exposed, then you may want to consider a CoolColour paint for that as well.  Resene Ted Resene Invincible May 2024 |
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Q. We are painting the exterior of our house Resene Thorndon Cream and the doors etc are Resene Alabaster. What is a good green for the roof please? A. For a current look, consider Resene Squall for your roof. It has a subtle olive brown undertone and looks gorgeous with Resene Thorndon Cream. For a green try Resene Karaka. May 2024 |
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Q. I want to paint my small garden shed a light dusty pink. Could you recommend a colour you think would work? It’s in a pretty dark damp corner of the house. A. Resene Blanched Pink is lovely, or you might like Resene Wafer (a bit deeper) or Resene Dawn Pink (pale). Try your favourite colours out with Resene testpots, as colours generally appear lighter outside. May 2024 |
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Q. I simply cannot make up my mind about colours and I need some help. I want strong colours in the purple/blue range for a small living room that only gets morning sun. I have painted paper with sample pot colours but I am overwhelmed. Can anyone help me? A. Blues and purples are traditionally not suited to easterly light as it is so cool and clear and when the early sun has left the space in the afternoon, these colours can make a room feel cold, being a living room think about when you are using the space and what light will be there. Warm light bulbs and good mood lighting such as floor lamps or table lamps will also help. Deeper colours seem to appear warmer as they are complex and moody – so deeper blues and purples can work with good lighting, and a pop of a bright accent colour – alternately, sometimes a room projects what it wants – so you could consider a mid-toned neutral and decorate with blue and purple. Deeper colours to try are Resene Black Doris, Resene Violent Violet, Resene Pukeko, Resene Black Rock, Resene Midnight Express or Resene Blue Night. Try to stay away from deeper blues with a green undertone as they will appear teal in an east facing living room.  Resene Black Doris May 2024 |
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Q. I am painting indoors. What neutral would you suggest matches well with light grey aluminium joinery and Resene Hemlock. A. Try Resene Merino or if that is too warm – Resene Half Merino. Also consider the type of paint and sheen level – Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen is a durable waterborne enamel with a silky feel, which means that for whites, a durable paint allows the finish to remain looking better longer and is easier to clean. A lower sheen is also less reflective and therefore, creates a more enveloping atmosphere. May 2024 |
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Q. I am painting an older hardiplank house which has new shed roller doors in Sandstone Grey (the same as Resene Gauntlet). I am intending to paint the newly replaced roof when it has weathered in Sandstone Grey to match. The hardiplank has just been painted in Resene White Pointer. The soffits and guttering are white. I am wanting to paint the base boards in a practical colour and was thinking of a darker grey which I could also use on the veranda poles. I wondered about something like Resene Eighth Ironsand or Resene Quarter Ironsand. Would this work? A. Yes, the Resene Ironsand family is perfect! I am leaning towards quarter strength as you said you want a practical colour and colours do tend to lighten outside, but perhaps do testpots of both options, to see how you feel about them. May 2024 |
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Q. We have a Linea® house, which we need some colour advice for. Our roof colour is Karaka along with our joinery colour. The house looks a bit like a Queenslander. A. I feel to honour the style and complement the landscape – keep the house light and warm, but not a true white, and possibly paint all substrates the same colour. See if Resene Triple Merino or Resene Thorndon Cream work for you – colours do tend to appear lighter outside. May 2024 |
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Q. We need to repaint our little beach cottage. The roof is being painted in FlaxPod (same as Resene Element) and I am needing help with the wall colour. It is a cute little 1960s cottage and does not need to look sophisticated and sleek – we just want to keep it looking cute and cottagey. A. Try Resene Cloudy or Resene Double Truffle for the weatherboards, with Resene Half Sea Fog for the windows, soffit, and pergola. Or you might want to go lighter with Resene Triple Merino for the weatherboards, with Resene Quarter Merino for the windows, soffit and pergola. Colours do appear up to 30% lighter outside. May 2024 |
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Q. I painted the walls in Resene Half Thorndon Cream. What colour could I do the skirtings, window frames and maybe doors? A. It depends on whether you want to highlight these as features. This will depend on the style of architecture or whether you want them to blend. If you have a hallway with a lot of standard doors for example, then some people do not wish to see a swathe of white doors – in which case they paint the doors and skirtings a deeper variant of the walls (which is quite a popular look) such as Resene Thorndon Cream or Resene Double Thorndon Cream – in a semi-gloss finish or gloss finish such as Resene Lustacryl which is a semi-gloss waterborne enamel or Resene Enamacryl (gloss version) which is easier to clean. Keep in mind that deeper colours on trims and doors do enclose a space slightly. For the window frames – it does depend on the colour of your windows – if the joinery is aluminium for example? Colour drenching (where you paint the room in one colour or varying tones of that colour) is a look currently on trend, so perhaps paint the frames Resene Half Thorndon Cream to match the walls. These are typically painted in a semi-gloss (Resene Lustacryl) so varying sheen levels will create subtle contrast. If you want the trims and doors to be a white or a lighter contrast consider Resene Half Merino or Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream, as long as the colour pairs with all existing elements such as the window joinery. May 2024 |
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Q. We want to make the front of our house have stronger lines. We have had to strengthen a section of one of the beams and it is coloured Thunder Grey. We are thinking of doing the whole beam that colour to give a strong line, and also the three ‘ribs’ sitting on top in the middle. I was also thinking of trying to make something more of the beam under the deck to make it visually more appealing. A. Yes, I think you should paint the beam and the three ribs 'Thunder Grey'. The Resene equivalent is Resene Squall, and is a fabulous colour which will add depth to the beam and top of the house. This will emphasise the length of the house, but painting the three ribs the same colour will break up the length, and balance it well. For the beam below the deck – I feel it needs to also have depth added, but not as deep a colour – otherwise the horizontal lines will start to dominate the overall look. Darker colours tend to recede. Try a softer colour such as Resene Tino Pai or Resene Tapa. May 2024 |
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Q. I have an idea for our master bedroom, but would be interested in your feedback and any alternative ideas? We’ve used Resene Wafer in the hallway and I would like to continue that into the bedroom, which opens out via aluminium ranchsliders (similar to Resene Black White) onto a wooden verandah painted in Resene Double Tiara and a cottage garden with lots of typical green-gold greenery. My thinking at the moment is two-toned walls: with a green-gold partway up the walls from the floor and with Resene Wafer up the remainder of the walls to the ceiling. I also wonder if there is a pleasing standard ratio used when dividing walls into two colours – perhaps 40% for the lower colour and 60% for the upper colour? We’re thinking we’ll probably use a minimalist moulding, painted in the lower colour. While we could stick with Resene Double Alabaster for the ceiling and architraves (we already have plenty!), I was randomly thinking earlier that Resene Helium might look good (which is the colour of our exterior roof and is teamed with Resene Tiara cladding). Any ideas for the ceiling and architraves would be appreciated. A. Yes 60/40 is a good ratio – we generally say as a guideline 2/3 to 1/3 but if it isn’t 50/50 it will work. The most important thing is to look at where the lower colour lines up with your bed in a master bedroom. If you have a headboard it can look balanced if the lower colour comes up to approx. the middle of the headboard – but paint test pots of the two colours you are proposing onto card and play with placement. Moulding is a good idea as it gives you a straight line! I suggest painting the moulding the same colour as the wall above to give the illusion of more wall or you might want to highlight it with the ceiling colour – to draw attention to the split wall and it will ground the room and make it feel bigger – you could always do a test on a small area. A simple moulding is best when you have standard height ceilings or lower, so you don’t decrease the wall space visually. I feel Resene Helium might be a bit too muddy for the ceiling and architraves. Resene Double Alabaster will work well as it ties in with the ranchslider joinery. For the wall colours – it is a great idea to repeat colour in a different way into connecting rooms. With Resene Wafer you might like to try Resene Gingko, Resene Green Days or Resene Iko Iko. Resene Nirvana is a lovely soft gold green but might be a bit pale with wafer.  Resene Green Days May 2024 |
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Q. I am having a renovation done to a small self-contained flat. I’m thinking of using Resene Bianca on the walls in the living/kitchen and a tiny bathroom. My question is – will Resene Bianca look best with a lighter ceiling and what would be best? Or would it work to do everything in Resene Bianca – i.e. walls, ceiling, skirting, window frames. The kitchen is at the back of the room so doesn’t get sunlight falling directly into the area and the tiny bathroom only has a small window so I want to do something that feels light, airy, but using a warm rather than cool colour. An alternative that I have used before is Resene Buttery White from the Karen Walker Paints collection. Would that be a warmer look? And what would you suggest on ceilings. I’ve used it up and over in a small ensuite before and it looked good. A. Yes, Resene Buttery White is warmer – it equates to approx. double strength Resene Bianca. Resene Bianca is a great warm white as it has a touch of pure yellow which gives luminance to a room – as it is a small space Resene Bianca might give you the light, airy feeling you are after with warmth – and is light enough to wrap onto all surfaces which creates a warm, cosy effect without having to go to a deeper colour such as Buttery White. Colour drenching (painting all surfaces one colour) is currently trending – the key, especially for low light areas and smaller spaces is to use varying sheen levels – Resene Space Cote Low Sheen is a durable, low sheen, water-based enamel with a silky feel, for walls, which means that for whites, a durable paint allows the finish to remain looking better longer and is easier to clean – a lower sheen level creates a more enveloping atmosphere – team this with Resene Lustacryl for the doors and trims – the semi-gloss version and Resene SpaceCote Flat for the ceiling. May 2024 |
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Q. I have a new office in my house and I want to black it out. The elements already in place that I don't want to change are a Resene Alabaster ceiling, Resene Double Alabaster window and door trim and a Resene Nero door. I want a black that is very dark but I am not sure if it should be Resene Nero or a different black There will be a dark carpet, black drapes and a white desk with dark coloured shelving along the walls. I may put in a colourful couch as well just to break it up a bit. It’s a square room with a large window taking up most of one side and a smaller high window along the top of the adjourning side, the other two walls are internal. A. If you want a true black then Resene Black is probably the deepest, followed by Resene All Black – but this along with Resene Nero can have blue undertones enhanced in certain lights. I suggest you try Resene Black and Resene Black Sand – the latter has a bit more complexity to it, which can add interest to the finish.  Resene Black Sand May 2024 |
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Q. My family are moving into what was my parent’s home on the farm. It was last decorated around 2003. The kitchen cabinets are very close to Resene Half Haystack in the neutral range and the rest of the room is in a warm chocolate brown. There are two rooms that open out from the kitchen living, one is a yellow and only gets morning sun and a green room which is very light. I am looking for paint colour combinations that give a more coordinated and seamless quality. The dark wood I will paint in Resene Alabaster possibly to help lighten it. Given my starting base is Resene Half Haystack, I was wondering if Resene Half Solitaire or Resene Half Spanish White could work instead of the brown and yellow and whether we could incorporate Resene Biscotti into the green room. Our own furniture is a brown/taupe sofa and chair for the yellow room and a petrol blue matching sofa in the existing green room.. A. Lightening the walls is going to greatly modernise and improve the overall appearance of your home. Resene Half Solitaire might be a bit too much of repeating the kitchen colour and then you risk having an apricot toned base. Resene Half Spanish White is possibly a bit dirty next to the kitchen – samples are always worth trying though as these two colours are contenders, depending on how they appear with the natural light. I suggest you also consider Resene Quarter Spanish White, Resene Albescent White and Resene Half Albescent White – yes ceilings and the wood will be great in Resene Alabaster. Green is a great colour for a room that gets a lot of light – Resene Biscotti might emphasise too much warmth. I suggest you soften the green and change tone – try Resene Half Lemon Grass or Resene Quarter Lemon Grass. The yellow room if it has morning light only is facing East – these rooms benefit from complex neutrals which cope when the light moves away from mid-morning – this is a great room to use Resene Half Spanish White and is not directly next to the kitchen. May 2024 |
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Q. We are looking at painting the exterior of our house. We are thinking of something darker than Resene Tea (we used and loved Resene Cod Grey CoolColour on a previous house). We like the smart, crisp sort of look and for the foliage to contrast against a darker colour. The roof is faded New Denim Blue long-run and the joinery is a standard colour Off White aluminium joinery (quite cream). We could paint the roof which I don't really see fitting into a more modern look? The current garage door and front door are cedar with oak colour and will need attention too. The decks are kwila. We are open to alternative suggestions given your expertise and would really appreciate advice. A. Resene Bokara Grey is a lovely charcoal black, warmed with yellow and red and it sits well with foliage and off white joinery. I suggest you test this colour for the cladding and base. Team it with Resene Half Bianca for the timber windows, trims and soffit – to complement the off white aluminium joinery. The roof will need to be addressed if you want to modernise your lovely home – investigate Resene Nocturnal for the roof – a neutral dark grey. I suggest the roof is fairly deep to balance the cladding – so the roof doesn’t become the feature. The garage door I suggest painting the same as the cladding – Resene Bokara Grey and Resene Half Bianca for the garage timber framing. The front door for contrast I suggest Woodsman Wood Oil Stain – Warm Kwila – to tie in the deck and complement the path. May 2024 |
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Q. I was looking at a Resene Tangaroa feature on the kitchen island and fireplace wall. Will this go better with Resene Eighth Rice Cake or Resene Alabaster? I was going to do Resene Eighth Rice Cake on the walls with Resene Alabaster on the ceiling but am keen for some input. A. Resene Tangaroa works better with the warmer whites – so the Resene Rice Cake family will pair well. There is not much contrast between Resene Alabaster and Resene Eighth Rice Cake – and the current trend is to colour drench (using one colour on all surfaces); regardless of trends this is a good application when using a white – varying sheen levels will create subtle contrast, and you already have Resene Tangaroa features, therefore, I suggest painting the ceiling and walls Resene Eighth Rice Cake. May 2024 |
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Q. I am painting a bedroom in a 1915 cottage. It has high walls, with a picture rail running across all four walls and a fireplace. I very much like the colour Resene Rob Roy. How would this be on all walls? What colour on the skirting and fireplace would you suggest? And what about the door and window frames? And the ceiling and walls above the picture rails – I'm not a big fan of white. A. Resene Rob Roy is a lovely ochre, yellow – it will look great on all walls! Although it has a bit of punch – it isn’t too bright, therefore the mustard tones make it easy to apply in an entire room – plus the high ceiling makes this colour work so much better as the room can then carry strength of colour. Team it with Resene Athena for the ceiling, picture rail and wall above picture rail, windows, doors and skirtings. You could also paint the fireplace Resene Athena or opt to make it a feature with a rich green such as Resene Bush or a tonal palette of Rob Roy with a ginger tan such as Resene Salted Caramel. May 2024 |
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Q. I was wondering what a good exterior white would be that would work with Arctic White joinery. The roof and gutter are Grey Friars. The exterior of the house is weatherboard and painted brick. I am going for a country cottage feel. A. Arctic White is a cool toned blue white and possibly the trickiest joinery colour to work with other whites – it tends to work with blue greys (like Grey Friars), charcoals and blue whites. Most whites look very yellow next to it – more so for interiors. Try Resene Aoraki or if you don't mind a bit more colour and less glare try Resene Mystic. May 2024 |
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Q. We are renovating our 50s house including creating a large open plan new living space with mostly gabled roof. The kitchen is ply – a mixture of ply, black and green approx the same as Resene Rivergum. The floors will be rimu possibly with a whitewash. The joinery is quite white... I think similar to say Resene Quarter Black White. I'd like a modern fresh feeling space. All walls and ceiling will be new plasterboard. I didn’t want it to feel cold though but also want it to match well with the joinery. I had thought Resene White Pointer or Resene Half White Pointer but am considering a more off white as well as other whites or off whites. The room goes from NE facing and very sunny to SW facing and a bit less sunny. What would you recommend? A. Your renovation sounds fabulous. I love the kitchen ideas – a 1950s home has such great bones to work with. Considering the aspect of your home and the Rimu floors – a warmer white might work better – but not too warm, so that it works with the joinery and doesn't create more warmth in the NE spaces – plus cooler whites in SE rooms really look sour and too much white cool or warm will not create a nice ambience in these rooms. The Resene White Pointer family will pair with your existing elements, but I feel it is not quite right with the Rimu or natural light – you could try Resene Quarter White Pointer which might be fresh enough to work – however, current trends are leaning towards warmer tones. I suggest you try Resene Half Milk White, Resene Half Cararra or Resene Rice Cake. May 2024 |
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