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 painting my kitchen cabinetry Resene Ironsand. I want an industrial look. What colour would contrast well with it on the walls? At the moment I am looking at Resene Half Inside Back. Would this work? A. Resene Ironsand on the cabinetry is a good choice for an industrial look and yes Resene Half Inside Back does pair with it – however, I feel it may give more of a rustic vibe. For a true industrial look focus on the detailing such as hardware – can taps and cabinetry handles, accessories and lighting be changed? Can you hang industrial style pendants? Not everything has to be perfect – but for a true industrial feel, once you have a few of these elements in place, if not already, then the wall colours are generally neutral and erring on the earthy or deep side, or a cool toned white. Try Resene Eighth Masala or Resene Quarter Masala. Resene Half Inside Back might be a bit 'pretty' try the deeper variant – Resene Inside Back. Resene Rolling Stone is a fabulous colour and has more of an industrial feel. July 2024 |
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Q. We are restaining our kwila deck and repainting the deck wall. I’d like some help with the deck stain colour. The wall closest looks like Resene Triple Parchment and the top part of the wall looks like Resene Parchment. The stain colours I’m considering are: Resene Crowshead, Resene Shadow Match, Resene Banjul and Resene Tiri. I’m not sure Tiri is right, as a darker colour may be better to bring out some of the brick colour? We do not particularly like the redness of kwila and that’s why we prefer a darker colour. Which of Resene Crowshead, Resene Shadow Match and Resene Banjul will be more brown? More black? Darkest? A. Resene Shadow Match is my pick as it is a soft neutral charcoal but dark enough to enhance the brick and cover the kwila. Resene Crowshead is the darkest and very dark for a deck – darker colours can be hot underfoot – plus I feel Resene Crowshead is too dominant for the scheme. Resene Banjul is a bit green, and I don't feel it will pair well with your cladding. I agree Resene Tiri is a little pale – it may not enhance the brick. Consider using a Resene CoolColour stain to help your dark stain reflect more heat. July 2024 |
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Q. What will be the equivalent colour code for powder coating for Resene Eighth Pearl Lusta Total colour code N97-006-097? A. Simply write in your specification ‘Resene Powder Coating in Resene Eighth Pearl Lusta’ and this can be coloured for you. July 2024 |
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Q. I am looking to build a two bay garage with attached garden shed and I like the 'rustic' look. I would like to use pine weatherboards that I then oil or stain to keep the natural look of the timber. What would you recommend for this and am I going to repeat it often to stop it 'greying' so I can keep the natural look of the timber? I could go to batten and board if I have to. A. The only way to achieve the natural rustic look is to apply a colour stain such as Resene Woodsman Oil Stain in Resene Natural or Resene Heartwood. Tinted colours have UV additives to help protect against UV breakdown. The colour of the timber generally greys as it ages but adding a colour can slow this down significantly. Or the Resene Woodsman Cedar Natural Wood Oil could be a great choice for a rustic feel and finish. No clears have UV protection so we don’t recommend clear finishes on exterior timber. July 2024 |
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Q. I'm thinking of using different strengths of Resene Barely There together in a colour scheme, but Resene Double Barely There is a bit too pale. Since there doesn't seem to be a Resene Triple Barely There available, can you suggest another Resene colour that would be a suitable substitute for it? A. Resene Double Barely there is a warm bone white so the triple strength will be a bit warmer again – I suggest you try Resene Half Cloud. You could always pop into a Resene ColorShop and see if Resene Triple Barely There can be custom made for you, but it is always good to try a standard colour first. July 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 wanting 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 Resene Double 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 Resene Buttery White. July 2024 |
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Q. We have 'Melteca Warm White' as our kitchen cabinetry and benchtop, with oak cabinets up the top. I want a white or off white (e.g. I've seen Blanc on a swatch) that won't make the benchtop and cabinets throw too much cream. It's a light and sunny kitchen. I will also be needing a white for the skirting and ceilings. I'm also looking for a sage green for the laundry. This room has a small window, warm white cabinetry. I want a white to paint the cupboard doors, for the skirting, ceiling and a sage green for the walls. A. I suggest an off white which has a slightly cooler undertone – so that it neutralises the yellow, such as Resene Half Sea Fog. For the laundry walls see if any of these Resene sage greens appeal: Resene Green Spring, Resene Bud, Resene Secrets, Resene Half Washed Green or Resene Half Robin Egg Blue. I suggest using the same white as for the kitchen. July 2024 |
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Q. I am painting my lounge and dining room hallway bathrooms and bedrooms, in the kitchen I have cream coloured aluminium windows and timber trim. I have just had white tiles put above the bench and oven, I would like to paint the walls and cupboards but don’t know what colour to do them. Any help would be appreciated. I do like neutral colours. A. As you have introduced the white tile – I suggest this needs to tie into the kitchen cabinetry. It is fortunate that you have the timber trim surrounding the cream joinery as it acts as a barrier between the cream-coloured windows and the cooler tones of the tiles and any wall colour. I suggest Resene Alabaster for the cabinetry and Resene Eighth Parchment for the walls – this will balance the cream joinery without being too yellow. You might also like to introduce a coloured neutral for the bathrooms or bedrooms – colours such as Resene Half Duck Egg Blue, Resene Paris White or Resene Half Periglacial Blue. Sheen levels also help with the look and feel of whites/neutrals – Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen is a durable, low sheen, waterborne enamel with a silky appearance. A durable paint allows the finish to remain looking better longer and is easier to clean, plus a low sheen finish is less reflective and therefore, creates a more enveloping atmosphere. For cabinetry, a sealer and undercoat will need to be applied first if they are not a pre painted substrate – Melteca and coatings similar need to be sealed so the paint coating will adhere well and wear well. Typically, a semi-gloss waterborne enamel such as Resene Lustacryl is used for cabinetry as the finishing coat – it is harder wearing and easier to clean than lower sheen paints – and it creates contrast with the finish of the tiles and walls. July 2024 |
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Q. I have a 1970s concrete block house with a new COLORSTEEL® roof and guttering. The roof is Karaka and the guttering and fascia are Ironsand. The joinery is the original bronze/copper colour and I have painted the concrete windowsills with Resene Ironsand CoolColour to match the gutter and fascia, and I want some ideas about what to paint the main house colour. I’d like options that are both lighter and darker in tone and what might work for the front door too. I’d like something fun and different for the door. A. See if any of these Resene colours appeal – Resene Night Magic, Resene Gravel, Resene Double Gravel, Resene Half Masala, Resene Element or Resene Rocky Point. For the front door a bright yellow or a blue might work – in a full gloss such as Resene Super Gloss Enamel to really enhance the colour – a few popular front door yellows and blues are Resene Turbo, Resene I Dare You, Resene Wild Thing, Resene Boost, Resene Epic and Resene Boundless. Or try Resene Half Masala with a yellow door. I suggest you choose your main wall colour first and then see which colours look good with it – Resene have a colour library of A4 swatches so you can compare the accents with the cladding colours. Compare these outside as colour changes in tone and depth outside – generally it will appear up to 30% lighter outside.  Resene Rocky Point  Resene Night Magic July 2024 |
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Q. I am really loving Resene Pewter as a feature wall colour. My main wall colour will be Resene Half Thorndon Cream or Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream with the ceiling in Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream. My furniture is rimu and flooring is mid – dark brown. The two areas I am looking for help with are; a bedroom wall that gets evening sun but will still be reasonably bright throughout the day and also a barn sliding pantry door that is close to (but not next to) the front door in Grey Friars. The pantry door will have matt black hardware. This area doesn't have direct light. The kitchen cabinets and island are Resene Thorndon Cream with beige gloss tiled splashback. As the house is still being built I'm trying to narrow down my choices as much as I can. I also really like Resene Undercover as an alternative option. Does this go with either Reaene Quarter Thorndon Cream or Resene Half Thorndon Cream? A. Yes, the Resene Thorndon Cream family pairs well with both Resene Pewter and Resene Undercover. They are all from the same colour group. With the natural aspect of the bedroom – I suggest that Resene Pewter might work better – it will be soothing during the bright light and may turn to a lovely silvery green which is calming for night. It is a beautiful colour and it has been a staple in the Resene colour range since one of the first chart releases – BSS2660. You can use it for a feature wall – but you could also consider it for all walls of the bedroom and brighten the room with natural textures. Resene Undercover might be ok for the barn door – but this isn't going to be quite so easy to change if you want to. With the existing elements – you might consider Resene Grey Friars for the pantry barn, linking the doors together, and you might opt to use a semi-gloss finish such as Resene Lustacryl (which is not as glossy) to enhance light reflection. Repetition of colour can create cohesion and you are able then to introduce pops of colour through objects, art, and kitchen appliances. Another option might be to use another deeper variant of the Resene Thorndon Cream family – for the sliding door – Resene Triple Thorndon Cream for example is leaning towards a beige, which may link to any beige in the room. July 2024 |
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Q. We are going to be painting two bedrooms that will have a blue/grey colour carpet. What would be a warm colour to paint the walls? They are on the south side of the house. A. Mid warm toned neutrals work best in south facing bedrooms. Whites and pale tints will just feel cold with blue grey carpet and the aspect. Try Resene Biscotti, Resene Double Blanc, Resene Tua Tua, Resene Eighth Drought or Resene Double Bianca. A lower sheen level helps to create a warm, inviting atmosphere. July 2024 |
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Q. We are looking at putting a new kitchen in with white cupboards, a massive dark blue island or possibly dark grey facing the open plan lounge/dining. We have a long wall opposite the island facing out to a large garden with a floor to ceiling brick fireplace. We also have grey veins through the quartz bench tops. We aren’t sure what to paint this wall and we are very colour loving people. The next room to the open plan is dark blue and we have grey carpet with a light wood through the kitchen. We would love your opinion on the island, brick fireplace and long wall. A. I suggest you do paint the Island and fireplace the same colour – otherwise you might end up with too many colours. Resene Blue Night is a fabulous colour to try. For the long wall I suggest a blue grey – such as Resene Baring Head. Alternatively you might like Resene Westminster for the kitchen Island and fireplace with Resene Half Hammerhead for the long wall. July 2024 |
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Q. I have a 1970s Keith Hay house. It has silver aluminium joinery and a grey roof, garage door and shed roof. I would like to paint the cladding a colour to contrast these without changing them. I’m considering going very dark. Any recommendations? A. Try Resene Tuna, Resene Foundry or Resene Shark. I feel a mid to dark colour might work best – if it is deeper than the roof. July 2024 |
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Q. We have Hinuera stone on the bottom level and weatherboards on the top level of our home. We are thinking of perhaps either Resene Parchment, Resene Akaroa or Resene Tea on the weatherboards. We are going to install new aluminium joinery. What colour joinery would you recommend? A. You can specify Resene colours for joinery – check out more information online. I suggest Resene Black White or Resene Half Black White. July 2024 |
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Q. My husband and I have recently purchased a very tiny house as a weekend getaway. It has plenty of windows and cathedral ceilings. The cottage has been occupied for about 15 years and is currently crammed with the current owner’s furniture. When we take possession a total interior refresh is top priority. I’m convinced it needs to be completely neutral throughout to maximise the illusion of space and act as a blank canvas. I don’t like grey shades. I’m happy with whites, love earthy colours and blue. A. I feel to maximise the illusion of space and enhance light a clean, warm off white, such as Resene Half Bianca, which isn’t too stark, but has good luminosity might work quite well. I suggest painting all substrates the same colour – including the ceiling – this will visually open the space as there won’t be the separation of colour. I did consider an earthy neutral for the walls only, but I feel you will end up with the spaces looking like they do now, which isn’t giving the right vibe for the cottage. An alternative to Resene Half Bianca is Resene Alabaster – this can appear warm but slightly cooler than Resene Half Bianca. It will depend on the aspect of each room, hence why I suggest testing each white. Using a white, enables you to dress the rooms with earthy hues and blues – repetition of colour is a good idea. For the bathroom – I suggest less contrast – Resene Cut Glass is a soft blue or Resene Duck Egg Blue is an earthy option – and might appear a little grey at first glance, but can give a lovely hint of blue in the right light. July 2024 |
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Q. We are building a new house and have chosen the roof and joinery colours. We now need to choose the cladding colours and are wanting some advice to make the best choice. The roof is Sandstone Grey and the joinery (including garage door) is FlaxPod. Our cladding is board and batten and we are thinking a dark grey colour with possibly brown undertones. If you could recommend some colours that would complement these it would be much appreciated. A. I like the idea of a grey with brown undertones – however, with new builds there is typically a restriction on colour. Board and batten generally has a LRV (light reflectance value) of 45% and above – this means very pale colours. I suggest you speak with your local council or your builder to see if this applies to your build. Colours to consider (I have listed the LRV rating next to each colour – you will see how light 45% is, and I have included colours which are darker – but these will need approval) – Resene Silver Sand (57%), Resene Double Friar Greystone (24%), Resene Cloudy (48%), Resene Eighth Masala (34%) or Resene Taupe Grey (33%). You might like to also investigate Resene CoolColour paints which help with darker colours on claddings prone to heat absorption issues – however, LRV restrictions still apply – but council may approve a slightly darker colour.  Resene Double Friar Greystone July 2024 |
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Q. I am getting a new roof put on our cedar house. Is there a reason not to go with a white roof? We will stain the cedar. A. The only things to consider is the style that you are aiming for and the architectural elements besides the roof – such as any other cladding and the window joinery. The location also needs to be taken into consideration. A white roof will contrast with the natural environment – it is suited more to a coastal or even urban environment. A pale colour for the roof is still achievable – depending on the colour of the stain consider slightly more colour such as Resene Titania which has a slight green undertone and still looks whitish outside – Resene Bone White is a bit deeper again and could even look better. July 2024 |
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Q. I am about to get my home’s interior painted. A couple of people have suggested Resene Black White or Resene Double Black White. Since the home is at the south coast which can be cold, I thought maybe warmers colour like either Resene Half Tea or Resene Double White Pointer mixed with some lighter tones of these options in some rooms. To keep things simple for the painter, I was also looking at having the doors, trims and ceiling painted white. Since it will be rented until I move back, I was looking at a speckled grey carpet. A. I agree that the Resene Black White family might be a bit too cold for your home. I suggest Resene Half Sea Fog for main areas with a warmer tone, such as Resene Half Tea or Resene Truffle for the bedrooms – sometimes going lighter in darker rooms makes them feel cold, rather go warmer or use depth. July 2024 |
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Q. I'm looking for a very bright blue to paint a wall and I was wondering if you have any suggestions for me. A. Resene Wet N Wild from the Resene Multi-finish Range, is an electric blue described as a ‘Bondi Beach surf and swim blue’. Sheen levels can also enhance the intensity – a gloss finish such as Resene Enamacryl gloss waterborne enamel will make it look brighter. June 2024 |
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Q. I’m having a laundry upgrade and would like some advice on an accent wooden door colour which goes to a back porch coat area. The door has a glass panel about one third of its size. The wall colour is Resene Half White Pointer, the cabinetry is Melteca Sea Grey Naturale and the architraves, skirtings and window frames are Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta. There is a benchtop in Laminex Darkside Marble. Do you have some ideas for the door that would give it a bit of wow factor? A. What a fabulous idea! A blue like Resene Ocean Waves, a red such as Resene Aroha or a warm blue like Resene Calypso and a terracotta such as Resene Wild West might work for you. For a neutral with impact try Resene Diesel.  Resene Ocean Waves  Resene Aroha June 2024 |
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Q. What colours would go with cream exterior walls? Currently the accent colour for the doors and bargeboard is grey and it is rather drab. We are by the sea so a coastal look would be a possibility. I wondered about a blue that would match with the cream walls but would appreciate advice. A. I suggest creating a coastal look and freshening the overall appearance. Paint the fascia the same colour as the walls or as close as possible and paint the entry door a deep ocean blue or teal such as Resene Ocean Waves or Resene Deep Teal. It will also create less maintenance if you paint the fascia a neutral colour – as blues that are on exposed areas such as fascias and windows are prone to fading quicker. Resene Ocean Waves June 2024 |
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Q. I would like to use gloss Resene Rockbottom on our hallway doors. We are looking for a cream colour for the walls and ceiling. A. Resene Buttery White looks lovely with Resene Rockbottom or for a warm white with less cream try Resene Chalk Dust. Sheen levels help with the look and feel of whites – Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen is a durable, low sheen, waterborne enamel which is easier cleaned than a standard acrylic and gives a lovely subdued look to walls, it can be taken onto the ceiling, or for less reflection on the ceiling – you might like to use Resene SpaceCote Flat – which is the matt version of a waterborne enamel. June 2024 |
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Q. Our kitchen cupboards are in Resene Half Thorndon Cream with matt silver trims. The walls are in Resene Fossil. How can I repaint the walls to make the cupboards look less yellow/cream? I want to give the kitchen a ‘lift’ but also want to keep it neutral. I also can't do much about the tiles, they look like pale brown shades. A. Warm, soft neutral tones are best to counteract the cream – working with the cabinetry is the best option for a better outcome. I think you will need to compromise and realise since you cannot change the splashback and the cabinetry is going to be cream regardless – we can make the whole appearance of the room less contrasting which will help to disguise the yellow undertone. Colour drenching (painting the substrates one colour with varying sheen levels is right on point) – painting the walls Resene Half Thorndon Cream will blend the cabinetry into the walls – or you might like to try Resene Rice Cake which will tone but is whiter. Grey whites, cleaner creams and colour will enhance the yellow undertone in the cabinetry. June 2024 |
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Q. We have bought a very small apartment. It is ground floor in a lush area so not a lot of light gets in and when it does it is influenced by the surrounding green garden. We are looking for a white. Preferably with a very faint yellow undertone... to allow for a warm white, especially in low light. A. You could try Resene Half Bianca – which has a LRV of 91% and a hint of pure yellow so gives good luminosity – I have specified it many times for low light areas such as hallways. I also suggest trying Resene Quarter Rice Cake – also similar properties with a LRV of 90% – it is not as clean as Resene Half Bianca, but because it has a slight greyness to it (not seen once up) it is very good at counteracting reflections of green. A creamier white will be full strength Resene Bianca, or you might like Resene Chalk Dust or Resene Rice Cake. Resene Black White will suit a gallery style interior as they tend to have great artificial lighting – lots of it and are larger spaces – Resene Black White needs good lighting – preferably to really look great – in low light areas with a greenery outlook it may feel cold and lack the lift you are looking for. Resene Milk White is an interesting white – it morphs between warm and cool and might work if you want an alternative to a warmer white. The warmer whites mentioned are very popular for your application. June 2024 |
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Q. If I would like to have a range of greens in a room, is there a way I can select a number of complementary green shades that go together well? I would like 4 or 5 that go together well. A. To create a harmonious room we typically say to use no more than three complementary colours – although you can use more if you are using variants of one green. On the Multifinish green palettes there are lighter and deeper variants of a particular green – for example Palette R31 which has popular sage greens – If you chose Resene Bud as your main colour you could then introduce any of the other colours on that palette to work with it – note that the 60-30-10 guideline works well – 60% one green, 30% another and 10% accent – for proportional balance. Colour is subjective and personal so there are no hard and fast rules. Your eye will guide you to what pleases you. One idea is to choose five greens and paint testpots (two coats) onto A4 card and then layer the card proportionately. A general guide is to choose all warm or all cool greens (or at least leaning towards a warmer or cooler base) – and most of them will pair together that way – it is when you start mixing cool and warm colours that it can create chaos. For example, an interesting combination of greens which are all tending towards warm greens is – Resene Vantage Point, Resene Field Day, Resene Seaweed, Resene Smashed Avocado and Resene Green Days.  Resene Green Days  Resene Field Day  Resene Vantage Point  Resene Smashed Avocado June 2024 |
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Q. I have two questions. Firstly, I'm considering getting a Resene painted glass matte splashback for my kitchen instead of tiles. The kitchen is not quite finished, so I did a quick photoshop job to approximate the bench colour, dining table, etc. The kitchen opens into our living room, which is painted in Resene Ravine with trims in Resene Alabaster. The kitchen walls are painted in Resene Eighth Truffle. I'm looking for a complementary colour to the kitchen and living room walls for the splashback, possibly a soft green, natural beige or a very subtle dusky pink. Secondly, our hallway off the living room has outdated pale green and gold-textured wallpaper. I want to paint over it with a colour that is slightly darker and perhaps a touch more grey-toned than Resene Eighth Truffle, as it looks quite grey in our kitchen but brown in the hall. A. I suggest trying Resene Double Bison Hide for the splashback – a change of colour on a splashback is not as easy as repainting a wall so a dusky pink might date quicker and may not pair if you do want to repaint your kitchen walls at some stage. Glass companies will do samples for you as colour behind glass appears differently to a painted sample – I generally choose deeper colours as matt glass can soften the colour – depending on the glass being used the green can be enhanced. For the hallway try Resene Half Cloud. June 2024 |
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Q. We have gone ahead with COLORSTEEL® Sandstone Grey for our new roof. We are now needing suggestions for the rest of the colour scheme featuring the stone wall. We have tried samples of Resene Sea Fog. Will this work well with Sandstone Grey? And if so how should we match decking and fencing to these colours (coastal)? A. Yes, Resene Sea Fog will pair with Sandstone Grey – perhaps look at Resene Double Sea Fog or Resene Triple Sea Fog for the fencing and Resene Atmosphere or Foggy Grey for the deck. June 2024 |
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Q. I’d like to paint my bedroom walls in Resene Eighth Black White, and I’d like a grey/green to go with it (for the wardrobe doors). I quite like Resene Foggy Grey, but I’m not confident enough to know if these would go together OK. A. Yes, they will pair together – you might also like to try a softer green grey, such as Resene Copyrite or Resene Harp. June 2024 |
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Q. We have a worker cottage with a dark blue lounge suite. I want to paint the walls a version of white/neutral. What would be best to go with this? A. Resene Sea Fog looks lovely with dark blues or you might like to try the slightly warmer Resene Half Rice Cake. June 2024 |
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Q. I currently have our bedrooms painted with Resene Quarter Akaroa with the ceiling, doors and trims in Resene Rice Cake. I am about to repaint the walls but keep the Resene Rice Cake trims and ceiling but would like to make the walls a little lighter. Do you think going Resene Eighth Akaroa would work or is there another white colour that works with Resene Rice Cake? A. Resene Eighth Akaroa might work – but it could take on a subtle pink undertone next to Resene Rice Cake. Resene Half Thorndon Cream and Resene Thorndon Cream naturally sit well with Resene Rice Cake and make lovely bedroom colours. Resene Double Rice Cake is also lovely. It is tricky putting eighth strength colours with full strength Rice Cake as it has quite a bit of colour – away from white. Colour drenching is a current trend (painting all surfaces the same colour with varying sheen levels – or variants of one colour) so I suggest painting the walls the same as the trims which will give the room a spacious inviting feel – Resene Rice Cake, and then dressing the rooms with lots of texture in taupe and beiges like Resene Akaroa. June 2024 |
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Q. What is a good white to tone in with light blue? My kitchen and bathroom both are light blue and I need a suitable white for my lounge. A. Try Resene Alabaster, Resene Double Alabaster or Resene Half Sea Fog – it depends on the light to how bright you go, but these will tone with light blue. June 2024 |
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Q. I was wondering what colour might be closest to Resene Double Alabaster, but just ever so slightly less grey? I’ve been looking at maybe Resene Eighth Rice Cake or Resene Quarter Bianca? A. Yes, I suggest trying Resene Eighth Rice Cake or Resene Quarter Merino. Resene Quarter Bianca might be a bit (clean yellow white). June 2024 |
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Q. My apartment will undergo a total renovation soon. There is loads of natural light as it faces directly north and east and west. The floorboards are Woodcut White Oiled which is soft. I’m thinking of a grey tone for walls living area and cabinetry. Three internal wet areas receive no natural light. A. With lots of natural light it is a perfect opportunity to suggest Resene Black White – a soft chalky white. Warmer whites and brighter whites such as Resene Alabaster might just be glary or take on a cream undertone. For the wet areas, no natural light means a white like Resene Black White might feel a bit cool and uninviting, I suggest using a warmer white here or a different neutral such as Resene Sea Fog or Resene Half Duck Egg Blue. June 2024 |
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Q. We have used Resene Albescent White throughout our house and wish to refresh our walls but don't want to paint the whole interior in a different colour as some areas have been refreshed over the past two years. However, we would like to use a complementary colour in the main and ensuite bathrooms that are situated on the south side of our house. Can you recommend a colour that would keep the flow from the hall and bedrooms but warm up those spaces? A. Try Resene Half Biscotti or Resene Quarter Drought. Whites in low light areas on the south side tend to be uninviting – even the warm whites, but you might like to try Resene Cararra which can surprisingly feel warm in this application. June 2024 |
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Q. We are close to painting our '30s stucco bungalow in Resene Dusted Blue. The gables and window frames/sills will most likely be in a white such as Resene Rice Cake. Our front door faces north-west, we're interested in a red for it that directly complements Resene Dusted Blue. A. Try Resene Red Berry or Resene Arriba. With the aspect of the door, you might want to check out Resene CoolColour paints which will help to reduce any heat related issues, so the finish remains looking great longer. I suggest a gloss finish to really enhance the effect – Resene Super Gloss Enamel makes for a wonderful front door finish. June 2024 |
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Q. Can you please suggest a sunny yellow for a darker room that would look good alongside Resene Rice Cake? A. The buttery yellows can look lovely. Brighter sunnier yellows sometimes look a bit flat without being illuminated with natural light. Yellow intensifies in depth when on all walls – but can create a fabulous space. Try Resene Weathered Yellow, Resene Mellow Yellow, Resene Half Moonbeam, Resene Moonbeam, Resene Moondance or Resene Melting Moment – there is also Resene Half Melting Moment if you would like something lighter. Resene have a stock library of A4 swatches which means you can view the colour while at the Resene ColorShop before committing to testpots to try at home.  Resene Moondance June 2024 |
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Q. I want to paint the open plan kitchen/dining/living a relatively warm white – with minimal yellow undertones. Currently all the trim is in Resene Half Spanish White, which I don’t want to change. I’m looking for a white. A. If you go whiter – even to a warm white, the ceiling and trim are going to look darker and yellow possibly next to the wall colour – just something to be aware of. The Resene Spanish White family sits best with its own variants so you could try Resene Quarter Spanish White (eighth is too pink) or for a warm white Resene Chalk Dust (this is not a perfect match however). Colour drenching is a current trend (painting one room all the same colour) – you could opt to paint the walls Resene Half Spanish White which will open the space, make it appear larger and pair well with the gold painting – the white in the painting will pop (it will still feel a lot lighter than it currently is). June 2024 |
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Q. I want to update my ceilings, doors and trim from current Resene Dutch White. My wall colour is Resene Akaroa. What would you suggest? I have thought of Resene Quarter Merino or Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta. A. Resene Quarter Merino is an option – Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta might be a bit too clean. Consider Resene Eighth Wheatfield or Resene Quarter Villa White as alternatives. June 2024 |
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Q. Please can you help me choose a front door colour to complement Resene Element cladding and a Resene Settlement roof. A. I suggest keeping it timeless but earthy (and still current) with a rustic red such as Resene Aroha or Resene Pandemonium. June 2024 |
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Q. What colour white would go with emerald green tiles in a bathroom? A. It depends on what shade of green the tiles are i.e. emerald, sage, forest – and where you want to use the colour – I am assuming the walls. Warm whites such as Resene Half Rice Cake, Rice Cake, and the slightly cooler Resene Merino and Resene Half Merino all pair with green. June 2024 |
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Q. We have painted the front of our unit all Resene Gauntlet, in block colour. We would like advice on a pop colour to paint the doors and on a lighter colour to repaint some of the panels to lighten the overall look, noting the stone at the bottom A. I wouldn't suggest going too pale against Resene Gauntlet, however, try Resene Silver Sand. For the doors try Resene Arriba, Resene Tuscany, Resene Alert Tan or Resene Rustic Red. June 2024 |
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Q. I’m considering using different strengths of Resene Ecru White in a tone-on-tone colour scheme in our house. Do you know of any other Resene colours that could be used as a slightly darker version of Resene Ecru White and a paler version of Resene Quarter Ecru White? A. You could try Resene Half Linen, Resene Linen or Resene Double Thorndon Cream for a deeper shade – none are perfect but they tone and might work well. It will depend on the natural light. You could also try Resene Rice Cake or Resene Quarter Joanna (this might be too similar to Resene Quarter Ecru White). June 2024 |
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Q. We are thinking of using Resene Bermuda Grey for our bathroom. It is quite small with a large window covering most of one wall. We wondered if the room is so small if we should only do it as a feature wall or would it be ok on all walls? And if it’s a feature wall, what other colour do you suggest for remaining walls that goes with gunmetal taps and towel rai. A. I think you should be brave and paint the whole room the same colour – the depth of Resene Bermuda Grey keeps the colour warmer and being a small room, it gives it interest. This will modernise the bathroom. As colour does intensify on all walls (not that you should worry!) you might like to try Resene Bali Hai, which is just a bit softer. June 2024 |
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Q. I'm looking to tie inside and outside colour schemes together. I like Resene Tana for exterior rendering and wonder if Resene Quarter Ironsand (accents) and Resene Half Sea Fog (window frames) go together as a scheme? Inside I will be using Resene Sea Fog or Resene Half Sea Fog for the living walls – but was hoping to be more adventurous in the bedroom – maybe Resene Half New Denim Blue? Do I need to go lighter with the exterior window frames (Resene Quarter Sea Fog, Resene Alabaster or Resene White?). And is Resene Quarter Ironsand the right tint for an accent to Resene Tana? A. Your scheme pairs well together – for the window frames it really depends on whether you want the same white for the windows on the exterior and interior (you didn't mention the intended interior window colour) and how much you want the windows to contrast on the exterior. There is no issue with using the same white on the exterior window frames as an interior colour (although it comes down to personal taste) as whites will look completely different outside. For more contrast I suggest no paler than Resene Double Alabaster (Resene Quarter Sea Fog) for the exterior windows. For the bedroom consider Resene Hammerhead – it is a steely blue grey like Half New Denim Blue but has more blue – which might work well with the overall scheme. June 2024 |
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Q. I'm trying to decide what is the best white trim colour to complement Resene Half White Pointer. It is a coastal bach with a curved barn style roof and beams. It was suggested I paint the ceilings and wall all Resene Half White Pointer. The space is a 50 square metre room. The kitchen is white with a white bench with soft grey marbling. The flooring is yet to be decided. A. Colour drenching is a current trend (painting all surfaces one colour). Painting your ceiling will help to make the space feel open, as there are no harsh white lines for the eye to stop at, and visually enlarge the space. Resene Half White Pointer will pair nicely with your scheme and not compete with the pure white kitchen. If you do want to highlight doors and trims – then I suggest Resene White which will work with most other whites, especially pure whites, or for a slight softness – Resene Eighth Black White. June 2024 |
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Q. We have used Albescent White throughout our house and wish to refresh our walls but don't want to paint the whole interior in a different colour as some areas have been refreshed over the past two years. However, we would like to use a complementary colour in the main and ensuite bathrooms that are situated on the south side of our house. Can you recommend a colour that would keep the flow from the hall and bedrooms but warm up those spaces? Could there also be a soft green that would work, I expect that I'm asking if I need to think about the actual colour components of Resene Albescent White needing to blend with a colour that has some of those same components? Or am I being too fussy? A. Try Resene Half Biscotti or Resene Quarter Drought. Whites in low light areas on the south side tend to be uninviting – even the warm whites, but you might like to try Resene Cararra which can surprisingly feel warm in this application. If you want to add a green with a similar softness, try Resene Quarter Robin Egg Blue or Resene Tasman. June 2024 |
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Q. I have used Resene Triple Thorndon Cream and Colorbond® Woodland Grey on my exterior. I want to introduce a dark grey/black. Would Resene Bokara Grey work with the green of Woodland Grey? If not, can you suggest an alternative? We want to paint this light wall to a dark one. A. Yes, Resene Bokara Grey will work – it might appear a little brown for what you are wanting, You could also try Resene Element or for a tonal option, Resene Thunderstorm which is a great colour – but not as black. June 2024 |
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Q. We have a house on a rural section that we wish to repaint the creamish weatherboards in order to make the house fade into the background. We can't change the brown roof colour. I was thinking an olive green or similar. Would you have a suggestion for a green or another colour please? A. A greyed neutral with an olive undertone might work. Try Resene Castle Rock, Resene Cobblestone or Resene Copyrite. If you are willing to paint the fascia boards and bargeboards, plus the windowsills in Resene White – these small changes will help to really modernise the overall appearance. You can then leave the gable end and garage doors brown – to match the roof. Painting the base the same new colour as the house will make a huge improvement also – but if not the scheme with the additions above will help to modernise and blend the house into the natural environment. June 2024 |
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Q. I have selected Resene Sea Fog or Resene Half Sea Fog to paint our house. I want to do a feature wall in a darker colour. Are you able to please suggest several darker colours that may complement the Resene Sea Fog paint. The roof is COLORSTEEL® Gull Grey. A. You might like to try Resene Baltic Sea, Resene Solstice, Resene Shark or Resene Times Square.  Resene Solstice  Resene Times Square June 2024 |
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Q. I have chosen Resene Eighth Akaroa for my bedroom walls. What is the best colour to match for trims? A. Quite often if rooms are in various colours, it is a good idea to keep trims consistent (same colour as main areas of house) if the trim colour complements the bedroom colour. This is only a guide to create flow and consistency throughout the home. The other way to create this is to paint the trims the same colour – Resene Eighth Akaroa. This is a popular look at present. It creates flow because the eye does not stop at contrasting lines of white. Resene Lustacryl a semi-gloss waterborne enamel is the preferred finish for trims and this gives subtle contrast to generally a low sheen finish for the walls Alternatively, if you do want contrast – try Resene Alabaster or Resene Half Bianca for a slightly warmer white or there is the option to paint the trims a deeper variant of Resene Eighth Akaroa – however, this does tend to visually close a room in. June 2024 |
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Q. Can I paint over vinyl wet room walls. The bathroom walls are an early 2000 blue and I need a stop gap until we can renovate the bathroom fully. The hallway outside is in Resene Quarter Spanish White. I am thinking I will leave the vinyl flooring in the blue it is currently, unless it is possible to paint that as well. The bathroom was designed for elderly parents, so if you can imagine a dated hospital access bathroom, you are spot on. It has hand holds etc, that have been moved around, so the wall linings while still excellent condition are aesthetically poor. Can I paint and what colours should I use to either tone down the blue floor and/or work with hallway. A. To counteract blue vinyl the only possibility is to take emphasis away with little contrast. So perhaps a soft grey blue will work or complement it with a soft peach/terracotta, which will take the focus off the floor a little. It depends on the light too – one is a cooler colour and one warmer – although greyed blues are warmer than icy blues. Try Resene Duck Egg Blue, Resene Halcyon, Resene Half Halcyon, Resene Sorbet or Resene Negroni.  Resene Sorbet  Resene Half Halcyon  Resene Halcyon June 2024 |
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Q. Could you please give me the colour code for a paint colour match to a COLORSTEEL® roof colour called Tidal Drift? A. The Resene paint equivalent to COLORSTEEL® Tidal Drift is Resene Expedition.  Resene Expedition June 2024 |
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Q. We are currently refreshing our lounge area by taking out a wall to open up the expansive view of farmland and Napier hill. We have Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream on most walls and have Resene Lonestar on the smaller area we are opening up. We want to carry the colour right through the wall with the view to link to out garden. We love the deep rusty reds and wonder if we should change Resene Lonestar to something else – maybe Resene Burnt Crimson? We will be refreshing the neutral walls and now question whether we should stay with Resene Thorndon Cream. It is carried on right through the rest of the house. A. It is a great idea to open the space and that will bring more light. It is a lovely outlook and I do agree a rusty red (also on trend) will link more to the outdoors. If the room is used mostly at night, then you could consider using a deeper variant of Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream and leave the Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream through the rest of the house. I suggest trying test pots of Resene Half Thorndon Cream and Resene Thorndon Cream – this will balance the deeper red so there isn't so much of a contrast which is more of a modern approach. For the red try Resene Aroha – it is a bit softer so may not appear as dark. I suggest you try Resene Burnt Crimson as well – whichever looks better. Resene Aroha June 2024 |
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Q. I want to paint the base of my house a dark grey, my front door a black and the windows white. We have a sliding door in 'Matt Charcoal' by Westview aluminium that I was trying to colour match. Do you have any colours you would recommend? A. Try Resene Baltic Sea (may be a bit lighter than the windows – but that’s ok) with Resene Blackjack for the door, with Resene Black White for a soft chalky white or Resene Half Black White for a crisper white. Alternatively, you might like Resene Foundry with Resene Nero for the front door and Resene Black White or Resene Half Sea Fog. June 2024 |
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Q. We are fully renovating our first home. We have selected hard flooring for our dining, kitchen and bathroom and carpet for the lounge and bedrooms. Our kitchen will have white cabinets and a marble look benchtop. We are thinking a tinted white for the walls with white roof and trim, I am just needing some advice as to which tinted white would be best. A. It is better if you choose your hard finishes first so the whites can work with these, as many whites will work with your carpet and wood flooring. I suggest you take your hard finishes into a Resene Color Shop and look at the A4 drawdown paint swatches of some of the popular whites – staff will be able to assist. Some you might like to investigate are Resene Black White with Resene Alabaster for the ceiling and trim, or Resene Half Sea Fog with Resene Alabaster or Resene Half Alabaster for the trim and ceiling. The cooler whites tend to go with marble, greys and hard finishes. Sheen levels also help with the look of whites – Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen is a durable, low sheen waterborne enamel, being a durable paint, it means whites look better longer and this paint gives a lovely, subdued feel to spaces. June 2024 |
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Q. We are renovating our beach house by adding a small extension upstairs and a balustrade around the deck. Our roof colour is Karaka. We want a colour on the front wall, a light colour on most of the house and a green trim. Can you recommend some colours that will work. I have tried some but haven't got it right yet. A. For the trims you might consider Resene Karaka or a lighter variant. Some combinations you might like for the walls and front wall try: Resene Terrain with Resene Mangrove or Resene Paddock, or Resene Tana with Resene Double Gravel, or Resene Linen with Resene Lemon Grass, or Resene Half Copyrite with Resene Cobblestone. June 2024 |
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Q. We want to make a change to our small study that has one large window and a 3m stud. We have committed to Resene Half Rice Cake on the trims, ceiling and door. I want a brightish but warm feel. Should I go Resene Rice Cake on the walls or do the whole room in Resene Half Rice Cake i.e. paint the walls Resene Half Rice Cake too? A. If you want it bright but spacious – then I would use Resene Half Rice Cake on the walls as well. Consider sheen levels when choosing whites – Resene Space Cote Low Sheen is a durable waterborne enamel which can be used for the ceiling and walls plus trims, and being a durable paint, it means the finish will look better longer. There is the option to use a semi-gloss on the trims – Resene Lustacryl which will give a nice subtle contrast which is a good idea when using the same colour. June 2024 |
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Q. I am building a new home. I am planning for three colours in the front, beginning with white where there is garage door, Resene Heartwood stain in the middle and lastly Resene Ironsand or Resene Grey Friars. The roof, window joinery and entry door are all Ironsand. The vertical cladding is James Hardie Axon panel 133mm groove and the horizontal cladding is James Hardie Linea panels 150mm. A. I suggest you paint the main areas Resene Ironsand and the middle (previously to be stained) to highlight this area and bring it forward with Resene Merino. June 2024 |
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Q. Basically I have started painting Resene Alabaster on the ceilings, trims and doors and Resene Half Rice Cake on the walls but I’m really not liking how strong the yellow is coming out in the Resene Rice Cake so I’m thinking of changing it. The yellow is more of a problem in the evening with 3k LED downlights on but even in the daytime in the low light areas it really comes through. I was after something clean but not cold and sterile. So is there a colour you might suggest I try? I have looked at Resene Double Alabaster or Resene Quarter Black White, something with the smallest contrast with my Resene Alabaster ceiling, doors and trim. I am thinking with these they have the smallest amount of grey but will not feel cold. A. Try Resene Double Alabaster – it is a little warmer but doesn’t have the yellow undertone of Resene Half Rice Cake. You might like to try Resene Eighth Rice Cake as well – if you feel you need more warmth. June 2024 |
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Q. Our roof and spouting are COLORSTEEL® Karaka and continuous metal spouting and the house is in dire need of a paint. This time, I'd like a pink front door – nothing pastel or pale but something fun that would suit the Karaka spouting. You can't see the roof so the Karaka is not the dominating colour but it would be good if it was a nice match. The house is classic 1950 timber windows and weatherboards. The windows are currently an off-white and the weatherboards a mid-pale olive green colour. I’m open to trying other suggestions. I’m not keen on bright white but am open to suggestions. The only thing I can't change is the roof and spouting and my quirky curiosity to try a pink door. I recall there was a feature done on pink doors in one of your Resene habitat magazines – maybe about a year ago. That is what put the idea into my head as the pics looked fun and womanly. The real estate agent is harping on about sticking to grey and white for outside and inside. I’m not a fan of that advice but understand the reasoning behind it. What would you advise for the front door, weatherboards and windows? There are also a set of French doors and back door and I was thinking to keep them the same as the windows and just have the front door pink. Life is rough and think a bit of fun might be nice lift to greet people. A. As you are selling? For exteriors if you are selling your home, it can be best to capture a wide market to stay on the conservative side – so I suggest mixing the pink with a bit of red, which is still not to everyone's taste, but is a bit more universal. The scheme does need to co-ordinate with the continuous spouting (Karaka) as the front door and spouting can usually be seen together. If you do choose to use a pink or shade of for the front door – I definitely don't recommend painting the French doors pink because this becomes high maintenance for future buyers. Most people prefer French doors to be a light colour. Colours to try for the weatherboards are Resene Double White Pointer, Resene Quarter Friar Greystone, Resene Terrain or Resene Copyrite. For the windows/French doors try Resene Quarter White Pointer. For the front door you might like Resene Quarter Pohutukawa or Resene Geronimo which are pink reds and will reflect so outside. This pink undertone can be further enhanced with Resene Super Gloss enamel for the front door finish.  Resene Quarter Friar Greystone June 2024 |
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Q. I’m looking at using wallpaper. Please give me some tips of how to choose a wallpaper pattern. A. Oversized prints and murals that depict a definite image – suit large scale walls. This way you can truly appreciate the design from a distance and see the details when you admire up close. Random patterns can look great in smaller spaces such as powder rooms, studies and transitional areas as they are not overwhelming like they might be in a space where you spend a lot of time – plus they make a statement where a smaller pattern might get a bit lost in a very large space. Consider the style and ambience you want to create, and the natural and artificial lighting of the space. It might be that a metallic print will not work in a low-lit room as the sheen won’t be enhanced but a plain textured paper in a moody colour palette might be relatable to the room, with metallic accents. June 2024 |
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Q. What’s the easiest way to recreate a specific design era? A. Mix classic with modern – for example, a clean lined sofa in a fashionable colour with a vintage wallpaper in an oversized pattern such as the papers seen in the Resene Kent Wallpaper Collection. Bolder patterns look modern regardless of era but be mindful of the architecture and proportions of the room when choosing a pattern. Ensure a simple colour palette to create a cohesive look and avoid too many elements in one room – so the space does not look cluttered. June 2024 |
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Q. I was wondering how Resene Thorndon Cream would look on weatherboards. I saw a post using tones of this colour throughout inside and outside in varying strengths. What strength looks best on boards without being too cream? A. Considering all colours lose up to 30% colour visually outside, due to the natural reflection of light – we tend to not go to the lightest variant – depending on location – as this can be a bit glary in some cases. For a warm white exterior, I suggest trying Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream. Testpots (two coats) are recommended – if you have existing colour on your boards, then please undercoat an area, with Resene Quick Dry primer/undercoat – which is a blocking primer – to test the new colour between or Resene sell A2 card which you can paint two coats of a test pot onto and view against the house – or even better obtain an offcut of the same timber to test colours onto, if possible. June 2024 |
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Q. We have a large 90s style house with walls in Resene Eighth Canterbury Clay making everything look very cream. The ceilings are Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream, which we would prefer not to repaint, due to the size of the house. Which whites would you recommend for the walls to modernise the house? We were recommended Resene Rice Cake. We’ve painted a spare bedroom and realised it doesn’t go with the ceiling – I think maybe it is too cool. I like Resene Rice Cake, but not enough to repaint the ceilings throughout the house. Can you please help us find an alternative? Would it look ok to paint Resene the walls in Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream? A. You are on the right track. In theory variants of the Resene Thorndon Cream family can sit with variants of the Resene Rice Cake family, however, when it comes to full strength Resene Rice Cake with Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream, and possibly the lighting of that particular room – you are correct in saying it might be a bit cool, hence why it is not looking right. Yes, It would be ok to paint the walls in Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream and currently it is a trend to colour drench – which is basically painting all surfaces one colour – however, this can mean the ceiling looks darker than the walls in some rooms. If you have a deep ceiling cove it can look better if you have a slightly lighter colour on the ceiling – and then it will match with the walls in areas that have low light – consider painting the walls in Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream – It is still a lot less yellow than the Resene Canterbury Clay family. I am guessing you are going to be painting the doors the same colour as the walls. I suggest Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream or Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream – and to decide – paint two coats of test pots onto A2 card (don't paint directly onto the walls) card is available at Resene and move around rooms to see how they compare. If you’re still undecided – then back yourself and paint the walls Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream. June 2024 |
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Q. I want advice on painting the exterior and the roof of our cottage. It is surrounded by green hedges and I would like it to blend in rather than stand out. I do like the idea of a whiteish main colour as I'd like to plant standard iceberg roses in the garden. A. I feel the weatherboards need a little bit more colour as too white and the roses will blend – but light enough to lift the overall appearance and not dominate – I propose Resene Double Bianca for the weatherboards with Resene Quarter Bianca for the fascias, posts and windows. For the roof I suggest Resene Squall which has a subtle olive/brown undertone. For the front door you might like to keep it Resene Quarter Bianca to blend in but in a gloss finish such as Resene Super Gloss enamel – for a point of difference – or you could take a cue from the centre of the roses and use a yellow such as Resene Moonbeam. June 2024 |
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Q. My house is two storeys and on the bottom storey it is brick and on the top storey is a beige cladding. The colour on the top floor is Resene Half Rakaia. I also want to be paint my basement in a lighter colour as it is currently a dirty yellow colour. I’m just wondering if you would also suggest Resene Half Rakaia for the basement or a different colour? A. To pair with the lighter wall colour and to blend with the aluminium joinery, plus the proposed base colour I suggest Resene Ironsand might be best. For the basement you are best to stay with the same family – but full-strength Resene Rakaia – however, not perfect with the brick – it will work ok. Alternatively, you could try a dark colour which will hide dirt and blend with the brick – try Resene Half Bokara Grey. June 2024 |
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Q. Our exterior house walls are Oamaru stone, the windows are Ironsand (so dark) and we have boarding that needs painting around the windows and in the front of the entrance. What would be the best option for this boarding please? A. Depending on what prominent colour the Oamaru stone is showing in these areas I suggest trying Resene Spanish White, Resene Double Spanish White or Resene Sugar Loaf. June 2024 |
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Q. I have a designing book with a picture of a room with Resene Cabbage Pont, a rich, deep, green. I want to paint a room that colour. But it looks greyer online. A. This unfortunately comes down to photography, lighting and print vs screen displays. Printed colour is not accurate – the colour that you receive via a Resene testpot is the true representation of the colour. If you want the colour which is printed in the magazine then it is best to take the book into a Resene ColorShop so you can compare it to the actual swatches. Painting testpots onto A2 card is the most accurate way to view colour in a room. June 2024 |
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Q. We are looking to refresh and modernise our 70s red brick and tile two storey house with a block base with wooden windows and trim around the front door in Resene Kokoda. The vertical boards, wood on hip roof and balustrading are in Resene Eagle and the front door is in Resene Burgundy. Tile roof was recently painted in Resene Piha Slate. The upper storey windows are in silver aluminium. We are willing to paint the brick. We are planning on selling it when the market improves. A. It is possible to leave the bricks if they are cleaned – this might work better with the design – you could always test the market if you wanted to. Option one with brick: Leave the guttering white and paint the fascia/bargeboards and soffit with Resene Alabaster, vertical boards in Resene Triple Truffle, block base and railings in Resene Ebony Clay, front door surrounds in Resene Alabaster, front door in Resene Alabaster or a feature colour such as Resene Epic. Option two with brick painted: Guttering, fascias/bargeboards in Resene Ebony Clay, soffit in Resene Alabaster, vertical boards in Resene Ebony Clay – or optional Resene Triple Truffle or Resene Triple Merino, bricks and railings in Ebony Clay, front door surrounds in Resene Alabaster and front door in Resene Alabaster or a feature colour such as Resene Thunderbird. June 2024 |
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Q. Can you get a whitewash that has a hint of blue in it? It is for a small workshop apartment done all in ply. A. There isn’t a premixed blue/whitewash as such – but you can achieve a blue wash effect using Resene FX Paint Effects Medium – this includes painting a basecoat of a chosen colour, and then tinting the Resene FX Paint Effects Medium mixed with test pots – and randomly applying a colour washed pattern. If you want a wash so you see the grain of the timber look into thinning blue paint – generally it is 3 parts water to 1 part paint. Whichever application you choose I suggest you do a sample panel first until you feel comfortable with the look and colour – Resene testpots are great for practicing, or if you are having a professional apply the product ask them to prepare a panel for you first. There is lots of information regarding washes and effects on the Resene website, www.resene.com/painteffects. June 2024 |
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Q. We have a Huntly brick house and have decided we are going to paint it. We will also be replacing the roof and I really like the Windsor Grey colour. We have Appliance White joinery and a wooden deck in stained in Resene Heartwood. What colour options could we use for the eaves, walls and base of the house that would suit? We also want to paint or stain our wooden fence, what colour could we use? A. I suggest trying these Resene colours for the wall and base (painting the base the same as the walls will modernise and visually expand the height of the house): Resene Ash, Linen or Resene Triple Sea Fog. For the eaves and fascia, I suggest Resene Black White (to pair with the Appliance White joinery). For the fence I suggest staining it Resene Shadow Match which is a charcoal. If you wish to paint the fence – check out Resene Times Square. It is approximately the same as half strength Windsor Grey. Resene Times Square June 2024 |
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Q. I would like to paint a wall behind my headboard only in navy blue. Will this make the room look smaller as opposed to painting Resene Duck Egg Blue? The bedroom is calm looking. A. Dark colours do advance, so they do enclose a space. I like to look at a room’s natural light source and ambience before adding colour. If your bedroom appears calm and with good light I suggest going with Resene Duck Egg Blue – it is adding that much needed colour and layer without being too overpowering and absorbing light. You can add deeper blue shades on the bed with the bedlinen. June 2024 |
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Q. I painted my new bathroom in Resene Half Sea Fog (walls and ceilings) however it's not looking as white as it does in my kitchen (which gets a lot of natural light). It's looking more grey with a soft green tinge – especially the wall with the mirror, and I wanted fresh white to make the pale grey tiles (very warm grey – dovetail) and grey marble vanity pop and look fresh. I have pale silvery grey floor tiles, the shower tiles in dovetail and the shower glass is probably reflecting some green as well, as all glass has green in it. The glass is not tinted. It's alright, but I'm not loving it. Would repainting the walls help and would I need to redo the ceiling as well? If so, what colour white would you recommend? Resene Alabaster and if so, what strength? Full, half, quarter? A. Standard glass does have a slight tint of green but generally it doesn't reflect too much onto the walls as usually it is on the edges and seen on an angle – if there is greenery outside this can sometimes reflect inside although this is less common in bathrooms with low light, and the placement of a mirror can then reflect the hint of green around the room. For future reference – low iron glass has no green tint and can be used for splashbacks and showers etc. All whites will reflect adjacent colours – some more so than others – such as very pale, crisp whites. A cooler grey like Resene Black White might appear fresher – it does have a cool grey undertone which might help to counteract the green – it could be a case of accepting a little bit of grey or having a green reflection. I suggest trying Resene Alabaster (I wouldn't go paler at this stage), Resene Black White and Resene Half Black White. If the grey is quite warm, then perhaps also try a slightly warmer white such as Resene Eighth Rice Cake. To help get the colour correction you will need to paint the ceiling. In this instance it is trial and error – I suggest you paint two coats of the whites suggested onto A2 card leaving a white edge all around the card so you can focus on the white undertone and move around the room – we don't recommend testing directly onto existing-coloured walls, as the existing colour will change the perception of the new colours. June 2024 |
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Q. I'm looking for a colour to paint our bathroom walls that will match the brownish grey tiles and golden wood door colour. I've put one coat of Resene Wafer on, but don't feel that it's working well with the tile and door colours. It eels too busy with all three of those colours in a small room. Can you please suggest: 1. A colour I could try on the walls instead of Resene Wafer? Or 2. I keep the walls in Resene Wafer and instead sand and paint the doors, something similar to the tile colour perhaps so it doesn't feel too busy – so a recommendation for colour I could paint the doors too please. A. Changing the wall colour isn't going to stop the space from looking busy or modernise the room any further if you leave the door unpainted. My suggestion is to paint the door and trim the same colour as the walls – Resene Wafer – this is a current trend called colour drenching where you paint substrates one colour – but the sheen level and paint will be different – Resene Lustacryl is the preferred paint for doors – it is a durable semi-gloss, waterborne enamel. Painting the door the same colour eliminates one of the three colours and is modern. Alternatively, you could paint the door an off white if there is a fleck of white in the tile. Or paint the walls a warm white which typically pairs with this type of wood – try Resene Buttery White. June 2024 |
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Q. I have some paintwork in Resene Beryl Green, but am looking for a darker shade or a similar colour, but with more depth of colour? A. Try Resene Bud. If this doesn't work for you – you might like to enquire at a Resene ColorShop and ask them to organise a special colour of Resene Double Beryl Green for you. June 2024 |
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Q. Are the colour charts true-to-colour once they go on the whole wall? We want a colour that looks like Resene Thorndon Cream on the paint chart for our kitchen walls but the two-coat testpot colour samples on the wall are hardly noticeable; if anything, they look grey, but if you hold the paint chart up to them, they do look like the colour chart, so I'm confused. Should we go to Resene Double Thorndon Cream or trust that Resene Thorndon Cream will give a deeper cream once it's on all the walls? The kitchen cupboard doors will be a pistachio green which is similar to Resene Duck Egg Blue and Resene Pumice. What would be a good white to go with the Resene Thorndon Cream, pistachio green and some timber trim around windows and doors? A. The testpots are the most accurate way to view colour – the cards are the same colour, but once it goes on the wall it can be influenced by light and adjacent colour. We don't recommend testing directly onto existing wall colours as it is not an accurate representation of how the colour will truly look – the colour underneath and around it can change the appearance. Paint two coats of a test pot onto A2 card available at Resene, leaving a white edge on all sides of the card – to eliminate adjacent colour influence, and then you can move the card around the room. Resene Thorndon Cream is generally cream enough, but it can throw a grey/green undertone in some lights – it might pay for you to try both Resene Thorndon Cream and Double Thorndon Cream. For the white try Resene Half Merino. June 2024 |
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Q. We are putting in a new kitchen. It gets morning sun. We are having Shaker style cupboards and a white-ish stone top. The kitchen walls are Resene Dark Knight. The adjacent room (dining) is Resene Double Sisal with a Resene Dark Knight feature wall. I don't want to change any of these. Next to this is our TV room in Resene Kenyan Copper. The lounge is Resene Triple Sisal and the bathrooms Resene Quarter Sisal. The kitchen flooring is rimu, carpet a grey-green (kind of similar to Resene Sisal) and there is a lot of rimu trim plus the doors and ceiling of the dining room are rimu. This influences how the colours appear. The cupboards will be painted and I either want a soft/warm white (but not cream) or something with a hint of colour as to not be too much of a clashing contrast with the Resene Dark Knight (or the Resene Double Sisal as the rimu sliding doors will be bifold shaker doors to match the kitchen). There is little to no white in our house other than on the ceilings. The appliances in the kitchen will be brushed stainless steel. For white I have tried variations of Resene Bianca (slightly pink?) and also Resene Rice Cake (too yellow). I wonder about Resene Half Ecru White as a 'colour'? I particularly like Shaker kitchens which are soft blue or green against the whitish stone bench but there is already a lot going on colour-wise in our house! I am looking for recommendations for a soft white that will work with the benchtop, Resene Dark Knight, Resene Double Sisal and recommendations of a light soft colour (taupe?) with a bit of complexity to it. A. Resene Ecru White or Half Ecru White might work – it is hard to match colours to the undertone of the stone benchtop, so I do suggest painting a large swatch card with the that appeal and placing them next to the timber and benchtop. Also try Resene Half Emerge, Resene Haven, Resene Half Merino, Resene Half Villa White or Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream. I am surprised that Resene Bianca looks pink – it has a slight lemon undertone – it is always best to paint the colour onto white cardboard – two coats – and leave a white edge on all sides of the card – so any influencing colour is not adjacent to the new colour. June 2024 |
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Q. I am thinking to paint a bedroom in Resene Quarter Spanish White, and the ceiling in Resene Alabaster. For the skirting and door I would use Resene Lustacryl Quarter Spanish White, but I do have some leftover Resene Lustacryl Half Spanish White that I could use. The hallway and kitchen dining areas are in Resene Half Spanish White with Resene Lustacryl Alabaster on the windows, but the Resene Alabaster seems a little stark for bedroom windows. What would you recommend for the skirting, window frames and door? There is plenty of light as the bedroom is north west facing and has windows in the corner on two walls, the north wall and the north west wall, so it gets direct sunlight late mid/late morning. A. What is the colour of the doors, skirtings, and frames in the areas with Resene Half Spanish White on the walls? I suggest keeping it consistent in the bedroom if the wall colour is changing – so if the walls are to be Resene Quarter Spanish White then I would paint the walls, doors, and skirtings the same colour. This is a current trend so will work quite well. June 2024 |
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Q. I'm looking at painting the exterior of a 1930s bungalow I've recently purchased as it's currently fairly drab and the paint is in poor condition, so I was looking for some topline inspiration on possible colour schemes. I'm tending towards slightly creamy whites for the weatherboards (Resene Quarter Sisal, Resene Half Pearl Lusta, Resene Soapstone) paired with either Resene Alabaster or Resene Black White trims. For the windowsills and other detail I'm looking at colours like Resene Rivergum, Resene Xanadu or Resene Kaitoke Green to tie in with the mid-green roof. Could you give me some suggestions for what else may be worth looking at, and/or if you think any of the current list wouldn't work? A. Resene Villa White is a lovely creamy white for weatherboard homes or Resene Half Pearl Lusta is an option (Resene Soapstone may throw a bit pink and Resene Quarter Sisal is a bit muddy – but will work with the green). For the trims I suggest Resene Alabaster. Resene Black White may be a bit cool toned with the warmer whites. For the greens I suggest Resene Xanadu, Resene Half Rivergum or Resene Rivergum. Resene Kaitoke Green might be a bit primary green. June 2024 |
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Q. Our house is painted in Resene Sea Fog on the exterior. From our entrance you can see the external colour and external colour right next to each other. What would be a good ‘white’ to paint the interior to blend well with Resene Sea Fog but warm things up a bit inside? A. Resene Half Sea Fog is a slightly warm white and obviously will flow nicely from the exterior to the interior. It does depend on existing colours such as the flooring, kitchen colours etc to how it will pair. Alternatively, you might like to try Resene Half Milk White. June 2024 |
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