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 have a 1920s villa renovation planned and I don’t know where to start with choosing colours. What do I need to consider? A. Generally, the main object of a 1920s villa renovation is to maximise space and light – which usually leads to creating an open floor plan, installing sky lights and creating a back extension for good indoor/outdoor flow – this is your opportunity to get creative with your colour palette too! Consider lighter and brighter whites to emphasise the addition of space and light, and choose your hard finishes first, so you can then see what type of colour (cool or warm) is going to work best. Most people want to balance the vintage charm of their villa along with a fresh modern feel – you might consider keeping and replenishing original features like exposed beams or built in shelving, which add character and warmth, and let’s not forget the fabulous native floors. Before delving into which colours to choose – consider which of these elements you will retain and how you will approach them. Some colours are better suited to the natural look of timber, enhancing and complementing the appearance – if the timber is varnished it will have more of a golden hue to work with. As a guide if you want to complement the timber choose warmer whites and greens – if you want to balance the warmth of the timber choose cooler whites and colours. These homes are fortunate to have significant trims – when deciding on what colour to paint the trims consider what you are wanting to achieve – if you want to highlight the features, then paint them lighter than the walls – painting them darker will also achieve this, however, keep in mind that darker trims in smaller rooms can enclose the space. Consider sheen levels – low sheen paints such as Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen – have a velvety appearance which subdues darker and more colourful walls, while being a water-based enamel, it is durable which allows whites to look better longer and is easier to clean than a standard acrylic. Semi-gloss and gloss finishes, such as Resene Lustacryl and Resene Enamacryl are great for trims and doors as they create contrast to the walls and are great for woodwork that is subject to wear. These homes quite often incorporate fireplaces – if the bricks surrounding the fireplace are tired do you want to paint them a feature or incorporate them into the wall colour – decide which is the hero of each space and don’t deviate, work your palette from there. There might be traditional elements such as stained glass – the colours can be inspiration for a colour palette – be weary of how the filtered light effects white and off-white walls – colours are most reflective on white walls. Villas can cope with a good dose of drama – modern and old look great together and can really add the wow factor – it might be that you choose to add dramatic colours, Resene textured wallpaper on walls or ceilings, tongue-and-groove panelling or wainscotting. Resene Anaglypta wallpaper is a collection of vintage and contemporary patterns which gives you texture and can be painted any colour you want. A pressed tin pattern could be fabulous to add a classic feature, in a modern colour – for a villa ceiling. Villas tend to have higher stud heights – this is a chance to consider painting the ceiling a colour. Darker colours on walls and ceilings evoke a sense of coziness, this works particularly well for stand-alone rooms such as a media room or powder room. A 1920s villa is about attention to detail – deciding which features are worthy of attention by retaining their character, defining with a bright white or surrounding with a bold new colour are the first steps to a fantastic new colour scheme. August 2024 |
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Q. I need to create some new look bedrooms, but am not sure where to start. How do I use wallpaper, palettes and paint to create different moods for bedrooms? A. When choosing a colour palette for your bedroom consider not only your decorating style, but also most importantly what mood you want to create. Understanding how paint colours affect our moods will enable us to turn our bedrooms into a wellbeing haven to not only promote peaceful sleep, but to help us choose a palette that works for a room which quite often has a secondary purpose – the first question should be, how do I want to feel? and then what role is my bedroom playing, apart from sleeping? When looking at paint palettes for bedrooms consider the colour psychology of each hue – quite often people just choose a colour they like – and although it is great to choose your favourite colour for your personal space – colours have distinctive associations which can stir particular emotions and moods – for example, the warmth radiated by hues such as red and orange is frequently linked to energy, passion and excitement, whereas the cooler tones of blue and green are celebrated to instil a sense of tranquillity and relaxation. You can alter the mood of a colour by putting other colours with it, for example a bedroom colour drenched in pale blue, might feel a bit cool and open, which can induce depressive emotions for some; the addition of complementary colours such as a pop of Terracotta for accessories will provide warmth, and soften the cool tones. Play with proportions to see how much the mood of the blue changes in the room. Resene pale blues to try are Resene Half Spindle or Resene Comfortably Numb, paired with tones of Resene Tuscany or Resene Dawn Glow. Deeper, cooler shades for your bedroom walls can create the illusion of warmth and intimacy, they can help with sleep as the body feels it is nighttime – opt for darker shades which have complex undertones and a brightness to them, without appearing too bright, such as Resene Rolling Hills or Resene Epic – these shades tend to have a vibe of positivity amongst their depths. The effect of colour can be further manipulated with your paint finish – lower sheen paints such as Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen or Resene SpaceCote Flat create a warmer feel, while higher sheen levels are more reflective, therefore attracting more attention. Typically, the colour scheme of this room is quite plain and soft, a wallpaper can be the perfect excuse to add a touch of colour – even covering one wall, you can give the bedroom a lot of personality. If you choose to cover your master bedroom with a wallpaper in a bold colour or pattern, it is best to go for neutral tones on the rest of the elements, to keep a sense of calm, or you can choose a simple light-toned wallpaper for three walls and paint the rest in a more intense tone. Keep in mind that the balance between the paint and wallpaper is affecting the mood of the room, not just the aesthetic. August 2024 |
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Q. Please suggest us a warm neutral (muted) colour that would go with yellowish brick and a maroon roof. A. Try Resene Sisal, Resene Akaroa, Resene Double Tea, Resene Quarter Craigieburn or Resene Buttery White. August 2024 |
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Q. I’ve painted my walls in Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat and like the colour. What would be an equivalent colour for the topcoat? I am painting the ceiling in Resene Alabaster and was thinking Resene Double Alabaster on walls or Resene Sea Fog. The kitchen cupboards are Bestwood Melamine in Perfect White and an Aspen bench. It’s a beach house with curved exposed barn like ceilings. The room gets good light in the living area and is darker at the back of the kitchen area. A. I suggest painting the ceiling and the walls the same colour – Resene Alabaster. Alternatively, you could paint the ceiling a tone lighter – Resene Half Alabaster. The undercoat colour is probably closest to Resene White – but this is a very stark white. August 2024 |
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Q. I am looking to paint a bedroom with a white ceiling/trim and a light contrast grey wall. I have tried samples however they look either too blue or purple. A. Try Resene Dusted Grey, Resene Half Foggy Grey, Resene Quarter Foggy Grey, Resene Atmosphere, Resene Kensington Grey or Resene Athens Grey. August 2024 |
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Q. Could I please have colour advice for our new bathroom? I would like a very soft green. A. Try Resene Half Linen, Resene Secrets, Resene Ecru White or for greener Resene Half Beryl Green – these greens are not as cold as some, which is something you want to be careful of in a downstairs bathroom. For more warmth you might like to try a warmer white with a green undertone such as Resene Rice Cake. I suggest you keep the skirtings, ceiling, trims, and scotia – Resene White. August 2024 |
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Q. Just wondering if a roof colour Resene Dusky Sound will go with Resene Destiny for our house? We have Resene Double Alabaster woodwork. A. Yes, it will – it is a lovely combination. August 2024 |
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Q. My issue is complicated as I have two other houses on the property that were painted some years ago, I think in Resene Craigieburn and Stone (something) however both have white aluminium windows. The main house pictured has these (yukky) aqua windows and I am stuck with choosing a colour to go with them. My colour instinct knows that greys would look best, but this does not go with my other houses. The house is also beside the ocean. I don't have testpots but wondered about Resene Imagine, Resene Martini, Resene Sandstone, Resene Malta, Resene Zorba, Resene Ironhide, Resene Triple Perfect Taupe or something else. A. I suggest Resene Triple Truffle, Resene Perfect Taupe, Resene Half Stonehenge or Resene Kabul. August 2024 |
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Q. Our villa weatherboards are painted Resene Ying Yang and the trims, windows, balustrade, eaves etc are all Resene Alabaster. The roof is Colorsteel® Cloud. Our front door is Resene Rock N Roll. We want a different colour for the front porch deck and stairs and were thinking maybe Resene Castle Rock or Resene Sandstone but given the colour of the door would love to hear any suggestions of what might go best. A. I suggest trying Resene Greige, Resene Foggy Grey, Resene Castle Rock or Resene Half Taupe Grey. Resene Sandstone may be a bit too brown and heavy. August 2024 |
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Q. Which 'white' would provide the best contrast on skirting boards with walls painted in Resene Perfect Taupe? A. Try Resene Alabaster – it is a great trim white and pairs with Resene Perfect Taupe. August 2024 |
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Q. I am wondering if you have a suggestion to go with our bathroom tiles. The tiles are on the floor and two walls so I’m looking for a complementary paint for the remaining two walls. The tiles are a grey black and we have a wooden vanity/cupboard. I am thinking a white shade, but am open to suggestions. A. I suggest Resene Wan White or Resene Double Alabaster. It is good to try two whites to compare tones. August 2024 |
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Q. We are getting Slate colour spouting and fascia but I am unsure what colour to do the eaves. I am thinking of painting the bottom level bricks slate as well. A. Resene Porter (equivalent of Colorsteel® Slate) is a fabulous colour and will pair with the brick better than the current colour – I suggest you paint the timber railings and posts Resene Porter as well. For the fascias I suggest Resene Porter – this can then be brought down on to the painted panels above the windows. Eaves painted a dark colour can deter light away inside and although can look modern in this case because the lighter bricks are nearer to the eaves I suggest you keep them paler than Resene Porter, but not a stark white – try Resene Half Rice Cake – it has a hint of warmth to pair with the brick a little.  Resene Porter August 2024 |
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Q. I'm stuck for ideas for a timeless exterior scheme. My property has a cottage/bungalow type home with veranda and shutters, a double garage and barn. All three buildings are in close proximity to each other. The home has brown/bronze aluminium windows. I'm not in a position to replace the windows (there isn't anything wrong with them) and I don't want to paint them. I want to find an exterior colour scheme that is cohesive for all three buildings and works with the windows. I live on the West Coast of the South Island. The buildings are set in a semi-rural setting on a lifestyle block, and have an area of bush and trees around it. A. For the barn I suggest a warm charcoal with a brown edge, and this pairs well with brown aluminium – quite a popular look. These tones modernise the overall look of houses and buildings with brown aluminium – try Resene Bokara Grey. For the cottage, a softer colour will not be so overwhelming and will be kinder to the weatherboards – try Resene Friar Greystone, Resene Eighth Masala or Resene Castle Rock. For trims, soffit and veranda railings/posts try Resene Wan White. Bargeboards/fascias can be painted the same as the weatherboard colour. If you need to paint/stain the veranda, consider Resene Iroko, Resene Copyrite or Resene Half Taupe Grey. The double garage should follow the scheme of the cottage – with the garage doors being Resene Ironsand – as long as Resene Ironsand pairs with any existing roof colour. If you need to paint the roofs of any of the buildings – I suggest Resene Ironsand. August 2024 |
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Q. I need a bit of guidance as to which colours most suit brown/olive aluminium joinery. I don’t want to use a cream colour and also don’t want it too dark. I have thought possibly a light greyish tone. It is currently four different colours and I’d like to keep it simple with two colours and white or similar trim. A. I suggest you consider a deeper colour for the house – not too dark – but mid toned to modernise the overall look and balance the depth of the brown windows. I also suggest that you take the colour onto the base and up onto the gable ends. The fascias/bargeboards and soffit could then be an off white which will completely modernise the overall appearance. Colours to try are Resene Taupe Grey, Resene Silver Chalice or Resene Triple Truffle. For the white I suggest Resene Sea Fog – not too stark. August 2024 |
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Q. Would you recommend Resene Jumbo or Resene Half Jumbo for a small bathroom in a villa? The room has high ceilings and white trim the fixtures are white. A. It really depends on what depth of colour you want – generally bathrooms have low light – so Resene Jumbo may feel a bit dense – while Resene Half Jumbo has a bit of warmth and will lift the space with white. August 2024 |
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Q. Do you have any recommendations for our bathroom walls? We are looking at changing and would like to choose a warm colour. We like blue but would be open to exploring other modern bathroom colours too. A. You might want to investigate a blue such as Resene Quarter Powder Blue, a sage green like Resene Green Spring, Resene Half Washed Green, Resene Bud or Resene Quarter Robin Egg Blue or a neutral grey like Resene Rakaia. August 2024 |
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Q. I am after an interior colour that is clean but not sterile. 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. August 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 feels too busy with all three of those colours in a small room. Can you please suggest a colour I could try on the walls instead of Resene Wafer or should 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. I like Resene Wafer. 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 in Resene Wafer – this is a current trend it is 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. August 2024 |
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Q. We are designing a home and the exterior will be a combination of Linea board and Rockcote. I would like a dark grey for the Linea and lighter contrasting colour for the plaster but I can’t seem to come up with colours that don’t look cold and uninviting. A. You might want to investigate greys which have an olive or brown undertone – but are dark enough to still appear grey, and neutrals which have a warm undertone without being too cream. It will depend on your joinery and roof colour to how they work. For the dark greys investigate Resene Armadillo, Resene Porter, Resene Solstice, Resene Boris, Resene Double Tapa, Resene Double Stack, Resene Fuscous Grey or Resene Half Fuscous Grey. For whites try Resene Wan White, Resene Triple White Pointer, Resene Double Merino, Resene Double Rice Cake or Resene Triple Truffle. Choose three dark greys and three whites (or all if you prefer) – so you have a good amount to compare – paint testpots (two coats) onto A2 card to view them.  Resene Solstice  Resene Boris Resene Porter August 2024 |
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Q. Resene Emerge is going to be painted as a feature on two walls. The rest of the walls are Resene White. I am looking for advice on what colour to do the doors. I will keep the trims white or am open to suggestions. I am looking for a darker colour for the doors, something that will tie in with Resene Emerge. A. A slight tonal shift can be interesting and it depends on what depth you want the doors to be – try Resene Robin Egg Blue, Resene Blue Smoke, Resene Half Inside Back or Resene Inside Back. I suggest you keep the trims white to keep the scheme fresh and to link to the white walls. August 2024 |
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Q. I am looking to repaint my large two storey house. Would you please advise ideas. I don't like grey, blue, black and bright whites. The roof is a slate grey which I'm happy to keep. A. Try Resene Perfect Taupe, Resene Cougar, Resene Bison Hide, Resene Cloudy or Resene Quarter Stonehenge. Any trim colours or accent colours can be considered once you get the main colour right. August 2024 |
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Q. What colour would you recommend to paint over a worn coating on concrete with a 1970s flecked coating? Or would a different concrete finish be better? Colours used on the red brick house are Resene Edward, Resene Permanent Green on other doorsteps and Resene Gauntlet Grey on exterior doors. The outbuildings are Smooth Cream walls with Resene Permanent Green roofs. A. For a paint finish I suggest Resene Foggy Grey which will pair with the red brick and existing colours. August 2024 |
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Q. I wish to paint my 1914 weatherboard cottage exterior. I'm after a light beige tending towards olive. A mellow country/dirty/edgy look, not a clean fresh look. I don't dislike grey but it’s not right for this house. So no grey undertones. I also want to avoid creamy beiges as the house is currently painted this type of colour. A. I think the trick is to get an olive which has plenty of warmth but not too yellow – the warmth will kill the grey. I have included three strengths of colour – as they do tend to appear lighter outside. Try Resene Eagle, Resene Grey Olive and Resene Granite Green. Resene Biscotti and Resene Half Biscotti are pretty and also look wonderful on weatherboard with white windows. August 2024 |
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Q. I have bought a house with an exterior is painted Resene Sandstone (but not sure what strength). We have put in a pool and it has a plastered wall facing north (currently white undercoat) and I want it to blend into the landscape and complement the existing colours of the house. A. Try Resene Outlaw it is the equivalent of Resene Triple Sandstone, so will complement your home perfectly. Alternatively, you could try Resene Oilskin (a bit warmer) and Resene Rocky Point (more grey olive) to blend with the landscape. If you’re choosing a dark colour consider Resene CoolColour paint. It will help reflect more heat. August 2024 |
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Q. What is the whitest exterior paint colour for weatherboards for a 50s seaside house? I like Resene Enamacryl white. A. Resene White is the whitest white as there is no tint added. Ensure that you are happy with a pure white on the exterior or your home, especially in a seaside setting, as all colours lighten or brighten outside, and it could become quite glary. Resene Lumbersider Low Sheen is often a better option for an exterior as it is less reflective and still durable. The higher the gloss level the more reflective and more defects are highlighted if it is an older home. I suggest you try a testpot of Resene White. The testpots are Resene Lumbersider Low Sheen, a waterborne paint suitable for weatherboards. If you do find this a bit glary, then Resene Half Black White is a suggestion. August 2024 |
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Q. I am looking for an exterior white to go on plaster and weatherboard that will tie in well with our window colour – Appliance White. I am after a soft warm feel but not cream. We are having a Black plasma glass front door, black ebony Windsor Grey garage doors and a Dimond roof in black. I am also looking for an interior white that is warm and cosy, so you have that homely feel when you walk into a room. This will go with a soft oak flooring in the kitchen, living and dining area, a light coloured carpet in the bedrooms and hallway and we are looking to do a floor to ceiling tiled bathroom in a light white coloured tile. I would love to do a feature wall in the master bedroom in a dark green like Resene Palm Green or Resene Bush something along those lines. A. For the exterior Resene Wan White should look lovely with your colours and it pairs well next to Appliance White – keep in mind that exterior colours do appear brighter/lighter outside. For the interior I suggest Resene Half Milk White which will also work well paired with. As well as the green you have suggested, try Resene Rolling Hills and Resene Top Notch. I do like Resene Palm Green also – this is a fabulous option to work with your scheme. August 2024 |
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Q. I am painting one wall of my office Resene Milano Red and would like to paint the other two and ceiling (fourth wall has cupboards) with a 'wheat' or warm white. I know from the past you can say which whites best work. I have been looking at Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta as I prefer that and Resene Alabaster as a more grey white if a warm white is not recommended. Can you advise me on this? A. As it is an office and Resene Milano Red is quite a clean red – I suggest a cleaner white with a hint of grey such as Resene Double Alabaster. When choosing brighter colours and whites, sheen levels make a difference. August 2024 |
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Q. We have been asked to paint Resene Aquapoxy on a concrete slab in a light grey. What is available as a swatch for the architect to approve? A. Any Resene light grey that is tinted from a white base is a safe bet to choose. The Resene colour charts have the tones listed on the back so 'W' is for a white base. You can use normal Resene colour charts for the colour reference. August 2024 |
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Q. Our kitchen cabinets are Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream. We have a large large/family room, with sliding door to the outside and are thinking of walls – Resene Half Thorndon Cream, trim and doors in Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream and ceiling in Resene Quarter Rice Cake. Would that be an ok combination? The ceiling colour is new to me as have always just had plain white. My test area with Resene Quarter Rice Cake seemed white so don't really see the contrast except on the paper swatch I did. A. Yes, the combination works – if you put a pure white paint sample next to the Resene Quarter Rice Cake you will see a difference. August 2024 |
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Q. We have a 1920s bungalow which we have done an extension on. We have a FlaxPod Colorsteel® roof and white UPVC windows with surround. I would like to paint the house a grey/green colour with a white around the windows and soffits. Can you give me advice on colours please? A. For the white I suggest trying a Resene White testpot – as any tinted whites might look creamy next to PVC. For the weatherboards try Resene Half Lemon Grass, Resene Double Ash, Resene Terrain, Resene Bud or Resene Ravine. August 2024 |
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Q. We are currently renovating two bathrooms (main bathroom and ensuite), and will be having walk-in showers with frameless glass (tiled showers with the attached blue/brown tones), an all-white claw foot bath, white vanity and wooden floors. We would like some recommendations on a warm blue tone or a natural/beige colour that will go with the attached. We were initially thinking Resene Dusted Blue, but think this may be too dark. Resene Duck Egg Blue is also nice, but your thoughts on other colours would be great. Also, ideas on a natural tone that might work better with that tile. The walls throughout the rest of the house are a light grey. A. Resene Duck Egg Blue is gorgeous and will pair well or even Resene Double Duck Egg Blue might be worth investigating. For a natural colour try Resene Half Sandspit Brown, Resene Blanc, Resene Eighth Joss or Resene Quarter Drought.  Resene Double Duck Egg Blue August 2024 |
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Q. What colour would suit if we did a whitewash over our brick? A. With whitewashing the colour is diluted so we always recommend choosing a deeper colour. For your home I suggest a warmer white – like Resene Rice Cake – so in a wash you would choose Resene Triple Rice Cake. Generally the ratio is one part paint to three parts water – but I recommend you do a sample board first to see if you like the ratio and colour – onto sample bricks would be great, but the colour would need to match your current bricks – it really is just about practicing the technique, there is no right or wrong way and the ratios can be altered to suit. If you are having a professional apply the wash, they should create a reference sample for you to agree on. August 2024 |
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Q. If I paint the outside of my bungalow Resene Half Periglacial Blue, what white would you recommend for the window trims etc? A. I suggest Resene Quarter Wan White or Resene Half Black White. August 2024 |
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Q. We are building our home. I have chosen FlaxPod Matte for our roof and would like weatherboards to be similar colour with joinery in black. I am looking for spouting board and a soffit colour to add some contrast. Any suggestions for a colour match for FlaxPod Matte for the weatherboards and a contrasting lighter shade which would work for the spouting boards/soffits? A. Resene Element is the equivalent of FlaxPod. Typically, with new builds there is a restriction of colour on weatherboards – so no dark colours. You might want to check this out with your builder – as Resene Element only has an LRV rating of 6%. Resene CoolColour paint is an option to use with the colour Resene Element, but it does not change the LRV rating, it just helps to reduce heat related issues on timber. For the spouting I suggest using the same colour – Resene Element. I would use a paler colour for the soffit – perhaps look at Resene Merino – if you are going to continue with Resene Element for the weatherboards. August 2024 |
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Q. We want some guidance for painting plywood for the inside wall of a partially enclosed deck. The outside of the house etc is black but I think it will make the inside area too dark. We have installed two cedar barn style doors mainly for weather protection as we're on Waiheke Island. I’m wondering if you can guide me regarding a complementary colour. I am wondering about an olive green? We have a wave shade sail that is a beige colour. A. Yes, I think your idea is perfect – a muddy olive green will pair with the black and is a natural addition. Try Resene Tic Tac Toe, Resene Off The Grid, Resene Camouflage or Resene Waiouru. August 2024 |
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Q. We have a 1940s house which we have renovated and are currently painting the exterior. We have replaced the joinery with aluminium windows in the colour Silver Pearl but now can’t find a colour that will complement these nicely. We are wanting to go slightly lighter, enough that the joinery is seen but a bright white. The soffits will be white. The roof will be replaced in the next couple of years. A. Try Resene Half Silver Chalice, Resene Athens Grey or Resene Triple Sea Fog – all colours appear lighter outside so they will look different to the colour swatch. August 2024 |
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Q. We are going to paint the exterior of our house. It’s a 1980s Hardiplank with brown aluminium window and door trims and a reddish roof. What colours would suit these old windows? A. Warmer colours with a bit of depth – taupe and brown greys – even darker colours – Hardiplank tends to suit, and the depth hides the window joinery rather than making it a feature. Consider using Resene CoolColour paint if choosing a darker colour which helps to reduce heat related issues with darker colours. Try Resene Double Truffle, Resene Gauntlet, Resene Ironsand, Resene Double Stack, Resene Triple White Pointer, Resene Taupe Grey, Resene Bokara Grey or Resene Cobblestone. August 2024 |
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Q. What white complements Resene Quarter Tea on the walls for wooden window frames in a 1950s house? Would you also paint skirtings and door frames in the Resene Quarter Tea so just have the windows in white? A. I suggest Resene Double Alabaster – it is a nice white with Resene Quarter Tea and not too stark. In a 1950s home I think it is quite nice to keep the skirtings and door frames the same as the walls – so Resene Quarter Tea. This finish is generally Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss waterborne enamel so creates a subtle contrast anyway. August 2024 |
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Q. I’m looking for a warm neutral white that’s not too yellow and not too grey. A. Try Resene Half Milk White or Resene Half Blanc. August 2024 |
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Q. I would like some input as to what to paint my 1983 brick and cedar two storey home to modernise it. It is currently painted Mission Brown. A. It is the perfect opportunity to consider a rich warm charcoal that will complement the brick and window joinery – I suggest Resene Bokara Grey for the cedar weatherboard, bargeboards and garage door with Resene Merino for the soffit. Consider using Resene Cool Colour paint for the weatherboard as this will help reduce any heat related issues with darker colours. August 2024 |
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Q. I'm looking at colour drenching my hallway with Resene Half Sea Fog. It is long and narrow, with only a bit of natural light. What finish should I use on the ceiling, walls, doors and trim? I like a matt finish, but as it’s a high traffic area (with kids) perhaps something more durable? A. Resene Half Sea Fog is a good option for the hallway and colour drenching will allow the eye to flow throughout the space and therefore creates a feeling of openness. For the finishes I suggest a low sheen waterborne enamel for the walls – Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen as it is harder wearing than a waterborne paint – it is easily cleaned. Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner is the preferred spot cleaner. Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen can be used on the ceiling or you might prefer Resene SpaceCote Flat. This is a matt finish and is harder wearing than a standard ceiling paint. It is also suitable for the walls but not as durable as the low sheen. Resene Lustacryl a semi-gloss waterborne enamel is preferred for trims and doors as it is harder wearing again and creates a subtle contrast when colour drenching. August 2024 |
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Q. What black pairs well with Resene Half Sea Fog? A. Most blacks will pair with Resene Half Sea Fog – in particular, the blue toned blacks do work well – Try Resene Black Sand or Resene Nero. August 2024 |
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Q. We are choosing roof and wall colours for a darkish grey roof and light to mid grey walls and white windows. Please give us some colour ideas. A. I suggest Resene Nocturnal for the roof and guttering; Resene Black White for the soffit and eaves and for the windows (including the windowsills). For the weatherboards and base, I suggest Resene Double Silver Chalice and for the concrete steps and porch Resene Double Stack. You might also want to paint the front door Resene Double Stack in a gloss finish or choose an accent colour such as Resene Turbo or Resene Citron.  Resene Double Silver Chalice August 2024 |
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Q. I'm wondering if you could help me out with a new build project. The roof and windows are Thunder Grey/Resene Squall. The cladding is a mix of concrete block, cedar and Rockcote. I'm having trouble settling on paint colour for the Rockcote. The options I've looked at are Resene Armadillo, Resene Zeus and Resene Masala. I’ve also just ordered Resene Gravel, Resene Oilskin and Resene Windswept – any other options I should look at? A. You might want to investigate the LRV rating of Rockcote as you might find darker colours are to be avoided. Resene CoolColour paint is an option and is recognised as helping to reduce heat related issues – but I recommend finding out if this will be accepted as the final paint finish if you go with a darker colour. Darker options I believe that will work is Resene Armadillo or Resene Gravel. For lighter options with an LRV higher than 40%, if you need to stick to that level, try Resene Double Ash, Resene Hindsight, Resene Quarter Arrowtown or Resene Foggy Grey.  Resene Hindsight August 2024 |
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Q. I am building in a subdevelopment with restrictions around colours – a limited selection of the British Standard colours. We are looking to use Resene Silver Chalice (not on the approved list) but it appears to be in line with the depth of colour of both Resene Mountain Mist and Resene Delta Grey (permitted) just a different tone. I am wondering if you are able to confirm this for me? A. It is slightly cleaner and paler than the other two greys, but not significantly – it depends on the reason for the restriction. It may be simply because this is the chart they refer to and the formula works, but people do approach the council with similar colours that are not necessarily from the BS5252 chart. Resene Silver Chalice is still a grey and not a lot paler or darker, but you will need to get approval – the information you can provide is that it is a grey at similar depth (all three greys are tinted from a white base) and the LRV is 49%. Resene Delta Grey LRV is 44%. Resene Mountain Mist is 42%. August 2024 |
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Q. We are using Resene Double Stack grey on the weatherboards and aluminium joinery in Matt Appliance White. We wish to box the windows to make them look less modern in keeping with the architecture. Can you please recommend a colour for this? A. Use Resene Half Sea Fog – or you might like to try Resene Sea Fog which is a bit deeper, but in bright sunlight it will appear lighter. August 2024 |
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Q. We are planning to paint over the wood panelling in a lounge room with Resene Half Stonewall and would like advice on the best white (or even lightest version of Resene Stonewall) for the remaining part of the walls. Any thoughts on whether Resene Half Stonewall is a good choice is also appreciated! The carpet is grey, with a hint of brown. We are assuming the ceiling will be standard ceiling white. A. Yes, Resene Half Stonewall should look lovely. I do recommend you try a Resene testpot first. I suggest less contrast than an off white on the remaining walls – try Resene Half Thorndon Cream or Resene Half Tea – if you do prefer a white try Resene Half Sea Fog. Yes, ceiling white will pair – or with either Half Thorndon Cream or Resene Half Tea I suggest Resene Quarter Black White for the ceiling. Or with Resene Half Sea Fog try Resene White for the ceiling. August 2024 |
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Q. We are building and having to choose our interior colours. We prefer subtle colours that will not date. We do not have much existing furniture so there are no restrictions around matching with a lounge suite etc. Our kitchen tile is the Coco Canvas in matte and it has been suggested we use Resene Tea in the house with Resene Half Tea in the hallway. The ceilings and gib coving is supposed to be Resene Double Alabaster. I think the Resene Double Alabaster is fine but I'm not 100% sold on the idea of Resene Tea and Resene Half Tea. Unfortunately every other testpot I buy seems to be too grey against the warmth of the tiles which I really love and do not want to change. I personally prefer cooler colours but do not want my house to feel cold or for the colour to clash with the tiles. A. I do help clients with tiles and colours online but yours is a little tricky as you do prefer cooler colours but the tile (which is lovely) looks to be quite a warm tone. I do agree however, that possible the Resene Tea family is not quite right. Resene Half Blanc is a possibility, but it is warm and you might want to investigate Resene Milk White. You could try Resene testpots onto large card (two coats) and see how they appear next to the tile or you can view A4 pre painted swatches instore at Resene ColorShops. I am heading towards Resene Alabaster with the softer wall colours – one tone lighter than Resene Double Alabaster. August 2024 |
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Q. I’m looking for a colour similar to Resene Conch but about half that strength. It's a darker room on the south side. I’m using white glass wardrobe doors so I need something warm but we have a beach cottage theme through the house. The room is quite small and will have a neutral carpet. A. Try Resene Breeze or Resene Timeless. Or to see how a half strength of Resene Conch may look, mix a Resene white testpot with a testpot of Resene Conch. August 2024 |
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Q. I have tried Resene Double Alabaster and then Resene Alabaster thinking I wanted white walls but it is too stark and cold for our house. Our floorboards are very yellow (kauri house built in 1886). The hallway can be darkish as the house faces west. The sitting room gets lots of light – again westerly facing but with large windows. A. I find Resene Double Alabaster quite nice with timber floors – and in some aspects not too cool. I would suggest when using white, like Resene Double Alabaster to paint all substrates the same, rather than a paler variant on woodwork – the difference in sheen levels will create contrast – and this gives it a more enveloping feel. With rooms which have low light or limited light during the day I suggest a slightly warmer white – try Resene Bianca – this looks lovely with native timbers and has a warm, heritage feel about it. With the warmer white you can use a lighter tone for woodwork such as Resene Half Bianca or Resene Quarter Bianca if preferred. August 2024 |
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Q. Can you go lighter than Resene Eighth Rice Cake on the ceiling? We were wanting Resene Eighth Rice Cake for the walls but wanted advice regarding doors and ceiling in a very slightly lighter version of this. Secondly, in the bedrooms there is a lot of a medium to dark grey which we don’t like. Our options are to leave as is and paint other walls or paint over them. If we leave it what white would go well with this (Resene Alabaster maybe or is it best to stick to a warm white and continue with our Resene Eighth Rice Cake in these rooms too?) The carpet is warm, a natural wool merino loop pile. The curtains will be a natural linen look grey or warmer. A. You can request a sixteenth strength of Resene Rice Cake – it will probably only available in 4 litre quantities and larger. You could see how this looks by mixing a white testpot with a testpot of Resene Eighth Rice Cake. My initial thoughts are to paint over the grey or at least most of it – it is the only way to change the look and feel of a room – I can't advise without knowing exactly what the room looks like and which is the best wall/walls for the grey to remain (if at all). Warmer greys are trending – opposed to cooler toned greys – it depends on the type of grey – if it is a warmer grey then a warmer white might work or if it is cooler – a different white might be best. To choose a completely different colour will depend on any accent colours on the bed or soft furnishings, you have described a lovely organic vibe with the warmer wool loop carpet and the style of curtains – a soft sage green might work or a natural colour. August 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 in Dunedin. 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. August 2024 |
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Q. We are doing an extension to a Lockwood bach. We are going to whitewash the existing wooden walls and paint the new extension Resene Eighth Pearl Lusta. We need a colour for our new bathroom and the interior doors for both the new extension and the old end of house. The new bathroom is a blank canvas. It is just to find a neutral colour that would go with the off white and white washed walls. That part of the house has low light. The carpet is Godfrey Hurst pāua, the kitchen is off white with a dark floor and the bathroom has pewter cabinets with grey small mosaic vinyl floor. A. I suggest you use the same light warm white – Resene Eighth Pearl Lusta for the bathroom or a soft warm beige such as Resene Half Truffle or a popular shell blue – Resene Half Duck Egg Blue. August 2024 |
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Q. I am about to paint our house interior Resene Half Bianca throughout apart from the lounge two walls which will be Resene Conch. Should the ceilings, exterior doors and window jambs be white or a variation of Resene Half Bianca as a white option may not bring it all together? A. I suggest you paint them slightly lighter – Resene Quarter Bianca. August 2024 |
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Q. We want to paint our sleepout (currently stained) in a fun colour that matches the rest of our house. The main house is painted in Resene Sea Fog and Resene New Denim Blue with a bright Resene Clockwork Orange front door. The interior walls of the main house are Resene Rice Cake, Resene Robin Egg Blue, Resene Duck Egg Blue and Resene Smalt Blue which are colours that we love. We're leaning towards blues and greens, but not too dark (so not a navy). We live in a small semi-rural village in the Hawkes’ Bay. We're definitely not afraid of using colour. Ideas for the exterior sleepout colour would be appreciated. A. I agree the greens and blues will work well – however, I do suggest keeping them muted to tie in with the organic feel of the house. Colours do appear lighter outside, so keep that in mind when investigating the following suggestions – Resene Rivergum, Resene Half Rivergum, Resene Field Day, Resene Baring Head or Resene Watermark. You could also opt to paint it New Denim Blue or a paler variant – but the above colours are less grey. Investigate Resene CoolColour paint when choosing darker colours, this helps to reflect more heat away from the deeper colour. For the posts, eaves, and fascia I suggest Resene Sea Fog, and the base of the deck to be the same colour as the cladding of the sleepout (following suit of the main house).  Resene Baring Head  Resene Watermark  Resene Field Day August 2024 |
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Q. I’m using Resene Alabaster on the walls and I want a greyer white for doors. I’m thinking Resene Black White or Resene Sea Fog. Can you recommend one of those or something else? A. To pair with Resene Alabaster the Resene Black White family works well – I suggest Resene Black White. If you want more contrast – then try Resene Double Black White but I like the complexity of Resene Alabaster with Resene Black White. August 2024 |
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Q. We are doing an extension to a Lockwood bach. We are thinking of replacing the roof with Colorsteel® Ironsand, leaving the existing Lockwood walls white and the extension is at right angles to the existing building and cladding in vertical board. Do you have any suggestions for the colour of the new cladding which we would probably also paint onto the bottom weatherboards on the Lockwood portion. We are thinking both the gutter and bargeboard would be Resene Ironsand as well. The new cladding is James Hardie Axon vertical panelling. A. With your scheme I suggest Ironsand for the window joinery and Resene White Pointer or Resene Sea Fog for the white. For the Axon panels try Resene Dune or Resene Masala. August 2024 |
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Q. I have a standard red brick house. Because I want to modernise it and paint the fascia, the soffit and the trim a very dark brown, I am getting new dark Marley spouting for my house in the colour Ironsand. Which Resene dark browns would go best with both red brick and Ironsand spouting? And does it matter if the spouting is lighter in colour than the paint, or would that look bad? A. I suggest you paint these areas the same colour – Resene Ironsand – otherwise you risk the spouting becoming the feature. You could look at a slightly lighter colour which tones with Ironsand such as Resene Masala, which also pairs with red brick. If you would like a more brown option then try Resene Double Mondo or Resene Half Bokara Grey which can look more brown in bright light. August 2024 |
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Q. We are in the process of wainscoting our hall. We used Resene Delta on the top and Resene Alabaster on the bottom. Next is our family living area. We are having white plantation shutters and wainscoting in here as well. We are thinking of using Resene Delta on the bottom and a green on the top. We would prefer a darker green and think the room can handle a darker green given it is north facing and will have the white shutters. We have lots of brown furnishings. What suggestions would you have for the green colour? A. Resene Delta will work in here on the walls. I am not sure about a deep green if you have a lot of furnishings with black, greys and browns. Grey to sage greens work quite well with Resene Delta. Resene Jurassic is a great dusky green that pairs well with Resene Delta. Also consider charcoals with a green undertone as an option – Resene Armadillo, Resene Gravel, Resene Double Gravel and Resene Zeus. August 2024 |
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Q. I have Resene Merino walls and am looking at having some shelfing done but the choices appear to be Resene Sea Fog, Resene White Pointer, Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream, Resene Spanish White (or strength variations) or Resene Concrete. Which might look best/least worse? A. Resene Sea Fog or Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream relate best to Resene Merino. Which one you choose depends on how Resene Merino looks in the room. Resene Merino can take on a stony look – which is a bit cooler so pairs better with Resene Sea Fog perhaps. Resene Merino in some aspects can appear warmer – so pairs better with Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream. August 2024 |
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Q. I am looking for some colour advice for our lounge. I want to repaint everything. The old owners painted the room in the ugliest colour and I want to change it all. I’d quite like an off white that is warm and bright. Then I was also keen to get some advice on the rest of the paint colours. I’d want a trim colour that’s different to the wall colour, I’m not sure what colour to go for. We also need to paint our ceilings and I’m thinking of maybe doing a feature wall in a green in one spot as well. In general for colours in the space we have wooden floors in the space so we’ll do some more wood in a darker colour, lots of whites, lots of creams and beiges, and then we have black coming through in the kitchen bench top so I’ve brought furniture that has black trims etc. to bring it into the space. I want to do lots of plants as well so greens will be okay as well. A. Try Resene Half Rice Cake. I feel it could work well for your walls. The ceilings and trims investigate Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream, so you are layering warm whites. I suggest you bring in beiges and taupe via soft furnishings. A lighter trim will help to keep the scheme fresh as darker trims enclose a space. A sage green might work well as a feature – it will need to be layered with art or a dresser to make it work. Try Resene Field Day, Resene Bud or Resene Flax – choosing a mid-tone will ensure that there is impact but not darken the space. August 2024 |
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Q. I have the following issues to deal with at the moment – a roof colour leading on to barge board etc, a new colour scheme and fencing. Would Resene Double Cod Grey be too dark on a two storey house be overbearing. The introduction timber at the rear with the deck and the front with the pergola/walkway should assist with that. Would a darker roof colour work with our current colour scheme of Resene Double Cod Grey and black joinery. Maybe Windsor Grey, Black or maybe Steel Grey or Grey Friars? We have a friend in town whose house is all FlaxPod – everything, roof, garage doors joinery – the lot... and it surprisingly works as all the materials throw a different variation giving interest and lifting the dark. The house sits alone without direct neighbours, and is quite high on a hill. I do think this all makes a difference to how it blends into its surroundings – as opposed to ours with close direct neighbours. Your thoughts on the colour Resene Element (FlaxPod)? According to the colour chart, this appears to be an earthy colour, warm and dark apparently. I do like warm, however, can this look too brown? Could that be an option for us? Or conversely is there an equivalent Colorsteel® colour for the same effect with Resene Double Cod Grey? I feel like the fence colour should match something of the house (either house colour or black to match the joinery)? Is this correct or would a corresponding white work to help lighten it all up? We will need to do a lot of planting also as it’s a pretty bare canvas at the moment. A. All colours appear lighter outside on mass. I suggest you consider a softer roof and joinery colour – then we can look at a new ‘dark’ cladding colour and a bit more of a contrast with the wall colour. A dark roof will work with dark guttering for a seamless look, and I think being a two storey house you can get away with it. I suggest Resene Noir (Windsor Grey) for the roof, guttering and joinery. Resene Element does have warmth and leans towards brown. Resene Noir (Windsor Grey) is softer than Ebony and not as warm as Resene Element heading more towards a blue tint – but not overly. It will be a much more consistent scheme as then being softer it is safe to paint the garage roof Resene Noir (Windsor Grey) and the garage door Resene Noir (Windsor Grey). For the claddings I suggest Resene Times Square which is approximately half strength Windsor Grey – it will still give you that overall dark theme or you could opt for Resene Double Foundry or Resene Foundry. The bargeboards and fascias being timber tend to pair best with the dark cladding – so I suggest these to be the chosen wall colour. This does not look strange – it is very common practice with new homes. I do suggest investigating Resene CoolColour paints for the timber/main claddings. I do recommend keeping all soffits an off white otherwise you restrict the light coming into the house but it doesn’t have to be a bright white – try Resene Wan White or Resene Double Black White. Dark colours tend to recede so they don’t impose the way a warmer or brighter colour would. I feel a white or pale fence will not look right and will draw the eye to the fence first – I suggest Resene Noir (Windsor Grey) for the fence – greenery pops against darker colours. The texture of the painted brick, the timber accents, planting, and outside furniture will all lift the overall look – and of course choosing softer variants from the black original theme. You can also opt to have a coloured front door! Don’t get too distracted by the descriptions of colour – they are there to help give an indication of the type of colour – but it isn’t one description fits – how colour appears outside compared to inside for example, or when adjacent to another colour, could change one’s opinion on the description.  Resene Times Square  Resene Noir July 2024 |
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Q. I want to use Resene Half Karaka or Resene Lisbon Brown for a room that is one third external windows (lots of light). I am looking for a light tone neutral to complement this to use on skirting boards and architraves. A. With Resene Half Karaka try Resene Merino. With Resene Lisbon Brown try Resene Half Pearl Lusta. July 2024 |
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Q. I want to paint my modern cottage a warm white. I’ve seen Resene Half Rice Cake and like it but wonder if it is a warm white I hate yellow though so no yellow undertones. A. Resene Half Rice Cake is on the warmer side – it does have the tiniest amount of yellow oxide, which sometimes can be enhanced in certain aspects, such as a north facing room. I recommend you try a testpot of Resene Half Rice Cake. You might like to also try Resene Chalk Dust – it is warm, but not as yellow – it is not quite as clean as Resene Half Rice Cake. July 2024 |
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Q. We are currently renovating our house (quite slowly but steadily) and are struggling to decide on paint colours. Most of the house gets all day sun and there are pretty big sized windows so there’s lots of light. The master bedroom has windows on two different sides so it gets morning sun and afternoon sun. The kitchen lounge also gets all day sun, but slightly more afternoon and evening sun. However, the hallway and toilet can get pretty dark with minimal natural light. The windows are pretty big silver coloured aluminium windows. We will have trims around the windows and skirting around the floor and square stop (no trim) for the ceiling. Behind the bed in master bedroom we will do a half wall in grooved MDF that looks like ship lap. We plan to rip up the carpet and expose the tawa floorboards throughout the whole house (kitchen, lounge, bedrooms and even toilet/bathroom). We have already got Resene Quarter Alabaster ceiling paint (but not a huge amount so can change colour if needed). We want some advice on paint colours for the walls for the whole house, the ship lap MDF behind the bed and the floor and window trims/skirting. I love the look of white/off white kitchens that have gold, brass or copper or brushed gunmetal hardware. We like warm white light bulbs. I also have a pale sage green duvet that I'd love to match the walls to (but can take it back if not). A. Green toned whites and creams look fabulous with Tawa floors and white kitchens, and most metals. With a sunny home they should work perfectly. Even for the bathroom and hall – although you could look at a slightly paler variant – I suggest not going too pale in the main areas as having a bit of colour will offset the kitchen and floor – which is the main feature. For the main areas try Resene Half Ecru White, Resene Half Thorndon Cream, Resene Quarter Linen or Resene Quarter Ash. For the bathrooms and hallway try Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream or Resene Half Milk White. Bedrooms I suggest one of the suggested colours for main walls with a sage green to match the lovely organic duvet, for the ship lap. It looks stunning when the wall colour matches the bedwear as it creates relativity – rather than just having a green wall that relates to nothing else – try Resene Bud, Resene Paddock or Resene Field Day. Ceilings are fine to remain Resene Quarter Alabaster. Doors, trims and window trims I suggest Resene Half Alabaster. July 2024 |
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Q. I’m looking for some navy colours including some light navy options. A. I generally suggest to customers to choose 3-4 colours of each tone – that is enough to see the differences in undertones and not too many to be confusing – from there you can eliminate – depending on how the colour looks in the intended space etc. I will suggest colours for each that have worked well in many situations – navy and paler options – then palettes that relate. A grey isolator is great for viewing the colours separately. For navy colours investigate Resene Shadowy Blue, Resene Blue Night or Resene Bunting, Resene Coast and Resene Cello. For softer navy tones investigate Resene Bluff, Resene Blue Moon, Resene Escapade, Resene Bermuda Grey, Resene Biscay and Resene Hammerhead. There are also metallic navy blues which are stunning such as Resene Sputnik and Resene Dalek. July 2024 |
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Q. When we did our Auckland house, we did everything in one colour in Resene Rice Cake i.e., walls, ceilings and windows. Our bach has a low ceiling downstairs (typical 80s) and so I would like to do the same one colour option on the inside for ease of painting but to also make the ceiling look higher. Can you suggest a nice fresh beachy white? I think Resene Rice Cake might be too warm. A. For the interior I agree a cooler white might work well and with the windows. It does depend on any other existing colours like flooring, but I suggest you try Resene Half Sea Fog. It can morph between cool and warm, depending on what you pair it with. For a warmer alternative, but not as yellow as Resene Rice Cake try Resene Chalk Dust – this could give a lovely beachy feel. July 2024 |
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Q. Our doors and skirting are painted with Acrylic gloss enamel, colour Trojan. I want to paint some MDF wallboard and want Resene Trojan however perhaps a shade or two lighter. Can I get a 'half tint' that will do the job? A. You can have a special request for half-strength Resene Trojan – this will need to be organised via a Resene ColorShop – they may already have a formula, if not they can phone the Resene Colour Lab to obtain one. July 2024 |
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Q. I have a 1920s Californian Bungalow. We have a new Colorsteel® Ironsand roof and a large white fence out the front. I am after advice for a colour scheme to paint the weatherboards. I am ideally after something quite neutral and light, I’m not really into dark colours. A. See if any of these soft Resene colours work: Resene Cloud, Resene Biscotti, Resene White Pointer, Resene Double Sea Fog or Resene Merino. I suggest you paint windows and trims Resene White to match the fence. July 2024 |
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Q. The builder is about to start on our renovation. This includes an open plan kitchen living dining. The original house interior is painted Resene Black White with Resene Alabaster trim. There are five steps down into the new open plan area. I’m pairing the kitchen cupboards the same colour as the walls. Do you think Resene Black White will pair ok with the cabinets or should I paint a slightly warmer/neutral colour in this new area. We will have classic marble counter tops and subway tiles in the kitchen. It’s northern aspect with a lot of light and sun all day I am concerned the Resene Black White will be a little cool for the cabinetry. A. Resene Black White tends to pair very well with marble. If it is a north facing aspect, then it shouldn’t be too cold. Resene Alabaster looks good with Black White walls – and it is slightly warmer, although brighter. July 2024 |
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Q. I am choosing colours for the exterior of a house we're building and want to go with black bricks and black windows throughout. However, the house has some vertical Linea in front and I want to paint this brown to slightly give it the look of natural wood but on Linea instead. Would brown wood like paint on Linea go well with black bricks? A. Although some browns do go with black trying to represent a wood colour with paint and black bricks is more likely not to pair well. You can use brown greys, brown charcoals and other brown based colours to pair – but generally these are smoky browns with a definite grey undertone to pair with the black. July 2024 |
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Q. Would you say Resene Ironsand or Resene Double Ironsand is more brown? I am tossing up between the two colours but want the least 'brown' looking. I want to paint the Linea boards on our house a darker colour. Our joinery and garage door are Ironsand, the roofing trims are Ironsand so it makes sense to stick with this tone. I don’t really like the 'brown' in the Ironsand but with the brown tone bricks I won’t get too far away from that. Will plain Resene Ironsand look odd? A. Double Ironsand is browner, however, I don't feel either will look great in regard to the overall design of your house – I suggest a colour which is greyer with underlying warmth and not as dark. Try Resene Gauntlet. There needs to be contrast between the gable end and garage doors/guttering or I believe it will look unbalanced the same colour or darker. If you take note of houses painted deep colours, you will see that either the whole house is dark, or a part of the main cladding, to balance other areas like gable ends if painted dark. I feel it will look out of place having the gables dark with the guttering and garage door – quite heavy – then a base of lighter bricks – this will also make a feature of the bricks as the contrast is significant, and I am not sure that is what you are trying to achieve – there are many colours that modernise a house – dark is not always best. Resene Gauntlet still has a slight brown undertone – and is not considered a pale colour – mid toned more so – it’s also very popular. July 2024 |
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Q. I'm trying to decide between Resene Ravine and Resene Half Smoky Green to use in my hallway. It is a panelled hallway and the panelling will be painted Resene Half Merino. A. Both colours will pair with Resene Half Merino – I suggest you paint testpots of both colours onto A2 card and see which you prefer in the natural light – Resene Ravine is a grey green, while Resene Half Smoky Green has more blue in it, but is still muted. Think about the floor as well and how they both sit next to it, and any other colours that lead on from the hallway, to make a decision. Also consider if you want more of a subdued feel in the hall (Resene Ravine) or a bit more colour (Resene Half Smoky Green). July 2024 |
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Q. I need a colour for our front door. Our home is painted Resene Quarter Lemon Grass with white trim. The roof is Grey Friars. I just love the colours. For the front door I was thinking about a red or painting it the same colour Grey Friars as the roof. I like the red Resene Poppy but I’m unsure if it goes or if it’s safer to stick with the roof colour. A. I believe a gloss red could look fabulous! Resene Poppy is a bit too bright to pair with Resene Quarter Lemon Grass, try Resene Shiraz or Resene Red Berry. July 2024 |
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Q. Our house is an old wooden villa from the start of the century, It’s quite dark inside. We will have original rimu floors. I was then thinking of painting the remaining skirtings (in rimu currently) and dado rails white to lighten the place up. Some people are horrified I’m painting the wood. Any thoughts on this? I was then going to paint the whole interior Resene Quarter Villa White. I know some people paint skirtings, architraves and ceilings the same colour but one shade darker or lighter. Any thoughts? Lastly we have a new bathroom being built. Our old bathroom was destroyed in a landslide last year so we are starting from scratch. We have old style white bathroom fittings and I’m going to wood panel the lower wall. We have a black and white tile looking vinyl floor going in. I was keen to paint it a bluey grey colour on the panelling, then white up the top. I have found the colour Resene Dusted Blue and was going to stick with my Resene Quarter Villa White for the top of the wall but was unsure if it’s white enough. Do you have any other suggestions or other colour ideas? A. Regarding the interior timber trim – this is very much personal preference, but if you have the beautiful rimu floors, and these are the feature they will remain the feature even more so if the dark trims are painted out. Are the doors timber and are they remaining unpainted? I suggest you leave the doors and paint the skirtings, dado rails and architraves. This will really open the space and give a seamless feel. Gone are the days of having to have all white skirtings (although in some instances, this still works very well). Darker trims can also work and helps to open a space, but I feel for your interior one colour will work best, alongside the timber doors and floors. With off white walls, I do prefer white ceilings – so they appear fresh and clean – and will emphasise height. I suggest bringing the white to the dado line and painting the dado line white. To recap – the walls, skirtings, and architraves – Resene Quarter Villa White, ceilings and dado line: Resene White and doors and floor to remain timber. The dado line (although it would be in white) – in a Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss finish it will give a nod to the heritage details of the room. Resene Dusted Blue is a beautiful bathroom colour and suits the heritage of the space. Consider using a whiter contrast for above – try Resene Wan White. July 2024 |
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Q. We own on old wooden villa in the Marlborough Sounds. We are about to repaint on the outside. I am nearly there with my colours but need some advice on the main outside wall colour. I have chosen Grey Friars for the roof, Resene Quarter Villa White for the trims (around the window) and Resene Grey Friars on the door steps and window apron. Where I need help is with the main wall colour. I wanted something grey with a little blue in it. I have looked at Resene Forecast or Resene Dusted Blue. Or Resene Regent Grey. The old house is surrounded by native bush. Please can you let me know what might look good. A. It’s great you are updating the colour scheme of your villa! I feel the colours you are leaning towards are more grey/blue than blue greys – which means the blue will be further enhanced outside. Regent Grey might be a little heavy. I suggest tweaking them slightly – see if any of these appeal: Resene Gull Grey, Resene Ted, Resene Neutral Bay or Resene Forecast (one that you chose). The hint of blue definitely reflects the surrounding coastline of the Marlborough Sounds, so this makes sense. If you are surrounded by greenery – I also suggest considering greys with green undertones such as Resene Quarter Lemon Grass or Resene Ash – both work with Resene Quarter Villa White and Grey Friars.  Resene Ted July 2024 |
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Q. We have an old bungalow. Our roof colour is Colorsteel® Ironsand. The gutters are the same colour. The joinery is white. What wall colours would you consider? A. I suggest a warmer colour for the weatherboards such as Resene Awaroa Bay, with a deeper variant on the bargeboards, small roofs above the windows and the shingles below the windows, like Resene Double Napa. July 2024 |
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Q. I have a small WC which I'm trying to find the perfect colour for. I am thinking either really bold pink or a deep hunter green. I just can't find the exact colour paint... which leads me here to you! A. Both the greens and pinks have a combination of variants. Investigate the Resene Multifinish palette R36 – the deeper greens on this palette could suit – in particular check out Resene Palm Leaf, Resene Forest Green, Resene Half Forest Green and Resene Rivergum. For the pinks, investigate Resene Vibe, Resene Rapture, Resene Hopbush, Resene Cabaret and Resene La Bamba. July 2024 |
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Q. We're looking at some different views on a new external colour scheme. We wanted a dark grey but on further research it has to be over 40 LRV for this type of cladding so we are thinking a grey shade close to 40? A. I suggest a taupe based neutral such as Resene Double Truffle (LRV 44%). For trims and window frames a slightly deeper variant – Resene Credence (LRV 39%).  Resene Credence July 2024 |
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Q. I am wondering if you can help me pick a pretty soft buttery yellow for our laundry joinery cupboards. A. Try Resene Moonbeam, Resene Half Moonbeam, Resene Mellow Yellow or Resene Butter. July 2024 |
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Q. Does Resene Rice Cake work well in modern spaces? I have it in my 1930s house and love it. We want to paint our sleepout which has white aluminium joinery for French doors and large windows in each room. It's a bright sunny space. I want the walls to look warm and creamy, not stark or sterile. If you think Resene Rice Cake isn’t the right fit, can you please suggest something else? A. Rice Cake works for many spaces. It is especially good if there is surrounding greenery as it helps to counteract the reflection and keep the space neutral and warm. If it is a bright and sunny space, you might like to also try Resene Half Rice Cake, just in case Resene Rice Cake becomes too cream. July 2024 |
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Q. We want to paint our fireplace bricks in our lounge. They are already painted black. We would also change the mantel to a natural wood, probably slightly thicker with more overhang. We will paint the walls as well, they are painted over wallpaper currently, not sure of the colour, possibly Resene Black White. What would you suggest colour wise? We like the look of white or off white fireplaces. We have a lot of American White Oak furniture. It’s a North facing room with good light. We are going for a Hamptons or coastal look. Also what colour for the walls? A. As you have a warm, well-lit room, I suggest Resene Alabaster for the walls with Resene Black White for the doors, trims and fireplace – a white-on-white palette will be perfect, and these two whites complement one another with a slight shift in tone. Resene Alabaster is a bit cleaner than Resene Black White and can morph between warm and cool, so works with a lot of other colours/neutrals. A timber mantle will give a good impression of the Hamptons feel. For a slightly creamier colour you might like to try Resene Quarter Rice Cake with Resene Alabaster trims and fireplace. July 2024 |
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Q. I'm looking for cement or concrete look dark grey paint. Ideally I want something that looks like a real cement look. A. It is hard to simulate real concrete with a solid paint colour. The picture you have referenced is a combination of colours from dark to paler greys – you can see the darkest grey on the ceiling and possibly two greys washed effect on the walls. It is a special effect that has been created. Colours that are similar are Resene Jumbo, Resene Trojan, Resene Half Shark, Resene Scarpa Flow, Resene Half Scarpa Flow, Resene Stack or Resene Triple Concrete. A combination of two of these and Resene FX Paint Effects Medium might give you a similar look – or if you want a solid grey wall in a concrete type of colour then also check out any of the colours suggested that appeal. Investigate Resene special effects and paints online or pick up a paint effects mini book at your local Resene ColorShop. Resene FX Paint Effects Medium is a tintable acrylic used to obtain a variety of broken finishes – it is recommended samples are done first before applying to a wall. You can try out your finish using Resene testpots. July 2024 |
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Q. What colour is Resene White? A. Resene White N97 006 096 is pure white – it is untinted, and it is the base for all Resene whites and neutrals which are tinted from a white base. July 2024 |
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Q. What colour kitchen cabinetry would work well with Resene Quarter Drought walls? We are thinking the benchtop might be an off white. It is a renovation so the floor has not been decided either. We are hoping to have a sort-of country style kitchen. Chrome cup handles with panelled cupboard fronts if that makes sense. A. We do usually recommend that you choose your hard finishes first in a kitchen, as it makes it easier for you to match to – there are many paint colours but limited hard finishes (although still plenty) so it can make it tricky to match flooring or especially benchtops to. A pale warm white or soft grey-beige will pair well. A timber vinyl plank would pair nicely. With Resene Quarter Drought try Resene Quarter Bianca or Resene Quarter Sandstone. To help decide – I recommend ordering Resene AD paint drawdown swatches of all three colours then take the colour swatches with you when searching for handles, bench tops and flooring and see what works better – staff will guide you. If you choose the white cabinetry – you can bring in accents of green and beige – perhaps via accessories. If you choose the grey beige you can bring in accents of white, green and beige. Always ask for samples and view the colours at home in the space if possible. July 2024 |
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Q. We are completely refreshing our apartment, the kitchen is the only area to remain intact. The apartment has a new bathroom and hall tiles, new lights, paint, carpet and additional storage cupboards. We are looking for something warm but not too cream. A. See if these Resene colours appeal – Resene Triple Blanc for walls with Resene Alabaster for the ceilings, trims etc. There are also lighter variants – the Resene Blanc family is a soft light warm beige – you might want to use a paler variant for the bathroom. Resene Albescent White and Resene Half Albescent White are alternatives to try for the walls. I recommend enhancing the natural light to keep the ceilings a white – Resene Alabaster is slightly warm. Deeper taupe, grey beiges, navy, grey blues and blue greens go well with your colour scheme, for an accent. I suggest heading toward the deeper taupe. I suggest you try a few wall colours first as it is a process of elimination, and then look at accents. July 2024 |
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Q. We are painting a 1910-20 style house on a north facing hill in Napier. The house has extensive sea views but hasn’t had any paint applied in a long while. We will be replacing the shingles which are pretty broken. There are a lot of shingles! We are looking for a total colour scheme. A. If the shingles are being replaced it might be quite nice to leave them stained. With the sea views and north facing aspect – I am thinking lighter colours with a Hamptons feel. For the roofs I suggest Resene Atmosphere, for the main weatherboards try Resene Half Grey Chateau (soft blue grey), for the trims – windows, posts, detailing, fascia, bargeboards, and base of house try Resene Quarter Iron, for the gable end (vertical boards) try Resene Eighth Iron and the front Door can be a deeper blue such as Resene Indian Ink. I suggest you try testpots and take it from there – final details can be sorted once the type of colours you like are decided. July 2024 |
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Q. We have an eccentric 70s house that needs repainting. The exterior is a mix of real stones, shingles, board and batten. The window frames are a mix of cedar and white aluminium. The previous owners painted the wooden areas of the exterior black which is too dark and the wooden shingles are deteriorating. We are trying to decide on a lighter colour for the wood and shingles that would complement the stones and the new garage. The new garage is painted Resene Seachange with a New Demin Blue roof. We prefer to keep with the white/black/blue/grey theme. There is a lot of airborne dirt and diesel from the main highway so nothing too white that shows the dirt. A. I would try a few softer to mid greys – it all depends on how they work with the stone – you might need to go warmer or cooler – but testing at least three colours near the stone will help determine which type of colour will pair well. Colours that are softer will blend more with the joinery as well. Try Resene Kensington Grey, Resene Stack, Resene Half Tuna or Resene Triple Concrete. July 2024 |
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Q. On our home we have an eyebrow slate grey colour. I would like a grey darker for the garage door and front of house, than my smokey ash stain – both cedar. The fence is also a smokey ash type colour. I have a black door. A. Yes, I believe it should be darker – to balance against the eyebrow grey. The fences especially need to be darker. Try Resene Tiri for all these areas. July 2024 |
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Q. We are looking to paint the full exterior of our house and looking for a complete colour scheme. The roof is black, aluminium windows are bronze/brown, guttering is white and we are replacing the garage doors. We need to paint everything else – walls, brickwork, stairs etc. A. To modernise and simplify, I suggest painting the brick and all cladding one colour – a warm charcoal with brown undertones – Resene Bokara Grey – it pairs very well with bronze aluminium. To offset the dark colour, I suggest a grey white for all the soffit, fascia, soffit trim and all main deck substrates and rear balustrades and railings – try Resene Double Sea Fog or Resene Black White. For the front entry cladding try Resene Double Sea Fog. For gable ends try Resene Bokara Grey. Colours do tend to appear lighter outside. Consider Resene CoolColour paint for the main cladding – to help reduce heat retention. Or if you prefer a lighter main colour you could look at Resene Triple Truffle, Resene Taupe Grey, Resene Triple Friar Greystone or Resene Stonehenge. Going any lighter for the main body will enhance the window joinery. These suggestions will pair with Resene Bokara Grey, or you might like a slightly softer colour such as Resene Ironsand or Resene Half Ironsand for the balustrades, fascias etc. July 2024 |
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Q. I mistakenly ordered a 4 L can in Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen in Resene Double Sea Fog. It is unopened. Can I add white paint to lighten this colour to be more of a Sea Fog colour? A. Yes, you can – but it will not be produced the same again – so if you are going to proceed to lighten the paint, I suggest you do a brushout of the final colour onto card, to keep as a reference to be matched at a later date, if necessary. To get to approximately Resene Sea Fog from Resene Double Sea Fog – you will need to mix it with a 4 litre of white Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen – so you will end up with 8 litres of paint. July 2024 |
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Q. We would like some advice please on colour schemes for our bathroom. We have Resene Forest Green on two walls, and are looking for a lighter contrasting colour for the other two smaller walls, possibly a light grey, stone colour? The bathroom is small and has black and white tiles on the floor and white subway tiles on some of the walls (two sides halfway up the wall). The house is 80 years old so we are looking for something timeless and in keeping with the period. A. A soft stony colour with a green undertone will work against the subway tiles and this will also tie in the Resene Forest Green – plus pale to pastel greens were used in this era. They may seem similar but will appear different in a bathroom setting – some more grey. See if any of these appeal and I suggest trying at least three – Resene Tasman, Resene Harp, Resene Pumice, Resene Rainee, Resene Half Secrets or Resene Coriander. July 2024 |
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Q. We have a holiday home in Hanmer Springs with reasonably dark Classic Stone, Southern Ledgestone, Queenstown Grey cladding on the bottom. The top is weathered rusticated weatherboard, stained black. We want to seal the weatherboard and paint it a dark colour that has a bit of warmth to it. The roof and gutter is Grey Friars. We tried some lighter colours like Resene Half Mondo and Resene Sandstone but they don’t look right. The general look in Hanmer is Alpine colours and lots of stained timber. We're wondering about colours like Woodbark or Resene Diesel but we'd like some advice. We'd like something modern and a little mysterious. Maybe warm hues. A. Possibly the reason the warmer browns are not sitting right is because Grey Friars is a cool toned colour, the stone base is mostly cooler greys and the window joinery may throw a bit to the cooler side. That doesn't mean you have to go with a completely cool toned grey palette – but colours which morph between warm and cool so to speak might sit a bit better – this means they have a warm appearance but have a base of cool – grey or green for example. Colours to try are Resene Kia Kaha, Resene Solstice, Resene Fuscous Grey, Resene Tapa or Resene Double Stonehenge. Consider Resene CoolColour paint as well, which will help to reflect more heat. Resene Solstice  Resene Kia Kaha July 2024 |
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Q. We currently have Resene Double Spanish White on our walls and Resene Quarter Spanish White on the skirtings and ceiling. But we don't like the cream on the walls. We would like to go to a light greyish colour but are after advice on what colour would match well. We have one feature wall being Resene Shark grey. A. The Resene Spanish White family sits best tonally with its own variants, definite colour, or deep shades such as the dark grey for your feature wall. Trying to marry it with cooler neutrals like pale greys, can be very tricky and hard to pull off because of the strong yellow undertone. To pair with Quarter Spanish White, I suggest you try a warmer grey like Resene Cloud, Resene Half Cloud, Resene Eighth Friar Greystone or Resene Silver Sand. These neutrals may not be as pale as you like but going too light with Resene Quarter Spanish White won't pair and the skirtings and ceiling will dominate. Once you find a colour you like, when the time comes to repaint the ceiling and skirtings you can then change the complete look with a cleaner white. July 2024 |
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Q. We have a new black and white kitchen and in the adjoining room we have mid grey carpet, dark grey curtains mostly grey seating with mid dark wood. The new kitchen flooring is a light wood colour. I would like to put some colour on the wall opposite which is the original mid boring green. We are generally colourful people and struggling with the black and white incorporating something brighter. This could also be the colour of kitchen accessories. The fire brick wall will be black. A. My advice to you is to find the kitchen accessories first – and carry it through – it doesn't have to be the exact same shade for the wall. With a black and white concept and light wooden floors – the colour options are not limited; however, this will depend on the remaining wall colours as well and if they work. That way the colour of the wall has purpose. Choose a colour with the accessories that you love! Have fun. Perhaps buy something small to start with in that colour and see how it looks on the bench for starters. Consider what mood you want to create for the space and adjoining area – warmer hues such as orange, red are happy and positive but also powerful and invigorating, whereas greens and blues are refreshing and calming. July 2024 |
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Q. Our roof is slate and our trims will be in Resene Porter. We are looking for a colour to paint the rest of our plaster house which is a beach property. It is currently painted in Resene Half Akaroa. A. See if any of these Resene colours appeal – Resene Cloudy, Resene Triple White Pointer, Resene Eighth Ironsand or Resene Gauntlet. Consider Resene CoolColour paint when choosing darker colours which helps to reflect more heat. July 2024 |
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Q. I’m painting the exterior of a house. I’ve used Resene Half Merino before which I really like, but my son wants something more white based. He’s not keen on a creamy white. Which is warmer Resene Half Black White or Resene Double Alabaster or any other recommendations please? I don’t want a cold white. The house is light. A. Consider Resene Alabaster – surprisingly, it can be quite warm – where Resene Double Alabaster is slightly greyer. The Resene Black White family is cooler. Most whites do not work in south facing rooms as it is too stark. You will need to dress the rooms with lots of texture and warmer accessories/soft furnishing colours – or a warmer white will be a bit more welcoming like Resene Quarter Rice Cake. July 2024 |
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Q. Can we use Resene FX Metallic Stun in our bedroom? A. We'd typically apply a clear coating over a metallic in a wet area to provide some protection however they'd still be better suited to a bathroom that doesn't get a huge amount of steam and condensation etc. For a similar solid colour you could try Resene Coriander. Or consider a light sage green – try Resene Secrets, Resene Aspiring or Resene Half Tana. July 2024 |
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Q. We are looking for advice for a soffit colour for new coastal build with dark grey/black Horoeka corrugate siding with spotted gum hardwood accents adjacent to the soffit and Windsor Grey High Five roofing. Please suggest an appropriate colour for the soffits. A. Resene Black White will pair nicely for the soffit. July 2024 |
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Q. Could you help us with some landscaping colours? We are doing a main timber deck, adding in a fire and having a concrete look with corten boxes to either side. Should we stain or oil the hardwood deck? Should we colour the new concrete patio in front of the fire? Should we colour the concrete step to the front of the deck? We are planning on Resene Half Bokara Grey in gloss for the door and do we stain/oil the deck and the hardwood slatted fence to the garden area? Around the front entrance we are putting in boundary line timber fencing with a double timber Sheffield gate with black hardware and wondering do we stain the fence and wood or leave it natural. A. Keep all the concrete where possible consistent. This includes the concrete steps to the deck and patio area – the front door in Resene Half Bokara Grey will complement the stain well. All the hardwood boundary fencing and gates I recommend to stain – it might look odd having such an expanse of timber left untreated. I suggest Resene Shadow Match – it is a soft charcoal that will offset any greenery and link to Resene Half Bokara Grey. The hardwood decks link to the concrete – so I suggest staining them with an oil-based product (as this lasts longer than an untinted oil and gives a natural appearance) – try Resene Woodsman Oil Stain in Tiri – this is a mid-grey. You can investigate Resene CoolColour Woodsman Oil Stain as this will ensure the deck is not too hot underfoot. July 2024 |
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Q. We're renovating our house to sell and need to pick a good neutral wall colour and a white for the trim and doors. We have wooden floors in some areas and will re-carpet the rooms. The current walls are beige. I'd prefer more grey based, or off-white but it is a small house with not much sun – would that make it look too cold and sterile? A. A white on the slightly warmer side might work well – the timber floors bring the warmth. A suggestion is to use a white such as Resene Double Alabaster for all main areas and then a slightly warmer white for bedrooms – such as Resene Half Bianca which is a great colour for lifting a low light room. For the trim and doors, I suggest Resene Eighth Black White to bring out the warmth of the walls. July 2024 |
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Q. Can you please tell me which testpot I buy to match the Colorsteel® colour Sandstone Grey? A. The equivalent to Colorsteel® Sandstone Grey is Resene Gauntlet. July 2024 |
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Q. I have a small, cold, south side bedroom that I would like to paint in a soft warm neutral. A. Try Resene Amaranth or for a slightly softer variant and a little less brown Resene Teak or for a bit more yellow – Resene Twine. July 2024 |
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