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Answers to your questions from our colour experts, p. 142

Here's a taste of some of the Colour Expert questions and answers to help you with your own colour scheme.

If you would like more colour advice for your project, please ask our Colour Expert for help or come in and see our staff at your local Resene ColorShop or Reseller. Colours are a representation only.

 
 
 

Q&A   p. 142

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


Q. Could you please suggest a colour lighter than Resene Haven. I have tried Resene Pumice and Resene Tasman, but feel they are too light. This is for our dining living area. The carpet is blue and timber window frames, doors and skirting boards.

A. Try Resene Quarter Robin Egg Blue or Resene Half Robin Egg Blue. These are in the same family as Resene Haven but paler, are beautiful colours and are very well liked.

November 2024


Q. I need to stain a new pool deck. I've done it in treated pine. My house is painted Resene San Juan. What stain colour on pine will get me close to something that is complementary please?

A. I suggest you try Woodsman Iroko – it should pair nicely with Resene San Juan – it is a warm natural grey.

Resene ColorShops have sample boards with stain colours on timber so you can view instore – from there you can purchase a testpot to try.

November 2024


Q. We are repainting our 1990s house interior walls with pastel colours, Resene Eighth Spanish White, Resene Quarter Duck Egg Blue, Resene Breathless or Resene Washed Green. We want to paint the ceilings with a neutral white and are not sure which one to choose. We live near Dunedin, so don’t want a very cold white, just fairly neutral.

A. It’s great to see on-trend pastels being used for your interior! For the ceilings I suggest you try Resene Alabaster – it pairs with most colours, and it does have a bit of warmth to it. It is our biggest selling trim and ceiling colour.

For the walls – I highly recommend you consider using Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen, a durable, low sheen waterborne enamel – which means being a durable paint it is easier to spot clean.

November 2024


Q. We are installing a new kitchen, walnut and black timberland melamine cabinetry with black Dekton benchtops. We just wondered what colour would complement this kitchen for the walls and ceiling. It is quite a small open-plan kitchen, dining and living area so a colour that makes the space look bigger would be preferable.

A. It really depends on how much light enters this area, even though it is small it may still get good light.

If so, then I suggest Resene Black White for the walls and Resene Alabaster for the ceiling. If not, then a slightly warmer white might be appealing such as Resene Half Sea Fog for the walls with Resene Alabaster for the ceiling.

Painting the ceiling a slightly different shade of white will brighten the overall effect in a small space.

Consider sheen levels when choosing whites – Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen is a low sheen waterborne enamel which is durable and easily cleaned – it gives a lovely subtle, smooth sheen to the walls and is the preferred finish for open plan kitchens.

Resene SpaceCote Flat is the preferred finish for ceilings, as flat paints hide imperfections in critical light areas.

November 2024


Q. I have a large room 6m x 8m with windows all down one of the 6m sides and partially on the other side. The stud is close to 3m. The room is a modern family/TV room. The room was painted 10+ years ago and we want to paint the same colours. Three of the walls were Resene Half Truffle and a kitchenette wall and bulkhead is Resene Triple Masala. We can’t locate the ceiling colour that we used. But I note we have an old 10L of Resene Black Haze ceiling paint – is this a good colour to go with Resene Half Truffle and Resene Triple Masala. Otherwise what would you recommend – Resene Black White? Is this a colour that you would recommend to go with these wall colours or would you recommend something else?

A. I feel Resene Black Haze is too grey with the combination of colours. Resene Black White is a better option and a more current trend.

November 2024


Q. I have recently built a wooden board and batten shed next to our mid-century house, which is surrounded by trees. The house has a COLORSTEEL® FlaxPod roof, with Resene Athens Grey concrete block walls for the ground floor and cedar weatherboards stained in Resene Crowshead for the first floor. I am planning for the roof and walls of the shed to be the same colour, and am thinking of Resene Scoria. Would that colour work with the concrete block walls? If not, can you recommend another colour from the Resene/COLORSTEEL® range? And can you recommend a colour for the shed window trim and door?

A. Yes, it will work with your scheme – it is quite nice to have a touch of a burnt red with your scheme, if you want the shed to be enhanced, alternatively, you could opt for Resene Element, to link to the house and to blend into the environment.

I quite like the idea of all the substrates being the same colour on the shed – so you don't draw too much attention to it.

For the board and batten and window trim I recommend a Resene Cool Colour formula – which includes pigment technology that reflects more of the sun’s heat than a normal colour to maintain the integrity of dark colours and to help protect the substrate from heat related issues associated with dark and saturated colours.

November 2024


Q. Not much seems to mentioned about colour choice for soffits. My house has large soffits all round and am wondering on how to choose a colour for them, and the implications. I'm looking at creating a new colour scheme with the walls and roof to be repainted soon. The house has silver aluminium joinery, the stucco walls are currently pale cream with a faded grey roof and faded soffits in a pale greeny colour.

A. Typically, the soffit is painted in a pale or white colour – it is all about the quality of reflected light through windows – white is 100% reflective.

For large soffits, over the years they will get dirty, so selecting an off-white is better or if you have a light neutral home, you could use a quarter strength of your house colour.

November 2024


Q. I want to paint the exterior of my house. I have Resene Mission Brown gutters and a brown roof. The veranda has grey tiles. Inside I have used Resene Half Rice Cake and Resene Alabaster as the house is small and I want it to look cohesive.

A. Resene Double Rice Cake might look lovely on your house with Resene Alabaster eaves and trim, alternatively you might like to try Resene Merino or Resene Double Merino with Resene Alabaster eaves and trim. These colours complement the flow to the interior.

November 2024


Q. I would love some advice for an exterior colour or colours for our house. We would like to make it feel more modern. The windows are going to be Arctic White and the garage door is being replaced so we can do that any colour to match the new house.

A. For the windows – Arctic White is a very sharp blue white and can be tricky to work other colours with for the exterior and interior – Resene have powder coating colours available – you can check out more about this product at www.resene.com/powdercoatings. I suggest Resene Half Black White for the windows – it is very popular and works with most modern colour palettes.

You just need to specify Resene Powder Coating in Resene Half Black White N94 004 096.

November 2024


Q. Help! What colour should we paint the outside of our brick house? We do like dark colours but feel our house’s shape won’t be able to carry the dark. We have stained our deck in a rich red stain. Our aluminium joinery will eventually all get changed to possibly a black but am open to suggestions.

The bottom of the house is an unused garage that we will convert into an adults’ retreat Onn the right hand side we will also create an entry door. Also our deck will be extended right across the house and stained the same colour as the deck at the back of the house with new balustrades in black aluminium. We are planning to use Resene Black White on the interior walls. I’m thinking the house would look better painted all one colour rather than a split colour.

We are still in the process of finishing the deck and will also be putting around black railing on the far side. The spouting is black and we are thinking to paint the roof a black.

We are trying to make the house super modern.

A. If you are not rendering the brick, then dark can sometimes be better – it won’t look dingy if you choose a smoky grey such as Resene Half Fuscous Grey or Resene Half Baltic Sea – which will appear a little lighter outside on mass.

For the retaining walls – I would stain them Resene Pitch Black.

For the doors, trims and ceilings Resene Alabaster looks great with Resene Black White.

November 2024


Q. Our roofing is long-run and all the cladding is James Hardie vertical Oblique weatherboard. The roof is deep. I feel like COLORSTEEL® FlaxPod/Resene Element has been thrashed in the last five years so maybe you have an idea that is dark but not FlaxPod/Resene Element? We are finishing off a house at the moment and they have used COLORSTEEL® Ironsand/Resene Ironsand. I’ve yet to see it but I’ve heard from the builder that is looks good.

A. COLORSTEEL® Slate is an updated version of Ironsand – less brown, more charcoal. I suggest Slate for the roof, guttering and garage door.

For the vertical and horizontal boards Resene Boris is a softer variant of Slate – it is not too dark for the design. Team it with Resene Merino for the soffit. For this design I suggest a lighter soffit.

I would keep the vertical and horizontal cladding the same colour – as you have a deep roof, and two tones might ‘sandwich’ the house. The different lines (horizontal and vertical) will create contrast.

November 2024


Q. I need help deciding on a colour to paint the walls of an open plan living/kitchen and dining room. The space is large and light. I was looking at Resene Double Sea Fog but don’t want to make the room too cold and sterile looking. I was also thinking about the entryway and whether I could paint the coat rack in a different colour.

The ceiling has just been painted in Resene Half Sea Fog.

A. Resene Double Sea Fog is a bone white and not particularly cold – especially if you have good light. Your room is looking fabulous and Resene Double Sea Fog will make a further improvement.

For entryway, the coat rack makes a statement so I don't feel you need to do it another colour – you could pop some colour on the interior of the door however depending on the exterior colour.

Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen is the preferred product and finish for the open plan areas and entrance way. It is a durable low sheen waterborne enamel, which means being a durable paint the finish remains looking better longer and it can be easily spot cleaned with Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner.

November 2024


Q. What light brown or possibly cream type colour would go well on the fence with Resene Lumbersider? I’m looking to get something light so that it will hopefully lighten the house a bit (on the inside) where I have a mixture of Resene Quarter Alabaster and Resene Half Alabaster on the walls. I will be looking to paint the retainers as well as the fence. I’m looking for something that will be complementary to the house. If you are able to provide 3-4 suggestions so I can get Resene testpots that would be awesome.

A. I suggest leaning towards the lighter browns/beiges – a cream colour would be best matched to the gable colour of the house. This might look ok on the fences but not quite right on the retaining walls and will become dirty quite quickly. The colours I suggest will appear lighter outside in reality – two coats are recommended to get coverage and the true colour. Try Resene Pravda, Resene Half Stonewall or Resene Double Tea.

November 2024


Q. We are getting new kitchen cabinetry which is Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream. Would Resene Rice Cake or Resene Half Rice Cake be good for the walls?

A. There won't be much difference in colour strength with Resene Rice Cake or even Resene Half Rice Cake to Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream – it may end up looking like a mismatch – you could try Resene Half Rice Cake as it does depend on lighting.

Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream is a lovely warm white on cabinetry and I have seen it work best with its own variants – you might like to try Resene Half Thorndon Cream for the walls, Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream for the walls or possibly Resene Quarter Rice Cake.

You could also opt to paint the walls the same colour as the cabinetry, although in this instance I feel that may not work for you.

November 2024


Q. We have a timber weatherboard house painted in Resene Surrender. The COLORSTEEL® roof and flashings need repainting. They are currently New Denim Blue. Do you suggest keeping them this colour or painting them something different to go with Resene Surrender? Like Resene Grey Friars?

A. Yes, I recommend Resene Grey Friars – it pairs well with Resene Surrender and is more current.

November 2024


Q. What black goes well with red brick? We wish to paint over brown and mustard colours.

A. Try Resene Bokara Grey or Resene Element.

I recommend you use the Resene CoolColour formula, as it deflects more of the sun’s heat away from the dark colour compared to the normal colour, protecting the substrate. More information can be found on the Resene website or at your local Resene ColorShop.

November 2024


Q. We want to give our 1960s house an update. I’m looking for a colour palette that goes together with the red lounge that we inherited. We like the red and want to paint the rest of the house around that. A bit like a New York apartment vibe.

Our lounge is half red, with lots of light from the two front windows. We were wondering if painting the rest of the lounge in same red would work? I’m finding it hard to work out which red it is.

I also need a colour for our kitchen that will complement the stainless steel bench and black accessories and goes with the red dining, It is very sunny.

I have toyed with the idea of light blue with the silver or darkish green or even black or grey blue? I haven’t nailed down a colour for that yet.

Our bedroom we are thinking of green, avocado green maybe. It’s a cooler room. The curtains in the room are a light green.

We are going to use grey blue for the spare room that is an office now and will paint the brick wall grey-blue. It’s also on the sunny side with a wooden bookshelf and desk and paired with cream chair and linen roman blinds. And maybe we could use Resene Golden Sand or Resene Butter for the hall that joins all the rooms with a wall of black framed photos and white surrounds. I would like to know if the paints can be chalk paint?

A. Unfortunately, we can’t match online accurately – to onscreen colours, and even if you did manage to match the red accurately, you will be comparing old paint to new paint – therefore I suggest you choose a red you love that is close enough and paint the entire room.

Try Resene Mexican Red – it is a soft terracotta red which might work well, Resene Tall Poppy which is redder than terracotta or Resene Lusty – these are on point colours at present.

Chalk paint is usually only recommended for small areas, mainly on things like furniture. Resene SpaceCote Flat is an alternative you can use and is a durable waterborne enamel – it will give you the same look as a chalk paint.

For the kitchen – try Resene Baring Head, Resene Bermuda Grey or Resene Half Smalt Blue – you could then choose a neutral for the cabinetry.

Try Resene Contour, Resene Avocado or Resene Flax for the bedroom – it really depends on how these colours work with the curtains.

For the office try Resene Lynchpin or Resene San Juan.

For the hallway try Resene Manuka Honey or Resene Golden Sand – it will depend on borrowed light as to which tone of yellow pairs better.

November 2024


Q. I quite like the look of your Resene Indian Ink. We are just finishing recladding our 60/70s house in Hardies Weatherboard. The exterior colour is Resene Inside Back and we have a FlaxPod Matte roof and spouting. I’m looking for a colour to go on the end exterior wall where the cladding will be vertical Hardies Oblique that will go with the Resene Inside Back and FlaxPod Matte. We may also get the bottom door coloured the same.

A. I have been considering the blue of Indian Ink – which will be enhanced in natural light, with Flaxpod – which I generally put a deep green blue with, but I think that Resene Indian Ink with Resene Inside Back could look stunning!

Also try Resene Blue Bark, Resene Cod Grey, Resene Dark Knight or Resene Cinder.

November 2024


Q. I have Resene Half Black White kitchen cabinetry in an open plan area and would like to use Resene White Pointer on the wall with a chocolate coloured oak stained floor. What do I paint the ceiling if I want it to blend with the walls not stand out using a whiter white?

A. I recommend using Resene Half White Pointer. With the way the light falls on the ceiling – in shadow – it can look more like Resene White Pointer in certain lights, so will blend with the walls.

November 2024


Q. What are some of the colour and style trends that are coming in and what is influcening these? Which Resene colours do you think will start to be used more?

A. I believe the continuation of sustainable design and eco inspired themes with global wellness in mind, driven by the fundamental desire for peace, authenticity, and hope. Soft mid toned hues and deep moody colours give a ‘feel good’ energy. Sky blues and aquamarines will continue in popularity as they sit well with the landscape. I would like to see Resene shades of deep violets and reds, replacing the cooler blue and green blacks, as they evoke a sense of warmth and cosiness – such as Resene Spitfire, Resene Hinau and Resene Upstage.

November 2024


Q. I’m looking for house colours. It’s a 1970 weatherboard house with brown aluminium windows. I was thinking of Resene Wan White, the facade at each end in Resene Foggy Grey and the garage door and hand railings, deck front door etc in something like Resene Ironsand? I’m a bit stuck on the darkest accent colour.

A. Your combination of colours works well.

I suggest you use the CoolColour formula of Resene Ironsand (the CoolColour deflects more of the sun’s heat away from the colour so substrates painted in darker colours are protected, and cooler underfoot). I would suggest using this for your deepest accent, perhaps for all the timber deck railings, handrail and fascia.

To go with Resene Wan White, for the deck itself I suggest a pale variant – Resene Quarter Ironsand (Resene Ironsand might be too dark). For the front door I suggest a gloss finish – in Resene Ironsand – the gloss will create further contrast to the low sheen of the railings.

November 2024


Q. I have bought a house which has the exterior painted in Resene Sandstone (but not sure what strength) and want to get a testpot for full strength Resene Sandstone and perhaps another complementary colour (darker or deeper colour). 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. It is known that dark colours on porous substrates such as plaster do attract heat, which can cause cracking. Consider using Resene CoolColour paint – it will help reduce the risk associated with dark colours but does not necessarily eliminate the risk. More information is found on the Resene website or via your local Resene ColorShop.

November 2024


Q. We want to paint our cedar bach weatherboards and probably also ‘bag’ the brick and then paint so that it is all one colour. The roof and the windows are all aluminium and we would like a light colour to help reduce the sun warping impact on the weatherboards. The local Resene ColorShop told me the paint needs to be LRV 60% or above. I would appreciate some colour advice. I am thinking about something like Resene Half Tea/Resene Quarter Tea, Resene Half Rakaia, Resene Quarter Duck Egg Blue or Resene Half Surrender but don't want the house to look like a grey battleship!

A. The recommended LRV for new cedar weatherboards is 45% plus. Resene CoolColour paints also help reduce heat related issues – so if you are concerned with colours that have a lower LRV than 60%, using Resene CoolColour paints is an option. To suit the environment and claddings I suggest you try the following using testpots (two coats): Resene Truffle (LRV 54%), Resene Triple White Pointer (LRV 62%), Resene Cloudy (48%), Resene Eighth Stonewall (49%), Resene Quarter Foggy Grey (LRV 64%) or Resene Ted LRV 58%. Perhaps choose 3 or 4 of these to try. This will enable your eye to pick up the undertones and then decide which one works best.

Colours tend to appear lighter outside – so I am suggesting colours which all have a high LRV, but not too pale.

November 2024


Q. We are repainting the exterior of our house. We have decided to go with something different from the blue tones but something still neutral etc. We have settled on using Resene Quarter Silver Chalice for weatherboards with Resene Half Black White for windows and other areas that are currently white. Now we’re just trying to decide on what we use for trimmings and the front door. We were looking at Resene Armadillo and Resene Mine Shaft as options but are open to suggestions on what would best suit as a contrast to our chosen colours. We’re also open to ideas on what colour would suit the stairs/flooring of the porch in light of the new colour scheme.

A. Resene Armadillo is a gorgeous colour and will look great with the scheme. A gloss finish for the front door using Resene Enamacryl (waterborne) or Resene Super Gloss (solventborne) will enhance it further.

Colours tend to look lighter on floors – for the porch and stairs I feel a mid-shade will work best to balance the deeper accent colour and the lighter walls – try Resene Kensington Grey which is a warm, elegant stone grey or you might opt for Resene Silver Chalice or Resene Double Silver Chalice.

November 2024


Q. I'm looking at a very simple colour scheme for a basic family home. We are thinking of white walls and trims with grey doors. I was wondering if Resene Black White for the walls/trims will work with Resene Concrete on the internal doors? The flooring will be a combination of laminate 'wood-look' flooring and charcoal carpet.

A. Yes, it will work, especially with charcoal carpet – it does help if the wood look flooring is on the lighter side to go with Resene Concrete. This is a cool toned scheme so good natural light helps.

Consider sheen levels and product type when choosing whites – so that the finish remains looking better longer. Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen is the preferred product for walls – it is a durable, low sheen waterborne enamel, which means it is easily cleaned and hard wearing. Resene Lustacryl is the semi-gloss version and is a great product for doors and trims – it gives a nice subtle contrast to the low sheen walls.

November 2024


Q. We have a cream brick 10 year old house with Ironsand roof and gutters and cream joinery and are revamping the front entrance area including the concrete driveway, and were advised to paint the two walls in the entranceway in Resene Ironsand. I've since found out that we can't just paint two walls of the brick as it will bleed at paint edge. We're now looking to paint the entire brick house but not sure if we should do it all in Resene Ironsand. The wooden areas above/below the windows are already painted Resene Ironsand. Can you advise what colour scheme we could now use as we're afraid it will look weird with the roof and all walls the same colour?

A. A lot of new builds are painted in one colour – this includes the roof joinery and walls, as it creates impact when there aren't too many details – and many brick homes take a similar approach to disguise the brick and modernise the overall look. The roof always looks different to the walls – generally lighter even when it is painted the same colour. However, as you have cream joinery, a softer approach may work best – but stay within similar tones so you are not creating a house that looks separated with each substrate – try Resene Half Ironsand, Resene Quarter Ironsand and Resene Gauntlet.

November 2024


Q. I have a 1930s cottage with an orange terracotta roof. What is the best colour to paint the exterior? I was thinking light blue/grey and white.

A. Try Resene Ted, a blue tinged grey that looks lovely on weatherboards or Resene Quarter Silver Chalice. I would pair them with Resene Quarter Black White for contrast.

November 2024


Q. I have stained a wooden garden house in Resene Limed Ash wood stain. My next project is painting our house with Resene Sonyx 101, matching the garden house tone. I was looking at Resene Condor but it looks more grey and less blue.

A. It is very difficult to match to a stain as they are semi-transparent and change depending on what timber they are applied to and can change colour in varying lights. If you try to get too close to the colour it can look mismatched – it is better to go a bit deeper, but in tone, try Resene Baring Head, Resene Bluff, Resene San Juan or Resene Lynchpin. Resene testpots (two coats) are recommended. Please do not paint onto existing coloured substrates. For accuracy of colour paint the testpots individually only A2 card in two coats with an unpainted border and then move them around your home to see how they look with the Resene Limed Ash.

November 2024


Q. We are looking to lighten the walls in our home, but also match the colour family with the new kitchen and want to ensure the paint won’t clash with existing carpet. The kitchen installer has some white shades of Resene in their collection but I’m keen to get the right one.

A. I wouldn’t attempt to match online to a white kitchen – whites are very tricky as there are so many different undertones – the first step is to take home a range of white colour palettes – I suggest you look at the palettes that include the Resene Black White variants, Resene Alabaster variants and Resene Sea Fog variants – and as Resene chips are actual paint samples – hold these against the kitchen cabinetry to get the closest match – from there we can help you decide on wall colours which work with the cabinetry.

It might be worth matching to the carpet with the closest paint colour too, so we are aware of the undertone.

This will be the most cost effective and time saving exercise.

Resene ColorShops also have A4 swatches of real painted samples so you can also take your kitchen samples into a Resene ColorShop to compare them to large swatches of the Resene colours. This will make it easier to see the different tones in the whites.

November 2024


Q. We have painted a roof of a thirty year old wide planked Hardie clad home with Resene Karaka and were going to use Resene Ash but are not sure if this would be ok. Our joinery is brown aluminium.

A. Resene Ash might be a bit pale for Hardiplank and brown aluminium windows – I find slightly deeper colours work better. Try Resene Double Ash, Resene Quarter Arrowtown, Resene Castle Rock, Resene Copyrite or Resene Half Taupe Grey.

November 2024


Q. I would like to repaint my bathroom. It’s a small room and the walls are currently white. I’m keen to paint it a soft green but would consider other options too. What I’m wondering is, do I paint the walls and ceiling the same colour? And what about the scotia and skirting? The ceiling is sloping.

A. Painting the angled ceiling the same colour as the wall will avoid making the room look and feel choppy.

It can create a cosy atmosphere in a bathroom with the right colour.

I suggest you paint the scotia the same colour as the walls for a seamless look – I do suggest painting window architraves, skirtings, the door, and door frame white.

A soft green or duck egg could be nice – try Resene Paris White, Resene Quarter Periglacial Blue, Resene Breeze, Resene Quarter Robin Egg Blue or a soft sage like Resene Secrets or Resene Tasman – it really depends on how they look in the natural light.

Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen Kitchen & Bathroom is the preferred product for bathrooms as it has added MouldDefender and anti-bacterial properties.

Resene Lustacryl Kitchen & Bathroom is the preferred product for trims and doors – it has a lovely semi-gloss sheen which contrasts nicely against the low sheen walls.

November 2024


Q. We are doing a full renovation in our masonry two bedroom, one bathroom and toilet and laundry with open plan kitchen and dining and lounge. There is an abundance of natural light throughout the day. We want to use Resene Black White throughout. Please advise on strengths for the ceiling, walls, doors and recommendations for bedrooms etc.

A. Resene Alabaster works well with Resene Black White, for this type of structure – I suggest it for all other substrates.

For the bedrooms – you are open to any colour really, it depends on what other colours there are to work with and what type of colour you are looking for – you might consider a warmer colour like Resene Half Sea Fog or a deeper variant such as Resene Triple Black White – both will pair with Resene Alabaster.

November 2024


Q. I want to paint my kitchen in an ink navy blue colour. What would you recommend please?

A. Try Resene Blue Night, Resene Indian Ink or Resene Bunting.

November 2024


Q. Our street has similar-age simple heritage villas on both sides. It’s very sunny on the Western (downhill left hand) side and has all day sun at the back (North) from morning to night.

There is an 'outdoor room'/covered deck space out there also. That space will have the same paint colour as the rest needs to 'work' well as an internal space. It gets lots of lovely warm light all day and evening. It's the only place the current paint job does not look too cold and dark.

It’s mostly shady on the Eastern (uphill) side.

There is some sun at the South-facing front of the house but it’s more often in shade – and also please note that the bullnose veranda adds darkness/shade to the face of the house. I mostly care how it will look at the front and in the back deck area.

The surrounds and views are very green and very planty in most directions!

The roof is brand new and will not change – the colour is Karaka. The front door and garage are likely to be Karaka. The sills etc will be a white/off-white colour. The internal whites are all different strengths of Resene Bianca.

The current external blue-grey paint job is to my mind depressingly dark and cool in tone and it looks very heavy and flat – especially in the shade. I want a nice greenish colour. Not too minty. Not too yellow. I have looked at Resene Coriander, Resene Bud and Resene Green Spring but all three were too dense/heavy/dark – except in the very brightest sun. Resene Green Spring and Resene Bud were the best tonally. Unless you advise a heavier colour like Resene Bud or Resene Green Spring for some professional reason, we are down to two options: Resene Half Beryl Green or Resene Secrets. We’re leaning towards Resene Half Beryl Green! But is it going to look too golden?

I need advice on which of these two would go best with Karaka.

I also need advice on which white or off-white would go best with each one.

A. You have done your homework well!

Yes, I believe Resene Half Beryl Green will be a bit golden but does work well with surrounding greenery.

I really like Resene Secrets or Resene Terrain with Karaka – these both work well – possibly with the size of your house Resene Secrets might be better for that subtle hint of colour.

Resene Quarter Merino will pair with these greens.

November 2024


Q. We are selling our house and would love to know what colour you would recommend we paint it (weatherboards/fascia/soffit). The joinery is an ugly dark brown, but can’t be changed.

A. Try Resene Triple Truffle or Resene Quill Grey – for the main cladding. For the spouting, window panels and timber fascias I suggest Resene Ironsand – but this needs to work with the roof.

Resene Ironsand complements the windows well.

The base and steps I also suggest Resene Ironsand. I recommend using the Resene CoolColour formula, which helps to deflect more of the heat away from dark colours protecting the substrate.

November 2024


Q. I’m painting the living room walls in Resene Harp. I have a fireplace and will paint it Resene White Pointer as per the chart suggestion. It’s a bungalow with the timber square sections. I’m thinking of painting the flat squares in the ceiling Resene Harp and the timber a lighter/warmer white than Resene White Pointer.

Also I have Resene Merino on the ceiling in the next room. Could it work to have two ceilings different? They have a walkway between the rooms.

A. Yes, I think that’s a great idea – consider Resene Quarter White Pointer for the ceiling – it’s a lovely white.

Yes, as there is a walkway between the colour of the ceiling can be different – hence why I suggest keeping the room with Resene Harp a variant of Resene White Pointer on the ceiling so there aren’t too many different shades of white.

October 2024


Q. The roof of my house is COLORSTEEL® Thunder Grey. I want to repaint the house and trims but am not sure of which colour would blend with the roof and a fence that is COLORSTEEL® Sandstone Grey.

A. Try Resene Archive Grey with Resene Half Barely There for the trims, or Resene Quill Grey with Resene Double Alabaster for the trims.

October 2024


Q. It’s time to paint the exterior of our two bedroom house and attached garage. I wonder what colours you would suggest without going too low on the LRV. I rather like a darker grey on the Hardie cladding and something complementary on the rest of the exterior which is plastered. Also please suggest a colour for the eaves, gutters and base cladding. The roof is a green. It’s not being painted at this moment but will do so within the next two years.

A. Try Resene Double White Pointer for the plaster with Resene Taupe Grey or Resene Triple Truffle for the Hardie cladding. Or Resene Triple Sea Fog for the plaster with Resene Gauntlet for the Hardie. Resene Gauntlet may not sit so well with the roof but keeping in mind it will be changed later.

If you are concerned about heat retention – use the Resene CoolColour formula which includes pigment technology to help reduce heat absorbed to the substrate.

October 2024


Q. We are planning on having our Rustic Oak stained house painted using all the recommended steps in a Resene colour. As it is a Shadowclad board and batten house (circa 2007) the LRV needs to be 40 or above. Our roof, garage door and windows are all Grey Friars. What paint colour would you recommend to modernise the house? We are not keen on cold colours or strong greys, preferring some warmth or at least neutral. However we don’t mind greys that have brown tones etc mixed through them. We are open to other neutral tones. We would like to have a colour that is as dark as possible.

A. Grey Friars is a cool toned grey so generally cooler colours do pair better – but greys like Resene Double Silver Chalice LRV 38% have warmth to them compared to a lighter bluer grey.

You might also like to try Resene Half Napa which is warmer – it has an LRV of 51 or Resene Napa which has an LRV of 40%, Resene Half Friar Greystone 39% or Resene Half Taupe Grey 42%.

If you are concerned about heat retention – you can use Resene CoolColour formula which includes pigment technology that helps deflect more heat away from the colour, protecting the substrate.

October 2024


Q. We have painted our hall Resene Double Merino and love it. It’s exactly what we wanted. We are after a contrasting shade for the lounge and want something darker – but not gloomy or something that will shrink the room. Resene Eighth Arrowtown seems a bit dark, Resene Half Truffle a bit too grey, Resene Quarter Napa looks like the right shade – but will it be too much for the whole room? At one end of the room is a double sliding door, and there are windows down one side so lots of natural light. What do you think??

A. I would go with Resene Quarter Napa – it is the right tone coming off Resene Double Merino and not too dark for a room with that much light.

October 2024


Q. We are painting our 20s villa. We have started with the hallway. I have got Resene Alabaster in Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss on the trims which I love. I wanted the wall colour to be bright and fresh as it is a dark space but also warm because it can be cold. We have put Resene Quarter Tea on the wall as on card this looked great together. However now I feel perhaps the contrast is too great, and the colour feels a bit dark for the space. I would love your opinion.

Do you have any suggestions on wall colours that you think would go instead. I do like a contrast between trims and walls, but maybe not so large. We have only applied one coat of Resene Quarter Tea so far.

A. You can never judge a colour by one coat – always test two coats as two gives you the correct colour – this will also likely darken the colour further. Resene Quarter Tea and Resene Alabaster are a very popular combination. If you are looking for something lighter, you could test Resene Half Albescent White or Resene Sea Fog.

October 2024


Q. We want a neutral colour to go with grey carpet and wooden doors and skirting boards.

A. Consider Resene Half Sea Fog or for a slightly warmer colour Resene Half Rice Cake.

Sheen levels and product type make a difference when choosing whites and neutrals. Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen is a durable, low sheen, waterborne enamel, being a durable finish means the colour remains looking better longer and the subtle sheen contrasts nicely with the timber accents.

October 2024


Q. Would Resene Masala exterior paint match with Ironsand roof and windows?

A. Yes – they match well. I recommend you trial Resene Masala with a Resene testpot painted in two coats onto A2 card to check you are happy with the combination.

October 2024


Q. I have painted the hallway trims in Resene Alabaster. I want a wall colour that is contrasting with this and slightly warmer than the trims. But still fresh and bright. What are your suggestions? Would Resene Sea Fog work or would the colours be too similar?

A. Yes, Resene Sea Fog will pair well – you could even try Resene Half Sea Fog as colours appear darker in rooms with low light such as hallways.

Consider sheen levels when choosing whites – Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen is a durable, low sheen, waterborne enamel, which means the finish remains looking better longer and is easier to clean, plus the subtle sheen is a nice contrast to the trims.

October 2024


Q. We are building a Linea clad house which we are planning to paint Resene Ironsand. The roof and fascia is Slate, the joinery is Titania. We are wondering what white we should paint the soffits. Would we do it Resene Titania as well? Also we are planning to paint the facings and sills around the windows in Ironsand as well. Is this a good idea and should we change the sheen from the Linea which we are planning to do in low sheen?

A. Yes, I suggest you keep the soffit the same colour – as Resene Titania will look pale enough against the darker colours.

Resene Ironsand for the facing and sills is a good idea – consider a semi-gloss such as Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss waterborne enamel for contrast and durability. Sheen level samples can be viewed at any Resene ColorShop.

October 2024


Q. I want some ideas of colour combinations that would look good for the exterior of our house. We were thinking of one colour for the bottom half and then one colour for the top half and ideally paint the deck too. The roof is already a darkish grey colour which will remain like this. We were looking at greys, blues or even whites but are open to different options.

A. I suggest two colours – not too dark – and to modernise the overall appearance, I suggest painting the base, garage doors and trim, timber railings and planters the same. Try Resene Concrete or Resene Ted for the main boards and external porch walls, with Resene Half Tuna for the base, garage doors and railings etc, or Resene Triple Black White for the main boards and external porch walls, with Resene Half Baltic Sea for the base, garage doors and railings etc.

October 2024


Q. Can you please advise the best wall colour to complement the kitchen cupboards painted in Resene Quarter Napa? The benchtop is white with hint of grey marbling.

A. Try Resene Sea Fog.

Resene Space Cote Low Sheen Kitchen & Bathroom is the preferred finish, as it is designed to withstand the moisture in kitchens and is easy to clean.

October 2024


Q. Our print shop/newspaper is ready for painting the front facade. For the side walls we used Resene Horses Neck and for the frames of the green glassed windows we used Resene Teak. The roof and fascia are Resene Grey Friars.

There are recessed panels on the door and we want to use the same recessed panels on the wall under the windows. The walls next to the windows will most likely have advertising but written vertically. What colours should we use?

A. My thought is to keep the signage façade in Resene Beeswax and the soffit above the door.

The rest of the façade to be a paler version of Resene Teak – such as Resene Travis, to give it depth, with the windows and sills to be Resene Beeswax.

Try the front door to be a gloss finish in a deeper colour such as Resene Maire.

October 2024


Q. We have Resene Half Solitaire as our skirting and doors throughout the house, and this works with our darker cream aluminium joinery. We want to brighten up the walls, but we can’t seem to find the right colour, many are either looking pink, or blue.

A. When testing the colours – try not to test directly onto the existing-coloured walls as this will change any lighter colour you are trying. Resene sell A2 card which you can paint two coats (two coats will give the correct colour) of a testpot onto leaving an unpainted border around the edge and move it around the rooms. Alternatively, you could undercoat a room first with Resene Quick Dry undercoat and test colours – as you will probably need to undercoat if you are going from an existing darker colour to a much paler colour. It is good to paint onto A2 card regardless so you can see if the one colour works throughout your home.

Colours to try with Resene Half Solitaire are Resene Milk White, Resene Half Albescent White or Resene Chalk Dust.

October 2024


Q. I would like to use Rangoon Green in our house for picture frames and other decorative items. What type of paint product that can be mixed to this colour would be best suited?

A. I recommend Resene Lustacryl, which is a semi-gloss waterborne enamel. This is suitable for this application and is the most popular option, it is not too glossy, and being a semi-gloss future marks and fingerprints, for example, if moving the decorative items can be easily cleaned.

October 2024


Q. I have a two level house. The top level was painted in Resene Freestyling and now I am going to paint the bottom level. Do you have any suggestions on a lighter colour to do the bottom level in? The existing white lower walls will be painted. The top of the house used to be red as well... and now I'm stuck in the middle with colour choices.

A. I suggest softening the white – but not too much – perhaps try Resene Quarter Iron or Resene Half Iron which are pale blue greys. These pale grey/whites should work with the red garage door.

You could also consider a quarter strength of Resene Quarter Freestyling – you could see how this might look by buying 1 x Resene testpot 60 mL White and then 1 x Resene testpot 60 mL Freestyling. Mix 1 part Resene White with 1 part Resene Freestyling to make half strength Resene Freestyling. Then take the half strength Resene Freestyling mix and mix it with an equal amount of white to get an approximate colour mix of quarter Resene Freestyling. It may not work with the red but could be worth trying to see what you think.

October 2024


Q. I am searching for a colour to paint window frames and around a door outside. The walls of the outside are Resene Foggy Grey, the roof is Resene Gauntlet and the door is Resene Poppy red.

A. Try Resene Wan White or Resene Half Wan White.

October 2024


Q. Can you please advise the best colour to paint a wall in the background to fit with a front wall in Resene Gunmetal grey and Resene Sea Fog for the pillars. All our roofs are different colours but by the entrances they are the same colour. Do you think that is too dark for such a long wall? They are on both sides of the driveway.

A. I am thinking Resene Half Foggy Grey or Resene Kensington Grey – a softer approach.

October 2024


Q. What COLORSTEEL® colour matches Resene Napa. I want to put COLORSTEEL® under the deck to hide the wooden structure. I recently painted my house in Resene Napa.

A. There isn't really an exact match to Resene Napa in COLORSTEEL®, but Lichen is probably the closest option.

I suggest you ask to see a sample.

Alternatively you could paint over the COLORSTEEL® with Resene Pre-Coated Steel Primer and Resene Napa so it matches the main house colour.

October 2024


Q. I have Warm White Pearl matt window joinery and was thinking of painting the Linea in the same colour. What do you think?

A. Try Resene Double Rice Cake – it is not an exact match but pairs well, and colours will appear lighter outside. Take the joinery sample into your local Resene ColorShop and view it with the A4 swatch of Resene Double Rice Cake in the Resene ColorShop’s colour library or you could order a Resene testpot.

October 2024


Q. I'm painting my Queenslander and can't decide on which colour to choose. I like Resene Napa for the weatherboards and Resene Alabaster for the trims and railings but am also looking at the Resene Double Tea. Can you give any suggestions, as I don't live at the house so can't test the colours?

A. I recommend Resene Napa – it is a perfect colour for a Queenslander house and suits weatherboard claddings. Resene Double Tea is a bit creamier.

For the trims and railings – I suggest going a wee bit warmer than Resene Alabaster as colours, including whites, appear brighter outside. A softer white might suit better – consider Resene Half Villa White or if you want a sharper contrast Resene Quarter Villa White.

October 2024


Q. We have a new build in the sounds. Should we paint our ensuite the same colour as master bedroom? I'm wanting to paint the house in Resene Quarter Napa but then do the bathrooms in a green. What colour would you recommend?

A. You can have Resene Quarter Napa in your master bedroom, with a green in the ensuite, as long as they complement each other – it is a good idea to keep the ceiling and trim colour the same. The green will also need to pair with your ensuite flooring. Try Resene Conch, Resene Sorrento or Resene Tasman.

Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen Kitchen & Bathroom is the recommended finish for an ensuite – it gives a lovely soft sheen to the walls, is durable and washable, and has the added feature of mould inhibitor and anti-bacterial properties.

October 2024


Q. We painted our daughter’s room in Resene Wafer and now we would like to paint a rainbow on one of her walls. We want to use at least four colours (or seven ideally) to complete our rainbow. But we are hesitating with the colour choices. Shall we go with traditional rainbow colours? Shall we try and complement Resene Wafer tones and have a ‘soft’ rainbow? Shall we use traditional colours but more in muted tones?

A. What a lovely idea and project for you!

I don't think it matters if the colours are not traditional to the rainbow – if the concept is there.

As you have the muted Resene Wafer walls – then I suggest pastels with a bit of punch, or you could opt to wash the colours – so that they are softer – this requires basically thinning down each colour by 10% with water.

I suggest seven colours – this is a true rainbow.

From bottom to top of rainbow – Try Resene Biloba Flower (violet), Resene Perano (indigo), Resene Onahau (blue), Resene Fringy Flower (green), Resene Moonbeam (yellow), Resene Tacao (orange) and Resene Glorious (red).

The above colours are a palette to consider – just a starting point – you could go one shade paler for each.

Resene ColorShops have an instore colour library of A4 prepainted swatches which makes it easier to see how colours go together. Resene staff can assist in finding the colours and then you can lay them out together – perhaps tweak them if necessary and take-home testpots and A2 card to practice on before committing to the wall.

October 2024


Q. My open plan kitchen/dining/family room is painted in Resene Bison Hide. I would like to give one wall depth and dimension so am considering using the Resene FX Paint Effects Medium product.

I was considering painting the basecoat in Resene Triple Bison Hide and then the Resene FX Paint Effects Medium paint mixed with Resene Half Bison Hide. Would that work?

A. Generally the mix is one Resene testpot 60 mL per 1 litre of Resene FX Paint Effects Medium.

Consider using Resene Bison Hide as the testpot for the Resene FX Paint Effects Medium, as colours tend to appear weaker in strength once mixed with Resene FX Paint Effects Medium – plus you want the depth of an accent wall. The Resene Triple Bison Hide will come through the lighter topcoat.

This will be a great look!

We recommend you test your technique onto A2 card first – Resene FX Paint Effects Medium testpots are available – try Resene Half Bison Hide and Resene Bison Hide as topcoats – staff at your local Resene ColorShop will be able to advise you on ratios for the testing.

Also check out the habitat by Resene – special effects create booklet.

October 2024


Q. We have new aluminium windows just installed and am keen to know a matching white paint to go around the architraves to match? I am also keen for the internal walls to be white I think, so can you help with that too please?

A. For the external window architraves – try Resene Half Black White or Resene Black White – these match nicely – they brighten outside – so one might be a bit darker than the Appliance White (minimal) and the other a bit lighter (minimal) – personally, I think a bit darker is safer.

For the interior walls – try Resene Half Sea Fog.

Sheen levels are important when choosing whites for the interior – Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen is a durable, low sheen, waterborne enamel, which means the white stays true to its colour longer and the finish remains looking better longer. It is also easy to spot clean with Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner – worth having on hand for those marks around light switches etc.

Resene Lustacryl is the semi-gloss version and is our most popular finish for architraves inside and out.

October 2024


Q. Is Resene Quarter Stack too light for weatherboards with Resene Half Black White windows. What would you suggest also for the bottom section of a house with these colours. The bottom is a concrete ring foundation.

A. I don't think it is too pale for a weatherboard house, it depends on what look you are wanting to achieve – and with Resene Half Black White as a contrast it will be noticeable – You might like to try Resene Half Stack as an alternative, and it is a bit deeper, as colours do appear up to 30% lighter outside, in bright light.

For the foundation you might like to try Resene Ship Grey.

October 2024


Q. I have a white kitchen with a Resene Indian Ink island and I want to paint one wall with a complementary colour to the Resene Indian Ink. I want it to stay light and bright. What would you suggest?

A. You could try a pale neural with a complex undertone of green or blue, and then you will need to dress the wall with floating shelves or art. Try Resene Quarter Powder Blue or Resene Duck Egg Blue, or you could go for more of a grey undertone with Resene Double Concrete or Resene Triple Concrete.

October 2024


Q. We have got a Windsor Grey roof, Appliance White joinery and would like to use Resene Alabaster as our trim colour. Do you have any suggestions for a colour to paint our house? We were originally thinking light grey but now would like to go a darker, possible charcoal grey colour.

A. Try Resene Baltic Sea, Resene Tuna or Resene Times Square. Depending on the substrate it is recommended that you use Resene CoolColour paint with darker colours which includes pigment technology which deflects more of the sun's harmful rays away from the colour, helping to protect the substrate.

October 2024


Q. We are looking at repainting our weatherboards in either Resene Triple White Pointer or Resene Half Truffle, with white trims and are considering a door in Resene Moonbeam. Our roof is COLORSTEEL® Slate. What colour would be good on the awning and stairs leading up to the door for these colours?

A. Resene Moonbeam will be great for the front door! Try Resene Foggy Grey or Resene Gauntlet for the steps and porch.

For the awning I suggest blending it into the weatherboard colour – so the same colour as the walls – this allows the front door to be the feature.

You could always increase the gloss level of the awning – so if the weatherboards are low sheen, the awning could be semi-gloss so that it is highlighted a wee bit.

October 2024


Q. We are repainting a 1980s Hardiplank house with brick front facade. We are renovating to sell. The bricks are brown with charcoal/black chunks in them. The Hardiplanks are currently a very pale creamy green colour. The flat cladding, external stairs and deck railing are Resene Forest Green. Wood surrounding the garage doors is red/brown in colour. We are replacing the front door with a wooden door. Can you please give us some advice on a colour scheme that would look great?

A. As you are selling, I suggest a pale to mid neutral colour so that it appeals to a wide market. For all painted walls try Resene Triple White Pointer, Resene Truffle, Resene Credence or Resene Half Taupe Grey.

For the woodwork, and eaves I suggest Resene Half White Pointer, including the trim around the garage doors.

The green painted walls I suggest painting out to the main wall colour.

For the stairs I suggest Resene Stepping Stone For the garage doors I would soften the white to Resene Half White Pointer.

October 2024


Q. We are painting the outside of our house. We live on a farm. We have black window frames and a black roof. We like a light colour. Our cladding is plaster. The inside of the house is Resene Double Sea Fog and Resene Alabaster.

A. Keeping it light will suit the architecture – consider Resene Wan White, Resene Quill Grey, Resene Triple Black White or Resene Poured Milk.

October 2024


Q. We are painting our skirting and architraves in Resene Alabaster. Our shutters are supposedly Resene Black White and we are trying to match these but be a little warmer. Will this work? Also what colour would you recommend the ceiling – Resene Alabaster, Resene Half Alabaster or Resene Quarter Alabaster? The bedroom wall colour will be Resene Opal, and possibly Resene Quarter Villa white for the living room.

A. Yes, it will work – generally the ceiling would be the same – Resene Alabaster so you are not introducing too many different whites, this will pair nicely with Resene Opal walls.

If you do prefer more contrast and your ceiling is standard height – then try Resene Half Alabaster.

I have seen Resene Quarter Bianca or Resene Eighth Rice Cake pair well with Resene Quarter Villa White for trims or ceilings – so perhaps try either or those. Resene Quarter Bianca is cleaner and Resene Eighth Rice Cake is a little earthier.

I assume you don’t have the Resene Black White shutters in the living room.

October 2024


Q. We have a Rockcote Integra system home (Resene Sea Fog) with Cedar (Resene Woodsman natural oil stain), the joinery is Grey Friars with a glass door, pine timber deck (uncoated at the moment), and pine timber fence (uncoated).

What stains would you suggest for the fence and deck? My wife is looking into black stain for the fence and natural oil for the deck.

A. Resene Pitch Black stain may be just a little harsh with the overall colour scheme – consider Resene Crowshead or the softer neutral Resene Shadow Match.

For the deck with the cedar stain existing – the natural stain might appear a bit orange next to it on pine – but will fade back – you could try Resene Natural or Resene Nutmeg.

October 2024


Q. Our existing exterior paint is Resene Half Akaroa. Do you have a suggestion for something lighter that doesn't have yellow/brown in it?

A. You could try Resene Half Cougar, Resene Cloud or Resene Truffle – they look different when on various claddings outside so make sure to test them before judging – please don't test directly onto the existing Resene Half Akaroa as it will change the visual appearance of the new colours – we recommend you undercoat an area first with Resene Quick Dry primer undercoat or paint two coats of a testpot onto A2 card leaving an unpainted border around the edge and compare them outside.

October 2024


Q. We are getting new FlaxPod joinery on our 1970s house that is in a coastal environment overlooking the Pauatahanui Inlet. We want to paint the exterior and want to do a dark colour to complement the Flaxpod joinery. The house gets a lot of north facing sun. I’m open to any thoughts on exterior colour and the weatherboards are not cedar but painted to look like cedar.

A. Try Resene Half Baltic Sea, Resene Baltic Sea, Resene Boris or Resene Nocturnal. For the soffit I suggest a white such as Resene Black White.

October 2024


Q. Our windows are silver aluminium and our house is painted Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta.

Our next door neighbour’s back door that faces over our fence is a blue that I wouldn’t be too keen on being similar to. Our back fence that you can’t see from the front is Resene Lemon Grass. Our home is Cape Cod style.

A. If you want to keep with the Cape Cod theme – perhaps consider the front door and garage door in Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta – the front door could be a gloss finish to distinguish the difference.

Keeping the garage door pale means it won’t dominate the soft overall scheme – you could opt to paint the front door a pop of colour such as a yellow or a variant of Resene Lemon Grass, or a variant of the roof colour.

October 2024


Q. What are some nice modern/off whites to go with a FlaxPod roof and white window trims?

A. Try Resene Triple Sea Fog, Resene Wan White or Resene Double White Pointer.

Colours, including whites appear brighter and lighter outside so I have included the deeper variants, so there is a contrast between the windows and walls.

October 2024


Q. Thank you so much for your last referral for a yellow colour for an East-facing bedroom – I'm impressed with this service!!

I have another bedroom to paint – we used blue in the north-facing bedroom so it's very bright in the room (about 20 years ago!! – so I don't remember the Resene blue colour we used but it is similar to Resene Pattens Blue). I’d like something similar but newer.

A. I suggest you try Resene Comfortably Numb – it is like Resene Pattens Blue but a little deeper, and a little bit more muted, which is modern and will help counteract the light more.

October 2024


Q. Which white trim paint would best suit Resene Quarter Sandspit Brown?

A. Try Resene Half Alabaster.

October 2024


Q. I’m in the process of updating weatherboards. I like the Hamptons style blue/greys with white trim with copper spouting and natural timber for the soffit. Can you suggest something for the weatherboards? The new roof will be dark green e.g. Karaka.

We do have another building on site which has a slate roof, so we could also tolerate a grey blue roof on the main house.

A. I suggest Grey Friars for the roof. Karaka is not a typical Hamptons colour, and the blue grey roof will pair better with the weatherboard options – try Resene Concrete, Resene Quarter Grey Chateau or Resene Quarter Silver Chalice. For the trims try Resene Half Black White.

October 2024


Q. I have a weatherboard house. It gets a lot of light on a couple of sides. The roof is COLORBOND® Ironstone. I have tried Resene Eighth Stonewall but found it too light and found Resene Quarter Stonewall too dark/beige. Resene Truffle also too beige. I would like a blue/grey/beige/green shade.

A. Try these Resene colours: Resene Half Taupe Grey, Resene Foggy Grey, Resene Half Delta, Resene Quarter Tapa or Resene Half Tapa.

Please try Resene testpots, as the colours look different in exterior light – please do not paint them directly onto the existing weatherboard colour as this will not give a true indication of the new colour – either undercoat a few boards first with Resene Quick Dry primer undercoat or paint two coats of the testpot onto A2 card leaving an unpainted border around the edge.

October 2024


Q. We're looking at colours for our new build and we have a bit of a challenge. The covenant states: 'finished in a recessive, non-reflective muted colour'.

While the plaster render system states: 'Resene Construction Systems 50mm EPS Insulated Facade System Premium mineral-based texture finish. One colour with a light reflectance value (LRV) over 25%.'

So we have a couple of questions, what colours from the Resene range (blue, green, grey tones) would fit within the competing requirements? Also would using Resene CoolColour help with the challenge?

A. Non reflective basically means no bright or very light colours, so you would typically need to choose blacks, greys and browns or darker colours.

Resene CoolColour paints help to minimise the heat related damage to substrates caused by dark colours absorbing light (non-reflective) but you will need to check with the council or who you have to submit your preferences to for approval. To be on the safe side you could choose colours with an LRV of 25% and above then perhaps a few at 15% and above and present them before committing.

The LRV ratings are listed on the Resene website for each colour and on the back of the colour charts. You can view these at www.resene.com/colour.

To keep it simple I suggest you visit a Resene ColorShop and choose a few colour palettes that appeal and see what the LRV is, as there are many that fit this LRV rating, or you can use the LRV tool at www.resene.com/colour to narrow down the colours that fit within your LRV range.

To give you a starting point and an example of depth of colour Resene Tapa has an LRV of 28%.

For any colour with an LRV under 40% I recommend Resene CoolColour paints regardless, as you are then moving into the mid to dark range.

October 2024


Q. I have a black wall that I want to change to a colour but am not sure what to paint it. The other walls are white. I want to bring warmth in and to go with the wooden furniture I will be bringing in. The lighting is good.

A. I am a lover of black walls, but for your room you may need to soften and warm it. As there is good light so I wouldn't go too pale as it might be ineffective. How about a soft olive green which has warmth with its subtle yellow undertone – such as Resene Contour, a sage like Resene Flax or Resene Half Rivergum or Resene Taupe Grey from the Karen Walker Paints collection for a neutral. A warmer taupe or soft terracotta could be nice but may clash with the furniture.

It's best to test your colours using Resene testpots painted onto A2 card – two coats – unfortunately the black wall surrounding any samples will absorb the light and not give the true representation of softer colours. It is advisable that you undercoat the wall before attaching the A2 samples – with Resene Quick Dry undercoat or leave a border of white around the A2 card and paint within the border to block out the adjacent black when viewing the colours. The wall will need to be undercoated regardless, to get coverage with a paler colour.

Consider sheen levels to create the right mood and to minimise the light reflection – Resene SpaceCote Flat is a durable, waterborne enamel, with a matt finish and gives a lovely, velvet appearance. Resene Space Cote Low Sheen is the slightly higher sheen version if you do like a bit of sheen.

October 2024


Q. I would like to discuss whites for a small bathroom. I need advice on white to paint the trim and windowsill and a white for the walls and ceiling.

A. For bathrooms it depends on what other elements you must work with and how much light the space receives – warm off whites are a good option that you might want to investigate such as Resene Bianca and Resene Half Bianca – as they illuminate the room – for the ceiling and trims try Resene Alabaster, to keep it light and fresh. Resene Rice Cake and Resene Half Rice Cake are a little earthier but may work better with certain fixtures/flooring options.

If there is quite a bit of white in the bathroom and there is good light, you could also consider a duck egg colour – such as Resene Quarter Periglacial Blue – or you could go for a deeper white such as Resene White Pointer or for a cleaner white try Resene Chalk Dust.

October 2024


Q. We are building a new home as a rental or airbnb. It is on the coast and I would like a coastal feel. I'm struggling as it is only a small house – 140 sqm rectangle, so I want to make it as attractive as possible given the boring shape! The first stage is exterior colours then I will move inside.

A. We will need more information to narrow the options for you – as we also need to know what the materials/suppliers are for the cladding, roof, and joinery and if there are any restrictions on colour due to the substrate warranty and location, before we can offer guidance.

A good place to start is to gather ideas online via the Resene website, where there is a host of information on Hamptons and coastal design, or via magazines such as the habitat by Resene booklets which you can browse online or pick up a complementary copy at your local Resene ColorShop or check out the coastal projects at www.habitatbyresene.co.nz. Keep a folder of the looks you like – and the ones you don’t.

This way we have something to work with when we help guide you with your colour options, and you will personalise your lovely new home.

In this instance as there will be a lot of info back and forth the best outcome for you might be to do the above research and make a booking with a Resene instore Colour Expert (a free service) which can be booked via the website or we can assist with a virtual colour consultation online – either can be booked online at www.resene.com/colourconsult.

Hard finishes are best chosen first for the interior – your flooring, kitchen finishes and any soft furnishings you like. If you can't decide – gather two or three of the finishes you like, and we can help either in store or online.

October 2024


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

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