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.
Q. We are repainting three bedrooms in our house and would like advice on the whites for the trim, ceilings and also the walls in one room. Bedroom 1 will be Resene Half Surrender for the walls, bedroom 2 will have a feature wall in Resene Broom then we'd like a white for the other walls, bedroom 3 will be Resene Half Smalt Blue on walls. We were thinking of Resene Alabaster for all trims and ceilings. Should we do the same colour for the white walls in bedroom 2 or go for a different white? And is Resene Alabaster the best fit for these wall colours? A. Yes, Alabaster is a good fit for trims etc. December 2024 |
Q. We are painting the exterior of our house and I'm wondering where to start in picking a white for the doors, windows and trim. I prefer a crisp white rather than a cream. A. Try Resene Alabaster or Resene Quarter Rice Cake. Whites will look brighter outside in natural light. December 2024 |
Q. We are painting our house and want guidance on what colours to use. We have a villa with a dark grey roof, and want all trim to be white with a contrast on the house. I don’t want grey, beige or brown but preferably a light colour that offers a contrast and works with a grey/black roof and garage door. A. Try Resene Sea Fog it is a bone white that looks great on villas with white trim and grey/black roofs. Otherwise, you could try a neutral with a green edge like Resene Ash or Merino. December 2024 |
Q. I have a very small TV room 3 by 3 with bookcases all along one wall and two walls have sliders to the hall and living/kitchen. The last wall is totally glass double doors, it has a pitched funny shaped roof and I would like to do something to make it feel more spacious. A. The illusion of space is created when the walls and ceiling are close in colour. Colour drenching is what opens a space as the eye doesn’t stop at breaks in colour – it flows. In saying that it may be that you need a more interesting scheme – perhaps a colour for the walls and half strength for the ceiling – if the walls are a deeper colour – or to keep the space light, You can choose a pale colour for all over the walls and ceiling. Cool toned colours recede so this creates a feeling of space, such as blues and greens. Alternatively, you could opt to wallpaper the walls and ceiling! Subtle papers can work in light colours – fully commit to the solution if you really want to make it a feature. By papering the walls and ceiling the awkward angles are blending into the walls but you are still featuring them. Get a taste of Resene wallpapers online or view the full collection at your local Resene ColorShop. Decide on an aesthetic – perhaps think about the rest of your house and its style. December 2024 |
Q. We bought a 95 brick unit. The brick is a soft neutral orange earthy colour. Unfortunately the joinery, doors and tile roof are mist green. We had to retrofit the internal guttering and I chose Thunder Grey COLORSTEEL® external guttering. About a quarter of the house is wood. We also retrofitted double glazing windows with a grey tint. I am now looking at painting all the external wood and eaves in Resene Squall matching the guttering and modernising the house look. I was going to use a soft grey but the house would end up way too pastel in colour. It's a soft butter colour at the moment – granny colours. Would using the darker colour be too much? I think it will neutralise the almost pastel green joinery and your eyes would be drawn to the darker modern colour? A. Yes it is a great idea and it will draw the eye – however, the largest expanse of mist green is likely the garage door which will be enhanced next to a darker colour. I still believe the house will look better darker, as it will simplify the scheme and that modernises, but if at some stage you can paint the garage door to match using Resene Squall that will improve it further. December 2024 |
Q. I have just painted Resene Half Silver Chalice onto my walls. My floor is a reddy wood textured colour. My cabinets and ceiling are white. I'd like to know what's a good colour to get for my glass splashback. A. Depending on your style – you might like to check out the Resene Metallics and Special Effects range of colours which are great for splashbacks. The greys and charcoals on this chart are fabulous – you can browse the colours online, order a free colour chart or pick up a copy at your local Resene ColorShop. December 2024 |
Q. We have a rental property that is due for an exterior paint. I'm looking for colour suggestions, something a little more contemporary. A. Try Resene Element for the guttering and any railings, Resene Athens Grey for the soffit, Resene Silver Chalice for the main cladding and Resene Ship Grey for the base. December 2024 |
Q. I am really struggling to choose a scheme for our 1920s bungalow. Every house in our area seems to be using grey so I have really gone off that. My first choice Resene Half Lemon Grass is looking a little heavy and I have painted a test in Resene Pumice which we like but on reflection I feel it is showing a bit too blue for my liking. I definitely favour a green tone. Scrolling through images I’m now considering Resene Green Mist, Resene Cooled Green, maybe Resene Ottoman. Definitely don’t want to look grey, beige or blue. Hoping to get a soft green look but bringing her up to date. I need something similar to Resene Pumice with greener tones. A. Check out Resene Eau de Nil, Resene Secrets or Resene Tasman. It is best to try the colours using Resene testpots. December 2024 |
Q. Will Resene Ironsand (for wooden trims) go with COLORSTEEL® Thunder Grey cladding? Ironsand has a little brown and Thunder Grey has a little green but I’m thinking that this strange/ slightly murky pairing might be interesting. It is for a smallish studio out the back of our house. A. Yes, they will pair together, and this is a great combo for a studio. December 2024 |
Q. I'd like some advice please on a colour scheme for the exterior of my house. I am currently thinking of a pale smoky blue/grey or a lighter version of Resene Juniper and in the courtyard a cream to keep it light and match with the aluminium cream windows. A. Try muted blue/grey/greens – Resene Ashanti, Resene Half Washed Green, Resene Robin Egg Blue or Resene Destiny with Resene Double Rice Cake. I suggest the Resene Double Rice Cake for the fascias, bargeboards, soffit and the courtyard. December 2024 |
Q. My house has (unfortunately) mid-green aluminium joinery paired with a pale yellow exterior paint. The roof is unpainted/galvanised steel. I'm looking to repaint the exterior and want advice for a light neutral colour that will go ok with the green joinery and unpainted roof. I'd prefer to go away from yellow and am thinking a light grey/off white. Some of the colours I like the look of are Resene Half Concrete, Resene Mercury, Resene Midwinter Mist, Resene Double House White, Resene Ajay and Resene Half Stack. A. Try Resene Quarter Delta or Resene Quarter Ash. December 2024 |
Q. I'm in the process of repainting my house. I did a bedroom with Resene Double Pearl Lusta. I'm not sure if this will be too dark for the living areas and if I should tone it down. The ceilings are okay so I won't be painting these (they are white). I will be keeping the doors all white and the door frames. Which 'white' would work best with Resene Pearl Lusta on the walls and the occasional feature wall. Is it okay that I won't be doing the ceilings with the same white that I will be doing the doors and door frames with? A. I suggest Resene Pearl Lusta (rather than Resene Double Pearl Lusta) for the living areas. It is a little more versatile so will pair well with feature walls etc. Resene Double Pearl Lusta is lovely for bedrooms to create a cosy atmosphere. Resene Eighth Pearl Lusta could be nice for the trims and doors with a white ceiling. The trims are typically painted in Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss, so they are a different sheen level to the walls – therefore changing whites is fine. December 2024 |
Q. We are doing a plaster feature wall and want a shade darker than Resene Wan White. We have Resene Wan White on the walls and Resene Half Wan White on the roof. We’re doing Grey Friars as streaks through the plaster wall. A. You might also like to try Resene Double Sea Fog or Resene Triple Sea Fog or even Resene Quill Grey (quite a bit deeper). December 2024 |
Q. My mum wants to paint the weatherboards on the front of the house only and leave the rest of the walls as they are. Ideally she would like a light grey blue type colour. The double doors and trim will stay the same darkish blue. So just the weatherboards to be brightened. A. Try Resene Half Concrete, Resene Athens Grey, Resene Quarter Iron or Resene Poured Milk. December 2024 |
Q. My bedroom walls are Resene Merino and I would like to get a bit of life into the room. Would you use Resene Astronaut with Resene Merino? A. You could but I would use more of a slate blue such as Resene Seachange or Resene Cello. December 2024 |
Q. I need a lighter colour for my exterior walls that will complement Resene Foundry on the top fascia boards. Could you give me some options? A. I think it would work well with a lighter grey like Resene Triple Concrete or Resene Mountain Mist. Check this with the colour on your trims also. Colours appear up to 30% lighter outside so keep that in mind when considering depth of colour – and never test directly onto the coloured substrate as this will not give you a true representation of the new colours – instead paint your testpots onto A2 card to trial them. December 2024 |
Q. We have just bought a house with Resene Half Rice Cake ceilings and scotia and Resene Half Tea walls and skirting. We think the Resene Half Tea walls make the rooms look too dark. What wall colours would go best with the Resene Half Rice Cake ceilings please? We wonder about painting the walls (a) the same colour as the ceiling – would that be too much white? (b) Resene Eighth Spanish White – would that go with Resene Half Rice Cake ceilings? What other wall colours would go with Resene Half Rice Cake Ceilings and keep the rooms light please? A. If you want to visually open the space and keep everything light, then yes colour drenching is a current trend – which is painting all substrates the same colour, with varying sheen levels. Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen is perfect for walls – it is a durable low sheen waterborne enamel, which means the finish remains looking better longer and it gives a lovely subtle sheen to the room. Space Cote Low Sheen can be used on the ceilings – however, if you have a lot of imperfections, it is better to use a flat paint such as Resene SpaceCote Flat as flat finishes minimise defects. Alternately, you might like to investigate Resene Rice Cake for the walls or Resene Half Thorndon Cream. December 2024 |
Q. We are renovating soon and I’m keen to paint the interior one colour. I like the idea of painting the walls and trims the same colour as the house is quite small. Would painting the walls and trims in Resene White Pointer work? If so, what colour would you recommend for the ceiling? If not, any thoughts on something that’s not too cool (but not cream)? There will be mid oak floors and the joinery is Appliance White. A. Yes, I think Resene White Pointer with the Appliance White joinery and oak floors will look lovely, and in this instance painting the trims the same colour will also work – because it will visually open the space, as the eye does not stop at breaks of colour – just vary the sheen level. Try Resene Half Black White for the ceilings or Resene Double Alabaster – the latter is a bit warmer. December 2024 |
Q. I have just finished painting all our ceilings in Resene Half Sea Fog and was planning on painting the walls Resene Sea Fog. This however has thrown off a bluish tinge. We were hoping for the lightest of grey tinges. Can you please advise of a colour for the walls that doesn't throw off any blue and if the woodwork should also be in a different shade. A. How are you testing the Resene Sea Fog? It is unusual for it to throw a blue tint. Generally a blue look occurs because you are testing onto an existing colour that is influencing the new colour. The other reason is tinted glass or a blue rug or some reflection that will happen with any white – as whites reflect the most. You could try Resene Double Sea Fog – being a bit greyer might counteract any blue, or you might like to try Resene White Pointer. You can keep the woodwork in the same shade – Resene Half Sea Fog. December 2024 |
Q. We are looking at painting our house and walls. The windows are a very dark green black. We will be painting the roof and probably staining the garage doors. We want a neutral colour scheme for the vertical cladding and block walls. A. Consider a mid-colour for the vertical cladding and a lighter colour for the block walls which can then be carried onto the framing of the door, the subtle contrast will create a more modern appearance. For the roof, bargeboards and fascias try Resene Ironsand, for the soffit only: Resene Black White, for the block walls and timber door surrounds: Resene Copyrite or Resene Half Copyrite, for the vertical cladding – Resene Cobblestone, Resene Castle Rock or Resene Quarter Gravel and for the garage doors Resene Treehouse. The front doors will look fabulous in a gloss finish – perhaps a dark green to tie in the windows like Resene Black Forest or a red like Resene Aroha or paint it the same colour as the roof. December 2024 |
Q. I’m about to paint the front of my place which is a 23 year old brick home. We are also doing a full new landscape to the front. I want to leave the brick but paint everything else. The question is being an orangey brick, what would be the best darker colour that would tie in really well with it? I’m thinking your Resene Charcoal. I really want to modernise the front of my house but I am conscious of trying to go over the top and forget the brick is original. A. Try Resene Bokara Grey – you might consider painting the entranceway a light colour such as Resene Merino. This will lift the entrance and tie into the windows. December 2024 |
Q. Can you suggest a colour for my old outdoor furniture? I've painted the chairs Resene Rivergum, which isn't feeling quite right. It’s a bit too much like my nearby sofa. Also, after painting I oiled the tabletop and Resene Rivergum now looks a tad dark with that. The setting includes some natural-colour woven chairs. I'd like a green – not too bright and not dark green as it will be seen against fences stained Resene Crowshead. Also not too yellow – I have some distant chairs in Resene Koru and a similar colour glass splashback. The house is Resene Double Thorndon Cream with trim in Resene Nomad. I have wood and sisal in the kitchen/dining. Do you think Xanadu could work – or is that too similar and no lighter? A. You may need to undercoat a chair with Resene Quick Dry primer undercoat so you can test a new colour, without the existing colour affecting the true representation. I agree that Resene Rivergum is not quite right – and Resene Xanadu will also be lost – too washed out. The sage greens are not working in this light/space – you might need to introduce more olive-green tones – as in Resene Koru. This could be repeated onto the chairs. It will look different in each space anyway. Alternatively, try Resene Good To Go. December 2024 |
Q. I have painted my interior trims Resene Half Alabaster, but am stuck on choosing wall and ceiling paint colours. It is a 1950s cottage with heaps of windows, so quite light. I like the Resene Linen and Resene Lemon Grass type colours and look out on to native bush and green paddocks. We have native timber flooring and slate grey kitchen cabinetry on the floor with white wall cabinetry. I tried Resene Barely There in the spare room, but it seems very grey to me. I want a neutral for the walls and ceilings that will make my window trims pop with our country views. A. Try Resene Quarter Linen. Ceilings can appear darker than walls – but this creates a cosy ambience for a cottage. December 2024 |
Q. I want to paint my aluminium front door which is currently cream. The exterior walls of the house are Resene Half Akaroa and the front steps and porch are currently painted Resene Grey Friars. What colour would you suggest for the front door? A. Try Resene Unite, Resene Undercurrent or Resene Foundry or keep it all the same which is a current trend and paint the front door Resene Grey Friars but in a gloss finish. December 2024 |
Q. I have painted some of the front of my house in Resene Triple Dune. I want to know what colour I should paint the top wooden piece at the front in. I was thinking something like greige? Or anything you suggest. I also like Resene Half Lemon Grass. Also for all the sides that are currently beige, should I paint them in Resene Triple Dune or the lighter colour that I do for the front top of the house? Our deck is light grey. I will paint the soffits white and the barge board either Resene Black or Resene Triple Dune. A. I believe you could paint the whole house Resene Triple Dune. It looks great, with the bargeboards black and the soffit Resene Black White so it is not too stark against the dark house – plus this will tie into the windows a bit better. Or Resene Greige does pair well with Resene Triple Dune but it is a case of where do you stop the break in colour – as it looks like the vertical boards continue onto the rear of the house and this could visually separate the structure, but if you really want to paint the front a paler colour then do so only on the front – the rest paint Resene Triple Dune, including the bargeboards. December 2024 |
Q. I'm getting my exterior repainted as part of some repairs and am struggling with the colour choice. The house is a small 1920 bungalow. I like colour and don't just want to go all white or something but don't really know what goes together! Some of the things I've been thinking have been a grey-green or grey-blue with white trim, I like sage or something like Resene Powder Blue but I also saw a picture in one of the Resene brochures of a house using Resene First Light which I thought was really nice too and potentially could go with a darker colour for the house base boards. The house is surrounded by a decent amount of greenery front and back and is north facing. Just after any ideas on some combos if possible, honestly even something completely unlike what I mentioned is fine, colour combos are not my strong suit so if I know an expert has said they go well together that's great! I’m not painting the roof or guttering. A. Resene First Light might be a bit yellow with the roof and surrounds – I suggest a trying a green such as Resene Green Mist for the weatherboards with Resene Flax for the windowsills and front door. It would look great if you could also paint the bargeboards in Resene Flax. For the fascia to match the spouting paint them Resene White, and the timber windows. You might also like to check out Resene Double Duck Egg Blue for the weatherboards. It pairs nicely with Resene Black White for the remaining substrates. December 2024 |
Q. I'm selling and need some expert advice for an exterior colour scheme that will appeal to those planning to buy. A. The first thing for selling is to paint the soffit and fascias a white so you don't need to paint the spouting – Resene Alabaster is a good option, I suggest using Resene Alabaster for the windows, including the bottom sills, and for the deck railings. For the weatherboards a popular colour is Resene Silver Chalice, and you could pair this with Resene Ship Grey for the base. For the decks try Resene Tiri (stain). An alternative colour for the weatherboards is Resene Kensington Grey with Resene Half Baltic Sea for the base. Resene Black in a gloss finish could look great for the front door. December 2024 |
Q. What colour goes well with Resene Gull Grey walls and a Resene Grey Friars roof? We are hoping to use this on barge boards and interior doors of a new Lockwood. A. I suggest Resene Black White. December 2024 |
Q. Our home is a modern new build with a Titania flat roof that you can't see. It is all block walls which might be plastered or left as is, not pointed. We have Silver anodised window and door frames. We were thinking Titania garage doors. What colour would you suggest painting the walls? A. It makes sense to keep the garage doors Titania if the roof is – even if it is flat. Try Resene Half Baltic Sea, Resene Quarter Fuscous Grey, Resene Quarter Gravel, Resene Foggy Grey or Gauntlet. December 2024 |
Q. We are repainting the interior of our home. The ceilings are tongue-and-groove in a natural wood/cedar colour. Some of the rooms have a vaulted (higher) ceiling, but others are lower, so we think we need lighter colours for the carpet and walls. What colour paint would work with the wooden ceilings in a house with full all-day sun and lots of windows? A. As your home has lots of light I like to balance that and the warmth of the wood with a cooler toned white such as Resene Black White or Resene Double Alabaster – a bit warmer, with warmer tones in the bedrooms such as Resene Biscotti and Resene Blanc, or soft blues and greens/neutrals which are muted enough not to be too cool – Resene Ash, Resene Half Periglacial Blue or Resene Half Robin Egg Blue. December 2024 |
Q. We are repainting the exterior of our 1940s California bungalow and the roof is in Grey Friars. The house is in a very sunny position and we would like the new colour to have less reflective glare. We like Resene Stack but could you please let us know if that colour will work with the roof colour? If so, what shade of white would you recommend for the doors and windows? A. Yes, Resene Stack pairs well with Grey Friars. It is a nice combination for a bungalow. For the doors and windows check out Resene Black White which is crisp but not too stark when there is a lot of light. December 2024 |
Q. I have painted my home and I now want to paint the kitchen and bathroom tiles. It is an open plan kitchen and living space. The walls are Resene Half Rice Cake and the trim is Resene Double Alabaster with Resene Quarter Lemon Grass kitchen cupboards. I had leftover paint from the Resene Quarter Lemon Grass which I used on the walls in one bathroom. The second bathroom is a white colour. I want to paint the tiles in a green colour (possible). What would you recommend based on the above? I thought maybe a sage but it's not quite the darkness/depth I would like for the floor so maybe Resene Olive Green, Resene Clover or Resene Dell? A. Resene Clover may be worth trying. Resene Dell is not really the right tone with Resene Quarter Lemon Grass. Also try Resene Olive Green, Resene Saratoga or Resene Tom Thumb. It will depend on the lighting to how they appear. Paint two coats of testpots onto A2 card and lay on the surface that the colours are intended for as colour appears different from a vertical to horizontal surface and as the lighting changes. December 2024 |
Q. I would be grateful if you can help me pick colours for the building and the fence. This is quite an old building; I have an ugly green window frame. Most frames are surrounded by a boxing so potentially this can be a colour in contrast to the window frame, and the rest of the cladding wall can have a different colour. A. I suggest trying a stoney grey with a green edge – Resene Ash, a soft grey – Resene Triple Sea Fog or Resene White Pointer and a pale beige – Resene Double Rice Cake. I wouldn't contrast the box frames as this will date the house. I suggest keeping the fence the same colour as the main house. December 2024 |
Q. Our house is Resene Double Sea Fog. The aluminium is O’Keefe Grey. Trim on the stairs, under the stairs and edge of the deck and under the deck and the columns is all a matched colour in a brown. This is also the trim around the windows. My question is what do I paint the boards on the deck and up the stairs? They are currently stained a reddy brown colour. I’m thinking either stain them Resene English Walnut or paint them Resene Double Sea Fog? A. I would paint them Resene Double Sea Fog – to fit with the overall lightened look, and to modernise. If you stain them Resene English Walnut, they will become the feature – they will look dominant like they do now. December 2024 |
Q. We’d appreciate your thoughts on an external colour scheme for our home. It was completed in 2005 and hasn’t been painted since. We’re not that keen on the colour of the roof (pressed metal tiles) so we’re open to painting that as well. We’d appreciate your advice on a colour scheme for the whole house that would make it look more modern. A. I suggest a deep charcoal for the roof that has a bit of warmth – Resene Porter. You can also paint the guttering this colour if it is painted now. For the bargeboards, horizontal weatherboards, and plaster gable ends – I recommend you paint these the main cladding colour – so they are lighter – and it means there is one colour which simplifies and modernises everything. Using the same for the horizontal detailing on the house and the walls creates a more modern effect – the detailing will still be there. The plaster fascia and soffit will also be the wall colour. Colours to try are Resene Quarter Taupe Grey, Resene Eighth Friar Greystone, Resene Half Friar Greystone, Resene Truffle and Resene White Pointer. Please note that colour appears lighter outside to what you see on a swatch. December 2024 |
Q. We would like to change the colour of the whole house. This cottage is built in 1950. The exterior cladding is weatherboard timber. The exterior is currently a blue which we would like to go lighter. The roof and gutter are Grey Friars and the colour of the windows and doors will be any white that you will suggest. For the interior as we live in a cold area we would like to use a warm colour. But we do not like grey. All the bedrooms and living room faces to a full mountain view and a lake. And if the three bedrooms can be in different colours, that will be great. Currently it’s Resene Villa White in the living room and hallway but we would like something more interesting. The colour of the engineered timber in the kitchen and laundry will likely be Carpet Court Nature’s Oak Sierra. Cabinetry will be in white tone. We haven’t decided on the benchtop and splashback yet. The wall colour of the kitchen area is currently blue similar to Echo Blue. We are not sure if we should change this to other colour or should have it the same as in the living room and hallway. The living area, hallway and all bedrooms will be wool carpeted in light cream colour. The sofas in the living room is light cream leather. We may change this to fabrics but the colour of it will still be beige tone. All the windows, trims, sills and architraves will be in white, but please advise which white to use. A. See if Resene Bluff works for the exterior – it looks great with Grey Friars and is softer/paler than the current colour, but still has impact. Resene Wan White is the recommended white for the windows and doors. For the hallway and living room I suggest Resene Awaroa Bay which has depth and warmth – to bring interest to the spaces and balance the cream. The kitchen I suggest painting the blue out and painting all the walls Resene Wan White – making the splashback the feature with Resene FX Metallic in Resene Lucifer. The benchtop will work if it is a dark engineered stone and the cabinetry white. For the bedrooms – the palette is Resene Cut Glass, Resene Half Robin Egg Blue and Resene Beryl Green – these colours flow from one room to another nicely, and reflect the landscape. For the woodwork I suggest Resene Quarter Wan White. The splash back company can provide samples on glass of Resene Lucifer. December 2024 |
Q. I am building a small home for my mother. The roof is FlaxPod. The front of the building has pine timber to be stained. The side and back walls need to be painted. I would appreciate advice on the exterior wall colours and stain colour. I’m not keen on black. I would like the house to blend into the greenery. My mother's statement 'it might be a box, but it could still look fantastic' A. Try a green grey that reflects the surroundings for the paint colour – Resene Castle Rock. For the stain try Resene Iroko. Or you might like to try a soft charcoal stain such as Resene Shadow Match with a sage green like Resene Ravine. Check if there are any LRV restrictions on new claddings – this can affect warranties. Resene have CoolColour paints and stains which help to reduce heat related issues – and you can mention this to your builder or council – but they do not necessarily change the restriction. December 2024 |
Q. We would like to paint our front door yellow and are considering Resene Light Fantastic or Resene I Dare You. The weatherboards are Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta and the windows are Resene Alabaster. The roof and deck skirting is Resene Karaka. I am not sure what to paint the door architrave. I have considered Resene Alabaster like the windows but am worried that this side of the house will look too white. A. I suggest the front door to be Resene I Dare You it is a bit less fluoro than Resene Light Fantastic. Resene Wild Thing is a great colour too for a softer approach as yellows do intensify – a Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss finish will be nice. The architraves will look great in Resene Alabaster – I recommend only the door itself being yellow. Resene Alabaster won't be too white as the weatherboards are softer and are a classic light cream. December 2024 |
Q. We want to paint our bungalow interior white, but a warm white not a cold black white. Can you please let me know which colour in your range is the whitest warm white? A. Resene Bianca and Resene Half Bianca are popular for a pale warm white. They can take on a yellow tint in certain lights and are good for low light areas. The problem with just randomly picking the whitest warm white. It all depends on what colours are adjacent to it, including any outside trees etc and how bright the room is – the aspect of the light source. If you have a lot of greenery for example seen from windows – Resene Half Rice Cake might work for you – or the pale Resene Quarter Rice Cake. Resene Chalk Dust is a very pale limestone white that works with a lot of colours If you find any of them too warm, then on the slightly cooler side is Resene Merino or Resene Half Milk White. The coolest of them all but can be manipulated warm with the right accessories is Resene Half Sea Fog. December 2024 |
Q. We have painted our 3 x 4m bedroom in Resene Quarter Lemon Grass with Resene Alabaster trims and ceiling. What colour should I go for the linen curtains? A. I suggest matching to Resene Alabaster or a natural linen, check out the Resene Curtain Collection online or at your local Resene ColorShop – the two colours I suggest investigating are Naturalle and Blonde – browse online at the different designs in these two colourways. You really need to see the fabric – as it is a tactile product. There are various stockists of Resene Curtains who will have larger waterfalls of the fabrics and colours. See the Resene Curtain stockist list online. December 2024 |
Q. I'm renovating a bathroom and will have a LeVivi Cyprus Vessel basis in steel blue and some Tribeca Gypsum white gloss wall tiles around the bath. I want to use Resene Blue Moon, which I think is a close match to the basin, as a feature wall and then have a much lighter colour (but not fully white) on remaining walls. What lighter colour would you recommend? The floor will be Armstrong Accolade Cappuccino. The cabinets are Melteca seasoned oak organic. A. Investigate the Resene Duck Egg Blue variants – Resene Duck Egg Blue, Resene Half Duck Egg Blue or Resene Quarter Duck Egg Blue. One of these might balance the other colours – I am leaning towards Resene Quarter Duck Egg Blue, but lighting and seeing the hard finishes can make a difference. I suggest painting A2 card with two coats of a testpot and comparing onsite and with the samples of hard finishes. December 2024 |
Q. We are looking for suggestions for a colour for a glass splashback. The walls are ply and the cabinetry is done in Resene Streetwise. We have brushed stainless plate benchtops. We are thinking the splashback would be the same width as the cabinet above it. A. There are two ways you can go – either a natural pale colour to keep the organic feel with the ply – a cool toned off white to complement the slate blue cabinetry such as Resene Half Barely There or enhance the stainless plate with a metallic finish such as Resene Silver Steel (it is not too bright) or Resene Pure Pewter. Both colours are from the Resene Metallics and Special Effects range. A splashback is not something that is replaced quickly – blacks, whites, neutrals and metallics are timeless choices. It is recommended to ask your glass supplier for samples – as colours look different/softer behind glass and it does depend on the type of glass – standard float glass for example has a green tinge to it which can alter colours. Low iron oxide glass is the most natural and truer to colour. December 2024 |
Q. We have painted our weatherboard house in Resene Blanc. It looks good. The front concrete steps leading into our porch have been painted in Resene Half Tuna (which is our roof colour). What colour would you recommend painting the wooden floor leading to the front door? Our door will also be Resene Half Tuna. The house is 1927 and the front needs to be homely and welcoming. A. If the wooden porch leads on from the concrete steps, then I suggest you paint that Resene Half Tuna as well, otherwise it might look a bit disjointed to have a break between the steps and porch. It is a current trend to paint porches, bases, steps, and front doors one colour. Did you use a Resene CoolColour paint for the concrete steps? The wooden porch can be hot underfoot with darker colours but if you didn't for the steps then the colour can be slightly different. December 2024 |
Q. We've just purchased a house and painted the roof and windows with Ironsand. It needed to be reclad, so we've gone with Weathertex Roughsawn. We have sort of an industrial cottage vibe we'd like, and intended to paint the cladding Resene Bokara Grey, however we aren't sure, will it be too dark? We are open to many options. We also intend to put a wooden portico entrance where the current decked walkway is up to the door, with macrocarpa, with stone at the bottom of the posts. We've ruled out anything blue, and dark forest green as we don't think that would work. We've tested Resene Bokara Grey and Resene Nocturnal and we like them, but aren't sure about the match with Ironsand and the whole house. A. A dark colour will enhance your home. Consider using Resene CoolColour paint – just to help protect the substrate further from heat related issue. Weathertex can be painted a dark colour, but extra protection is always a good consideration in this environment. Both colours are nice and pair with Ironsand – I am leaning towards Resene Nocturnal simply because it is softer, given the size of your home – you could also opt to paint the cladding the same colour as the roof – Resene Ironsand. December 2024 |
Q. I have a gift store and want to paint a feature wall behind the counter. The counter is an old Romulus counter. I have black metal shelving so thought something with an industrial vibe. We have a lot of pot plants so a green colour would also work maybe. The area has good light and is 4 x 3m. The walls are Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream. I like the look of Resene Rivergum and Resene Half Forest Green but I am open to your advice. A. A mid to deep olive or sage green will work – then the plants will pop against it, and it will still give the industrial vibe – not too deep so that it contrasts with the shelving. Resene Rivergum is a great colour and will show up well against the metal shelves and plants, and pairs well with Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream. Resene Half Forest Green might get a bit lost I feel. December 2024 |
Q. I need to find a stain colour for a balustrade to go with the colours that the house/roof/joinery will be. The colour for the roof is Sandstone Grey, the house will be one of these: Resene Half Copyrite, Resene Quarter Taupe Grey or Resene Foggy Grey and the joinery is Appliance White Matt. The centre of the timber balustrade (to be stained) is a thin aluminium railing painted black. So far I have identified Resene Riverstone as being a close stain colour, but your advice would be appreciated, especially as the oil or gel based stains seem to be a richer and maybe longer lasting. A. Try a testpot of Resene Iroko – it pairs with the proposed colours you like. It does depend on the type of timber to how the stain will appear colour wise – Resene ColorShops have samples of all the stain colours stained onto timber for you to view instore. December 2024 |
Q. When painting a ceiling using a half shade down from the walls when it comes to the large curved coving do you paint this in the lighter shade or the wall colour? A. The coving is generally the same colour as the ceiling – so the lighter shade. December 2024 |
Q. We are replacing our roof and the new colour is COLORSTEEL® Karaka. Currently the walls are plastered and painted with Resene Double Napa and all the trim is some sort of dark brown. The interior is Resene Double Alabaster everywhere, so it’s quite bright. We are replacing the French doors as well. We need advice on an exterior colour for the trim and walls that will work with the Karaka roof and white interior. Initial thinking was to go with Resene Half Tea on the exterior walls and some sort of white for the windows and doors, like Appliance White that should work with a white interior, a Karaka roof and a Resene Half Tea exterior. To make it even more compliant we need to pick a colour for the Kwila deck as well to work with all these colours. A. Your colour scheme will work well. Resene Half Tea will look nice on the plaster. Resene have powder coating colours – I suggest Resene Black White. See www.resene.com/powdercoating. You just need to request Resene Powder Coating in Resene Black White. New decks need to be left for three months to weather before staining so you have time to decide – I like the natural colour of Kwila and it has been designed to be left to weather – after three months if you want to refresh it, investigate Resene Kwila Timber Stain. November 2024 |
Q. What colour should I paint the exterior of our modern barn house (bagged brick) with roof in Gull Grey, joinery in Warm Pearl White matt and front door in Ironsand. It sits behind two large London Plane trees on a large site. A. I suggest keeping the bagged brick light, so the house is seen between the beautiful trees so to speak, but not too bright. Try Resene Dusky Sound in a soft feathery warmish grey white that will appear a bit lighter in bright light. November 2024 |
Q. I need to get my tiled roof repainted and my exterior cedar wall restained/repainted with Resene Waterborne Woodsman as well. I'm thinking of going with Resene Pitch Black for the walls (as its original colour on it is the red/brown cedar colour and looks like only Resene Pitch Black could go over it). And the roof I’m thinking to go with the FlaxPod colour. I'm not sure if those two would complement each other or not. Would it be too dark with those two colours? Or is there an alternative to the Resene Pitch Black wall? A. Try Resene Crowshead. It pairs well with FlaxPod on the roof and is warmer, and a little softer than Resene Pitch Black. There are preparations that you will need to undertake before restaining and cleaners such as Resene Timber and Deck Wash help to remove some of the pigment as well as clean the cladding before applying a new stain. November 2024 |
Q. I have Resene Quarter Sisal and want a lighter colour to complement it. What do you suggest? A. I am assuming you are wanting the lighter colour for interior trims etc. You might like to try Resene Half Black White or for a warmer white with less contrast try Resene Quarter Villa White. November 2024 |
Q. We are repainting our master bedroom and need some advice. Resene Thorndon Cream has been used extensively throughout the house, in different strengths and we would like to use Resene Half Thorndon Cream in the bedroom with a feature wall. We were thinking green would be nice for the feature wall but cannot decide on a shade. Can you please suggest some colours that would work with Resene Half Thorndon Cream. The room faces east and is 3.5m x 4.5m. It's a modern house and the furniture in the room is pine. A. Complex colours work best in east facing rooms – so subtle green undertones for example – as green and blue undertones are enhanced in these rooms. You might like to try Resene Half Inside Back, Resene Half Lemon Grass, Resene Pewter, Resene Beryl Green or Resene Bud. November 2024 |
Q. We have a Karaka roof with 50/50 COLORSTEEL® wall cladding and Hardies. What colour should we use on the Hardies, bearing in mind the Hardies rules about dark colours. A. These light colours look good with Karaka – Resene Quarter Taupe Grey 52%, Resene Foggy Grey 47%, Resene Copyrite 53%, Resene Cloud 58%, or Resene Archive Grey 41%. With new claddings please check with your builder/local council what the LRV (light reflectance value) recommendation is. I have listed the LRV ratings for each suggested colour. November 2024 |
Q. Our interior walls are Resene Triple White Pointer. I would like to paint our coffee table a similar colour. Ideally the coffee table would have more pearl or be more luminous that the Resene Triple White Pointer. Can you recommend a colour? A. Try Resene FX Pearl Shimmer – it is a waterborne pearlescent glaze. You can apply the glaze directly over Resene Triple White Pointer – I wouldn't suggest a lighter colour as it does work better with deeper shades. November 2024 |
Q. I have recently purchased a house. It needs a complete exterior repaint. Can you please help me with some ideas on colour? I would like a couple of options – one safer more classic colour so it will appeal to people if I sell it in the future and also something a bit more brave. If you could give me a few ideas that would be great. A. Option One: (to sell)
Option Two:
November 2024 |
Q. We have recently done up our laundry with cabinets in a Resene Quarter Craigieburn, with a white/cream speckled benchtop and oak flooring. I want the room to have a traditional/country feel so we did a panel wall in a statement colour. But the colour we ended up painting it makes the cabinets look a strange colour and I don't love the feel of it. Do you have any other suggestions to paint the panel wall? I'm open to any ideas (dark or light, green or charcoal etc) as long as it would match the existing cabinets, flooring etc. I look forward to your suggestions! A. The sage green you have chosen might be clashing a bit as it is too grey based - try a bit more of a blue based muted green like Resene Dark Slate. November 2024 |
Q. My walls are Resene Half Spanish White, and I think the ceiling is Resene Black White or Resene Alabaster. The aluminium joinery is ivory. What colour should I paint my windowsills, noting that I want wooden blinds (to match walls or sill – not white)? A. I suggest you paint the windowsills – Resene Half Spanish White. There is no need to introduce another white if you are having wooden blinds – you already have three whites – Resene Half Spanish White, Resene Alabaster and Ivory windows. Window trims are generally a semi-gloss finish, so this will create contrast to the walls. November 2024 |
Q. What colour should we paint our front door? The trim is Resene White. The house is Resene Half Iron and the roof and porch will be or are Resene Grey Friars. The garage door will be white. A. I suggest you paint it Resene Grey Friars but in a gloss finish – this is a current look, and it will look deeper on the door as it is shaded, where Resene Grey Friars on the porch and roof will appear lighter. Changing sheen level also creates a modern contrast. I suggest you keep the door frame and doorstep white. November 2024 |
Q. I’m painting stairs inside using Resene Double Linen for the risers (we’ve used this colour in a couple of bedrooms) and would like a darker green, but not too dark, for the treads. The walls are Resene Cloud (downstairs) going up to Resene Bison Hide (upstairs). Can you recommend some possible greens for me to use? (Also, what’s the best paint for stair treads – something durable, washable and preferably with a matt finish? Or, should I use paint then cover with some kind of seal? A. Your scheme sounds fabulous! For the treads try Resene Siam, Resene Double Lemon Grass, Resene Hindsight or Resene Quarter Karaka. November 2024 |
Q. Our beach house is being painted. We would really appreciate some colour suggestions for our front door and porch colour. The door is currently a white colour and the porch boards are full grey. I’m happy to leave it like that but if you can suggest something more sophisticated beach suitable for a beach feel that would be great. The colour scheme so far is weatherboards in Resene Crowshead stain and frames in Resene Wan White. A. I recommend you paint the front door a coastal colour – just the door itself – the framing and doorstep leave as Resene Wan White. Try a testpot of Resene Coast – I suggest a semi-gloss finish (testpots are available in one finish only – low sheen, but if you decide on a colour or even if it remains as is, I suggest refreshen with a semi-gloss finish – this will lift the overall look). For the porch try Resene Stack or Resene Double Silver Chalice – we recommend you use the Resene CoolColour version of these colours to help reflect more heat. November 2024 |
Q. My house is a 2007 build, hanging off a cliff face surrounded by greenery. I would say it is architectural style with and angled/skillion ceiling in the kitchen leading into a double height area leading over a lounge area. There are lots of floor to ceiling windows. The kitchen cabinetry is dark charcoal and so are the floor tiles. They both have violet undertones. I was advised to paint Resene Eighth Parchment on the wall. However this is now clashing with all the trims and doors. So trims need to be painted. Resene Eighth Parchment is also reflecting lots of green. It looks like I have painted the walls a light lime green at certain times of the day. I was advised to paint Resene Quarter Rice Cake on the ceilings. I wanted a 'white' look. However I understand Resene Eighth Parchment is actually an 'ivory beige' and 'barely there neutral.' My question is what colour to paint the trims with the intent to neutralise the green reflecting in from outside and lighten the overall look? I am also wondering about painting accent walls – and a feature low wall above stairs and the adjoining staircase and maybe on right side of the kitchen in the trim colour with the intent to lighten up the look/reduce the green. Do you think this is a good idea? I am finding it particularly difficult as Resene Eighth Parchment is at the end of its colour scale and doesn't have obvious lighter colour range to go into. A. Resene Eighth Parchment is a very pale colour 82% reflection value – going even whiter may reflect greener. I suggest you paint the trims the same colour as the walls, this shouldn’t darken the effect. It is very tricky with lots of greenery outside to counteract this from reflecting with light colours – you can help deflect but not always entirely counteract and is typically more evident in sunny rooms. I don’t suggest lighter accent walls as that means a colour with a reflection value of approx 90% to see a contrast and I believe in this instance will still reflect green – a deeper colour may help to counteract green but then you absorb light – you could do a test of Resene Parchment onto A2 card (two coats) and attach to the feature areas you are considering to see what happens. Resene Parchment might have the correct amount of tint to counteract and absorb the green – it might be worth a try, at the very least it may give insight to what/why this is happening – but it will absorb more light – so keep in mind. November 2024 |
Q. I'm looking for a pink that is a bit on the soft, mushroom-y side rather than a sugary, barbie pink (a grown up pink?). Do you have any recommendations? A. Try Resene Foundation or Resene Hemp. November 2024 |
Q. We have a new build and are trying to pick our interior paint colours. We know we want to have whites and have already picked our windowsills/trim to be Resene Half Rice Cake. Can you recommend some colours to use for the ceilings and walls? We will have engineered timber floors in a warm tone (spotted gum). The open plan kitchen area has birch plywood and matte black plywood cabinetry. A. As you already have Resene Half Rice Cake for the window/trims, I suggest you try Resene Rice Cake for the walls, with Resene Quarter Rice Cake for the ceilings. We recommend for new builds you check the proposed colours next to the hard finishes, preferably in natural indoor light. November 2024 |
Q. We are decorating our bathroom. The cabinetry is Resene Gecko and the woodwork is Resene Alabaster. We want to paint the walls a pale pinky white, do you have any recommendations and do you think the colours will go? A. Yes, it will work if the white isn't too clean – try Resene White Linen, Resene Eighth Blanc or Resene Quarter Sandspit Brown. There are deeper variants of these colours if they are too white – when looking on charts remember that in a bathroom with low light the colour will appear a bit deeper. November 2024 |
Q. We are trying to decide on a colour to paint the exterior of our house. The house is big and boxy/monolithic and close to the road so we are finding it difficult to decide on a colour. We like Resene Regatta which another house nearby has – but we are worried it's too bold for our boxy house. The roof/above the windows is a dark grey colour and the aluminium frames are light grey (very similar to the current house paint colour). A. I suggest a bit more depth to the colour that is there. Try Resene Silver Chalice with the concrete base, window fascias and soffit being a lighter colour such as Resene Sea Fog. November 2024 |
Q. I have Resene Half Parchment or Resene Quarter Parchment on my kitchen and living room walls with Rimu floors, doors and window surrounds. I'm trying to choose a colour for my kitchen cabinets and would like a warm white that will go but still be a contrast to the walls. A. The Resene Rice Cake family works well with the Resene Parchment family – try Resene Quarter Rice Cake or Resene Eighth Rice Cake. November 2024 |
Q. We are painting a house which has a pitched ceiling (no ceiling cavity). It’s got a panelled wall up 1.1m around all of the walls, everything else is normal plasterboard. The house isn’t large but has plenty of light. We want advice for colour internally. We have in the past used Resene Quarter Spanish White which we quite like, but are wondering if the panelling at the base of the walls should be painted a different colour or all the same? The flooring will be native wood. What colour would you do the doors and skirtings? The dado and skirtings are yet to go on. A. Consider painting the panelled walls as you have a pitched ceiling. It makes sense to ground the bottom and enhance the different texture of the panelling. I suggest if you like Resene Quarter Spanish White then perhaps consider a deeper variant for the panelling – the Resene Spanish White family work well together – try Resene Double Spanish White for the panelling. Resene Wan White is a lovely bone white for the panelling, and I would suggest this for the doors, trims and skirtings. Generally, the skirtings and doors are the same colour as the panelling – this will work well, they are typically a semi-gloss so this creates further contrast. Resene Lustacryl a waterborne semi-gloss enamel is the preferred finish for the doors and trims, whilst a low sheen is preferred for walls and panelling – such as Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen – it gives a lovely subtle sheen. November 2024 |
Q. We are remodelling our 1958 kitchen, making it more modern while still being sympathetic to the house era and style (still quite original). All lower kitchen units will be replaced and we are adding new benchtops (Caesarstone, vintage white). The floor is polished rimu. We are retaining the existing upper cupboards and will paint them, the walls and ceiling. Between the upper and lower cupboards will be tiled. We would appreciate your advice as to paint for the walls, upper cupboards and ceiling. The walls are currently Resene Eighth Sisal, and the ceiling is Resene Bianca (as are the rest of the house ceilings). The new fridge, oven and dishwasher will be in stainless. The tiles between the cupboards haven’t been chosen yet but we have been suggested a moss green subway tile rather than white. A. I suggest the moss green subway tile. I feel a white tile will be too stark against the bench and walnut flooring. I recommend using an off-white for the cabinetry and walls instead. Using the same colour on the cabinetry above and the walls will feel less stark and will give a seamless finish. The ceiling will give contrast to the cabinetry being relatively close and going one shade lighter will visually increase the height but not be too much of a contrast. Consider Resene Merino or Resene Milk White for the walls and cabinetry with a half strength of these whites for the ceiling. Alternatively, you might like to use a green tipped neutral for the cabinetry, a softer variant for the walls and a sharper green, white for the ceiling, such as Resene Half Linen for the cabinetry, Resene Quarter Linen for the walls and Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream for the ceiling. These colours will need to be checked against the hard finishes to ensure they complement. You can view A4 paint swatches in the colour library at your local Resene ColorShop and see how they look with your kitchen samples. Or you can order samples to take home to view with your actual lighting. November 2024 |
Q. We're looking to paint our house exterior which is currently yellow. I would like some suggestions on what colour would complement our blue roof, windows etc. A. Try Resene Cloud, Resene Triple Concrete or Resene Triple Sea Fog. November 2024 |
Q. What are some awesome colour schemes for our lifestyle block? We want something a bit interesting, not plain white. A. Some ideas to get you started: Scheme 1:
Scheme 2:
November 2024 |
Q. We want a dark moody colour to paint in a nursery that will complement Resene Quarter Ash. We don’t want it to be a dark black colour, but something slightly more pared back but still moody, if that makes sense. We want to do the top half of the walls in the dark colour and the bottom half in Resene Quarter Ash. Do you have any suggestions that would match? A. Try Resene Forest Green, Resene Raptor or Resene Warrior. For a softer/lighter colour try Resene Tasman, Resene Green Spring, Resene Half Emerge, Resene Frontier or Resene Bud. November 2024 |
Q. What colour should I paint newly renovated bedroom walls with a light birch ply ceiling and a salt and pepper concrete floor. The room has exterior views to Pohutukawas and an estuary just outside the big window. The curtains will be a cream linen type fabric. A. The natural elements you have are lovely – a neutral with an earthy green edge will work with the floor, red flowers and complement the timber ceiling – try Resene Linen or its lighter variants – Resene Half Linen or Resene Quarter Linen if you want less colour as the room is a little shaded. November 2024 |
Q. I am doing up an end unit close to the beach. I am looking for a house paint colour. The house has a very small frontage with the entrance down the side. I want a coastal/bach/beach vibe. A. I suggest a deep blue grey with white trims, and a yellow front door or a softer aqua with white trims and the yellow front door/canopy. For the darker colour consider using a Resene CoolColour version of the paint as this helps reflect more heat than a standard paint. Try Resene Tuna, Resene Coast, Resene Watermark, Resene Morning Haze or Resene Bluff. For the white windows and trims try Resene Half Black White. November 2024 |
Q. We just moved into a one storey brick house and the inside is Resene Spanish White (walls, ceiling, doors and trims). We are very keen to repaint and make it brighter. The carpet is a darker grey/blue and the kitchen is blue. The curtains in the bedroom are grey, there are white patterned kids curtains and a cream woodland curtain. The kids are keen on painting their rooms – one with duck egg blue (or half) and one pink or purple (pastel light colour). Can you recommend a colour and trim that we could also use on the kids’ bedrooms so the doors are the same colour? I was contemplating Resene Sea Fog but am unsure what trim and ceiling colour and if it would be too dark? We get some sun but the hallway is quite dark so needs brightening up? A. Resene Sea Fog is exactly the colour I was thinking! It is not too dark – if you go too pale in hallways etc it can create in some homes a sterile environment. I suggest you paint the ceilings and trims a brighter white and this will help to lighten the overall appearance – consider Resene Alabaster for the trims and ceilings – and I would continue this trim and ceiling colour into the kids’ rooms. I like the idea of a definite colour for kids’ rooms – Resene Duck Egg Blue and for the pastel pink/purple try Resene Petal or the slightly paler Resene Twilight – these two colours sit between violet and pink which is the best of both worlds and a current colour trend. November 2024 |
Q. My garage door got pulled off in the wind, bent out of shape and has to be replaced. The garage exterior was painted Resene Fuscous Grey – I think it was half strength. Would you recommend the replacement garage door be Grey Friars or Windsor Grey? A. Generally, the garage door matches the roof. It might pay to hold a roof chart close to the metal flashings of the roof and see which is closer. November 2024 |
Q. I have chosen to paint my house Resene Midnight Express CoolColour. What colour deck paint would suit best? A. A blue grey might work for the deck. It will need to pair with any other elements in relative to the deck – such as accent colours or even a roof colour. Try Resene Neutral Bay, Resene Half Tuna, Resene Raven or Resene Quarter Grey Friars – I suggest a CoolColour version for the deck. If you prefer something brown toned, try Resene Saddle, Resene Half Wood Bark or Resene Sambuca. Or you could try a brown wood stain. Colours will look approx. 30% lighter on a deck in the bright sun. Try the browns and see how you go – a brown stain could work better – if applicable. November 2024 |
Q. We’re building a new house and have selected Resene Poured Milk for our walls. What matching colour would you recommend for the skirtings and architrave, and the scotia and ceiling? A. I suggest Resene Eighth Black White. November 2024 |
Q. I am looking at painting the walls of a sleepout Resene Quarter Tea. What colour do you recommend for the window trims and bathroom ceiling. We have a darkish Redline plywood on the ceiling – what clear finish should we use on that? A. Resene Quarter Tea is a lovely soft beige. I suggest pairing it with Resene Half Alabaster. For the plywood use Resene Aquaclear Satin finish waterborne clear coating. The surface needs to be clean and free of any dust before you coat it. November 2024 |
Q. Our house is painted in Resene Spanish Green with a Resene Hawaiian Tan roof. I want a white window trim but an off-white one that complements Resene Spanish Green. Maybe a light latte colour. I don't want the Resene Spanish Green to look too grey, so no green trim. A. Try Resene Half Blanc – there are also deeper variants, as generally colours appear lighter outside. I feel you are on the right path with a light latte colour. November 2024 |
Q. I am repainting my hallway and like the contrast between white, beige and black. I have Resene Quarter Merino currently on the trim and thinking Resene Element for the doors. What beige colour would go with these two colours for the walls? I was looking at Resene Parchment? It is in a hallway with not a lot of natural light so don't want to go too dark on the walls. A. Yes, I suggest you do try Resene Parchment, you might also like to try Resene Fossil and Resene Half Truffle – the hallway colour will also need to pair with any adjacent colours. Resene Element will look fabulous on the doors in a semi-gloss finish such as Resene Lustacryl to give further reflection. November 2024 |
Q. Can you tell me what the difference would be between Resene Wan White and Resene White Pointer? We are building a new home and would like a nice neutral colour for the interior. We like whites, blacks and greys so would like an idea for the interior. Also do you still do different shades of the colour on different parts for example door trims, doors, ceilings etc. A. Resene White Pointer is much more grey than Resene Wan White. Resene Wan White is more neutral where Resene White Pointer has more movement with light but both being pale will reflect any adjacent colours – I like Resene Wan White for your interior if it works with your flooring, window joinery, kitchen etc. It depends on the design and style of the house, and it is personal preference to whether you want the trims picked out or not – a lot of people are keeping them the same colour in new homes but separating the ceiling with a paler variant – such as Resene Quarter Wan White. November 2024 |
Q. We are building a new home with a gable COLORSTEEL® Lichen roof, spouting and flashing. It has Titania aluminium joinery and some feature timber cladding. We are looking for a suitable colour for the block basement and Weathertex cladding. We are rural on a piece of land that has been replanted in native trees. A. Try Resene Ash or Resene Double Ash for the Weathertex with Resene Hollyford Track or Resene Rocky Point for the block. Mix and match these colours – to see which combination works best – they will appear lighter outside so testpots need to be viewed. These are best painted on A2 card which you can move around. Other paint colours for your cladding which might appeal are Resene Linen, Resene Hindsight or Resene Eagle. Resene Climate is an alternative base colour. November 2024 |
Q. We are trying find a colour to paint our kitchen walls that will look great with Resene Paddock and Resene Rice Cake which we painted our completely open plan home a couple of years ago. I really like Resene Mallard, but have only viewed it through a computer screen. The house is open plan, the walls in the kitchen only are v groove cement panels, the trim and two of the four walls are Resene Rice Cake and all other walls are Resene Paddock. The floor is light natural looking wood laminate, the cabinetry is white/cream and the benchtop is concrete laminate. We’re looking for something as amazing as Resene Paddock. I am open to any suggestions; they don’t have to be green. We live in Rarotonga. A. Resene Robin Egg Blue is a lovely coastal blue green – it could look lovely on all walls in the kitchen or a softer sage green such as Resene Green Spring. I wouldn’t go too dark with the new colour, so the light is enhanced, plus it will change the whole mood – you can always bring in stronger accessories/fabrics with turquoise shades. November 2024 |
Q. We are painting the internal walls, doors and trims of our late 90s house. The aluminium joinery is cream, which clashes with the current paint colour (quite a bright white). Our house does not get much light, and the current white paint feels too cool in some rooms. Can you suggest a white that has warm undertones, that won't clash with the cream aluminium? I have testpots for Resene Merino and Resene Alabaster, but I think the Resene Merino would be too dark over all the walls (though it does match the joinery better than the current paint). The Resene Alabaster is too stark for the walls, but might be ok for trims? A. Try Resene Half Milk White. Resene Half Milk White is a warmish white that should work – especially if Resene Merino was looking quite good – Resene Half Milk White is paler than Resene Merino. I suggest you keep the trims the same colour as the walls, so the cream joinery is not enhanced, and you end up having three off whites in proximity. I do recommend keeping the ceilings whiter so that you create a fresh feel overall – try Resene Alabaster for the ceilings only. November 2024 |
Q. We have a 1980s Beazley home with bronze-coloured aluminium windows. We are going to paint our Hardiplank cladding and would like a suggestion as to a colour. We don't like the bronze colour, so are hoping you can suggest a colour that will modernise our exterior while complementing the bronze-coloured windows. We have trims around the windows and fascia boards that we hope you can also offer a paint colour suggestion for. A. A mid depth of colour with an underlying tone of green or brown will blend with the windows – you could also try a dark grey. I suggest you paint the gable end (presently red) and the concrete base the same colour as the Hardiplank to really change and modernise the appearance. For the bargeboards, fascia and soffit I recommend keeping these an off-white so the house feels visually lifted. The window trim I would paint the same colour as the Hardiplank walls – it is currently not modern to have this highlighted and will just enhance the bronze windows if you do. Colours to try for the walls and associated areas mentioned above are: Resene Taupe Grey, Resene Triple Truffle, Resene Castle Rock, Resene Cloudy or Resene Tuna. For the off-whites try Resene Sea Fog with Resene Taupe Grey, Resene Castle Rock, or Resene Tuna and Resene Half White Pointer – these whites are not too stark, so the contrast is not too great, but noticeable. All colours will appear lighter outside – we recommend testing at least three main colours so you can compare tones. November 2024 |
Q. We've booked painters to start and have accepted a quote that gives us a maximum of three colours. I was thinking of not changing much. We have Grey Friars on some of the barge boards in the parts that I could reach when we had the roof replaced and we will keep the exposed brick on the porch. The new roof is Grey Friars and I was thinking of bringing that down onto the barge boards. We think the weatherboards are currently Resene Dutch White and that the front door and window inners are Resene Apache. I was thinking of keeping both of those the same and bringing the Resene Grey Friars down to the window surround where it's currently Resene Aubergine. I guess I've got two main questions: 1. Would a Resene Dutch White/ Resene Apache/ Resene Grey Friars colour combo work okay? 2. If we were going to go for something completely different, could you recommend something that doesn't involve something along the lines of Resene Duck Egg Blue or Resene Silver Chalice weatherboards? Because that's what pretty much all of our neighbours have currently and, while their houses look very smart, I think that I prefer our scheme because it's a bit different. I'm also thinking of changing the front porch floor colour to be the same as the weatherboards. I think that would help with making the porch feel lighter and more welcoming. Does that sound sensible? A. I do love the scheme – it suits the heritage and brick – yes bring Resene Grey Friars onto the window surrounds and bargeboards. The only thing I would change is the porch colour you are proposing – colours appear brighter/lighter on porches, and I feel a cream porch will be high maintenance – I suggest co-ordinating with the Resene Grey Friars and using a soft pebble grey, such as Resene Kensington Grey. Alternative ideas are to swap the Dutch White for a more natural cream like Resene Double Villa White with a softer ochre cream opposed to a mustard for the window inners like Resene Pavlova – these colours will pair with Resene Grey Friars and Kensington Grey. You might consider swapping out the wall colour for Resene Half Lemon Grass – a vintage grey green – with Resene Pavlova, Grey Friars (roof) and Resene Kensington Grey. Or you might opt for a simple classic scheme – Resene Triple Pearl Lusta with lighter window inners to bring the windows out – such as Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta, with Grey Friars. November 2024 |
Q. We're building a new minor household dwelling on a rural lifestyle block with bush and paddock surrounds. The cladding is weatherboard, the roof is Ironsand, joinery is Silver Pearl and the soffits are painted Double Tea. Our main house is also weatherboard and is painted Resene Nelson Red. We're looking for an exterior colour for the new build. We may go Resene Nelson Red again, but a lighter colour might look good as well. We can't go higher than 40 LRV (light reflectance value) with our consent. A. Resene Nelson Red will work but can enclose a smaller dwelling. You could opt for a deeper tone of Resene Double Tea which will work with the main house being Resene Nelson Red – try Resene Double Napa. Darker colours on weatherboard are prone to heat related issues. We recommend checking the recommended LRV requirement for the cladding as well as consent – a Resene CoolColour version is recommended for the paint – this reflects more heat away from the substrate than the standard paint colour – but does not alter the LRV rating as far as warranties etc are concerned. Investigate the Resene CoolColour system on the website or via a Resene ColorShop. November 2024 |
Q. We have reclad our house and have new windows that are matt Appliance White. Do you have any suggestions of what white would be a good fit for the trims, sills and soffits? Do people use Appliance White or is to a bit too white? We are going with Resene Quarter Chateau Grey for the cladding, Resene Grey Friars for the roof and front door. A. Yes, it is very popular to match to Appliance White – no it is not too stark for this purpose. Resene ColorShops can tint a Resene version of this colour using Resene paints and tinters – you just need to request it at your local Resene ColorShop. ![]() Resene Quarter Chateau Grey November 2024 |
Q. We have a rural style with a modern kitchen that's going in. The only colour choices made so far are some black appliances, a stainless sink and a composite benchtop that looks a bit like marble and a rimu floor. I think I'll lose all the bare rimu trim above the floor to have some fun with colour. This build is like doing a bach. We are only there on the weekends so we want to have some fun with the colour. Think bold, fun, rural, holiday, pizza oven, pool oh yes and my homebrew and the grandkids. I love colour but I can't choose it. I know when it’s right when I see it. A. As the kitchen is super modern and sleek – a navy would work well for cabinetry such as Resene Shadowy Blue or a charcoal like Resene Fuscous Grey. For the walls a blue such as Resene Half Robin Egg Blue with trims in Resene Quarter Robin Egg Blue or Resene Half Wan White. Resene Hemisphere is a mid-toned blue which could look awesome with Rimu – this could be on all walls – being a blue it won’t enclose the space. Pair it with a definite aqua for the cabinetry like Resene Half Kumototo, for the trims a misty bone white such as Resene Sea Fog or a warmer sweet cream such as Resene Double Bianca, or make the cabinetry an off-white with Resene Half Kumutoto on the trims. November 2024 |
Q. We have painted a room with Resene Aspiring. It looks great! I’m wondering if there is a Resene swatch or any recommendations you can give for complementary colours for curtains and decorating the space. The floor is a fake wood look. It’s a bedroom sleepout. I need to still get curtains, bedding etc. and want to make sure it looks good together. A. There are quite a few options – the easiest thing to do is to start with your bedlinen and work from there. I suggest you visit a bedlinen retailer and have a look at the various combinations of colours on beds. Soft blues like Resene Kashmir Blue, stoney greens like Resene Lemon Grass and Resene Double Tapa with cool whites like Resene Black White work with Resene Aspiring and can be accent colours or a combination on the bed – pillowcases, throws, cushions etc with a white cover. For the curtains I suggest a white to complement the white joinery – check out the Resene Curtain Collection Evolve in Blond – it has a subtle leaf pattern – or you could introduce a blue into the curtains – like Resene Curtain Collection Evolve Hydra. I think the cooler colours – blues, greens and whites should maybe make up the bulk of colour as these colours appear spacious and then a hint of warmth. November 2024 |
Q. We are putting in a new kitchen and have cabinetry in glass white and spinifex naturale. We are going to have a clear glass backsplash. We are looking for a Resene colour to go on the walls. The floor is natural timber – Tawa. A. Try Resene Quarter Ecru White, an off white edged with green. Or you might like to try Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream or Resene Merino. November 2024 |
Q. I am looking for a green in a north-facing bedroom. I like our current Resene green colour from about 15 years ago. It is similar to Resene Emerge/Resene Thor/Resene Haven. The colour we presently have is a tranquil retreat-type feel. A. You are on the right track with a blue based green for a north facing bedroom. Resene Emerge is lovely, also try Resene Half Robin Egg Blue or Resene Quarter Robin Egg Blue. November 2024 |
Q. We need a weatherboard colour for a 1940s ex state house that will remain fresh looking for years to come. The charcoal coloured concrete roof will remain but all else is up for rejuvenation, including the gutters. A. If you are want a timeless colour scheme then look to blue greys or grey whites – such as Resene Half Grey Chateau for the weatherboards, with Resene Half Sea Fog for the gutters, fascias, eaves, windows and concrete base or you could try Resene Triple Sea Fog for the weatherboards and concrete base with Resene Alabaster for the gutters, fascias, eaves and windows. November 2024 |