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. I am aiming for a soft white/very slight beige and sage colour combination. I am 90% sure I will go with Resene Double Rice Cake and Resene Bud. I'm now thinking Resene Bud is too deep and I need something a little lighter. I don't want a green bluey colour. What is another green to go with Resene Double Rice Cake? A. You might be surprised how much lighter Resene Bud appears outside on a porch and base – you could also try Resene Terrain and Resene Hindsight. April 2025 |
Q. We have just moved into a 10 year old weatherboard (Shadowclad) home painted in Resene Rakaia. The aluminium window and door joinery are matt black. We are scheduled to have a 1.4m high fence built each side of the house, both of which will be street facing. We will be painting the fence and are seeking a contrast colour to the house and joinery. A. Fences look great when they co-ordinate with the house – so a dark grey might work – blue greys work well with Resene Rakaia. You could opt for Resene Lumbersider Low Sheen Black which is a low sheen finish and the preferred paint for timber fencing – however, if the side fences are close to the house, black can be a bit imposing to some – so consider Resene Tuna, Resene Westminster, Resene Baltic Sea (a little warmer) or Resene Ebony Clay. April 2025 |
Q. We are painting our roof with Resene Steel Grey. What are the best colours to paint the whole house and facing which I had hope will be white or off white. A. You could try Resene Grey Chateau or Resene Ted for the weatherboards with Resene Alabaster for the trim, Resene Raven for any steps and Resene Pohutukawa for the front door – if this all works for the design and substrates. Alternatively, try a warmer colour such as Resene Double Rice Cake which is like a linen colour rather than too cream and this will also pair nicely with a white trim such as Resene Quarter Rice Cake, and a charcoal roof such as Resene Double Foundry. April 2025 |
Q. I am looking to paint the exterior of my villa with a lighter green/cream with dark green accents (maybe Resene Palm Green). I like greens and blues with darker accents. A. Resene Palm Leaf is a lovely green and may work with Resene Spanish Green or Resene Pewter for the weatherboards, or try greens such as Resene Siam, Resene Field Day or bud with off whites such as Resene Sea Fog and deeper greens such as Resene Seaweed or Resene Log Cabin. Blues which look good on weatherboards are Resene Bermuda Grey, Resene Dusted Blue, Resene Quarter Powder Blue or Resene Blue Bayoux – these look good with a warmer white like Resene Half Cararra and a deeper blue like Resene Atomic. April 2025 |
Q. I want to paint my large room – family sitting room/dining/kitchen. At present it is all one colour – Resene Spanish White – and is very gloomy. The ceiling, walls, architraves and woodwork are all the same. The paint is 24 years old and I want a fresher, brighter more modern look. The floor is a warm wood colour. I have just painted the foyer, which leads into this room with Resene Eighth Spanish White on the ceiling and woodwork, and Resene Shilo on the walls. I am hampered in that the doors are Resene Spanish White and as some are sliding doors I can't get them out so I don't plan on painting them. They are in excellent condition. Can you suggest a colour which would work with this? The room is large, L shaped with lots of windows and therefore light. A. When you choose to work with the Resene Spanish White family it makes it tricky to move away from this palette as it doesn't sit well with other neutrals, and then you have the pink to consider as well. My suggestion is to just lighten the walls with a much paler variant such as Resene Quarter Spanish White, but if you really want a change you might like to try Resene Chalk Dust or Resene Half Orchid White – you just need to be mindful that these colours are not a perfect match and may bring out the warm undertones of the ceiling and doors, the ceiling is my main concern. April 2025 |
Q. I am looking for a new colour scheme for our lounge, dining and kitchen. All areas flow into each other. The room does not get a lot of natural light. I want to paint the trim walls and ceiling all one colour. I’m looking for the right white for this. The kitchen cupboards will also be painted but I have no idea what colour but want a change from the current green. I was thinking of a neutral but am open to other ideas. The challenges are the jarrah coloured floor in the lounge and dining area. The kitchen also has marble style floors and benchtop. A. Try Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream for the walls and ceilings with Resene Ecru White for the cabinetry, or Resene Half Sea Fog for the walls and ceilings with Resene Eighth Friar Greystone, Resene Greige or Resene Ecru White for the cabinetry. April 2025 |
Q. I have an old villa and a south facing lounge which does not get a lot of sun, but gets reflected light. My furnishings are warm colours, golds and mustards. I want a warm white that will lift this dark space. I have tried multiple testpots and am seriously thinking of either Resene Half Bianca, Resene Quarter Bianca or Resene Quarter Rice Cake. Which colour would be the warmest? A. Resene Bianca has an illuminating effect so is great for south facing rooms or low light areas – in a south facing room you could try full strength as it may not emphasise the yellow but give warmth. Try both Resene Half Bianca and Resene Bianca – they are pale, warm off whites. April 2025 |
Q. We are building a shed. Will Windsor Grey siding work with an Ironsand roof and doors? A. I have seen Windsor Grey have a blue reflection on a roof and Ironsand has a brown undertone – so I’m not sure they will work together. Try FlaxPod or Slate – ask for those samples and any other recommendations – or you could keep it all Ironsand. April 2025 |
Q. We want to paint the roof of our house and front door a different colour but are not sure what will work best. We have a white stucco plaster bungalow with white COLORSTEEL® guttering and duck egg green windows and doors. We were thinking to leave the joinery the same colour and the house so just the roof and the front door please. A. Investigate a grey, brown olive like Resene Ironsand or a charcoal like Resene Nocturnal for the roof, or you may also like a neutral grey with a slight blue undertone like Resene Grey Friars. For the door a deeper green blue, navy or a golden yellow might work, like Resene Unite, Resene Shadowy Blue or Resene Sunbeam. April 2025 |
Q. We have a new build which is going to have Resene Half Ash on the walls and Resene Quarter Black White for the trims and doors. What would you recommend for the ceilings? A. I suggest Resene Quarter Black White for the ceilings – it will look a bit different to the trims anyway as ceilings appear in shadow, and the paint finish to trims is also different. April 2025 |
Q. Which white complements Resene Tom Thumb? My son has chosen olive green (Resene Tom Thumb) and white for his room but I’m not sure on the best white? A. Resene Tom Thumb is personally one of my favourite Resene greens! It is so versatile and a classic. I have seen warm whites and brighter whites with Resene Tom Thumb, and I must agree with your son – a brighter white will lift this space – try Resene Quarter Rice Cake or the cooler Resene Quarter Merino or Resene Black White – the latter two really need good light to be not too cold. April 2025 |
Q. We’re converting this large garage into a second unit. The adjacent space will become an outdoor area, enclosed with fencing. We’re looking for suggestions on a modern colour scheme that feels cohesive but not too bold or out of place. The property has a long concrete driveway, a long fence, and a gate so if we decide to change the colour of the new unit, we may need to update the fence and gate as well for consistency. Could you recommend a colour palette that works well with these elements? A. I suggest you paint the garage a dark grey like Resene Half Baltic Sea or Resene Baltic Sea with a Resene Nocturnal roof – with this scheme you may need to change the fence to Resene Nocturnal. Alternately, if you leave the fence colour then Resene Masala or Resene Half Masala for the garage might work with a Resene Porter roof. This is perhaps not so modern as the first option. April 2025 |
Q. Our roof is Ironsand, the aluminium window frames are Appliance White and we will be recladding with hardie LINEA® and vertical oblique weatherboards. The windows will have timber facings, scribers and sills. What colour options do recommend? We’d like a couple options of lighter and dark colours because we like a lot of the new houses that have dark colour schemes. A. Keep in mind when considering the following options that there will be compromises – so my thoughts are varied – first off with the windows being white, a dark colour on both substrates will feature these more – one solution is to paint the oblique vertical boards only a dark colour with a feature front door colour – as this follows the natural design of the house, or if you like the idea of featuring the windows then one colour in a deep tone could also work – a light colour all over won’t work I feel as it won’t give enough impact. I suggest for any windowsills and trims to match into Appliance White – Resene have a formula for this that can be tinted into Resene paint for you. Colour options to consider:
April 2025 |
Q. We just painted our skirtings and door frames using Resene Alabaster. What colour will look good for the internal doors to give a slightly darker look? We have light brown tiles. A. Resene Black White looks great on doors with Resene Alabaster – depending on the tiles and natural light – or if that is not quite right try Resene Sea Fog or Resene Merino. April 2025 |
Q. We have a very large house which needs repainting and we are not sure what Resene colour to use. We have Appliance White aluminium joinery and wondered what white wall colour you would recommend that complements the aluminium joinery? Finally we will be staining our open wooden roof trusses and solid wood front door. Can you recommend a rich dark stain colour that is similar to the Melteca Borders Oak colour? A. Resene Half Sea Fog pairs well with Appliance White or if you want to go a bit deeper – Resene Sea Fog, or a bit cooler with Resene Black White. If matching for exterior application – then the deeper Resene Sea Fog is better as colours including whites appear brighter/lighter in natural light. For the stain try Resene Charred Black or Resene English Walnut. April 2025 |
Q. We have an old small house we need to spruce up. I like Resene Quarter Akaroa for the walls, should I paint the skirting the same colour and what about door frames? I also want to repaint the old kitchen cupboard door fronts – I was thinking Resene Eighth Akaroa for this. It’s a rental – I’m wishing to keep it to safe, neutral colours. A. I suggest you paint the door frames and skirtings the same colour – Resene Quarter Akaroa. For the ceiling I suggest a warm white like Resene Quarter Villa White. For the kitchen cabinetry and internal doors, I suggest a deeper variant – Resene Half Akaroa – this will be more serviceable and pair with Resene Quarter Akaroa well or you could choose a slightly different tone such as Resene Quarter Napa. April 2025 |
Q. I am going to paint the exterior of my house in Resene Merino (either Resene Double Merino or Resene Triple Merino). I want a neutral off white look without the glare. Which strength is best? Also, I’m thinking of painting the entire house the same colour, no contrast for trims or skirtings etc. I like the minimal/Japandi style (to suit my interior). Do you think this monochromatic white look will work? Or can you suggest another option to add subtle contrast? A. The deeper the colour the less glare but either Resene Double Merino or Resene Triple Merino should be fine. Yes, the Japandi style will work as its style is clean and simplistic. April 2025 |
Q. I'm looking for a very accurate 18% Neutral Gray paint for the walls of my colour grading studio. Do you have anything like that? A. This is ‘Middle grey’ used for neutral backgrounds in photography. Resene Half Tuna is a good match as it is the correct lightness and is neutral grey. April 2025 |
Q. We are thinking of painting our exterior red brick. My husband is keen on black, however I have reservations as we have brown aluminium window frames. The weatherboard was a light green, but we painted it Resene Friar Greystone. Additionally I’d like to sand and paint the front door and frame (it’s the only whole frame in the house). A. A warm off black like Resene Bokara Grey pairs well with brown aluminium and Resene Quarter Friar Greystone. I suggest keeping the look modern and simplified, painting the door frame and door to match – Resene Bokara Grey – but in a gloss finish, where the bricks are typically a low sheen finish. You might want to consider painting the bargeboards Resene Quarter Friar Greystone. Resene Element is another option for you to try – but darker and a bit cooler. April 2025 |
Q. I have painted my kitchen dinner lounge (large light open space) with Resene Quarter Ash and would like to bring in another colour for one of the walls. I was originally thinking of a natural green to bring in the outside colour as we live rurally and the view is very green and lush. However now I’m thinking a sludgy colour that’s more neutral might work. What would you recommend? A. Yes, I think that’s a great option and a current look – try Resene Hollyford Track, Resene Rocky Point or Resene Hindsight. It is always good to try three so your eye can determine which shade looks best in the natural aspect of the room. April 2025 |
Q. On the exterior I believe my house is Resene Half Jumbo. I am wondering what colour to paint the wooden window frames. The window inserts are white UVPC which I think is what you guys call Arctic White so a bright white. I'm wondering if Resene Alabaster or Resene Quarter Black White would be suitable? On the interior I have Resene Merino on the walls. I'm wondering about the match for the wooden window frames and the ceilings. I'm wondering if I again do Resene Alabaster or Resene Quarter Black White? A. For both the exterior and interior application Resene Quarter Black White should work quite well. April 2025 |
Q. We are painting the outside of our weatherboard cottage in Resene Black. The window frames and veranda posts will be white, and I would like to use a contrasting, brighter colour for the windowsills. Could you suggest some contrasting colour options? Our front door frame is a hot pink, which I quite like, but don't want the house to appear too cartoonish. A. Whatever accent colour you opt for I recommend you paint the door, door frame and bottom sills the same colour – this is what will keep the scheme from looking overdone or 'cartoonish' as you described. Golden yellows and berry reds are coming in as hot accents – so perhaps check out Resene I Dare You and Resene Geronimo or a bright yellow like Resene Happy might appeal, and a magenta like Resene Sassy. April 2025 |
Q. I am having so much trouble finding the perfect green for a feature wall in our living room and bedroom. The walls are in Resene Sea Fog and trim in Resene Poured Milk. We painted it Resene Frontier. I love the green on its own, but feel it’s too light and/or yellow and doesn't match the space. It is a north facing with lots of natural light. We also love darker wood furniture, so I feel we need a moodier neutral green that isn’t too blue and still has some warmth. To add to the complication, I’d love to try a lime washed feature wall in the bedroom. This doesn’t have to be the same colour, but want something that matches the boho, farmhouse style vibe were after. Could you help us? A. The northerly aspect will highlight the olive tone in Resene Frontier and if the wall is near a north facing window this can make the colour appear a bit paler than expected inside. I suggest you try a sage green like Resene Paddock or Resene Rivergum or a smoky green like Resene Vantage Point. For the bedroom the aspect will be different I assume so perhaps this is where you could use the olive tones, with a basecoat of Resene Contour, limewashed with Resene Tic Tac Toe using Resene FX Paint Effects Medium – or you might like to consider neutral tones like soft tans with Resene Awaroa Bay for the basecoat and Resene Soya Bean using Resene FX Paint Effects Medium. April 2025 |
Q. The walls in our home are too ‘paper; white in person; it is quite jarring. I would like to maintain the lightness in the space while choosing a light/white colour that complements the flooring better and copes will with the high level of natural light. A. Try Resene Half Sea Fog, Resene Milk White, Resene Half Rice Cake or Resene Bianca – one will work better with the differing lights. April 2025 |
Q. What colour paint available in chalkboard finish is the best match to the colour of the Resene FX Magnetic Magic paint? It just says silver tone, but it's a pleasant blue on the wall and want to replicate it with the topcoat it says is needed over the top. A. Try Resene Quarter New Denim Blue or the lighter grey blues on the Resene Multi-finish palette R52. April 2025 |
Q. We have a 70s house. The lounge is quite big, north facing but sadly it has tinted windows, so quite dark. Which white colour would brighten it up but have a bit of warmth? Currently we have colour for the skirtings, which is Resene Black White, but we can always change that. A. I suggest you try a warmish white like Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream, Resene Wan White or Resene Half Milk White for slightly cooler whites but still not grey. You could also try Resene Bianca for warmth, but this can look a bit yellow in north facing rooms – however, the grey tint of the windows might make it more of a cleaner warm white. Resene Black White will be too grey in this room with the warmer whites – I suggest you try Resene Alabaster. April 2025 |
Q. Our house is like the old state houses. I am confused how to sort the 60 30 10 rule. I have picked a couple of colours I like Resene Sea Fog, Resene White Pointer and Resene Half Tea. I am getting new shutters and thick venetian blinds in Resene Quarter Alabaster. We want to paint the kitchen/dining/lounge/hallway and master bedroom all the same colours. I’m still not sure about the master bedroom. Can you advise me how I could work out for example if I went with Resene White Pointer on the walls what I would do for the ceiling, windowsills and skirting boards. A. If you are using one colour throughout then you don't have to worry too much about the 'rule' and remember it is only a guideline, your eye will determine what feels right when you test the colours, but balance is important so it is great you are using colour theory. With blinds it always looks best if possible for the windowsills and frames to match as close as possible – so I suggest you paint these in Resene Alabaster – the preferred finish is Resene Lustacryl a semi-gloss waterborne enamel, which will provide some contrast and it is harder wearing than general wall paint as we tend to wipe this area a lot more, it is also the preferred finish for doors and skirtings due to its durability. For the ceiling – I also suggest Resene Quarter Alabaster to match the window frames and sills as whites on ceilings can appear in shadow due to the way the light falls on the ceiling – so it makes sense to have it the lighter tint, and ties in the window colour – this automatically introduces 30% of another white – as the ceiling area combined with the window trim, is quite large in comparison to doors and skirtings. For the doors and skirtings and door frames I suggest you try Resene Half Black White – it makes the white-on-white scheme interesting when you can use a slightly different white than the ceiling and window trim/blinds. This white will pair with any of the three colours you are looking at using. I suggest you use a slightly warmer colour in the Master Bedroom – such as Resene Half Tea and Resene Sea Fog or Resene White Pointer for the rest of the house – but test the colours first. This gives you a palette of 60% white and if you repeat neutrals like the tones of Resene Half Tea or deeper with say fabric, cushions and bring it into artwork and accessories that gives you 30% beige and then you can add an accent colour which could be another neutral like black or dark brown or a bold/saturated colour you are drawn to, into objects and also in the artwork, cushions, rugs or an accent wall, or even just a vase of flowers. Use what you have already if you can. Take your time – get the wall colours and trims sorted first and you will begin a great story. April 2025 |
Q. We are painting a large living area, with a lot of light (windows and skylights) and a medium brown/red wooden floor. We have primed it with white and it is very 'stark'. I would like to paint with a warm white but not yellowish. The hallway leading into the room is Resene Lemon Grass, and I am considering a green feature wall. There is another large room that is connected to this one by a double-door. I was going to paint them both the same colour, but am unsure because this second room is on the darker side of the house, and lacks the large windows but does have two small skylights. A. Try Resene Half Rice Cake – you will need to test it in both rooms – you can paint two coats of a test pot onto A2 card and compare in rooms or A4 drawdowns prepainted swatches are available from the Resene website or can be ordered via a Resene ColorShop. April 2025 |
Q. We have painted our house in Resene Triple Sisal. The aluminium joinery is mid bronze matt. We now need to replace the roof. Do you think Resene Ironsand would complement Resene Triple Sisal and also match the joinery colour. Or could you make an alternative recommendation? A. Yes, Resene Ironsand will pair well with the window joinery and Resene Triple Sisal. April 2025 |
Q. I have a 1980s brown brick house with a brown tile roof and cream (Resene Tea I think) painted wooden garage doors and trim. I have painted our outdoor stairs and a gate in Resene Ironsand and love it. I am wanting to paint the soffit and trim of the house and garage as this needs updating but am having trouble with matching colours to Resene Ironsand. A. I suggest if you are keeping the cladding Resene Tea then paint the garage door Resene Ironsand and for the trim and soffit try Resene Double Alabaster. April 2025 |
Q. Our new build is Ironsand. It’s a barn shape with vaulted ceilings throughout. The lounge room has a floor to ceiling window – so a light room. One wall is to be painted Resene Half Ironsand or Resene Quarter Ironsand. The other wall we are thinking Resene Barely There or Resene Half Barely There. Do you think Resene Barely There is the right colour to match with Resene Ironsand? A. Yes, Resene Barely There goes very well with Resene Ironsand, if you are using the lighter variants of Resene Ironsand then Resene Half Barely There might pair better. April 2025 |
Q. We are renovating a bungalow near Arrowtown and would like advice on what exterior wall colour and window trim would match well with the existing roof colour. We've been told the roof is Karaka green. A. Colours which pair with Karaka, and could suit your environment are: Resene Terrain, Resene Double White Pointer, Resene Quarter Taupe Grey or Resene Kangaroo. April 2025 |
Q. I have painted our main wall in our sitting room with Resene Ocean Waves. I need to refresh the other walls and want a warm white that complements the blue. The floors and window frames are a warm wood. Can you please advise? I have tried Resene Barely There, but it looks too grey. A. I quite like Resene Merino with oceanic blues as it sits between warm and cool – it can be manipulated further with a low sheen durable paint such as Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen which gives a subdued finish to the white – less reflective finishes add to the feeling of warmth, or you could try Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream or Resene Half Sea Fog. April 2025 |
Q. We have New Denim Blue window joinery and would like a house (board and batten) colour to match. A. Try these Resene colours: Resene Gull Grey, Resene Concrete, Resene Half Stack, Resene Cloudy, Resene Half House White, Resene Quarter Truffle or for a deep colour Resene Ebony Clay – we recommend CoolColour paint if using a dark colour on board and batten to help reflect more heat. April 2025 |
Q. We are building a house and are stuck with picking the wall exterior colour and roofing. We have council rules of roof LRV < 25% and walls LRV < 35%. We originally wanted white walls and light grey roof but that obviously doesn't meet the council rules. Now I am thinking to go more darker grey. The other thing to consider is the building contract says they won't take responsibility if you pick a dark exterior because of attracting heat, it expanding and then the paint cracking etc. The cladding is James Hardie, vertical panels. We want to see what the lightest colour we can go for the walls, that doesn’t give blue, brown or green. A. To give you an idea the lightest wall cladding and possibly neutral is Resene Jumbo (32%). You won’t get a white below 35% or a light neutral grey. For the roof below 25% gives you more options of a darker grey – the LRV ratings are listed on the Resene Roof Colour Systems Chart – but it all depends on what wall colour you choose. It is tricky to get a grey that is completely neutral – Resene Stack can appear blue, but is a great colour – you could try Resene Half Tuna 18%, Resene Scarpa Flow 22%, Resene Half Scarpa Flow 31% or Resene Steel Grey 12%. April 2025 |
Q. I am looking for a colour to paint pots to go with Resene Pravda on our house. Ideally a teal or aqua. Resene Niagara is too neon, Resene Keppel is too blue based and pale. Would Resene Deep Sea work – is it yellow based/warm? Or anything else you would recommend. I love spring tone colours. I want to use this colour in the future outside. A. Blues and greens are not considered warm colours as such, except for green or yellow undertones which can make them appear a bit warmer – and the deeper/muddier tones also help as they have less white so are less 'icy'. With Resene Pravda try more muted shades that are still colourful such as Resene Deep Teal and Resene Aquamarine – or if you want warmth a rusty orange such as Resene Vesuvius or alongside the newly painted teal pots you could add for balance a few natural terracotta pots or deeper terracotta glazed pots. April 2025 |
Q. We are remodelling our 1958 kitchen. Kitchen Studio has designed this to provide for modernisation while being sympathetic to the house era and style (still quite original). All lower kitchen units will be replaced with Melteca vintage walnut and with new benchtops Caesarstone vintage white. The floors are 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. A. 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 – A4 drawdown painted swatches can be ordered via the Resene website or your local Resene Colo Shop – or you might like to speak with your kitchen designer regarding swatches. Samples are best viewed in the natural light in the space intended for use, as lighting changes in various locations/spaces. April 2025 |
Q. I have had the walls in my house painted Resene Eighth Akaroa which has never looked right (too green). Most windows are partially shaded by trees. The new floors will be a wood laminate. Should I repaint in Resene Eighth Black White to lighten the quite large rooms? A. Resene Eighth Black White is basically white – it will be very stark and cold against the pale timber floors and shading from the trees – slightly warmer will be better. Resene Quarter Rice Cake is quite a good white for counteracting the effect of greenery outside as it has warmth with a slight grey edge, or try Resene Double Alabaster for a slightly cooler colour, which will tone down the warmth of the timber. The new whites will need to pair with trims, doors and ceiling colours. April 2025 |
Q. My new build (mid-century style) has just had the exterior painted in Resene Triple Rice Cake. The gutter is Tui Tuft and the fascia has been matched. The overall aesthetic I am trying to achieve is sleek, crisp white to contrast slightly with the brick that has a slight creamy quality. I am now thinking to repaint in Resene Half Sea Fog or Resene Half Black White – do you think this will work or any other suggestions? A. Yes, different whites and colours look great on some style of homes and not on others. You may need to go paler but I feel Resene Half Black White is going to be too cool and bright – try Resene Half Sea Fog but it might be a bit white and although warmer than Resene Half Black White might still be too cool. You aloo need to check the contrast with the windows. Try Resene Wan White, Resene Merino or Resene Half Merino, along with Resene Half Sea Fog. Resene also have a match to TuiTuft called Resene Whitewater – this is also available in a testpot if you like this colour for the fascia and guttering perhaps it might work for the cladding – keeping the scheme simple and letting the mid-century design be the hero. April 2025 |
Q. We have an old house with a large kitchen. We just fitted new cabinets (Melteca Hushed Pine which are a nice bright deep green) and the benchtop is Natural walnut. With windows and units, there is not a lot of wall space left. I’m looking for ideas for the wall colour (and perhaps the same ceiling colour) and the window frames. A. Try Resene Rice Cake or Resene Half Rice Cake – if there is not much wall space then it is a good idea in an older home to take the colour onto the ceiling and trims – this creates a lovely, subdued ambience. April 2025 |
Q. I have a small bathroom essentially just a toilet and hand basin and mirror. There is no natural light. Turning down lights on is essential. It is currently Resene Half Rice Cake with polished concrete floors. I would like to add some colour, perhaps a beautiful pink or blue. A. Both soft pink and light blue hues can be good choices for small bathrooms with no natural light. These colours in pastel shades reflect light and help to create a sense of openness. Of course, it depends on whether you want blue which is a cooler colour or a warmer colour like a blush pink. Colours you might like to try are: Resene Blanched Pink, Resene Spring Wood, Resene Quarter Powder Blue, Resene Half Halcyon or Resene Cut Glass. April 2025 |
Q. Would Resene Triple White Pointer be suitable for a wooden deck? I’m wondering if the colour will be dark enough so it doesn’t show up marks etc. The exterior walls are Resene Double White Pointer and the window frames are Resene Alabaster. A. Resene Triple White Pointer will look lighter on a deck. I suggest you try a deeper shade such as Resene Mountain Mist, Resene Half Mountain Mist or Resene Archive Grey or for a slightly deeper colour Resene Quill Grey. April 2025 |
Q. Can you recommend an interesting trim for our shower and toilet which goes with Resene Half Truffle? The attachments are gold. A. You might like to keep an elegant look with the gold attachments, by choosing a warm white such as Resene Chalk Dust, a cooler white like Resene White Pointer or a modern approach with a mink beige like Resene Stonewashed. Blue greens pair well with the Resene Truffle family such as Resene Sorrento or a muted mauve such as Resene Matakana or simply a deeper variant of Resene Half Truffle like Resene Double Truffle. April 2025 |
Q. We are building a new small home, the outside will be a mix of Resene Cloud and Macrocarpa. I love dark moody colours and want to go for a very cosy, natural but eclectic vibe (weird mix I know!). I love Resene Kelp and want to use this as my main colour. I want to use a dark plum/aubergine in the main bedroom. The bathroom and toilet will be a mix or creamy white and those two colours. Floors will be mostly medium warm oak and the kitchen mostly oak but a shade darker than the floors. We will have accents of brushed brass and rattan through the house. With using a dark colour would I paint the architraves and doors Resene Kelp as well or do the doors a creamy white? Keeping in mind the windows will be Resene Cloud and ceilings while. What colour white do you think would go with Resene Kelp? A. As you are proposing to use Resene Kelp as a main colour then I suggest you do use a creamy white or green edged white with it. Try Resene Half Villa White or Resene Quarter Ecru White. A plum is a current trend and will make a great relief to the green – try Resene Mulberry, Resene Pandemonium or Resene Aubergine. April 2025 |
Q. We painted our exterior fence Resene All Black. We subsequently painted our house a combo of Resene Black White and Resene Grey Friars which we are really happy with. We have then enclosed the rest of our outside area so there is more fence and a gate attached to the house to paint – but it will now adjoin the house and the Resene Grey Friars baseboard/back door. In hindsight we should have painted the fence Resene Grey Friars but I don’t want to have to re-do the fence we’ve already painted. I think our options are to either paint the new fence (opposite the existing fence) Resene Grey Friars, to match the house base board and ignore the fact the fence opposite is a different colour – or continue with Resene All Black on the fence and gate and ignore any potential mismatch in Resene All Black and Resene Grey Friars being next to each other. Neither option is ideal but would appreciate a view on what an expert would do. A. Another option as the gate is attached to the house is to paint the gate only Resene Grey Friars as it is closest to the base of the house, and if you don't like it then paint it over with Resene All Black (easier than the other way around), but all the fences should be Resene All Black. Perhaps paint the fence first then evaluate the gate. April 2025 |
Q. We are painting three bedrooms. We’re happy with Resene Jet Stream and Resene Soothe but feel Resene Rainee is a touch dark (perfect colour when it has just been applied and is still wet). What would you suggest we could change this too? A. Try a Resene Paris White which is a lovely green duck egg colour. April 2025 |
Q. I want to seek advice and guidance on exterior colours for my house. I have COLORSTEEL® Lichen, which I'd like to repaint before replacing it due to costs, and there is brown aluminium joinery. I'm trying to extend the life at this point. Our roof is New Denim Blue. A. To balance the blue of the roof and the brown aluminium windows I suggest a deep warm charcoal for the corrugated cladding – it will modernise the house and the corrugated iron can take a dominant colour – try Resene Fuscous Grey it is not black – and is available as a CoolColour paint which helps the iron to stay cooler in summer. For the bargeboard, fascia, soffit with rafters – one option is to stain it the same colour as the timber – this will balance the overall look. Alternatively with the darker corrugated cladding that should help to soften the effect of the stained joinery so you could opt to paint the bargeboards and fascia Resene Fuscous Grey, with the soffit and rafters a soft neutral such as Resene Double Merino. April 2025 |
Q. We are having the main part of the house painted Resene Sea Fog but would like each of the bedrooms to be painted different colours. Three of the bedrooms, including the master bedroom, get the sun all day. The fourth bedroom gets no sun and is on the cold side of the house. The main colour in this room is Resene Half Rice Cake. I am wanting a cosy and calm feeling in these rooms. A. Resene Sea Fog is a versatile colour which will pair with many other colours in a home – look for a hero in each room for inspiration – this could be a piece of art; duvet cover or furniture style. Consider any colours you have used elsewhere and when the room is being used and by whom, for example East facing rooms can make great study/bedrooms because the light is brightest in the morning and to capture that warmth all day a warmer colour like a rosy beige might work, where in West facing rooms the light changes throughout the day so if the bedroom is used mostly at night cooler colours like blues or greens help to balance the warm light. The colours I suggest trying are on the softer to mid side so that you can paint all walls – which will create a modern effect. These colours will all balance well when moving from one room to the next – noting the aspect of each room when considering options. From there you can eliminate those you don’t like. Try Resene Periglacial Blue, Resene Duck Egg Blue, Resene Quarter Robin Egg Blue, Resene Merino (for a warm white alternative to Resene Sea Fog – you might want to use with colour and pattern on the bed for example), and Resene Half Joss or Resene Serene. April 2025 |
Q. We have moved into a new property and I would like some help deciding wall colours for both inside and outside. For the outside, the roof is Grey Friars, windows are almond and the gutter is a deep red. I'd like to paint the walls a cream or beige colour to try and tie it in with the windows, but I'm conscious that I don’t want it to throw a pink colour due to the red guttering. I have tried Resene Double Thorndon Cream and Resene Sisal. For the inside, we have lovely red beech floors. I will use Resene Alabaster for the ceilings and trim – and wanted to use Resene Half Thorndon Cream, which we've had before and I really liked it – but again, will the red hues in the floor work with that colour? It is currently painted in shades of Resene Sisal, which is lovely, but I wanted to lighten it up a couple of shades. A. The colours you are trying for the walls are too yellow – which will make the joinery appear pinker. Try a neutral, soft beige to balance the Almond joinery like Resene Truffle. The Almond joinery needs to be considered for the interior colours too and the floor. Resene Half Thorndon Cream is too grey/green for the joinery. Resene Sisal is nice but I wonder how it appears next to the joinery – the deeper variants will work, if you want to lighten the walls try Resene Albescent White or Resene Half Albescent White. April 2025 |