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 building a new house and are going for that Scandinavian retro look and are having a warm white coloured kitchen with white bench, and splashback in Resene Wild Thing, wooden floors in a natural colour and warm white aluminium. I need a white for the walls, and was thinking of Resene Bianca all the way through with Resene Quarter Bianca on the doors, sills etc. Having got testpots the other day I am a bit worried it's too yellow, but I want a warm fun clean white that will go with all the beautiful colours I love like teal, grass green, orange and yellow, not a dark sort of white. What would you recommend? A. I think the colours that you have mentioned are lovely. It will not be too yellow at all. Do a test patch of Resene Pearl Lusta and Resene Rice Cake so you can check out which 'white' has more yellow or green in it. It isn't the Resene Bianca. In order for the eye to judge colour you do need to compare similar colours to see the underlying tones within them. However if you are worried then you might use Resene Half Bianca as it is lighter/whiter.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. I have mid to dark natural vaulted wooden ceilings through most of our house. Some of the rooms have a lot of light and some don't. What will tie in with this? Also my window frames are natural wood, darker than the ceiling. Should I paint them to brighten this up? A. If you could paint the window frames to minimise the depth of colour (that the wood finished surfaces have) in your house it may make a lot of difference to the light factor. A warm light colour in the brighter rooms and a slightly deeper variant in the dim areas may work to pull your spaces together. Sometimes going too light in dim rooms makes them look cooler or greyer because of the natural light factor. You might look at these colours to see if they might work for you. It really depends though, on what you favour as colours go, as well as existing flooring and curtains which may 'control' how the colours look – Resene Eighth Fossil (lighter), Resene Quarter Fossil (slightly warmer/deeper), or Resene Eighth Spanish White (lighter), Resene Quarter Spanish White (slightly warmer/deeper), or Resene Eighth Ash (lighter), Resene Quarter Ash (slightly deeper).
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. I am going to paint my sunny smallish living room. I want a neutral scheme and like clean colours. What are your suggestions for the walls, ceilings and trim/sills etc? Also what sheen/brightness is suggested for these? A. In a world full of hundredss of neutral colours there are many to choose from. Some you might like to try are: Resene Sea Fog (walls), Resene Alabaster (ceilings), Resene Quarter Sea Fog (trims), or Resene Half Thorndon Cream (walls), Resene Eighth Rice Cake (ceilings), Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream (trims).
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. I have the colour Resene Zeppelin on my bedroom walls. I want a much lighter colour in the same tonings. Can you recommend one? A. Unlike whites and neutrals where much lighter gradations of colour seem quite related, Resene Zeppelin is extremely dark and a much lighter colour may bear no resemblance to it. Some colours you might like to try are Resene Mobster (greyer), Resene Mamba (greyer), Resene Chapta And Verse (warmer) or Resene Abbey Road (much paler).
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. We have a mid brown carpet and mid grey bedroom furniture with an ensuite with a white vanity and grey/taupe wood flooring tiles. The ceilings are white and our home is older with wide eaves which makes things a bit on the dark side. It has Rimu doors and skirtings. What would go best on the walls? A. There are many colours that might suit you. You could try Resene Half Spanish White, Resene Albescent White, Resene Eighth Fossil, Resene Eighth Drought or Resene Quarter Tea. They are all light, warm and aren't too grey or brown.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. I need a colour to liven up my daughter’s room for her 16th birthday. It only gets the sun in the morning but is a large room so don't want anything too dark. The feature colour will be used on two walls. The rest is neutral. A. Daughters who are turning 16 usually have very definite ideas about what they like in the way of colour - has she voiced a desire for anything in particular? I am glad however you said 'liven up' the room because colour is life and light and if the room is only blessed by early morning light and has a fair amount of shadow for the rest of the day a lively colour would definitely make it feel good. The following colours will be great for livening up the bedroom – Resene Irresistible, Resene Memphis Belle, Resene Juicy, Resene Such Fun, Resene Kudos or Resene Optimist.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. We're painting all of our downstairs interior except the bathroom, which includes a kitchen/dining, separate lounge, a hallway, an office and two bedrooms. They're currently in Resene Sisal, but it looks dirty to me and also greenish in some parts. We want to brighten it up a bit, so have chosen Resene Albescent White for the living areas. We're thinking about Resene Half Truffle for the office which gets a lot of natural light, and Resene Quarter Truffle for the bedrooms which are quite dull and dark. Is this a good choice for the bedrooms if we want to soften/brighten them up? Also, I keep seeing recommendations for trims and woodwork in half tones of neutral walls, but would Resene Double Alabaster in semi-gloss work for our doors and trims, because we quite like the contrast with the above wall colours. A. I really like your new colours. You will find they create a great change in the mood of the rooms after the Resene Sisal look. The most important thing that you can do to ensure the colours are exactly as you would like them to be is to test them. No shortcuts! But please not onto the already coloured walls. The existing wall colour, as well as light within a space, alters what the test patch looks like and can be really misleading and frustrating. If you paint all of the testpot (two coats) onto A2 card (available from Resene ColorShops) leaving an unpainted border all around the edges you will achieve all of this:
I love the idea of you using Resene Double Alabaster for the woodwork in a semi-gloss. It will be a beautiful soft contrast and very elegant - perfect in your style of home.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. We want to paint the exterior of our house and are looking for suggestions on colours. We have a Karaka roof and window joinery with a terracotta gable and fascia boards. We wwant to paint it a light green colour but are unsure of the best option. If it wasn't green what other recommendations would you have? A. These colours may be worth checking out - I think they might look really lovely – Resene Quarter Lemon Grass, Resene Linen, Resene Quarter Grey Olive, Resene Coriander or Resene Triple Merino.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. What colour goes with the colour Resene Tea please as an accent? A. You might look at these colours – Resene Jalapeno, Resene Countdown, Resene Koru, Resene Easy Rider, Resene Bellbottom Blue, Resene Explorer, Resene Triple Tea or Resene Bronco. Resene Tea is extremely versatile and apart from 'pretty pretty pastels' and most sweet yellows it is easy to put colours with it.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. We have a new lounge suite in raisin, a rich dark brown. It is now the dominant feature in the room. What colours can we use to accessorise and balance the room better? Our walls and curtains are soft neutral shades. A. It isn't just the drapes, sofa and walls but the flooring as well to take into account. Perhaps look at using some teals, aquas, navy blues with sharp crisp white to lift the look. These colours may help you: Resene Dauntless, Resene Renew or Resene Into The Blue.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. We have Resene Half Tea walls throughout our house, with Resene Eighth Tea skirting. I'd like to do a feature wall in the master bedroom (which is a small room) so I'm looking to give it depth, so was thinking of going a darker colour. Can you suggest a couple of colours that will go well with the Resene Half Tea walls? Our carpet is a dark charcoal. A. You might like to check these colours out - they are lovely and will definitely work with your main colour: Resene Half Stonehenge, Resene Napa, Resene Quarter Gargoyle or Resene Double Tea.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. Looking for a ceiling colour to match Resene Coral walls for a new home. Also require suggestions for lighter shade of Resene Coral or matching colour for bathroom and hallway. A. Resene Coral doesn’t have exactly related colours - not lighter for ceilings or tints or tones of it - unlike a lot of other neutrals, but the following colours can follow on from it in a nicely co-ordinated way: Resene Soft Amber, Resene Albescent White or Resene Half Albescent White (possibly a good colour for the ceiling).
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. I have a Grey Friars COLORSTEEL® roof and Silver Pearl aluminium joinery. What colours can I paint my weatherboards? I would like an off white to match these two colours. A. You might look at these greyed/white colours as they are cool and look lovely with the roof and joinery colours – Resene Quarter Concrete or Resene Double Sea Fog.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. I have an old brick and tile house but am finding it hard to choose colours for the steps. A. I think the steps still need a little bit of depth but perhaps the colour may need to be more earthy grey/green like the old grout between the bricks – Resene Quarter Gravel, Resene Cobblestone, or lighter Resene Taupe Grey, or a deep earthy olive toned brown Resene Double Schooner or a bit lighter Resene Stonewashed.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. We are repainting the exterior of our home shortly. The roof and aluminium are New Denim Blue and the house is currently painted Resene Bone. We can’t change the aluminium but the roof and house needs a refresh. Really open to suggestions. A. Apart from the New Denim Blue roof and garage door you have a rustic plastered finish which keeps it in the 'hand crafted/antique' styling rather than the 'smooth/modern' look. You probably need to look carefully at some of these colours - they are of the 'look' and hopefully will provide you with options – Resene Spanish White, Resene Quarter Canterbury Clay, Resene Half Bison Hide, Resene Triple Solitaire, Resene Nougat, Resene Clotted Cream or Resene Half Tea.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. To freshen up the seating area in our cafe I would like to paint the bottom half of all four walls Resene Woodsmoke and the top half of the walls Resene Alabaster. Are these a good colour combination to create a clean crisp yet inviting space or could you recommend a better colour on the top half of the walls? The cafe is east facing and quite dark in the summer and even darker in the winter. The wall on the bottom half needs to be dark as chairs and feet are constantly being banged against the walls. A. I suspect you already know the answer to this question. Cafe ambiance needs warmth. A cool/sharp east facing natural light aspect coupled with a lot of shade in summer and darker light and shade will feel chilly and somewhat stark with the colours that you are considering. Perhaps a different approach might be considered. You might look at these colours – Resene Gin Fizz - light/warm/sunny even in winter for the upper walls, Resene Coffee Break - a sweet warm brown related to the function of the café, Resene Triple Merino - warm neutral, Resene Desperado - a rich ginger red, makes you feel you are sitting by a fireside, Resene Ragamuffin - fresh green based white, or Resene Tiki Tour - a deep warm green, a natural look that people find appealing. A word to the wise, deep colours show abrasion marking as badly as pale colours show dirt in your environment.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. I need a warm neutral in two rooms - an east facing bedroom with high ceiling, dark grey carpet, grey blinds and bed linen and a kitchen with stainless steel bench at the window but only late morning to early afternoon sun with a low ceiling. Cabinetry will be in a lighter tone of the wall colour. A. There are thousands of possibilities but these may get you started – Room #1 Resene Half Whiteout, Resene Quarter Truffle or Resene Ditto; Room #2 – Resene Eighth Drought, Resene Eighth Biscotti or Resene Eighth Fossil. In the kitchen I would suggest you use a simple off-white for cabinets as the wall colours are the lightest in their palettes - something like Resene Alabaster or Resene Quarter Bianca may work well. The changing qualities of light in both rooms will compromise your options so do be patient and test colours carefully so that you see their unique qualities and can judge for yourself what will work for you.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. I am renovating my kitchen/living/dining room in my villa. Currently the walls are Resene White Pointer and the woodwork and ceiling Resene Black White. I have Matai floors which I will do in a matt, muted finish. I have ordered my kitchen cabinets in Resene Quarter Bianca. Back bench will be stainless steel with a Manhattan Grey (soft grey subway tile) tiled splashback, the island will be White American Oak benchtop with black pendants. I am after a warm, contemporary, inviting, relaxed, uplifting Scandinavian feel. The room faces north with quite a lot of natural light. My question is what colour to paint the walls. Considering Resene Eighth Spanish White, Resene Half Rice Cake, Resene Half Villa White, Resene Half Bianca. Don't want anything cold. Ideally I would like to not have to repaint the woodwork though (which is Resene Black White). Also thinking about painting the large timber cavity slider in the same area in Resene Halcyon or something similar for some colour that is fun but restful, not jarring. A. You have cooler grey toned neutral walls, ceilings and tiles and stainless steel benchtop with white oak and black pendants. The warmer tones that you are interested in having for the walls and have already decided on for the kitchen cabinets will definitely make the Resene Black White woodwork and ceilings look cooler/greyer and not co-ordinated well. I suggest that you stay with Resene Half Bianca for walls (and then the kitchen cabinets will have a 'friend') and repaint the ceilings and woodwork the same colour as the new kitchen cabinets so they don't look 'odd man out'. And if you want a cool colour as a feature by all means do the timber cavity slider but perhaps not as chilly a colour as Resene Halcyon - you might look at Resene Escape.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. We would like Resene Eighth Lemon Grass on all walls and white to the doors, reveals and architraves. Also Resene White on ceilings. Can you suggest what Resene White to use? A. With such a delicate cool main colour - Resene Eighth Lemon Grass - there are several whites that might work. How they are seen in close association and how you feels about them may need to be judged alongside other coloured elements in the house - flooring being a main consideration and kitchen cabinets and worktops being the other thing that may have some bearing on what looks good. Colours are so reactive and often change radically when seen close to each other. Perhaps check these 'whites' out – Resene Alabaster (cool), Resene Eighth Rice Cake (warm) or Resene Quarter Merino (muted).
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. We are in the process of building a north facing home on a large section. The open plan living/dining/kitchen, formal lounge and master bedroom will have all day sun. We will have grey tinted windows and a dark/charcoal grey carpet with tiles (colour not picked yet) for the floor in the kitchen and dining. We would like a soft grey on the walls and are looking at Resene Sea Fog but not sure if this will be 'grey' enough with the all day sun? The kitchen will be mostly white with a little charcoal for contrast on the top cupboards. We plan on the exterior being a Firth Manorstone (large) brick in Graphite with LINEA® in Resene Half Rakaia, silver pearl aluminium framing and COLORSTEEL® roof in Grey Friars or Thunder Grey and a black or charcoal front door and maybe a grey garage door... do you think this will all work? A. First - the exterior. If you would like the brick colour, the LINEA® and the powdercoated joinery to work well together with the roof, the garage door and the front door, I suggest you look at using COLORSTEEL® Grey Friars. You already have three quite different grey tones so Grey Friars will be the fourth and is deep and neutral enough that it will work but COLORSTEEL® Thunder Grey is quite a different (greenish/olive) type of grey and will possibly stop the house from being well co-ordinated. In the interior - have you thought of using Resene Quarter Rakaia (lighter than the exterior grey but related), Resene Double Sea Fog or Resene Barely There as the soft grey? If you have the opportunity pop into a Resene ColorShop to view the A4 real paint samples of these colours in their colour library and place a sheet of white printer paper between them you will suddenly see lots of underlying tints and tones coming through and you may be better able to judge what you like as soft greys go. I think that your modern, elegant, timeless achromatic palette of neutrals looks lovely. The wonderful thing about this sort of palette is that you can add any colours into the look to add a cheerful brightness, a mysterious deepness or general warmth and contrast and they will always work with the white, grey, charcoal and black look.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. I have a very bland looking and very long treated pine timber fence approx 10m long around my narrow property that needs some painting. The fence faces the northern aspect and receives quite a bit of direct sun. My first question is what colour to paint it? Because the block is so narrow I don't want to bring the fence ‘closer-in’. I would rather have the fence sit back more and give the illusion of width. I was tossing up between either a really dark almost black colour or a white, which are at two ends of the spectrum! I'm really not sure and am very open to any suggestions. Ultimately I like a very modern, sleek look. I will also be planting some mandarin trees right in front of the fence and the foliage will be a dark green so I really want the colour of the fence to make the trees pop out. Secondly, I don't know whether I should paint it or stain it? I was looking at the stains in the Resene Pitch Black or the Resene Whitewash but I'm not sure. Given the fence is not very attractive wood, I'm not sure whether a stain would be best or a paint to cover it and make it look more modern? A. Neither black or white are right - both create too much drama and are too hard edged as colours go. Perhaps you might look at mid to deep coloured greys - paint rather than stain - as there are more choices open to you and you are right about the fence needing a paint film to cover the wood that you don't find attractive. You might look at these colours to see if any of them inspire you – Resene Palm Leaf - any brighter green foliage will still stand out against this backdrop, Resene Half Baltic Sea - a mid tone grey halfway between white and black, Resene Cobblestone - a mid tone grey/green, or Resene Half New Denim Blue - a mid tone grey/blue.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. I purchased colours for my lounge (Resene Conch, Resene Half Innocence) and bedroom (Resene Koru) and needed a good white to match. I bought Resene Half White Pointer. I painted the bedroom and have found that the white instead of being crisp is almost a taupe colour so not good with the Resene Koru at all. Can you recommend a more suitable white colour for both or either the green or blue? Also do you think the grey into the green will flow well or should I have gone with a lighter colour for the bedroom e.g. Resene Escape or Resene Aqua? A. I have been thinking long and hard about your colours. The Resene Koru is the odd fellow - it is so bright and invigorating whereas the others (and that includes the Resene Half White Pointer) are soft, muted with grey undertones. Other alternative 'whites' to work with Resene Koru are Resene Quarter Rice Cake or Resene Alabaster. Either will give you the crispness that you want to have with Resene Koru in the bedroom which is a standalone colour and yes totally unrelated to the lounge. But perhaps colours from the hallway and the other rooms in the house may be able to tie your palette together a little better. Both Resene Conch and Resene Half Innocence are more dusky subdued green/grey and the Resene Koru is a saucy yellow so a yellow green might help link your colours. Something like these ones – Resene Daydream or Resene Rum Swizzle. If you had gone for another lighter colour for the bedroom the ones you mention wouldn't co-ordinate either - too pastel pretty aqua compared to the serious greyed subdued tones in the Resene Conch and Resene Half Innocence.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. We are in the final stages of our build and need to pick a wall colour. We are keen on a light grey wall. Can you suggest a soft grey that makes a small space look larger and a complementary colour for the carpet? Our furniture is mostly dark brown so if you think grey would not suit could you suggest something else? A. Any wall colour needs to be chosen to co-ordinate well with all flooring (carpet, tiles, wood etc) and kitchen cabinetry and work tops that you have chosen so it is all harmonious. Essentially this means the wall colour comes last and is chosen to go with the more limited and costly elements (flooring etc) that you have already chosen. If one does it the other way around one limits what one can have from already limited and far more expensive elements. Some colours you might like to try are Resene Half White Pointer, Resene Half Concrete, Resene Half Iron, Resene Quarter Surrender or Resene Quarter Rakaia. They may appear whiter/lighter until a real white for ceilings and woodwork is placed alongside of them. They may alter radically in some cases according to natural light and artificial light. They will alter when other colours are placed close to them - colour is a chameleon - if it can change it will change. Building a house is a big job - take your time to trial colours and alter their depth if they are right but are too light for the space you want to put them in. Always remember the same colour in all rooms is a different colour in all rooms.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. I am looking for a paint colour that looks like copper. I am painting wall artwork made out of rough look alike concrete. A. Copper - new and shiny or copper darkened with age? They can look incredibly different. You could try Resene Copperhead.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. I was told that it’s possible to get an accurate colour match if I provide a sample of our painted plaster cladding. If so, how long does it take to get the result? A. Yes we can do colour matches. Depending on the colour and how busy the store is colour matches can be done in store. Otherwise they are sent to our Colour Lab and our specialised colour lab team will create the colour match. There is no charge for the colour match service whether it is in store or via our Colour Lab. If the match goes to our Colour Lab (NZ) it generally takes 3-5 working days. November 2014 |
||||||||||||
Q. We have just painted the exterior of our local tennis club in Resene Half Taupe Grey. We've used Resene Double Black White for trims and front door. Why does the Resene Double Black White appear cream? That doesn't seem right. A. Resene Double Black White is a very warm greyed white. That colour combined with the warm yellow based grey - Resene Half Taupe Grey - doubles the potential for the Resene Double Black White to appear less grey white and more warm stone. Resene Double Black White doesn't have any black in it at all - any depth (greyness) is achieved by the umber tint which is shaded but earthy.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. I am looking for a road map of Spain (specific region) and wanted to have one made as I cannot find anything suitable. Do you custom make? A. We have a WallPrint service where you can create your own feature wall. See Resene Wallprint online. The best idea would be to go to a stock library, such as Dreamstime, to buy an image you like and then import into the Resene WallPrint service. November 2014 |
||||||||||||
Q. We have quite a small dark living area in the centre of the house. What colours do you suggest for the walls, ceiling and window trims to brighten it? There is exposed Rimu as it’s a bungalow, but the colour has yellow tones at the moment which I'm not sold on. A. If the room in question is dark any cool whites may look grey and browns and taupes may look muddy. It is a shame you don't favour yellow tones as they are the single most effective way of lightening dim spaces. These colours may work - hopefully - and have been chosen for you to consider even though they may not be right with your flooring, your drapes or furniture upholstery which, if they aren't to be replaced, do need to be considered and worked with: Resene Half Thorndon Cream, Resene Eighth Fossil or Resene Half Albescent White. I would be inclined to do all ceilings and woodwork in a crisp clean light reflecting 'white' like Resene Half Alabaster to make the space feel brighter.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. I would like advice on colours for our kitchen/dining room walls above the panelling, cabinet doors, the feature wall (currently red) and internal doors. Our curtains won’t change. A. You will still have several coloured elements, apart from the curtains, that will limit your choices - floor, splashback and benchtop. If it is a very busy kitchen it will have lots of things vying for attention. If you remove the wallpaper feature and undercoat all surfaces, with real white undercoat, you may achieve several things:
You might look at these colours - lightest colour for the walls and doors and slightly deeper for kitchen cabinets – Resene Quarter Cararra and Resene Coriander, or Resene Rice Cake and Resene Quarter Bison Hide.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. I would like to paint my front door a striking blue. Can you recommend a colour to buy? I have a testpot of Resene Resolution Blue but I am not sure if it will give the result I want. A. You could try Resene Decadence, Resene Aviator, Resene Confidante or Resene Into The Blue. There is nothing wrong with Resene Resolution Blue - it just is a lighter brighter blue. If you can pop into the Resene ColorShop to view the A4 real paint samples in their Colour Library it may make choosing your right blue easier.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. What do you recommend for a splashback colour in my kitchen? The walls, ceilings and edging are all painted Resene Half Thorndon Cream. Appliances are all stainless steel and the benchtop is Formica Bahia Granite. I am probably keen on a metallic colour but would like your suggestions. Happy to consider something that makes a statement if it looks really good. A. The best place to see large enough samples to make some good judgements on possible splashback colours is your nearest Resene ColorShop. They have A4 real paint samples in their Colour Library and if you are able to see them in close association with a sample of your benchtop and main paint colour you will find it much easier. For metallic colours try Resene Blast Grey 3 (this is very sparkly) or Resene Pure Pewter (warm/sparkly), or bold/statement colours – Resene Sambuca (deep and succulent brown), Resene Billabong (deep maritime blue) or Resene X Factor (red with a dangerous edge). There are two types of glass used for splashbacks - the only one that shows the colour that is behind it absolutely true is low iron oxide star bright glass - the other - standard float glass - gives all colours a murky greenish edge.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. I am looking for a colour for a hallway feature wall. I like Resene Rhino but am worried it is a little too dark. Could you recommend a similar colour (I like grey/blues) that is a little lighter? A. In reducing the strength of the colour many different undertones can become apparent - sometimes more blue comes through, some times more grey and sometimes a little more warmth. Check out these colours to see if one of them is what you are looking for – Resene Hammerhead, Resene Half New Denim Blue or Resene Avalanche.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. We have a small chocolate brown brick and tile unit built in 1980. We will be installing a new kitchen and bathroom soon but the first project is to touch up the paintwork. In a few years’ time it will become a rental so we would like to keep a neutral colour scheme. The aluminium joinery is white. The carpet is currently Madang but we will replace it at some stage in the future, possibly with Clay or a similar brown. The ceiling is stippled. The interior walls are Resene Pearl Lusta which we plan to keep. What colour would you recommend for the ceiling, door and window frames? A. I recommend that the same 'white' colour be used for the ceilings and the window frames and slightly more coloured for the doors. The doors being slightly deeper than the walls will be practical and may solve the problem one has with light coloured doors showing finger marking. Try Resene Alabaster - this may tie in the white aluminium joinery and reflect a crisp/clean accent to the wall colour, or Resene Half Spanish White - a slightly deeper colour than the walls (Resene Pearl Lusta) and may work well with any new carpet also. By keeping everything simple it never dates and always looks fresh.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. We are stuck on what colour to paint the exterior of our house and deck area that will help modernise our 12 year old house. Any recommendations? A. You might look at these colours - they are modern complex neutrals that may associate well with the existing powdercoated joinery and the bricks – Resene Half Napa with a slightly deeper colour stain for the decks - Resene Woodsman Iroko, or Resene Quarter Gargoyle with a slightly deeper stain for the decks - Resene Woodsman Tiri. If you didn't want to use a stain on the deck you could use a paint like Resene Lumbersider in a deeper colour like Resene Stonehenge which would work well with either house colour.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. We have an Ultra Black roof and window frames and a light brick with tones of red. Inside we have dark blue carpet, light blue walls, one dark blue feature wall and slate tiles. We have chosen a slate coloured blind for the interior but will this look funny on the outside? A. I don't think so. If that was the case every single house in NZ that has curtains and blinds (often colourful) would be a disaster, but that isn't the case. Slate (grey) is a neutral that goes with anything. If you had purple I'd be worried. Try not to worry, but if you are then silver will work. November 2014 |
||||||||||||
Q. Do you have a list of which of your colours would match the Lego® colours? I'm about to redecorate my young son's bedroom and would like to get the best match. A. Most aren’t exact matches but are similar. When you are choosing paints, the flatter the finish the muddier/earthier the colour will look. Lego® blocks are shiny so the colours look brighter. To get as bright you would need to use a glossier finish. Generally we recommend low sheen for rooms. You will still be able to get the Lego® style palette but it would not be as clean and glary as if you used a high gloss. The Resene ColorShops all have A4 swatch libraries so a good option would be to take your bricks in and compare those against each other before deciding on your final colours. Colours to try are: November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. Can you please tell me which neutral colours give a warm feeling to a home's interior? A. Generally speaking if you investigate colours that have a yellow base (Y) or brown base (BR) you will come across a wide assortment of neutrals that are sweetly warm in the cream and beige palettes. But colours are reactive, both with light (natural and artificial) and other colours within the rooms, so it does pay to test colour very carefully and watch how it responds. Some other colours that will give warmth are those listed as O (orange) or R (red) - there isn't as many of them in the neutrals range but they do exist. The best colour is the one that makes all of the elements in the rooms look wonderful and responds to light in a nice way - not much point choosing a colour for a room if part way through the day it goes all muddy toned or sour on you. Search by colour codes in the Resene Online Swatch Library. November 2014 |
||||||||||||
Q. We have a 1970s brick home with lots of Rimu trim. I'd like to paint our north facing bedroom (one window/ranchslider north wall). I'd like a soft, warm, calm, vintage green colour. I was thinking of going for a white with a hint of green like Resene Merino, but have decided it is a bit stark. I love Resene Chelsea Cucumber but it is much too intense. A. You may like Resene Merino - it isn't all that green. You might need to check it out and compare it with these other colours that do look green and a little bit deeper (less stark) and not so stone/neutral – Resene Quarter Linen, Resene Joanna, Resene Eighth Lemon Grass or Resene Half Secrets.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. We are looking to paint our back room and trying to decide on a neutral colour for the walls. The room is quite dark and the curtains we have chosen are varying shades of bright blue. The rest of our house has a very beachy, coastal feel to it, a theme we would like to carry through to the rest of the house. What neutral colour would you recommend? A. If the room in question doesn't get good light you may need to carefully test colours in that environment to see how the colours change and how they react with curtains, carpet etc to judge what might look the best to your eye. You might start the ball rolling with some of these colours – Resene Bianca (sunny/warm/light), Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream (less sunny/but still light) or Resene Quarter Albescent White (ever so slightly beige/warm/light).
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. We've painted our 1950s house in Resene Double Ash, with titanium trim around the window sashes (and aluminium window frames). We had originally planned to re-roof with COLORSTEEL® but it looks like we're going to go for the second best option of painting the Decromastic roof tiles - preferably a blue - and the garage door. Any suggestions for a good blue for the roof to go with the Resene Double Ash? A. You might look at these colours - available in Resene Summit Roof Paint – Resene Coast, Resene High Tide or Resene New Denim Blue. If you did change your mind these colours are also available in COLORSTEEL® as Storm Blue, Indigo Blue or New Denim Blue.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. I am interested in painting Resene Quarter Tea for the majority of the walls in a hallway. However on the stairwell wall I'd love a stripe of Black, Silver, Resene Half Tea and Resene Tea. We had planned on painting the stripes - any suggestions ? A. Stairwell walls are often high and awkward in shape - the use of ladders and trestles is an exercise all by itself. If you do go ahead with this wonderful creative idea I suggest telling your friends you are away for the weekend, take the phone of the hook and get pizza delivered. A big job that requires all your attention need not be so stressful that way. Measure and mark carefully with pencil - use a yard rule to ensure straight lines. Use low tack blue masking tape - because you can remove as soon as paint has been applied. Use a very tiny roller for application of stripes as it is quicker to apply paint that way. Another option is to see if there is a wallpaper that might suit. Painting stripes on a normal wall is relatively straightforward provided you plan the stripes carefully and are patient when planning and decorating the space. Stairwell walls are harder because of the height and shape.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. We are about to undertake an extension and will have an open plan kitchen, dining and lounge that has lots of natural light. I am having difficulty selecting whites and want to ensure they tie in without being too bright and needing sunglasses in the kitchen. However I really do want cabinetry to look 'white'. I was thinking Resene Rice Cake for the walls, Resene Alabaster for the ceilings and trims and either Resene Quarter Rice Cake or Resene Eighth Rice Cake for the kitchen cabinetry. We are having a whitish stone bench and wooden floor. A. Depending on the sheen level you choose for the kitchen cabinets (low/sheensatin, semi-gloss or slick full gloss) the colour you choose will look different. Slick full gloss reflects the most light and makes a colour look a lot 'whiter' and low sheen/satin is a lower sheen level and can look a bit matt when viewed directly face on and colours may appear slightly duller and more shaded. If gloss is appealing to you in order to make as much eye interest as possible I suggest you have low sheen walls and matt ceiling. Any painted woodwork - doors, skirtings etc - needs to mimic the same sheen level as the cabinetry. I like the colours you are suggesting very much but I think Resene Quarter Rice Cake may be 'white' enough for the cabinets rather than the Resene Eighth Rice Cake which may only make the Resene Alabaster look slightly 'wrong'. It could be conflicting to have two close whites - which is the real 'white'?
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. I'm looking for a neutral colour to paint our bungalow that will go with the tile roof, a complementary colour for the trim and then a colour for the fencing (maybe the same as the trim?). Any ideas to get me started? Maybe along the lines of Resene Half Napa, Resene Tea etc with a cream trim... I'm just not sure with the roof colour. I did see Resene Half Rakaia on a house which I liked but again wasn't so sure with the roof. I don't want it too dark. A. If you like colours like Resene Half Napa, Resene Tea and Resene Rakaia (this one can look a little mauve/grey so be careful), you may like these other neutrals - The ones listed above are a little more grey/beige and the trims are warm without being too yellow/creamy. Fences can be decorative and light, matching the trims on the house, or larger heavier perimeter fences which might be a deeper variant of the main house colour. It depends on the style, the size and the mood you want to create. The main colours that I have suggested do come as lighter and deeper versions also in case you like a colour but not the depth of the colour.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. There were some hair dyes sticking on my table and I wiped it successfully, but the original colour of my table was removed as well. I want to buy paint to cover it, but I don't know the detail of the colour, which type of brown it is. Hope you can help me. A. Finding the right match may be tricky. You might scrape and sand the whole table top to bare wood and completely renew the top colour - it is a stain colour - then apply several coats of gloss polyurethane as an extra protective film. If you see the Resene Colorwood Interior Stain chart you might be able to identify the existing colour from the underside of the table and legs. November 2014 |
||||||||||||
Q. Looking for an exterior colour scheme. We tend to lean towards warm colours (dislike yellows) and are not afraid of colour. One neighbour’s house is dark grey with white trim and the other's is khaki and white trim. Our neighbourhood is bushy in a coastal town. A. I am pleased you aren't afraid of colour - the following are some suggestions you might look at and if deck balustrades and handrails need depth to create definition then Resene Gumboot is a good dark (but not black) warm charcoal. Resene Delta will work well with the COLORBOND® Surf Mist but it is the safe tonal option. Resene Coffee Break will work well too - it is earthy and warm. Resene Snapshot favours the coastal theme and isn't warm but it does make you think of sun and sea. Resene Rivergum will blend the house back into the foliage on the hill.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. I have a house at the seashore which has timber cladding. What colour do you think is best for it, relating to scientific reason, and why is that useful? A. It is well known and technically correct to assume that really dark colours when exposed to a lot of heat from the sun absorb the heat and that in turn creates stress and damage to timber. This is usually seen as cracks, bubbling, loss of adhesion or oxidisation of the paint, splits or warping in the timber and the resultant need to repaint or replace damaged timbers far sooner than would be expected if lighter paint colours are used on the surface. Cooler colours reflect heat away from the surface and are considered benign as the cooler surface paint film doesn't cause dire problems to the timber. If you live in a very cold country where rain and snow are the normal environment this may never be a problem. If however you live in a hot, dry geographic part of the world you will note that the preferred colour for exteriors is white or a lightly tinted colour very close in hue to white. In New Zealand, many decorators choose darker exteriors and they use the Resene CoolColour™ version of the colour to reflect more heat than the normal version of the colour. However if you want to reflect the most heat, a white will reflect more heat. November 2014 |
||||||||||||
Q. We are preparing to paint the exterior of our house. Our home is surrounded by a block walled garden area. The house is LINEA® board with blue blackish aluminium doors and windows and wooden feature boards around the windows and doors. We have concrete pavers around the house. My question is around colour. We like a few colours for the LINEA® but have become confused as to what to use on the wooden surrounds and the block fence. The colours we like are Resene Half Pravda, Resene Ash, Resene Triple Truffle and Resene Triple White Pointer which I think will be too light. A. I think that to simplify your request for help you might look at using a lighter variant of the main colour as the wooden trim and a darker variant for the fence i.e. Resene Half Pravda - Resene Eighth Pravda (trim) and Resene Double Pravda (fence). This creates a soft tone on tone palette. But because fences that are enclosures around a courtyard garden can look very dark and oppressive sometimes an alternative option is to paint them the same as the lighter wooden trim. By using lighter variants of the main colour the eye is forced to judge the main colour as a deeper - but tonal - version of colour whereas if there is no 'lighter' colour the eye thinks a colour is much lighter than it is in actual fact as there is no contrast to challenge that assumption. Another option is to use a 'white' to see more contrast to the main colour - Resene Sea Fog - works well with all the colours that you have considered.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. I need to choose colours for my living areas. We have lots of wooden furniture pieces and rimu trims around our windows. I would like to do a feature wall around our in built fireplace. A. There are thousands of colour options available, but here are some to get you started: Resene Eighth Drought and feature of Resene Matakana, or Resene Half Spanish White and feature of Resene Double Biscotti, or Resene Half Joanna and feature of Resene Lemon Grass.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. I'm thinking of painting my formal lounge in Resene Half Foggy Grey. The room also has a tiled fireplace. We are planning to render the fireplace and paint it. Was wondering if you could recommend a colour. I was thinking of a dark blue-slate kind of colour... but am open to other ideas. A. These colours may be the sort of thing you are looking for – Resene Snapshot, Resene Revolution, Resene Bluff or Resene Half New Denim Blue. They may be slightly softer than you were considering but unless you want to make the fire surround the only dark attention seeking element in the room it may be these suggestions are deep enough as a colour feature.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. I'm currently building a new weatherboard house. The roof and windows are black. What colour would you suggest for the cladding? Also the corners of the house are boxed so these could be painted a different colour... maybe? A. A black roof is incredibly dominating. I am of the thought that you may need to pursue warm greys or taupes to soften the look of the house and add a bit of balance. The corner boards might be painted in a lighter variant of the house colour to add a little extra visual interest. You could try Resene Foggy Grey with lighter Resene Quarter Foggy Grey, or Resene Double White Pointer with lighter Resene Half White Pointer, or Resene Rakaia with lighter Resene Black Haze.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. We want to repaint our fireplace to lighten up the room. The room has wood panelling so it needs to complement that. The fireplace is decorative only. A. Mellow golds, warm rich creams and olive/greens and blue/greens may look good against the wooden walls. The fire bricks may need sealing to stop the paint soaking in (especially around the grout) and being patchy - generally Resene Sureseal Pigmented Sealer is recommended for porous surfaces or stains after thorough cleaning. Try these colours – Resene Moscato, Resene Oscar, Resene Westwood, Resene Wishlist or Resene Scaramanga.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. Is it possible to select colours to view on your web site that offer a high LRV plus are classed as warm colours? A. If you go to our online colour library there is a search by reflectance value option so you can search for set LRV values and also by palette. Generally speaking if you want something warm then the Yellow, Orange and Red palettes are a good place to start. If you have a specific project in mind and would like to send photos, our colour expert could provide you with more advice. November 2014 |
||||||||||||
Q. I am just wondering if you have the pinky colour that has the glitter through it? A. We do have pink metallic finishes – if you look at the Resene KidzColour range you will see some bright metallic options. The other option is you can take a solid colour and paint Resene Pearl Shimmer over the top which will add a soft shimmer effect. November 2014 |
||||||||||||
Q. We have a colour with a set RGB value. I'm looking at painting our chief wall in this colour. Can you suggest how I get the colour? A. RGB values are how electronic screens display colours. If you go to our online Find-A-Colour tool you can enter the RGB value and then it will show you the closest Resene colours. You could then pop into a Resene ColorShop and see if any of these suit you. The other option is printing out your RGB value as a colour. However often the printed version will look quite different from the online version, which is why matching it up to the nearest Resene colour and then using that as a startpoint is often more successful. November 2014 |
||||||||||||
Q. I was wondering if you could give us guidance for external painting of our 70s farmhouse on a rural 10 acre block. It has Hardiplank® cladding, Ironsand joinery and is north facing. We quite like the stone colours. Its painted yellow now. A. If you like stony colours you might like these ones - they will all work well with Ironsand – Resene Truffle (lighter versions also available), Resene Quarter Taupe Grey, Resene Half Napa (lighter versions are available) or Resene Quarter Stonehenge (lighter versions are available). I suggest you use Resene Sonyx 101 waterborne semi-gloss acrylic on the Hardiplank© - it is a great paint (not too shiny) and easily cleaned down when windblown pollens, dust and dirt decide to decorate the exterior.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. We are going to freshen up our kitchen and looking for a nice white that will work with our light blue cabinets. The walls are currently a not so nice cream with the trims/doors and ceiling beams a 70s yellow colour! We get lots of natural light with two ranchsliders and a large window so I think we could get away with a nice bright white but cannot decide on a shade. Can you please recommend a colour for the walls and also what paint should I buy for the ceilings and the wood skirting, doors, trim and beams? A. To freshen up the kitchen you may need to very carefully test these 'whites' – Resene Eighth Rice Cake, Resene Alabaster or Resene Quarter Wan White. They are quite different from each other. The very best way to view their unique qualities is to check out the A4 real paint samples in the Colour Library at your nearest Resene ColorShop. If you place a sheet of white printer paper between the samples it will help your eye judge the minuscule undertones within each colour. If you need to see more - and in the kitchen - I suggest you use a testpot (two coats - all of it) onto A2 card (available from Resene ColorShops) leaving an unpainted border all around the edges. Move it around from wall to wall. The natural light in the room will affect it and you will see it responding to angle changes and light and shade. The unpainted border holds the test colour well away from the existing wall colour so you really see it to best advantage. I would use the same colour (different types of paint) on all surfaces. The best wall paint for kitchens (and bathrooms and laundries) for a low sheen finish is Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen Kitchen & Bathroom waterborne enamel. It can be used on walls and ceilings. For any woodwork Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss waterborne enamel is the popular recommendation but if you really want a slick gloss then you could use Resene Enamacryl gloss waterborne enamel.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. I have begun our renovation project and have used Resene Double Alabaster as the wall colour and Resene Alabaster on trim in the east/north facing dining room. The adjoining kitchen open plan living area is also east/north facing and the opposite side of the room south/west. I need a flow on from the dining area that will offer a warming/lightening effect. I am looking at Resene Eighth White Pointer, Resene Quarter Truffle or Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream. Also considering Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta. I have a large chocolate fudge colour lounge suite and the room doesn't get a great deal of light. I also need a matching colour to the walls for a feature wall that has a copper capped fireplace. The floors will be floorboards in a warm honey colour. I would also like to have a feature wall colour in the dining room like Resene Double Sea Fog or Resene Double Truffle or Resene Truffle. Can you suggest any colour ideas for these spaces? A. Of the colours you are considering – Resene White Pointer and Resene Truffle palettes are greyer/beige and more shadowy and Resene Thorndon Cream and Resene Pearl Lusta palettes are yellower and slightly greener and a bit brighter by comparison to the Resene White Pointer and Resene Truffle. Because of the polarity of the rooms and the way the natural light will work upon colour you may see the East pulling out a bit more green edge and shadow in any of the colours and conversely in the South the colours may look either sour if they are yellowish or grey/cool if they are beige/grey. Resene Quarter Truffle is worth considering - it looks good following on from the Resene Double Alabaster - and it has warmth that appears to respond well to chocolate browns. The deeper variant, Resene Double Truffle, may develop extra warmth and interesting undertones of colour - brown/yellow/grey/beige - which may look quite stunning. A much lighter/much more subtle feature which would work with Resene Double Alabaster could be Resene Double Sea Fog. It will be a cooler look I think. You would need to test these colours and track their changes at different times of the day and in different rooms as the same colour in all rooms equates to a completely different colour in every room.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. You look down on our house from the road. Our garage has a flat roof painted Grey Friars. Our new front door and garage door is also Grey Friars. What would be a good colour to paint our house? A. You could try Resene Cloudy, Resene Quarter Taupe Grey or Resene Triple White Pointer.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. I like the look of Resene White Rock on the colour chart. I bought a testpot, painted a small section of wall and it just looks white. When I hold the paint chart against the painted wall it is not the same colour. Do I trust the paint chart or could I have purchased a faulty testpot? A. Because I know that it is very easy to pick up the wrong testpot it is important that you check that it is the right one - there are so many called White something - like White or White Linen or White Pointer or Whiteout. Children often play with the testpots so it is easy for them to be put back on the shelves in the wrong order. If it is labelled Resene White Rock then the next thing to do is apply the testpot to white card, available from Resene ColorShops, (two coats to get the full depth) leaving an unpainted white border so your eye focuses on the reality of the colour which is a sharp green/yellow toned cream. It will alter at different times of the day (natural light) and night (artificial light) and it is important that you see this and not be 'surprised' later on when the room is painted and suddenly (when the light changes) you see something that you would never have chosen if you had seen it prior to the work being done. Never apply the testpot to an already coloured wall as the greater expanse of wall colour alters your perception of the test patch and you see it wrong. If after that you still don't think it is right then take the testpot back to the shop (make sure a little paint is left in it so they can use it to compare) and get the staff to check it against the A4 sheet of real paint colour in their Colour Library and if needed get a replacement testpot. Always test colour as I have indicated so you can judge it truly unaffected by any existing colours.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. We are redecorating our lounge and are looking for a colour to go with our kitchen/dining room area but do not want exactly the same colour. Our kitchen/dining colour is Resene Triple Rice Cake and we have a splashback in Resene Cutty Sark. The rest of the kitchen dining area is pretty much all white apart from the floor which is classic oak vinyl planks. Approximately a third of the lounge is windows/doors. We have high sloping ceilings which are going to be painted Resene Alabaster. When you stand in the kitchen you can see a small part of one wall in the lounge and in the dining room you can see a lot more. When watching the TV in the lounge you do not see the splashback colour. I am looking for a fairly neutral and warm colour but not something with grey or pink tones. A. You could try Resene Double Thorndon Cream, Resene Tea or Resene Triple Merino or the same as the kitchen as the greater space, natural light and coloured co-ordinates in the lounge may well make the Resene Triple Rice Cake look radically different. This happens a lot as the same colour in another room is a different colour.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. Looking for a colour between Resene Ship Cove and Resene Echo Blue in shade/hue. A. On the original Resene Total Colour Multifinish chart there wasn't a colour between these two but in recent years another two blues have been released - Resene Relax and Resene Smokescreen - both of which appear to be slightly related by colour codes. Apart from that there is another from the Resene BS5252 chart that might suit - Resene Rock Blue.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. I have Resene Quarter Parchment on the walls in the hallway and would like colour ideas for four cupboard doors. A. If the cupboards are in the hallway and you want to highlight them then you might use a 'white' like Resene Double Alabaster but if you don't want them being a 'feature' then you might use a semi-gloss enamel version of the wall colour - Resene Quarter Parchment.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. We have a 60s red brick house that we are renovating. We have decided to paint the brick white and would love some colour suggestions. The new window joinery will be black aluminium and the roof is grey COLORSTEEL®. We want a white that will not be too blinding! We are after a mid-century modern type look. A. Check out these lovely 'whites' - they aren't too stark and look really nice in context with your other colours - Cool whites: Resene Sea Fog, Resene Black White or Resene Wan White, or warmer whites: Resene Eighth Rice Cake or Resene Quarter Bianca. It is always difficult to judge the differences between these 'whites'. I suggest that you pop into your nearest Resene ColorShop to view the A4 size real paint samples of these colours in their Colour Library. If you place a sheet of white printer paper between these 'whites' it will help you judge the reality of these similar tints.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. Looking to paint my stucco home in Resene Truffle with a Resene Bokara Grey front door and garage door. The roof is orange clay tiles. A. If you are looking for approval - you have it. I think the colours will look wonderful.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. Can you recommend a colour for our new front gate and fence, possible a white? The old picket fence was white and our front garden is only small. Our 1910 cottage has a dark grey roof, black door and weatherboards are white (possibly Resene Alabaster as found an old tin under the house). A. You certainly could use the Resene Alabaster or if you felt it was a little too stark you might consider doing the paling in Resene Alabaster and the posts and top capping in a slightly deeper colour to add a little more visual interest. I am not suggesting anything too optically challenging - perhaps Resene Double Sea Fog or Resene Concrete. Or alternatively you might use a deeper version of Resene Alabaster - Resene Triple Alabaster - for all of it.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. I have Arctic White Melamine kitchen units and would like them to seem whiter. Do you think I could use Resene Quarter Black White around the windows, which is close to cabinetry, and then Resene Gunsmoke on the wall cabinets? The rest of the walls in the kitchen and dining family room would be full Resene Black White. A. I think your ideas in regard the whites and grey/whites and stronger greys is very good. If you are in any doubt - especially in regards to the Resene Quarter Black White - please do test it on A2 card (available from Resene ColorShops) and hold the card vertically adjacent to the cabinets so you can see how they relate to each other. You should be able to see the cabinets are the 'whitest' colour compared to the painted card.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. On the exterior of my house I have brown aluminium joinery, which will remain. I am thinking of Resene Double Black White for weatherboards and Resene Ironsand for the roof. I’m not sure whether to match the gutters to the roof colour and what to paint on the downpipes. It’s a single storey house, long and narrow. A. If the guttering is plastic I suggest painting it and the downpipes to match the house. Plastic guttering (PVC) can flex and twist a lot and pop out of the joining brackets if painted dark colours. The outcome is that you are forever climbing up to put them together again or getting a shower for free every time it rains. You can’t glue the guttering and the joining brackets as they need to expand and contract without ripping out of the bracket. If the guttering is metal you could paint it to match the roof colour but not the downpipe as it would just be a hard dark line running down the face of the house drawing attention to itself, but not in a lovely way.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. We are looking for some suggestions on repainting our bach. It has brown joinery. On reading your site I saw a suggestion for a similar sounding property – Resene Half Tuna or Resene Half Napa with Resene Wanaka or Resene Eighth Pravda. We are still not sure and are thinking maybe go darker Resene Napa. Our other thought is to go charcoal black. A. Please don't go too dark. Look at these colours and you may see something that is appealing – Resene Quarter Oilskin (warm brown), Resene Stonehenge (greyed/brown) or Resene Wireless (warmer than Resene Half Tuna). Each house is unique and I can imagine you having a bit of blue with your new main colour. Have a look at these colours; they have a maritime ambiance in keeping with the coastal environment you are in – Resene Coast or softer Resene Explorer.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. We have a late 1980s home with brown doors and wardrobe doors. Will Resene Sea Fog for the walls and Resene Double Alabaster or Resene Alabaster work well to create warmth and maintain brightness in the rooms? A. I think Resene Double Alabaster for the doors would be a softer look (not as stark) to go with Resene Sea Fog. If you are wanting a greyer/cooler look in the bathroom then the Resene Black White will work for the walls but I think I would be inclined to do Resene Double Alabaster (which is also Resene Quarter Sea Fog) for the ceiling.- same as the door colour - this will keep it all neatly co-ordinated and harmonious.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. We are looking at painting our kitchen/living/dining in Resene Periglacial Blue. What colour would you suggest for the ceiling, skirtings and architraves. Also I am interested to know what colours you would suggest for the rest of the house (lounge, bedrooms, bathrooms, hallway) that would tie in with this colour. We have neutral carpet and the bathroom tiles are in greys and charcoals. A. A cool colour could work well as the ceilings and woodwork - perhaps Resene Quarter Wan White or Resene Double Alabaster, which is slightly warmer but still crisp enough to work with Resene Periglacial Blue. Other neutrals that look quite stylish in this palette of colours are these ones – Resene Half Sandspit Brown, Resene Rakaia, Resene Half Tea or Resene Triple Black White. I hope these suggestions offer you options and plenty of scope to explore colours that exude elegance and cool tranquillity.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. I have a Woodland Grey roof, merlot brick and Paperbark windows. What colour should I use to render the front bay window and paint fascias and eaves? A. If you wanted a colour similar to the windows you could use Resene Shelter or (lighter) Resene Eighth Colins Wicket, which would keep it neat and simple. But if you wanted a really light colour you might use Resene Spanish White.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. I have two flats up above a retail shop and am wondering which colours would be good for the flats inside. A. I suggest you keep all window joinery and ceilings Resene Half Sea Fog, which is a nice clean colour and all the walls, skirting boards and door frames in Resene Double Sea Fog. Sometimes the doors in a rental get a bit grubby looking from constant fingermarking so perhaps you could consider using a deeper colour like Resene Quarter Foggy Grey, which will hopefully hide some of this and give a little feature colour and character to the flats. These are all smart modern neutrals which allow the use of white kitchen cabinets (always popular) or white tiles or wet walling in the bathroom.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. We have a green house with green roof but are not big fans of the colour. The roof has just been re-roofed so we are stuck with that colour for a while but would like to paint the house a light grey on the weatherboards and darker grey on the concrete base (and front door) and light grey garage doors. Do you have advice on which greys to use that would look ok with the green roof? A. If you were keen on a light grey/dark grey palette of colours to go with the existing roof colour (looks like Mist Green) I suggest looking at these types of colours – Resene Double Sea Fog (main colour) and Resene Delta (concrete base), Resene Half Concrete (main colour) and Resene Triple Concrete (concrete base) or Resene White Pointer (main colour) and Resene Half Taupe Grey (concrete base). If you use real White as the trims to enhance the soft greys it could work well. The reason I haven't suggested really dark greys on the base of the house is because I am fearful it may look like a huge dark slab and attract too much attention - but not in a good way.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. Am wanting to paint our little girl's room in a warm white (which doesn't get a lot of light and is South West facing). Was thinking of Resene Wheatfield but do not want it to look too yellow. What would you suggest in a room that does not get a lot of light? Is Resene Half Wheatfield less yellow yet still warm? Would also like it to go with most girly colours. A. Resene Wheatfield may be a little too yellow/green and may take on a sour look for most of the day (late afternoon it would look OK I think - Westerly light is warmer) and the lighter versions of this colour may still cast the same yellow/green sour undertone. You might look at these colours as they are sweeter and hopefully won't react too badly with the South aspect of light – Resene Bianca, Resene Quarter Albescent White or Resene Eighth Spanish White. If you can - and it would help you a lot - please do pop into a Resene ColorShop to view the A4 real paint samples in their Colour Library. If you place a sheet of white printer paper between the colours you will be better able to judge the underlying tones of colour hiding within the 'whites'-and with that knowledge testing a colour in your home will be easier. I always suggest to people that they paint all of the testpot (two coats) onto A2 card (available from Resene ColorShops) leaving an unpainted border all around the edges. That way your eye focuses on the reality of the colour and you can move it around from wall to wall to check out how it undergoes colour changes at different times of the day.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. I have chipped our house paint and am trying to colour match it. Can you match it from a photo? A. It’s hard to colour match a colour to a photo. The best idea is to take in a small piece of the colour to your Resene owned ColorShop and they can either match it up to a Resene colour or create a colour match for you. The small piece could be taken from an inconspicuous area – as long as it matches the colour of the paint you need to fix. The sample should ideally be at least an inch round. We can match to smaller (e.g. 20c coin size) and sometimes smaller but if it gets too small it’s harder to get an accurate match. November 2014 |
||||||||||||
Q. We have a Grey Friars roof and garage door. The house is 1955 weatherboards with one brick base wall and silver star aluminium joinery. We are considering Resene Rakaia for the weatherboards and Resene Sea Fog on the window trim, eaves and barge boards, with a Resene Paprika painted door. Will these work together? What colour also for the brick base on the west wall? A. They look very nice together - the Resene Rakaia is a lovely warm grey and the Resene Paprika for the door will certainly enhance it - delicious! For the brick base you could do it the same as the house colour (don't emphasise it unless it is beautiful and worthy of being a feature) or deeper - Resene Triple Rakaia - if you want it to stand out.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. My kitchen/dining/lounge is painted Resene Canterbury Clay. The trim and ceiling and cabinetry is Resene Half Villa White. We are on a hill with a sea /sky view and the floors are polished heart rimu. I do not like the Resene Canterbury Clay as it goes too dark and muddy on cloudy days and does not look right when looking out to sea. I want to paint it white instead so the views are the focal point so will I do the walls Resene Half, Quarter or full Villa white or do you suggest something else? A. Going from Resene Canterbury Clay to a 'white' will definitely lift and lighten your spaces. You may find that if you use full strength Resene Villa White it looks quite sharp and yellowish. Perhaps as a compromise you could use Resene Half Villa White in a low sheen paint finish and the differing sheen levels between the semi-gloss enamel of the wood work and the ceiling matt finish may be just enough to accentuate but not change the main colour. Alternatively you might look at using Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream as it is very good with Resene Half Villa White but subtly more shaded.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. We live by the sea and we have painted our house Resene Half Black White. The house is a plaster finish. Our joinery is silver anodised aluminium and the roof is a mid metallic grey. Not dark but not light. What colour should we do our garage door? A. You might do it the same as the roof - if you know what the colour was used there - or you could look at these two colours - Resene Triple Black White or Resene Double Black White. They are related to the main house colour and may mimic the colour of the window joinery but be a bit more shaded.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. I'm about to paint my studio. I want to use a neutral soft shade, but want it to complement the wooden floor. I was thinking Resene Quarter Ash. A. Resene Quarter Ash is a lovely restful greyed off green - if you like this sort of colour perhaps you might also check out these three colours also just to reassure yourself as to the 'rightness' of your colour preference as they are slightly brighter and warmer – Resene Quarter Tana, Resene Ecru White or Resene Thorndon Cream.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. I have just had my kitchen and lounge painted with Resene Half Parchment. It looks very green alongside my Resene Rice Cake woodwork - was hoping for a beige stony look. How can I change the hue? A. Resene Half Parchment does flash a little green edge in certain lights and often in relation to Resene Rice Cake which carries a distinct greenish cast. It is so important to test colours to see how they react with other colours and in changing qualities of light. Try these colours to see how they react – Resene Quarter Akaroa, Resene Quarter Bison Hide or Resene Half Cloud. If you apply two coats (all of the testpot) onto A2 card (available from Resene ColorShops) leaving an unpainted border all around the edges and move it around from wall to wall you will be able to see what the colour is truly like - because it is so much larger. The unpainted border will let you focus on the reality of the colour without any existing wall colour altering your perception of the tested colour and you will be able to see how it changes in all lights and on all walls and – especially - when it is close to Resene Rice Cake, which does have a slight green cast to it.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. I want to paint our hallways downstairs and upstairs in a light grey. One that is obviously not just off-white but has a bit of tone to it, but not so dark that it will darken the spaces. The hallway downstairs is reasonably narrow with not a great deal of natural light. I will be using black and white wallpaper up one wall of the stairs so want to tone in with that. The downstairs flooring is Matai timber and upstairs is a medium grey carpet with a slight green shade. I could potentially use two different colours downstairs and upstairs if that will work best. Upstairs has much more natural light. A. The change in the natural light between the downstairs and upstairs will make the same colour appear to be radically different. You might check these light grey tones out and please do remember interior colour always looks a little deeper than you might imagine - sometimes doubling in depth – Resene Triple Sea Fog (warm grey/green), Resene Eighth Ash (cool and slightly green edged), Resene Concrete (silvery and cool) or Resene Quarter Silver Chalice (this one is lovely but is definitely the darkest).
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. We have been testing various colours on our shed for a while now and we need to make a decision. On our shed/unit we have half of the cladding, roof and garage doors all in Sandstone Grey. The joinery is Silver Pearl. Can you please give us a few suggestions for the facias, soffits and the remaining of the LINEA® cladding? Also, ideas for the spouting. A. If the guttering is metal then they could match the roof colour - in this case Sandstone Grey. If they are white PVC then both they and the fascias and soffits could be the same colour - perhaps Resene Quarter Ash or Resene Quarter Foggy Grey or much lighter Resene Merino. The remaining LINEA® could be deeper like Resene Gravel, Resene Ironsand or much lighter - Resene Half Friar Greystone .
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. I would be interested in getting some advice on an interior wall colour for our lounge and rumpus. It's currently a light cream colour which looks quite washed out and dated. The carpet is new and a light brown/beige colour so would like to complement the carpet. We intend to completely replace the curtains. Both rooms are quite light and bright and have lots of windows. We were thinking a warmish neutral colour but are not sure how dark to go as we would like a bit of colour but don't want to close in the rooms. A. My best tip to you is to find the curtains that you adore first. You will of course need to check them out with the carpet and the existing furniture but if they really work well and you are delighted with them then options for wall colours will suddenly start making their presence obvious. The Resene range of curtain fabrics is definitely a starting point and they have colour ideas listed with each fabric. If you do paint - now - and then later fall madly in love with a curtain fabric and they simply refuse to work with the newly painted walls will you repaint the walls another colour in order to have the curtains? Generally most people won’t so you will choose some other curtain that you don't like as much all because of the paint colour. It pays to choose from your most expensive and limited options first - this is usually carpets, curtains and furniture - so that you have all the choices in the world and aren't compromised. You might check these out – curtains in Resene Curtain Collection Tease – Flame with walls in Resene Barely There, or alternatively – Resene Curtain Collection Ripple – Stone with walls in Resene Rakaia. If you do find other fabric for curtains do take a sample to the nearest Resene ColorShop to view what colours may work well with it - they are all available to be viewed as A4 real paint samples in each store’s Colour Library.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. We have just recently had our driveway coated in a charcoal with cream fleck. We are keen to change the feature external pillars on the house. They are currently eggplant but in the sun can look quite mauve/purple. The base exterior is off white and the guttering is neutral grey/bronze. We are looking at Resene Eighth Gravel from your range but don’t want too blue or green in tone What are your thoughts? A. Resene Eighth Gravel is a warm grey with a slight stone/green edge to it. You might look at these colours also to see if they suit -
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. I have the colour Resene Sandspit Brown throughout my house and really like it. I'm choosing a new colour scheme though and would like something a little different. I've got testpots for Resene Parchment, Resene Half Ecru White and Resene Quarter Akaroa. They seemed a good choice but are now looking too light compared to Resene Sandspit Brown, which looks a bit peachy/muddy just in some lights. Are there colours you can recommend that are similar to Resene Sandspit Brown and/or something similar but darker than the testpot colours I have? A. You might look at these colours to see if they suit – Resene Quarter Drought, Resene Eighth Drought, Resene Half Fossil or Resene Quarter Bison Hide. It is all in the testing of these colours - and making sure that the colour is seen at all times of the day and night as the quality of light does affect colour a lot. Sometimes it is about compromise - it may look great some of the time or none of the time but possibly what it is wise to aim for is a colour that looks good most of the time. Trial colour carefully - always paint it onto A2 card (available from Resene ColorShops) leaving an unpainted (white) border all around the edges. This will do these things:
After having a lovely colour albeit, a bit peachy/muddy but only some of the time, it is often hard to replace it with another that is similar. Replacing with radically different is sometimes easier as we don't unfairly judge/compare similar. November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. We are keen to repaint our 1928 railway cottage in a pale blue with crisp white trim, pale silver grey roof and mid-dark grey foundations. We have tried lots of testpots to find the right blue - something with a bit of warmth, not too grey or baby blue. I think Resene Botticelli is closest to what we're after - do you think it will be too overpowering for the whole house? And can you suggest complementary shades for the roof, foundations, door etc? We're thinking Resene Double Alabaster for trims, Resene Amosphere for the roof or Resene Baltic Sea for the foundations/porch floorboards and maybe a red door. A. I think the colours that you favour are lovely but I do think I would be inclined to lighten the base of the house a little bit so it doesn't totally dominate the house and draw the eye away from the main colour. You could do Resene Tuna or Resene Half Grey Friars. I do worry a bit about your choice of roof colour - it will look far paler in bright light and on an angle to the sun. It may even look as light as Resene Titania. If that doesn't worry you then it is all OK. Or you could look at a slightly deeper grey - Resene Mid Grey or even Resene Half Tuna. In regard whether or not Resene Botticelli is too overpowering - no I don't think so but it does depend on just how much 'white' breaks up the blue mass. So perhaps more 'white' rather than less 'white' i.e barge boards, under soffits, gables, window surrounds, sashes, sills and door frames as well. You really are spoiled for choice for your red door. My favourite at this point in time - and my favourite changes a lot! Try something like Resene Madam M.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. Can you please recommend a colour to use for our roof (concrete tiles), fascia (wooden) and gutters when the wall of the house is red brick with various tones of red, orange and grey. I also need to choose a colour for the concrete slab where the pergola is being built, and our COLORBOND® fence. A. This is just a thought but a nice earthy greyed green for the roof in a colour to match a COLORBOND® fence colour might be the way to go, such as Resene Squall. This is a match to COLORBOND® Woodland Grey, which would be nice for the fence. A lighter - but similar - colour for the fascias, gutters and possibly the concrete slab where the pergola is being built could be Resene Tapa. Alternatively you might check out Resene Lattiude for the roof, which is a softer/lighter look and it matches COLORBOND® Windspray for the fence - with a lighter grey for the fascias, guttering and concrete slab - Resene Quarter Taupe Grey.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. Can you help me with a colour scheme? I like the modern muted grey palette. This image is pre-renovation as I am building a pergola over the main entrance. I don't want to get this wrong as the colour will be very important. A. You might look at these soft greys to see if they are what you might like - Main house and fence colour - Resene Triple White Pointer, with trims (raised detail around the windows etc and the inner panels on the fence) - Resene White Pointer. If another colour was required I suggest a darker one to co-ordinate with the deeper window joinery and it could be used on the garage door and the pergola - Resene Eighth Masala. Or alternatively - Main house and fence colour- Resene Foggy Grey, with trims in Resene Quarter Foggy Grey and a deeper colour Resene Friar Greystone . You will need to test colours after seeing larger samples of real paint. A big job requires a bit of thought and a lot of trialling colours to be sure of what it will look like.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. We are looking for an exterior paint colour for the wooden areas of a dark brown klinker-type brick house. I do not like the dark brown brick but am stuck with it. What colour could we use on the fascia boards etc to modernise this 70s type house and push to the background the dark brown brick? Perhaps something to something to match the silver aluminium windows? A. Avoid more brown is that will only increase the deep brown colours in the bricks. I am unsure about using a silver or grey because it will be very light so it too will enhance the depth of dark browns in the bricks - is this what you want to do? You might look at using a type of earthy colour that has a little green edge to it – Resene Secrets or Resene Half Grey Olive or alternatively perhaps colours with a blue or green slate greyness to balance the brown colour – Resene Half Regent Grey or Resene Half Innocence, or try Resene Tea. A pale colour for fascias and under the eaves might be Resene Half Sea Fog or Resene Half Merino as they are both light/clean but not too stark and will hopefully draw the eye away as much as possible from the bricks.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. We have a small split level house which is in dire need of a repaint. It is very late 1980s colours, blue and yellow at the moment and we would like to make it contemporary looking. It is weatherboard and I am thinking soft taupe greys but am struggling. I quite like the tones of Resene Double Barely There, Resene Sea Fog and Resene Double Black White but are they too soft a tone for an exterior paint finish? I would also like advice on the roof colour and the colour for the front door. I was thinking that the windowsills would probably be a deeper tone of the weatherboard colour. Am I on the right track? A. I like the ideas you have. If you like Resene Double Barely There you might also look at Resene Triple Black White - instead of Resene Double Black White - a little bit deeper because sunlight makes exterior colours seem paler and use a much lighter 'white' to make the eye see more contrast - Resene Quarter Sea Fog somewhere on the house and a mid to deep coloured roof - you might look at COLORSTEEL® Sandstone Grey or deeper COLORSTEEL® Ironsand. You could use a deeper trim and front door colour (same colour), using a colour like Resene Wireless or Resene Quarter Ironsand. November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. Considering using Resene Soapstone throughout our home on all walls with half strength for the ceiling. Was considering slightly grey whites, but all trialled have appeared ‘dirty' in lower light when painted so defaulting to a more neutral white. What type of coverage will Resene Soapstone provide - is there enough depth to this colour? Is there a chance it will turn yellow with enamel skirting boards etc? A. Resene Soapstone has a slightly subdued pink/beige undertone. You may find - depending on what other colours you have inside the house plus the quality of light in your rooms - that it can look beige or grey or pink. It pays to trial it to see what will happen. If you paint up a testpot (2 coats) onto A2 card (available from Resene ColorShops) leaving an unpainted border all around the edges it will help you see the reality of the colour. You can move it around from wall to wall and room to room. I haven't seen it looking yellow when it is an enamel for woodwork but it may look more warm beige. It will cover really well unless you are trying to use only one coat – generally we recommend two good topcoats - or have very bright yellow or dark colours that you are painting over.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. We have just painted our roof in Resene Mid Grey. Our house is quite small, 100 square metres, with brown aluminium window frames and we want to find the best colour to put with this. A. Try these colours to see if they make you feel inspired – Resene Half Foggy Grey, Resene Half Cloudy, Resene Truffle, Resene Triple Merino or Resene Quarter Friar Greystone .
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q.I have an 80s house that needs exterior repainting. The roof is a charcoal colour and the aluminium windows are brown. Would just love some ideas on colours that would work with the brown window frames especially - dark or light is fine. A. You might like to check out these colours – Resene Triple Merino, Resene Half Tea, Resene Cougar, Resene Half Taupe Grey or Resene Half Craigieburn.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. We have a 50s stucco house with original timber windows. I am doing the windows, facings and soffits in Resene Alabaster. We are thinking about Resene Quarter Napa for the rest of the house but don't want to end up with it looking like a big concrete block... what other colours are similar to Resene Napa or would suit a house of this style? A. Because of the stucco texture creating that little bit more shadow in a colour you might look at these other options and then trial them very carefully to see what changes of light and the texture do to (and for) the colours – Resene Quarter Truffle or Resene Half Cloud. Or you might look at soft green/greys such as Resene Quarter Ash or Resene Half Duck Egg Blue, or a grey/minky warm neutral colour such as Resene Quarter Rakaia. The 1950s was a time when soft unusual pastel colours were popular and some of the above are just the latest versions of those types of colours.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. We are renovating a 1912 villa and painting the traditional batten ceilings. Which paint finish is appropriate for these ceilings - we have been told a semi-gloss or gloss will show detail on the battens but we have always used matt on ceilings to hide imperfections. Any advice? A. Generally a matt ceiling paint is recommended. It sounds as though the advice that you have been given was mainly in regard the battens not the main parts of the ceiling. What you need to ask of yourself is do you want to have detailing picked out in a greater gloss finish? Will it look better in any way? Or will it look like shinier strips breaking up the ceiling mass? Personally I wouldn't pick out anything on the ceilings in a semi or full gloss. But we are all different in that regard and you may prefer the higher sheen level. November 2014 |
||||||||||||
Q. I am looking for a grey to paint our house that does not go purple. I really like the colour of raw concrete. Does your colour Resene Concrete go purple? A. Resene Concrete has the potential to flash a silver/mauve undertone. This is most apparent in the late afternoon. If you don't want any hint of purple in the grey then you might look at these colours – Resene Quarter Silver Chalice, Resene Quarter Delta, Resene Eighth Tapa or Resene Half Grey Chateau.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. I require advice on an up to date colour for our house. The old colour looks like Bitter and is so last year. A. You could look at these modern neutrals to see if they might suit you – Resene Truffle, Resene Quarter Taupe Grey or Resene Quarter Napa.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. We are building a 6 bedroom home and we have painted our internal walls in Resene Half Tea and our ceilings, doors and trim in Resene Alabaster. We have a chocolate brown lounge suite and light carpet. What bright colours go with this colour scheme that we can use to paint a feature wall, the chimney etc or use in curtains and pillows. I feel like we need some bright colours to give it the wow factor. A. You are very fortunate as a lot of gorgeous colours can be used with your main wall colour. Perhaps you could check out these ones - they are from the new Range 16 so they are 'hot' and offer you lots of options – Resene Barometer, Resene Sambuca, Resene Koru, Resene Madam M or Resene Ayers Rock.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. I am putting in a new kitchen with marble look benchtop (Caesarstone London Grey), Alabaster cabinets and I have a rimu ceiling. I am painting out the rimu arcotraves with Resene Alabaster. The tiles are a soft marble/cement style grey look (not flat), and the carpet nearby a grey/mushroomy colour. Would you think Resene Eighth Ash or Resene Eighth Tea would be better with this colour combo? A. You may find that the Resene Eighth Tea looks good with the grey/mushroom of the carpet and the Resene Alabaster. The Resene Eighth Ash has a greenish undertone, which may not suit as well.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. My new kitchen will have an island unit in Resene Double Gravel and wall cabinets in Resene Triple Sea Fog. the walls in the rest of the open plan kitchen/living/dining are going to be half or quarter Resene Sea Fog. However I have a large painting I want to hang on one wall which is mostly white so it needs a darker wall colour. What darker neutral can I use on this single feature wall? A. I think you could use a lighter Resene Gravel variant such as Resene Half Gravel - this could look stunning with the Resene Half Sea Fog or Resene Quarter Sea Fog on the other walls.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. We are installing pearl white aluminium windows and need a colour for the sills and architraves. The walls are Resene Pearl Lusta. What would you suggest? A. Try Resene Quarter Black White - this 'white' will mimic the slight grey/white tone of the Pearl White windows or Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta - this 'white' is a lighter variant of your main colour Resene Pearl Lusta.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. Our new build has a black roof and window frames with red brick (coach house red) cladding. We are looking for a complementary dark gable colour. Can you suggest suitable charcoals/greys or another colour? A. You could look at these charcoals/greys to see if they might look good – Resene Quarter Masala, Resene Gunsmoke, Resene Quarter Ironsand or Resene Half Fuscous Grey.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. We have a linen Caesarstone benchtop with white cupboards and a Resene Half Tea splashback and need advice on the wall colour. it is a small kitchen so trying to keep it light. A. Have you considered a shaded white for the walls - it will highlight the splashback and the white cabinets and will reflect a lot of light? You could try Resene Quarter Albescent White, Resene Half Sea Fog or Resene Quarter Merino.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. We have just finished building a cottage in Arrowtown which is very much in the style of the traditional Arrowtown stone fronted cottage with verandah. Please could you advise which colours you think might work for the exterior plasterwork on the sides and rear of the house and also the verandah. A. Because of the distinctive quality and colours of the stonework and the warmth of the woodwork - and the need to keep those elements as the only features that should attract attention - you might look at using a light grey for the plaster work. My reasoning is that an aggregate/sand grey is a fundamental neutral and generally will work with all other colours and is an element of the geographic area that you live in. Try Resene Half Delta or Resene Half Silver Chalice. Or alternatively you might look at a earth based (dirty) cream - again because it is an element of the geographic area and because it has been used for decades and is a traditional 'go to' colour. Try Resene Eighth Pavlova, and even lighter for the verandah ceiling and posts – Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. We have a feature wall of wallpaper out of Resene Walltrends 75133. I love the black and bronze metallic together and the way it changes. Looks fab. We have Resene Akaroa with it now but I am so over that colour. Would like to change to a soft grey but can't find anything to go with it. I think grey might be the wrong tone? Can you suggest a colour that would look amazing with this paper please? Room has lots of windows and gets good sun from the afternoon westerly position. A. I have looked for a long time and very carefully for appropriate greys and the greyish tones that suit this particular wallpaper are Resene Friar Greystone , lighter Resene Half Friar Greystone or Resene Triple Truffle. They are warm taupe/greys (and may look warmer toned in the late afternoon light) and may not be what you had in mind but as you indicate in your email 'greys might be the wrong tone' and I do have to concur with your statement. I think you may find - once you get used to the type of colours these are - that you see their inherent charm. They do look good with your wallpaper.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. My house is painted Resene Sandspit Brown with white trim on the windows. It is an art deco house and has a terracotta trim on the roof parapet. Could you suggest an interesting colour for the front door? A. Check these delicious colours out - I can imagine them giving a lot of 'eye appeal' to the front door – Resene Tiki Tour, Resene Barometer or Resene Into The Blue.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. My house is painted Resene Double Friar Greystone with cream aluminium window surrounds and a black slate roof. What colour would be right to stain our deck which is pine and covers a large area? I am thinking of a wash that wouldn't be too dark. A. Check out these stain colours - they are softened/ashy type colours – Resene Woodsman stain in Resene Equilibrium or Resene Smokey Ash, or really pale for an aged/whitewash effect – Resene Whitewash. If you can pop into a Resene ColorShop to view exterior stain samples on pine on the Woodcare stand it will give you a better idea of what these options will look like.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. We have just finished renovating the bathroom and are looking for a light paint to paint the walls in the bathroom, toilet and laundry. The bathroom is all white with some chrome accessories. We have Resene wallpaper 47171 in the kitchen and I am looking for a much lighter paint that will match. The rooms we are painting are very small and dark. Can you make a recommendation? A. You might check out Resene Eighth Truffle or Resene Eighth Fossil. They are very light but may look a little deeper in small or dim rooms especially with lots of white bathroom fittings.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. We are building a house and thinking of Omaha bricks with warm white pearl joinery and a Sandstone Grey garage and front door. Could you please suggest a colour for LINEA® that would go well with these? A. You might look at these colours – Resene Gauntlet to match the Sandstone Grey, or as a lighter variant – Resene Quarter Stonehenge or Resene Bianca (lighter similar to bricks and joinery).
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. I am painting the outside of my unit and deck and want some advice on colours which will look good long term and are easy to maintain. This is a rental unit so I want it to look good and relatively neutral so tenants can make it their own easily. I am looking at all white on the outside and Resene Stonehenge for the deck. The inside is white with a grey carpet. Would you advise any other colour options/combinations? Do the colours I choose need to match inside and out? A. The ideas you have for the interior and exterior sound really good. No, they don't have to match exactly. Sometimes I recommend a little more depth to an exterior colour so that it isn't too bright/glary outside in the natural light. I recommend looking at Resene Sea Fog for the exterior with Resene Stonehenge and perhaps Resene Quarter Sea Fog for all painted woodwork to add the crisp clean detail and to make the walls look slightly more 'coloured' and interesting. As a rental property this will look very clean and smart and by keeping it simple it is easier to maintain and keep looking fresh.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. We are looking for a wall colour to go with one wall which is Resene Ironsand, a floor which is a very light rimu edged with slate coloured ceramic tiles. Any suggestions please? A. Please check these colours out - they are lovely – Resene Double Merino, Resene Triple Black White, Resene Miso, Resene Bronco or Resene Transmission. It really depends on the look you are trying for, the mood and role of the room and what the quality of light is and any other colours, such as furniture and drapes, within the room.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. We are renovating (completely-floor to ceiling) our open plan living/dining/kitchen. Where do you start for colour selection? Walls? Carpet? Tiles? Benchtop? Cabinetry? Curtains? A. Paint comes last - always choose the most limited (personal taste and desire always control options) and most expensive (money controls choices) first when choosing colour schemes. Once you have chosen flooring (first), then cabinetry/worktops (second), tiles (third) and curtains (fourth) then is the time to see what delightful colours make your other elements look more gorgeous and totally well co-ordinated. If you chose the paint colours first all other decisions would be controlled by that choice and you might feel very compromised either by your lack of options or the money that you have to spend to make it all come together. November 2014 |
||||||||||||
Q. I want to paint two sunny bedrooms Resene Half Kumutoto and want to know what white would make this look really crisp. The whole house and trim is currently a shade like Resene Half Sisal. A. I think Resene Quarter Rice Cake or Resene Half Rice Cake may suit you. They are slightly warm crisp whites - they do great things for the Resene Half Kumutoto.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. Just need some advice on wall paint colours. We've done our pantry cupboards with Resene Half Pearl Lusta and our benchtop is also white. We are planning to use white for the ceiling and Resene Double Pearl Lusta for the walls. It’s a small space so want to keep as much light in here as possible and at the same time we want to make the pantry cupboards stand out. Do you think Resene Double Pearl Lusta is dark enough for this purpose? Or shall I go with Resene Triple Pearl Lusta? A. I do think the Resene Double Pearl Lusta will be deep enough for the purpose required. In interiors colours often appear much stronger than what you would expect them to be - close proximity of walls/shadow lines and the changing quality of light can make them appear more intense. I do think it would be wise though for you to buy a testpot and apply it (all of the testpot/2 coats) onto A2 card (available from Resene ColorShops). If you leave an unpainted white border all around the edges it will help your eye focus on the reality of the colour and you can move it from wall to wall to see how it alters with light and angles. The other handy tip is if you roll the card into a cone shape with the colour innermost and look into it you will see the colour gets stronger. This is how it will appear when all four walls are painted.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. I have a 1970s house, which has part painted cream brick and part vertical painted cedar. It has a terracotta decramastic tile roof with the original bronze joinery in the original part of the house and cream joinery in an extension. I am looking for guidance for what would be a good paint colour to paint the exterior of the house given I have so many textures. I am happy to leave the bricks as cream. A. Have you thought of using a complex neutral like Resene Tea or Resene Eighth Arrowtown to tie in the original bronze joinery and the cream joinery and possibly the cream bricks.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. I want to paint the interior of our house. I'm thinking Resene Merino - that's the colour we painted the bathroom and I really like the end result. The bathroom gets all day light but no direct sun. The hall is quite dark. The only light is from the frosted glass door. Two bedrooms have large west facing windows that take up most of the wall so get good light and the afternoon sun. The third bedroom has two large windows taking up most of the walls - one west facing, one south facing. The lounge has a brick fireplace and a large south facing window. The dining and kitchen are open plan and have east facing windows. The curtains in the lounge and dining are currently a gold/beige and the carpet is a light duck egg green, neither of which can be changed yet. Would Resene Merino work? A. Resene Merino is a very nice colour but it will change a lot in different rooms, different qualities of light, and in relationship to other definite colours within those spaces. My advice is that you paint a testpot (2 coats/all of the testpot) onto large A2 card (available from Resene ColorShops) leaving an unpainted border all around the edges so that you can focus on the colour. The unpainted border helps you see the colour better. It does have an unusual potential to look almost muddy/beige in some lights. Move it around from wall to wall, room to room to see how it alters. Note what rooms it does work in and where it doesn't look so good. Sometimes a lighter version of the colour may work better for you. Sometimes when the colour is seen with other colours it no longer looks as good as you would like it to. The same colour in different rooms is a completely different colour. Take your time and don't make the mistake that a lot of people do in thinking that because you like the colour it will always be the right colour in every room.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. Our new house walls and ceiling will be Resene Alabaster. What strength do we make the walls and ceilings? There are no trims. We are also having a couple of black feature walls. What black is best suited to go with Resene Alabaster? Walls are usually a low sheen – Resene Zylone Sheen acrylic for main rooms and Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen Kitchen & Bathroom waterborne enamel formula for service rooms. Ceilings are usually a Resene Ceiling Flat acrylic for main rooms or if you want a cleanable ceiling paint then the Resene SpaceCote Flat Fly Deterrent waterborne enamel is superior. Doors, skirting boards and windows surrounds are usually Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss waterborne enamel. This is a great product (not too shiny) that is really easy to clean and quite tough. With Resene Alabaster you can have any black colour at all. The one that is best is the one you like more than the others. If you can pop into your nearest Resene ColorShop to view the A4 real paint samples and compare them you will be better able to make decisions. Try looking at these ones as a start point – Resene All Black, Resene Nero, Resene Blackout, Resene Cinder or Resene Black. They all carry a little other undertone of colour in them and this may be more obvious when you compare them.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. I'm planning on painting our hall walls Resene Cut Glass and am just wondering what kind of white would go with it for the doors. A. A clean white like these ones may enhance the Resene Cut Glass – Resene Half Black White (cool), Resene Double Alabaster (cool), Resene Quarter Rice Cake (warmer) or Resene Quarter Bianca (warmer). Because 'whites' are hard to judge I suggest you pop into your Resene ColorShop to view the A4 real paint samples of these colours and compare them with a sheet of real white printer paper between them so you can see the underlying tints and tones that are in them. It does make choosing so much easier.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. We have painted our house in Resene Truffle. We are thinking to paint the base of the house in Resene Triple Truffle. And also to paint the soffits in Resene Sea Fog. Then just not sure on which roof colour to use. And whatever colour we choose for the roof is that the colour we choose for the doors on the garage? We have white painted window frames on the garage so was thinking that we would have to paint the frames of the door and the frames of the roller doors white - is that right? A. Yes the Resene Triple Truffle is a good choice for the base of the house and likewise the Resene Sea Fog for the soffits. Is this the 'white' you were planning on using around the garage door frames? If it is I think it would work. Instead of doing the garage doors a very dark colour you could do them the same as the base of the house and then there isn't such a sudden hard edged colour change from the white frames to the door colour - that could be a good thing. I think the Resene Ironsand may be the right colour for the roof. It isn't always necessary to paint the roof and the garage doors the same colour - it often happens this way because people are getting new COLORSTEEL® doors and roof and they have a small colour range so many people they stick with the same colour - for convenience.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. I have New Denim Blue roof and joinery. I would like to move away from the brown tones chosen in the mid 90s. Can you please suggest a modern colour combination for cedar board and batten and plaster on some of the walls and chimney? The colours I was leaning toward are Resene Pitch Black or Resene Sheer Black waterborne stain for the cedar. For the plaster I was thinking Resene Quarter Stonehenge. We have kwila decking that needs staining too and I was thinking because one of the decks will be brand new I would match the existing decks in Resene Kwila Timber Stain… bringing a warm colour into the mix. Should I do the downpipes the same colour as the walls they are on? The decking posts are all in front of cedar board and batten e.g. front door and three in front of ranchslider - if you could suggest colors for these four posts altogether it would be great. A. I like your idea of using the Resene Kwila Timber Stain on the decks to add the warmth to the house scheme. Resene Sheer Black stain is warmer (brown/black) than Resene Pitch Black stain. It may be a slightly softer black overall. I think I would consider using Resene Half Stonehenge instead of the lighter Resene Quarter Stonehenge so there is a softer transition between the stain colour and the painted plaster, plus colours often look paler again in bright natural light. I do think the type of colour you have mentioned looks really good with the stain colour and the New Denim Blue roof and joinery. I always suggest hiding the downpipes, into the colour of the wall they are attached to, if at all possible. But I don't think painting the ones that are on the stained ply and batten black is a good idea - I think I would stick to the one colour – Resene Quarter Stonehenge or Resene Half Stonehenge - to simplify the look. The decking posts can either match the roof and joinery - Resene New Denim Blue or a deeper version of the paint colour on the plastered surfaces - Resene Stonehenge. Anything else may seem somewhat 'random' and unrelated.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. We had the colours all planned for our house, however, some colours were substituted for others by the housing company by accident and we need to get things working again without a complete repaint etc. The roof is Resene All Black, the window joinery is Sandstone Grey, but all LINEA® which was meant to be Resene Cloudy has been done in Resene Cloud, and also there is vertical shiplap cedar in Resene Woodsman Natural. For the block fence, would Resene Double Truffle look great? For things which should have been Resene Quarter Cloudy like the front door: can I just have them a Resene Quarter Cloud instead? For the front door frame: I suppose it should still be Sandstone Grey? A. For the block fence yes the Resene Double Truffle is a lovely slightly deeper variant closely associated to Resene Cloud for the fences. For the front door yes the Resene Quarter Cloud looks very nice and yes the frames definitely should be Sandstone Grey. Even though some errors have been made in regard the colours I think it is absolutely fine. It all sounds as though it will be a lovely elegant exterior. In the fullness of time a little more black could make a statement that will link in the roof colour - perhaps a black (wrought iron looking) rubber mat at the entry or a few glossy black ceramic pots.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. Our old villa is going through an extreme makeover. The outside is getting repainted and we are thinking about a colour change. The roof is COLORSTEEL® New Denim Blue. Could you please suggest a Resene colour scheme that would transform our home? A. Because of the roof colour, I am inclined to suggest using a little of this particular colour - Resene New Denim Blue - on the driveway gates and post to balance the roof colour so it has a 'friend' in the scheme. You might like to check out these colours – Resene Triple Black White used with Resene Half Alabaster (lightest trims) and Resene Scaramanga (darkest trims) and perhaps the main body of the front fence, or Resene Quarter Foggy Grey used with Resene Half Wan White (lightest trims) and Resene Scoria (darkest trims) but not the main body of the fence - this could be Resene Half New Denim Blue, or Resene Double White Pointer used with Resene Quarter White Pointer (lightest trims) and Resene Toorak (darkest trims) with the house colour Resene Double White Pointer used on the main body of the front fence. There are thousands of colours that could work. Hopefully these three palettes are a good startpoint for you to consider. November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. We have currently finished a large renovation on our 80s ‘Hunts’ home. The windows are all still brown aluminium and the roof and all decks are Ironsand. The inside has off white walls, a white kitchen and black carpet with black leather etc. What colour should we paint the outside? The base is Ironsand as is the roof and fascia so I was thinking off white on the house? Or would that be too glary? A. I am inclined to recommend warm grey/whites so it relates well to the Ironsand that you have used for the roof, fascias and on the base of the house. Please check out these colours – Resene Half House White, Resene Merino, Resene Quarter Cloud or Resene White Pointer. It definitely pays to check out the larger A4 real paint samples in the Colour Library at your nearest Resene ColorShop. You would find it a great advantage to choosing colour. I find that if you hold the samples upright/vertically to the left and right of you it gives you an insight into how light and shade alter the colour. Looking at the samples horizontally (flat on the table) isn't as realistic as that isn't how you would see them when painted - unless it was a floor or deck. If you pop a sheet of white printer paper between the samples it will help you judge the under tones of colour with in each sample.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. We are looking to paint/stain our whole house (holiday house) including the roof. Could you help us with combinations if we were to stain the top storey in Resene Woodsman - Driftwood or Natural (as shown on Pine). We are struggling to match/complement paint for the bottom level and also the roof. Any colour suggestions would greatly be appreciated. Or if you have an amazing colour combination of stain we hadn't thought of we would be open to that as well. A. If you are wanting to replicate what you have now with a light/natural looking stain on the top portion of the house then Resene Woodsman Natural or Driftwood then either would work well. But the lower portion of the house is either another deep colour (will look very similar to what you have how) or much softer/lighter (closer in relation to the stain) or dramatically different. You might check these colours out - Resene Groundbreaker (deeper brown), Resene Coffee Break (mid toned brown), Resene Evolution (mid tones olive) or Resene Triple Ash (slightly lighter/green olive). Or similar to the stain colour – Resene Doeskin (lighter warm brown), or Resene Momentum (deeper/warm brown). Or dramatically different – Try Resene Explorer. In this particular case the roof could match the base. Otherwise you might look at Resene Ironsand or Resene Squall.
November 2014
|
||||||||||||
Q. We are building our new home and have put together our proposed exterior colour scheme but would love professional advice to ensure we've made a good selection. It is a two storey house. The ground level is plaster and we would paint this Resene Tapa. The first level is weatherboards and this would be Resene Masala. The window facings, fascia boards and deck balustrades would be Resene Thorndon Cream. We are not certain on the roof (COLORSTEEL®) but were thinking Ironsand? Our pop of colour/feature would be a Resene Ayers Rock front door. The garage door would be cedar. A. Weatherboards - Resene Masala. Please talk to the builder and the painter in regard this colour. It is very dark and is only available as a 4 litre container (not a 10 litre pail) and this may be a cost related problem if the painter has quoted on the generalised understanding that it will be a white based colour available in 10 litre pails. Another problem is that it has a LRV of only15% when the standard requirement for real timber colours is between 45- 100% LRV. Dark colours (even those that have been reformulated to a CoolColour™ modified colour) may void the substrate guarantee. Please do talk to the builder about this. If you were building in LINEA® or HardiPlank® it wouldn't be a problem as they aren't real wood so much darker colours can be used without heat related problems occurring. Plastered first storey - Resene Tapa. If the plastered surface is over concrete block there isn't a problem with the colour (as it is a rigid concrete based system) but it is a deep colour (LRV 28%). It would pay to check out what the manufacturer’s recommendation is in regard depth of colour. There are some constraints in regard depth of colour on plastered surfaces. It may be that you have to compromise your colours, I know you don't want to, but sometimes this is what people have to do when building. Roof – COLORSTEEL® Ironsand - sounds good and looks good. Very nice earthy brown based charcoal. Window, door joinery - If these are all timber then Resene Thorndon Cream is lovely. Fascias and deck balustrades - if these are wood - all looking lovely. Powdercoat colour - Warm White Pearl - looking good too. Garage door - cedar - this is a soft wood and needs a lot of maintenance to ensure it always looks good and doesn't deteriorate. Staining cedar to maintain the original colour is what a lot of people do. Stains need recoating every 2-3 years. Door - Resene Ayers Rock is lovely as a pop of colour - if you love this sort of colour you might like to look at Resene Blaze and Resene Countdown - they are worth consideration. BRANZ often has information about all different substrates and the manufacturer’s recommendations for paint systems and colour depth.
November 2014
|