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Answers to your questions from our colour experts, p. 26

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

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

 
 
 
 

Q&A   p. 26

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


Q. My wall is currently a deep grey colour and I want to change it. What possible colours can I change it to without the old colour adversely affecting the new one?

A. If you are planning on using a very pale pastel tint of colour, a white or very clear bright colours like semi-transparent yellows, oranges or reds it may pay you to use a white undercoat first. You will still need to do two (or even three) topcoats of your colour though - this is standard procedure.

If you are using deep earthy colours (greens or browns) or mid - dark reds or mid - deep navy I think a deep grey (current colour) underneath the two new topcoats won't be a problem at all.

If you use a testpot as a trial patch you will be able to see one coat still shows the existing colour about 40% and the second topcoat may completely obliterate it but if you can still see it slightly that is when a third coat is necessary.

January 2015

Q. We are looking at doing our roof in COLORSTEEL® Sandstone Grey. The joinery is Resene Half Sea Fog, the internal paint colour Resene Half Truffle. Can you please suggest a suitable external paint colour for plaster? I would like choices to include a colour which gives a monochromatic look to the house and two other options, one being lighter than the roof and one being darker than the roof.

A. For a colour that matches exactly you might look at Resene Gauntlet. A similar colour (but not matching exactly and slightly lighter) is Resene Concord and a much lighter colour is Resene Cloudy and the lighter variants of this colour. For a darker colour you might check out Resene Quarter Ironsand or Resene Tundora.

COLORSTEEL® Sandstone Grey
COLORSTEEL® Sandstone Grey
Resene Half Sea Fog
Resene Half Sea Fog
Resene Half Truffle
Resene Half Truffle
Resene Gauntlet
Resene Gauntlet
Resene Concord
Resene Concord
Resene Cloudy
Resene Cloudy
Resene Quarter Ironsand
Resene Quarter Ironsand
Resene Tundora
Resene Tundora
January 2015

Q. I want a charcoal/grey that is almost black. I want to paint a wooden fence, some other wooden posts and then pick it up on the house trim. I don't want ANY blue in it.

A. Most greys (and charcoal is a deeper grey) carry a lot of colour undertone - brown, purple, green or blue. This undertone of colour is more evident when larger areas are painted and as sunlight ages the paint it is often more noticeable. If you use a black (even though they too carry colour within them) the fade back may take longer to expose the colours but it will still change.

You might look at these charcoal/blacks – Resene Blackout, Resene Bokara Grey, Resene All Black, Resene Double Foundry or Resene Fuscous Grey.

Please do use Resene testpots to help you get a better idea of what these charcoal/almost blacks are really like.

Resene Blackout
Resene Blackout
Resene Bokara Grey
Resene Bokara Grey
Resene All Black
Resene All Black
Resene Double Foundry
Resene Double Foundry
Resene Fuscous Grey
Resene Fuscous Grey
January 2015

Q. All my interior walls are currently painted Resene Merino with Resene Alabaster trims and doors. Both my husband and I don’t like the Resene Merino as we feel it looks 'dirty' in the lighting. We need to repaint some rooms and wanted a suggestion for another white colour to paint? We have had Resene Half Black White or painting walls Resene Alabaster suggested, but since we are only changing the entrance, hall and one bedroom at present, it needs to flow and not look bad/or too different when viewing the new hall from the lounge (painted in Resene Merino). We have a large glass double cavity door. What do you suggest?

A. I know how you feel - Resene Merino can look quite stony in a change of space or light. This isn't totally unusual with colour - if it can change it will - it is like a chameleon. You might look at these colours as they associate well with Resene Merino – Resene Sea Fog (also known as Resene Triple Alabaster), Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream or Resene Wan White or a much lighter variation of Resene Merino – Resene Half Merino or Resene Quarter Merino.

Resene Merino
Resene Merino
Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
Resene Half Black White
Resene Half Black White
   
Resene Sea Fog
Resene Sea Fog
Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream
Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream
Resene Wan White
Resene Wan White
Resene Half Merino
Resene Half Merino
Resene Quarter Merino
Resene Quarter Merino
January 2015

Q. We have the opportunity to change the colour of our house due to the current paint needing to be sanded back. The roof is Grey Friars and the joinery Silver Pearl. The weatherboards are Resene Double Stonehenge and the plaster Resene Quarter Stonehenge. It's just the weatherboards that are being repainted at this stage, and we'd like something to perhaps brighten things up as it's all a very similar tone. Do you have any suggestions? We could look to repaint the plaster too if that would work better.

A. You might look at these colours to see if they appeal to you – Resene Half Parchment, Resene Triple Sea Fog, Resene Double White Pointer or Resene Half Cloud.

Resene Double Stonehenge
Resene Double Stonehenge
Resene Quarter Stonehenge
Resene Quarter Stonehenge
   
Resene Half Parchment
Resene Half Parchment
Resene Triple Sea Fog
Resene Triple Sea Fog
Resene Double White Pointer
Resene Double White Pointer
Resene Half Cloud
Resene Half Cloud
January 2015

Q. What would be a good white or neutral wall colour for my unit on the Sunshine Coast? It gets plenty of direct sunlight, so don't want anything too yellow. My sofa is a sandy suede colour and the main furniture items are Tasmanian blackwood. The carpet has been replaced with vinyl planking. I'm aiming to achieve a classic coastal look.

A. You might look at these colours to see if they appeal to you – Resene Merino, Resene Half White Pointer, Resene Eighth Parchment or Resene Eighth Fossil.

These colours do come as deeper variants also if you need more depth in the colour.

Resene Merino
Resene Merino
Resene Half White Pointer
Resene Half White Pointer
Resene Eighth Parchment
Resene Eighth Parchment
Resene Eighth Fossil
Resene Eighth Fossil
January 2015

Q. We have chosen Resene All Black for the exterior cladding for our house repaint. Can you suggest a roof and trim colour?

A. It is always tricky when the main house colour is incredibly dark - as yours is. Trims may need to be much lighter and the roof in a mid tone to add contrast. Perhaps look at these colours – Resene Titania and Resene Climate, Resene Triple Sea Fog and Resene Half Tuna, Resene Half White Pointer and Resene Gauntlet.

Resene All Black
Resene All Black
 
Resene Titania
Resene Titania
Resene Climate
Resene Climate
Resene Triple Sea Fog
Resene Triple Sea Fog
Resene Half Tuna
Resene Half Tuna
Resene Half White Pointer
Resene Half White Pointer
Resene Gauntlet
Resene Gauntlet
January 2015

Q. My hallway is painted Resene Quarter Tea like the rest of the house but it is too dark. I am wanting to put up Anaglypta RD124 wallpaper and paint it an off-white with a feature wall in a soft vintage dusky pink like Resene Sweet Spot. It is an old bungalow and I have the doors and architraves in Resene Alabaster. Which white do you think would work best to still make the doors stand out?

A. You might check out these 'whites' to see if they will work for you – Resene Half Sea Fog (aka Resene Triple Alabaster), Resene Quarter Albescent White or Resene Half Merino.

A point to remember is that the textured Anaglypta paper may make any colour look slightly deeper because of the surface not being flat. Hallways are not usually blessed with lots of light and large windows so colour often looks deeper in this area also.

Resene Quarter Tea
Resene Quarter Tea
Resene Sweet Spot
Resene Sweet Spot
Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
Resene Half Sea Fog
Resene Half Sea Fog
Resene Quarter Albescent White
Resene Quarter Albescent White
Resene Half Merino
Resene Half Merino
January 2015

Q. We have lots of antique timber furniture and oak floors. Could you please help with whites for kitchen wall trims, ceiling and cupboards? We are renovating and would like a marble bench. Also can you recommend some bathroom colours for a small bathroom? We are starting with a bare room with a clawfoot bath in a bright white and some bare pressed tin to add halfway along walls. We will also have a timber vanity and floor like old world look.

A. You might look at these colours to see if they appeal to you – Resene Merino (main), Resene Half Black White (trims/ceilings and cupboards), Resene Half Emerge (a little hint of colour to make the 'white' in the bathroom pop) or Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream (main), Resene Quarter Rice Cake (trims/ceilings and cupboards) and Resene Half Tasman (a little hint of colour to make the 'white' in the bathroom pop).

These suggestions are subtle but if they aren't quite right (perhaps too white) then they do come as deeper versions also.

Resene Merino
Resene Merino
Resene Half Black White
Resene Half Black White
Resene Half Emerge
Resene Half Emerge
Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream
Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream
Resene Quarter Rice Cake
Resene Quarter Rice Cake
Resene Half Tasman
Resene Half Tasman
January 2015

Q. What colour do you suggest painting our 80s Keith Hay home? It has brown aluminium windows. I do not like browns. What greys and whites do you think would go with it? We want to bring it into 2015.

A. No grey will work perfectly without drawing attention to the brown windows but these whites and stony colours look quite nice – Resene Half Merino and Resene Foggy Grey, or Resene Double Sea Fog and Resene Double Truffle or Resene Quarter White Pointer and Resene Half Taupe Grey.

Resene Half Merino
Resene Half Merino
Resene Foggy Grey
Resene Foggy Grey
Resene Double Sea Fog
Resene Double Sea Fog
Resene Double Truffle
Resene Double Truffle
Resene Quarter White Pointer
Resene Quarter White Pointer
Resene Half Taupe Grey
Resene Half Taupe Grey
January 2015

Q. We want some advice on painting the exterior of our old farm homestead. I was thinking Resene Double Merino with Resene Grey Friars for the roof. We are unsure about the windows and all the bits around the verandas etc.

A. I think your main colours look really nice. For all trims you could look at using these two colours - Resene Quarter Merino (for all 'white' trims- window sashes, under soffits, veranda posts) and Resene Quarter Grey Friars (for any other detail - sills/doors etc). These colours tie in the main colours and create a nice tonal sense of contrast.

Resene Double Merino
Resene Double Merino
Resene Grey Friars
Resene Grey Friars
Resene Quarter Merino
Resene Quarter Merino
Resene Quarter Grey Friars
Resene Quarter Grey Friars
January 2015

Q. I want to paint my kitchen cupboards. The bench is Formica® colour concrete, the walls throughout the house are Resene Half Bison Hide and one wall close to the kitchen is Resene Diesel. The doors are tongue and groove and some will need replacing. I am also looking at a new splashback. The tiles are off white with a grey tinge. New handles will also be needed. I am thinking a much lighter colour than the boring green I have. Would like something in the white colours with a grey background.

A. Some nice greyed whites that work well with the benchtop, the main colour and the feature colour for you to check out are these ones – Resene Black White, Resene Sea Fog or Resene Quarter White Pointer. If these suggestions are nearly what you want - but too white - there are slightly deeper variants available also.

Resene Half Bison Hide
Resene Half Bison Hide
Resene Diesel
Resene Diesel
 
Resene Black White
Resene Black White
Resene Sea Fog
Resene Sea Fog
Resene Quarter White Pointer
Resene Quarter White Pointer
January 2015

Q. I am wanting to use Resene Quarter Lemon Grass and Resene Tapa to repaint the exterior of our old Queenslander. Could you please tell me what the closest matching COLORBOND® colours would be?

A. There is no exact close match at all but if you want suggestions of COLORBOND® colours that look quite good with the Resene colours then you might look at these three colours – COLORBOND® Mangrove, COLORBOND® Wallaby or COLORBOND® Pale Eucalypt.

This looks good with the Resene Quarter Lemon Grass but not so good with Resene Tapa.

Resene Quarter Lemon Grass
Resene Quarter Lemon Grass
Resene Tapa
Resene Tapa
COLORSTEEL® Pale Eucalypt
COLORSTEEL® Pale Eucalypt
January 2015

Q. We are painting our house Resene Silver Chalice. The trims are Resene Black White and doors are in Resene Shark. What colour should we paint the roof?

A. For the roof you really have lots of options – try these colours to see if they suit – Resene Nocturnal, Resene Grey Friars, Resene Windswept, Resene Touchstone, Resene Canyon or for a really a very light neutral – Resene Gauntlet.

Resene Silver Chalice
Resene Silver Chalice
Resene Black White
Resene Black White
Resene Shark
Resene Shark
     
Resene Nocturnal
Resene Nocturnal
Resene Grey Friars
Resene Grey Friars
Resene Windswept
Resene Windswept
Resene Touchstone
Resene Touchstone
Resene Canyon
Resene Canyon
Resene Gauntlet
Resene Gauntlet
January 2015

Q. We've recently refurbished our kitchen with new dark benchtops and Resene Sea Fog coloured cabinetry. We're looking for new paint colours to complement the kitchen/dining area and also in the lounge. We would like a warm neutral palette, maybe like Resene Pearl Lusta? Also a ceiling colour to complement the wall colour? At present the walls are cream coloured. The floors will be vinyl planking in classic oak tones.

A. Resene Pearl Lusta used close to Resene Sea Fog may make the cabinets look quite grey/stone and the Resene Pearl Lusta look very yellow in colour - will this upset you? The reason I mention this is because I do think you may need to check out some alternative warm neutrals as they may work better for you.

Perhaps you might look at these colours - they certainly like the Classic Oak planking – Resene Fossil, Resene Parchment, Resene Thorndon Cream or Resene Half Akaroa.

If you use a lighter version of the cabinet colour for the ceilings then you may get a nice co-ordinated look - i.e Resene Quarter Sea Fog - this is also known as Resene Double Alabaster.

Resene Sea Fog
Resene Sea Fog
Resene Pearl Lusta
Resene Pearl Lusta
     
Resene Fossil
Resene Fossil
Resene Parchment
Resene Parchment
Resene Thorndon Cream
Resene Thorndon Cream
Resene Half Akaroa
Resene Half Akaroa
Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Double Alabaster
January 2015

Q. We have painted our weatherboards in Resene Concrete and would like to know what colours you suggest painting the roof?

A. Try these neutral colours to see if they appeal to you – Resene Half Tuna, Resene Mid Grey or Resene New Denim Blue. Or
these 'colours' (not neutrals) – Resene Rustic Red or Resene Permanent Green.

Resene Concrete
Resene Concrete
       
Resene Half Tuna
Resene Half Tuna
Resene Mid Grey
Resene Mid Grey
Resene New Denim Blue
Resene New Denim Blue
Resene Rustic Red
Resene Rustic Red
Resene Permanent Green
Resene Permanent Green
January 2015

Q. We have painted our roof Resene Grey Friars and our joinery is Resene Titania. We are wondering if there is an Resene Eighth Grey Friars? Also any suggestions for a LINEA® cladding colour - aiming for a lighter/blue-grey look. The house is a large, two storey farm house in a very hot summer location.

A. There isn't a standard eighth version of Resene Grey Friars but there are these colours that might be considered as lighter blue/greys – Resene Quarter Grey Friars, Resene Quarter Tuna, Resene Revolution or Resene Neutral Bay.

I have listed them in order of depth and it would definitely pay to check them out as they are all really nice. The main worry I have is that the strong yellow/grey tone of the Resene Titania joinery may not look so good with the lighter colour suggestions.

A word to the wise - the blue/greys may oxidise (get chalky) in a very hot sunny situation but even though it makes the surface look 'dusty' it isn't going to have a negative influence on the substrate that has been painted.

Resene Grey Friars
Resene Grey Friars
Resene Titania
Resene Titania
   
Resene Quarter Grey Friars
Resene Quarter Grey Friars
Resene Quarter Tuna
Resene Quarter Tuna
Resene Revolution
Resene Revolution
Resene Neutral Bay
Resene Neutral Bay
January 2015

Q. We have a Resene Grey Friars roof and are painting the weatherboards Resene Linen. Can you advise a good colour for the windows? We don't want white but also don't want too creamy.

A. You might check these colours out to see if they appeal to you - they will enhance the Resene Linen – Resene Half Black White or slightly deeper Resene Black White, Resene Half Wan White or Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream.

Resene Grey Friars
Resene Grey Friars
Resene Linen
Resene Linen
 
Resene Half Black White
Resene Half Black White
Resene Black White
Resene Black White
Resene Half Wan White
Resene Half Wan White
Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream
Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream
January 2015

Q. We are looking to paint our house. It has a green roof and it is roughcast plastered. It is pale yellow at present but we would like to use more earthy colours. I have painted the bottom trim white. What colour do you suggest for the house and what contrasting colour for the window surrounds would you suggest?

A. If you have already used white for the bottom trim then you might continue with it for the window surrounds and that way the foundation of the house has a 'friend'. For earthy colours you could try: Resene Quarter Napa, Resene Tea or Resene Half Craigieburn.

Resene Quarter Napa
Resene Quarter Napa
Resene Tea
Resene Tea
Resene Half Craigieburn
Resene Half Craigieburn
January 2015

Q. Can you please help with a colour to paint my front door? The top level of the house is Resene Half Bison Hide, the aluminium joinery is a dark (bluish) grey. I had thought of teal (blue) but would welcome any advice.

A. As the house has a lot of colour already - bricks, powdercoated joinery etc, and the Resene Half Bison Hide - it may pay to be cautious about another colour as it will have to work with the other colours really well.

These colours may appeal to you: Resene Double Bison Hide (deeper than the top level colour to tie the upper and lower storey together), Resene Dark Knight (very dark and may attract a lot of heat and cause the wooden panels to twist and warp) or Resene San Juan (slate grey/blue with a green edge).

Resene Half Bison Hide
Resene Half Bison Hide
Resene Double Bison Hide
Resene Double Bison Hide
Resene Dark Knight
Resene Dark Knight
Resene San Juan
Resene San Juan
January 2015

Q. We are painting a villa. The main wall colour is Resene Sisal and the windowsills etc are Resene Double Pravda. The front door is similar to Resene Red Oxide. We are wondering what to paint the roof?

A. I think that Resene Ironsand or Resene Squall might be worth checking out. Your default colour would be (same as the door) Resene Red Oxide but you may find it dominates the roof too much drawing all the attention away from the house.

Resene Sisal
Resene Sisal
Resene Double Pravda
Resene Double Pravda
Resene Red Oxide
Resene Red Oxide
Resene Ironsand
Resene Ironsand
Resene Squall
Resene Squall
January 2015

Q. I am painting the exterior weatherboards of my house in Resene Eighth Masala. I am curious as to what would be a complementary colour to paint the door.

A. Have you seen the colour notes on the back of the colour chips in the Resene The Range Whites & Neutrals fandeck or searched the colour in the online Resene colour library? Each colour Resene has created has a list of three colours that might be considered as complements.

Resene Eighth Masala is linked to Resene Double Pearl Lusta, Resene Lumberjack and Resene Double Arrowtown. It is a very obliging colour and there are probably 100s of other possibilities. I tend to ask people what they really favour for a front door colour and then I show them some variations on that theme. Go with the colour your eye and heart loves.

Resene Masala
Resene Eighth Masala
Resene Double Pearl Lusta
Resene Double Pearl Lusta
Resene Lumberjack
Resene Lumberjack
Resene Double Arrowtown
Resene Double Arrowtown
January 2015

Q. I'm thinking of painting my walls Resene Quarter Alabaster. What are your suggestions for doors and trims?

A. If you are keen on the 'white on white look' then I would recommend that you use the same colour as the walls but in a semi-gloss enamel for all woodwork. It may look subtly lighter than the walls because of the change of sheen.

Resene Quarter Alabaster
Resene Quarter Alabaster
January 2015

Q. I would like to paint my bedroom. One wall is floor to ceiling glass which looks out to sea. It faces north east and is VERY bright. Can you recommend a tone or rule of thumb that would make the room not too bright and more inviting? I like neutral colours and the rest of the house is Resene Half Thorndon Cream but this tone feels too bright for our bedroom. A recent article in Habitat was of an apartment in Mooloolaba, they had the same problem, but I don't fancy the room that dark.

A. The axis of natural light plays a great part in how a room feels. The right colour can definitely alter how bright (warm/light/cool/restful/intimate etc) the room is. Look for restful muted colours to balance the light within the room.

I usually recommend cooler dense colours for overly bright rooms that face to the North.

If Resene Half Thorndon Cream is too bright (and deeper versions of this colour carry more yellow in them so they are brighter) perhaps you might look at using Resene Half Ash or Resene Half Cloud. They are light absorbing restful neutrals - not too dark - but not too pale - but if you felt they were still a bit too bright then you can go to deeper versions.

Floaty gauze or voile sheer curtains will also diffuse the bright light and make it more inviting. You might look into that option also if you feel inclined to wear your sunglasses inside.

Resene Half Thorndon Cream
Resene Half Thorndon Cream
Resene Half Ash
Resene Half Ash
Resene Half Cloud
Resene Half Cloud
January 2015

Q. Our home is weatherboard and faces south and we will be changing the colour of the roof as well. We are looking at either Resene Half Masala or Resene Quarter Masala with white trim. I am also looking at doing a strong Resene Masala as the base concrete part of the home to ‘anchor’ it. Any thoughts?

A. I think the weatherboards would look slightly better in the Resene Quarter Masala and if you use Resene Quarter Black White as the trims and Resene Masala or even deeper - Resene Double Masala - it will look nicely balanced and well related tonally.

For the roof and the fence you could look at these colours – Resene Karaka, Resene Rustic Red or Resene Element.

I do hope these suggestions offer you options and inspiration.

Resene Half Masala
Resene Half Masala
Resene Quarter Masala
Resene Quarter Masala
Resene Masala
Resene Masala
Resene Quarter Black White
Resene Quarter Black White
Resene Double Masala
Resene Double Masala
Resene Karaka
Resene Karaka
Resene Rustic Red
Resene Rustic Red
Resene Element
Resene Element
 
January 2015

Q. We are renovating our house and have decided to use Resene Quarter Spanish White for our walls. What colour would you recommend for our ceiling? The interior of the house is quite bright.

A. If you want the ceilings to be tonally related and softly blending into the walls you might look at Resene Eighth Spanish White but if you want a much brighter/crisper contrast then you might look at either of these colours – Resene Quarter Bianca or Resene Half Alabaster.

Resene Quarter Spanish White
Resene Quarter Spanish White
Resene Eighth Spanish White
Resene Eighth Spanish White
Resene Quarter Bianca
Resene Quarter Bianca
Resene Half Alabaster
Resene Half Alabaster
January 2015

Q. What exterior paints will complement windows and roof in Ironsand please. My decks are a medium brown stain at the front and back of the house. I am looking at more earthy or grey tones.

A. You might check out these colours to see if they appeal to you – Resene Half Stonehenge, Resene Friar Grey, Resene Half Gauntlet or Resene Quarter Masala.

Resene Half Stonehenge
Resene Half Stonehenge
Resene Friar Grey
Resene Friar Grey
Resene Half Gauntlet
Resene Half Gauntlet
Resene Quarter Masala
Resene Quarter Masala
January 2015

Q. We have an old bungalow on the waterfront and are about to renovate it. We have just put on the new roof, which is Sandstone Grey. We are struggling to decide the right white colour for the exterior and the right shade of new aluminium joinery.

A. You might look at these options – Resene Quarter Foggy Grey with Threadbow White windows, Resene Triple Black White with Arctic White windows, Resene House White with Pearl White windows or Resene Bone White with Cloud windows.

COLORSTEEL® Sandstone Grey
COLORSTEEL® Sandstone Grey
Resene Quarter Foggy Grey
Resene Quarter Foggy Grey
Resene Triple Black White
Resene Triple Black White
Resene Half House White
Resene Half House White
Resene Bone White
Resene Bone White
January 2015

Q. We have a big 1940s house, windows in Resene Alabaster and some darker wood panelling in our hallway. We want to paint the bedrooms and hallway. Can you recommend any other colours (interior) similar to Resene Quarter Periglacial Blue and Resene Eighth Powder Blue? We like these colours but wonder if there is anything else similar?

A. You might like to check these colours out to see if they appeal to you – Resene Duck Egg Blue, Resene Half Tasman, Resene Nebula, Resene Tiara, Resene Zumthor or Resene Harp.

Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
Resene Quarter Periglacial Blue
Resene Quarter Periglacial Blue
       
Resene Duck Egg Blue
Resene Duck Egg Blue
Resene Half Tasman
Resene Half Tasman
Resene Nebula
Resene Nebula
Resene Tiara
Resene Tiara
Resene Zumthor
Resene Zumthor
Resene Harp
Resene Harp
January 2015

Q. I have painted the uprights of my swing seat black, the frame work of the seat white and my daughter suggested I paint the actual seat in mauve grey! I was going to paint the whole seat white. What do you suggest please?

A. Black and white look really smart together and a white seat sounds good. If you try a testpot of the colour your daughter suggests and you don't like it then at least you can repaint it white.

January 2015

Q. I'm thinking of painting my California bungalow Resene Kensington Grey. What do you suggest as a good colour for the windows and trim etc? I am thinking Resene Double Alabaster.

A. Resene Double Alabaster sounds good but before you go ahead with it please do look at Resene Black and compare it in relation to Resene Kensington Grey - just to make sure which one is the best choice.

Resene Kensington Grey
Resene Kensington Grey
Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Black
Resene Black
January 2015

Q. I am repainting a Queenslander. I have chosen Resene Neutral Green for the walls and Resene Obsessed for the skirting and possible guttering and a heritage green for the hoods. The roof is red and also the windows are steel heritage green. My dilemma is finding the right shade of 'white' to use as trims on the outside of the window frames. I have tried an eighth strength Resene Neutral Green however the colour is too 'muted'. I tried a shade of white, however it is too bright.

A. Perhaps you could check out these colours to see if they might work for you – Resene Double Rice Cake, Resene Half Ecru White or Resene Thorndon Cream.

Resene Neutral Green
Resene Neutral Green
Resene Double Rice Cake
Resene Double Rice Cake
Resene Half Ecru White
Resene Half Ecru White
Resene Thorndon Cream
Resene Thorndon Cream
January 2015

Q. I'm trying to paint my deck to brighten up my teenager's room. My whole room is white.

A. If you want to paint the deck I suggest you use either Resene Lumbersider low sheen acrylic or Resene Walk-on Paving and Deck Paint. You might look at soft grey/whites if you want a very light deck. The following colours are some for you to check out – Resene Double Black White, Resene Double Sea Fog or Resene Half Concrete.

Because colour on an exterior reflects light and often appears brighter these colours may appear almost as white as your room.

Resene Double Black White
Resene Double Black White
Resene Double Sea Fog
Resene Double Sea Fog
Resene Half Concrete
Resene Half Concrete
January 2015

Q. I have had the painters put on Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta on the walls and Resene Double Alabaster on the ceilings of a split level room with a lot of natural light. The lower floor is wooden. The upstairs will be a natural carpet. The kitchen at the lower and other end of the dining room is Resene Quarter Tana, which looks great! The resulting effect is that the Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta is often ‘lemony’ throughout the day. Would the Resene Double Alabaster be the problem? Is it causing too great a contrast with the Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta on the walls?

A. The ceiling colour - Resene Double Alabaster - may be a bit too cool/grey toned and might be emphasising the sharp/yellow tone in the Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta. Unfortunately any changes of light (natural and artificial) will always alter colour because colour is a chameleon and if it can change it will. It pays to test colour carefully prior to buying large amounts of it so you can see how it really looks and - most importantly - how it looks in association with other colours.

If you don't like the yellow that is in the Resene Pearl Lusta palette of colours have you considered using another colour - perhaps one without the yellow in it? You might look at Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream to see if that appeals to you.

Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta
Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta
Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Quarter Tana
Resene Quarter Tana
Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream
Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream
January 2015

Q. What light colour can you recommend for updating my bathroom? Currently the bathroom looks like a sauna with varnished wood panels.

A. You do have a dilemma don't you? A fresh warm off-white would lighten and lift the bathroom but if you are planning on sanding all the varnish, sealing all the wooden walls etc, undercoating and applying two coats of a low sheen or semi-gloss enamel you may still end up with a very rustic/traditional Scandinavian painted timber room - is this what you want?

If it is then you might look at these colours to see if they appeal to you – Resene Half Pearl Lusta, Resene Eighth Biscotti or Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream.

Resene Half Pearl Lusta
Resene Half Pearl Lusta
Resene Eighth Biscotti
Resene Eighth Biscotti
Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream
Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream
January 2015

Q. I'm tossing up between Resene Eighth Tea and Resene Quarter Spanish White for a large light bedroom with a lot of wood that looks out onto a garden. The Resene Quarter Spanish White seems warmer but is too dated. What white trim would you recommend with either?

A. If the Resene Quarter Spanish White is warmer (less grey based) and looks good with the large light bedroom that has lots of wood I think you have answered your own question. Colours are not dated if they are perfect for the space you want to use them in.

For a white to use with it one of these might be good – Resene Quarter Bianca, Resene Quarter Rice Cake or Resene Alabaster.

Because it is often hard to judge what the 'whites' actually look like perhaps if you have the opportunity to pop into your nearest Resene ColorShop to view the A4 real paint samples in their Colour Library it will be helpful. You might check them out and compare them by placing a sheet of printer paper between them so that you can judge the underlying tints that are in them.

Resene Eighth Tea
Resene Eighth Tea
Resene Quarter Bianca
Resene Quarter Bianca
Resene Quarter Spanish White
Resene Quarter Spanish White
Resene Quarter Rice Cake
Resene Quarter Rice Cake
Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
January 2015

Q. We are using either Resene Quarter Silver Chalice or Resene Half Silver Chalice on the walls with Resene Quarter Fuscous Grey on feature walls. We want white trims/frames and ceilings. Should we just go for white white?

A. Yes of course. Resene White is great - however if you undercoat in white then have reservations about the brightness of the White then you might use Resene Quarter Black White instead which is very slightly less bright.

Resene Quarter Silver Chalice
Resene Quarter Silver Chalice
Resene Half Silver Chalice
Resene Half Silver Chalice
Resene Quarter Fuscous Grey
Resene Quarter Fuscous Grey
Resene White
Resene White
Resene Quarter Black White
Resene Quarter Black White
January 2015

Q. We are in the country and have Karaka corrugated iron on part of the exterior. The rest of the house is painted the same but has faded. We have bronze aluminium and red brown trims and the same under the veranda frames. I want a change and thought a grey but am not sure which one will tone. Am open to a total change.

A. I have a feeling that you may find getting a grey to work well with the Karaka roof, bronze aluminium and red brown trims could be difficult. Have you thought of using mid toned earthy stony/brown colours? If you check out the following colours they may offer you some options that are appealing – Resene Quarter Ironsand, Resene Touchstone, Resene Wireless, Resene Cobblestone, Resene Double Schooner or Resene Armadillo.

Resene Quarter Ironsand
Resene Quarter Ironsand
Resene Touchstone
Resene Touchstone
Resene Wireless
Resene Wireless
Resene Cobblestone
Resene Cobblestone
Resene Double Schooner
Resene Double Schooner
Resene Armadillo
Resene Armadillo
   
January 2015

Q. We have chosen Resene Bison Hide for our Hebel colour. What colour out of Matt Titania and Matt Canvas Cloth aluminium joinery would look best?

A. I think the Titania may be slightly better than the Canvas Cloth when placed close to Resene Bison Hide. It is a personal choice but I do suggest you get real metal powdercoat samples to look at and place them on a large sample (at least A4 in size) of the Resene Bison Hide to see which one looks the best. Tip the powdercoat samples at a 45 degree angle to the A4 colour sample to see if the powdercoat samples alter the colour and look different - they can do and you need to see that and make your judgements accordingly.

Resene Bison Hide
Resene Bison Hide
January 2015

Q. We have an office/sewing room which you walk through to get to another bedroom. We are adding a wall to this room to make it a separate room on its own which will be baby number two's bedroom. I am wanting to paint the new wall in a dark blue as a feature wall (as I think this will look good with pale pink/grey/red/light blue depending on if the baby is a girl or boy). The rest of the room has neutral wallpaper and a patterned blind. The blind has a dark inky colour in it. What dark blue colours would you recommend? It is a very light room which receives afternoon sun through the large window which takes up one whole wall. The feature wall is the opposite wall to this which will be solid with one door.

A. A word to the wise - the late afternoon westerly sun may make the dark blues look less blue more grey - it pays to test the colours very carefully. Try these ones out to see if they suit – Resene Midnight Express, Resene Into The Blue, Resene True Blue, Resene Bunting or Resene Cobalt.

Resene Midnight Express
Resene Midnight Express
Resene Into The Blue
Resene Into The Blue
Resene True Blue
Resene True Blue
Resene Bunting
Resene Bunting
Resene Cobalt
Resene Cobalt
January 2015

Q. My daughter is very keen to have Resene Wet N Wild in a fairly small room. If we were to paint three walls what would complement it on the fourth wall? She likes yellows.

A. I suggest that you might reverse the sequence of colours and do only one wall (a wall with no windows or doors for preference) in the Resene Wet N Wild (as it is very bold) and use one of these colours on the other walls. They are more a mellow sunshine gold – Resene Double Dutch White, Resene Oscar or Resene Sidecar.

If you, or your daughter, don't think these three are yellow enough it must be noted that yellows (no matter how light they may appear) double or triple in brightness when used in an interior. More of the Wet N Wild blue colour might be used as a predominant colour in a new duvet cover, curtains, notice board etc.

Resene Wet N Wild
Resene Wet N Wild
Resene Double Dutch White
Resene Double Dutch White
Resene Oscar
Resene Oscar
Resene Sidecar
Resene Sidecar
January 2015

Q. We have a large modern house that we are about to have completely repainted. The carpet is a mid grey with joinery being mainly grey/white combinations, with almost a beige-ish tone in the kitchen. I would like to have 'white' walls throughout in a colour that goes with the carpet and joinery and am looking at Resene Sea Fog or Resene Black White. Do either of these sound as though they would work?

Also, if we do the walls in either of these colours, do we do the ceilings and skirtings in half and quarter shades or just use the wall colour throughout? Will that be too boring?

A. Either of the colours that you like will work for you - they are very similar as you can tell from the colour codes. I do suggest however that you use a quarter tone or even an eighth for all the woodwork and ceilings to try for a little soft contrast between walls and all else in the house. The eighth tone for Resene Black White is Resene Eighth Black White and for Resene Sea Fog it is Resene Alabaster (aka Resene Eighth Sea Fog).

You ask 'Will that be too boring?' and my answer to that is 'only if you moved out completely' because that would mean there was nothing that represented you and your family in the house. It is your accessories, paintings, prints, photos, soft furnishings, personal possessions and precious things that are in each room that adds all the colour, excitement and ambiance in a home. It will never be boring - ever.

Resene Black White
Resene Black White
Resene Eighth Black White
Resene Eighth Black White
Resene Sea Fog
Resene Sea Fog
Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
January 2015

Q. We are building an Oamaru Stone house with a small amount of Cedar cladding and are deciding on the roof colour - Ironsand or Grey Friars - what do you recommend please?

A. If you want a deep brown based charcoal then you might choose Ironsand but if you want a classic steel charcoal then Grey Friars might be preferred. It is a matter of personal taste. If the cedar is to be stained to protect it from weathering and you favour 'cedar/brown' colours then you might need to take that into account also.

Resene Ironsand
Resene Ironsand
Resene Grey Friars
Resene Grey Friars
January 2015

Q. I have some bedroom furniture that I believe is coated with varnish (think its rimu or a darker wood) and would like to whitewash it. Do you have a product that is minimal work that I could use?

A. Yes Resene does have that product. It can be applied to clean, very well sanded old varnished surfaces. It is called Resene Colorwood Whitewash and the data sheet has the product information so you can read about it. You can view samples of Resene stain colours at your local Resene ColorShop on the Woodcare stand. I think you will like the finish.

January 2015

Q. Which is warmer - Resene Blue Moon or Resene Horizon?

A. Resene Horizon is a brighter blue with green in it and might be considered warmer than Resene Blue Moon which is a dusty/muted blue that doesn't look as bright so it might be considered cooler.

Resene Blue Moon
Resene Blue Moon
Resene Horizon
Resene Horizon
January 2015

Q. I want to know the name of some grey paint you have, like the 'Grey Friars' colour. I am after a darkish grey with a slight bluish tone if that makes sense? It is for our roof and the base of our house.

A. Resene paints do have a colour match to COLORSTEEL® Grey Friars. It is called Resene Grey Friars. There is a half tone version of this colour also - Resene Half Grey Friars - and a quarter tone version - Resene Quarter Grey Friars. Other colours of a similar tone are Resene Steel Grey or Resene Tuna.

COLORSTEEL® Grey Friars
COLORSTEEL® Grey Friars
Resene Grey Friars
Resene Grey Friars
Resene Half Grey Friars
Resene Half Grey Friars
Resene Quarter Grey Friars
Resene Quarter Grey Friars
Resene Steel Grey
Resene Steel Grey
Resene Tuna
Resene Tuna
January 2015

Q. I have used Resene Double Spanish White in Resene Lumbersider and Resene Zylone 20. The same colour in different paints appear different. Is this normal?

A. This is completely normal. If a paint is shinier the colour appears much lighter - conversely if it is absolutely matt (flat) it appears to be deeper and any variance in gloss level/type of paint between those two extremes shows subtle differences in the colour.

For this reason at the beginning of The Range Whites & Neutrals fandeck (after the alphabetical listings) there is a strip depicting this phenomenon using Resene Tea as the colour in every different type of product/gloss level.

This, also, is why there is a clear acetate strip included. By putting it half over a colour you can see a depiction of matt and gloss versions of the same colour alongside each other. It is very enlightening and educational.

Resene Double Spanish White
Resene Double Spanish White
Resene Tea
Resene Tea
January 2015

Q. Which white would you use with Resene Quarter Fuscous Grey? I am thinking Resene Half White Pointer. What would you suggest?

A. Resene Half White Pointer is a dense warm 'white' and would work quite well with Resene Quarter Fuscous Grey but if you wanted a 'white' that contrasted more and looked 'whiter' then you might look at Resene Quarter White Pointer or Resene Sea Fog - both of these make the Resene Quarter Fuscous Grey look a little deeper and more of a charcoal.

It is always wise to test colours so that you can see how they work together.

Resene Quarter Fuscous Grey
Resene Quarter Fuscous Grey
Resene Half White Pointer
Resene Half White Pointer
Resene Quarter White Pointer
Resene Quarter White Pointer
Resene Sea Fog
Resene Sea Fog
January 2015

Q. We painted the extension house exterior cladding wall Resene semi-gloss white. The walkway between the existing and extension house we painted with Resene Half Taupe Grey semi-gloss. Should I paint the walkway and extension house baseboard Resene Taupe Grey?

A. I like the idea of using a slightly deeper version (Resene Taupe Grey) on the baseboards - it adds a little eye interest and it tones nicely with the walkway colour. Your ideas are really good.

Resene Half Taupe Grey
Resene Half Taupe Grey
Resene Half Grey
Resene Taupe Grey
January 2015

Q. I have a 1910 villa with high stud. The hall is a darker space and is painted in Resene Merino with Resene Quarter Merino on the skirting. I am looking for a neutral colour for the kitchen dining open plan area that matches Resene Merino. There are recycled rimu cupboards and a timber floor.

A. The following colours are a few that will work well in association with Resene Merino – Resene Double Merino, Resene Titania, Resene Thorndon Cream, Resene Half Caraway.

Resene Merino
Resene Merino
Resene Quarter Merino
Resene Quarter Merino
Resene Double Merino
Resene Double Merino
Resene Titania
Resene Titania
Resene Thorndon Cream
Resene Thorndon Cream
Resene Half Caraway
Resene Half Caraway
January 2015

Q. What neutral would go well with Resene Oilskin? I am painting my weatherboards Resene Oilskin and would like the window trim and fascias to be 'cream'.

A. You might check out these creams – Resene Bianca, Resene Quarter Spanish White or Resene Half Albescent White.

These are creams that aren't too yellow but they work well with Resene Oilskin. There are also deeper versions of these colours if you wanted more depth to the cream.

Resene Oilskin
Resene Oilskin
Resene Bianca
Resene Bianca
Resene Quarter Spanish White
Resene Quarter Spanish White
Resene Half Albescent White
Resene Half Albescent White
January 2015

Q. We have a new build in LINEA®. It is a bungalow with corbel features and schist stone. The roof is COLORSTEEL® Grey Friars and the windows in Titania. I was thinking of Resene Quarter Periglacial Blue but it was all wrong! I was wondering if something like Resene Quarter Ash would work and the corbels in Resene Ash to make them stand out.

It seems to me that unless you are wanting the Linea and the window joinery to look as alike as possible and not have any contrast at all you may need to adjust your colours. I personally would use a deeper main colour and a much lighter trim for the corbels.

Try these colours – Resene Foggy Grey (main), Resene Half Titania (corbels and trims), Resene Double Ash (main) and Resene Whitewater (corbels and trims).

On an exterior all colours look lighter and more washed out because of the bright natural light so getting a reasonable level of contrast between colours is really important.

COLORSTEEL® Grey Friars
COLORSTEEL® Grey Friars
Resene Quarter Periglacial Blue
Resene Quarter Periglacial Blue
Resene Ash
Resene Ash
Resene Quarter Ash
Resene Quarter Ash
Resene Foggy Grey
Resene Foggy Grey
Resene Half Titania
Resene Half Titania
Resene Double Ash
Resene Double Ash
Resene Whitewater
Resene Whitewater
January 2015

Q. I'm looking to update the three colours in my house. We did it in a bit of a rush and the current scheme doesn't quite work harmoniously. It's a 1950s place and I'm looking for a rich 'Mad Men' kind of feel. Current colours are blue, green and orange. Can you advise three bold colours to replace them?

A. I think you will really appreciate these 1950s inspired colours – Resene Scrumptious, Resene Optimist and Resene Bright Lights.

They are full of the fast talking, jive and vibrant hedonism of the era and such fun!!

Resene Scrumptious
Resene Scrumptious
Resene Optimist
Resene Optimist
Resene Bright Lights
Resene Bright Lights
January 2015

Q. My husband and I want to paint the exterior of our new rental property but are unsure of what colours would look best/be best suited for the house.

A. You don't mention whether the roof is to be painted as well as the weatherboards so I have taken the liberty of including a roof colour also.

Option #1 - Main - Resene Quarter Tana, Trim – Resene Half Bianca, Roof and Gables - Resene Canyon, Option #2 - Main - Resene Eighth Bison Hide, Trim - Resene Alabaster, Roof and Gables - Resene Touchstone.

Resene Quarter Tana
Resene Quarter Tana
Resene Half Bianca
Resene Half Bianca
Resene Canyon
Resene Canyon
Resene Eighth Bison Hide,
Resene Eighth Bison Hide
Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
Resene Touchstone
Resene Touchstone
January 2015

Q. I am after a colour for my new home’s weatherboards. The roof colour is Ironsand and the windows are Silver Pearl.

A. Some ideas to get you started are: Resene Quarter Stonehenge, Resene Quarter Friar Grey, Resene Triple White Pointer or Resene Half Napa.

Resene Quarter Stonehenge
Resene Quarter Stonehenge
Resene Quarter Friar Grey
Resene Quarter Friar Grey
Resene Triple White Pointer
Resene Triple White Pointer
Resene Half Napa
Resene Half Napa
January 2015

Q. I am going to paint one wall of a bedroom with black Resene Blackboard Paint. Which colour white should I use on the other three walls to make them look really white?

A. You could use Resene Half Alabaster or (more stark) Resene White. There isn't too much difference between them but they would both work to give that lovely clean contrast that you are looking for.

Resene Half Alabaster
Resene Half Alabaster
Resene White
Resene White
January 2015

Q. I am looking to paint the walls of my house Resene Half Thorndon Cream. We have a high stud 2.7m. Can you recommend a colour choice for skirtings, architraves and ceilings?

A. The following colours are several that you might check out – Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream, Resene Alabaster, Resene Eighth Rice Cake or Resene White.

Because 'whites' are hard to judge it may pay you to pop into your nearest Resene ColorShop to view them in large A4 real paint samples in their Colour Library. If you place a sheet of white printer paper between them you will be better able to judge their unique qualities and undertones of colour and it will make choosing a colour easier for you.

Resene Half Thorndon Cream
Resene Half Thorndon Cream
Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream
Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream
Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
Resene Eighth Rice Cake
Resene Eighth Rice Cake
Resene White
Resene White
January 2015

Q. Can you give me the name of a pure white without warm or cool undertones please?

A. Many many years ago another lady asked for this self same 'white' and after a lot of thought and testing of 'whites' she settled on Resene White which of course is the standard (unmodified in any way) White.

However when the work was all completed she rang to say there was a terrible problem - in some rooms the White was greyish, some rooms it looked bluish and some rooms looked cream and other rooms slightly apricot. The ceilings and the woodwork looked totally different to the walls even though they were all exactly the same white. So real white was all these things (both cool and warm) and she didn't like that at all and wanted it 'sorted'.

The white was responding to different qualities of light (north, south, east and west) because white carries within it all the colours of the spectrum which are enhanced or exacerbated by natural and artificial light.

Unfortunately what you are asking for is against the laws of Nature. Where light changes, colour also changes. If you were in a dim south facing situation (shadowy, cool and somewhat sour in the quality of natural light) then White would be grey and cooler. If all of your windows faced to the west the same White in the west facing - late afternoon - spaces would be creamy and warmer and brighter when the light flooded that room.

Unless you can totally control light, which all colour is governed by, then any colour - and white (whether pure or altered by tint colours) - will always change. The same colour in a different space or on a different angle or with different colours seen close to it will alter like a chameleon and be different.

This may not be the answer you were expecting but it is the true reality of colour, light and Life.

January 2015

Q. We have used Gucci cream in the past. What is the closest match to this now?

A. It was a 'special' colour that matched the Masons' Hand Printed Wallpaper colour who were associated with Resene Paints from the 1960s-1990s. At Resene paint colours we have had in the past are kept in an historic format so there is still a formula for this colour on file should you wish to have it made up again. It is slightly similar to Resene Haystack and Resene Biscotti.

Resene Haystack
Resene Haystack
Resene Biscotti
Resene Biscotti
January 2015

Q. We have painted a small office on the south side of the house Resene Quarter Sisal and would like to know what complementary warm colours would add a real spark to the room? The windows are Resene Rice Cake and the door is Resene Eighth Sisal with Resene Rice Cake architraves.

A. Are you wanting a rich warm or deep mysterious colour to compensate for the south facing aspect of the room which is often cool/sour or slightly dim? Everyone has a colour in mind which is their idea of a 'warm' or 'sparky' hue – here’s a few to get you started: Resene Forbidden, Resene Matchmaker, Resene Scaramanga, Resene Trailblazer or Resene Wrangler.

Resene Quarter Sisal
Resene Quarter Sisal
Resene Rice Cake
Resene Rice Cake
Resene Eighth Sisal
Resene Eighth Sisal
   
Resene Forbidden
Resene Forbidden
Resene Matchmaker
Resene Matchmaker
Resene Scaramanga
Resene Scaramanga
Resene Trailblazer
Resene Trailblazer
Resene Wrangler
Resene Wrangler
January 2015

Q. I am struggling to find an exterior palette that is not grey... every house in our street is grey. I want to retain the roof colour.

A. You can have any colour at all on your house provided you don't live in an area where town bylaws set definite guidelines to what colours may be used on your house.

If you pursue a traditional theme and maintain simple timeless elegance in your colour palette you won't go wrong. You don't indicate what colours you like or what you may have already considered and discarded as being 'not right' so the following are colour ideas for you to think about – Resene Half Carefree (main), Resene Quarter Alabaster (windows etc) and Resene Inside Back (doors/trims etc), or Resene Soapstone (main), Resene Quarter Alabaster (windows etc) and Resene Perfect Taupe (doors/trims etc), or Resene Sea Fog (main), Resene White (windows etc) and Resene Dusted Blue (doors/trims etc).

There are thousands of possibilities but perhaps because at this point in time 'trendy' is grey or very very dark then these delicate tints of colour may be the elegant timeless alternatives.

Resene Half Carefree
Resene Half Carefree
Resene Quarter Alabaster
Resene Quarter Alabaster
Resene Inside Back
Resene Inside Back
Resene Soapstone
Resene Soapstone
Resene Quarter Alabaster
Resene Quarter Alabaster
Resene Perfect Taupe
Resene Perfect Taupe
Resene Sea Fog
Resene Sea Fog
Resene White
Resene White
Resene Dusted Blue
Resene Dusted Blue
January 2015

Q. We have Resene Caramel cupboards and a grey-brown benchtop. What colour would you recommend for the walls?

A. You might check out these colours to see if they might suit you – Resene Eighth Spanish White, Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta, Resene Eighth Parchment, Resene Half Albescent White or Resene Quarter Tea.

Resene Caramel
Resene Caramel
Resene Eighth Spanish White
Resene Eighth Spanish White
Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta
Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta
Resene Eighth Parchment
Resene Eighth Parchment
Resene Half Albescent White
Resene Half Albescent White
Resene Quarter Tea
Resene Quarter Tea
January 2015

Q. I have a dark navy lounge suite with taupe carpet. Would Resene Thorndon Cream work on walls? Or perhaps Resene Half Thorndon Cream?

A. I think as long as the Resene Thorndon Cream looks really gorgeous with the taupe carpet (this is the greater amount of colour in the house) as well as looking good with the dark navy lounge suite then if you want to use it then you should do so. Hallways often have less natural light (no windows) so using a lighter version of the main colour is often a good idea.

Resene Thorndon Cream
Resene Thorndon Cream
Resene Half Thorndon Cream
Resene Half Thorndon Cream
January 2015

Q. We are painting our family room/kitchen with Resene Drought. Both rooms have lots of light. Our kitchen cabinets are beechwood and the benchtop is black. What colour splashback will go with these colours?

A. You have thousands of options available to you to choose from but here are a few to consider – Resene Pohutukawa, Resene Kaitoke Green, Resene Wimbledon, Resene Dauntless, Resene Smashing, Resene Alcatraz (metallic) or Resene Meridian (metallic).

Resene Drought
Resene Drought
Resene Pohutukawa
Resene Pohutukawa
Resene Kaitoke Green
Resene Kaitoke Green
Resene Wimbledon
Resene Wimbledon
Resene Dauntless
Resene Dauntless
Resene Smashing
Resene Smashing
Resene Alcatraz
Resene Alcatraz
Resene Meridian
Resene Meridian
January 2015

Q. Our walls are painted Resene Half Tea and the wood trim is either White or Resene Eighth Tea. What colour should I paint the doors?

A. If you want the doors to blend in and look the same as the door frames, skirting boards, windows etc then it probably would be wise to use the same 'white' colour throughout the house. You indicate some ambiguity about which 'white' is on the woodwork - please be careful - there is a radical difference between real Resene White and Resene Eighth Tea - if you are at all unsure please check with a chart or a Resene testpot to ensure you get the right colour.

If you feel that the doors get more touching and you are worried about 'finger marking' showing on the very light paint work then you could use Resene Half Tea (in a semi-gloss finish so they match the wall colour) or even very slightly lighter - Resene Quarter Tea.

Resene Half Tea
Resene Half Tea
Resene Eighth Tea
Resene Eighth Tea
Resene White
Resene White
Resene Quarter Tea
Resene Quarter Tea
January 2015

Q. Can you please advise which colour is the closest match to Vantage Warm White Peal Matt joinery?

A. There is no exact match due to the slight pearlescent sheen on the powdercoat which alters in all lights and angles.

You might look at either of these colours to see if one of them might work for you – Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream or Resene Half Merino.

A word to the wise - when I alter the angle at which I hold my powdercoat sample (from flat to a 45 degree angle) it changes colour a lot so neither of the colours I have suggested work as well as I would like them to. This is the nature of colour - it is a chameleon and if it can change it will.

Resene Half Merino
Resene Half Merino
Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream
Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream
January 2015

Q. Can I paint the window frames the same colour as the walls on the outside of the house? Is this acceptable? The house colour is Resene Sandbar.

A. It can be acceptable. Sometimes if the window frames are very narrow and not at all interesting people will choose to paint them the same as the house colour. Another idea is to use a deeper or lighter variant of the main house colour to create a little contrast and eye interest. It is a personal choice.

Resene Sandbar
Resene Sandbar
January 2015

Q. I was wanting to know if I have made a good decision with the interior colour scheme I have chosen? Resene Half Friar Grey for the walls and Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream for ceilings, reveals and doors in the kitchen, dining, lounge and bathroom. I have a black Roxx stone called Voodoo for the kitchen bench and a white Snowdrift Melteca for the kitchen cupboards. There is a plank vinyl floor in the kitchen that has grey tones and the carpet will be in a charcoal. Then I am planning Resene Eighth Friar Grey on the walls and Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream on reveals, doors and ceiling in the bedrooms and hallway.Please let me know if you think I should consider any other colour to go with and will these colours work well together?

A. I think the colours that you have chosen look really nice together. They are warm but sophisticated. Using any other colours in the house may be what you have as the drapes, duvets, accessories and other soft furnishings as well as the special precious things that you own already.

Resene Half Friar Grey
Resene Half Friar Grey
Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream
Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream
January 2015

Q. We are painting all our farm buildings with dark green roofs and are looking for a cream/off white for the walls which isn't too yellow or grey. We are also looking for a soft green for trims so it’s a very traditional look.

A. You might check these colours out to see if this is the sort of thing that you have in mind – Resene Merino, Resene Port Phillip or lighter Resene Bluegrass, or Resene Eighth Parchment, Resene Coriander or deeper Resene Lemon Grass, or Resene Half Thorndon Cream, Resene Rivergum or lighter Resene Bach.

Resene Merino
Resene Merino
Resene Port Phillip
Resene Port Phillip
Resene Bluegrass
Resene Bluegrass
Resene Eighth Parchment
Resene Eighth Parchment
Resene Coriander
Resene Coriander
Resene Lemon Grass
Resene Lemon Grass
Resene Half Thorndon Cream
Resene Half Thorndon Cream
Resene Rivergum
Resene Rivergum
Resene Bach
Resene Bach
January 2015

Q. I want to paint my lounge, hallway and bedroom but am not sure what colour to use. I am after something with a warm tone that will enhance the room.

A. You might like to check out these colours – Resene Quarter Tea, Resene Eighth Drought or Resene Half Albescent White. I think they may pick up the warmth of the carpet and give a new look to the rooms.

Please test colours carefully by applying them to A2 card, not the already coloured walls as the greater amount of wall colour can alter your perception of what the test colour really looks like. A2 card is available from your local Resene ColorShop. Apply testpots as 2 coats and leave an unpainted border all around the edges. By moving them around from wall to wall/room to room you can see how they respond to changes of angles and light and make good judgements.

Resene Quarter Tea
Resene Quarter Tea
Resene Eighth Drought
Resene Eighth Drought
Resene Half Albescent White
Resene Half Albescent White
January 2015

Q. Our 70s house is painted Resene Spanish White with vivid green gables. We need to reroof with COLORSTEEL® - are you able to suggest a colour from their colour range?

A. I would probably look at a warm charcoal like Ironsand or Basalt. The roof needs a bit of depth to balance the vivid green shutters and the warm earthy cream main colour.

Resene Spanish White
Resene Spanish White
COLORSTEEL® Ironsand
COLORSTEEL® Ironsand
January 2015

Q. We are looking to paint the living area of our holiday house in an alpine location. I have had 6 topography maps mounted on MDF which will become a feature wall in the lounge. We were thinking maybe Resene Half Sisal, then choosing a complementary colour to paint the wall behind where we are mounting the maps, maybe Resene Triple Sisal. Then painting the ceiling and trim a shade of white to refresh. We are going to mount the maps on the wall above the bench seat.

A. Colours in an interior often look almost double their depth so it may be a better option to choose a colour slightly lighter as a main colour. You might look at Resene Quarter Sisal or alternatively a slighter soft tone like Resene Half Fossil as a main colour. You may need to test colours carefully before choosing.

Another feature wall option might be Resene Triple Fossil as it is less olive toned than the Resene Triple Sisal. A nice shade of white might be Resene Double Alabaster.

Resene Half Sisal
Resene Half Sisal
Resene Quarter Sisal
Resene Quarter Sisal
Resene Half Fossil
Resene Half Fossil
Resene Triple Fossil
Resene Triple Fossil
Resene Triple Sisal
Resene Triple Sisal
Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Double Alabaster
January 2015

Q. I have a large 80s weatherboard house and I would like to paint it grey colours. I was looking at Resene Geyser for the weatherboards and Resene Grey Chateau around the windows and on the plaster base.

A. I do like the colours that you have mentioned. For other grey options you might look at these ones – Resene Quarter Silver Chalice used with Resene Silver Chalice or Resene Quarter Delta used with Resene Delta.

Resene Geyser
Resene Geyser
Resene Grey Chateau
Resene Grey Chateau
Resene Quarter Silver Chalice
Resene Quarter Silver Chalice
Resene Silver Chalice
Resene Silver Chalice
Resene Quarter Delta
Resene Quarter Delta
Resene Delta
Resene Delta
January 2015

Q. We are painting our home but am unsure what colour to paint the veranda including steps. The weatherboards are Resene Smooth Cream lightened with a little white. The roof, window surrounds and door ways are Resene Karaka and the doors and window ledge trim are Resene Maroon. The windows and veranda ceiling are Resene Bone White. The veranda is concrete and L shaped and there are long concrete steps.

A. Have you thought of using more of the Resene Bone White in Resene Walk-on paving and deck paint? This might work as it won't detract from the main house colours. Alternatively you might look at a warm grey with a slight element of green in it - Resene Traffic - this colour is available as both a standard paint and a Resene Non-Skid Deck & Path (textured) paint.

Resene Smooth Cream
Resene Smooth Cream
Resene Karaka
Resene Karaka
Resene Maroon
Resene Maroon
Resene Bone White
Resene Bone White
Resene Traffic
Resene Traffic
January 2015

Q. How should I pick a neutral colour for my kitchen doors?

A. How to pick successfully is to look at what colours are there already - benchtops, flooring, walls etc - and try several neutrals to see which one will work best with the other colours you have. No short cuts - it is all about testing colours carefully and seeing them in a large enough sample to make a good judgement.

January 2015

Q. We are getting our weatherboard villa reroofed. We are using COLORCOTE® roofing and are considering Flint or Slate colours. We are looking for a light grey colour for the exterior walls that would work with this darker grey roof.

A. Try these colours – Resene Half Gauntlet, Resene Half Friar Grey or Resene Half Stonehenge.

I definitely recommend that you use the Resene CoolColour™ version of any of these colours to minimise heat stress and U.V. damage to the surface of the weatherboards. Timber needs all the help it can get to remain in good health with the harshness of our sun caused by the diminishing ozone layer and the extremes of weather/temperatures that we have to contend with.

Resene Half Gauntlet
Resene Half Gauntlet
Resene Half Friar Grey
Resene Half Friar Grey
Resene Half Stonehenge
Resene Half Stonehenge
January 2015

Q. We are looking at Resene Surrender and the paint on the wall looks more blue than expected.

A. If Resene Surrender is painted onto a white card (leaving the white edges uncoated so it is framed in white) it can look almost lilac/silver. If by chance you were painting a test patch onto a cream or beige wall it would look even bluer. That is because it has that undertone with in it and the greater amount of wall colour emphasises that.

Testing colour and comparing it with several others that might appear similar at first glance helps you to identify the underlying tints within the colour. For instance when looked at close to Resene Geyser it doesn't look so bluish (because Resene Geyser is bluer) but when you compare it next to Resene Half Foggy Grey it looks quite lilac as the Resene Half Foggy Grey is a yellowed grey like a stone.

It is a case of testing colour and looking at it in all lights and on all angles and close to whatever other colours are in the rooms (carpets, curtains, duvets etc) so you can see how it alters - and it does - sometimes quite a lot.

Resene testpots are your best friend in this regard because for a few dollars for the testpot and a very large A2 card (to paint the colour onto) from your Resene ColorShop you can find out a lot and make good judgements about the colour and not end up with a large container of the wrong colour.

Resene Surrender
Resene Surrender
Resene Geyser
Resene Geyser
Resene Surrender
Resene Surrender
Resene HalfFoggy Grey
Resene Half Foggy Grey
January 2015

Q. We are renovating our bedroom, kid’s room and guest room. For the bedroom walls we were choosing Resene Blue Smoke, for the kid’s room Resene Chill Out and for the guest room Resene Half Secrets. The ceilings in all rooms are going to be Resene Alabaster and so we thought the window and door frames, doors and skirting also. Now somebody mentioned we should do the skirting in the same or similar colour as the walls. What would you suggest and what would you do with the doors and door frames? Also what curtain colours would you suggest for these three rooms?

A. You can do anything you like on the woodwork. Don't listen to 'somebody'. Let them do what they want at their house and you do what you want at your house.

Painting the skirting boards the same colour as the walls came about several decades ago when new built houses had really minimal skirting boards and instead of finding a tiny little narrow brush to paint them a different colour to the walls people decided to 'hide' them in the wall colour. Is this what you want to do?

Door frames and doors are often painted the same colour - again because the door frames on new built houses were so narrow it looked a little bit silly to have a tiny strip of different colour around the doors. All houses and situations are different - as are people - so it is a personal choice. Believe me - there is no right or wrong thing to do.

I can't see anything wrong with using Resene Alabaster for the ceilings and all painted woodwork - it would flow nicely through the house and give a lovely crisp line and enhance your pale coloured walls. But it is for you to decide.

Resene Blue Smoke
Resene Blue Smoke
Resene Chill Out
Resene Chill Out
Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
Resene Half Secrets
Resene Half Secrets
January 2015

Q. I am wanting to paint our house white but I am having heaps of trouble deciding which white! The ceiling/skirtings etc are all done in Resene Black White, the carpet is a charcoal colour. The bedrooms/office etc all have lots of sunlight through most of the day. I would prefer something with a grey base (nothing cream) but I don’t want anything too dark. Also is it better to stick to the same colour throughout the whole house and just use feature colours where needed?

A. Do you want the white of the walls to be whiter/lighter than the ceiling and skirting etc? If this is the case then you might look at Resene Half Black White or Resene Quarter Black White.

If you want the ceiling and skirting etc to look much whiter/lighter than the walls then you might look at, try Resene Double Black White or Resene Triple Black White.

Or as an simple alternative you could paint the walls the same colour as the ceiling and the woodwork. Seeing as Resene Black White is quite a grey coloured white - it is far more coloured than real Resene White - perhaps you could use it on the walls with real White for all the ceilings and the painted woodwork.

Resene Black White
Resene Black White
Resene Half Black White
Resene Half Black White
Resene Quarter Black White
Resene Quarter Black White
Resene Double Black White
Resene Double Black White
Resene Triple Black White
Resene Triple Black White
January 2015

Q. I have full Resene Spanish White walls. The bench top is going to be cut down to one level and is whitish with sparkles. There are cream tiles on the floor. What colour would you suggest I spray the cupboard doors? I have been looking at Resene Double Spanish White, Resene Biscotti and a couple of others. I want it to be neutral so create a sense of space. If you think I need to go away from cream into something pale I would love to hear your suggestions.

A. To create a sense of space, light and to allow for maximum flexibility (especially if at any time you want to change the wall colour) you might go much lighter in colour so it is more neutral. Have you considered that as an option?

Perhaps look at these colours to see if they appeal – Resene Half Orchid White, Resene Half Pearl Lusta or Resene Eighth Spanish White.

But if you do like the idea of going to a deeper colour (thereby making a closer/denser look especially as the walls are a strong colour) you might look at Resene Half Canterbury Clay, Resene Eighth Colins Wicket or Resene Akaroa.

Resene Spanish White
Resene Spanish White
Resene Double Spanish White
Resene Double
Spanish White
Resene Biscotti
Resene Biscotti
Resene Half Orchid White
Resene Half Orchid White
Resene Half Pearl Lusta
Resene Half Pearl Lusta
Resene Eighth Spanish White
Resene Eighth
Spanish White
Resene Half Canterbury Clay
Resene Half
Canterbury Clay
Resene Eighth Colins Wicket
Resene Eighth
Colins Wicket
Resene Akaroa
Resene Akaroa
January 2015

Q. I've bought a 1920s apartment that is small with very little light. I would like to paint it all white but was wondering what shade would be the best for a dark apartment? Also do I paint the ceilings and walls in the same type of paint or different?

A. Perhaps look at these whites which have a warm/bright undertone – Resene Half Bianca, Resene Half Rice Cake or Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta.

If you use a standard acrylic low sheen paint for the walls – Resene Zylone Sheen - and the same sheen but in a waterborne enamel for the service rooms – Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen - you will find they work well.

For the ceiling you might look at using Resene Alabaster in Resene Ceiling Paint. But if you want a ceiling paint that is able to be washed without leaving shiny spots (standard matt ceiling paints aren't good that way) or with a fly deterrent additive in it then we recommend Resene SpaceCote Flat waterborne enamel.

Painted woodwork can match the wall colour or the ceiling colour - whichever look you prefer - and you would use a semi-gloss waterborne enamel - Resene Lustacryl - or if you prefer a very slick gloss then we recommend Resene Enamacryl gloss waterborne enamel.

Resene Half Bianca
Resene Half Bianca
Resene Half Rice Cake
Resene Half Rice Cake
Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta
Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta
Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
January 2015

Q. We are renovating our house and have chosen Resene Black White as the wall colour right throughout all interior walls including the ceilings as we wanted a minimalist colour palette. Would the interior doors look best also in Resene Black White or would it look best to deepen the colour on the doors a little? What about gloss level? I am thinking the architraves and scotia are best painted Resene Black White but should we ’up’ the gloss level on these?

A. If it is a truly minimalistic look that you are hoping to achieve then I suggest you stay with Resene Black White for all surfaces and just change the sheen level to create a bit of visual ambiance.

Usually it is a low sheen on the walls (Resene Zylone Sheen acrylic for main living areas and Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen waterborne enamel for service room walls) and a matt finish for ceilings (Resene Ceiling Paint for main ceiling areas and Resene SpaceCote Flat waterborne enamel for service room ceilings) and a semi-gloss (Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss waterborne enamel) for all woodwork and this is a really contemporary way to use a single colour. If you have sticky fingered children and animals that like to rub their sweat glands and wet floppy tails against the doors and you are worried about grubby marks showing then you can use a deeper variant of the wall colour for doors - Resene Double Black White - but you don't have to unless highlighting the doors in a subtle way is what you want to do.

Resene Black White
Resene Black White
Resene Double Black White
Resene Double Black White
January 2015

Q. We are looking to paint the exterior of our 1960s single level brick house. It is a textured brick (looks like a rake has been dragged over it). I am looking for some colour inspiration. What are popular colours that are used for this? I was thinking of using two colours - a darker colour for above floor level and a lighter colour around the base. I like charcoal/grey/blue colours.

A. Try these colours – Resene Tuna, Resene Half Tuna, Resene Steel Grey, Resene Quarter Grey Friars, Resene Raven or Resene Revolution.

The last two colours are softer/bluer in their greyness whereas the others are darker/greyer with some undertones of blue within them. If you can pop into your nearest Resene ColorShop to view the A4 real paint samples of these colours in their Colour Library it will be a great aid to choosing what colour would work best for you.

Resene Tuna
Resene Tuna
Resene Half Tuna
Resene Half Tuna
Resene Steel Grey
Resene Steel Grey
Resene Quarter Grey Friars
Resene Quarter Grey Friars
Resene Raven
Resene Raven
Resene Revolution
Resene Revolution
 
January 2015

Q. What colour should I paint a bedroom/study? The floors, skirting, door, framing and double wardrobe doors are rimu. It gets a lot of afternoon sun and there are large windows on the wall looking out onto a garden. I want a light room.

A. Generally colours are best chosen to co-ordinate with any existing furnishings and curtains as well as being personally appealing to the homeowner. Some colour ideas to get you started – Resene Eighth Bison Hide, Resene Quarter Parchment, Resene Eighth Fossil, Resene Quarter White Pointer or Resene Double Black White.

Resene Eighth Bison Hide,
Resene Eighth Bison Hide
Resene Quarter Parchment
Resene Quarter Parchment
Resene Eighth Fossil
Resene Eighth Fossil
Resene Quarter White Pointer
Resene Quarter White Pointer
Resene Double Black White
Resene Double Black White
January 2015

Q. I need some help choosing an exterior colour for a LINEA® weatherboard home. We have bluish grey aluminium doors and windows with feature boards around them. We also have concrete tiles around the outside of the house which have a tinge of yellow beige. I have looked at colours such as Resene Pravda, too brown, Resene Triple White Pointer, too light, Resene Ash, a tinge too green? I am currently looking at Resene Half Tapa. What would you suggest complements this colour for feature boards? Also we have a walled garden and chimney on the house - what colour may work here?

A. If you want to use Resene Half Tapa (grey with yellow/green undertones) I suggest you look at using colours like the following as complements – Resene Quarter Grey Friars (may link to th joinery colour) or Resene Double Tapa (deeper than the main colour and tonal).

Resene Pravda
Resene Pravda
Resene Triple White Pointer
Resene Triple White Pointer
Resene Ash
Resene Ash
Resene Half Tapa
Resene Half Tapa
Resene Quarter Grey Friars
Resene Quarter Grey Friars
Resene Double Tapa
Resene Double Tapa
January 2015

Q. The carpet throughout our house is pale pink and I would like some advice on colour palette options for the walls and possibly door jambs if they should be different from the main wall colourings. I would like the wall colouring to be the same throughout the house with perhaps an individual accent on the bedroom walls. I would like the actual doors to be painted black but don't know or understand the merits of shades of black or the paint type. The house is modern. Ceilings are white.

A. If you want to bring out more warmth to the pink carpet you might look at using a fresh warm off white – Resene Rice Cake or Resene Half Bianca.

But if you were wanting a cooler more muted colour you might look at a very pale grey white – Resene Wan White or Resene Quarter Concrete.

The individual accents for the bedrooms might take the form of curtains or duvets rather than feature walls. A black for all the doors to accentuate them and make them a strong feature may need a little warmth in it so it isn't too oppressive - you could look at one of these 'blacks' – Resene Blackout or Resene Bokara Grey.

I hope these suggestions are helpful but with a definite coloured carpet presenting in the house you may find a lot of choices are not valid as the carpet is the 'boss' and won't play nice. Take your time and test the colours carefully. If you do the skirting boards and door frames in a semi-gloss enamel version of the wall colours it will be a simple elegant look.

Resene Rice Cake
Resene Rice Cake
Resene Half Bianca
Resene Half Bianca
Resene Wan White
Resene Wan White
Resene Quarter Concrete
Resene Quarter Concrete
Resene Blackout
Resene Blackout
Resene Bokara Grey
Resene Bokara Grey
January 2015

Q. We are in the process of building our house in a rural setting. The roof is COLORSTEEL® Karaka and the aluminium joinery around the windows and doorways is matt Bone White. We tried a testpot of Resene Tapa for the exterior walls but wondered if it was too grey to complement the joinery. Resene Gravel looked to be a good contrast. Please can you suggest a colour for the exterior walls (vertical and horizontal LINEA® board) that would blend in with our green environment? The garage door and front door are Karaka as well. We are thinking about planting burgundy maple trees and natives close to the house.

A. Resene Gravel is blacker than Resene Tapa and will contrast more with joinery and be almost as dark but not as earthy as the roof. Is this what you are trying to achieve?

A word to the wise - if you are painting a testpot onto an un-sealed (porous) or primed (coloured) surface you may not be seeing the reality of the colour. We recommend applying the testpot (all of it as two coats) onto A2 card available from Resene ColorShops leaving an unpainted border all around the edges. This helps you focus on the colour; you see enough of the colour to make sound judgements and the card can be moved from wall to wall to see how it alters with the light and different angles.

You might look at these colours to see if you find them more appealing – Resene Touchstone, Resene Double Tapa or Resene Evolution. These colours fall halfway between the colour of the joinery and the colour of the roof so plenty of contrast is seen. I like the idea of the burgundy maple trees and natives near to the house - it sounds really nice.

COLORSTEEL® Karaka
COLORSTEEL® Karaka
Resene Tapa
Resene Tapa
Resene Gravel
Resene Gravel
Resene Touchstone
Resene Touchstone
Resene Double Tapa
Resene Double Tapa
Resene Evolution
Resene Evolution
January 2015

Q. We want to paint the exterior of our house and would like to know what colour you recommend. We have painted the fence that surrounds the perimeter of the section a dark charcoal and the inside hall/kitchen/living room is in Resene Half Bison Hide with Resene Alabaster on the trim and ceiling. The house is clad in Hardiclad and was built in the mid 90s. Its pattern/texture is designed to look like wood and the surrounding houses in our neighbourhood are all typical 90s houses in various styles. We were thinking of doing a darker colour on the house with a light trim and plan to plant more greenery in the garden. We stained the decks to look like kwila but they will need to be redone again so can alter those stain colours too.

A. You might look at using one of these colours – Resene Sandstone, Resene Half Oilskin or Resene Half Masala.

They are mid toned deep colours - not really dark - but they would work well with existing coloured powdercoated window and door joinery. They do come as lighter variants also if you should want to do some trims. Please check out the newest The Range Whites & Neutrals fandeck for the full range of each of the colours. The deck stain – Resene Kwila - probably will work well with these colours but if you felt the deck wasn't deep enough you might look at using the Resene Woodsman stain – Resene Tiri.

Resene Half Bison Hide
Resene Half Bison Hide
Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
Resene Sandstone
Resene Sandstone
Resene Half Oilskin
Resene Half Oilskin
Resene Half Masala
Resene Half Masala
Resene Kwila
Resene Kwila
Resene Tiri
Resene Tiri
 
January 2015

Q. My new home has blue carpet throughout, approx. Bahama Blue! Walls are painted a similar blue colour or green (azure) and creamy yellow! Most framing is wood though some is painted grey. I have to keep the carpet and will gradually repaint. The house is generally sunny with some skylights and on two floors. Would prefer mostly whites as I can add more colour through furnishings.

A. Because of the many colours in the interior I think the best thing that you can do is undercoat all painted surfaces in white undercoat. It will do several things for you:

  • Remove the existing colours and let you see your spaces better.
  • Any colours that you test will be seen against a real white background which will help you appreciate their unique qualities.
  • Spaces and the natural light within the rooms will take on quite a different ambiance when the overriding emphasis of strong colour is removed.

Because the wood is a colour and the carpet is definitely blue you may like to test 'whites' that have a hint of beige and cream to them as I think they may work well with existing colours that aren't being changed.

Perhaps you might check out these 'whites' – Resene Quarter White Pointer, Resene Eighth Fossil, Resene Eighth Spanish White or Resene Quarter Albescent White.

Resene Quarter White Pointer
Resene Quarter White Pointer
Resene Eighth Fossil
Resene Eighth Fossil
Resene Eighth Spanish White
Resene Eighth Spanish White
Resene Quarter Albescent White
Resene Quarter Albescent White
January 2015

Q. Could you please advise what is the best colour scheme to go with a terracotta roof? The roof is very orange in colour.

A. Try these colours to get you started – Resene Double Merino (main)., Resene Half Alabaster (windows/under soffits/lattice work/door frames) and Resene Inside Back (window sills/doors/any other trim as desired), or Resene Half Duck Egg Blue (main), Resene Quarter Black White (windows/under soffits/lattice work/door frames) and Resene New Denim Blue (window sills/doors/any other trim as desired), or Resene Quarter Tea (main), Resene Eighth Rice Cake (windows/under soffits/lattice work/door frames) and Resene Bronco (window sills/doors/any other trim as desired).

If you decide to paint the roof at some stage then you can't go wrong with a classic charcoal - Resene Grey Friars.

Resene Double Merino
Resene Double Merino
Resene Half Alabaster
Resene Half Alabaster
Resene Inside Back
Resene Inside Back
Resene Half Duck Egg Blue
Resene Half Duck Egg Blue
Resene Quarter Black White
Resene Quarter Black White
Resene New Denim Blue
Resene New Denim Blue
Resene Quarter Tea
Resene Quarter Tea
Resene Eighth Rice Cake
Resene Eighth Rice Cake
Resene Bronco
Resene Bronco
Resene Grey Friars
Resene Grey Friars
   
January 2015

Q. We are painting the exterior of our 1950s stucco house which has brown aluminium joinery. We don't like the brown tones that would go with the windows and are looking to see if any blue colours might work.

A. Lots of blue colours may work. Because of the brown aluminium joinery it may pay to look at slightly muted blues so that the windows don't look overly dark by comparison. The following are some blues that you might consider - Resene Dusted Blue, Resene Half Regent Grey, Resene El Nino, Resene Bluff, Resene Avalanche or Resene San Juan.

Resene Dusted Blue
Resene Dusted Blue
Resene Half Regent Grey
Resene Half Regent Grey
Resene El Nino
Resene El Nino
Resene Bluff
Resene Bluff
Resene Avalanche
Resene Avalanche
Resene San Juan
Resene San Juan
January 2015

Q. Can I get some colour recommendations for a bathroom? The shower cubicle will be lined with grey solid stone - very close to Resene Triple Rakaia. The floors will be whitewashed kauri floorboards and the vanity is a charcoal stained recycled timber with a marble vessel basin (that has grey veining and a very very slight cream tinge). I am after recommendations for wall colours and perhaps a feature colour for a bit of pop.

A. You might look at these types of colours for the bathroom walls – Resene Half Merino (main) and Resene Quarter Lemon Grass (feature), or Resene Rice Cake (main) and Resene Nirvana (feature), or Resene Half Black White (main) and Resene Chapta And Verse (feature).

Resene Triple Rakaia
Resene Triple Rakaia
Resene Half Black White
Resene Half Black White
Resene Half Merino
Resene Half Merino
Resene Quarter Lemon Grass
Resene Quarter Lemon Grass
Resene Rice Cake
Resene Rice Cake
Resene Nirvana
Resene Nirvana
Resene Half Black White
Resene Half Black White
Resene Chapta and Verse
Resene Chapta and Verse
January 2015

Q. We are currently building a new home and are at the interior painting stage. I am trying to create a Scandinavian type feel in the home. The exterior is very dark and I would like to go white inside. We are using a lot of natural products as well as wooden floors, pine timber window reveals and dark grey tiling in the bathrooms and laundry. The kitchen cabinetry is in Resene Sea Fog with a white quartz stone and stainless steel benchtops, and a mid-dark grey carpet and we have a lot of black furniture. Can you suggest a white wall colour we could use throughout the house but with a slight warmth to it and possibly a light grey door colour?

A. You might check these 'whites' to see if they are what you had in mind – Resene Half Barely There, Resene Eighth Sea Fog, Resene Half Atmosphere or Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream, Resene Half Alabaster, Resene Quarter Chalice.

I have included a 'whiter/white' also as a possibility for painted woodwork and ceilings and also so that you can see that the walls are slightly more coloured. If you have a lot of doors you may choose to use the 'whiter/white' for wardrobes so (the light grey doesn't swamp the bedrooms).

Resene Sea Fog
Resene Sea Fog
Resene Half Barely There
Resene Half Barely There
Resene Half Atmosphere
Resene Half Atmosphere
Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream
Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream
Resene Half Alabaster
Resene Half Alabaster
January 2015

Q. I am painting my flat roof sixties style house and I can't decide what colours to use. I would like to make it a bit more modern looking. The wood along the front is being replaced but will remain the same style.

A. Everyone has a different thought about what is modern looking and at this point in time subdued/muted and greyer colours are fashionable. You might check out these colours to see if you like them – Resene Thorndon Cream and Resene Half Tapa, Resene White Pointer and Resene Half Taupe Grey or Resene Half Sea Fog and Resene Silver Chalice.

Resene Thorndon Cream
Resene Thorndon Cream
Resene Half Tapa
Resene Half Tapa
Resene White Pointer
Resene White Pointer
Resene Half Taupe Grey
Resene Half Taupe Grey
Resene Half Sea Fog
Resene Half Sea Fog
Resene Silver Chalice
Resene Silver Chalice
January 2015

Q. We have a late 60s brick house and I’m wanting to repaint the wooden windows. We have a Monument painted roof and want your advice on a modern Resene colour for the windows.

A. Are you planning on repainting all the other woodwork as well? If not then I suggest your windows stay in a very similar colour as you have now so that the colours are harmonious. However if you are planning on repainting all the other woodwork on the house then try these suggestions - lighter for the windows and slightly deeper for other woodwork – Resene Half Black White with Resene Triple Black White, Resene Eighth Ash with Resene Quarter Tapa, Resene Double Alabaster with Resene Revolution or Resene Rice Cake with Resene Thorndon Cream.

Resene Half Black White
Resene Half Black White
Resene Triple Black White
Resene Triple Black White
Resene Eighth Ash
Resene Eighth Ash
Resene Quarter Tapa
Resene Quarter Tapa
Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Revolution
Resene Revolution
Resene Rice Cake
Resene Rice Cake
Resene Thorndon Cream
Resene Thorndon Cream
January 2015

Q. We have painted our house in Resene CoolColour™ Double Gravel and have charcoal grey door and window frames. We would like to paint feature panels and the side door in a colour that will add a bit of colour and 'pop'. We have a very green tropical garden behind our house.

A. There are a few options and they would all 'pop' but it depends whether they appeal to you – Resene Intrepid, Resene Scoria, Resene Matchstick, Resene Ayers Rock or Resene Kombi.

Resene Double Gravel
Resene Double Gravel
       
Resene Intrepid
Resene Intrepid
Resene Scoria
Resene Scoria
Resene Matchstick
Resene Matchstick
Resene Ayers Rock
Resene Ayers Rock
Resene Kombi
Resene Kombi
January 2015

Q. I have bought a new house and the current colour is cream which to me looks dated and dirty. I would like a bright fresh new paint (I was thinking a white), as I will do more renovations (new kitchen and bathrooms) so want something that is neutral. There are so many whites and I am not sure which one to choose. I am repainting my living room, kitchen, bedroom and hallways. The rooms can be dark when there is no direct sunlight. I have tested Resene Alabaster, Resene Triple Black White, Resene Soapstone, Resene Eighth Tea and I am not sure I like any of these. Resene Tea and Resene Soapstone seem a bit too dark. I don’t want anything too bright.

A. If the rooms are a little dim they may need a white that has a little warmth/clarity of tone. Colour - no matter how light it is - often appears deeper in an interior when large areas are painted. Try these ones to see if they achieve the look you want – Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream, Resene Quarter Rice Cake, Resene Quarter Bianca or Resene Quarter Albescent White. If one of these is nearly right but too white they do come as slightly deeper versions.

Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
Resene Triple Black White
Resene Triple Black White
Resene Soapstone
Resene Soapstone
Resene Eighth Tea
Resene Eighth Tea
Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream
Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream
Resene Quarter Rice Cake
Resene Quarter Rice Cake
Resene Quarter Bianca
Resene Quarter Bianca
Resene Quarter Albescent White
Resene Quarter Albescent White
January 2015

Q.We are building an old new villa and keeping with tradition as much as possible. We have decided to paint the weatherboards Resene Silver Chalice. The windows, doors, posts, fretwork are in Resene Alabaster. We are indecisive as to what to paint the fascias and the guttering, whether to keep them in Resene Silver Chalice or the roof colour which is Sandstone Grey? We have a bullnose verandah at the front as well. We thought of painting the fascias in Resene Silver Chalice but not sure of the guttering whether to keep it in the Sandstone Grey or Resene Silver Chalice? What would the finished look be if we had Sandstone Grey as the guttering or Resene Silver Chalice? Appreciate your comments.

A. People often paint the guttering to match the roof and you may notice in a lot of new subdivisions the guttering is powder coated to match the roof. If you favour highlighting the guttering to make it stand out from the roof colour then painting it Resene Silver Chalice would be the way to go.The down pipes are often a bone of contention - and the compromise is guttering same as roof and the downpipes (as they are attached to the house) is the same colour as the house so they don't look like a deeper stripe on a lighter coloured background. I hope this makes sense.

The fascias and under the soffits are often the same colour - often the lightest colour (Resene Alabaster) is used and if not then the house colour is the other option.

The bull nose verandah (it is the roof you are referring to isn't it?) would be the same as the house roof colour and underneath is always a lighter colour. This happens normally with a powder coated roof (top is the colour and underneath is lighter) so if you are painting it the same rules apply.

Resene Silver Chalice
Resene Silver Chalice
Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
COLORSTEEL Sandstone Grey
COLORSTEEL® Sandstone Grey
January 2015

Q. We have a 1930s bungalow at the end of a full reno. We have a COLORSTEEL® Grey Friars roof and have matched this on the base boards. We would like white trim, windows etc but need suggestions for a grey to complement. Looking for something that will make it all 'pop'!

A. If you are keen on a grey for the house, greys don’t 'pop'. They are timeless, fundamental neutrals and though they come in all sorts of tints, tones and shades it isn't the grey that creates the visual excitement but the contrasts between the darkest (blackest) colour and the lightest (whitest) colour that is seen close to them. Greys sort of hang around in the middle of white and black waiting for something to happen - they love it when you inject excitement when bright or bold accents are added to lift them out of their serious 'greyness'. That is why small splashes of lime, red, orange and yellow look so good with a grey, black and white palette.

The following are some greys that you might check out – they won’t ‘pop’ but will have a more timeless appeal – Resene Silver Chalice, Resene Grey Chateau, Resene Double Stack, Resene Raven or Resene Quarter Fuscous Grey.

They are all different from each other and have all sorts of colour hiding within them which may be more apparent when you see larger samples - like the A4 real paint samples that are in the Colour Library at your nearest Resene ColorShop - do try and pop in to see them - it will help you judge their unique qualities.

COLORSTEEL® Grey Friars
COLORSTEEL® Grey Friars
       
Resene Silver Chalice
Resene Silver Chalice
Resene Grey Chateau
Resene Grey Chateau
Resene Double Stack
Resene Double Stack
Resene Raven
Resene Raven
Resene Quarter Fuscous Grey
Resene Quarter Fuscous Grey
January 2015

Q. Could you help with suggesting a wall colour to go with Hunter Green kitchen cabinets with black trims and slate grey and white benchtop. Window trims are Resene Half Sea Fog. The area incorporates an open plan kitchen/dining room and lounge with plenty of light. We have just finished painting the exterior weatherboards in Resene Tana and window trims in Resene Half Sea Fog, which looks fantastic.

A. Seeing as your kitchen is very distinctively coloured you might look at a using a neutral that relates well to the exterior colours – Resene Triple Sea Fog, Resene Double Black White or Resene Eighth Tana. If you maintain all ceilings and other trims as Resene Quarter Sea Fog (aka Resene Double Alabaster) then the link to the exterior 'white' will be apparent and look well co-ordinated.

Resene Half Sea Fog
Resene Half Sea Fog
Resene Tana
Resene Tana
   
Resene Triple Sea Fog
Resene Triple Sea Fog
Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Double Black White
Resene Double Black White
Resene Eighth Tana
Resene Eighth Tana
January 2015

Q. We are building a new house and I have chosen Resene Quarter Craigieburn for the walls. We have oak timber flooring and brown grey carpet. I want to do a Milano plaster wall in the living room behind the freestanding fire but am unsure of the colour. I think I would like it dark. The kitchen at the other end of the room is Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream with a black granite bench.

A. There are hundreds of dark colour options available to you for the feature wall. Here are a few to think about to see if they are the sort of colour that appeals to you – Resene Craigieburn, Resene Half Gravel or Resene Half Fuscous Grey.

Resene Quarter Craigieburn
Resene Quarter Craigieburn
Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream
Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream
Resene Craigieburn
Resene Craigieburn
Resene Half Gravel
Resene Half Gravel
Resene Half Fuscous Grey
Resene Half Fuscous Grey
January 2015

Q. We are re-roofing our house, which has a red long run roof. The house is a stained cedar (so reddish/brown timber). What colour do you suggest our roof can go to? We have a lot of green trees around and the red was chosen as it contrasts well with the cedar and surrounds but thought a new colour may be needed.

A. There isn't a huge choice in powdercoated roof colours but you could probably do with a contrast colour. There is almost too much of the red tone (cedar and roof) and instead of working in harmony with nature it almost demands dominance. Perhaps a deeper earthy (but not too green) tone might work. See what you think of these colours – COLORSTEEL® Thunder Grey matched to Resene Squall, COLORSTEEL® Basalt Base matched to Resene Touchstone or COLORSTEEL® Fern Frond matched to Resene Canyon.

COLORSTEEL® Thunder Grey
COLORSTEEL® Thunder Grey
Resene Squall
Resene Squall
Resene Touchstone
Resene Touchstone
Resene Canyon
Resene Canyon
January 2015

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

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