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Answers to your questions from our colour experts, p. 03

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. 03

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


Q. I am painting our bedrooms with the following colours: Resene Cut Glass, Resene Teal Blue (feature wall), Resene Escape and Resene Rainee. Can you please tell me if Resene Eighth Spanish White would go with these colours for the skirting boards, windowsills and ceilings as I have some left over? If not which white would be best?

A. You may find that the Resene Eighth Spanish White looks too yellow/coloured to work well with your soft watery blues and greens. I suggest you investigate using either Resene Double Alabaster or Resene Quarter Black White as these cleaner 'whites' will enhance the blues and greens and not compete with them.

Resene Cut Glass
Resene Cut Glass
Resene Teal Blue
Resene Teal Blue
Resene Escape
Resene Escape
Resene Rainee
Resene Rainee
Resene Eighth Spanish White
Resene Eighth Spanish White
Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Quarter Black White
Resene Quarter Black White
 
May 2013

Q. I have painted my kitchen Resene Alo Alo and also the door leading to the outside and the wall past the kitchen. I wanted to frame the window in the door and the wall outside the kitchen with a blue (a la Mexican style) - I chose Resene Jelly Bean - but it doesn't pop! Should I go for darker - more vibrant?

A. I love your colour ideas - so exciting! Perhaps you could investigate the following colours for your 'pop' colour accent: Resene Scooter, which is more vibrant than Resene Jelly Bean, Resene Allports, which is deeper and more /vibrant than Resene Jelly Bean, or Resene Astral, which is deeper than Resene Jelly Bean. Don't be fearful - the right colour will be apparent as soon as you place it close to the Resene Alo Alo.

Resene Alo Alo
Resene Alo Alo
Resene Scooter
Resene Scooter
Resene Allports
Resene Allports
Resene Astral
Resene Astral
May 2013

Q. I want to repaint the exterior of my house - it is two levels. The first level is bricks and the second level is plaster over foam with cavity. I want to use your Resene X-200 product. The roof is a blue, which colour will suit?

A. You might look at the following colours to see if they suit: Resene Drought, Resene Double Fossil, Resene Tea, Resene Sandspit Brown or Resene Spanish White.
It would pay to trial them carefully to see which ones looked best next to the bricks as they will have a definite influence. Your roof and powdercoated joinery will work with any of these colours.

Resene Drought
Resene Drought
Resene Double Fossil
Resene Double Fossil
Resene Tea
Resene Tea
Resene Sandspit Brown
Resene Sandspit Brown
Resene Spanish White
Resene Spanish White
May 2013

Q. Our living room walls are Resene Quarter Spanish White opening to the deck via bifold doors. Please suggest colours to paint the outside - north east facing.

A. I feel a soft mid toned colour might do two things - 'frame' the exterior to interior view of the room colours and provide a light absorbing colour to balance the brightness of the natural light so it isn't too glary during the daylight hours. With that in mind you might like to consider the following colours: Resene Half Pravda, Resene Napa, Resene Half Cougar or Resene Quarter Stonehenge.

Resene Quarter Spanish White
Resene Quarter Spanish White
Resene Half Pravda
Resene Half Pravda

Resene Napa
Resene Napa
Resene Half Cougar
Resene Half Cougar
Resene Quarter Stonehenge
Resene Quarter Stonehenge
May 2013

Q. I am painting an old cottage and I have chosen Resene Tapa and Resene Concrete as the two main colours - (walls in Resene Tapa and windows etc in Resene Concrete). I also have a deck to paint and can't find a suitable brown to match the colour scheme of the house. Please can you provide some solutions for me? I would like brown, but don't know the best options.

A. With your main colour being an olive grey/brown that carries a yellow undertone and your lesser colour being a silver with an undertone of lilac in it I am not surprised that you are having a little problem finding a brown for the deck. You are not alone - I too am finding it hard as it creates an (extra) element of discord and refuses to provide a sympathetic ambiance. However I have found some options that look good with your colours - you might like to investigate these - they aren't brown however - Resene Half Gravel, Resene Masala or Resene Zeus.

Resene Tapa
Resene Tapa
Resene Concrete
Resene Concrete
Resene Half Gravel
Resene Half Gravel
Resene Masala
Resene Masala
Resene Zeus
Resene Zeus
May 2013

Q. I have just fitted new French doors and adjacent windows and they are Danish Oiled Cedar. I am stripping back the bay window but they will not look the same as the new cedar and I am not sure about the opposite windows that are up high. The trims are all MDF so they will be painted - should these windows and trim be bright white or are there any other options that wouldn't clash with my cedar? On the exterior I have used gloss white for windows and trims and under the soffits, Resene Grey Friars for the roof and flashing and Resene Sandcastle for the weather boards. My carpet is a tan/brown/neutral, my curtains are navy/dark blue and the cushions in the bay window will need to be recovered so no decisions have been made.

A. In houses of this era the window joinery was often two different types of wood - one darker for the sashes and the other lighter for the mullions and surrounds and sills. When they are stripped they often don't have the same nice appeal as new timber does and the timber’s natural aging, and any sun or water damage, often makes it a hard task to get them back to a nice finish. Back in the day they were painted so it wasn't a problem. You could replace them with new cedar if looking the same is what is really important to you.

I suggest that if the windows and the MDF trim were painted a soft 'coloured' white and then in the fullness of time the walls were a deeper version of that colour then all of the emphasis would be drawn toward the lovely new cedar doors and window. This may solve your problem. You could try: Resene Eighth Spanish White with Resene Spanish White for walls, Resene Quarter Sandspit Brown with Resene Sandspit Brown on walls or Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta with Resene Double Pearl Lusta on walls.

Resene Grey Friars
Resene Grey Friars
Resene Sandcastle
Resene Sandcastle
Resene Eighth Spanish White
Resene Eighth Spanish White
Resene Spanish White
Resene Spanish White
Resene Quarter Sandspit Brown
Resene Quarter Sandspit Brown
Resene Sandspit Brown
Resene Sandspit Brown
Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta
Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta
Resene Double Pearl Lusta
Resene Double Pearl Lusta
May 2013

Q. My painter wants to use an airless spray for my walls and the ceiling. This will mean that my walls and ceiling will be the same colour - I was thinking of Resene Milk White for the walls and Resene Alabaster for banisters on the stairs and window frames. The ceiling is currently a shade of white which was done a few years ago. Kitchen cabinets are white, brown flooring and the carpet will be brown or grey. In regards to the one colour - walls and ceilings the same - will this mean my room looks smaller or less fresh having the ceiling the same as the walls?

A. Any colour applied to the ceiling tends to look a little deeper because light falls away from the ceiling and the surface has more shadow on it. If the question is 'will this make the room smaller' - possibly not - but will the ceiling look slightly lower because of the colour as opposed to Resene White - then the answer is Yes. The colour that you want to use Resene Milk White has a little shadow in it and this may be more noticeable on the ceiling than the walls. If your painter wants to use an airless spray to paint then what about lightening your wall (and ceiling) colour to Resene Half Milk White so the shadowing at the ceiling level isn't so noticeable? You may also need to lighten the trims too to maintain the crisp light contrast look - so Resene Half Alabaster instead of Resene Alabaster.

Even though the ceiling was painted a few years ago it may be 'not as White' as it once was - you wouldn't notice this as it is a natural aging process of paint - and if you didn't have the ceiling re-painted then you may find that it looks a little 'coloured' or shadowy and the newly painted walls and trims may draw attention to this.

The other thought I had was the type of paint used for walls is usually a low sheen acrylic and the ceiling usually is a matt (flat) acrylic. A good idea would be to use Resene SpaceCote Flat, a waterborne enamel that can be used on walls or ceilings. It wouldn't be wise to have a ceiling flat on walls and ceilings unless you never ever touched, bumped or wiped the walls as a ceiling paint can get marked or grubby quickly and is generally hard to wipe clean.

A large light room won't necessarily look smaller or less fresh but it really depends on the depth of the colour. My solution is to lighten the colour to maintain the fresh look.

Resene Milk White
Resene Milk White
Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
Resene White
Resene White
Resene Half Milk White
Resene Half Milk White
Resene Half Alabaster
Resene Half Alabaster
May 2013

Q. I was going to paint our Linea board house Resene Foggy Grey. The roof (Sandstone Grey) has turned out lighter than I thought it was going to be and the windows will be Arctic White. Was wondering if I should head to Resene Double Sea Fog? We want the house to have a soft lake/sea house look.

A. I would be a little more inclined to try slightly deeper 'whites' as the Arctic White windows can look blue/grey in some instances when they are close to certain colours. You might like to consider the following colours: Resene Triple Sea Fog, Resene Quarter Foggy Grey, Resene Concrete or Resene White Pointer.

COLORSTEEL Sandstone Grey
COLORSTEEL® Sandstone Grey
Resene Double Sea Fog
Resene Double Sea Fog
Resene Triple Sea Fog
Resene Triple Sea Fog
Resene Quarter Foggy Grey
Resene Quarter
Foggy Grey
Resene Concrete
Resene Concrete
Resene White Pointer
Resene White Pointer
May 2013

Q. I am looking for a nice soft duck egg blue for a south facing guest room. I have bought testpots of Resene Moby, Resene Sorrento and Resene Bali Hai. Resene Bali Hai seems the closest, but I have just read of Resene Robin Egg Blue; however this looks much greener to me. Could you advise which colour is closest to a duck egg blue?

A. You might like to look at the following colours to see if any of them is the duck egg blue you had in mind - Resene Nebula, Resene Quarter Periglacial Blue, Resene Quarter Powder Blue, Resene Eskimo and Resene Half Robin Egg Blue.

These colours are lighter than the ones you have looked at - usually colours look deeper when a whole room is painted so the colours listed might seem to have more depth when all four walls are painted. Be careful - south facing rooms usually have a lot more shadow in them and aren't blessed with gorgeous warm sunlight so all colours take on a cool, greyish cast. You may need to balance the cool aspect of the room and the cool colour with touches of red, rich brown or terracotta to make it feel cosy.

Resene Nebula
Resene Nebula
Resene Quarter Periglacial Blue
Resene Quarter Periglacial Blue
Resene Quarter Powder Blue
Resene Quarter Powder Blue
Resene Eskimo
Resene Eskimo
Resene Half Robin Egg Blue
Resene Half Robin Egg Blue
May 2013

Q. I am looking for a colour - not a cold white - more of an ivory - for the entire inside of a 1920s bungalow. We have charcoal carpet being laid in a few weeks. We have chocolate floorboards in the hall. We have Michelangelo ceilings with the beams painted black.

A. You might like to try the following colours - Resene Quarter Rice Cake, Resene Half Bianca, Resene Half Wan White or Resene Quarter Merino.

All of these colours may look slightly deeper in situ (around windows /in corners of rooms/in narrow dim spaces) and if this is a problem then there are lighter and deeper versions available. 

Resene Quarter Rice Cake
Resene Quarter Rice Cake
Resene Half Bianca
Resene Half Bianca
Resene Half Wan White
Resene Half Wan White
Resene Quarter Merino
Resene Quarter Merino
May 2013

Q. I have just put a coat of Resene Quarter Parchment on our newly renovated bedroom and it has come out more yellow than I thought it would. I am after a neutral white that comes across warm without the yellow base. The carpet is a soft grey/beige colour. I have Resene Alabaster for the frames - would Resene Double Alabaster work?

A. The colour of the carpet would greatly influence how you see the wall colour and also the quality of light - natural and artificial - would too. Late afternoon light for instance makes all colour much more yellow toned than it actually is, as does normal incandescent light bulbs or lamps.

There is nothing wrong with using Resene Double Alabaster if you want a really 'white' room.

Have you investigated using Resene Eighth Bison Hide or Resene Quarter Truffle - both of these colours are warm without a yellow undertone.

Resene Quarter Parchment
Resene Quarter Parchment
Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Eighth Bison Hide
Resene Eighth Bison Hide
Resene Quarter Truffle
Resene Quarter Truffle
May 2013

Q. What is the best colour to paint the interior of a dressing room/relaxing area attached to a film studio? Is full carpet or polished carpet with floor rugs better?

A. Let’s look at the flooring question first - carpet may be sound deadening, soft and warm looking and polished concrete could be easy to clean but essentially hard and possibly noisy. Rugs may add colour and pattern to the concrete floor and by that means be fun or trendy. I have a preference toward carpet. Carpet would be chosen before wall colours unless you want to use White for the walls. All coloured carpet would work with White. Not all carpet would work with all wall colours - hence the suggestion to relate the wall colour to the carpet and not the other way around.

You could use a mix of soft restful colour like Resene El Nino and a little bit of sharp clear colour to zoosh it up a bit like Resene First Light. It feels really good to specify lovely colours and not neutrals for a change but in saying that the whites and neutrals that Resene has in their range is extensive and allows a lot of scope but in your environment I think the use of colour will be mood enhancing.

Resene El Nino
Resene El Nino
Resene First Light
Resene First Light
May 2013

Q, I am painting my brick house (Resene Quarter Napa) and the windows (Resene Sea Fog) and I am not sure what colour I should put with it for windowsills and gutters etc with a bit of depth that will work with these?

A. You might like to try: Resene Napa, Resene Stonewashed, Resene Friar Grey or Resene Quarter Ironsand, or as a definite colour you might look at Resene Triple Ash, which is a green/beige.

Resene Quarter Napa
Resene Quarter Napa
Resene Sea Fog
Resene Sea Fog
Resene Napa
Resene Napa
Resene Stonewashed
Resene Stonewashed
Resene Friar Grey
Resene Friar Grey
Resene Quarter Ironsand
Resene Quarter Ironsand
Resene Triple Ash
Resene Triple Ash
 
May 2013

Q. We can't agree whether to paint the ceiling panel beams white or leave the wood - my husband thinks they add character. I think white would look better. We are planning on painting the walls a soft pale grey. We will start with the bedroom, the rest of the house has the same type of ceilings.

A. You need to think about whether painting the beams in the ceilings is going to be in every room.

It might seem strange if only one room - the bedroom - has painted beams. Another thing to consider is whether the beams draw your eye too much to the ceiling and away from the walls and other elements within the rooms.

Is the ceiling the only thing that demands attention? If ceiling lights are set in the ceiling in an annoying or in non-symmetrical positions that might also create a ceiling 'discord'. Is a nice light fitting set in the middle of the ceiling but in a position in the panels that makes it look strange or 'offset?

If the beams were painted they are still seen (they aren't suddenly invisible) so a certain amount of the character is still there - just not in an attention seeking 'framed' format.

Are the window frames/sashes/skirting boards, door architraves and doors a natural varnished wood finish - i.e. not painted? Or have these elements been gradually painted out over the years? Any dark lines - wooden elements like those mentioned previously and especially the ceilings attract attention because the eye is pulled to any dark line and spaces are minimised because of that. If you have lovely wooden furniture it may fight for predominance.

May 2013

Q. I'm really stuck on finding a colour which will suit our kitchen counter and cabinets and will also not be overpowering in our open plan kitchen/lounge. The house gets heaps of sun all year round and is a 1940s cottage so I'm looking for a warmish green/grey. I've tried Resene Quarter Periglacial Blue, Resene Half Robin Egg Blue, Resene Peppermint and Resene Half Beryl Green. I'm not really happy with any of the. I liked Resene Half Beryl Green but it’s too matchy with the cabinets. Can you recommend any other options for me?

A. Have you thought that, perhaps, it is because you want to use a green on the walls and that you already have greens in the counter and in the cabinets that might be stopping you finding another green? The colours you have trialled are definite with personalities that may clash and will be stronger when four walls are painted hence the potential to cause a 'discord' with the greens you already have in the kitchen. What about using a neutral that has a slight element of green in it to see if that might work? It is like sneaking up on a colour but not using anything definite. You might like to try Resene Eighth Tana, Resene Half Joanna, Resene Saltpan, Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream or Resene Half Ecru White, or for a complete change Resene Sea Fog which may enhance the greens you have by making them seem stronger in tone.

Resene Eighth Tana
Resene Eighth Tana
Resene Half Joanna
Resene Half Joanna
Resene Saltpan
Resene Saltpan
Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream
Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream
Resene Half Ecru White
Resene Half Ecru White
Resene Sea Fog
Resene Sea Fog
May 2013

Q. Can you recommend an exterior colour for the property that would work with the current grey roof colour and the slate blue/grey of the window/door frames and flashings.

A. You could try Resene Double Truffle, Resene Joss, Resene Quarter Grey Olive or Resene Perfect Taupe.

Resene Double Truffle
Resene Double Truffle
Resene Joss
Resene Joss
Resene Quarter Grey Olive
Resene Quarter Grey Olive
Resene Perfect Taupe
Resene Perfect Taupe
May 2013

Q. Can you suggest some colours for an external feature wall which would go with our external wall colours Resene Chicago and Resene Friar Grey?

A. Do you want a bold, vibrant statement colour to uplift the dense greys that you have used? Or do you want a tonal statement? What is the wall built from - concrete may open up more options than weatherboards in this regard.

Where is the wall in relationship to the house - does it enclose a courtyard or does it project to form a wind break at the front of the house to shelter the front entry? Can it be seen from the road or is it seen only from inside the house at the back? These are questions that might need to be considered prior to making a decision.

Some colour ideas to get you started are: Resene Hot N Spicy, Resene Triple Friar Grey, Resene Artefact or Resene Zion.

Resene Chicago
Resene Chicago
Resene Friar Grey
Resene Friar Grey
Resene Hot N Spicy
Resene Hot N Spicy
Resene Triple Friar Grey
Resene Triple Friar Grey
Resene Artefact
Resene Artefact
Resene Zion
Resene Zion
May 2013

Q. Can you suggest some colours to go with Rimu. Our house is small with lots of windows. I was thinking of an off white.

A. You might like to investigate the following colours : Resene Quarter Milk White, Resene Half Bianca, Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream or Resene Half Rice Cake.

All of these colours may read to your eye as 'white' but if you looked at the A4 samples at your Resene ColorShop in the Colour Library and placed a sheet of printer paper between them you would see the underlying tints and tones within each colour. If you felt they weren't 'coloured' enough they do come as slightly deeper versions.

Resene Quarter Milk White
Resene Quarter Milk White
Resene Half Bianca
Resene Half Bianca
Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream
Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream
Resene Half Rice Cake
Resene Half Rice Cake
May 2013

Q. What would you advise on any Resene range curtains to go with Resene Milk White?

A. You might like to consider the following curtains: Resene Captivate - colour Naturalle or colour Stone, Resene Lyrical - colour Naturalle or colour Stone, Resene Maze - colour Naturalle or Resene Wildlife - Naturalle.

Resene Milk White
Resene Milk White
Resene Captivate Naturalle
Resene Captivate Naturalle
Resene Captivate Stone
Resene Captivate Stone
Resene Lyrical Naturalle
Resene Lyrical Naturalle
Resene Lyrical Stone
Resene Lyrical Stone
Resene Maze Naturalle
Resene Maze Naturalle
Resene Wildlife Naturalle
Resene Wildlife Naturalle
 
May 2013

Q. We are repainting the bathroom and the bath takes up most of the room with its interior like Resene Double Alabaster and the outside is really deep blue. There is plenty of light, the room is compact 2.5 x 3m with shower and toilet in it as well. I like a clean look of blue and white and want a white that does not make the bath look creamy. White tiles on the floor, wooden wall cabinet and slatted wooden blind and a small basket type cabinet painted rich blue.

A. If the interior enamel of the bath looks like Resene Double Alabaster then perhaps that is the colour that might work for you as a wall colour - Resene Double Alabaster is a bisque white so not at all cold looking but it could be used on walls and ceiling in Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen Kitchen & Bathroom waterborne enamel and any wooden skirting, architraves, window surrounds/sashes and door could be Resene Enamacryl full gloss waterborne enamel to create sheen level differences but not colour differences.

Alternatively if you feel you need to investigate another 'white' then you might look at Resene Half Sea Fog or Resene Black White.

Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Half Sea Fog
Resene Half Sea Fog
Resene Black White
Resene Black White
May 2013

Q. We need to repaint one wall in a rental property and as we can't match the other walls we want to turn it into a feature. The walls are painted in a yellow. I have been looking at your colour chart, and thought maybe colours like Resene Sandbar, Resene Boulevard, Resene Emerge, Resene Triple Truffle and Resene Half New Denim Blue may go well with the yellow? I want to go with a plainer colour as I will be selling the house in a year and want to keep the room neutral looking (even though it is yellow!) I would love your thoughts.

A. I think I would go with a cool serious tone to balance the extremely energetic yellow. If you used Resene Half Denim Blue, which is a slate inspired blue grey, it would add a little quietness and depth to the room and stop the yellow from being seen as possibly too bright. An alternative is Resene Avalanche.

Resene Half Denim Blue
Resene Half Denim Blue
Resene Avalanche
Resene Avalanche
May 2013

Q. I would like to have an all white master bedroom with a very eclectic country feel to it. I am guessing a warm white wall colour is what would suit best.

A. You might like to try the following colours: Resene Bianca, Resene Half Rice Cake, Resene Orchid White or Resene Eighth Spanish White. Seen in isolation they will appear to be 'whiter' than you think they are. Trialling the colours at your home will change them slightly again because of natural and artificial light and any other element of colour that is in the room, such as the carpet, curtains or duvet. Resene testpots applied to A2 card and moved around onto different walls will show the 'whites' as deeper (window walls) and lighter (walls opposite windows) at different times of the day. The first three colours come as lighter versions also should you need to check these out too.

Resene Bianca
Resene Bianca
Resene Half Rice Cake
Resene Half Rice Cake
Resene Orchid White
Resene Orchid White
Resene Eighth Spanish White
Resene Eighth Spanish White
May 2013

Q. Our house is concrete block and wood - more concrete block than wood - can you recommend colours that look good on block? We are open to anything but have not liked concrete block we have seen painted white colours. We were thinking of Resene Hermitage - if this is something we choose to go for can you recommend an alternate colour to the Resene Bavarian Cream that is recommended to go with it? We are thinking of using Resene Montoya for the roof of our house but we don't want our house to look gloomy which the neighbour’s house looks like.

A. Concrete block - if painted grey or grey type of colours - often looks gloomy because it looks like (unpainted) concrete block. I think you may need more depth (deeper) colour for the concrete block to give it strength, character and ambiance.

Have you contemplated Resene Edward or Resene Bounty (which are greenish and bluish and not so grey) with a light warm colour for the wood (all wood) in perhaps Resene Double Pearl Lusta or Resene Villa White. The light warm toned neutral will lift the main colour on the blocks and make it seem more 'coloured' - less grey - and will bring out the green or the blue tones. It is all about contrast and having colours that create interest. Grey is smart but has an industrial 'no nonsense' look about it.

Resene Hermitage
Resene Hermitage
Resene Bavarian Cream
Resene Bavarian Cream
Resene Montoya
Resene Montoya
Resene Edward
Resene Edward
Resene Bounty
Resene Bounty
Resene Double Pearl Lusta
Resene Double Pearl Lusta
Resene Villa White
Resene Villa White
 
May 2013

Q. I have used Resene Bianca on my skirtings, doors and windows and I'm needing advice on my wall colour. I am looking for a white with a cool grey hue to it that will match Resene Bianca. Any ideas? I used Resene Quarter Sisal and it is too brown.

A. You might like to try the following colours: Resene Black White, Resene House White, Resene Barely There or Resene Concrete. These greyish whites will emphasise the yellow that is in Resene Bianca which you may not 'see' at this point - you may view it as a 'whiter' white than it actually is.

Resene Bianca
Resene Bianca
Resene Black White
Resene Black White
Resene House White
Resene House White
Resene Barely There
Resene Barely There
Resene Concrete
Resene Concrete
May 2013

Q. I have a Formica Peacock Dust kitchen counter - what colours could I paint the kitchen cupboard doors and what colour to do the walls?

A. Peacock Dust is a definite Formica colour and I think rather than match the clear bright tones in it, it would be more appropriate to paint the cupboards (darker) Resene Wanaka or (softer) Resene Waterfront or even a soft beige like Resene Half Bison Hide. The walls would look really nice as a warm cream like Resene Quarter Spanish White or even Resene Half Albescent White.

Resene Wanaka
Resene Wanaka
Resene Waterfront
Resene Waterfront
Resene Half Bison Hide
Resene Half Bison Hide
Resene Quarter Spanish White
Resene Quarter Spanish White
Resene Half Albescent White
Resene Half Albescent White
May 2013

Q. The exterior of our house situated in hill surrounds has always been painted white and we would like to change. We do not want to go too dark, but also need colour suggestions for the base of house and window trims. The roof will be Resene Half Tuna.

A. You might like to consider the following colours:
Resene Villa White with Resene El Nino, Resene Half Barely There and Resene Eighth Stonehenge, Resene Eighth Bison Hide with Resene Half Innocence or Resene Half Thorndon Cream with Resene Half Taupe Grey.

There are also the other members of the Resene Tuna family of colours that you might also investigate for trims - Resene Quarter Tuna or Resene Tuna - and a myriad of definite colours that you might look at for sills and doors only - the world of colours is open to you!

Resene Half Tuna
Resene Half Tuna
Resene Villa White
Resene Villa White
Resene El Nino
Resene El Nino
Resene Half Barely There
Resene Half Barely There
Resene Eighth Stonehenge
Resene Eighth Stonehenge
Resene Eightah Bison Hide
Resene Eightah Bison Hide
Resene Half Innocence
Resene Half Innocence
Resene Half Thorndon Cream
Resene Half Thorndon Cream
Resene Half Taupe Grey
Resene Half Taupe Grey
Resene Quarter Tuna
Resene Quarter Tuna

Resene Tuna
Resene Tuna
 
May 2013

Q. I am interested in colour matches to Resene Double Gravel. Best neutrals, white and colours. I am looking to paint feature walls in Resene Double Gravel and would like advice on complementary colours.

A. You might investigate the following neutrals and whites and colours:
(Neutrals) Resene Quarter Gravel, Resene Double Thorndon Cream or Resene Double White Pointer and (whites) Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream, Resene Quarter White Pointer or Resene Half Rice Cake and (colours) Resene Dynamite, Resene Bittersweet or Resene Koru.

Resene Double Gravel
Resene Double Gravel
Resene Quarter Gravel
Resene Quarter Gravel
Resene Double Thorndon Cream
Resene Double Thorndon Cream
Resene Double White Pointer
Resene Double White Pointer
Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream
Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream
Resene Quarter White Pointer
Resene Quarter White Pointer
Resene Half Rice Cake
Resene Half Rice Cake
Resene Dynamite
Resene Dynamite
Resene Bittersweet
Resene Bittersweet
Resene Koru
Resene Koru
   
May 2013

Q. What complementary and contrast colours are impacting with Resene Tea?

A. If you want the Resene Tea to look more developed as a colour then you might look at using a much lighter colour, such as Resene Double Alabaster or (warmer) Resene Half Bianca to help to highlight it.

To complement it (deeper) you could stay within the tonal Resene Tea palette and use Resene Triple Tea or alternatively Resene Napa or Resene Half Stonewall.

To add an accent colour to enhance the Resene Tea you could look at a deep blue - Resene True Blue or Resene Wanaka.

Resene Tea is amazingly versatile and works with about 50% of neutrals and bolder accent colours so - depending on where it is being used - it will be able to take on all types of mood and ambiance.

Resene Tea
Resene Tea
Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Half Bianca
Resene Half Bianca
Resene Triple Tea
Resene Triple Tea
Resene Napa
Resene Napa
Resene Half Stonewall
Resene Half Stonewall
Resene True Blue
Resene True Blue
Resene Wanaka
Resene Wanaka
May 2013

Q. I am painting a two storey state house. Would Resene Half Rice Cake look good?

A. Resene Half Rice Cake is a lovely clean starchy white but it might look a lot 'whiter' than you would expect due to the bright natural light. If you were using 'real' Resene White for the windows you may not see any difference at all between Resene Half Rice Cake and Resene White. You may like to consider (full strength) Resene Rice Cake for just a little more colour.

Resene Half Rice Cake
Resene Half Rice Cake
Resene White
Resene White
Resene Rice Cake
Resene Rice Cake
May 2013

Q. We are looking to paint our house a greyish/green. Darker than COLORBOND® Evening Haze but not too dark. What would you suggest?

A. You might like to consider the following colours: Resene Grey Olive, Resene Quarter Evolution, Resene Half Cobblestone or Resene Double Ash.

Resene Grey Olive
Resene Grey Olive
Resene Quarter Evolution
Resene Quarter Evolution
Resene Half Cobblestone
Resene Half Cobblestone
Resene Double Ash
Resene Double Ash
May 2013

Q. We are wanting to paint our house in similar colours but with a more contemporary feel. The gutters are COLORBOND® Cottage Green and the roof is a mustard colour.

A. I am unsure what 'contemporary' means to you personally in regard to house colours but at this point in time 'contemporary' is usually very, very dark (almost black) or a clean crisp white look.

Perhaps you could investigate the following palettes of colours - the deeper one would be the main and the lighter all the trim - ideally sashes, decorative mouldings, wooden fretwork around the edge of the porch roof and the turned posts that support it: Resene Triple Thorndon Cream with Resene Joanna or Resene Eighth Canterbury Clay and Resene Pearl Lusta or Resene Cloud and Resene Double Black White.

If there was the opportunity I do think a front door painted a glossy dense green like the guttering but deeper would link together in a harmonious way the existing COLORBOND® Cottage Green which is lovely but 'alone' in the context of the house colours. Perhaps you could look at using Resene Palm Green.

I hope these suggestions offer you some inspiration for a new look - not perhaps 'trend contemporary' but very definitely fresh, new and elegant.

COLORBOND® Cottage Green
COLORBOND® Cottage Green
Resene Triple Thorndon Cream
Resene Triple Thorndon Cream
Resene Joanna
Resene Joanna
Resene Eighth Canterbury Clay
Resene Eighth Canterbury Clay
Resene Pearl Lusta
Resene Pearl Lusta
Resene Cloud
Resene Cloud
Resene Double Black White
Resene Double Black White
Resene Palm Green
Resene Palm Green
May 2013

Q. I have COLORBOND® Manor Red guttering and want to paint the fascia to match as closely as possible. Can you suggest a colour? Also I am painting the walls Resene Cest Le Vie and would like to paint the window frames a third colour (I'm thinking puce) to tie in the two together and complement the terracotta and the exposed brick.

A. Firstly the simple question - the guttering in COLORBOND® Manor Red is a very similar colour to Resene Red Planet from the Resene Roof Colour Systems chart.

Secondly - not so simple - 'puce' is variously described as 'a deep red to dark greyish purple' or 'a medium greyish red-violet' or 'greyish rose' or 'brownish purple' and to my mind may not be quite right with your main house colour Resene Cest La Vie, the existing brick and terracotta or the COLORBOND® Manor Red but if you did favour this type of colour you could investigate using (more deep warm red/grey) Resene Mortar.

Another couple of colour suggestions that you might also consider are: Resene Cobblestone or Resene Half Innocence. Both of these colours would complement the (reddish) brick and terracotta because they are earthy/greenish, which is the balance colour of red.

Your 'default' choice of colour is to use the same colour as the guttering fascias - Resene Red Planet - instead of different it is 'more of the same'.

COLORBOND® Manor Red
COLORBOND® Manor Red
Resene Red Plane
Resene Red Plane
Resene Cest La Vie
Resene Cest La Vie
Resene Mortar
Resene Mortar
Resene Cobblestone
Resene Cobblestone
Resene Half Innocence
Resene Half Innocence
May 2013

Q. I am looking for a feature wall colour to enhance a huge modern art painting and the rural view through the windows. I have tried Resene Rolling Stone and Resene Bluff - both have merits but aren't quite right. Is there another colour somewhere between those two that looks good - not too dull or too pretty?

A. Resene Rolling Stone possibly carries too much grey tone in it (makes it look a bit dull) and Resene Bluff is quite blue toned by comparison which (as you say) looks quite pretty in a bright light situation. You might like to consider one of the following colours as alternate options: Resene Innocence - it has more green in it and looks a bit less dull than Rolling Stone, or Resene Jetsetter - it has more depth than Resene Bluff so it shouldn't 'pretty up' in bright light, or Resene Streetwise - it has a slightly cleaner look than Resene Bluff or Resene Jetsetter.

In all honesty all changes of natural and artificial light will alter all colours so it sometimes falls to us to compromise when choosing a colour. When will it be seen the most - day or night? - and choose the colour that suits the time of day (or night) that makes it looks best and enhances the artwork the most. Diffusing the bright daylight by having tinted windows can alter your perception of colour also - like wearing tinted specs does.

Resene Rolling Stone
Resene Rolling Stone
Resene Bluff
Resene Bluff
Resene Innocence
Resene Innocence
Resene Jetsetter
Resene Jetsetter
Resene Streetwise
Resene Streetwise
May 2013

Q. What is your most popular interior grey colour? Also what would be a good white or whites to use with it on ceilings, skirtings, doors etc?

A. Because grey is often chosen to go with some other element - new carpet, a benchtop or kitchen cabinets, tiles etc, and is such a chameleon and constantly changes according to natural and artificial light there is no one 'most popular' grey. There are many.

I have listed three and in brackets a 'white' that I think will work really well with the grey. If you like the sound of these try them out at your home to make sure they work with your lighting and achieve the look you are after.

Colours you might like to try are: Resene Double Sea Fog with Resene Half Black White, Resene Half Concrete with Resene Alabaster or Resene Quarter Surrender with Resene Half Sea Fog.

When you visit your local Resene ColorShop look at these colours in A4 samples in the Colour Library and place a sheet of white printer paper between them. You can then see all the underlying tints and tones within each colour and that may make it easier to choose which one/s to trial with a testpot. 

Resene Double Sea Fog
Resene Double Sea Fog
Resene Half Black White
Resene Half Black White
Resene Half Concrete
Resene Half Concrete
Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
Resene Quarter Surrender
Resene Quarter Surrender
Resene Half Sea Fog
Resene Half Sea Fog
May 2013

Q. I have to paint a Shadowclad textured plywood with a three coat acrylic paint system and would like to have the colour the as same as Resene Woodsman oil stain Natural - a very light tan - can you send me a paint scheme please?

A. There isn't definite match to the Woodsman stain colours - the one that is specified is Resene Afghan Tan which because it is paint is not a light tan like the stain - it looks more like a bright/mid toned tan. The stain is semi-translucent which will always seem much lighter/natural looking than a solid paint colour would do. You might also look at Resene Rusty Nail as an alternative. It would pay to use some Shadowclad offcuts and testpots to trial your colours before making your final decision.

Resene Woodsman oil stain Natural
Resene Woodsman Natural
Resene Afghan Tan
Resene Afghan Tan
Resene Rusty Nail
Resene Rusty Nail
May 2013

Q. Our playcentre is now due for a much needed refresh. We would like to go for neutral colours that don't compete with our children’s bright and colourful artwork. The problem is that we have poor natural light and we have the artificial lights on all year round and it feels very cold and dark. We are restrained by the blue cabinetry in the kitchen and bathroom areas and the orange lino. I would be interested in painting out the scotia to match the ceiling in a white. A small selection of neutral colours would be great. We are just wanting to keep it clean and simple with something that will open up the space to make it feel inviting.

A. As it is a busy, creative environment and coupled with the aspect (feels cold and dark) and the lack of good light I think you may need to investigate soft, warm sunny neutrals to make the spaces feel light and bright. You might look at the following colours: Resene Half Dutch White, Resene Solitaire or Resene Orchid White.

If the doors into the rooms are painted then you could use a statement colour like Resene Sebedee to add extra warmth to the area and to balance the blue laminates that have been used in the kitchen and bathroom. I do agree that the wooden scotia would look better painted Resene White. White ceilings help to reflect light and lift the spaces so that is appropriate.

Painted furniture (bookcases etc) are picked out in two colours now but might benefit by the use of one colour only (easier to repaint as well) and I would suggest a bright, bold red like Resene Jalapeno or a blue/green like Resene Origin could be used as an alternative or for the chairs. 

The environment is busy, full of exciting things and like most children’s educational centres a bit cluttered so masses of colour everywhere on the walls isn't going to make it nicer just more hectic.

You are absolutely right in regards to simple, clean, fresh, warm and light.

Resene Half Dutch White
Resene Half Dutch White
Resene Solitaire
Resene Solitaire
Resene Orchid White
Resene Orchid White
Resene Sebedee
Resene Sebedee
Resene White
Resene White
Resene Jalapeno
Resene Jalapeno
Resene Origin
Resene Origin
 
May 2013

Page 03

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

 

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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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