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Answers to your questions from our colour experts, p. 05

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. 05

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


Q. My mother in law wants to paint the interior walls of her 1930s house white and is having a real problem choosing a white. Can you recommend a white that is not cold?

A. Perhaps your mother in law might like to look at the following 'whites' which have a lovely underlying warmth: Resene Half Bianca, Resene Half Rice Cake or Resene Quarter Albescent White.

Resene Half Bianca
Resene Half Bianca
Resene Half Rice Cake
Resene Half Rice Cake
Resene Quarter Albescent White
Resene Quarter Albescent White
May 2013

Q. I have painted the walls of my house with Resene Half Parchment and am looking for a roof and window colours. Can you offer suggestions?

A. Resene Half Parchment is a lovely colour and offers lots of options for co-ordinating your roof and trims. You might look at the following colours to see if they are what you would like: Resene Squall (roof) and Resene Eighth Parchment (windows) or Resene Grey Friars (roof) or Resene Double Alabaster (windows) or Resene Ironsand and Resene Quarter Villa White.

Resene Double Parchment offers you a deeper version of the Resene Parchment family of colours that could be really nice also for doors or windowsills.

Resene Half Parchment
Resene Half Parchment
Resene Squall
Resene Squall
Resene Eighth Parchment
Resene Eighth Parchment
Resene Grey Friars
Resene Grey Friars
Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Ironsand
Resene Ironsand
Resene Quarter Villa White
Resene Quarter Villa White
 
May 2013

Q. I am painting my daughter’s walls Resene Princess. The room is a medium size double. I am painting the ceiling and the cove Resene White. Would you paint the wardrobe doors and the room door pink or white? Would you paint the window/door trims and skirting another colour other than white? If yes what would you recommend? I like the look of Resene Sherbert.

A. I think you should consider painting all of the woodwork (trims) White and only do the wardrobe double doors a definite colour - that way the wardrobe doors create a 'feature' in the sweet pink room. I understand that you like Resene Sherbert but you might consider Resene Tutti Frutti or even the gorgeous sparkly Resene Go Go Go. You don't say how old your daughter is and this is just an idea which may appeal or not - you could use Resene Magnetic Magic paint as a basecoat on the wardrobe doors and then the colour of your choice over the top. This would allow your little girl to decorate the doors with magnets - fairies or alphabets or whatever - and if she stops doing that sort of thing then the magnetic paint isn't 'on show' because it hides beneath the topcoat and isn't apparent.

Remember curtains or blinds and duvets can still add extra colours and patterns to the room apart from toys, posters and all of the other stuff that young children need to make their bedroom fabulous.

Resene White
Resene White
Resene Sherbert
Resene Sherbert
Resene Tutti Frutti
Resene Tutti Frutti
Resene Go Go Go
Resene Go Go Go
May 2013

Q. I have a 1960s weatherboard house that will need to be repainted soon. I am thinking of a colour like khaki. Can you suggest some colours of this shade that are not too dark or too light?

A. Khaki is a funny sort of a colour that lies between green and brown and carries an earthy ochre yellow undertone. You might like to try the following colours: Resene Grey Olive, Resene Triple Ash, Resene Craigieburn, Resene Arrowtown or Resene Evolution.

Resene Grey Olive
Resene Grey Olive
Resene Triple Ash
Resene Triple Ash
Resene Craigieburn
Resene Craigieburn
Resene Arrowtown
Resene Arrowtown
Resene Evolution
Resene Evolution
May 2013

Q. We want to change our current colour (Resene Sandcastle) which is through most of our house to something less brown and more modern and brighter, but it would still need to go with the doors etc that are Resene Half Sandcastle. Do you have any suggestions?

A. By changing your main wall colour to something lighter you do run the risk of making all the doors etc seem much deeper and more dominant. Is this what you want to do? They may not appear to be a definite colour now because the walls are deeper again but by changing the walls you may find that you no longer want the existing door colour - Resene Half Sandcastle - as it looks so different to how you see it now.

You may like to check out the following colours which will work with the existing door colour: Resene Half Spanish White, Resene Albescent White, Resene Blanc or Resene Half Biscotti.

Resene Half Sandcastle
Resene Half Sandcastle
Resene Half Spanish White
Resene Half Spanish White
Resene Albescent White
Resene Albescent White
Resene Blanc
Resene Blanc
Resene Half Biscotti
Resene Half Biscotti
May 2013

Q. I would like to paint the concrete blocks the base of my house - currently painted white. I'd like to go for a grey, just wondering what would work best to go with the yellowish bricks on the top of the house.

A. If you are thinking of a grey perhaps you could investigate the following colours: Resene Quarter Friar Grey, Resene Foggy Grey or Resene Eighth Tapa.

These coloured greys all have some slight yellow undertone to them which may make them work well with the bricks on the house. The new colour may also disguise any mould and mildew that at present is on the ground level area of the concrete blocks. You would need to treat this and clean it well with a product like Resene Moss & Mould Killer prior to painting again. 

Resene Quarter Friar Grey
Resene Quarter Friar Grey

Resene Foggy Grey
Resene Foggy Grey
Resene Eighth Tapa
Resene Eighth Tapa
May 2013

Q. I like a white neutral look and wonder how do I know which whites and neutrals go together. Is there a formula?

A. For the most part if you look at The Range Whites & Neutrals fandeck you will find that the lightest version of a colour may well read as 'white' as it often is reduced to an eighth of the full strength formulation.

Apart from that colours like Resene Alabaster, Resene Half Alabaster, Resene Quarter Black White and Resene Half Black White that will work with any other neutral as they are so nearly white a lot of people wouldn't discern the difference. You could definitely find them a good starting point and if you used one of the many other neutrals - eighth formula or quarter formula - then you would have a very very subtle 'white' look.

It probably would pay to investigate whether you favour a stark look (real White) , a soft mellow look (Half BIanca) or a warm look (Eighth Blanc) or a cool look (Half Barely There) and find out by trialling the colours in your home whether they look good with your existing flooring, kitchen cabinets and benchtops, curtains and duvets etc and what natural and artificial light does to the colour during a 24 hour period of time.

It is amazing how colour - even the colours that appear to be completely white change and it pays to check this out. If real White looked grey or chilly then that might indicate that you needed a soft or warm 'white'.

Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster

Resene Half Alabaster
Resene Half Alabaster
Resene Quarter Black White
Resene Quarter Black White
Resene Half Black White
Resene Half Black White
Resene White
Resene White
Resene Half Bianca
Resene Half Bianca

Resene Half Barely There
Resene Half Barely There
 
May 2013

Q. I am experimenting with blue colours for our bedroom. We also have a large metal wardrobe door that I imagined as a light green maybe even a lime. I have tried Resene Windtalker - but perhaps it is too dark/risky for the walls and I like Resene Lynch but don't think it will work with green or lime? Any suggestions for the wardrobe doors that is light but not beige brown or too dull?

A. I like your thoughts in regard colours for the bedroom walls and wardrobe doors. Some colours you might like to try are: Resene Awash and Resene Hypnotic, Resene Bermuda Grey and Resene Deco, Resene Waterfront and Resene Celery and Resene Soft Apple, Resene El Nino and Resene First Light.

Resene Wind Talker
Resene Wind Talker
Resene Lynch
Resene Lynch
Resene Awash
Resene Awash
Resene Hypnotic
Resene Hypnotic
Resene Bermuda Grey
Resene Bermuda Grey
Resene Deco
Resene Deco
Resene Waterfront
Resene Waterfront
Resene Celery
Resene Celery
Resene Soft Apple
Resene Soft Apple
Resene El Nino
Resene El Nino
Resene First Light
Resene First Light
 
May 2013

Q. Please provide some colour suggestions for the exterior of an older style bungalow. I favour simple 'off white' or 'bone white' colours with depth that aren't greyish or buttery in appearance. I want just one colour for both weatherboards and trim.

A. You might like to consider the following colours: Resene Merino, Resene Thorndon Cream, Resene Quarter Truffle, Resene Half Parchment or Resene Barely There.

All of these colours may appear to be much lighter and to have much less depth and character when seen in bright sunlight. To emphasise the depth you might use a pure white as trim - yes I do know you want to use only one colour - but it is the best way I know of to 'develop' the depth of colour without having a dark colour on the exterior of the house.

Resene Merino
Resene Merino

Resene Thorndon Cream
Resene Thorndon Cream
Resene Quarter Truffle
Resene Quarter Truffle
Resene Half Parchment
Resene Half Parchment
Resene Barely There
Resene Barely There
May 2013

Q. We are having our house repainted. It is a small narrow villa with large open plan dining/kitchen and lounge with two bedrooms opening up next to lounge and one small room off the kitchen and a very large open plan bedroom office upstairs. We are thinking bedrooms off the lounge might be a different colour to the open plan room areas. Any suggestions for a nice colour in the whites range?

A. Are you wanting to co-ordinate with existing elements - kitchen cabinets/bench top/flooring/curtains etc? Or are they all being replaced? The reason I ask is that it might be nice to create a nice harmonious colour relationship. Often it is the carpet that is all through the house that has a direct bearing on what wall colours might be chosen.

You might like to try: Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream, Resene Half Rice Cake, Resene Quarter Spanish White or Resene Half Albescent White.

All of these colours have deeper versions that might be used as bedroom colours or vice versa.

Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream
Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream

Resene Half Rice Cake
Resene Half Rice Cake
Resene Quarter Spanish White
Resene Quarter Spanish White
Resene Half Albescent White
Resene Half Albescent White
May 2013

Q. We have painted all our walls etc in Resene Eighth Bison Hide. We are having trouble choosing a colour for the wooden stair hand rail. It was painted by the previous owners so we need to repaint. We were thinking of something darker - what colours would complement Resene Eighth Bison Hide?

A. You may like to consider Resene Quarter Cougar, Resene Half Cougar, Resene Half Bison Hide or Resene Bison Hide. These colours aren't hugely darker than your wall colour but they do offer sympathetic co-ordination. If you wanted much darker than this level of colour it certainly would be a 'feature' that would draw the eyes to it.

Resene Eighth Bison Hide
Resene Eighth Bison Hide

Resene Quarter Cougar
Resene Quarter Cougar
Resene Half Cougar
Resene Half Cougar
Resene Half Bison Hide
Resene Half Bison Hide
May 2013

Q. We need a colour for our open plan kitchen/dining/lounge that will work with the existing kitchen mottled green benchtop, cream cupboards and mid green carpet. We have decided on two feature wall colours - Resene Beatnik (which is like the carpet colour but is deeper) and Resene Cello. We want a ceiling colour also to complement the wall colour. We have tried Resene Parchment and quite like it but it looks cold in our house as it doesn't get a lot of sun. We have tried lots of testpots and are really unsure what to try next. Can you offer some suggestions please?

A. If the rooms don't get a lot of sun and you are scared that Resene Parchment will look cold then might I suggest that you look at the following colours which though they are a little similar to Resene Parchment they are slightly warmer and lighter. If you compare them to Resene Parchment you can see that light quality in them - it is only by comparing that we see the underlying tints and tones within individual colours. Colours you might like to try are: Resene Quarter Parchment, Resene Half Spanish White, Resene Quarter Sisal, Resene Wheatfield or Resene Albescent White.

For the ceilings you could use a white, such as Resene Alabaster, with a tiny bit of warmth in it to lift the light factor in the rooms.

Resene Beatnik
Resene Beatnik
Resene Cello
Resene Cello
Resene Parchment
Resene Parchment
Resene Quarter Parchment
Resene Quarter Parchment
Resene Half Spanish White
Resene Half Spanish White
Resene Quarter Sisal
Resene Quarter Sisal
Resene Wheatfield
Resene Wheatfield
Resene Albescent White
Resene Albescent White
May 2013

Q. The house is a 100 year old villa that needs refreshing. I am looking at Resene Kumutoto, Resene Jetsetter, Resene Triple Rakaia, and Resene Sandspit Brown as the main colours in rooms with Resene Alabaster for trims and skirting boards. Any advice on those choices would be appreciated.

A. You obviously have chosen these colours to co-ordinate with fabrics that you have chosen, flooring and existing elements in the rooms in question. I don't have this information so I am a little at a disadvantage in regards to advising you.

My only thought was that Resene Kumutoto was slightly out of sync with the other colours in the palette as it has a clarity and boldness that the other colours do not have.

If you changed it to Resene Half Kumutoto it might be a softer statement and this is the only reason I suggest it. Resene Triple Rakaia is a very dense moody warm grey and this too may suit perfectly in the space you are thinking to use it or it may look better if it is softened a bit - colours always seem so much stronger in an interior than you would imagine.

Resene Kumutoto
Resene Kumutoto

Resene Jetsetter
Resene Jetsetter
Resene Triple Rakaia
Resene Triple Rakaia
Resene Sandspit Brown
Resene Sandspit Brown
Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
Resene Half Kumutoto
Resene Half Kumutoto
May 2013

Q. We have just built a modern style home in the middle of the bush land. Our joinery is black. We want a dark exterior colour like Resene Nero and an interior colour like Resene Rakaia or Resene Thorndon Cream. Would Resene Nero suit a concrete plastered house as we have only seen it on a wooden house? Can you get a lighter tone of Resene Nero? If you don't think these are suitable colours, could you please suggest alternative options for exterior and interior?

A. Firstly - the interior colour - Resene Rakaia is a definite soft grey with a lilac undertone - is this what you want? Lilac undertones don't suit everyone. Resene Thorndon Cream has a slight green undertone. It is a little more flexible as a neutral and would allow you to exploit any other colours or furniture without being a problem. If your heart is set on the 'grey' look which is a very contemporary theme at the moment might I suggest Resene White Pointer or even a much lighter (less lilac) version of Resene Rakaia - you might look at Resene Quarter Rakaia instead.

For the exterior - I do have reservations about Resene Nero as it is so very 'black' and may make the house look like a heavy block in the environment. Lighter is a better way to go - no there isn't a lighter version of Nero but there are several colours that you might consider: Resene Tuna, Resene Half Fuscous Grey or Resene Gravel.

You may need extra advice in regard the plaster finish and whether it tolerates very dark colours applied to it without the possibility of heat induced problems. If you do choose deep and exciting exterior colours then using Resene CoolColour™ technology may be a benefit also. More information about the dark colours, the CoolColour technology and the plaster applied to the surface would be available from a Resene Technical expert - via our stores or helpline.

Resene Nero
Resene Nero
Resene Rakaia
Resene Rakaia
Resene Thorndon Cream
Resene Thorndon Cream
Resene White Pointer
Resene White Pointer
Resene QuarterRakaia
Resene Quarter Rakaia
May 2013

Q. We have a stained cedar beach house that we would like to paint a light colour that would go with the existing roof, guttering and window joinery New Denim Blue. We need colour suggestions please.

A. In changing from a stained surface to a painted surface you may need to do a lot of preparation - I hope you have all the relevant information in this regard - if not your local Resene ColorShop staff will be able to help you. You could consider the following colours as they have the ambiance of bleached driftwood or marram grass to complement the existing roof etc: Resene Quarter Bison Hide, Resene Half Sisal, Resene Caraway or Resene Fossil. All of these colours come as lighter and deeper versions. A deeper version could be used as a trim colour on the bargeboards/fascias - and possibly the lightest version on the pergolas or fences.

Resene Quarter Bison Hide
Resene Quarter Bison Hide

Resene Half Sisal
Resene Half Sisal
Resene Caraway
Resene Caraway
Resene Fossil
Resene Fossil
May 2013

Q. Which colour would be best for the roof of a house exterior that is having Resene Quarter Tea for windows - Resene Ironsand or Resene Windsor Grey?

A. I recommend Resene Ironsand as it has that warm earthy deep tone to it that looks so good with any of the Resene Tea family of colours.

Resene Quarter Tea
Resene Quarter Tea

Resene Ironsand
Resene Ironsand
May 2013

Q. What would be a suitable ceiling paint colour to go with Resene Parchment?

A. Some colours that go well with Resene Parchment are: Resene Quarter Pear Lusta, Resene Half Sea Fog, Resene Alabaster or Resene Eighth Parchment.

Resene Parchment
Resene Parchment

Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta
Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta
Resene Half Sea Fog
Resene Half Sea Fog
Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
Resene Eighth Parchment
Resene Eighth Parchment
May 2013

Q. Please give me some suggestions for interior doors to go with Resene Half Dutch White walls. They are Resene Double Dutch White now and it is too yellow. I prefer browner tones than yellow tones - perhaps Resene Eighth Canterbury Clay or Resene Eighth Putty or lighter like Resene Quarter or Resene Eighth Dutch White.

A. I think that the Resene Canterbury Clay and Resene Putty colours may still give you yellow - albeit a dirtier type of yellow than what you have now. Perhaps by lightening your doors instead of darkening them you will succeed in 'neutralising' their impact as well as their 'yellowness'.

I think your idea of Resene Quarter Dutch White or (alternativel and paler) Resene Bianca or (a little browner) Resene Eighth Pavlova may be the way to go.

Resene Half Dutch White
Resene Half Dutch White
Resene Double Dutch White
Resene Double Dutch White
Resene Quarter Dutch White
Resene Quarter Dutch White
Resene Bianca
Resene Bianca
Resene Eighth Pavlova
Resene Eighth Pavlova
May 2013

Q. Can you provide suggestions for complementary colours for windows etc to go with Resene Linen on our 1960s house. The property is surrounded by trees and we like nature inspired colours.

A. Perhaps you could look at Resene Linen and real Resene White to create a crisp clean trim (and to emphasis the Resene Linen colour so it appears slightly deeper) first. If you felt that wasn’t quite right then you could consider using Resene Tana or Resene Ash - both of which are a little deeper than Resene Linen - and then you might consider warming your trim colour to Resene Quarter Rice Cake. These colours stay within the nature inspired palette that you are keen on.

If you were also repainting the roof then you might choose a deep olive green like Resene Karaka or Resene Squall (slightly greyer/green hue) and possibly use this colour for on the house also.

Colour seen on the exterior of a house often looks lighter/brighter and the levels of contrast between the main and the trim colours may need to be more definitely different otherwise they often look very similar and not provide the required contrast that our eye so delights in seeing.

If you favour enhancing the front door (to add a bit of warmth/excitement at the entry point to the house) you might consider using a red/brown like Resene Lexington or a rustic red like Resene Pioneer Red.

Resene Linen
Resene Linen

Resene White
Resene White
Resene Tana
Resene Tana
Resene Ash
Resene Ash
Resene Quarter Rice Cake
Resene Quarter Rice Cake
Resene Karaka
Resene Karaka
Resene Squall
Resene Squall
Resene Lexington
Resene Lexington
May 2013

Q. We are looking for new kitchen wall colours to go with cupboards that are similar to Resene Half Spanish Cream with a dark green benchtop. The floors are quite dark Matai floorboards (quite reddish in hue). We want to freshen up the room and make it warmer and lighter than it is currently - it has a dark red feature wall and dark yellowy beige walls. I have brought home a few testpots (Resene Half Spanish White and Resene Soapstone) and all have been rejected as too white by hubby. What colours would you suggest we look at to make it warmer and brighter but still look ok with existing kitchen?

A. You don't say how you tested the colours - I always suggest to people that they apply two coats onto a large A2 card leaving a unpainted border all around the edges (this helps you focus on the colour and the unpainted border stops the existing wall colour from unduly influencing it) so that they can truly see the reality of the colour and the true depth. Applying the testpots to already coloured walls alters how you see the colour and you are often mislead as to what it really looks like.

A2 card can be bought from a Resene ColorShop - you can then paint 2 coats of the testpot onto it leaving a white border, then once dry move it around onto different walls to see how the change of angle and light affects it. Often the colours look so radically different this way that you get quite a surprise. It is good to view light colours with a sheet of white paper alongside it. This forces the eye to say to the brain 'hmm the paper is White therefore the colour (though it is light) isn't White'.

Another thing to remember - all colour seen in an interior looks deeper than you think it is as the shadows and changes of natural light and close proximity of the walls intensifies the colour. You can see a replication of this by rolling the A2 card into a cone shape with the colour innermost - look into it and see what four walls would look like when painted - that is the true depth.

Other colour options you might like to try are: Resene Half Solitaire, Resene Eighth Biscotti or Resene Orchid White.

Resene Half Spanish White
Resene Half Spanish White

Resene Soapstone
Resene Soapstone
May 2013

Q. We are currently undertaking a kitchen/dining renovation and are wanting to paint the bathroom, lounge and dining room at the same time. We are also needing to finalise the kitchen cabinetry colour based on the wall colour. We are looking for a white for trims, a colour for the kitchen and lounge, and a colour for the dining room as it looks out to the garden. We like blues, greens and are happy with a reasonably strong colour. We would like advice on colours for these areas to tie in with our decisions already - grey/white benchtop and wooden kitchen island with oak flooring. At a later stage we are also interested in advice on colours for house paint, the fence colour and hallways/bedrooms.

A. If you want to stay within the classic mode I would suggest that the ceilings and all wood trim be a clean crisp 'white' so that any other colour will work with it - I suggest you might like to look at Resene Alabaster or Resene Quarter Black White.

As a dining room colour - a bit of depth which will be offset by the crisp 'white' woodwork - you might like to investigate either Resene Robin Egg Blue or Resene Smoky Green.

For the walls in the other rooms look at either Resene Rice Cake, Resene Half Thorndon Cream or Resene Merino - they are quite different whites and will take on many changes of hue under different lights natural or artificial but are benign enough to work with any colours/textures/patterns in your soft furnishings.

Kitchen cabinets will need to be tightly related to the wall colours but still look good with the 'whitest' trims - Resene Quarter Rice Cake, Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream or Resene Half Merino.

Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster

Resene Quarter Black White
Resene Quarter Black White
Resene Robin Egg Blue
Resene Robin Egg Blue
Resene Smoky Green
Resene Smoky Green
Resene Rice Cake
Resene Rice Cake
Resene Half Thorndon Cream
Resene Half Thorndon Cream
Resene Merino
Resene Merino
Resene Quarter Rice Cake
Resene Quarter Rice Cake
Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream
Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream
Resene Half Merino
Resene Half Merino
May 2013

Q. I need to repaint my old Queenslander weatherboard house external and internal. Externally I am pretty sure I'll use Resene Rice Cake with Resene Double Foundry trims. What colour do you recommend for the timber window frames? And what do you think for the internal walls, skirting and ceilings?

A. I would probably be inclined to use Resene Double Rice Cake as a main colour for the weatherboards so that it is has a bit more depth to it to balance the really dark trim colour Resene Double Foundry and possibly Resene Quarter Rice Cake for all the windows. That way you get nice definition between colours.

For the interior - this depends very much on what you have that you want to co-ordinate with as colour is such a chameleon - but if you have nothing that demands a close co-ordinate or a 'best friend' to work with then this may be where Resene Rice Cake or even a half tone of this colour might work really well used with Resene Quarter Rice Cake wood trims and ceilings. Alternatively if you favour a 'whiter' look then you might investigate using Resene Sea Fog with Resene Half Alabaster.

Resene Double Rice Cake
Resene Double Rice Cake

Resene Double Foundry
Resene Double Foundry
Resene Quarter Rice Cake
Resene Quarter Rice Cake
Resene Rice Cake
Resene Rice Cake
Resene Quarter Rice Cake
Resene Quarter Rice Cake

Resene Sea Fog
Resene Sea Fog
Resene Half Alabaster
Resene Half Alabaster
 
May 2013

Q. I would like a colour scheme that reflects the relaxed beach lifestyle - soft sand, white and soft blue greens - sort of sun bleached colours rather than clear brights.

A. I think that the latest Karen Walker palette of colours will be totally appropriate. I love the fact that the favourite blue/green - Resene Periglacial Blue has been reduced to half and quarter tones to allow for delicate tonal colours that flow throughout and her beautiful shell white Resene Albescent White has also been reduced to half and quarter tones. I would definitely investigate these colours as a start point. Other colours that you might consider are Resene Double Alabaster, Resene Emerge, Resene Half Emerge, Resene El Nino, Resene Bluff and Resene Double Barely There.

Resene Periglacial Blue
Resene Periglacial Blue

Resene Half Periglacial Blue
Resene Half Periglacial Blue
Resene Quarter Periglacial Blue
Resene Quarter Periglacial Blue
Resene Albescent White
Resene Albescent White
Resene Half Albescent White
Resene Half Albescent White
Resene Quarter Alabscent White
Resene Quarter Albescent White
Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Emerge
Resene Emerge
Resene Half Emerge
Resene Half Emerge
Resene El Nino
Resene El Nino
Resene Double Barely There
Resene Double Barely There
 
May 2013

Q. I am thinking of painting my lounge a pale blue colour but don't want it to look too grey or to be insipid. The room adjoins the dining room and kitchen and I need a colour that blends into these rooms but am happy to repaint all rooms. They are a greeny/white that I find too dull. Any suggestions? I like the Ralph Lauren, Cape Cod sort of look.

A. The following blue suggestions may get you the look that you are trying to achieve: Resene Breathless, Resene Alaska or Resene Spindle.

Finding the right blue is an elusive task as the lighter they are the cooler they are (and sometimes not friendly) and when they are truly deep or vibrant they are at their most exciting - look at the brightest and deepest blues in your soft furnishings and upholstery for examples of this - and light/mid tones in blues often fall into the 'baby boy nursery' look. I note that Ralph Lauren favours blue greys as they are appropriate to the Cape Cod/New England/Eastern Seaboard look that is his unique style. Sometimes transposing these types of colours works in New Zealand but sometimes it doesn't because of our quality of light.

You might also look at (scary but nice) a deeper type of blue like Resene Panorama.

Be brave - you have the light, the open space and the general ambiance that might offer you the option to look further than 'light' for your blue.

Resene Breathless
Resene Breathless
Resene Alaska
Resene Alaska
Resene Spindle
Resene Spindle
Resene Panorama
Resene Panorama
May 2013

Q. We have an open plan kitchen/dining with tiles on the floor and blue grey carpet. There is one continuous wall on the left with a small hallway entrance in the middle. I am thinking of a feature on that wall - either paint or wallpaper or a combination? Other walls have a three window bay, sliding door to the right in the dining section followed by the kitchen window. What do you suggest for a complete makeover? Open to all looks including bold. The formal lounge has a retro/movie star theme.

A. The feature wall plan on the large wall area is a good idea and wallpaper might be more exciting visually but paint may work out as a more economical choice, especially as you have a very distinctive look already in the formal lounge. So perhaps if you can open up your heart to a bold feature wall colour and the other remaining walls being less colourful then you might like to consider the following colours: Resene St Kilda, Resene Windfall, Resene Ayers Rock or Resene Shiraz.

There is something about bold colours that is really invigorating and exciting. However it would pay to look at soft tones like Resene Quarter Wheatfield or Resene Orchid White to use on the other walls to lift and lighten and they would work well with existing elements that aren't being changed.

For more of a makeover then you might consider new curtains or blinds and perhaps using a few really bold coloured things in the kitchen - mugs or bowls are a quick colour injection or a sexy red coffee machine!

Resene St Kilda
Resene St Kilda

Resene Windfall
Resene Windfall
Resene Ayers Rock
Resene Ayers Rock
Resene Shiraz
Resene Shiraz
Resene Quarter Wheatfield
Resene Quarter Wheatfield

Resene Orchid White
Resene Orchid White
May 2013

Q. Tossing up between Resene Double Rice Cake and Resene Alabaster for a new modern beach house, that has a lot of light. Have you any suggestions or different ideas?

A. Your home has deep soffits (eaves) that cast a shadow back on the house. These may influence the quality of light that you have in the rooms making them shadowy except perhaps in winter when the sun is lower and gets in under these soffits and across the floor of the rooms. With this in mind you may find the warmer tints more appealing for interior colours as they represent light and sun especially where there is none. You might like to consider Resene Rice Cake or Resene Quarter Ecru White as lighter (less green) options and if you did favour Resene Alabaster - the white look - it may pick up a bit of greyness so it pays to know this in advance. An alternative option might be to investigate Resene Quarter Bianca as a warmer 'white'.

Resene Double Rice Cake
Resene Double Rice Cake

Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
Resene Rice Cake
Resene Rice Cake
Resene Quarter Ecru White
Resene Quarter Ecru White
Resene Quarter Bianca
Resene Quarter Bianca
May 2013

Q. We are keen to update the house to a Cape Cod (beachy) feel. The house is a combination of wood panelling and plasterboard. I would like to paint the wood panelling in a warm white as the central living is reasonably dark. I am unsure which white to pick as there is so many. I am thinking of painting the plasterboard soft grey or duck eggshell colour and trims, door and tiled ceiling in White. Also I am planning on painting the sarked ceilings. I am unsure how I ensure the White and the other colours complement one another.

A. You might investigate the following 'whites' for the wood panelling - Resene Sea Fog, Resene Half Bianca, Resene Half Barely There or Resene Quarter Albescent White.

Ceilings and all painted trims could be real Resene White, which will add a crisp light to all the rooms and will emphasise the (coloured) whites that I have listed above as possibilities. Options for the plasterboard walls could embrace some of the Karen Walker palette of colours: Resene Half Periglacial Blue, Resene Quarter Powder Blue, Resene Robin Egg Blue or Resene Half Emerge.

Resene Sea Fog
Resene Sea Fog

Resene Half Bianca
Resene Half Bianca
Resene Half Barely There
Resene Half Barely There
Resene Quarter Alabscent White
Resene Quarter Albescent White
Resene White
Resene White
Resene Half Periglacial Blue
Resene Half Periglacial Blue
May 2013

Q. I want a grey for interior walls but not greeny or beigey greys. What can you suggest? I tried Resene White Pointer but it was too beige.

A. You might like to consider Resene Concrete, Resene Double Sea Fog, Resene Iron or Resene Silver Sand. Grey is a chameleon and changes a lot and absorbs both natural and artificial light and any other colours around it. So it will change. Sometimes it will surprise you.

Resene White Pointer
Resene White Pointer

Resene Concrete
Resene Concrete
Resene Double Sea Fog
Resene Double Sea Fog
Resene Iron
Resene Iron
Resene Silver Sand
Resene Silver Sand
May 2013

Q. I am looking for a white/neutral wall colour and a feature wall colour for a kitchen with cabinets in Resene Quarter Napa and a metal copper splashback.

A. I suggest you look at two wall options - both quite different from each other and see how they look within the space/light of your room - Resene Half Thorndon Cream (slightly green edged warm neutral) and Resene Sea Fog (a white/grey cool and crisp neutral).

Because the splash back is a distinctive colour I suggest you might like to use a tone colour for the feature wall so that you can still use splashes of colour in small objects in the kitchen or in the curtains etc. You could try Resene Quarter Talisman, which looks really lovely with the colour of your cabinets and both of the neutrals that I have suggested for the walls. A stronger version of the Resene Napa family might be also considered but they do look quite brown compared to your cabinets.

An alternate choice for the feature wall, dependent on your other furniture etc in this space - might be wallpaper. Wallpaper adds a lot of excitement and uptrend style to a room and if you did decide this would be a great look for you then you might look at Resene Habitat Collection 47527 which adds a soft texture/tone colour and Resene Wall Trends #2 - Paste the Wall - 25220 which adds an interesting modern floral pattern into the scheme.

Resene Quarter Napa
Resene Quarter Napa
Resene Half Thorndon Cream
Resene Half Thorndon Cream
Resene Sea Fog
Resene Sea Fog
Resene Quarter Talisman
Resene Quarter Talisman
Resene Napa
Resene Napa
May 2013

Q. Why do people use cool/light colours in ice cream parlours? Does it change your mood? What is the psychology behind using light/cool colours? Why have some ice cream parlours used bright colours?

A. Colour psychology is used to make people want to eat, be happy to pay to eat, and to bring out more association with the type of food that is being eaten. Ice cream is essentially something people want to eat when they are hot, tired or in need of cool and sweet food. It is a seasonal indulgence and possibly not so popular in the countries where snow and ice are the normal geographical aspect. Cold wants warmer not colder food.

Cool light colours associate well with ice cream and if the geography or seasonal temperatures are hot/dry then the overriding aspect of cool/light colours attract favourably as much as the ice cream does.

If the geography or seasonal temperatures were cold then in order to feel good about eating the ice cream then warmer colours would attract the customer. This is using colour in its most simplistic way.

Parlours that use cool/light walls and warm red toned counter facades - warm red toned colours trigger the eating desire and the cool /light walls relate to the type of food (ice cream) so this particular ice cream parlour applies both psychological ‘hooks’ to attract customers. Very clever.

A cool/light ice cream parlour is essentially saying to the customer ‘Be calm, be cool. Eat sweet ice cream and be refreshed.’ The cool/light colour also send the message that ‘light’ will be the effect upon the body (not heavy or weighty) so by default the customer thinks it won’t cause weight gain to the body.

If a country was in a geographically hot area then using bright/warm colours is counterproductive - hot wants cooler not hotter food.

Colour psychology can be investigated further via the books of Shigenobu Kobayashi - he writes extensively about colour creating mood, taste and life style. Color Image Scale, A Book of Colors and Colorist - A Practical Handbook - are three of his books.

May 2013

Q. I am looking for a white shade to go with whitewash furniture. Also the Rimu wood trim (skirting boards and door architraves) - should this be painted or left as it is?

A. All ‘whites’ carry some subtle tints within them and in order to see what that colour is you may need to place a sheet of printer paper between larger A4 colour samples at your Resene ColorShop. Colours you might like to try are: Resene Sea Fog, Resene Half Merino, Resene Half Rice Cake, Resene Half Bianca and Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream. If these colours are too ‘white’ for you then there are slightly deeper versions available you could choose.

For the wood trim - a new way of looking at a space is removing all the existing elements - that means painting it - unless there is other wood trim in the house that requires you to stay the same in order to have continuity.

Resene Sea Fog
Resene Sea Fog

Resene Half Merino
Resene Half Merino
Resene Half Rice Cake
Resene Half Rice Cake
Resene Half Bianca
Resene Half Bianca
Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream
Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream
May 2013

Q. What colours complement Resene Bona Fide?

A. The following few colours may give you inspiration: Resene Thriller - a deep shadowy brown, Resene Flourish - a fresh pesto inspired yellowy green, Resene I Do - a pale mauve inspired mushroom, Resene Ipanema - a clear slightly sour yellow, Resene Half Rakaia - a warm grey taupe or Resene Milk White - a cool pink/mauve tinged white.

Resene Bona Fide
Resene Bona Fide
Resene Thriller
Resene Thriller
Resene Flourish
Resene Flourish
Resene I Do
Resene I Do
Resene Ipanema
Resene Ipanema
Resene Half Rakaia
Resene Half Rakaia
Resene Milk White
Resene Milk White
 
May 2013

Q. Which white should I use on woodwork in my daughter’s bedroom that has Resene Corn Field walls?

A. Real pure Resene White will always look crisp and clean with such a lovely yellow in your daughter’s room but if you want something not so stark you could definitely look at Resene Half Orchid White. This colour has a lovely tint of yellow within it. Or alternatively Resene Eighth Rice Cake which is sharp and clean.

Resene Corn Field
Resene Corn Field
Resene White
Resene White
Resene Half Orchid White
Resene Half Orchid White
Resene Eighth Rice Cake
Resene Eighth Rice Cake
May 2013

Q. in our new home which white should we use with spotted gum hardwood floors, light grey tiles, white wall tiles in bathroom and white gloss kitchen cabinets, for a modern beach house look. Would appreciate some suggestions that aren’t too stark or creamy.

A. Colours you might like to try are: Resene Half Barely There, Resene Black Haze, Resene Double Alabaster, Resene Black White or Resene Sea Fog. As you already have grey tiles and carpet it would pay to see those samples alongside of the ‘whites’. It will assist you in finding the special right ‘white’ for you.

Resene Half Barely There
Resene Half Barely There

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

Q. We are looking for a white for a bright kitchen/living and playroom, but not too stark a White.

A. You could use Resene Black Haze - slightly grey but warm in its whiteness, Resene Sea Fog - this is slightly shaded and won’t be too glary in a bright room, Resene Barely There - similar to Resene Sea Fog but slightly more shaded or Resene Half Bianca - this is such a mellow white with its gentle undertones.

If you paint the ceiling and the woodwork - skirtings, door frames, window frames etc in (real) Resene White you will definitely see the difference between these elements and the wall colour which will add to the look as a layering of white tones.

Any of these colours will allow you to use other colour as feature accents.

Resene Black Haze
Resene Black Haze
Resene Sea Fog
Resene Sea Fog

Resene Barely There
Resene Barely There
Resene Half Bianca
Resene Half Bianca
Resene White
Resene White
May 2013

Q. What palette of colour would suit my summer palette personality in my room?

A. You may need to compromise with existing flooring which may influence how you see the colour on the wall. Perhaps look at using a warm neutral as a start point, such as Resene Quarter Dutch White or paler Resene Bianca.

If you favour more complex neutrals you might also look at Resene Eighth Drought or Resene Eighth Tea.

Use lots of pure Resene White for ceilings and trims and channel a feminine look in the main bedroom with a mushroom pink edged colour like Resene Ebb.

Or if it is a very hot sunny room you might look at a delicate misty lilac like Resene Blue Haze.

Resene Quarter Dutch White
Resene Quarter Dutch White

Resene Bianca
Resene Bianca
Resene Eighth Drought
Resene Eighth Drought
Resene Eighth Tea
Resene Eighth Tea
Resene White
Resene White
Resene Ebb
Resene Ebb
Resene Blue Haze
Resene Blue Haze
 
May 2013

Q. We are building a large carport and have to choose a colour for the roof. The house has terracotta tiles and it is thought that that type of colour will be too garish. Would a grey work?

A. Yes I do think that you could use grey as it is a fundamental neutral that works with anything. If it is a COLORSTEEL® powder coated roof then you might look at Grey Friars (deeper colour) or Smokey (lighter colour).

Or if it is to be painted you might look at Resene Half Tuna, Resene Lattitude or Resene Squall.

By carrying the carport roof colour over to the house (possibly a front door colour) you could tie the house and carport together which may create a neat co-ordination.

COLORSTEEL Grey Friars
COLORSTEEL® Grey Friars
COLORSTEEL Smokey
COLORSTEEL® Smokey
Resene Half Tuna
Resene Half Tuna
Resene Lattitude
Resene Lattitude
Resene Squall
Resene Squall
May 2013

Page 05

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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