Here's a taste of some of the Colour Expert questions and answers to help you with your own colour scheme.
If you would like more colour advice for your project, please ask our Colour Expert for help or come in and see our staff at your local Resene ColorShop or Reseller. Colours are a representation only.
Please refer to the actual paint or product sample. Resene colour charts, testpots and samples are available for ordering online.
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Q. I am looking for a light to mid grey for exterior weatherboards on an old two storey villa. I would prefer a cool rather than warm colour and nothing with brown or green undertones. The roof is red and the front fence has recently been painted Resene Black White. I intend using Resene Black White around the windows and either Resene Double Cod Grey or Resene Double Foundry as an accent on the sills. A. These light to mid greys are worth checking out - they do look rather delicious with Resene Black White and either of the dark charcoal colours you are considering for trim colours - Resene Half Stack, Resene Grey Chateau, Resene Half Raven or Resene Quarter Regent Grey.
November 2016
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Q. We are revamping a small but very light meeting room. I am putting in a white meeting table with six different coloured chairs. We will have half the walls in whiteboard paint and are struggling with the other colour we were thinking an orange, are you able to recommend an orange colour that would be suitable? A. Colours in an interior can look a lot deeper or brighter than you might imagine they will do. This effect is magnified when there is a lot of white seen close to the colour. You will need to test the colours very carefully to see how they react in the space. Orange can carry elements of red in it or elements of yellow in it - these ones are good examples of this - Resene Sebedee, Resene Sunrise, Resene Sunshade or Resene Juicy. Oranges can look amazing when seen close to teal, rich purple/blue and charcoal.
November 2016
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Q. We are painting our 80s bach and would like to paint the roof a lighter colour as we are in Wanaka and the sun is harsh, any suggestions? A. Some of these colours may appeal to you - they are lighter and may dissolve into the sky in a bright natural light situation - Resene Atmosphere, Resene Forecast, Resene Lighthouse, Resene Dusted Blue, Resene Perfect Taupe or Resene Double Blanc.
November 2016
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Q. I am looking for a relaxing warm grey/greige for the south facing lounge in our villa with high ceilings and a warm wooden floor. The hallway is Resene Half Cararra. The kitchen, dining and bedrooms are Resene Cararra and the bathrooms and laundry are Resene Double Sea Fog. A. You might check out these colours to see if they appeal to you - but most importantly - if they work with all existing colours and the quality of natural light you have - Resene Quarter Perfect Taupe, Resene Double House White, Resene Triple White Pointer or Resene Eighth Stonehenge.
November 2016
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Q. I was wondering if you could give me some colour advice. I’m looking to repaint my weatherboard cottage: it has a new iron roof in Grey Friars. I would like the weatherboards to be a long-lasting light colour, perhaps with a grey base? Could you advise what colours might suit for weatherboards and trim? A. I like the roof colour that you have chosen - Grey Friars - it is very smart. The following light greys might appeal to you - Resene Concrete, Resene Quarter Silver Chalice, Resene Surrender or Resene Eighth Stack. The trims might be one of these whites - Resene Quarter Black White or Resene Alabaster.
November 2016
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Q. We are converting a Totalspan shed into a home and really need to choose a colour for our downstairs living area. It is a large long dark living space with sliding doors at either end. It is in the middle of the bottom storey with rooms coming off either side. We want to gain as much light as possible as it is quite a dark space but we still want it to be homely. The floor covering will be a natural sandy coloured carpet and one wall will be finished in plywood. We are thinking perhaps Resene Double Alabaster for our wall colour but really want to make sure we get it right as it is a really large space. A. There is nothing wrong with your idea of Resene Double Alabaster but it might pick up on the shadowy type of natural light in the room and throw out a little greyness. You might consider using a slightly warmer more reflective type of white so that it works with the sandy coloured carpet and the plywood. These are some suggestions that you might consider - Resene Half Rice Cake, Resene Half Bianca, Resene Eighth Pearl Lusta or Resene Quarter Albescent White.
November 2016
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Q. I have a property with a roof painted recently in Resene Half Tuna. I now want to paint the weatherboards and windows. I am thinking of Resene White Linen or a soft grey, any recommendations? A. Resene White Linen is a lovely warm neutral with a hint of pink in it. Other colours that also have warmth to them but are greyer might be these ones - Resene Eighth Tea, Resene Quarter Concrete or Resene Quarter Surrender. All of the soft greys have deeper versions available as well. It would definitely pay to check them out also - all colours seen on the exterior have the ability to look brighter/whiter due to how the natural light strips the colour out of them. You may need a little more depth for the main colour. If you use a real white - Resene White - it will add a crisp clean contrast.
November 2016
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Q. I'm getting a new kitchen and my cabinets are going to be finished in Resene Double Alabaster. I was wondering if it's ok to use Resene Double Black White on walls or do you suggest another colour? I am after a white colour, but also has to have contrast with Resene Double Alabaster? A. Resene Double Black White and Resene Double Alabaster are nice together - the difference between them is very subtle. Other colours that might be considered for the walls are these ones - Resene Sea Fog, Resene House White or Resene Barely There.
November 2016
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Q. I'm after a warm soft grey for a new build with plaster exterior. The roof and joinery are Ironsand. The architect suggested Resene Triple White Pointer (which we have used in our current house interior walls - love but too light), but are after something darker and more grey, but not cold. We got testpots of Resene Half Friar Grey and Resene Eighth Friar Grey but it looked too close to concrete blocks... husband did not like, any suggestions please? It's a big house with plenty of glass, in the countryside. A. All colours on an exterior have the definite potential to look lighter/brighter due to natural light stripping the depth of the colour away. You might check out these options to see if they appeal to you - Resene Mountain Mist, Resene Jumbo, Resene Concord, Resene Double Rakaia, Resene Half Taupe Grey, Resene Foggy Grey or Resene Half Gunsmoke. November 2016
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Q. We are building a new home and there are some weatherboards on the house in Grey Friar. We also have a lot of cement around the house that borders on the fence. We want to paint the fence now and are wondering what colour to go with. Two colours that I like are the Resene Quarter Grey Friars and the Resene Double Concrete. Do you get those colours in fence paint? Or is there any other colour you'll suggest to go with the weatherboard and concrete colours. A. Both of the colours you mention are available as fence paint. The product that is used on fences is called Resene Lumbersider and it is the type of paint that is also in the Resene testpots. You can try the colours out knowing that the same paint is what you are testing with. Colours do appear a bit lighter on the exterior due to the way bright natural light mutes out the depth of the colour so please do test colours very carefully.
November 2016
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Q. I am having my roof replaced with COLORSTEEL® Grey Friars and I want to paint my house white. I want a ‘white white’ not cream. What white would you recommend? A. You might like to check out these 'whites' - Resene Quarter Alabaster, Resene Quarter Black White, or real white - Resene White. There is nothing crisper, cooler or whiter than these three.
November 2016
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Q. We want a dark colour on our weatherboard cladding and maybe a dark colour also on our roof. Not as dark as the cladding but we are struggling to find colours that match. We have currently chosen Titania for our trims and doors, bargeboards etc. And quite like Resene Fuscous Grey or Resene Cod Grey. What roof colours would best be suited with those two greys? A. You might check out these colours to see if they appeal to you as possible roof colours - Resene Quarter Fuscous Grey, Resene Quarter Grey Friars, Resene Half Tuna, Resene Mineshaft, Resene Regent Grey or Resene Scarpa Flow.
November 2016
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Q. I am repainting the outside of a weatherboard clad 1955 bungalow. The roof and window ledges and base of the house are painted in Resene Pioneer Red. I want to just repaint the outside as the rest is in good condition. However I am unsure what colour to use. Resene Desert Sand has been suggested but I think it looks too pink and want something fresh looking. A. You might check out these colours to see if they appeal to you – Resene Quarter Craigieburn, Resene Half Cougar, Resene Bison Hide, Resene Half Taupe Grey or Resene Triple White Pointer.
November 2016
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Q. I have a weatherboard house with a Manor Red roof and Woodland Grey guttering and fascia boards. I had picked Resene Dune for the weatherboards but the house two doors down has just done that colour and it looks really dark compared to the Dune COLORBOND® fence I had put up which looks really light in the sun. Do you have any other suggestions of colour to complement the dune fence please? I have tried Surf Mist and it’s way too white. I am using a white trim for windows A. Possibly the powder coated fence reflects more light off the metal surface. Colours seen on an exterior - depending on how they present to the sunlight - often look half as light as you expect them to. You are right about the Surf Mist - it would be far too light in a bright light situation as well as being quite yellow/grey and not as beige as COLORBOND® Dune. Perhaps you could look at these colours - Resene Cloudy, or lighter Resene Half Cloudy, Resene Half Cougar or Resene Perfect Taupe.
November 2016
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Q. Would the following colour scheme for my lounge and open kitchen work? Resene Athens Grey on the walls, with Resene Fuscous Grey as a feature wall with my television on it? I have a long white unit that would sit below the television, I'm thinking of a charcoal carpet. My bench tops would be a charcoal with Resene Alabaster cupboards and skirting. Would a lounge suite in grey be too much grey? Blinds in a light colour - possibly a cream unless you can suggest a better shade? My accent colour would be orange/burnt orange shade. My lounge and kitchen get a lot of light and the ceilings are standard height. I love the white/grey/charcoal look but don't want to make it too much grey, if you know what I mean. A. Silvery/white for the blinds may be better than the more yellow toned cream colour - unless you plan to use a cream as an accent in the room. I don't think having a grey lounge suite would be too much grey but it really depends upon what type of grey you choose. I imagine a pewter and charcoal (as close to the Resene Fuscous Grey as possible) possibly striped, flecked or textural to break up the solidity of the colour and don't stint on colourful accessories. No accessories would mean the look was smart, modern but lacking in life and ambiance. Think in terms of a summer and a winter look with different accessories to illustrate the seasons - white, grey and charcoal are fundamental neutrals that rely upon colour to lift them up. Burnt orange, teal and black (and lots of texture) might be winter and cheeky bright oranges, a little lime or pale aqua and lots of white (with more sheen or frivolous floral patterns) might be the summer look.
November 2016
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Q. We are in the process of picking out colours for our home. Is it more common to paint the skirting, ceiling, architraves and scoters a shade of white such as Resene Half Alabaster and have them different to the wall colour or is it more common to paint the architraves and skirting the same as the wall colour and have the ceiling and scotias a shade of white that's different to the wall colour? A. It is a personal choice. It often has a lot to do with the style of the house. Traditional woodwork that has an architectural profile often begs to be highlighted because of its unique charm. Minimal woodwork - the pared back simplistic contemporary look - is often married into the wall colour as there is little to mark it out as 'special' or architecturally gorgeous or worthy of being made even more of a feature, because it will never be a 'feature'. Ceilings are often lighter than walls - and this too is a personal choice. If the walls are nearly white (as you mention) then there is little or no benefit for the ceilings to be anything other than the same. However if wall colours need a lighter brighter colour to offset them off or emphasise them then using a pure white on the ceilings is never a wrong thing to do. It reflects maximum light as well. The scotia is part of the ceiling - not part of the wall - so they are painted the same as the ceiling. Sometimes doors are the change point. Because of the fact that they are constantly being touched (and get fingermarked) some people use a little more colour on them to accommodate this, but not always. All woodwork - and this includes doors - are usually painted in an enamel for a tougher wearing more easily cleaned surface film) and this can be either a semi-gloss or a gloss finish. In some cutting edge highly stylised contemporary houses a lesser sheen (on all surfaces) can be used so the overall look is recessive with nothing attracting eye attention. But it does mean a different lifestyle choice - no sticky fingered small people, damp flappy tailed dogs etc touching anything at all inside the house - it must always be immaculate and pristine.
November 2016
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Q. We have a new build and I would love advice on a few room colours please. We have painted living area and corridors in Resene Black White, the joinery is Resene Quarter Masala, the floor is light earthy concrete, and we will have reclaimed timber barn doors, desks, and features through the house. The television room is darkish in the morning and gets afternoon sun; I would like a warmer/ cosier colour than Resene Black White. The office/library is sunny in the morning and gets no sun in the afternoon. There is a big timber bench and wooden barn doors - maybe a grey/blue grey? Also need master bedroom colour ideas? I really like greys and pastels but I still want it to look modern. A. The TV room (with afternoon sun) is a sedentary space that possibly could use a mid-tone colour to increase the ambiance - nothing will make it less darkish in the morning as that is the natural aspect of light. But if TV viewing happens more in the later part of the day then creating a cosier/warmer look is appropriate. The use of Resene Quarter Masala for the joinery leads me to consider using this as a main wall colour in the TV room. That way the woodwork wouldn't demand attention by standing out against the wall colour - it would merge in. The late afternoon - which favours a yellow/red rosy light - may make this colour appear browner or greener but that isn't a bad thing especially if charcoals, whites (especially textured fabrics) and deep moody reds were used as furnishings. The office/library is sunny in the morning and using the room when the natural light enhances it most is something for you to consider. Using soft warm toned lighting in the later part of the day may make you want to stay longer when the light isn't so sweet. The office/library would look amazing in a pastel blue /green - very effective in early morning light - and with the right lighting i.e. like salt lamps which are orange/gold and cast a glow that greens up the walls a quiet cerebral space is created over all - you might check out Resene Unwind or Resene Sorrento. They aren't grey but they are lovely. The master bedroom requires an intimate or more specialised approach - it must be your haven of rest and repose. It may be that some luxurious wallpaper on one wall and gorgeous fabrics for drapes and bed linen may do this for you. Have you thought of these options? You could increase the dreamy grey aspect by using a deeper (but not dark) version of your main house colour - i.e. Resene Triple Black White.
November 2016
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Q. I love the neutral and green colours of a cushion and would love to base paint, carpet and curtains around it, how am I best to do that? A. Trying to match colours seen in photos or on a computer screen is extremely difficult as they very rarely are true representations. What you see also may look different depending on whether it is a real cushion or a just a photo. If you do have the cushion I suggest you take it into your nearest Resene ColorShop to view colour samples. Start at the colour chart stand and then ask to see the colours that you feel may be options. They are available to view in the large A4 painted samples of colours in their Colour Library. Seeing large samples of colours is incredibly helpful. Firstly - find a neutral colour - or two - and then lighter and deeper greens. Once you have identified your colour options then you can get colour samples to view in the house. These samples will form the basis of decisions. I think the neutral colour may be what you choose for the carpet and main wall colour. The greens may be features - one wall of colour, drapes, accessories etc. to build up your colour palette. November 2016
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Q. We wish to modernise the colour of our windows on the exterior of our house. They have been dark tan for many years. The roof is COLORSTEEL® Karaka , eaves are Resene Scrub and the walls are Resene Granite Green. A. You might look at these colours to see if they appeal to you - they will work well with your main house colour – Resene Thistle, Resene Pearl Lusta, Resene Haka, Resene Siam, or slightly random but harmonious - Resene Scoria or Resene Quarter Karaka.
November 2016
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Q. My house is painted a dark brown almost black colour. The foundation is Resene Lumbersider Friar Grey. The windows are Resene Alabaster and the fences are stained Resene Pitch Black Woodsman. We have started replacing the punga log retaining walls with timber ones which will get planted on once painted or stained... My question is what colour would you paint or stain them? At some stage we will have a deck off the lounge where the French doors are, which will either be left to silver or stained a warm light brown to match the floorboards in the lounge. A large car pad at the entrance will also be concrete grey. What do you suggest? A. I think your first option is to match the fence stain colour – Resene Woodsman Pitch Black. Alternative options are to paint the timber with Resene Lumbersider the same as the foundation - Resene Friar Grey or deeper than the foundation of the house - but tonally related - i.e. Resene Triple Friar Grey. I like your idea of staining the deck off the lounge where the French doors are - to a warm light brown - so that there is a flow between the interior and exterior.
November 2016
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Q. We are painting a kid’s room with Resene Lickety Split as a feature wall (kid’s choice!) and Resene Alabaster for the trim. I am having trouble finding the right soft/neutral colour for the remaining walls. I have tried Resene Double Alabaster, Resene Rice Cake and Resene Merino but all seem way too white/bright against the lime green. It doesn't get loads of direct sunlight so I don't want anything massively dark. A. This is probably not what you had in mind but I think it may be a case of using a definite colour - because the Resene Lickety Split is a bit bright and bossy to use with only a white neutral to relate to. Check these colours out to see what you think - Resene Freelance, Resene Havelock Blue, or you might use soft toned greys - Resene Double Concrete or Resene Flotsam. The first two colours add a sporty fun contrast and stop the feature from taking over. The soft greys are able to cope with the fluoro quality of the Resene Lickety Split without looking too bright yellow, dirty brown or bright white.
November 2016
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Q. We have a big modern sunroom that opens to a deck with a rural outlook. The floor is polished concrete. There are bi-fold doors both sides but for the small area of wall remaining, we were thinking of a darker colour as the room is already very bright, but we’re not sure where to start. Does it have to be grey to match the concrete floor? I am also looking for a ceiling colour. A. Are the bi-fold doors a metal that is powder coated? You don't say what they are and I would like to think that they can be integrated seamlessly into the wall colour if it is possible. If they are silver or white then that may not be possible. Greys are your default choice. All colours on walls where there are windows will appear deeper - without you picking a dark colour - as the bright light from the windows throws shadow onto the walls closest to them. You might use a warm green edged grey as it tries to disappear and makes the view out of the window more dominant, such as Resene Foggy Grey or slightly deeper Resene Delta.
November 2016
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Q. My roof and joinery are Ironsand, with Ironsand fascia boards. I am looking at repainting my house in Resene Masala. Can you please advise if this colour combination would work? I am totally confused. The house was originally painted Resene Judge Grey. A. Yes this colour combination will definitely work. Resene Masala is a murky grey/brown with undertones of yellow/green in it. I recommend you get the CoolColour™ reformulated version of the colour to help stop the surface of the house absorbing too much heat. CoolColours won't stop the surface getting hot but will minimise the way the surface absorbs the heat caused by the darker colour.
November 2016
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Q. Our cedar house in painted in Resene Mission Brown on the top storey. We are looking to paint the downstairs blockwork. I like Resene Kabul but think my husband would like to go lighter. A. You could look at these colours for the block downstairs part of the house - Resene Otter, Resene Slate Brown, Resene Bronco, Resene Half Oilskin or Resene Triple Malta.
November 2016
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Q. My kitchen walls are in Resene Double Sea Fog and the cabinetry is in Resene Pravda. What colour splashback would you suggest? A. You have a huge amount of possible options. The following are a few for you to consider - Resene Eighth Pravda (lighter version of the cabinet colour), Resene Meridian (metallic), Resene Chain Gang (metallic), Resene Unwind (a beautiful green feature) or Resene Trouble (deep rich red).
November 2016
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Q. We are painting the interior of an old villa in Petone - the floor sanding guy suggested Resene Concrete but it's too grey, given that the house is quite cold. Could you please recommend a warmer neutral? Last time we painted it Resene Tea or Resene Half Tea and we could just repaint in that colour, but we feel like a change. A. You might check out these colours – Resene Eighth Truffle, Resene Quarter Cloud or Resene Half White Pointer. They are light but because colours appear twice their depth in an interior, it sometimes pays to let the natural light and shade and close proximity of walls 'develop' the depth of the colour rather than use a deeper version of a colour. Pop into your local Resene ColorShop to view the A4 colour samples in their Colour Library and compare them to Resene Concrete - it is only by comparing colours that you get a really good reality check on what they are truly like.
November 2016
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Q. I have a COLORBOND® roof, garage door and guttering in Jasper. I want to paint the rest of my house in grey tones. Will this work with this colour? A. Some greys might not look too good with Jasper as it is a yellow toned brown. Warmer grey/browns might be a better option to use. You might check out these colours to see if they are grey enough for you - Resene Quarter Cougar, Resene Truffle, Resene Half Taupe Grey or Resene Archive Grey.
November 2016
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Q. I currently have Resene Sea Fog on my walls and Resene Alabaster on the trim, doors and windows. The bedrooms in my house don't get a lot of natural light and I find the wall colour currently makes the rooms feel quite cold. Are you able to suggest an alternative please? I would like something that appears a nice warm bright white. A. Warm bright whites usually have a tiny amount of yellow in them - not grey or brown. You could look at these colours to see if they make the rooms feel –warmer - Resene Half Orchid White, Resene Eighth Spanish White or Resene Half Bianca. They do come as slightly deeper versions also so it might be wise to check them out as well. Sometimes a little more colour is needed to stop the natural light (or lack of it) making a dim space look cooler or starker.
November 2016
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Q. What main interior wall/door colour would you suggest? I’m thinking Resene Merino at this stage. Can you tell me if this will work with the following - our ceiling and trims are in Resene Alabaster, the kitchen cabinets are Resene Half Truffle with a white bench and white subway tile above it and then a Resene Half Periglacial Blue wall. We are also thinking Resene Half Periglacial Blue in the living room that is south facing. Would you suggest carrying on the main house colour in that room? I would like a really soft grey to contrast with the white joinery but one that a) doesn't bring out a pinky colour in cabinets where the Resene Half Truffle kitchen cabinets meet the main wall colour and b) doesn't make the house feel ‘cold’ so ideally a warm grey if that makes sense? The house is in the bush so not overly flooded with sunlight. A. The Resene Half Periglacial Blue in the south facing living room will look cool and possibly more grey than you might imagine it will do - this is what the grey/sour south light does to a lot of colours. Will this worry you? If you would prefer less cool/grey and a little more neutral/warmth then using the main house colour in the lounge might be a good idea. Have you tested how Resene Merino looks by painting up all of a testpot (two coats) onto A2 card (available from Resene ColorShops) leaving a narrow unpainted (white card) border all around the edges of the card? This huge sample can be moved from wall to wall/room to room so you can see how it alters in different aspects of natural light and on different wall angles. I think it would be wise to test Resene Eighth Truffle also - as it is slightly greyer but has a soft warm edge to it. If both the Resene Merino and the Resene Eighth Truffle appear too warm - this could be termed pink but may not be exactly that - then you could try Resene Sea Fog as an alternative. It isn't as warm. It still looks lovely - just different to Resene Merino and Resene Eighth Truffle.
November 2016
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Q. I would like to know what timber stain colour would look good to suit the existing colour on our house. The roof is Grey Friars and the walls are Resene Silver Chalice and we are putting up a deck and can’t seem to decide on a colour to stain the new deck. A. Do you want a really dark colour - charcoal grey toned like the house and roof - or a warm brown colour to offset and complement the cooler house colours? You could check out these colours - Resene Woodsman Sheer Black, a greyed colour - Resene Woodsman Bleached Cedar, a warm deep brown -Resene Woodsman Bark or deeper - Resene Woodsman English Walnut.
November 2016
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Q. I want to paint my bedroom and would like one wall to be black. I am unsure what other colour I could use for the other three walls that won't make it feel closed in or small, yet I would still like the room to feel cosy. It's a standard size bedroom, with blue/grey carpet, trims and the wardrobe doors are white. I would greatly appreciate any assistance; look forward to hearing from you. A. Any stark white used with a black wall will be very smart but quite hard and optical - so not cosy at all. You might check these colours out to see if they appeal to you - you could use a warm off white - Resene Half Pearl Lusta, or a soft greyed white - Resene Sea Fog, or a hint of beige - Resene Eighth Tea, or a little creamy/yellow - Resene Half Scotch Mist.
November 2016
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Q. I am painting a bach exterior and interior. I would like to use a semi-gloss on the exterior. Can you recommend a grey and brown option for all surfaces including the decks/screens (currently black stain)? What are your thoughts about using some external colours inside? The joinery downstairs will be painted the same colour as the upstairs joinery. A. If you want a grey and brown palette of colours I suggest you check out these colours to see if they are the type of look you want - Resene Woodsman stain – Smokey Ash (soft grey option) and Resene Stonewashed (soft weathered brown), or Resene Woodsman stain - Bark (deep brown option) and Resene Double Friar Grey (warm earthy grey option), or Resene Woodsman - Tiri (earthy brown option) and Resene Tapa (smoky grey with undertones of green).
November 2016
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Q. For the first time I'm taking on a rather ambitious project of painting the exterior on my house. I’m looking to change from the current white into a neutral colour. The window frames and recent new roof are Matte Lignite bronze. Can you help with finding a neutral modern colour to go with this? A. The following modern neutral options that are sympathetic to the joinery colour that you might check out are these ones - Resene Fifty Shades, Resene Half Cougar, Resene Tea or Resene Thorndon Cream. They are listed in order of depth. Colours on an exterior often look a quite a bit lighter than you might imagine they will do due to bright natural light stripping away the depth. Please don't be afraid to investigate these deeper colours. The reason I have chosen some of them is so they blend in the deep coloured window joinery and the last two are lighter colours that will still work well but the windows will pop out a bit.
November 2016
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Q. I am trying to choose a colour to paint some kids’ furniture. My wall colour is Resene Black White and I am trying to complement those with white and dark grey furniture. A. There are many whites and dark greys that you might choose. The following are a few to check out - Resene Quarter Baltic Sea and Resene Quarter Black White, Resene Double Stack and Resene Double Black White or Resene Tuna and Resene Half Athens Grey.
November 2016
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Q. My bungalow is currently painted Resene Pavlova, with an Ironsand roof, red gable ends and Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta windows and bargeboards. The fence has a charcoal stain. I wanted to go to a more neutral look, most possibly keeping the Resene Pavlova (because it’s still in good condition) and repainting the roof in Resene Ironsand, but change the accent colours. What would you suggest? A. You might not have as much in the way of options because of the Resene Pavlova and the Resene Ironsand compromising choices but you could look at these colours - Resene Quarter Ironsand and Resene Eighth Pavlova - neutralising the contrast colours to lighter versions of the main colours, or Resene Quarter Bokara Grey and Resene Blackout - deepening the contrast colours to a warm charcoal and a black. To create a completely new look however the main colour would have be changed - that way you would have a new neutral colour and other options that are not controlled
November 2016
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Q. We are looking to paint our entire living spaces and hall (ceilings and walls, and architraves and window frames) in ‘white’, including skirting boards and windows. Currently the colour on the walls and ceiling is a very pale blue grey; and skirting, windows and doors are light grey. I prefer the blue shades to browns. Our old carpet is light grey, which is going to be replaced with a pale ‘caramel’ colour. So, my question is what should we tint the pure white (as I’m told NEVER paint ‘pure’ white)? A. These whites for the walls might be checked out - Resene Double Alabaster, Resene Wan White or Resene Black White. You could use the palest versions of these colours for the ceiling and all painted woodwork - Resene Quarter Alabaster, Resene Quarter Wan White or Resene Quarter Black White. The coolness of these whites may take on a subtle grey or even blue when seen close to a warmer toned carpet.
November 2016
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Q. Is it possible to find out what Resene Three Quarter Opal would look like? A. Probably the easiest option is to get a testpot of Resene Half Opal and Resene Opal and mix them together. That will give you an approximation of 3/4 Opal. Alternatively you could buy a testpot of Opal and White and then mix 3 parts Opal with 1 part White (e.g. measure 3 tablespoons of Opal and mix with 1 tablespoon of White to get an approximate 3/4 Opal mix).
November 2016
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Q. I'm planning to paint the walls and concrete floor in my apartment white - the good old Scandi look. Most of my rooms get lots of light and sun, so I think I'll paint the walls Resene Quarter Black White. One room and the hall gets little light and I want to make them as light and bright as possible so I think I'll go with Resene Quarter Bianca (Resene Half Bianca might be a bit warmer, but it seems a little bit too yellow for my taste... I think!). Which white should I use to paint the floors? And do I need to paint all the floor surfaces in the same white (i.e. if I chose different whites, would it be obvious where the different whites meet? Or could I get away with using different whites - i.e. a warmer white in the dark rooms, and a cooler white in the sunny rooms?). Also, which white(s) would you suggest I use for the trims? Although it's a 1930s building, most of the trims are modern and so not very interesting. A. Floors - if painted the same colour as the walls - will always take up more light as they are horizontal and walls are vertical - as light alters throughout the day the paint will appear different. Ceilings painted the same as the walls will look different also. What you are up against is the laws of light and nature. So - in answer to your query 'will different whites look obviously different where they meet?' Yes. So why not use real white - Resene White on all the floors. It at least will be white and it will be the light and shade in the rooms and any coloured element also in the rooms that make it appear different. I suggest you use real white - Resene White - for the woodwork also. I suggest you mix textures and different sheen levels for different painted surfaces to liven up your ‘white on white’ decorating scheme. Stick to using natural materials and organic elements so your 'look' is relaxed. Sleek and smooth details used with white is very contemporary but may not be how most people think of as Scandi looking.
November 2016
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Q. We have chosen Grey Friars as our roof and window colour. Can you suggest a light almost white colour as a contrast? A. Perhaps one of these whites might appeal to you - Resene Alabaster, Resene Quarter Black White, Resene Quarter Merino, Resene Eighth Rice Cake or Resene Quarter Wan White. They also have slightly deeper versions if you need more than an almost white colour.
November 2016
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Q. We are about to start building and we have chosen O'Keefe Grey for the window joinery, Ironsand for the roof and garage door - I am really struggling to find a wall colour - your suggestions. A. These colours work really well with the distinctive beige/grey of the window joinery - Resene Quarter Napa, Resene Tea, Resene Rockbottom, Resene Quarter Pravda, Resene Half Cougar or Resene Half Cloudy. Much whiter colours might also be considered if you want the window colour to appear a lot more definitely coloured.
November 2016
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Q. We have a weatherboarded 1930s state home that has been through a couple of changes over the years. About three owners before us inserted brown aluminium window frames which they have then painted white around. The roof has orange tiles which we want to keep in the original colour. We have also put up a fence recently which also needs painting along with the house. The base of the house is dark. A. The brown aluminium windows may need a 'friend' so that they aren't the only brown element. It doesn't need to be a deep brown house but you might consider using the same type of brown - or as similar as possible - for the fence. Is that what you had thought of? Some fence options might be one of these colours – Resene Lignite, Resene Sambuca or Resene Bokara Grey. If you didn’t want the base foundation of the house to be so dark there is no reason that you couldn't paint it the same as the main colour on the house or a deeper version of that colour. I am unsure about highlighting around the brown windows in a very white colour as it is draws attention to the brown windows in a harsh optic way. The framing could be the same as the house colour or a slightly deeper version of that colour - like the base foundation - if you did want to highlight the windows. You could try these colours to get started: Resene Thorndon Cream – main and Resene Triple Thorndon Cream - base or other trims, or Resene Fossil – main and Resene Triple Fossil - base or other trims, Resene Half Tea – main and Resene Half Napa - base or other trims, or Resene Double White Pointer – main and Resene Half Sandstone - base or other trims. By necessity the colours favour earthy neutrals - because of the windows. If they weren't part of the equation you could use any colour at all on the house. The front entry door can always be a 'special' colour - something bright or dark or unusual that you have always liked a lot. So if you wanted something exotic it can be easily repainted in the future if you decide to change it - it is only a small amount of paint - so explore the colours that excite and inspire you. November 2016
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Q. We are trying to decide on roof and gable paint colours to go with our Canvas Cloth coloured aluminium window framing. We have a 60s red brick house and wanted a darker COLORSTEEL® colour on the roof. We are after suggestions for colours which complement each other for the roof and gable and to go with the windows. A. Perhaps you could check out these colours – COLORSTEEL® roof options and painted gable colours – COLORSTEEL® Thunder Grey and Resene Half Craigieburn, COLORSTEEL® Ironsand and Resene Half Tea, or COLORSTEEL® TernStyle and Resene Double White Pointer.
November 2016
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Q. What is your easy go-to white for interior walls to go in a big living space/kitchen with original rimu and matai floors? The area has a range of lights throughout the day, but can tend to be on the darker side. Walls and ceilings will be painted the same colour as there is no scotia. I'll probably paint windows a contrasting white. A. Slightly brighter warm whites that people are using a lot in their interiors are these ones - you might check them out to see if they work for you - Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta, Resene Eighth Wheatfield, Resene Half Rice Cake or Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream. Any of these will work really well with rimu and matai but you will need to see how they look in the environment. Using the same colour for both the walls and the ceiling may make even these really pale colours look a bit more 'coloured'.
November 2016
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Q. We are looking at using Resene Half White Pointer in our bathroom, with Resene Alabaster on the architraves, skirting, doors etc. Should we also use Resene Alabaster on the ceiling? Or should we choose a colour similar to the walls? There is minimal natural light in the room with a south facing window. We are looking for a fresh look with black hexagon vinyl flooring, black tapware and natural elements like wood and concrete. A. If you chose a colour for the ceiling that was the same - or a lighter version of the wall colour- it would steal a lot more light from the room. I think you need as much light that you can get for the ceiling. Certainly Resene Alabaster would work but you may need a 'whiter/lighter' colour - perhaps Resene Half Alabaster or even Resene Quarter Alabaster.
November 2016
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Q. I am painting my house exterior with Resene Half Tea and trim Resene Alabaster. What white would you suggest for interior walls and kitchen cabinetry? I am after very white. A. You could use Resene Quarter Alabaster. But if you wanted very white you might use Resene White - there is nothing whiter than this.
November 2016
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Q. I am planning to paint the interior of the house in Resene Half Black White, with the doors, trims, and ceiling in Resene White. Will you notice the difference? Would I be better to paint the walls in Resene Black White. A. You will notice a difference - but it will be subtle. If the sheen level of the walls was a total matt acrylic finish and the doors and other woodwork were semi-gloss or full gloss enamel then the difference might be more apparent as well as visually contrasting because of the matt acrylic on the walls adding more depth or shadow to the Resene Half Black White. If you need to see more difference between the two then yes, using Resene Black White would be appropriate.
November 2016
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Q. We are building and are thinking COLORSTEEL® FlaxPod for the roof and garage, and we want to use Resene Stack for the weatherboards. Our windows will be Arctic White. Which white do you recommend for fascia and trims e.g. around the garage. A. I think it is really important to use a match to the Arctic White for the fascia and trims. This is really important as Arctic White is a distinctly cool blue/grey coloured white - you can see how uniquely coloured it is by placing a sheet of white printer paper close to it. This can be tinted at your local Resene ColorShop.
November 2016
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Q. I need advice on what colours I should paint my hallway and kitchen walls. I would like multi-colour schemes, blues, greens and maybe also some brighter colours such as orange etc. also some greys. I saw some nice ideas in your Habitat plus book. A. You might check out these colours to see if they appeal to you - Resene Hope, Resene Freelance, Resene Ruby Tuesday, Resene Energise, Resene Quarter Silver Chalice or Resene Quarter Atmosphere.
November 2016
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Q. I have a roof and aluminium windows in Ironsand. Will Resene Half Taupe Grey go with this. A. Yes it will work with the Ironsand. But if you are still undecided perhaps you could compare Resene Half Taupe Grey with these colours to see if you like them better - Resene Foggy Grey, Resene Quarter Tapa or Resene Quarter Friar Grey.
November 2016
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Q. I want the best colour for my newly built house in Wellington. We have selected the following combination. Do you think this is a good combination? Roof: Grey Friars. Soffits/eaves: Resene Rice Cake. LINEA®: Resene Quarter Akaroa. Boxed corners: Resene Rice Cake. Aluminium Joinery: Warm White Pearl Matt. A. I think the colours look lovely together. If you are slightly unsure in regard to the roof colours you might check out these COLORSTEEL® colours to see if you might like them better - just so you can compare them to the Grey Friars – COLORSTEEL® TernStyle or COLORSTEEL® FlaxPod.
November 2016
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Q. The exterior of our house is brown stain on Shadowclad® (rough surface) and is getting patchy in areas - probably 20+ years since it was done. We are thinking of going black with white trims and timber deck etc., but worried about the style of the house (two storey with dormers) being too imposing in black - what do you think? We are definitely trying to take it from country to more modern. The other question is - paint or stain? We prefer stain but unsure if it will be too difficult to cover the brown? The roof also needs painting in the next year or two, and the windows will be replaced in the next five years, so the colours of those can be updated to complement/contrast with black. A. If you have a stain on the house now then I suggest you stay with a stain. Changing to a paint finish over the remnants of old stained timbers can be labour intensive, expensive and there would be no guarantee that the system would work. You might look at these blacker stain colours to see if they appeal to you - Resene Waterborne Woodsman - Sheer Black (warm toned), Resene Canopy (earthy) or Resene Crowshead (warm/earthy). None of these suggestions are a true black but they would be dark/black and could be less challenging and less hard edged. New windows - powder coated? - Might be Warm White Pearl - if they still do that colour in 5 years’ time. Roof colour suggestions might be one of these - Resene Ironsand, Resene Element or Resene Nocturnal. Really dark but not a really hard edged black.
November 2016
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Q. Do you have a standard sample pot for Resene Half Shark? If not what would be the closest standard sample pot to it? We have a sample of Resene Shark for the house exterior with silver aluminium joinery but felt it is a little too dark. A.Yes we do have a Resene Half Shark. It is a standard colour that is available in a testpot. It is on the Multi Finish range.
November 2016
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Q. I'm buying roof paint and plan to paint the house exterior this summer. I am wondering what your colour recommendations for the roof and exterior walls would be? I have a steep roof pitch of corrugated iron/steel, so it shows a lot. The exterior is very bulky stucco. It is a 1939 bush cottage in a beautiful bush setting beside a park. I want it to look fresh and contemporary, while respecting its character. The neighbour has gone for grey on grey and it looks a bit stark amongst the bush. I had been looking at Resene Half Gull Grey for the roof, and something like a friendly bluish or greenish tint for the exterior with white trims. I was looking for something light for the roof so that it lasts longer. A. You could check out these lighter roof colours – Resene Atmosphere (warm yellow green grey) or Resene Half Tuna (blue edged soft toned grey). They aren't as pale and silvery blue as the Resene Half Gull Grey. All colours seen on the exterior of a house - especially the roof because of its angle to the sunlight - appear half as light as you might imagine they will do. This is something to take into account when choosing exterior colours. Would you mind if the roof looked much lighter - possibly like unpainted Zincalume metal? Colour suggestions for the main body of the house that you might check out are these - If these types of colours are used with real white - Resene White - they can look really fresh and appealing.
November 2016
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Q. I have a bedroom painted in Resene Botticelli with white trim. The curtains have a pattern with muted soft green, grey and the same blue. I want to paint a piece of furniture; child's wardrobe with drawers attached. Love the Scandinavian look; can I bring in a coral tone? Or for a more subdued feel, use a grey tone and whose trim? What are the complementary colours for Resene Botticelli other than grey? A. These colours might be worth checking out - they look lovely with Resene Botticelli - Resene Double White Pointer, Resene Unwind, Resene Quarter Tuna, Resene Apple Blossom or Resene Dutch White. Or the complement to blue is an orange hue - perhaps like Resene Japonica. You might also consider a green that matches exactly the one in the curtains.
November 2016
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Q. We have a seventies style house currently painted in Weathered Grey and Resene Truffle. We'd like to introduce some darker tones (garage door, side wall etc.) and have been looking at Resene Half Nocturnal. Will this work with the existing colours? Is there a better option? A. I think because of the brown/grey tones of the house colours it could work well. Alternatively you could use Resene Half Fuscous Grey - it is similar in depth but slightly warmer. It will give a very smart modern look to the house.
November 2016
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Q. We painted our roof several years ago with Resene Gauntlet and now need to paint the exterior of the house, garage and fence. Resene Gauntlet is a bit browner than we had hoped, however we’re not in a position to change. We had originally thought of white colours but now not sure, perhaps something in the grey tones. Are you able to recommend some colour selections for us that includes windows, weatherboards, fence and garage doors. We are on a very bright north facing site. We want to avoid any brown or beige colours. The house is quite small so giving it some presence would be great. A. I think your first thought about using a white may be slightly better than a definite cool grey. The reason I say this is a grey may emphasise the warmth of the Resene Gauntlet roof colour. Because of the fact that you are on a bright north facing site you might need a cloudy/greyed white so it isn't too stark. Please do check out these coloured whites to see if they might work for you - Resene Double Sea Fog as the main colour used with Resene Alabaster for all trims/under soffits etc, or Resene Triple Black White as the main colour used with Resene Black White for all trims/under soffits etc. The use of a much whiter trim helps the eye to see the undertones of colour within the main coloured white. Colours that you might check out for the fences and the garage door could be these warmer deep ones - Resene Half Baltic Sea, Resene Wireless or Resene Chicago.
November 2016
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Q. I purchased Resene Longitude colour paint but it is too baby blue and not blue-grey as I thought it would be from the sample sheet. What can I add to lighten it to a greyer look? A. I think this blue/grey might stay looking blue/grey when there are no warmer colours in a room. Existing wall, furniture and to a certain extent the floor colour can emphasise the blue tones if they are the complementary colour to blue. Resene Longitude has a gnat’s whisker of purple colourant in it which is doubly emphasising the blue in the colour. Lightening the colour (with white) may make it a paler baby blue. Is that what you want to do? If you added black (to grey it) it will make it darker. Is that what you want to do? If you were to test another grey to see if it 'blued' on you then at least you would know whether it was appropriate to continue with the grey idea. This grey might be worth checking on - Resene Transmission. If you paint all of the testpot - two coats - onto A2 card (available from Resene ColorShops) leaving an unpainted border of the white card all around the edges, then it may help you see enough grey to judge how it looks. It is super large and the white border acts as a barrier between the tested colour and the existing wall colour so the greater amount of colour doesn't negatively influence how you see the colour. Testpots used this way are your best aid to getting the colour right.
November 2016
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Q. We want to paint our media room a medium-dark shade of grey, all the way through. It's a fairly large room, with two sets of by folding doors and a separate window. We have a large white movie screen permanently on the wall, dark grey couch, medium grey carpet (yet to be laid) and black curtains. I am ordering a large mat that has light grey and white through it, to add some freshness and light lnto the room. We have a raking ceiling that's painted Resene Rice Cake at the moment. Can you recommend a grey for the room? I want a warm grey... also a colour for the ceiling that will complement the grey walls without being too stark or too cream. I want the white ceiling to freshen and lighten the room, and the dark walls giving it a cosy, moody feeling! A. As you have a dark grey sofa already and are planning a medium grey carpet and a grey and white rug any warm grey suggestions I make would have to co-ordinate with those colours. This may be a problem as I can't see what greys you have. You may have to carefully test the warm mid-dark greys to see how well they work for you with these other grey colours. Here are some suggestions of medium dark greys for you to check out - Resene Triple Friar Grey, Resene Wireless, Resene Double Trojan, Resene Quarter Bokara Grey, Resene Fuscous Grey or Resene Mortar. If you want a ceiling that isn't too stark or too cream you might look at these 'whites' - Resene Sea Fog, Resene Barely There or Resene Wan White.
November 2016
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Q. With a large external area do darker colours appear lighter? What are the general rules for choosing a colour when painting the exterior walls of a house? A. All colours when seen on an exterior appear somewhat lighter than you might expect. This is not to say that black won't look black or white look white but the intensity, brightness or underlying depth may be altered by bright natural light. Roof colours when seen at a 45 degree angle to the sun often look much lighter. That natural light and angle may emphasise the underlying colourants in the colour making them look 'different' i.e. Ironsand may look like a mid-toned olive brown when it is really a dark earthy charcoal brown. Some inky black/charcoals like Resene Cinder may look blue. Colours that should look different tonally may also appear much more similar than you might expect them to. The rule of thumb is that the lighter of the colours must be very light and crisp, the mid-range colour must be a true middle tone and the dark must be very dark. The following are examples when colours that are different may not appear different enough for the eye to see the difference - Resene Half Blanc (lightest), Resene Blanc (mid-range) and Resene Eighth Malta (deeper). In bright natural light and on angles and in corners these colours may look exactly the same. But if the colours are modified - Resene Eighth Blanc (much lighter), Resene Blanc (mid-range) or Resene Double Malta (much deeper) this could work. Testing the colours in a large enough formats (using all of the testpot/two coats on an A2 card (available from Resene ColorShops) and moving it around all sides of the house) is the only way to determine what the colour may look like on an exterior.
November 2016
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Q. We want to paint our walls white but a warm white. Part of the house has a small to medium amount of natural light and the other part is a glassed-in conservatory which gets a lot of light. Which white or whites would you suggest. A. A warm white must also work with existing flooring, drapes, kitchen cabinet colours etc. You might check out these warm whites - one of them may work with the rooms, your quality of natural light and the other elements that are coloured – Resene Rice Cake, Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream, Resene Half Orchid White, Resene Eighth Spanish White, Resene Half Pearl Lusta or Resene Bianca.
November 2016
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Q. I am looking for a few different colour scheme options for a house – monochromatic, analogous and achromatic. Can you point me in the right direction of what and where I need to start? A. It sounds very much like you are a design student. They are usually the only people who ask for help using exactly the same colour language. I am sure you already know that monochromatic means one colour - all tints, tones and shades of the one colour. If you use the Resene Whites and Neutrals fandeck you will see many good representations of monochromatic colours. Analogous means related - one key colour and those two others that are either side of the key colour on the colour wheel. Use the colour charts to find a main colour that might possibly be the flooring and then use the other two in lighter or deeper tones as all other elements-walls and soft furnishings, kitchen cabinets and work tops. This type of colour scheme doesn't rule out using one neutral - usually a white - as a bridge between the related colours. Achromatic refers to that which is not colour - this describes whites, greys and blacks which are not colours but are fundamental = all light, all gradations of shades and black which is no light at all. You will find examples of whites, related greys and blacks also in the Resene Whites and Neutrals fandeck. November 2016
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Q. We have used Resene Haystack on the weatherboards on the top storey of our house, that has plastered walls below. What colour would you suggest for the plastered walls? A. The colour will also need to go with the roof, window and door joinery colours. Some ideas to get you started: Resene Solitaire (lighter), Resene Alamo (richer/deeper), Resene Bluff or Resene Easy Rider (complementary/contrast), Resene Half Stonewall (neutral/earthy but sympathetic) or Resene Scoria (traditional/heritage inspired).
November 2016
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Q. I want to repaint my house and use the roof colour as a guide which is COLORSTEEL® New Denim Blue. I was thinking of a pale shade from that colour chart around the top half of the house and darker around the bottom. A. You might check out - Resene Neutral Bay for the top half of the house and Resene Half New Denim Blue for the bottom. Alternatively you could check out Resene Quarter New Denim Blue for the top half of the house and Resene New Denim Blue for the bottom. If you don't see a lot of the roof from the front view of the house it might not matter that the bottom part was the same colour as the roof.
November 2016
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Q. We have a house in Resene Akaroa with a roof in Grey Friars. What colour fence do you recommend? (We don’t want green so the plants pop once they all grow). A.You could do a charcoal like the roof - Resene Grey Friars. That would tie the house and the fence together. Or a blacker type of colour - Resene Double Cod Grey. Alternatively you could use a darker but similar type of colour to the house colour - i.e. Resene Triple Bison Hide.
November 2016
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Q. My roof and walls of my beach cabin are in Windsor Grey. The gutters are in Marley Grey Friars. What colour should I paint the fascia boards? A. You could paint the fascia boards in Resene Grey Friars to match the gutters. Or if you want to highlight the fascia so they act as a visible break between the darker guttering and the mid toned roof and walls you could use a white like Resene Black White. If you did use this definite contrast then you might also use it for under the soffits, the door frame and the door or around the windows of the cabin as well.
November 2016
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Q. We have Resene Half Bison Hide and Resene Quarter Bison Hide throughout our house. We would like to continue this into our 12 year old son’s bedroom, but complement it with either a blue wall, or blue accessories such as shelves, bookcases etc. Can you please recommend a number of options that would match the Resene Bison Hide? Not baby blue, but include a darker option perhaps for shelving etc. As a guide he likes Resene Wet N Wild and Resene Zoop De Loop. A. If the main colour in your son’s room was Resene Quarter Bison Hide it would be light enough use the type of blues you mention. If it was the deeper variant - Resene Half Bison Hide - then the blues might have to be deeper or bolder to offset it otherwise they might be 'swamped' by the main wall colour. Apart from the blues you have mentioned you might also check out these options - Resene Bondi Blue, Resene Endeavour, or darker - Resene Into The Blue, Resene Whale Tail or Resene Submerge.
November 2016
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Q. I would like some ideas to paint the exterior of our house and roof. The top half of the house is Hardiplank® rusticated weatherboard, the bottom is blockwork and the windows are dark brown aluminium. The roof is corrugated iron. We also have a double garage which we are recladding in Shadowclad® plywood which we want to be painted and tied in to the rest of the house. There's also a wooden fence around the property which can also be painted. Since we've taken down a massive macrocarpa tree from the front of the property our house seems so exposed and I want to tie it all together. I've looked for ideas on various websites but am scared of getting the wrong colours. I like the current black/greys and browns. A. You could use a dark brown based charcoal - Resene Ironsand - for the roof on both the house and the garage; it would tie in the dark brown windows. Then a deeper colour on the fences - Resene Bokara Grey it would sit well in the environment. If you plan to paint the garage doors and entry door they could be the same as the roof or the same as the fence. Colours to consider for the house that are between grey and brown might be these ones - Resene Friar Grey for the upper storey and Resene Quarter Bokara Grey for the block base, or Resene Atmosphere for the upper storey and Resene Quarter Ironsand for the block base. The Shadowclad® may require a much lighter type of colour in order to comply with the manufacturer’s recommendation for the plywood - have you discussed this with the builder? You can get independent advice on the colour recommendations also from BRANZ. Some suggestions that I know fit the criteria are these ones – Resene Half Atmosphere or Resene Quarter Friar Grey.
November 2016
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Q. What wall colour (apart from white) would you recommend for a small bathroom with mostly white fixtures? The bathroom has only one small window, facing east. And I’m also thinking of replacing the bathroom flooring with vinyl sheets but just don’t know what colour scheme to choose. The rest of the unit/property is painted in Resene Quarter Tea. A. A small east facing bathroom with white fixtures could be the same colour as the rest of the unit - this keeps everything simple and makes spaces flow - but if you are hanging out for a little something different you might look at these colours - Resene Half Duck Egg Blue, Resene Half Secrets or Resene Quarter Rakaia. These delicate pastels are super popular at this point in time and add a fresh contemporary look to the bathroom. They will work well in unison with your main colour - Resene Quarter Tea.
November 2016
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Q. I'm looking for exterior house colour for our new house - it's a 1930 weatherboard bungalow that we are fully renovating and extending - we are going to be changing all windows to matte black joinery with a black front door. We have started painting Resene Half Foggy Grey on the garage (which will mirror the house) but it doesn't look quite right, a little dull? Could you suggest some exterior colours that would make the matte black pop? We were thinking maybe Resene Merino or some other dark cream? Also any suggestions for an interior colour would be great too - we just want a singular floor to ceiling colour. A. A colour that is a little cleaner/brighter than Resene Half Foggy Grey might be one of these colours - Resene Double Sea Fog, Resene Double Merino, Resene Half Ash or Resene Thorndon Cream. They are really light colours so they will make the black joinery pop but they are not so 'white' that they will look stark. Interior options might be one of these colours - Resene Sea Fog, Resene Merino or Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream. Just as colours on an exterior can look half as light as you might expect them to due to bright natural light the opposite is true of interiors - colours can appear a lot deeper due to spaces, angles, changing natural and artificial light etc.
November 2016
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Q. We need to repaint our exterior of our house and would like to change the colour. It is currently a light brown/orange colour with New Denim Blue roof and windows etc. The garage and front door are Teak in colour. Can you please suggest some colours to replace the brown/orange colour. A. It can sometimes be a challenge to change a main colour (which has always been a lovely statement) to some other colour but you might check out these options to see if they appeal to you - Resene Spanish White, Resene Quarter Gargoyle, Resene Double Truffle, Resene Thorndon Cream, Resene Double Tea or Resene Sandcastle.
November 2016
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Q. I'm currently on the hunt for the perfect colour for the exterior of our new LINEA® weatherboard home. Our roof is going to be in Grey Friars, the aluminium joinery is going to be in matt Appliance White and we're looking at quite a light greyish colour on the weatherboards. So far the testpots of Resene Quarter Delta and Resene Half Ash are the front runners, do you have any other suggestions? Also curious as to which Resene colour will be the closest match to the Appliance White for the trim and fascia. We’re also stuck on a nice subtle but not too stark interior colour to use throughout. A. If you want a match to the powder coat colour Appliance White, Resene has a Resene version of this colour on the e-tint colour computer in each ColorShop. You just need to ask for it. Otherwise - similar but not exactly the same might be Resene Quarter Merino though this may take on a subtle warmer undertone. Some other light greyish colours that you might check out are these ones - Resene Quill Grey, Resene House White, Resene Quarter Silver Chalice or Resene Quarter Atmosphere. Interior colours that are not too stark might be one of these – Resene Sea Fog, Resene Quarter White Pointer, Resene Black White or Resene Half Merino. November 2016
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Q. At present our house is painted Resene Tea with Resene Double Tea door frames and windowsills. We want to lighten it up (but not repaint the doors, frames etc. so they will remain Resene Double Tea) and are looking at Resene Chalk Dust as an option. Would this be a good colour to go with Resene Double Tea or can you suggest others? We want to stay away from Resene Tea altogether if possible. A. Any lighter/brighter wall colours will emphasise the deep yellow/brown colour of the Resene Double Tea and make it a 'stand out' dark feature. Is this what you are trying to achieve? However by maintaining the existing woodwork colour your choices may be a bit compromised. Resene Chalk Dust is a lovely 'white'. If you like this type of colour but feel that you don't want to make the woodwork look really dark then you might use a lighter version of Resene Tea (yes I know that isn't your preference) so it relates to Resene Double Tea - i.e. Resene Quarter Tea. Alternatively you could use look at Resene Eighth Parchment.
November 2016
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Q. We have a two storey brown clinker brick house with a charcoal slate roof. We are repainting the windows in a charcoal colour. The front door is a silver grey colour but two painters have suggested that it be the same colour as the rest but in high gloss. I am concerned that it will all look too dark. Could you please advise whether this would be the way to go or suggest some complementary colours. A. I think using the same colour as the windows for the front door is the 'default' choice. When nothing else presents as an option people will often choose to do more of what they have got already. Any colour at all will work with charcoal. But if that is too scary to consider then you could use white or black - they are either side of charcoal - sort of like the rest of the fundamental (not really a colour at all) grey theme. But clinker brick is a different story - it is a warm brown. Brown is the most shaded (deepest) form of orange. The complementary colour to orange is blue. Do you like blue? If you do here are a few suggestions – Resene Optimist, Resene Wishing Well, Resene Into The Blue or Resene Sea Crest. Or you could use a white neutral - i.e. Resene Chalk Dust, Resene Merino or Resene Half Barely There because they will work with anything at all.
November 2016
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Q. We have a red/brown coloured brick 1970s house with white/light grey aluminium windows and want to paint and update the look of the house. It also has white/slightly pinkish stone around one of the rooms at the front of the house. The roof is Karaka COLORSTEEL®. The fascias and garage door are currently painted Karaka but could easily be changed. We want to paint the front door, eaves, above the windows, soffits and the stucco-type siding at the bottom of the brick. To update it we were thinking of greys or we quite like greens but are open to any ideas. There is also a wooden fence running close to the house which would be the next thing to be painted. We don't want the orange/brown colour (of the brick) to be too dominant. What suggestions do you have for paint colours? The front door is solid wood with glass at sides. A. Perhaps a mid-toned grey/green might work for the garage door and the front door. You could try using Resene Quarter Karaka which is a lighter/greyer version of the roof colour for both the house door and the garage door. Alternatively you could use Resene Castle Rock, Resene Tapa or colours that are slightly greyer tones - Resene Archive Grey or Resene Gunsmoke for the doors but they may create a discord if you maintain the Karaka roof colour. Have you considered painting over the Karaka roof colour so that it didn't compromise your options, just a thought? If you used a match to the window joinery for the fascias, under the soffits and the stucco base of the house it might help the stonework and the powder coated windows look as though they all belong. Do you know what the window colour is? If you don't and have no way of finding out so that you can match it you might use Resene Whitewater this is a match to COLORSTEEL® TuiTuft - it may work with the stonework.
November 2016
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Q. I'd like to paint my kitchen cabinets a grey colour – Resene Fifty Shades or Resene Castle Rock - but I am having trouble choosing a wall colour to tie in with enough contrast and a white for the woodwork. Can you suggest some wall colours for a period look? It's an old villa with big, north facing open plan room with plenty of light and with matai wood floors. A. Both the colours you have mentioned are quite different to each other - Resene Castle Rock is more olive/green/grey and Resene Fifty Shades is more yellow/brown, consequently colours to work with them are also quite different. Resene Castle Rock looks good with these colours - Resene Half Tana, Resene Shiraz or Resene Triple Pearl Lusta. Resene Fifty Shades looks good with these colours - Resene Thorndon Cream, Resene Dynamite or Resene Truffle. A white that would work with either colour might be one of these options - Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream or Resene Eighth Pearl Lusta. November 2016
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Q. We have a 1950s rimu weatherboard house and have been advised not to go too dark on outdoor paint. Can you please send through some swatches with the colour greys that we would be able to go for including the darkest that you would recommend? The inside of the house is Resene Rakaia so we would like the outside to be darker than that. A. If the house has always been painted very light colours (whites/creams/beiges etc) throughout the last 60 years then the older rimu weatherboards are probably still in good health. But if they are not in good health (possibly due to lack or maintenance etc) they may have splits around the nail heads or cracks on them or they may be twisted and cupping - not flat and smooth. Has the painter talked to you about what may happen if you use darker colours on the exterior? As a rule of thumb timber requires lighter colours in order to have good light reflectance and therefore a cooler surface. Timber is dimensionally unstable and easily jeopardised by damage caused by U.V., heat and damp. All colours have a light reflectance value listed (LRV%) and the colours considered to be appropriate and to cause less problems are those numbered between 100 (whitest) down to 45 LRV%. Those numbered between 44 down to 0 (blackest) are considered 'risky'. So these are some that fall into the 'safe zone'- they are the deepest not the lightest - Resene Double Rakaia (LRV 46%), Resene Quarter Friar Grey (LRV 46%), Resene Grey Chateau (LRV 45%) or Resene Silver Chalice (LRV 49%). Lighter colours are paler and whiter. You will see the code CC and then the colour code - the CC refers to the fact that the colours can be made into a re-formulated version of the colour using CoolColour™ technology which effectively alters one of the (darkest) colourants so instead of absorbing heat it reflects a certain proportion away from the surface. This is always a good thing in order to minimise any possible problems associated with deep colours and timber. You can never go to too much trouble to protect timber from the perils of our environment. If you feel you would like more information in this regard you can contact BRANZ to find out more about timber and appropriate paint colours. Resene also has a Technical Helpline that you can contact to find out more about CoolColour technology.
November 2016
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Q. I am looking for a soft warm grey or light natural beige for the hall stairs and living areas but there is too much to choose from and in artificial light they have a different tone. There is an existing mid gold carpet to work with and a staircase with natural light top and bottom but a dark landing in between. A. Colour is a chameleon and constantly changes. All colours will alter with changing qualities of natural and artificial light. They will also alter a lot when seen with other colours - in this case the mid gold carpet may have a direct bearing on what the colour looks like. You may need to carefully test colours in order to find one that appeals to you and looks appropriate most of the time - no colour will look perfect 100% of the time - so you may need to compromise and accept how it looks at certain times of the day or night. Light natural beige options - Resene Eighth Arrowtown or Resene Eighth Stonehenge. Soft warm grey options - Resene Whiteout, Resene Half Rakaia or Resene Double House White. Slightly grey/beige toned whites that you might consider - Resene Double Black White, Resene Double Sea Fog, Resene Athens Grey or Resene Black Haze. The lighter colours may be an option to consider - all colours have the potential to appear to double their depth in an interior so lighter may be better.
November 2016
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Q. I am looking for three colours to paint the exterior of my weatherboard home. I like either Resene Eighth Stonehenge or Resene Half Perfect Taupe as weatherboard colours but I’m overwhelmed with how to choose complementary colours. I want a dark charcoal type colour for the gutters and fence and a whitish for the trim around windows. Any suggestions as to what goes with these two neutrals. A. Both of the colours you mention as possible main colours are quite different to each other but Resene Alabaster would definitely work (with either) as the whitish trim colour. Deeper colours that work with Resene Eighth Stonehenge are like these ones - Resene Half Bokara Grey or softer toned - Resene Quarter Bokara Grey. Deeper colours that work with Resene Half Perfect Taupe are like these ones - Resene Cosmonaut or softer toned - Resene Fuscous Grey.
November 2016
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Q. I have recently painted a bathroom/toilet Resene Aspiring with Resene Triple Merino around the coving. Beside this room is the bathroom with dark brown tiles which I am tempted to use Resene Hermitage to achieve a blue/grey colour (maybe too dark)? However I wonder what your suggestion would be with using a pale lemon or yellow/orange in this room. We need warmth, depth while maintaining light in this room, as it is on the dark side of the house. I would prefer to have some colour in this room as the house is fairly neutral as is painted in shades of Resene Merino. A. I am very wary of using yellow (or yellow/orange) in a dim room that also has all those dark brown tiles - it may not give you the warmth that you are seeking - it may look bilious. Yellow and brown can do that. I am not that keen on increasing the dimness of the room with blue/grey either - sorry! It may just look grim. Would you consider soft blue/greens? They are a lovely offset to brown and may make the room seem relaxing and like a spa. Perhaps you could check out these colours - they do have a little depth (but are not too dark]) and if you used some real white to lift the look - towels, soaps etc and perhaps white painted hyacinth fibre baskets with white flowering plants in them (well they could be artificial plants - saves trying to desperately trying to keep them alive in low light) and some copper accessories (for warmth) it could look very 'European luxe'. Colours to try - Resene Unwind or Resene Half Kumutoto.
November 2016
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Q. We have someone booked to paint our bungalow in two weeks and need some colour advice. We love the ‘greige’ concept and are thinking something like Resene Quarter Friar Grey, Resene Half Rakaia or even Resene Half Perfect Taupe, any advice? We need a deeper base colour also and the windows will remain all white. The roof is a dark tile. A.Resene Half Rakaia is a little mauve in its greyness and Resene Half Perfect Taupe has a lovely warm pink/beige/grey undertone and Resene Quarter Friar Grey is a lovely sandy warm grey. Is it the warmth of these colours that appeals to you? They do look lovely with pure white trims. Darker colours for the base of the house (and possibly the doors) are quite different for each of the main colours that you have mentioned. You could try Resene Triple Rakaia or Resene Quarter Bokara Grey (with Resene Half Rakaia), or Resene Barbecue or Resene Suva Grey (with Resene Half Perfect Taupe), or Resene Triple Friar Grey or Resene Masala (Resene Quarter Friar Grey).
November 2016
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