Close Give Feedback
Resene Paints - home page
Follow us on Facebook Follow us on Pinterest Follow us on Instagram Follow us on YouTube

Answers to your questions from our colour experts, p. 81

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. 81

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


Q. What warm and cold colours work with Resene Spanish White?

A. Colours that work well are lighter and deeper variants of Resene Spanish White, warm beiges like the following colours - Resene Drought or Resene Akaroa, definite colours to provide warm contrast - Resene Red Herring or Resene Rivergum, or cooler colours, such as Resene Triple Concrete, Resene Double Stack, Resene Safehaven or Resene Cod Grey.

Resene Spanish White
Resene Spanish White
Resene Drought
Resene Drought
Resene Akaroa
Resene Akaroa
 
Resene Rivergum
Resene Rivergum
Resene Triple Concrete
Resene Triple Concrete
Resene Double Stack
Resene Double Stack
Resene Cod Grey
Resene Cod Grey
November 2018

Q. I want to paint our weatherboard house a mid grey, but I’m overwhelmed with colours. Is there a popular one? We want a mid-grey, not bluey but a bit warmer but not beige either. We have Karaka windows and roof, and want to make the house more modern looking. The current colour is Resene Sisal but it looks yellow in sun.

A. There are a huge amount of greys available. Perhaps one of these warmer greys that have some green in them may work well with the Karaka windows and roof - Resene Taupe Grey, Resene Foggy Grey, Resene Atmosphere, Resene Stack or Resene Delta.

Resene Sisal
Resene Sisal
Resene Half Grey
Resene Taupe Grey
Resene Foggy Grey
Resene Foggy Grey
Resene Atmosphere
Resene Atmosphere
Resene Stack
Resene Stack
Resene Delta
Resene Delta
November 2018

Q. What colour from the whites/neutral range would be a good complement to Resene Breeze? We have a large bedroom on the south side of the house with windows on the south, east and west. We want to paint a feature wall in Resene Breeze and then use a light colour for the other walls.

A. You could use either a warm tinted white or a cooler white - these options are worth checking out - Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream, Resene Black White, Resene Double Alabaster (same as Resene Quarter Sea Fog) or Resene Eighth Spanish White.

You may find the warmer whites look better in a south facing room but it is very much a personal choice.

Resene Breeze
Resene Breeze
Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream
Resene Quarter
Thorndon Cream
Resene Black White
Resene Black White
Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Eighth Spanish White
Resene Eighth
Spanish White
November 2018

Q. I am painting Resene Quarter Tea throughout my house, but want to introduce a dusky soft blue/green (NOT baby blue) in the bathrooms and service areas such as the laundry room. Is there a nice colour you would suggest to go with Resene Quarter Tea?

A. You might check out the following colours to see if they appeal to you - Resene Duck Egg Blue, Resene Half Dusted Blue, Resene Emerge or Resene Periglacial Blue.

Resene Quarter Tea
Resene Quarter Tea
Resene Duck Egg Blue
Resene Duck Egg Blue
Resene Half Dusted Blue
Resene Half Dusted Blue
Resene Emerge
Resene Emerge
Resene Periglacial Blue
Resene Periglacial Blue
November 2018

Q We have a 1950s stucco home with a light brown concrete tiled roof and Appliance White joinery. We would like to paint the exterior and are thinking of going bold - like a dark navy for the stucco and white window trims. What do you suggest? And would you paint the base/foundation the same colour as the stucco?

We also need a colour suggestion for our surrounding timber fence; currently it is a mid-green but desperately needs a repaint. Ideally we would stay away from green.

A. I’ve seen this look on a stucco house, and it looks fantastic. I would suggest painting any type of window frame that you have in a white to match the Appliance White – try Resene Double Alabaster - this will make the windows look bigger and provide you more contrast with the deep colour. Here are some options for your cladding colour - Resene Billabong, Resene Dark Side, Resene Fast Forward, Resene Coast or Resene Biscay.

The fence colour can be decided after you have chosen your main colour.

Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Billabong
Resene Billabong
Resene Dark Side
Resene Dark Side
Resene Coast
Resene Coast
Resene Biscay
Resene Biscay
November 2018

Q. I have a two storey home. The roof is COLORSTEEL® Grey Friars, the upper story LINEA® is Resene Friar Grey and bottom storey is a concrete brick which I want to paint. The question is what colour? Our aluminium joinery colour is Gull Grey.

A. You have three completely different types of greys on the house. Grey Friars is a steel blue based charcoal, Gull Grey is a warm yellow edged silver and Resene Friar Grey carries yellow/green/brown in its greyness.

In order to minimise further random colour combinations you might consider using Resene Atmosphere which is the Resene version of COLORSTEEL® Gull Grey or if you were very keen to create a 'feature' of the concrete brick you could consider using a lighter version of the roof colour - i.e. Resene Quarter Grey Friars but it may flash a little too much blue.

The default choice is to use the same colour as the upper storey - Resene Friar Grey.

Resene Friar Grey
Resene Friar Grey
Resene Atmosphere
Resene Atmosphere
Resene Quarter Grey Friars
Resene Quarter Grey Friars
November 2018

Q. What other colours go with Resene Sorbet in a living room?

A. Soft oranges will work really well with blue and blue greens. Any kind of depth or clarity of colour, such as grey colours or clean brighter pastels. Here are some options: Resene Sunbaked, Resene Safehaven, Resene Green Meets Blue, Resene Artemis or Resene Slipstream.

Resene Green Meets Blue
Resene Green Meets Blue
November 2018

Q. We are trying to decide on a colour for our accent living room wall. We originally had Resene Double Napa (which we loved but was quite dark). We have since painted it blue, but think now it is too vibrant/light for the couch and floors. Can you please suggest a colour? We quite like Resene Escapade, Resene Nepal or Resene Wedgewood but are not sure. We are also changing our dark decor (pendant light, artwork) to lighten it up.

A. I quite like the blues you have mentioned - have you painted up the testpots onto A2 card (available from Resene ColorShops) and pinned them up on the wall to see how they look? It is always wise to do testing that way instead of painting directly onto a coloured wall which will make you see the colour 'wrongly'.

Some other blues you could check out are the following colours - Resene Gothic, Resene Lazy River, Resene Whirlwind, and a completely different type of blue - Resene Excalibur.

Resene Double Napa
Resene Double Napa
Resene Escapade
Resene Escapade
Resene Nepal
Resene Nepal
Resene Wedgewood
Resene Wedgewood
Resene Gothic
Resene Gothic
Resene Whirlwind
Resene Whirlwind
   
November 2018

Q. I have dark red textured wallpaper that's well applied to the wall but I want a light/white paint to brighten up the hallway as the red makes it look dark.

A. Here are some off-whites for you to have a look at: Resene Sea Fog, Resene Rice Cake, Resene Half Pearl Lusta or Resene Cararra.

These all have slightly different undertone, this will help you decide which type of colour you want to see on the walls.

In regards to painting over your wallpaper, you need to determine if the wallpaper is vinyl or paper. If you flick water at the paper and it runs off, it’s most likely vinyl. This will need to be sealed using Resene Vinyl Wallpaper Sealer. If you paint straight on, there is a risk of the paint not drying. This will also help in coverage for your off-white topcoat.

Resene Sea Fog
Resene Sea Fog
Resene Rice Cake
Resene Rice Cake
Resene Half Pearl Lusta
Resene Half Pearl Lusta
Resene Cararra
Resene Cararra
November 2018

Q. I would really appreciate any assistance as my painter will soon be asking me what colours I want in my newly renovated home. I’m trying to find the right shades of blue, orange and a citrus green with a crisp white, that all go together well. This is for an open plan living, dining, kitchen area and a stairwell. I also want a bright coloured front door, which will stand out. My outside house colour is a charcoal grey. I was thinking a watermelon colour. I have good natural light. I want it to be the same shades you see in Greece etc.

A. The colours you favour may look twice as bright in New Zealand due to our natural light aspect. Plus all colours seen in an interior can double or triple in depth or brightness. I suggest you test colours very carefully before making a final decision.

Some for you to look at for the front door - Resene Belladonna or Resene Sassy.

For inside, you could try Resene Half Black White, Resene Limerick, Resene Buttercup, Resene Governor Bay, Resene Deep Koamaru or Resene Double Resolution Blue.

Resene Belladonna
Resene Belladonna
Resene Sassy
Resene Sassy
Resene Half Black White
Resene Half Black White
Resene Limerick
Resene Limerick
Resene Buttercup
Resene Buttercup
Resene Governor Bay
Resene Governor Bay
Resene Deep Koamaru
Resene Deep Koamaru
Resene Double Resolution Blue
Resene Double
Resolution Blue
November 2018

Q. I'm looking for paint colour suggestions for our house. We've already got a dark grey carpet, and there's lots of natural timber accents that we want to keep (skirting, built in bookshelves and window sills and frames). We quite like the idea of having olive blinds/curtains throughout, and am just wanting some suggestions for paint colours to use in our bedrooms to go with that. My partner and I both want the bedrooms to feel cosy and warm (and think just white may be too stark and clinical). He's a fan of colour, but I like neutrals so hoping some suggestions from you could see us land on a compromise that works with the other factors.

A. You might need to carefully test colours to see how each room makes them look. Colours are little chameleons and apart from altering because of other colours seen close to them the natural and artificial light alters how colours are seen. I often say 'same colour in a different space is a different colour’.

So some warmer toned neutrals for you might be - Resene Half Thorndon Cream, Resene Merino or Resene Half Titania. Something a little bit more coloured for your husband - Resene Orinoco, Resene Quarter Grey Olive or Resene Quarter Taupe Grey.

The suggestions are colours that look lovely with wooden trims and olive blinds/curtains.

Resene Half Thorndon Cream
Resene Half
Thorndon Cream
Resene Merino
Resene Merino
Resene Half Titania
Resene Half Titania
Resene Orinoco
Resene Orinoco
Resene Quarter Grey Olive
Resene Quarter Grey Olive
Resene Quarte Taupe Grey
Resene Quarter Taupe Grey
November 2018

Q. Our coastal house is painted Resene Eighth Blanc and I would like to paint the front door in a complementary blush/pink colour.

A. Here are some colours for you to look at: Resene Ethereal, Resene Despacito, Resene Soothe, Resene Wafer, Resene Dust Storm or Resene Tuft Bush.

Resene Eighth Blanc
Resene Eighth Blanc
Resene Soothe
Resene Soothe
Resene Wafer
Resene Wafer
Resene Dust Storm
Resene Dust Storm
Resene Tuft Bush
Resene Tuft Bush
November 2018

Q. Can you please recommend some off white colours to use for ceiling and trims that would go nicely with all these wall colours: Resene Quarter Akaroa, Resene Dust Storm, Resene Half Robin Egg Blue, Resene Eighth Malta or Resene Quarter Tea.

A. Colours used above us (on ceilings) will appear darker than when used on walls. So for this reason, we tend to keep ceiling colours white or off-white so that the room feels larger, unless you’re going for dramatic effect, in which case you’ll use an actual colour for the ceilings.

Some colours to try are Resene Alabaster, Resene Quarter Rice Cake or Resene Half Black White.

Resene Quarter Akaroa
Resene Quarter Akaroa
Resene Dust Storm
Resene Dust Storm
Resene Half Robin Egg Blue
Resene Half Robin Egg Blue
Resene Eighth Malta
Resene Eighth Malta
Resene Quarter Tea
Resene Quarter Tea
Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
Resene Quarter Rice Cake
Resene Quarter
Rice Cake
Resene Half Black White
Resene Half Black White
   
November 2018

Q. We want to use Surfmist for our garage door, front door, windows mouldings, gutters and black aluminium windows. What should we use for the walls?

A. Here are colours to try that work with Black and Titania (Surfmist): Resene Lemon Grass, Resene Friar Grey, Resene Sisal, Resene Helix, Resene Triple Duck Egg Blue or Resene Eighth Ironsand.

Resene Lemon Grass
Resene Lemon Grass
Resene Friar Grey
Resene Friar Grey
Resene Sisal
Resene Sisal
November 2018

Q. I want to decorate a new home in grey. I am looking for a nice warm grey for the walls with a contrasting dark rich grey for doors and trim.

Here are some options for your walls: Resene Triple Sea Fog, Resene Half Truffle or Resene Quarter Foggy Grey. For trim and door colours, try: Resene Half Baltic Sea, Resene Double Stack or Resene Grey Friars.

Colours inside will appear darker once all four walls are painted. The wall options I’ve given you will all look grey, not off-white. Most colours can be made lighter or darker though, depending on what exactly you’re looking for.

Resene Triple Sea Fog
Resene Triple Sea Fog
Resene Half Truffle
Resene Half Truffle
Resene Quarter Foggy Grey
Resene Quarter Foggy Grey
Resene Half Baltic Sea
Resene Half Baltic Sea
Resene Double Stack
Resene Double Stack
Resene Grey Friars
Resene Grey Friars
November 2018

Q. I would like suggestions for a two-tone colour scheme for our very sunny bedroom. Presently the walls are Resene Cooled Green, nice but a bit boring. The doors and trim are Resene Ecru White. The floor is dark polished concrete and the ceiling is polyurethaned Strandboard®. We'd like to retain light shades and curtains if possible.

A. You could continue with Resene Ecru White as one of the two colours (to match what you have used on the doors and trim - this is the simple option) and pick out a colour for one wall. You could use a colour inspired by your curtains. Try Resene Rakaia or Resene Quarter Lemon Grass, or for a much lighter colour, Resene Half Rice Cake with a subtle olive green instead of the fresh green you have now - Resene Moon Mist, or a nebulous warm grey - Resene Athens Grey but you might have to change the door and trims to ensure the existing colour (Resene Ecru White) didn't overpower the delicacy of the Resene Half Rice Cake.

Resene Cooled Green
Resene Cooled Green
Resene Ecru White
Resene Ecru White
Resene Rakaia
Resene Rakaia
Resene Quarter Lemon Grass
Resene Quarter
Lemon Grass
Resene Half Rice Cake
Resene Half Rice Cake
Resene Moon Mist
Resene Moon Mist
Resene Athens Grey
Resene Athens Grey
 
November 2018

Q. We have a beach side roughcast house currently painted a cream colour that we want to paint. We've just had a new COLORSTEEL® roof put on in Grey Friars. We would like to know suggestions of colours that go with Grey Friars. We are looking to move away from the cream if possible. It has wooden windows which we would refresh in a white shade.

A. You might look at these colours - they will provide a range of neutrals and very slight coloured options - Resene Double White Pointer, Resene Double Sea Fog, Resene Titania, Resene Double Concrete, Resene Iron, Resene Half Duck Egg Blue or Resene White Island.

Resene Double White Pointer
Resene Double
White Pointer
Resene Double Sea Fog
Resene Double Sea Fog
Resene Titania
Resene Titania
Resene Double Concrete
Resene Double Concrete
Resene Iron
Resene Iron
Resene Half Duck Egg Blue
Resene Half Duck Egg Blue
   
November 2018

Q. In our master bedroom, ensuite, walk in wardrobe, we are thinking of using mostly Resene Alabaster for all areas including ceilings, doors etc. We would like to have a feature wall on the bed head wall. Would Resene Gumboot or Resene Grey Friars be better suited to the Resene Alabaster?

A. Any colour will work with Resene Alabaster because it is white. It really depends upon what type of dark colour you want. Without testing it may be difficult to judge individual black toned colours.

Do you want a charcoal with a soft steel blue influence - i.e. Resene Grey Friars or a blacker charcoal - i.e. Resene Gumboot? Take your time to choose.

Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
Resene Gumboot
Resene Gumboot
Resene Grey Friars
Resene Grey Friars
November 2018

Q. We have Resene Drought on a highlight wall - what lighter colour could we use for the rest of the room please?

A. You might check out the following colours to see if they appeal to you - Resene Quarter Drought or lighter - Resene Eighth Drought or creamier tints - Resene Quarter Spanish White, Resene Double Bianca or a lighter colour - Resene Half Bianca.

Resene Drought
Resene Drought
Resene Quarter Drought
Resene Quarter Drought
Resene Eighth Drought
Resene Eighth Drought
Resene Quarter Spanish White
Resene Quarter
Spanish White
Resene Double Bianca
Resene Double Bianca
Resene Half Bianca
Resene Half Bianca
November 2018

Q. We are thinking of painting all our exterior walls a light shade of grey, and the gutters and fascia boards a dark grey. The window frames are aluminium powder coated Silver Pearl. Should we make the walls as close as we can to match the Silver Pearl, or contrast lighter or darker?

A. Yes - you could definitely use a warm grey that is similar to the window joinery if you wanted to.

Perhaps one of these ones may appeal to you - Resene Half Delta or slightly deeper - Resene Delta, Resene Quarter Taupe Grey or Resene Atmosphere.

A grey that is deeper and warm toned for the guttering and fascia, to link in the roof tile colour a little bit, might be a nice touch - perhaps one of these ones - Resene Ironsand or Resene Quarter Bokara Grey.

Resene Half Delta
Resene Half Delta
Resene Delta
Resene Delta
Resene Quarte Taupe Grey
Resene Quarter Taupe Grey
Resene Atmosphere
Resene Atmosphere
Resene Ironsand
Resene Ironsand
Resene Quarter Bokara Grey
Resene Quarter
Bokara Grey
November 2018

Q. I need advice on a colour for our house that has bronze aluminium joinery and Hardiplank® cladding. The shed will be Ironsand with an asphalt driveway.

A. You might check out these colours to see if they appeal to you - Resene Quarter Bison Hide, Resene Cloudy, Resene Quarter Stonewall or Resene Grey Olive.

Resene Quarter Bison Hide
Resene Quarter Bison Hide
Resene Cloudy
Resene Cloudy
Resene Quarter Stonewall
Resene Quarter Stonewall
Resene Grey Olive
Resene Grey Olive
November 2018

Q. I am interested in advice for a fresh looking but not glary white (as north facing) for exterior paint that goes well with a Windsor Grey roof and guttering. I want to avoid any yellow or green tinge please.

A. You might check out the following whites to see if they suit you - Resene Black White, Resene Poured Milk, Resene Double Alabaster or Resene Half Barely There.

Resene Black White
Resene Black White
Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Half Barely There
Resene Half Barely There
November 2018

Q. We are constructing a half weatherboard and half brick house soon. We are using a Fossil and Pumice brick combination. The roof colour for the house is Grey Friars metal tiles, with Grey Friars window joinery and garage door.

We were thinking about Resene Triple Thorndon Cream or Resene Triple Sea Fog. Can you please suggest any other exterior weatherboard colours which may suit better?

A. You could check out the following to see if they appeal to you - Resene Triple Black White and Resene Barely There.

Resene Triple Thorndon Cream
Resene Triple Thorndon Cream
Resene Triple Sea Fog
Resene Triple Sea Fog
Resene Triple Black White
Resene Triple Black White
Resene Barely There
Resene Barely There
November 2018

Q. What would you recommend for a soft fresh white or off white interior for an open plan kitchen living which is north facing with concrete floors, and is a new extension to an original villa?

A. You might look at one of the following whites to see if they work for you - Resene Alabaster, Resene Half Black White, Resene Quarter Bianca or Resene Eighth Rice Cake. The last two have a slightly warm edge to them.

Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
Resene Half Black White
Resene Half Black White
Resene Quarter Bianca
Resene Quarter Bianca
Resene Eighth Rice Cake
Resene Eighth Rice Cake
November 2018

Q. I would like a second opinion on the following colours for the exterior of our two-storey house. Bottom storey: Resene Double Foundry, top storey: Resene Half Gravel, and wooden window surrounds: Resene Alabaster.


A. The only reservation I have is that the Resene Alabaster may look a bit stark when seen next to the earthy olive/grey of the Resene Half Gravel and the warm toned, very dark charcoal/black of Resene Double Foundry.

You might consider using a warmer type of white - perhaps one of these ones - Resene Quarter Rice Cake or Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream.

Resene Double Foundry
Resene Double Foundry
Resene Half Gravel
Resene Half Gravel
Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
Resene Quarter Rice Cake
Resene Quarter
Rice Cake
Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream
Resene Quarter
Thorndon Cream
November 2018

Q. We have painted our weatherboards in Resene Sea Fog and the roof and base is Resene All Black. The window frames are brown aluminium. We built a new deck last spring and are only just getting around to staining now, but I can't decide what colour stain to use.

A. You might look at these wood stain colours - they may help the brown aluminium joinery to be part of the overall look instead of them being the 'odd man out' colour wise - Resene Woodsman Treehouse, Resene Bushtrack or Resene Tiri.

I strongly recommend that whichever colour you choose, that you have use Resene CoolColour™ technology in order to minimise the extreme heat that deeper colours create. It would be upsetting if in the middle of summer, the timber was too hot to walk on with bare feet.

Resene Sea Fog
Resene Sea Fog
Resene All Black
Resene All Black
Resene Treehouse
Resene Treehouse
Resene Bushtrack
Resene Bushtrack
Resene  Woodsman Tiri
Resene Tiri
November 2018

Q. Our house is in much need of a re-do and re-stain, so we were thinking of changing the colour scheme and painting the brick as well. The joinery is about to be restored back to its original Grey Friars (dark grey) colour as it has faded a bit so we want a stain colour for the cedar and paint colour for the bricks please. There are bricks on the lower level on each side and round the front. The back is cedar clad.

A. Here are a few different colour schemes to start the process. Each has a different stain and paint colour combination, but on the brick I have used a lighter colour than Grey Friars.

Scheme one: Paint – Resene Quarter Foggy Grey and stain – Resene Sheer Black or Resene Nutmeg.
Scheme two: Paint – Resene Thorndon Cream and stain – Resene Dark Oak.
Scheme three: Paint – Resene Half Ash and stain – Resene Iroko.

Your existing stain will need a good clean and scrub before a new stain is applied. The new colour will have a brown tinge though, due to the existing colour underneath. Just keep that in mind.

Resene Quarter Foggy Grey
Resene Quarter Foggy Grey
Resene Sheer Black
Resene Sheer Black
Resene Nutmeg
Resene Nutmeg
Resene Thorndon Cream
Resene Thorndon Cream
Resene Colorwood Dark Oak
Resene Dark Oak
 
Resene Half Ash
Resene Half Ash
Resene Iroko
Resene Iroko
 
November 2018

Q. We need to make a decision on our new roof colour and are choosing between Grey Friars and Windsor Grey, or possibly Karaka. Then we need to decide on the weatherboard colours (we like the grey/green/bluey colours.) and a white trimming. We may also look for a bolder colour to go on the exterior sills as well. Would you have any suggestions please?

A. I think it depends upon whether you choose Grey Friars which has a steel blue undertone, Windsor Grey which is a blacker charcoal or Karaka which is a deep olive green for the new roof.

I am not sure that the type of colours you favour - grey/green/blue - would work with Karaka but you may not feel the same way.

The following lovely colours may appeal to you - certainly they are worth checking out - Resene White Island, Resene Half Duck Egg Blue, Resene Half Emerge, Resene Half Periglacial Blue and Resene Half Tasman.

These colours look really lovely with 'real' white - Resene White - as this provides the crispest contrast.

A bolder colour for window sill trims and possibly doors, might be the same colour as the roof or one of these - Resene King Tide, Resene Code Red or Resene Fast Forward.

Resene Half Duck Egg Blue
Resene Half Duck Egg Blue
Resene Half Emerge
Resene Half Emerge
Resene Half Periglacial Blue
Resene Half Periglacial Blue
Resene Half Tasman
Resene Half Tasman
Resene White
Resene White
Resene Code Red
Resene Code Red
   
November 2018

Q. We are unsure what colour to paint our lounge, kitchen and dining room. It is 11x6m so a very large space. The joinery is black and the view from the large windows and ranch slider is mostly trees (green space). I liked Resene Half Thorndon Cream but I am worried it’s going to intensify in a large space and be too white. An alternative colour is Resene Eighth Friar Grey but this may be too cold. Also, what colour should I then do the kitchen cabinets in? The bench is whitish; the grain in it suits Resene Quarter Truffle.

A. Colours in an interior intensify - they look deeper or more 'coloured'. I don't think Resene Half Thorndon Cream will look lighter/whiter, it is more likely to look like the full strength colour on all the window walls where there is a lot of shadow and may only look half strength on walls that get all day sun on them.

I always recommend that colours for the kitchen cabinets, bench tops, drapes and blinds and flooring be chosen prior to choosing a wall colour, so you have total freedom of choice. It can be less than satisfactory if you are forced to compromise and not be able to get what you want in order to work well with a wall paint colour if you have chosen that first.

Resene Eighth Friar Grey will look deeper - more like Resene Quarter Friar Grey - and if seen in shadow may appear greyer also. Is Resene Eighth Friar Grey a possibility for the kitchen cabinets? Or might it be the type of colour that would look better as flooring?

Resene Half Thorndon Cream
Resene Half
Thorndon Cream
Resene Eighth Friar Grey
Resene Eighth Friar Grey
Resene Quarter Truffle
Resene Quarter Truffle
Resene Quarter Friar Grey
Resene Quarter Friar Grey
November 2018

Q. We have painted our ensuite in Resene Half Tuna which looks great. We now want to paint our large bedroom, which gets a lot of natural light. We’re not sure whether to go for a dark, deep blue or something like Resene Seachange. Could you please provide some ideas? We're open to any colour (except brown or pink) and we're not adverse to bold colours. I look forward to hearing what you think would complement the Resene Half Tuna ensuite.

A. You have plenty of options. It really depends upon the 'big picture' - what mood or ambiance do you want to create in the bedroom. Soft toned pastel colours for a restful look - Resene Duck Egg Blue, Resene Slipstream or Resene Remember Me.

Or soft mid toned colours with a bit more depth - Resene Unwind, Resene Liberty or Resene Seachange. Or - radically - a continuation of Resene Half Tuna - perhaps as a feature wall only, with a cool white on the other walls - Resene Poured Milk. This option allows you to use bolder bright colours as duvets, drapes, artwork and other accessories to jazz up the space.

Think carefully about the look and mood you want to achieve - the nice thing to know is that Resene Half Tuna works well with any of the colours suggested, and a lot of others also. Have you checked out the new The Range fashion colours fandeck to see what's new? There are lots of inspirational colours.

Resene Half Tuna
Resene Half Tuna
Resene Seachange
Resene Seachange
Resene Duck Egg Blue
Resene Duck Egg Blue
Resene Unwind
Resene Unwind
November 2018

Q. Our house is currently Resene Tea but I am going to paint after renovations. I'm keen to start the kitchen now but I am unsure what colour to use. The cabinets are similar to Resene Tea also. I don't really like white but will go neutral as I will carry the colour throughout the house. The kitchen gets the morning sun only and the floor I'm hoping is matai that I can polish.

A. If the kitchen only gets early morning sun and has a lot of shadow for the rest of the day, I would recommend you consider a light warm colour. Whatever colour is chosen for the kitchen will look radically different in other rooms of the house depending upon how large they are and what sunlight they receive. It may suit or it may not - the same colour in a different room is a different colour.

But if you were to concentrate firstly on the kitchen, then the following colours may appeal to you - Resene Bianca, Resene Quarter Spanish White or Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream.

You may find by using the same colour, it is too light in a brighter or larger room. All of the colours suggested, have deeper versions available which might suit better. It is all about carefully testing the colours to see how they look in a different space.

Resene Tea
Resene Tea
Resene Bianca
Resene Bianca
Resene Quarter Spanish White
Resene Quarter
Spanish White
Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream
Resene Quarter
Thorndon Cream
November 2018

Q. We have been renovating our home and we have stained the cladding Resene Crowshead. The existing roof colour is a terrible green. Would Resene Grey Friars roof paint work well with Resene Crowshead stain with oiled cedar windows? Or would Resene Ironsand be better? I'm concerned our roof is very dominant - and with too dark a roof colour, this might make it even more overpowering?

A. A dark roof and a dark stain could make a very overpowering colour scheme. But if you consider what your other options are, you can see what choices you have: Pale colour - pale green, pale grey, light brown, pale blue, or dark colour - dark greys, dark brown, deep blue, or contrast colour - red oxide, mid gold ochre, cream.

Resene Grey Friars is a smart looking charcoal with a distinctly steel blue undertone. Resene Grey Friars is used a lot - it is very popular in urban settings. Resene Ironsand is an olive/brown based charcoal. Resene Ironsand is an earthy option - it is often used if the overall effect is for a rural ambiance.

Other options from the roof chart that are not quite as dark toned - Resene Karaka, Resene Windswept or Resene Squall. A warm toned grey might be considered, such as Resene Eighth Bokara Grey, Resene Half Gravel or Resene Half Masala.

If you plan on keeping the cedar joinery oiled, please keep the surface topped up very regularly as oil alone - though it looks nice - can allow the sun's rays to penetrate into the wood and fading can occur.

Resene Woodsman Crowshead
Resene Crowshead
Resene Grey Friars
Resene Grey Friars
Resene Ironsand
Resene Ironsand
Resene Karaka
Resene Karaka
Resene Windswept
Resene Windswept
Resene Squall
Resene Squall
Resene Half Gravel
Resene Half Gravel
Resene Half Masala
Resene Half Masala
   
November 2018

Q. I am looking to paint over existing wallpaper to lighten the house. Our current door/skirting colour is Resene Half Tea and the ceiling Resene Quarter Tea. The carpet will be changed from beige to a dark Domino Smartstrand. To keep costs down I'd like the doors and skirtings the same colour but am unsure if Resene Quarter Tea on the walls and something like Resene Alabaster for the ceiling would be okay, or would you suggest something else?

A. Using Resene Alabaster on the ceiling will definitely lift and lighten the rooms. Painting the skirting and doors the same colour as the walls, is a very tidy and simple look. If you kept the current door and skirting colour and just painted the wallpaper - Resene Half Tea - it may make the rooms light enough.

Resene Quarter Tea for walls and all woodwork is a much lighter beige colour and used with very dark carpet and the Resene Alabaster ceiling, the look would create a lot of light/dark contrast.

If you wanted to completely change from the Resene Tea palette and to re-do both the walls and all the woodwork trims and doors in a less beige colour, you could look at one of these colours - Resene Half Truffle or Resene Half Cloud.

Resene Half Tea
Resene Half Tea
Resene Quarter Tea
Resene Quarter Tea
Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
Resene Half Truffle
Resene Half Truffle
Resene Half Cloud
Resene Half Cloud
November 2018

Q. We need to select ‘earthy’ tones for our late 1800s cottage. I am struggling to find these and a list we can choose from that will not get rejected by the council.

A. If they want you to stay within the approved Heritage colours, then perhaps the following colours may be ok - by them and by you – roof in Resene Burnt Umber, main in Resene Buff, trims and windows in Resene Merino and doors in Resene Ivy Green, or roof in Resene Nelson Red, main in Resene Colonial White, trims and windows in Resene Twine and doors in Resene Dark Crimson, or roof in Resene Scrub, main in Resene Merino, trims and windows in Resene Slate Brown and doors in Resene Burnt Umber.

I hope these suggestions from the Resene Heritage colour chart are ok. If not, then it may pay to ask the Council exactly what the criteria is and for them to give you specific information for heritage properties and perhaps you might get back in touch with us.

Resene Burnt Umber
Resene Burnt Umber
Resene Buff
Resene Buff
Resene Merino
Resene Merino
Resene Ivy Green
Resene Ivy Green
Resene Nelson Red
Resene Nelson Red
Resene Colonial White
Resene Colonial White
Resene Twine
Resene Twine
Resene Dark Crimson
Resene Dark Crimson
Resene Scrub
Resene Scrub
Resene Merino
Resene Merino
Resene Slate Brown
Resene Slate Brown
Resene Burnt Umber
Resene Burnt Umber
November 2018

Q. We are building a new house with a COLORSTEEL® roof and joinery in FlaxPod. The cladding is LINEA® board and we are after some advice on what colours would complement the roof.

We are leaning towards the colour range of the Resene Black White or Resene Sea Fog family. But we would love a warm looking version of white that's not too yellow/green/muddy looking or too stark.

A. You might check out these colours to see if they appeal to you - Resene Double Sea Fog, Resene Merino, Resene Half Titania, Resene Black Haze, Resene Barely There or Resene Eighth Ash.

Resene Black White
Resene Black White
Resene Sea Fog
Resene Sea Fog
Resene Double Sea Fog
Resene Double Sea Fog
Resene Merino
Resene Merino
Resene Half Titania
Resene Half Titania
Resene Black Haze
Resene Black Haze
Resene Barely There
Resene Barely There
Resene Eighth Ash
Resene Eighth Ash
November 2018

Q. I have a 1970s white brick home unit with a light grey roof and new Karaka fascia. Could you please suggest a neutral colour for the eaves and porch? Also a colour for the single garage door, which is included in the main building - should I use Karaka? I think I would prefer a lighter colour.

A. It would be practical to do the garage door the same as the fascia - otherwise the fascia would be 'odd man out'. But the eaves and the porch could be lighter and perhaps one of these might appeal to you - Resene Quarter Karaka, Resene Cobblestone and Resene Quarter Gravel.

Resene Quarter Karaka
Resene Quarter Karaka
Resene Cobblestone
Resene Cobblestone
Resene Quarter Gravel
Resene Quarter Gravel
November 2018

Q. What colours would suit my open plan lounge/kitchen? It is in a 1920s villa with a high ceiling with blue-grey flooring and a blue and cream kitchen. It has poor natural light, mostly south and needs warmth and light!

A. You might look at the following colours to see if they appeal to you - Resene Double Bianca, Resene Orchid White, Resene Eighth Parchment, Resene Half Spanish White or Resene Gin Fizz. They are all warm and light.

Resene Double Bianca
Resene Double Bianca
Resene Orchid White
Resene Orchid White
Resene Eighth Parchment
Resene Eighth Parchment
Resene Half Spanish White
Resene Half Spanish White
Resene Gin Fizz
Resene Gin Fizz
November 2018

Q. I’m after colour advice for our beach home. The front of the house and the rear is plaster finished and the sides (lighter colour) are vertical cedar. The roof is Resene Half Desert Sand and the joinery is Resene Desert Sand. We would like a lighter colour for the plaster and are thinking Resene Quarter Akaroa or Resene Half Akaroa, and for the cedar I’m a little bit unsure. I am looking at Resene Stonewashed, although it might be a little too brownish or the Resene Napa range or perhaps Resene Half Masala (too dark perhaps?). The garage door, fence, deck railings and pergola out front could be Resene Ironsand.

A. You might check out the following colours for the plastered surfaces. They carry a wee bit more yellow/tan undertones like the Resene Desert Sand does, and then you might compare them to the Resene Akaroa colours you have mentioned to see if they are appealing - Resene Half Parchment or Resene Half Sisal.

For the cedar, one of these might suit you - Resene Gargoyle or Resene Artisan or a deeper shade - Resene Tobacco Brown.

The garage door, fences, deck railings and pergola could be Resene Ironsand if you wanted a really dark colour, or a softer toned and slightly more complex colour like Resene Double Masala or lighter - Resene Double Pravda.

Resene Desert Sand
Resene Desert Sand
Resene Quarter Akaroa
Resene Quarter Akaroa
Resene Half Akaroa
Resene Half Akaroa
Resene Stonewashed
Resene Stonewashed
Resene Half Masala
Resene Half Masala
Resene Ironsand
Resene Ironsand
Resene Half Parchment
Resene Half Parchment
Resene Half Sisal
Resene Half Sisal
Resene Gargoyle
Resene Gargoyle
Resene Tobacco Brown
Resene Tobacco Brown
Resene Double Masala
Resene Double Masala
Resene Double Pravda
Resene Double Pravda
     
November 2018

Q. I've been trying out colours on our walls but have not been successful so far. I want a white or very soft green that is a warm yellow-green. The closest I have come is your colour Resene Frost - it was still too dark for me though. Would I be likely to have success with that colour mixed by your team with more white?

A. You could check out Resene Willowbrook or Resene Lime White. But these ones (and Resene Frost) may be able to be made as a half tone for you. Please inquire with the staff at your nearest Resene ColorShop.

Resene Frost
Resene Frost
Resene Willow Brook
Resene Willow Brook
Resene Lime White
Resene Lime White
November 2018

Q. We have Resene Forget Me Not which is a creamy colour and have Resene Moleskin on the window sills - exterior. The Resene Moleskin looks pinky, what would an alternative be?

A. Resene Forget Me Not is a sweet peachy-pink toned cream. You might check out the following colours to see if they appeal to you - Resene Just Dance, Resene Shabby Chic, Resene Santa Fe and Resene Kalgoorie Sands or as a complete contrast for the window sills - Resene Green Meets Blue or Resene Liberty.

Resene Forget Me Not
Resene Forget Me Not
Resene Moleskin
Resene Moleskin
Resene Kalgoorie Sands
Resene Kalgoorie Sands
Resene Green Meets Blue
Resene Green Meets Blue
November 2018

Q. We need to paint the exterior of our house. It is currently a salmon, almost pinkish colour. I am having trouble choosing a colour that will suit the roof tiles, white aluminium joinery and stained fence. The house is going to be for sale soon, so we want something eye catching but still natural.

A. You might consider one of these warm grey/beiges and grey/greens as they can look very appealing with the roof, the white joinery, garage door and the fences - Resene Cloudy, Resene Quarter Friar Grey, Resene Half Delta or Resene Triple Duck Egg Blue.

Resene Cloudy
Resene Cloudy
Resene Quarter Friar Grey
Resene Quarter Friar Grey
Resene Half Delta
Resene Half Delta
November 2018

Q. We plan to paint the Hardiplank® exterior of our two storey beach house that has quite a nautical look to it. The two levels are separated with walk around dark stained decks and 'creamy' tiles. Currently the lower level is painted Resene Spanish White, and the upper level is similar to Resene Polo Blue (we didn't paint it). We want to keep the Resene Spanish White as it matches the garage door and joinery, but want to go to a dark blue for the upstairs. I'm fond of Resene Billabong, love Resene St Kilda but I'm afraid of it, and Resene Cello is the safe option. Do you think Resene Billabong is suitable? Or should I go for a light colour? I don't want the house to look like ‘toy-ish’. There is a sun room visible from the decks, which is painted in the same exterior colour. I would like to paint this in a different colour to make it pop and would love your ideas. The furniture is mostly neutrals (whites, browns). We're going for a tropical look.

A. The blues you mention are bold. They may fade back also. Does that worry you at all? If not then it is all good.

I have found a few alternative blues for you to check out and compare them to the ones you have already found - Resene Spinnaker, Resene Wanaka, Resene Blumine or Resene Navigate.

They are slightly softer toned but very coastal inspired. They are not at all 'toy-ish' but they look lovely with Resene Spanish White. I am not 100% certain about making the sunroom a different colour. What you could do, is paint everything else first and think about how a stronger blue looks compared to the lighter blue you have now, and defer painting the sunroom until you get a better idea of how the colour change looks over all. I suspect you will be happy and want the sunroom to be the same as the main upper storey colour.

You could always paint some wooden Cape Cod deck chairs in some bold colours and place them on the deck near the sunroom, so they add a bit of sizzle and oomph. You could use colours like Resene Kryptonite, Resene Smitten and Resene She’ll Be Right - they are very tropical colours.

Resene Spanish White
Resene Spanish White
Resene Polo Blue
Resene Polo Blue
Resene Billabong
Resene Billabong
Resene St Kilda
Resene St Kilda
Resene Cello
Resene Cello
Resene Spinnaker
Resene Spinnaker
Resene Wanaka
Resene Wanaka
Resene Blumine
Resene Blumine
Resene Navigate
Resene Navigate
 
Resene Smitten
Resene Smitten
Resene She’ll Be Right
Resene She’ll Be Right
     
November 2018

Q. We're repainting the interior of our house, from strong jewel teals to a lighter, muted colour. We have sea views, big windows and our joinery is Resene Stromboli. I like Resene Breeze but what I'm really after, is the equivalent in blue tones without too much grey.

A. Some bluer colours to check out might be like these ones - Resene Cut Glass, Resene Half Escape, Resene Mystery or Resene Onahau, and one that is a little greener and looks lovely with the window joinery - Resene Half Opal.

I would be inclined to test Resene Breeze again, on a separate piece of large A2 card (available from Resene ColorShops) using all of the testpot and leaving an unpainted border around the edge, as it does look really nice with your window joinery and you may change how you feel about it once it is tested in this way.

All colours seen in an interior have the potential to look brighter or deeper than you might expect them to do. They often double in intensity, depending upon the aspect (N/S/E/W light) and the spatial dimensions of a room.

Resene Stromboli
Resene Stromboli
Resene Breeze
Resene Breeze
Resene Cut Glass
Resene Cut Glass
Resene Half Escape
Resene Half Escape
Resene Onahau
Resene Onahau
Resene Half Opal
Resene Half Opal
   
November 2018

Q. We are painting the exterior of our house and we want to go for a true grey (not brown/grey or blue/grey). We have a mixed cladding of mainly plaster with weatherboard. We have white aluminium joinery, which we really want to pop. We are looking at Resene Triple Stack for the weatherboard or would Resene Half Stack or Resene Kensington Grey be better for the plaster? Or would something else entirely be better? Our roof is COLORSTEEL® Sandstone Grey.

A. If you did use the deeper version of Resene Stack - Resene Triple Stack - and Resene Half Stack, they would look really nice together and are related. Is the garage door Sandstone Grey as well as the roof and guttering? Because it is a warm grey (stony I call it) you could also consider using these greys - Resene Gunsmoke and Resene Half Atmosphere.

Resene Triple Stack
Resene Triple Stack
Resene Half Stack
Resene Half Stack
Resene Kensington Grey
Resene Kensington Grey
Resene Gunsmoke
Resene Gunsmoke
Resene Half Atmosphere
Resene Half Atmosphere
November 2018

Q. We are looking to repaint the weatherboards of our house. The windows are Ironsand and the brick is Aztec Silver. We don’t like the existing colour and would prefer a grey tone. What colours would you suggest to tie the colours together better?

A. Ironsand is an olive/brown based charcoal and the bricks - Aztec Silver - are warmed with yellow ochre. I think it may be easier to co-ordinate with the Ironsand. If you were to look for a grey to paint the weatherboards, you may need to look at warmer greys in order to tie all the elements on the house together.

Perhaps one of these greys might be considered - Resene Grey Area, Resene Archive Grey, Resene Half Gauntlet or a paler colour because it harmonises better with the bricks, such as Resene Half Atmosphere.

Resene Archive Grey
Resene Archive Grey
Resene Half Gauntlet
Resene Half Gauntlet
Resene Half Atmosphere
Resene Half Atmosphere
November 2018

Q. I have a corrugated iron shed/garage, converted into a home. The colour on it at present is a deep blue grey colour, which is also used around the windows. There are two large ranchsliders, facing a private wooden/bush scrub fence which is unpainted. I need help in deciding a colour for the shed and unpainted wooden fence. There are three tall palms outside the shed. I would love a dark colour with eye popping orange around the windows. The outside fence, lining the drive is unpainted as well. I like subdued greens for the fence, Resene Coriander maybe?

A. Some options for you to consider - Resene Twilight Zone – main, Resene Clockwork Orange - windows and Resene Green Smoke – fence.

Or for a softer look - Resene Quarter Bokara Grey – main, Resene Energise – windows and Resene Coriander – fence.

  Resene Clockwork Orange
Resene Clockwork Orange
Resene Green Smoke
Resene Green Smoke
Resene Quarter Bokara Grey
Resene Quarter
Bokara Grey
Resene Energise
Resene Energise
Resene Coriander
Resene Coriander
November 2018

Q. I'm looking to get some colour advice on two houses next to each other. One a 1970s brick house, the other a 1920s concrete house.

House one - I'm trying to modernise and freshen. This house's window frames are going to be changed to a mid-bronze frame to match the second floor bricks. Some windows have already changed to this colour. The stained yellow glass with be removed to clear mistlite glass. The roof colour is Ironsand as will be the garage.

House two - Is a heritage house that has lost a bit of its character as the windows are now aluminium and the roof Decramastic. I'm hoping to bring back some of this heritage charm, but also have it blend in with the house behind but not the exact some colours. The roof colour will be changed to Ironsand and I'm looking to remove the front stair tiles back to concrete and paint and add railings.

A. For the first house you could try Resene Quarter Stonehenge and Resene White Pointer. For the second house you could try Resene Quarter White Pointer, Resene Eighth Ironsand and Resene Artemis. The colours link and co-ordinate but each house has its own personality.

Resene Quarter Stonehenge
Resene Quarter Stonehenge
Resene White Pointer
Resene White Pointer
Resene Quarter White Pointer
Resene Quarter
White Pointer
November 2018

Q. I have a small bathroom, which is reasonably dark. The walls will be Resene Geneva and the toilet, basin and bath are all white. The ceiling was Resene Alabaster but was too cream to work with Resene Geneva. Would silver be better for the ceiling?

A. If you want a definite warm grey/beige influenced white for the ceiling, Resene Whiteout may work for you. But if you wanted a cooler white you might look at one of these - Resene Half Athens Grey, Resene Poured White or Resene Black White.

The combination of a reasonably dim bathroom and the walls being a very clear, bright green Resene Geneva may alter how any colours are seen.

Resene Geneva
Resene Geneva
Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
Resene Whiteout
Resene Whiteout
Resene Half Athens Grey
Resene Half Athens Grey
Resene Black White
Resene Black White
 
November 2018

Q. I’m painting my house with Resene Double Stack and a contrast tower colour of Resene Quarter Silver Chalice. I have a small section and I want a bright contrast colour to these two. My house is Mexican design so what contrast would suit?

A. Some of these gorgeous bright colours provide a wonderful contrast to the greys - Resene I Dare You, Resene Daredevil, Resene Yowza, Resene Jalapeno or Resene Pink Ribbon.

Resene Double Stack
Resene Double Stack
Resene Quarter Silver Chalice
Resene Quarter
Silver Chalice
Resene Daredevil
Resene Daredevil
Resene Jalapeno
Resene Jalapeno
November 2018

Q. We are about to start building a beachside house. The cladding is going to be Titania, with natural cedar. Would you have suggestions for the interior please? The kitchen is going to have a wooden front on the breakfast bar, stainless steel and white bench top - nothing else decided. Floors are going to be wood - light to med colour. We aren't afraid of colour, but envisage something beachy which will be a contrast to our country home with rich earthy colours.

A. The following are palettes of colours that may appeal to you:
Palette #1 - Resene Quarter Titania - a subtle coloured white that relates to the exterior Titania, Resene Unwind - restful and watery - nice for a bedroom, Resene Fast Forward - a feature wall perhaps and Resene Quarter Baltic Sea - a restful light absorbing colour for any overly bright room.

Or Palette #2 - Resene Merino - a very versatile coloured neutral, Resene Eighth Black White - a crisp white that will accentuate any other colour, Resene Half Dusted Blue - watery grey/blue and Resene Artemis - gentle and restful greyed green/blue.

Resene Quarter Titania
Resene Quarter Titania
Resene Unwind
Resene Unwind
Resene Quarter Baltic Sea
Resene Quarter Baltic Sea
Resene Merino
Resene Merino
Resene Eighth Black White
Resene Eighth Black White
Resene Half Dusted Blue
Resene Half Dusted Blue
November 2018

Q. I have been trying to decide on colours to paint a hall. We would like to keep the colours fairly neutral. The hall was built in the 1880s. We also have to think about the location as the hall is located in the country and on very dusty roads. We were thinking a light colour on the windows like Resene Half Merino, with neutral walls, and also a Resene Non-Skid Deck & Path paint colour.

We are also going to be getting shade sails which will be red, yellow, green and blue to coordinate with the colours in the playground.

A. I have given you a range of colours to look at for your hall, all with the ‘dusty roads’ in mind. These colours all have slightly different undertones, some are warm and some are greyer - Resene Thorndon Cream, Resene Parchment, Resene Half Truffle, Resene Half Tea or Resene Half Ash.

You can pair any of these colours with a white for the window, I recommend using Resene Black White.

As for your non-skid paving paint, have a look at the Resene Decks, paths, driveways and recreational areas chart. You may decide to match it to one of the playground colours (or sail colours), or choose a neutral colour. This will depend on where the paving paint is going, and if anyone will ever walk with bare feet, because the lighter colours are cooler.

Resene Half Merino
Resene Half Merino
Resene Thorndon Cream
Resene Thorndon Cream
Resene Parchment
Resene Parchment
Resene Half Truffle
Resene Half Truffle
Resene Half Tea
Resene Half Tea
Resene Half Ash
Resene Half Ash
Resene Black White
Resene Black White
 
November 2018

Q. I need to choose exterior colours for our new home. I need two colours, one light colour for the weatherboard and one dark colour for the Stria board. Our window frames/joinery and garage door are already installed and are Resene Titania and our roof is Resene Slate.

I want grey/white/neutral colours but something that will really stand out and look good. Some colours we already like are Resene Athens Grey, Resene Tuna, Resene Half Tuna and Resene Silver Chalice.

A. Do you want the greys to look good with the warm yellow/grey of the Titania joinery, or do you not mind if they don't?

If you would like the Titania and the greys to look harmonious you could check out these colours - Resene Half Foggy Grey (weatherboards) and Resene Double Friar Grey (Stria cladding), or Resene Merino (weatherboards) and Resene Grey Area (Stria cladding).

If you want a very dark colour for the Stria board (a blacker colour) you could consider Resene Suits, Resene Baltic Sea or Resene Zeus.

Resene Titania
Resene Titania
Resene Athens Grey
Resene Athens Grey
Resene Tuna
Resene Tuna
Resene Half Tuna
Resene Half Tuna
Resene Silver Chalice
Resene Silver Chalice
Resene HalfFoggy Grey
Resene Half Foggy Grey
Resene Double Friar Grey
Resene Double Friar Grey
Resene Merino
Resene Merino
Resene Baltic Sea
Resene Baltic Sea
Resene Zeus
Resene Zeus
November 2018

Q. We have just replaced our garden shed with a new rough sawn board and batten one. I'm wondering what colours to use? I like the idea of black but I don't want it to look like a box. Our house is grey brick, with Resene Rice Cake on the timber and Grey Friars on the roof and trims. The garage, workshop and tiny house are Resene Napa with Grey Friars roof and trims. I want the garden shed to be different from the other buildings as it stands alone. We live on a rural property.

I thought perhaps these colours Resene Blackjack, Resene Nocturnal, Resene Double Cape Cod and Resene Foundry. Do I go totally one dark colour or paint the double doors another colour? I tried Resene Double Napa, Resene Half Grey Friars and Resene Gravel but I’m getting confused now. I didn't like Resene Double Napa or Resene Half Grey Friars.

A. It could be striking to paint the doors a different colour - otherwise it is a total block of one colour and may be a bit grim.

Perhaps you could check out this combination - Resene Twilight Zone - main colour, Resene Influential – doors, or this combination - Resene Porter - main colour and Resene Triple Rice Cake – doors, or even this one - Resene Double Cod Grey - main colour and Resene Triple Napa.

There is a slight nod in the way of acknowledgement to the other colours you have used but overall the palettes are unique - very stand alone.

Using such very dark main colours may cause the knots in the planks to pop out and the battens to move when the sun heats up the dark paint work. Please think about this carefully - using Resene CoolColour™ versions of the colour, may minimise the heat related problems that can occur but it could still be an issue.

Resene Rice Cake
Resene Rice Cake
Resene Napa
Resene Napa
Resene Blackjack
Resene Blackjack
Resene Nocturnal
Resene Nocturnal
Resene Foundry
Resene Foundry
Resene Gravel
Resene Gravel
       
Resene Double Napa
Resene Double Napa
Resene Half Grey Friars
Resene Half Grey Friars
Resene Triple Rice Cake
Resene Triple Rice Cake
Resene Double Cod Grey
Resene Double Cod Grey
Resene Triple Napa
Resene Triple Napa
November 2018

Q. We have Kaikoura reef carpet and the bedrooms have timber beams coming down. Do you think Resene Inside Back would be a good colour match? Also considering Resene Coast and Resene Clouded Blue for the other bedrooms. I'm looking for moody blue or green colours to match the grey/white carpet. Not sure if it could be too dark.

A. The wooden ceiling beams do add a bit of depth to rooms. Colours in an interior can appear much deeper (often looking double the depth you might imagine they will do) so it is really important to carefully test them. If you paint all of the testpot (two coats) onto super large A2 card (available from Resene ColorShops) it will help you a lot.

If you really like Resene Inside Back but find it a little too deep you might check out Resene Half Inside Back. Some other moody colours are Resene Excalibur, Resene Safehaven or Resene Half Dusted Blue, Resene Robin Egg Blue or Resene Triple Duck Egg Blue.

Resene Inside Back
Resene Inside Back
Resene Coast
Resene Coast
Resene Clouded Blue
Resene Clouded Blue
Resene Half Inside Back
Resene Half Inside Back
Resene Half Dusted Blue
Resene Half Dusted Blue
Resene Robin Egg Blue
Resene Robin Egg Blue
   
November 2018

Q. I am getting rid of the scruffy wallpaper in my bedroom and wish to paint the walls and ceilings. The bedroom is south east facing (some good early morning sun) and has rimu window frames and skirting boards. Do you have any suggestions for wall and ceiling colours please?

A. South-east facing rooms can look a bit cool when the sun moves and leaves shadows on the walls. You might check out the following warm colours to see if they appeal to you – Resene Quarter Biscotti, Resene Despacito, Resene Solitaire or Resene Half Spanish White.

If you use a warm flush of white for the ceiling it would look softer than a stark white – Resene Half Bianca or Resene Half Orchid White.

Resene Quarter Biscotti
Resene Quarter Biscotti
Resene Solitaire
Resene Solitaire
Resene Half Bianca
Resene Half Bianca
Resene Half Orchid White
Resene Half Orchid White
November 2018

Q. We are building our new home now. The internal walls have already been painted in Resene Triple Sea Fog, all the trim in Resene Double Alabaster, the kitchen cabinet is in Resene Sea Fog. We need to choose the colour for the glass splashback of the kitchen. Can you recommend a colour two shade darker than Resene Triple Sea Fog in a similar range? Do you think the idea will look good and compatible, or any other suggestion?

A. A tonally related colour is a soft feature statement which is harmonious rather than a definite contrasting hue which draws a lot of attention. This could be exciting but it may also present a problem when you decide you don't like the colour as much as you thought you would do.

You might look at either of these colours – Resene Foggy Grey or Resene Half Foggy Grey.

There are two types of glass used for splashbacks but only one is totally clear and shows any colour that is behind it absolutely true to reality. It is called crystal clear low iron oxide glass. The other type - standard float glass - has a greenish cast to it and makes the colours seen behind it look unlike what they are truly like - this can be upsetting if you aren't aware of this.

Resene Triple Sea Fog
Resene Triple Sea Fog
Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Sea Fog
Resene Sea Fog
Resene Foggy Grey
Resene Foggy Grey
Resene HalfFoggy Grey
Resene Half Foggy Grey
November 2018

Q. Our house will be painted in Resene Tana with Resene Black White trim. We have a terracotta roof and the spouting is Grey Friars. We need to pick a colour for our garage door and are struggling. We are thinking a dark grey would be appropriate but would love some help with options to consider.

A. The first (and possibly the most appropriate) option is to have the garage door Grey Friars. This will tie in the spouting so it isn't a 'random' charcoal with no friends.

If you were painting the garage door (not getting a metal COLORSTEEL® powder coated one) you could paint a lighter variant of Grey Friars - i.e. Resene Half Grey Friars or if you would prefer a much deeper charcoal you could look at using Resene Double Cod Grey.

Resene Tana
Resene Tana
Resene Black White
Resene Black White
Resene Half Grey Friars
Resene Half Grey Friars
Resene Double Cod Grey
Resene Double Cod Grey
November 2018

Q. My tiny build has been specified Resene All Black with parts of it Resene Clockwork Orange. I'm definitely keen on the black, but wanting other options for the orange, any help would be much appreciated.

A. A strong yellow might work - Resene I Dare You, a very bitter edged green - Resene Untamed, or an earthy orange/brown – Resene Sunbaked.

Resene All Black
Resene All Black
Resene Clockwork Orange
Resene Clockwork Orange
November 2018

Q. I am painting my cottage/villa. I have seen some beautiful, almost luminous fresh whites on villas in Herne Bay and would like know what these latest colours are please?

A. The most luminous fresh white is - and always has been - real white - Resene White. But the whites that are favoured at this point in time are the following - Resene Black White (and all of the lighter variants of this colour), Resene Alabaster (and all of the lighter variants of this colour), Resene Half Rice Cake (and all of the lighter variants of this colour) or a cooler white – Resene Poured Milk.

Sometimes when in doubt you can boldly knock on the door of a particularly wonderful looking house to tell the owners how much you admire their house and ask which white they have used.

Resene White
Resene White
Resene Black White
Resene Black White
Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
Resene Half Rice Cake
Resene Half Rice Cake
November 2018

Q. I want to paint the inside walls of our house a fresh white but don’t want it to clash with the ceiling. We have been recommended Resene Wan White for the ceiling but I think it might be too creamy. Would Resene Black White be better for the ceiling? And a slightly darker colour for the walls? Any advice would be appreciated. Our exterior colours are Resene Grey Friars and Resene Stack. I am also keen to do something like Resene Beryl Green or Resene Peace in the bathroom/laundry.

A. If you want to have a fresh white for the walls you may need to go to a very 'white/light' colour on the ceiling rather than a full strength greyed white like Resene Black White. You could look at using Resene Eighth Black White or Resene Quarter Alabaster. Using one of these colours for the ceilings allows you to use one of the following whites for the walls – Resene Double Alabaster (this is less grey toned than full strength Resene Black White) or Resene Half Black White (lighter and less grey toned than full strength Resene Black White).

These whites would look really lovely with Resene Beryl Green or the much deeper toned Resene Peace.

All colours appear stronger in depth in an interior and because of the way the light falls away from the ceiling (which makes even real Resene White look slightly greyer) so it is important to test colours before making a decision.

If you paint up a large sample of the ceiling colour onto an A2 card (available from Resene ColorShops) and leave a border around the perimeter of the card unpainted it will help you see what undertones of colour there are in the 'coloured' white compared to the white card. Tape it to the ceiling and check out how changing light during the day and at night alters how colours are seen. The same procedure should be followed for wall colours. Each wall will show the colour in a different way.

Resene Wan White
Resene Wan White
Resene Black White
Resene Black White
Resene Eighth Black White
Resene Eighth Black White
Resene Quarter Alabaster
Resene Quarter Alabaster
Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Grey Friars
Resene Grey Friars
Resene Stack
Resene Stack
Resene Beryl Green
Resene Beryl Green
Resene White
Resene White
 
November 2018

Q. I am wondering if you could please advise which powder coat colour is closest to Resene Black White. We are renovating our house and most of the windows are timber, so we will be painting the frames with Resene Black White, however a few of the windows will be aluminium and therefore powder coated.

A. It is actually easier to choose a powder coat white and then ask for the Resene paint colour to match it for the wooden windows as Resene has created Resene versions of powder coat colours.

There isn't a perfect match in powder coat to look the same as Resene Black White. The closest - and it isn't a match unfortunately - might be Pearl White. Powder coat finishes are often a semi-gloss. So the painted windows might be a semi-gloss finish as well.

Resene Black White
Resene Black White
November 2018

Q. We have a 20 year old Mediterranean style house on the hills, and need to choose an exterior house colour for the Rockcote system being used to re-plaster the house. The existing roof is a Monier concrete terracotta, the existing spouting is COLORSTEEL® New Denim Blue, and the new windows will be Matt Titania. I am leaning towards either Resene Foggy Grey or Resene Truffle. Can you please offer me your opinion on the best exterior colour if I want something in the grey-beige range?

A. Resene Foggy Grey or Resene Half Taupe Grey look good with Titania. A deeper variant of Resene Truffle - Resene Double Truffle is ok as well. A lot of the lighter grey/beige colours (like Resene Truffle) may take on a warmer (pinker) tone when seen next to the yellow/grey/green Titania - so you do need to take this into account. Are you changing the spouting to Titania? Unless you have New Denim Blue on some other parts of the house it could look very isolated being the only blue grey on the exterior.

Resene Foggy Grey
Resene Foggy Grey
Resene Truffle
Resene Truffle
Resene Half Taupe Grey
Resene Half Taupe Grey
Resene Double Truffle
Resene Double Truffle
November 2018

Q. I'm after a great exterior shade to go with blue/grey joinery. I'd quite like a beige/grey, something lighter than what it currently is.

A. You might check out the following colours to see if they appeal to you – Resene Truffle, Resene Triple White Pointer, Resene Quarter Napa, Resene Eighth Pravda, Resene Eighth Friar Grey, or a cooler more grey colour - Resene Surrender.

Resene Truffle
Resene Truffle
Resene Triple White Pointer
Resene Triple White Pointer
Resene Quarter Napa
Resene Quarter Napa
Resene Eighth Pravda
Resene Eighth Pravda
Resene Eighth Friar Grey
Resene Eighth Friar Grey
Resene Surrender
Resene Surrender
November 2018

Q. I’m looking for a dark blue/green that I can use on my living room wall and in a lighter tone in my kitchen. It needs to work with oak floors and black joinery and brass accents. I have tried Resene Green Meets Blue but it’s too green.

A. Some options for you to try are: Resene Casal, Resene Streetwise, Resene Tarawera or Resene Fast Forward.

Resene ColorShops stock folders with A4 sizes of each of our colours and these are great to look at before deciding on your final colour. Ask one of our staff to show you the larger samples before purchasing a Resene testpot or paint.

Resene Green Meets Blue
Resene Green Meets Blue
Resene Casal
Resene Casal
Resene Tarawera
Resene Tarawera
November 2018

Q. We are painting our house. We have Grey Friars roof and garage doors. The windows are ThermalFrame and we have been told Resene Black White is the paint match so will paint that colour around the windows. We are unsure what to paint the weatherboards. Currently they look like Resene Quarter Silver Chalice. Would that look ok with the Resene Black White windows or too wishy-washy? Should we use Resene Half Silver Chalice for the boards instead? Just below the flashings and guttering, should we paint it to match the roof colour or maybe use Resene Half Grey Friars? The poles on the patio are currently lighter than Resene Grey Friars but darker than Resene Half Grey Friars, and are slightly blue. What do you suggest for them? There is a pergola above the front door. Would Resene Double Silver Chalice work there? The double garage on the right of the house is an Ideal garage colour Titania which will remain.

A. First things first - will you mind that the Titania garage is 'odd man out' and not at all related to the house? Just throwing this idea at you for consideration - had you considered - at all - using colours on the house that relate to the garage?

Perhaps Resene Bone White which is similar but deeper than the Titania garage? Or a deeper colour like Resene Taupe Grey. Either of these colours work well with Resene Black White and Grey Friars. The pergola by the front door and the poles on the patio could be a much paler version of Titania - i.e. Resene Half Titania. The Resene Black White might be used under the soffits and for the flashings and gutterings. This 'white' would make the roof look much darker by comparison. The front and back doors could be darker than the roof - i.e. Resene Double Cod Grey.

If you have your heart set on a warm pewter grey like Resene Double Silver Chalice it could look striking with Resene Black White and Grey Friars. The pergola, the posts on the patio and the under soffits could also be Resene Black White - this continuation adds crisp contrast when seen in close proximity to the Resene Double Silver Chalice. The flashings and gutterings could match the roof - Grey Friars - so the roof line edge blends in rather than pops out. The doors could still be Resene Double Cod Grey or a 'statement colour' - i.e. Resene Salsa.

Resene Black White
Resene Black White
Resene Quarter Silver Chalice
Resene Quarter
Silver Chalice
Resene Half Silver Chalice
Resene Half Silver Chalice
Resene Half Grey Friars
Resene Half Grey Friars
Resene Bone White
Resene Bone White
Resene Half Grey
Resene Taupe Grey
Resene Double Cod Grey
Resene Double Cod Grey
Resene Salsa
Resene Salsa
November 2018

Q. We have a house with rimu trim and doors with Almond aluminium windows. I think most of our rooms were painted in Resene Pearl Lusta. I am now wanting to freshen the place up and want to start in a bedroom to see how it goes.

The colour we have at the moment is a bit yellowy and want to whiten/neutralise it. I am looking at Resene Double Rice Cake. I want to have white furniture in this room and a white duvet cover so I need the walls to contrast with this as well. Also we have brown carpet. I don't want a colour darker than Resene Pearl Lusta. This bedroom is on the sunny side of the house with a large window.

A. Resene Double Rice Cake is earthier (with a tinge of green hiding in it) and a little bit deeper in tone than Resene Pearl Lusta.

Because of the brown carpet and the very definite pink/peach/beige colour of the Almond window joinery I would recommend that you look at one of the following colours to see if they appeal to you – Resene Eighth Fossil, Resene Half Albescent White, or a lighter variant – Resene Quarter Albescent White or Resene Eighth Biscotti.

Resene Pearl Lusta
Resene Pearl Lusta
Resene Double Rice Cake
Resene Double Rice Cake
Resene Eighth Fossil
Resene Eighth Fossil
Resene Half Albescent White
Resene Half
Albescent White
Resene Quarter Albescent White
Resene Quarter
Albescent White
Resene Eighth Biscotti
Resene Eighth Biscotti
November 2018

Q. We chose a Resene colour scheme 18 months ago and have had delays (architecture overruns!) and now have to finalise colours with the builder. We're at the top of a hill out in the country and want to blend into the background beside a stand of native bush. The roof, upper level and fascia are Resene Karaka - pitched roof rising to upper level - and lower level batten and board in Resene Half Arrowtown. The builder is suggesting soffits in Resene Double Black White but we feel that this will stand out against the background and sky. Our preference would be to continue with Resene Karaka - any thoughts?

A. There is no reason why you couldn’t continue to use the Resene Karaka for the soffit as well; it would give you a seamless look for the top half of the building. However, if you would like a slight tonal difference, try either Resene Gravel or Resene Half Gravel which have an earthy green undertone. These will sit nicely within the current scheme and complete the total effect.

I suggest you pop in to your local Resene ColorShop and ask our staff to show you A4 swatches of each of the colours so that you can determine whether or not this is a look you’re after.

Resene Karaka
Resene Karaka
Resene Half Arrowtown
Resene Half Arrowtown
Resene Double Black White
Resene Double Black White
Resene Gravel
Resene Gravel
Resene Half Gravel
Resene Half Gravel
November 2018

Q. We have a cedar home with what appears to be like COLORSTEEL® Rivergum. There are large areas of plaster which we thought would work well in Resene Palm Green but it doesn’t. The roof is COLORSTEEL® Gull Grey. We need to find a colour that we can use on the plaster areas (currently in green) that works with the other colours on the house.

A. I would either be making the plaster areas lighter or darker (neutrals), rather than a colour. Here are some options for you: Resene Quarter Tapa, Resene Quarter Silver Chalice, Resene Eighth Friar Grey, Resene Ironsand, Resene Zeus or Resene Squall.

I’ve chosen earthy undertones for each of these colours, to work with the cedar and all the greenery surrounding of your house. If I were going to put a colour on the house, it would have a blue undertone e.g. Resene Atomic, Resene Bluff or Resene Lynch. A green could still work; it just needs to be earthier, so greyer, less clean and bright kind of a colour.

Resene Palm Green
Resene Palm Green
Resene Quarter Tapa
Resene Quarter Tapa
Resene Quarter Silver Chalice
Resene Quarter
Silver Chalice
Resene Eighth Friar Grey
Resene Eighth Friar Grey
Resene Ironsand
Resene Ironsand
Resene Zeus
Resene Zeus
Resene Squall
Resene Squall
 
Resene Atomic
Resene Atomic
Resene Bluff
Resene Bluff
Resene Lynch
Resene Lynch
 
November 2018

Q. I've chosen Resene Ebony Clay for the steep pitched roof on my two storied home. I like Resene Iron and thought it would be suitable for the windows and glass doors but against the white walls there doesn't seem to be enough contrast. I'd appreciate you suggesting a slightly darker colour than Resene Iron.

A. If you like the blue undertone of Resene Iron, these colours may also be of interest to you: Resene Grey Chateau, Resene Double Concrete, Resene Surrender, Resene Midwinter Mist or Resene Breathless.

Resene Ebony Clay
Resene Ebony Clay
Resene Iron
Resene Iron
     
Resene Grey Chateau
Resene Grey Chateau
Resene Double Concrete
Resene Double Concrete
Resene Surrender
Resene Surrender
Resene Midwinter Mist
Resene Midwinter Mist
Resene Breathless
Resene Breathless
November 2018

Q. My son has a stucco finished house. We have replaced the aluminium sliding door with one in powder coated Ghost Grey.
We are about to replace the spouting/fascia and are thinking of using Grey Friars. We need a Resene wall paint to tie these two together, would you have any suggestions please? We haven’t confirmed the fascia/spouting as yet so this could change.

A. You haven't indicated what colour the roof is - is that Ghost Grey or Grey Friars? Or are you thinking of something else? If a decision has to be made, then I know that Grey Friars will look very nice and will be a 'friend' to the spouting and fascia colour. Linking colours is always a tidy way of working a colour palette.

A paler grey or a white will work well with the two greys you have mentioned - Resene Athens Grey, Resene Half Surrender or Resene Whiteout.
These greys have the same undertone of silver grey/blue that the Ghost Grey and the Grey Friars have in them - Resene Black White, Resene Alabaster, Resene Quarter Rice Cake or Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream.

The first two whites are cooler and the second two are slightly warmer - they will all work with the Ghost Grey and the Grey Friars. Whites create a crisp timeless look.

Some deeper colours for doors and other small trims that you might also check out - Resene Quarter Grey Friars (related to the greys you have mentioned) or Resene Smoulder (a rich red for a contrast).

Resene Athens Grey
Resene Athens Grey
Resene Half Surrender
Resene Half Surrender
Resene Whiteout
Resene Whiteout
Resene Black White
Resene Black White
Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
Resene Quarter Rice Cake
Resene Quarter
Rice Cake
Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream
Resene Eighth
Thorndon Cream
Resene Quarter Grey Friars
Resene Quarter Grey Friars
November 2018

Q. I was going to paint the whole of the interior in Resene White Pointer but it looked too grey. What would you suggest instead? It’s a small 1980s townhouse. I also need colour for kitchen cabinetry.

A. All colours in an interior have the definite potential to look twice the depth (or brightness depending upon the type of colour) that you might imagine they will do. Rooms that aren't blessed with masses of all day sun also make colours appear deeper. I think you may need to consider much paler colours.

The lightest version of Resene White Pointer - Resene Quarter White Pointer - may work and not look too grey.

Alternatively one of these colours might appeal to you - Resene Eighth Tea, Resene Half Barely There, Resene Black White or Resene Sea Fog.

Kitchen cabinetry can be Resene White or a definite colour.

If it is a definite colour, it has to work well with the existing colour of bench tops, flooring, splash backs, curtains and blinds. It might also need to be harmonious with other soft furnishings - especially if it is an open plan area and is seen from the dining room or lounge. A definite colour also has to be something that appeals to you a lot.

If you are testing colours, I recommend that you apply the whole testpot - two coats - to a large A2 card (available from Resene ColorShops).

Resene White Pointer
Resene White Pointer
Resene Quarter White Pointer
Resene Quarter
White Pointer
Resene Eighth Tea
Resene Eighth Tea
Resene Half Barely There
Resene Half Barely There
Resene Black White
Resene Black White
Resene Sea Fog
Resene Sea Fog
Resene White
Resene White
 
November 2018

Q. I've painted the exterior of a Shadowclad® building with Resene Navarone and I want to know what colour might suit the blockwork of roughly a metre high under the front of the building? It is currently painted white.

A. You might consider using a paler colour or a deeper colour.

One of these may appeal to you and work harmoniously with Resene Navarone - Resene Double Spanish White or lighter in tone - Resene Spanish White, Resene Double Parchment, Resene Artisan, Resene Tobacco Brown or Resene Millbrook.

Resene Navarone
Resene Navarone
Resene Double Spanish White
Resene Double
Spanish White
Resene Spanish White
Resene Spanish White
Resene Double Parchment
Resene Double Parchment
Resene Tobacco Brown
Resene Tobacco Brown
Resene Millbrook
Resene Millbrook
November 2018

Q. I was wondering what colour we should paint our weatherboard house. I am looking at repainting the whole outside including the roof.

A. You might check out the following colours to see if they appeal to you - Resene Copyrite – main, Resene Black White - under the soffits, window surrounds/sashes, door frames, barge boards and fascia, Resene Condor - doors, window sills, fences, and Resene Rustic Red - roof (could be doors if desired).

Or you could try Resene Cloudy – main, Resene Black White - under the soffits, window surrounds/sashes, door frames, barge boards and fascia, Resene Mother Nature - doors, window sills, fences, and Resene Ironsand – roof.

Or Resene Sea Fog – main, Resene Quarter Alabaster - under the soffits, window surrounds/sashes, door frames, barge boards and fascia, Resene Half Baltic Sea - doors, window sills, fences, and Resene Nocturnal – roof.

Resene Copyrite
Resene Copyrite
Resene Black White
Resene Black White
Resene Condor
Resene Condor
Resene Rustic Red
Resene Rustic Red
Resene Cloudy
Resene Cloudy
Resene Black White
Resene Black White
  Resene Ironsand
Resene Ironsand
Resene Sea Fog
Resene Sea Fog
Resene Quarter Alabaster
Resene Quarter Alabaster
Resene Half Baltic Sea
Resene Half Baltic Sea
Resene Nocturnal
Resene Nocturnal
November 2018

Q. We are looking at painting two walls in our living room, Resene Hammerhead. We are looking for a light neutral tone for the other two walls that will complement it.

A. You have a huge range of possibilities as Resene Hammerhead looks good with a lot of neutrals.

You could check out the following colours - Resene Sea Fog (and all the lighter and deeper variants of this colour), Resene Merino (and all the lighter and deeper variants of this colour), Resene White Pointer (and all the lighter and deeper variants of this colour), Resene Tea (and all the lighter and deeper variants of this colour), Resene Rice Cake (and all the lighter and deeper variants of this colour) or Resene House White.

Resene Hammerhead
Resene Hammerhead
Resene Sea Fog
Resene Sea Fog
Resene Merino
Resene Merino
Resene White Pointer
Resene White Pointer
Resene Tea
Resene Tea
Resene Rice Cake
Resene Rice Cake
Resene House White
Resene House White
 
November 2018

Q. I want to create a sparkly black glass splashback for the kitchen, what paint colour and range would I use?

A. The best thing to do, would be to pop into your local Resene store and ask for one of our Resene Metallics and Special Effects colour chart. You can use any of these colours as your splashback, but you might be particularly interested in Resene Blast Grey 1 and Resene Catch 22. Colours do appear darker once they are under glass, which works well for you wanting black. You can also view any of these colours in the larger A4 size in the Resene ColorShop colour library; just ask one of our staff to get them out for you.

Resene Blast Grey 1
Resene Blast Grey 1
Resene Catch 22
Resene Catch 22
November 2018

Q. Have you guys any ideas for some wonderful colour schemes for this boarding house I’ve got? I want to modernise and sharpen it up a bit.

A. You might check out the following suggestions to see if anything appeals to you - Option #1 - Resene White Island - main and gables, Resene Coast - roof and guttering and barge boards, Resene Eighth Rice Cake - window surrounds/sashes/under soffits/door frames, and Resene Chorus Line - doors and possibly window sill edges. Option #2 - Resene Iron - main and gables, Resene Noir - roof and guttering and barge boards (this colour is a Resene match to COLORSTEEL® Windsor Grey), Resene Poured Milk – windows, surrounds/sashes/under soffits/door frames, and Resene Code Red - doors and possibly window sill edges.

The first option favours the pretty pastels used on Art Deco houses in the era when they were built and the second option is a timeless urban scheme of fundamental white, grey and black colours.

Resene Coast
Resene Coast
Resene Eighth Rice Cake
Resene Eighth Rice Cake
Resene Iron
Resene Iron
Resene Code Red
Resene Code Red
November 2018

Q. I am looking for an internal wall colour for my house. It needs to work with Forest Green aluminium joinery and cream/slightly apricot joinery. Colours I am looking at include Resene Apple Green, Resene Bubbles, Resene Aqua Spring, Resene Dew and Resene Kandinsky. I really want a light colour which is green based but not really green looking! My preference is the duck egg kind of colour. I probably wouldn't use the full colours above, probably half or even quarter. Just want a subtle blended look.

A. All of the colours that you have mentioned are definitely green looking. Possibly slightly more coloured than you imagine they will be. Colours in an interior often double their intensity. It is very important to use a much paler colour instead of finding out too late that the colour looks too strong. Duck egg colours are usually slightly blue/green/grey.

You might check out the following colours to see if they appeal to you - Resene White Island, Resene Half Carefree, Resene Half Cut Glass and Resene Swans Down.

Because you have Forest Green aluminium joinery, cream/peach joinery and probably other existing coloured elements like carpets, drapes and furnishings, I recommend you take your time to get the right colour.

Resene Apple Green
Resene Apple Green
Resene Bubbles
Resene Bubbles
Resene Aqua Spring
Resene Aqua Spring
Resene Dew
Resene Dew
Resene Kandinsky
Resene Kandinsky
Resene Half Carefree
Resene Half Carefree
Resene Half Cut Glass
Resene Half Cut Glass
Resene Swans Down
Resene Swans Down
   
November 2018

Q. I have an old Versatile Garage that has COLORSTEEL® cladding, but it has some rust spots and I would like to paint over them but I can’t match the colour of the paint.

I have tried swatches from your range and I have tried going back to COLORSTEEL®, but they say to replace the panels.

The Versatile website says the current colours are Titania and Cloud, but neither of them are close. I have tried Resene Black White but it is still not the same. I don't think it has faded, as it is the same on the sunny side and the shady side.

A. It is almost impossible to touch up paint that has aged as it will have faded. A faded oxidised old COLORSTEEL® and new shinier paint even if you absolutely knew the colour) wouldn't look like a match. COLORSTEEL® colours haven't changed over the years - they have added some new colours but they haven't got rid of any. It may be a case of finding the colour that looks most like the garage and repainting the whole side - or if need be - painting the entire garage.

One way of seeing how much of a change has occurred to the original colour, is to wet it - the colour appears as it did when it was newer - and as it dries it fades/oxidises back to what it is now.

November 2018

Q. Our wall colour is to be Resene Black White. What colour could I use for the architraves and doors please?

A. Have you considered using the paler variants of the wall colour - Resene Black White? Resene Quarter Black White or Resene Eighth Black White will give you a crisp clean contrast. Resene Half Black White will give you a much more subtle level of contrast.

Resene Black White
Resene Black White
Resene Quarter Black White
Resene Quarter Black White
Resene Eighth Black White
Resene Eighth Black White
Resene Half Black White
Resene Half Black White
November 2018

Q. What are the top colours to use when selling your home?

A. The following grey colours are very popular - Resene Silver Chalice, Resene Tapa or Resene Half Baltic Sea.

Some coastal inspired colours that are popular are Resene Duck Egg Blue, Resene Remember Me or Resene Half Dusted Blue.

Deep and delicious and very popular colours are Resene Double Cod Grey, Resene Fuscous Grey or Resene Dark Side.

But the most popular is white, crisp, clean and timeless, such as Resene Black White, Resene Rice Cake, Resene Barely There, Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream or Resene Alabaster.

Resene Silver Chalice
Resene Silver Chalice
Resene Tapa
Resene Tapa
Resene Half Baltic Sea
Resene Half Baltic Sea
Resene Duck Egg Blue
Resene Duck Egg Blue
Resene Half Dusted Blue
Resene Half Dusted Blue
Resene Double Cod Grey
Resene Double Cod Grey
Resene Fuscous Grey
Resene Fuscous Grey
Resene Dark Side
Resene Dark Side
Resene Candy Floss
Resene Candy Floss
 
Resene Black White
Resene Black White
Resene Rice Cake
Resene Rice Cake
Resene Barely There
Resene Barely There
Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream
Resene Eighth
Thorndon Cream
Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster

It is important than exterior colours enhance any architectural detailing on a house. If there are no architectural details on the exterior of a house trying with colour to make more of it may backfire - i.e. guttering or a thin edge around windows may not look 'enhanced' but a front door will always look good painted in a distinctive colour.

It is also very important that there be enough contrast between the colours so they appears very balanced and harmonious - i.e. pale/light colour, mid toned colour, very deep colour - this is called a tonal gradation.

When it is used in the interior of a house it is often palest/whitest colour on trims and ceilings, a light version of a colour for many rooms and a deeper variation in very large bright rooms. It is taking the space, light and function into account and not trying to use the same colour in every room whether it suits or not.

There should also be a bold or bright colour somewhere to excite the senses - this could be a door colour, painted garden furniture or in the interior it might be a room or one wall only that is a completely different colour or exciting wallpaper.

Sometimes when all colours are muted or severely plain a house doesn't attract enough attention to make it memorable. A memorable house may sell quicker than one that people can't remember once they have left the property.

Certain colours attract - a clear red or yellow adds warmth and visual attraction to a grey/white/charcoal colour scheme that may not register as exciting because the colours are fundamental 'non' colour neutrals.

Deep blues, bright teals and fresh watery greens may calm the senses and provide a restful ambiance in hot, hectic or small spaces. Soft peachy pinks will stop a dim, cool or 'unhappy' looking space feeling like Cinderella before she was invited to the Ball.

The best colours for summer are happy colours - Resene Chorus Line, Resene Green Smoke, Resene Valour, Resene Candy Floss or Resene Yes Please.

November 2018

Q. We have a 1920s bungalow with a lot of heart rimu. We have painted our living room in Resene Pearl Lusta as the ceiling is wood and are just about to redo our kitchen. We will have cabinets in Melteca® Warm White, and the bench top will be Primestone® 'Papamoa'. We will be painting the kitchen and dining area, which leads into the living room. The ceilings in the kitchen/dining room are not wooden, so will also be painted. Can you please advise what colour would work for the walls and ceilings in the kitchen and dining room?

A. Because you have removed the colours that were in the kitchen (cabinets and benchtop) and have replaced it with a whiter/lighter look, you might consider using a very pale version of Resene Pearl Lusta - i.e. Resene Eighth Pearl Lusta for all the ceilings and any painted woodwork. This would co-ordinate with the Resene Pearl Lusta that you have used in the other rooms.

You might consider one of the following colours for the walls in the kitchen/dining room - Resene Half Drought, Resene Quarter Lemon Grass or Resene Shabby Chic.

Resene Pearl Lusta
Resene Pearl Lusta
Resene Eighth Pearl Lusta
Resene Eighth
Pearl Lusta
Resene Half Drought
Resene Half Drought
Resene Quarter Lemon Grass
Resene Quarter
Lemon Grass
 
November 2018

Q. We are setting up a historic village and need your help with the colour choice for a hospital. The village is set in the 1930s and we only use colours from that time.

I have chosen Resene Ravine for the weatherboards and thought of Resene Hinau, Resene Hukanui or Resene Kakaramea for the fascia and around the windows. What should we use for the door and the windows, any suggestions? Or would you even go for other colours? It is the first building people can see when they enter our property and it should make a statement.

A. You could use Resene Colonial White, Resene Light Beige or Resene Olive Green. These colours were authentic to the 1930s and were often used with the deep oxide reds that you mention. It is interesting that you have chosen Resene Ravine for the weatherboards.

Resene Ravine
Resene Ravine
Resene Hinau
Resene Hinau
Resene Hukanui
Resene Hukanui
Resene Kakaramea
Resene Kakaramea
Resene Colonial White
Resene Colonial White
Resene Light Beige
Resene Light Beige
Resene Olive Green
Resene Olive Green
 
November 2018

Q. I am trying to decide on a splashback colour to go in my kitchen - there’s a lot of grey with a white benchtop. I am thinking of going with Resene Botticelli to give it some colour but not sure whether to go full or half strength. It’s a gallery style kitchen with a big space by the hob for the splashback and the other side will have the splashback running along the window and under the wall opening to the end of the wall/bench top.

A. One thing to remember about glass splashbacks is that once a colour is sprayed onto glass, it actually becomes a bit darker. You’ll need to ask which type of glass is being used too, because the ‘float’ glass actually has a green tint which will alter how the colour is viewed. Clear low iron-oxide glass would be preferable.

If there is a lot of white or off-white in the area (including looking through the living room), I would go for a full version and add a bit of impact to the space.

Resene Botticelli
Resene Botticelli
November 2018

Q. We want to change the colour of our house; it has way too much glare in the summer months and we want something different. We live on a farm so have lots of green around.

A. You could try a soft cream with a green undertone, like Resene Thorndon Cream. Nothing too buttery yellow, but gentle and works well with the environment. Or try Resene Half Sisal, Resene Half Tea, Resene Half Spanish White or Resene Eighth Stonewashed.

Resene Thorndon Cream
Resene Thorndon Cream
Resene Half Sisal
Resene Half Sisal
Resene Half Tea
Resene Half Tea
Resene Half Spanish White
Resene Half Spanish White
November 2018

Q. I have painted my kitchen and bathroom/toilet using Resene Double Alabaster and Resene Half Alabaster. I am not noticing the difference most of the time between double and half! I’m about to start the lounge, hall and bedrooms using Resene Half White Pointer. Should I use white ceiling paint or do you recommend that I again use a tinted ceiling paint?

A. Resene Half White Pointer is best paired with plain white for the ceilings. Colours on the ceilings (even Resene Alabaster) will appear darker, so it’s often best when using off-white such as Resene Half White Pointer, to just use standard white.

Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Half Alabaster
Resene Half Alabaster
Resene Half White Pointer
Resene Half White Pointer
Resene White
Resene White
November 2018

Q. I really need your help with some colour choices. You helped us a couple years ago and nailed the brief, so we are back for your advice. Please help me work out my retaining wall colour. The fence colour and gutters are Woodland Grey.

A. Retaining walls aren't usually very exciting or gorgeous to look at. Probably the first and most obvious option would be to use a match colour to Woodland Grey - i.e. Resene Squall. Other options are a little lighter - Resene Half Gravel, Resene Climate or Resene Taupe Grey.

Resene Squall
Resene Squall
Resene Half Gravel
Resene Half Gravel
Resene Climate
Resene Climate
Resene Half Grey
Resene Taupe Grey
November 2018

Q. We need to undertake some renovations to our house. This will include a full steel roof and gutter replacement. The existing roof/gutter colour is a blue/grey which we do not like. We want to get away from any blue undertone. We would like a crisper and more modern look - we are thinking a very dark grey or charcoal (but not black, on our architect's recommendation). The cladding is painted Resene Half Craigieburn and the wooden window framing and eaves are a neutral white. Can you please recommend some COLORSTEEL® colours for the roof (in order of suitability) to tie in with the Resene Half Craigieburn cladding and white joinery? The roof colour would also be that used for the guttering, garage door, and external doors.

A. Here are a few COLORSTEEL® colours for you to look at – COLORSTEEL® TernStyle, COLORSTEEL® FlaxPod or COLORSTEEL® BasaltBase.

Resene have larger samples of all of these colours in your local Resene ColorShop; just ask one of our staff to get them out for you.

Resene Half Craigieburn
Resene Half Craigieburn
November 2018

Q. I want to paint the TV lounge a dark colour. I was thinking of Resene Fuscous Grey or Resene Tuna. Would you have any other ideas?

A. Some deep colours that are a bit unusual you might check out - Resene Half Bokara Grey, Resene Twilight Zone, Resene Indian Ink or Resene Diesel.

Resene Fuscous Grey
Resene Fuscous Grey
Resene Tuna
Resene Tuna
 
Resene Half Bokara Grey
Resene Half Bokara Grey
Resene Indian Ink
Resene Indian Ink
Resene Diesel
Resene Diesel
November 2018

Q. I would like some veranda decking colour advice for a villa, to complement Resene Quarter Lemon Grass walls with Resene Alabaster joinery. The roof colour is undecided but possibly Resene Mangrove. The front door will probably be Resene Pohutukawa - still to be confirmed. I am not keen on straight greys like Resene Gunsmoke. I prefer a green grey.

A. Perhaps one of the following green/grey colours may appeal to you - Resene Half Tapa, Resene Grey Area, Resene Helix or Resene Castle Rock.

Resene Quarter Lemon Grass
Resene Quarter
Lemon Grass
Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
Resene Mangrove
Resene Mangrove
Resene Pohutukawa
Resene Pohutukawa
Resene Gunsmoke
Resene Gunsmoke
Resene Half Tapa
Resene Half Tapa
Resene Castle Rock
Resene Castle Rock
     
November 2018

Q. I have bought a concrete/brick villa. The verandas are currently Resene Double Mondo and I think the roof might be Ironsand (although it looks a bit browner than Ironsand - but it’s darker than Resene Double Mondo). Not sure what colour the yellow walls are but they have to go. So, I want to keep the colour of the roof as it is and will keep the window joinery white, but I am looking for suggestions for the walls and verandas. I like mid-greys but am not sure they'll go with the roof?

A. The following are some warmer grey mid-toned colours that may appeal to you for the main colour on the house - they do work well with the roof colour.

Try Resene Half Friar Grey, Resene Eighth Masala, Resene Gauntlet, Resene Eighth Bokara Grey, Resene Scarpa Flow, Resene Concord or Resene Eighth Ironsand.

The veranda could be a darker version of the roof colour - Resene Double Ironsand to create a sense of drama and to tie in with the roof.

Resene Double Mondo
Resene Double Mondo
Resene Half Friar Grey
Resene Half Friar Grey
Resene Masala
Resene Eighth Masala
Resene Scarpa Flow
Resene Scarpa Flow
Resene Concord
Resene Concord
November 2018

Q. Can you please advise on a suitable colour scheme(s) for my house? The roof is green Decramastic tile and the window frames are bronze aluminium. Two sides of the house are weatherboard; the other two sides are red brick.

A. You might check out the following colours to see if they appeal to you - Resene Double Fossil, Resene Cougar, Resene Spanish White, Resene Triple White Pointer or Resene Double Thorndon Cream.

If you wanted to use two colours on the house, you could use a much paler variant of the main house colour. This could look very smart for all the wooden trims and detailing also on the garage doors as well as the lower storey areas. Using the mid tone colour for the main portion of the house may help merge in the window joinery and brick colours.

You have a huge range of colours available to use for the front door so it may be a case of letting your heart lead you.

Resene Double Fossil
Resene Double Fossil
Resene Cougar
Resene Cougar
Resene Spanish White
Resene Spanish White
Resene Triple White Pointer
Resene Triple White Pointer
Resene Double Thorndon Cream
Resene Double
Thorndon Cream
November 2018

Q. In a four bedroom rental house I am building I have Ironsand colour joinery and I need advice on interior colours (walls, ceilings, kitchen splashback, flooring, doors).

A. These suggestions are nice colours and may suit your needs.

Walls - Resene Half Truffle (this could also be used on the wooden window frames so they merge into the wall colour), ceilings - Resene Eighth Truffle, and doors - Resene Truffle (this could also be used on the skirting boards and door frames)

For the flooring you could choose something that is a mid-toned grey/brown colour.

The splashback in the kitchen could be just about any colour but a red colour behind glass always looks nice, such as Resene Pohutukawa.

Resene Half Truffle
Resene Half Truffle
Resene Eighth Truffle
Resene Eighth Truffle
Resene Truffle
Resene Truffle
Resene Pohutukawa
Resene Pohutukawa
November 2018

Q. I have bought an old 2 storey Queenslander that has a COLORBOND® Deep Ocean roof. It also has this on the bottom level. We want to paint the exterior, but don’t want to replace the COLORBOND®. What colours would you recommend for the weatherboards, fascia and trims?

A. You might check out the following colours to see if they appeal to you - Resene Duck Egg Blue used with Resene Half Black White, or Resene Silver Chalice used with Resene Alabaster, or Resene Double House White used with Resene Sea Fog, or Resene Cararra used with Resene Quarter Rice Cake.

Any other detailing - i.e. doors etc. - could be almost any other colour that you favour but the following colours are a few that are worth looking at - Resene Smoulder, Resene Artemis, Resene I Dare You or Resene Noir.

Resene Duck Egg Blue
Resene Duck Egg Blue
Resene Half Black White
Resene Half Black White
Resene Silver Chalice
Resene Silver Chalice
Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
Resene Double House White
Resene Double
House White
Resene Sea Fog
Resene Sea Fog
Resene Cararra
Resene Cararra
Resene Quarter Rice Cake
Resene Quarter
Rice Cake
November 2018

Q. I would like advice on a colour for the back of the left side of our kitchen. I want something that does not darken the room but not too soft. I’m torn between something dramatic and something earthy! As well, I’d love another colour that tones in with the kitchen for the laundry, through the kitchen door at the end.

A. Some colours to look at for the kitchen might be these ones - I have put in brackets alongside which of the laundry colours might look good with it - Resene Hope (Resene Kandinsky), Resene Miso (Resene Unwind), or Resene Artemis (Resene Aura).

Earthier colours worth checking out for the kitchen - Resene Smoothie (looks good with Resene Sixth Sense), Resene Sixth Sense (looks good with Resene Peace), or Resene Stonehenge (looks good with Resene Grey Olive).

It is important to remember that all colours in an interior have the potential to look twice the depth or brightness that you might imagine they will do - and the laundry may be quite a statement. As an alternative, you might also reverse the sequence of the colours - swap the laundry and kitchen colours around.

Resene Hope
Resene Hope
Resene Kandinsky
Resene Kandinsky
Resene Miso
Resene Miso
Resene Unwind
Resene Unwind
Resene Stonehenge
Resene Stonehenge
Resene Grey Olive
Resene Grey Olive
   
November 2018

Q. I would like to paint the wall behind my bed, in a dark blue. I think Resene Indian Ink is too dark. The rest of the room will be Resene Alabaster, with a black bed and black curtains. The room is west facing as is the wall I will paint and only gets the late afternoon sun. Will a dark blue look warm and sophisticated and if so, what blue would be best?

A. The late afternoon west facing sunlight gives a very yellow/red quality of light. It will change how you see any colour - a blue may look grey, a green may look blue, a cream may look peach, beige may look olive. If you carefully test colours by painting all of the testpot (two coats) onto large white A2 card (available from Resene ColorShops) and pin it up on the wall, you may be better able to see how the colours alter.

The black bed and curtains and the Resene Alabaster create a black and white theme. I am unsure about a dark blue for a feature wall, as the black may want to be the dominant dark colour in the room. Had you considered using a mid to deep grey? It completes the trio of fundamental neutrals - white, grey, black. The following greys carry interesting coloured undertones and they may be worth checking out to see if they appeal to you - Resene Licorice, Resene Possessed, Resene Yasna or Resene Quarter Bokara Grey.

If you have your heart set on using a blue, perhaps one of these ones that have a bit of vibrancy in them may be better than a black toned blue - Resene Wishing Well, Resene Bewitched or Resene Coast. They are warm toned and will appear a lot more 'coloured' in the westerly sunlight.

Resene Indian Ink
Resene Indian Ink
Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
Resene Licorice
Resene Licorice
Resene Possessed
Resene Possessed
Resene Yasna
Resene Yasna
Resene Quarter Bokara Grey
Resene Quarter
Bokara Grey
Resene Wishing Well
Resene Wishing Well
Resene Coast
Resene Coast
November 2018

Q. I want to have my bathroom repainted which is on the south side of the house. I have an Almond Ivory vanity, bath and shower and would like to freshen it up. Any suggestions that would make the room look up to date and fresh? At the moment it is Resene Secrets and base of the bath is like Resene Port Philip, just using a testpot. The rest of the house is painted in Resene Quarter Solitaire.

A. Resene Quarter Solitaire is a lovely colour. If you wanted the doors to merge in seamlessly, you could use the same colour in semi-gloss enamel. Or a slight variation might be to use either Resene Half Solitaire or Resene Solitaire. But if you wanted the doors to pop out and be a bit more of a feature colour, you might consider one of the following - Resene Soulful, Resene Duck Egg Blue or Resene Despacito.

The bathroom is slightly more difficult to address as the dominant factor is the Almond Ivory bathroom fittings. It does compromise your colour options. Up to date and fresh may require more than a paint colour - it might require changing the dated coloured fittings to white ones, so that you are able to have anything at all on the walls.

But if that is not an option, you could continue with Resene Quarter Solitaire. It is very sympathetic to Almond Ivory. Or alternatively, you could use Resene Triple Duck Egg Blue or Resene Half Lemon Grass or a deeper colour - Resene Artemis - these look lovely with the pink/peach/beige of the Almond Ivory.

Resene Secrets
Resene Secrets
Resene Quarter Solitaire
Resene Quarter Solitaire
Resene Half Solitaire
Resene Half Solitaire
Resene Solitaire
Resene Solitaire
Resene Duck Egg Blue
Resene Duck Egg Blue
Resene Half Lemon Grass
Resene Half Lemon Grass
   
November 2018

Q. What colour could I use on the ceiling if the walls are Resene White Pointer? Would Resene Black White work or is there a better colour?

A. You could also use one of these whites - Resene Alabaster, Resene Half Sea Fog, Resene Quarter White Pointer or even 'real' white - Resene White.

Resene White Pointer
Resene White Pointer
Resene Black White
Resene Black White
Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
Resene Half Sea Fog
Resene Half Sea Fog
Resene Quarter White Pointer
Resene Quarter
White Pointer
Resene White
Resene White
November 2018

Q. I'm looking at painting a feature wall in our cafe in Resene Destiny - what whites and other colours generally would you suggest go with this?

A. Resene Destiny is amazingly versatile and works well with several different types of whites as well as with some very interesting contrasting colours. You could try Resene Alabaster, Resene Sea Fog or Resene Rice Cake of the off whites.

Or try with taupe neutrals - Resene White Pointer or Resene Cloudy. Or quirky contrast colours - Resene Swamp, Resene First Light or Resene Pompadour.

Resene Destiny
Resene Destiny
Resene Alabaster
Resene Alabaster
Resene Sea Fog
Resene Sea Fog
Resene Rice Cake
Resene Rice Cake
 
Resene White Pointer
Resene White Pointer
Resene Cloudy
Resene Cloudy
Resene Swamp
Resene Swamp
Resene First Light
Resene First Light
Resene Pompadour
Resene Pompadour
November 2018

Q. I have decided to paint my east facing bedroom cosy Resene Double Bianca. Could you please suggest a suitable ceiling colour?

A. Try Resene Half Bianca or for a whiter variant - Resene Quarter Bianca or a slightly crisper white - Resene Half Alabaster.

Resene Double Bianca
Resene Double Bianca
Resene Half Bianca
Resene Half Bianca
Resene Quarter Bianca
Resene Quarter Bianca
Resene Half Alabaster
Resene Half Alabaster
November 2018

Q. I'm looking for a colour for a dark lounge. I'm after a greyish brownish light warm colour for the walls. Ideally a colour that will go well with a light brown and grey kitchen. Preferably a light warm shade. Also can you recommended ceiling paint to go with this?

A. You might check out the following colours to see if they are appealing to you - Resene House White, Resene White Pointer, Resene Half Truffle, Resene Eighth Bison Hide, Resene Half Cloud or Resene Eighth Napa.

Some ceiling options - Resene Half Barely There, Resene Double Alabaster or Resene Half Black White.

Resene House White
Resene House White
Resene White Pointer
Resene White Pointer
Resene Half Truffle
Resene Half Truffle
Resene Eighth Bison Hide,
Resene Eighth Bison Hide
Resene Half Cloud
Resene Half Cloud
Resene Eighth Napa
Resene Eighth Napa
Resene Half Barely There
Resene Half Barely There
Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Half Black White
Resene Half Black White
 
November 2018

Q. We have a new build with a cathedral ceiling in an open plan dining/living area with lots of sun and will have a light oak hard flooring installed soon. Both the house interior and the exterior of the house colour choice is Resene Black White.

What strength of Resene Black White should be used on the cathedral ceiling? And on the skirtings and doors?

A. If you want to create a crisp, clean contrast you could use Resene Eighth Black White.

If you want to see a more subtle contrast that merges in more with the wall colour then you might use Resene Half Black White.

Resene Eighth Black White
Resene Eighth Black White
Resene Half Black White
Resene Half Black White
November 2018

Q. I have an iron roof which is blue, possibly New Denim Blue but I am not sure, plus blue aluminium joinery. I am at a loss as to what to paint the walls.

A. You might check out the following colours to see if they appeal to you - Resene Double Black White, Resene Tea, Resene Quarter Napa, Resene Half Truffle, Resene Surrender and Resene Half Drought.

If the blue joinery is the only element on the house that you find difficult to match other colours to, then have you considered painting them a different colour? It is possible to do this if that was what you wanted to do.

Resene Double Black White
Resene Double
Black White
Resene Tea
Resene Tea
Resene Quarter Napa
Resene Quarter Napa
Resene Half Truffle
Resene Half Truffle
Resene Surrender
Resene Surrender
Resene Half Drought
Resene Half Drought
November 2018

Q. We are painting the exterior of our house (1960 weatherboard/two levels). What are the most popular colour combinations? We are looking into the lighter grey range.

A. Some of these light greys are very popular - you might check them out - Resene Eighth Stonehenge, Resene Half Mountain Mist, Resene Eighth Friar Grey, Resene Concrete or Resene Half Silver Chalice.

Resene Eighth Stonehenge
Resene Eighth Stonehenge

Resene Half Mountain Mist
Resene Eighth Friar Grey
Resene Eighth Friar Grey
Resene Concrete
Resene Concrete
Resene Half Silver Chalice
Resene Half Silver Chalice
November 2018

Q. I'm wondering if you can give me some paint ideas for our 1912 villa.

A. Perhaps the following colours may appeal to you - Resene Remember Me, Resene Breathless, Resene Alaska.

Or deeper in tone - Resene Smokescreen or Resene Echo Blue. Any blue is enhanced by the use of a very crisp pure white - Resene White.

Resene Breathless
Resene Breathless
Resene Alaska
Resene Alaska
Resene Smokescreen
Resene Smokescreen
Resene Echo Blue
Resene Echo Blue
Resene White
Resene White
November 2018

Q. Can you suggest any white or neutral shades that would go nicely with Resene Green Smoke?

A. A lot of the beige and taupe colours are too muddy or dense to work with the clear vibrancy of the Green Smoke. You might check out the following colours to see if they appeal to you - they all look very nice with Resene Green Smoke.

Try Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta, Resene Quarter Villa White, Resene Black Haze, Resene Poured Milk, Resene Concrete, Resene Double Alabaster, Resene Half Chill Out or Resene Arrowroot.

Resene Green Smoke
Resene Green Smoke
Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta
Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta
Resene Quarter Villa White
Resene Quarter Villa White
Resene Black Haze
Resene Black Haze
Resene Concrete
Resene Concrete
Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Half Chill Out
Resene Half Chill Out
Resene Arrowroot
Resene Arrowroot
November 2018

Q. I want to paint my laundry. I have white tiles on the floor and I am looking at painting it a nice white with one wall dark grey or black. Please let me know what colours are best.

A. Perhaps try one of these whites - Resene Black White, Resene Poured Milk or Resene Double Alabaster.

Whites and greys are tricky - without comparing them and seeing the subtle undertones of colour that hide with in them you can be easily misled. Careful testing of the colours by painting all of the testpot - two coats - onto an A2 card (available from Resene ColorShops) and leaving an unpainted white border all around the edges, allows you to see a larger sample of the colour. Taping the samples up on the bathroom walls - moving them around each wall and putting them close to the white floor tiles - is the best way to judge them.

There are many dark greys or near black colours. You could try Resene Noir, Resene Porter, Resene Foundry or for a softer toned grey - Resene Eighth Bokara Grey, Resene Half Baltic Sea or Resene Half Grey Friars.

Resene Black White
Resene Black White
Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Double Alabaster
Resene Foundry
Resene Foundry
Resene Half Baltic Sea
Resene Half Baltic Sea
Resene Half Grey Friars
Resene Half Grey Friars
November 2018

Q. We have a new house clad in plaster and Linea®. The roof and joinery is Ironsand, the plaster is Resene Truffle and the Linea® is Resene Stonehenge. We have decks just about right around the house and need to find a colour for them and the baseboards, as the house is up off the ground. We are leaning towards some of the dark stains but are worried that where the house steps in under covered parts and between wings, it may be too dark and close it in, and get too hot. Can you suggest a deck stain please? We are rural, in a paddock, with no shade.

A. A very dark deck stain will get quite hot underfoot. Have you considered one of these stain colours - they are still deep colours but not so very, very dark and are well suited to the other colours you have on the house - Resene Woodsman Tiri, Resene Woodsman Iroko, Resene Woodsman Smokey Ash or Resene Woodsman Sheer Black.

All of these stain colours can be made using a Resene CoolColour™ version, which will help to lessen the heat being absorbed into the surface of the timber.

Resene Truffle
Resene Truffle
Resene Stonehenge
Resene Stonehenge
   
Resene  Woodsman Tiri
Resene Tiri
Resene Iroko
Resene Iroko
Resene Woodsman Smokey Ash
Resene Smokey Ash
Resene Sheer Black
Resene Sheer Black
November 2018

Q. I'd like some advice on a fence stain or paint colour to complement my house. I think the window trim/aluminium is ‘Ironsand’. The fence is wood.

A. If you like the lighter more natural (seeing the grain) look of a stain and don't mind re-coating after 2-3 summers to maintain the protection and colour, then you could use one of these stain colours - Resene Woodsman Tiri, Resene Woodsman Bushtrack or Resene Woodsman English Walnut.

Or if you would prefer a paint finish for the more solid look, then you might check out these colours – Resene Eighth Bokara Grey, Resene Dark Web, Resene Sambuca or Resene Ironsand (same as the roof and joinery).

Dark colours can attract a lot of heat and using a re-formulated Resene CoolColour™ version of the colour can help minimise heat build up.

Resene  Woodsman Tiri
Resene Tiri
Resene Bushtrack
Resene Bushtrack
Resene Colorwood English Walnut
Resene English Walnut
Resene Sambuca
Resene Sambuca
Resene Ironsand
Resene Ironsand
November 2018

Q. We need to repaint our 1969 Hardiplank® weatherboard house. It has brown aluminium window joinery and with original white wooden window frames. Plus also the granny cottage which was built in 1980-ish, with Hardiplank® and brown aluminium window joinery. We've been considering various Resene colour options including Resene Bokara Grey, Resene Tasman, Resene Surrender, Resene Triple Sea Fog and Resene Triple White Pointer.

While we do like Resene Triple White Pointer, we keep coming back to Resene Tasman. We live semi-rural in a small town close to the coast and want to go with a beach-infused cottage theme. If we go with Resene Tasman, we wondered if we can go with Resene Titania for trims and deck railings, or if we could work in Resene Sea Fog? Also for the base, could you recommend a darker colour that would work well? The main house base is currently white (gets dirty) and the granny flat is something close to Resene Hammerhead. Also, could you suggest a colour for the decking boards?

A. Resene Sea Fog does work well with Resene Tasman. I think it is a better contrast than Resene Titania.

A deeper colour for the base of both the cottage and the house could be one of these colours - Resene Eighth Ironsand, Resene Double Friar Grey (these two may link in the brown of the aluminium windows) or a soft olive grey/green - Resene Quarter Karaka.

If the deck on the cottage has been previously stained, then just cleaning it with Resene Timber and Deck Wash it will make it paler. You could leave it like that and make it a 'before summer' project to re-clean it. Or you could use Resene Woodsman Decking Oil Stain Touch Wood. But if you want to paint it then you might use the same colour as the base of the cottage - for a simple choice.

You don't mention the roof of house and cottage. If you wanted it to look more in keeping with the other colours, you could use a colour similar to the window joinery (so it wasn't the only lonely brown) or you could use the same colour as the base of both the houses. But - if you didn't want to paint the roofs - then you may need to find a colour similar to paint the base of the houses so it harmonises and doesn't look out of place.

Resene Bokara Grey
Resene Bokara Grey
Resene Tasman
Resene Tasman
Resene Surrender
Resene Surrender
Resene Triple Sea Fog
Resene Triple Sea Fog
Resene Triple White Pointer
Resene Triple White Pointer
Resene Titania
Resene Titania
Resene Sea Fog
Resene Sea Fog
Resene Hammerhead
Resene Hammerhead
Resene Double Friar Grey
Resene Double Friar Grey
Resene Quarter Karaka
Resene Quarter Karaka
Resene Touch Wood
Resene Touch Wood
       
November 2018

Page 81

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.

 

Order online now:
Testpots | Paints | Primers and Sealers | Stains | Clears | Accessories

Get inspired Get inspired ! Subscribe      Get saving Get saving ! Apply for a DIY card

Resene Paints Ltd

Can't find what you're looking for? Ask us!

Resene Paints Ltd   – www.resene.com

Follow us on Facebook Follow us on Pinterest Follow us on Instagram Follow us on YouTube
Videos on how to paint and stain your house
 

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.

What's new | Specifiers | Painters | DIYers | Artists | Kids | Sitemap | Home | TOP ⇧