Here's a taste of some of the Colour Expert questions and answers to help you with your own colour scheme.
If you would like more colour advice for your project, please ask our Colour Expert for help or come in and see our staff at your local Resene ColorShop or Reseller.
Colours are a representation only. Please refer to the actual paint or product sample. Resene colour charts, testpots and samples are available for ordering online.
Q. We have to paint the exterior of the house now we have finished our new deck. The house has been painted orange and dark grey. We are thinking green could look great as we have a bamboo hedge along one side of the house. We don't like the light greys we see around everywhere. We would appreciate some help with colour as well as trimmings. The house is north facing and it gets a lot of sun. It heats up and is too hot in the summer inside. My partner likes darker colours but I'm not convinced because it gets so much sun. We will be having sliding doors and windows installed leading onto the deck. A. Darker colours are super trendy at this point in time. However, I am not 100% certain that timber weatherboards on the north and west face of the house would cope with the heat factor. Even with CoolColour technology working hard to try and minimise the heat being absorbed into the timber, it may make for a shorter lifespan to the paint - certainly there would be some powdery oxidization on the paint surface to contend with which makes it look aged and tired looking sooner than may be expected. Some of these mid-toned greens are worth checking out - Resene Waiouru, Resene Untamed, Resene New Leaf, Resene Organic, Resene Paddock or Resene Elixir. Fresh looking trims add a lot to the overall look of the house. You might consider using one of these options - Resene Rice Cake or Resene Double Alabaster. Are you planning on staining or painting the deck? Paint may last longer but stains are a nice natural look. You may need to think that through carefully. If it was dark [paint or stain] it may be very hot under foot.
June 2019
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Q. We think we have settled on Resene Paddock for the weatherboards. If we were to paint the cladding on the ground storey a different colour (there are quite a few in the neighbourhood), what would you suggest? A. It will be tricky - I think - choosing a colour for the ground floor without making the house look segmented into horizontal slabs of contrasting colour. However, you might consider using related greens - Resene Half Rivergum, Resene Peace or Resene Organic. A very earthy green based grey may work - Resene Relic.
June 2019
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Q. I have an old fireplace that I have painted white and the inside is brick red with black grate etc. I would like to paint the fire surround another colour as the white is now dated and looks dirty. It looks awful but we are selling and this fireplace is still usable. A. Personally I would be inclined to repaint it white or whatever colour the skirting boards are as it is a tidy continuance of that trim. Place a beautiful potted plant in the fireplace itself once the fire itself is removed. Or fill it with giant candles and pine cones. Block up the back of the cavity so there are no drafts and let the new owners make their own decisions. They may rip out the whole fireplace, or put down new stone surrounds. As long as the paintwork is super clean and freshly painted I feel that is as much as you can do. If you didn't want to do the clean crisp white then you could paint it to match the walls.
June 2019
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Q. I want to paint an exterior concrete block boundary wall. The house is painted Resene Double Tea. I don't want the wall to be as dark as this but did think it may suit a similar colour or lighter to tie in with the colour scheme - or not? A. I agree that it would be good to try a different shade to create some contrast. Try these options – Resene Half Tea or Resene Half Truffle.
June 2019
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Q. We like Resene Black White very much and will be using it in the majority of spaces in our house. However one bedroom is on the dark side of the house and gets little natural light. We are concerned that Resene Black White will feel too cold, and would be keen to know what a good complementary white would be that has a little more warmth. A. Resene Black White is still a light warm white and shouldn't feel cold in that room however if you are concerned you could perhaps try the following: Resene Half Black White or Resene Double Alabaster.
June 2019
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Q. We are in the process of retro-fitting a gas fireplace/recessed TV in our lounge area. The walls are Resene Half Pravda which we love, but are thinking of painting the new 'chimney breast' a darker contrast colour. What would you recommend? The fire will have a black surround. The rest of the house walls are in different shades of Resene Truffle, all doors are Resene Fuscous Grey and ceilings are Resene Black White. Keen to know what you would recommend - either a variation on Resene Pravda or Resene Fuscous Grey or something different? A. You could try Resene Quarter Fuscous Grey, Resene Fuscous Grey or Resene Quarter Ironsand.
June 2019
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Q. I want to create a beach bach vibe. We are going all white everything. We have attic white joinery and original tawa floors so I'm wanting a warmer tone of white. A. You could try these whites - Resene Half Rice Cake, Resene Black White or Resene Sea Fog.
June 2019
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Q. We are painting our single storey 80s Lockwood. The roof, pergolas, posts, garage doors, windows, brick feature work are all Ironsand. What good whites would suit the walls as a great complement for Ironsand? A. You might check out the following whites to see if they appeal to you – Resene White Pointer, Resene Half White Pointer or Resene Quarter Truffle. Or 'whiter/brighter' colours – Resene Black White, Resene Sea Fog or Resene Merino.
June 2019
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Q. I would like to paint our bedroom in a warm neutral. I like Resene White Pointer (we have it in our current bedroom) but am thinking a warmer tone. The bedroom is on the south side of the home and is large. What is a colour as close to Resene White Pointer as possible but a little warmer please? A. You might check out the following colours to see if they appeal to you – Resene Eighth Bison Hide, Resene Quarter Truffle, Resene Half Tea or Resene Eighth Napa. They are all quite different to each other but share a warmth in their undertone. This is important as a room that has a southerly aspect can take on a cool or grey quality of natural light.
June 2019
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Q. We are about to have our 1970s Lockwood exterior reclad in Canvas coloured cladding. We have dark brown aluminium window frames in the bottom storey of the house which has some kind of vertical shadow cladding and will need repainting - and bronze - now weathered to light gold window frames in the Lockwood upper storey. The glassed aluminium door leading from the deck in the upper story is also dark brown. The joinery of the triple sliding doors at the front of the house is silver! Currently we have Resene Half Mondo on the barge boards. We should probably keep it or something similar to tie in a little bit with the brown window framing. I am looking for a colour which will go well with Canvas for the bottom storey cladding and also for the eaves which are quite wide. The roof is flat and visible as you approach the house down the street. It is long run iron coloured Desert Sand. We will also need to paint timber French doors in the bottom storey - possibly in the same colour as the bottom cladding. A. Could the colour Canvas be Canvas Cloth? If it was Canvas Cloth - not Canvas - and you wanted a similar but possibly deeper colour for the eaves and bottom storey cladding you could check out the following colours - soft mid tones in Resene Half Sandstone or Resene Half Stonewashed, or deeper shades – Resene Oilskin or Resene Triple Stonehenge.
June 2019
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Q. We are going to paint my son's very small bedroom that doesn't get a lot of natural light so thinking of painting it a white but wondered if you could recommend one. I would like it to be warm but without it being creamy or yellowy. A. Whites that are creamy or yellowy are both warm and sunny but if that is not what you want for your son's room them the following whites may appeal to you – Resene Half Albescent White, Resene Half Milk White, Resene Half White Pointer or Resene Sea Fog.
June 2019
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Q. We are having trouble choosing a colour to paint our lounge, which will also set the tone for the rest of our house. We want a white/light neutral colour that makes our room look fresh. We tend to prefer colours with a black undertone, but do not want our lounge to look too cold. We have dark blue/grey carpet and light grey couches. Our fireplace is going to be painted in a dark charcoal (maybe Resene Foundry). We have been looking at Resene Half White Pointer, Resene White Pointer and Resene Eighth Truffle. Do you think these would make the room look too cold? Could you recommend any other colours for us to try? We have also tried Resene Rice Cake but I think this is too yellow for our room. A. I like the colours you have mentioned and I don't think they will make the room look too cold. Resene Eighth Truffle may be slightly warmer than the Resene White Pointer colours. Full strength Resene White Pointer has a tiny bit more grey/beige undertone in it by comparison. But they are all nice. If you carefully test the colours, on a white A2 card (available from Resene ColorShops) and move them from wall to wall and place them right behind the light grey couches it would give you a better idea of whether they work harmoniously for you.
June 2019
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Q. We are painting the exterior of two flats. We have chosen Resene Truffle as the main exterior colour, the other flat has chosen Resene Log Cabin for their deck! What colour would you suggest for the roof? Please don't suggest green as I hate green. I was thinking a charcoal but not sure if that would go with the green of Resene Log Cabin, or Resene Ironsand maybe. A. I definitely think a charcoal would work and so would Resene Ironsand. You could try Resene Nocturnal, Resene Element or Resene Ironsand.
June 2019
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Q. My mum recently had her house painted in Resene Double Thorndon Cream, Resene Quarter Spanish White on windows and Resene Grey Friars but we feel the window frame colour is just not right. Can you advise what we could do to just make the windows stand out better? A. Yes you are right about the Resene Quarter Spanish White - it is too rich and creamy/warm toned to co-ordinate as well as it could do with the Resene Double Thorndon Cream. A colour that is a little cleaner/crisper may be better - one of these perhaps – Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream, Resene Half Rice Cake or Resene Half Cararra.
June 2019
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Q. We are building a new, heritage style two-storey villa. We have a Grey Friars long run roof and Appliance White aluminium double hung windows which have fairly chunky wooden trims. We have used a Resene version of Appliance White for windows, fascias, soffits (which have corbel brackets) and bay end finials but I am stumped when it comes to a wooden weatherboard colour. I had hoped to have a breezy Hamptons style colour scheme and planned on using Resene Quarter Delta but the Appliance White trim doesn't pop/contrast against it and it all looks quite grey and washed out. I have tried Resene Half Delta but it looks like quite a flat grey... with so much wall space there is a LOT of grey. I also worry about grey going out of fashion (I read an article about not painting a house grey recently!) and it not looking in keeping with a villa. I am happy to go slightly greener but don't really want to go too blue. We live in a very rural location with shingle roads and a farm yard so dust is another issue (hence going grey) and I'd like the house to sit comfortably in a rural location. We also have to keep the colour light for the wooden weatherboard warranty. A. Greys can look lovely if the sun light enhances them but it can be tricky getting the right one. What works for one home may not look as appealing on another house. Sometimes they present as industrial, urban and contemporary and if that is not the look you want then you may need to keep an open mind and please take your time carefully testing colours. With the thought that perhaps a green edged grey might work for you and look really fresh with the Appliance White you might check out the following colours – Resene Half Inside Back, Resene Emerge, Resene Tasman or Resene Haven. Windblown dust may always present a problem if you have shingle roads. A gloss paint resists weathering and is easier to clean down so perhaps that may be one way of surviving the dusty rural aspect.
June 2019
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Q. I have a small cottage at the beach. The cottage has aluminium joinery and a COLORSTEEL® roof that are both in Resene Ironsand. What colour would you suggest that I paint the weatherboards? A. You have a huge range of possibilities in regard exterior colours. The following are a few that may appeal to you – Resene Quarter Napa [a little bit of warm grey/brown], Resene Triple Duck Egg Blue [a grey/green/blue], Resene Terrain [an earthy green] or Resene Half Tea [a warm beige].
June 2019
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Q. We are the property managers for a Service Centre and would like your advice on what colour choices would be best suited for a building like this and what is most popular at the present time? A. The popular on trend colours incorporate mid/deep earthy colours, black, charcoal and white or variations of tint, tone and shade of these fundamental neutrals. Very bright/bold accents uplift these colours to give them a lot of pizazz and are often used for doors or smaller trims. If you are keen on these ideas the following are examples of them – main colour Resene Element with Resene Sword on the roof and trims/posts/fascia along lower roof line in Resene Kryptonite. Or main colour Resene Triple Black White with roof in Resene Gauntlet and trims/posts/fascia along lower roof line in Resene She'll Be Right.
June 2019
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Q. I am wanting to paint my entire house, inside and out - including windows, doors, trim, walls etc. It is a 1920s home - not a traditional villa but has some high ceilings. It has a reasonable amount of light but obviously not as much as a new build. The roof is Grey Friars and the internal walls are currently Resene Half Villa White. I was thinking Resene Alabaster for windows, doors and trim and then maybe Resene Half Sea Fog for internal and external walls? I will also be recarpeting and want a mid grey for this. Do you think this would work together or be too cold? A. If the rooms in the house don't get a lot of all-day sun or they face to the south or east (cool aspect and shadowy) then yes some colours may take on a cool look. There isn't a great deal of difference (or contrast} between Resene Half Sea Fog and Resene Alabaster. It will be a very subtle look when these are used in the interior. Sometimes the difference won't be noticeable. On an exterior colours can look lighter/brighter because of the way the sunlight reflects off of it. The subtle difference between the two colours may disappear. They may look exactly the same. Is this ok with you? If you wanted to see a little more contrast one or the other colour may need to change. Resene Sea Fog may be better as the main exterior colour. Alternatively if Resene Half Sea Fog is a given for the main colour and not up for change then you may need to use Resene Half Alabaster or even Resene Quarter Alabaster to get a clean crisp contrast if that is what you want. It is a personal choice.
June 2019
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Q. I am upgrading my 24 year old bathroom with an existing almond bath with splash area of dark grey tiles. The new shower is white and the new floor tiles are light in colour with a tinge of whitey grey. The bathroom area is 7 square metres, is on the south side and has a one metre square window. What light wall and door colours would give a warm classy feel? I have so far tried testpots of Resene Quarter Rakaia, Resene Half Titania and Resene Designer White but have not quite got there yet. A. South facing rooms aren't blessed with warm light so it is really important to carefully test colours as the cool/sour light does influence how wall colours are seen. By keeping the Almond Ivory bath and changing everything else you will make the bath a coloured feature that attracts attention - and if you pursue the whiter/grey look it will look more of a definite pink/peach colour. Is that ok with you? Had you thought of having a new white bath to match the shower? Then instead of nearly upgrading the bathroom you would complete the refurbishment in a well-coordinated way. If you are intent on keeping the bath as it is then the wall colour - ideally - must be a little bit similar in colour so it isn't the only Almond in the room. Perhaps you could use one of these colours – Resene Eighth Spanish White or Resene Quarter Albescent White. Or if the colour of the bath isn't something that you focus on and it doesn't worry you then a soft grey white may work, such as Resene Concrete, Resene Athens Grey, Resene Whiteout or Resene Wan White.
June 2019
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Q. Would there be such thing as a half Resene Avocado for an exterior house colour and if so what creams would go with it for trims and which roof colour would work? A. There isn't a half version of Resene Avocado but the following colours are similar to what a lighter version might look like – Resene Wilderness, Resene Hideaway or Resene Coriander. Creams that look good with these types of greens are – Resene Quarter Villa White, Resene Half Rice Cake or Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta. Some roof colours that may appeal to you – Resene Karaka, Resene Ironsand or Resene Windswept.
June 2019
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Q. I am looking for a green/grey colour for a feature wall in the lounge. A. You could try Resene Smoky Green, Resene Inside Back or Resene Spanish Green.
June 2019
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Q. We have a 1920s villa located in a quiet urban setting surrounded by native trees. The roof is a maroon/burgundy red and the entrance door is painted in Resene Retreat. The interior paintwork is a mixture of Resene Half Joss and Resene Half Biscotti with Resene Half Bianca trim. The exterior of the house now needs repainting and we have narrowed our colour choice down to Resene Eighth Lemon Grass and Resene Half Truffle. Could you please provide some suggestions on a trim colour that would complement the existing colour scheme? We want to steer clear of yellow hues. Also, while we have a bright entrance door we'd like something more subtle for the rear door. A. If you were to use Resene Quarter Bianca as the 'white' for some of the trims it would lift the colours you have mentioned and add a bit of depth to them. They are soft, gentle, very pretty colours aren't they? Are you using both? You could do as they look lovely together. If you like both equally it makes sense to consider how they might both be used. Resene Quarter Bianca could be used for the door frames, window surrounds, under the soffits, and eaves/guttering. Whichever colour isn't being used as the main house colour could be used for the inner window sashes and sills, the back door and any decorative detailing.
June 2019
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Q. Which colour works well with COLORSTEEL® Ironsand? I want to lighten up the exterior of the house. A. Lots of colours look nice with Ironsand. You might check out the following lighter colours to see if they appeal to you – Resene Tea, Resene Quarter Taupe Grey, Resene Thorndon Cream or Resene Double White Pointer.
June 2019
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Q. We're thinking of painting our kitchen Resene Paris White. We have white cabinetry and matai floorboards. I am worried it will be too dark as the room is east facing and loses the sun relatively early in the day. Can you please recommend another colour that may be a little lighter or warmer? I was thinking of Resene Half Duck Egg Blue. A. Resene Paris White isn't a dark colour so if you like that colour it could work for you. Resene Half Duck Egg Blue is the same depth of colour but a bit colder, a very beautiful colour though. Some other options you could consider are Resene Quarter Robin Egg Blue or Resene Quarter Periglacial Blue.
June 2019
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Q. We've painted our roof with Resene Ironsand and the exterior Linea® in Resene Titania. The Stria® is just starting to be painted now in Resene Ironsand, but is very brown and overpowering. The soffits are painted in Resene Rice Cake. Please advise an alternative dark or light colour on the Stria®. A. You could try Resene Baltic Sea (lighter than Resene Ironsand with a lot of the brown removed), Resene Half Baltic Sea (lighter again) or Resene Half Thorndon Cream (in between Resene Titania and Resene Rice Cake for a lighter option)
June 2019
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Q. Do Resene Vintage and Resene Shuttle Grey go well together? A. Those two colours work beautifully together. They have the same depth of colour but completely different hues. Perfect and still restful.
June 2019
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Q. Would Resene Cloudy or Resene Half Cloudy work in a bright sunny bedroom that has Resene Quarter Spanish White trim around a very large window and on ceiling? A. I think Resene Cloudy may be better than lighter Resene Half Cloudy which could make the Resene Quarter Spanish White look too much of a rich cream by comparison.
June 2019
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Q. What are some beachy light colours? We are building a house at the beach. A. The following colours are lovely and they may appeal to you – Resene Slipstream, Resene White Island, Resene Elderflower or Resene Secrets.
June 2019
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Q. We are completing a major renovation which includes reroofing in COLORSTEEL® Gull Grey. We have Ghost Grey aluminium joinery and a bold orange front door. We would appreciate suggestions for an exterior colour in the Resene Whites & Neutrals range to try and complement these colours. We'd like to keep it fairly light and neutral. A. The Ghost Grey is a warm grey and as it has the most influence on what would look good on the main body of the house please check out the following colours to see if they appeal to you and work with the joinery – Resene Surrender, Resene Double Black White, Resene Grey Seal, Resene Quarter Stonehenge, Resene Half Spanish White or Resene Milk White.
June 2019
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Q. We are painting a square front villa. We want to use a soft grey (nothing with a lilac tinge thank you) with cream/white trim (maybe Resene Thorndon Cream) and a possible colour for the window ledge and front door. A. You could try these soft toned greys – Resene Half Delta, Resene Eighth Friar Greystone or Resene Half Foggy Grey. I think you may have to use a paler type of cream/white in order to harmonise with the soft warm greys - not full strength Resene Thorndon Cream which is quite strong in its yellow/green tone. You could try Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream, Resene Half Rice Cake or Resene Half Bianca.
June 2019
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Q. I am looking for an off-white for the exterior of a weatherboard home and a dark brown colour for window trim (to match/complement 1970s bronze aluminium joinery). The spouting/roof is black. A. You might look at these off whites to see if they appeal to you - Resene Half Thorndon Cream, Resene Merino, Resene Quarter Parchment or Resene Double Sea Fog. Plus a few dark brown colours – Resene Masala, Resene Quarter Ironsand, Resene Double Friar Greystone or Resene Thunder Road.
June 2019
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Q. We have a new built home with Resene Half Thorndon Cream walls throughout. We have an assorted collection of framed mirrors, family photo collections with all different coloured frames, various stained wood effects etc. We would like to paint the frames to have a modern look against the wall colour. Can you recommend one or two options please? A. A very dark frame might be considered as it throws into relief all the shapes, colours and content of all the collection on the wall. Perhaps one of these - Resene Triple Masala or darker - Resene Blackjack or a deep metallic colour - Resene Blast Grey.
June 2019
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Q. I am creating paint colour options for friends. They have just painted their kitchen/dining area in Resene Quarter Atmosphere. They now want to paint the large lounge area which is accessed from the dining/kitchen area. One of the bedrooms is painted in Resene Quarter Rakaia, they wanted to paint each bedroom a different colour but I am trying to suggest flow through colour is on trend rather than the 80s look of each room different. Please suggest a colour for the lounge and the hallway which has three bedrooms off it, plus the bedrooms. The home is in the country and has large scotia and trim, and a high ceiling in the lounge, I am trying to warm the place up with colour. The lounge has a large open fire with large chimney breast which is currently yellow. A. Perhaps you could investigate the following colours as a means to link what is already in the kitchen/dining room and the bedroom – Resene Rice Cake or Resene Sea Fog. One of these is warmer/brighter – Resene Rice Cake - and the other is warm/slightly grey toned – Resene Sea Fog. Both would work. Hallways are often dim because of lack of direct light (unless they are blessed with windows) so a lighter colour can compensate for that. The lounge also may have colour input from flooring, furniture and drapes so the neutral colour allows for that. Using a crisp real white Resene White for the ceilings and scotias and possibly all the woodwork will enhance the subtle tint of colour in the neutrals and maintain a simple elegant mood in the rooms. If you have a bedroom that receives a lot of direct sunlight you might consider using a grey that is related to Resene Quarter Atmosphere - Resene Atmosphere. Or alternatively you might continue with the neutral colour you have decided on (from the lounge and hallway) as a main colour and just use the Resene Atmosphere as a feature wall. Another bedroom might be a full strength version of the Resene Quarter Rakaia - i.e. Resene Rakaia. This is a neat well-co-ordinated way of tying together all colours so there is a flow but each space has its own ambiance.
June 2019
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Q. Could we have a suggestion for painting the foundations of a red brick house? The roof and windows are Karaka. A. You might use a warmed green neutral colour on both the foundations and window sills - perhaps one of these may appeal to you – Resene Ash or Resene Double Thorndon Cream, or a creamier colour - Resene Triple Rice Cake, or a deeper tone of the roof colour - Resene Quarter Karaka.
June 2019
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Q. We have decided to repaint the exterior of our house. Our roof is COLORSTEEL® Grey Friars, the aluminium window frames are slightly toned down white and the decking and stairs to the house (quite a prominent feature) are stained Heartwood. We would like to tone this stain down a bit with the right house colour. Could you please advise us - we have been looking at different whites and greys - it's driving us crazy! Many of the houses around us are darker greys and charcoal or black colours. A. Using a clean crisp white will not tone down the stain colour - it will emphasise the brightness of the colour as well as the orange/red tone. Slightly off whites may work - Resene Triple Black White or Resene Hint Of Grey. Deeper colours may help by being very dominating and forcing the eyes away from the stain but that can't be guaranteed. You might consider a slightly lighter blue toned charcoal to co-ordinate with the roof colour – Resene Half New Denim Blue or Resene Half Tuna. If you restained the decking and stairs a deeper colour - not as bright as Heartwood that may work better for you. Have you considered doing that? I was thinking perhaps - Resene Woodsman Tiri may work for you. The main house colour could then be one of these options - Resene Schooner or Resene Napa.
June 2019
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Q. I am planning to paint walls and newly built in cabinets in Resene Half Alabaster. Should the ceilings walls and trim be Resene Quarter Alabaster? What is the effect of using the same everywhere? A. Using the same colour on the ceilings and trims as you have on the walls opens up spaces and increases the light aspect within the rooms. It stops the eyes from noticing the trims also so they merge in rather than stand out. A lot of people choose to do this especially if the ceiling has many angles or the wood trims - skirting boards, door frames and doors - are very plain and not of architectural interest.
June 2019
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Q. I have a large single story 130 year old villa on a prominent street corner site facing north with a Karaka iron roof. What colour paints would suit the weatherboards and window surrounds and extensive balustrades, filigree and picket fencing? A. If you want to maintain a traditional look then the filigree, balustrades and picket fencing might be a white - Resene White. The weatherboards might be one of these colours - there are a huge amount of other possibilities but these are a start point – Resene Ash, Resene Half Delta, Resene Villa White or Resene Half Cloud. The inner sashes of the windows might be the same colour as the weatherboards and you might use a slightly lighter version of the roof colour for window surrounds and door surrounds - Resene Quarter Karaka. Doors and window sills could be picked out in a rich sumptuous red colour using Resene Cab Sav.
June 2019
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Q. We are planning to paint the interior of our modern house Resene Half Tea. I want to paint a feature wall in a nice funky bright colour and am trying to find a suitable complementary colour. I didn't like Resene Moroccan Spice though. I'm open to oranges, greens, blues, and reds. Our kitchen has purple cabinetry. A. You might check out the following colours - Resene Away We Go, Resene Party Zone, Resene Poppy or Resene Submerge.
June 2019
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Q. When doors are one or two shades darker than walls and window joinery is one or two shades lighter than walls, what colour is usual for door frames? The same as the door, wall or window joinery? A. Door frames and skirting boards, window frames and sashes are often the same colour - and depending upon the style of the house - most usually one or two shades lighter than the walls. The reason why doors are often a bit deeper than the walls is so that constant touching (finger marking/bumps/abrasions etc.]) isn't quite so noticeable. In period houses the reverse can be the norm - architecturally attractive skirting boards, door frames and window surrounds - and doors - are often a deeper shade of the walls. In very contemporary or modernistic houses where the skirting boards and door frames play a very minimal role - they(and the doors and window surrounds/sashes) are often painted to match the wall colour to minimize eye interest and to merge this not so attractive detail in. June 2019
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Q. We have painted our house Resene Cloudy. Eaves are Resene Bull Shot. Veranda poles are Resene Biscotti. I am looking at painting a storage shed, but wondering about the Resene Cloudy colour. Whatever colour we chose, we will later paint the walls of our house. Maybe Resene Cloudy is a bit cold. Anything from light to greys perhaps. A. If you will (eventually) paint the house to match the storage shed would you want a colour that works well with Resene Bull Shot and Resene Biscotti? They are very warm tones - the Resene Biscotti in particular is a biscuit colour - and will exert an influence on what colour might be used. Or would you choose other colours for the eaves and the veranda posts to work better with the new house colour? If you don't like Resene Cloudy because you feel it may be too cool looking you might check out the following colours to see if they appeal more - Resene Double Tea, Resene Half Napa or Resene Half Drought.
June 2019
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Q. I've just painted my house Resene Half Stack (windows Resene Black White, roof Resene Grey Friars). All the houses in our street have a different coloured door, so I need to pick a colour that looks good with Resene Half Stack. A. One of these colours may appeal to you - Resene Code Red, Resene Clockwork Orange, Resene FOMO, Resene Yowza or Resene Thumbs Up.
June 2019
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Q. My double storey townhouse has been painted Resene Double Parchment in every room. I would like to at least, change one or two walls in each room to perk it up a bit. I have even thought of navy in the master bedroom, behind the bed! A. Because the main colour - Resene Double Parchment is such a strong colour it pushes you toward darker colours to use with it. Do you want a darker look over all? A navy in the main bedroom may work - or not - but you would need to carefully test it and watch how it responds to changing natural and artificial light. You could check out these navy colours to see if they appeal to you - Resene King Tide or Resene Zinzan. Another way to perk up the tone is to paint three walls a lighter neutral colour - Resene Half Parchment. This would open up the space and create more light. Or perhaps you might consider using a slate blue/green – Resene Artemis, a soft toned red - Resene Red Herring or a warm stone green - Resene Helix.
June 2019
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Q. We are going with Resene Half Concrete for our kitchen and family area walls, Resene Blackjack for the island bench base, Resene White for trims, doors and ceilings. We have oak flooring, which is a light beige with a white/grey wash. We're wondering what white to do our cabinetry - thinking Resene Half Sea Fog? A. Do you want the kitchen cabinets to be a warmer white and to clash a little with the Resene Half Concrete which is a cooler/silvery grey white on the walls? If you are keener that the white work with the floor and aren't worried about whether it will work with the walls then you could use Resene Half Sea Fog. Personally I would recommend that you considered using Resene Quarter Black White if you want a nice harmonious white to work with Resene Half Concrete.
May 2019
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Q. We are renovating the master bedroom of a 1920s bungalow that has wooden floors and window sills. We are looking for a purplish/pinkish colour and have looked at Resene Vintage and Resene Siesta, which are close to what we want but not perfect. What would be a good mid-point between them, and possibly a bit lighter than Resene High Tea? A. You might check out the following colours – Resene Swiss Coffee, Resene Dover White, Resene Balance or Resene Always. All colours in an interior have the potential to double in depth. Painting up the Resene testpot (all of it/two coats) onto very large A2 card (available from Resene ColorShops) leaving a narrow unpainted (white card) border will allow you to see and judge the reality of the colours.
May 2019
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Q. I have a COLORSTEEL® Ironsand roof and a Resene Ironsand deck and front door. I am getting my house painted Resene Gull Grey and thought I'd add a pop of colour with a red front door. What red/s would go with this combo? A. You might check out the following reds to see if they appeal to you – Resene Salsa, Resene Dynamite or Resene Pohutukawa.
May 2019
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Q. I am in a rut! I have two Cape Cod chairs ready to paint and family have thrown my preferred choice out the window! At present I have two in Resene Ecstasy and I'd like to paint the other two in a complementary colour. All four chairs will not be together all the time, but I wish to paint the other two one block colour (e.g. not two differing colours). We are in a rural setting surrounded by restoring forest and garden. I am a fan of green and had chosen a lime green, the others in the family prefer blue! Can you please help give me an idea either way? A. These colours might appeal to you - they do look rather delicious when seen close to oranges - especially Resene Ecstasy – Resene Hashtag, Resene FOMO, Resene Windfall, Resene Yowza, Resene Cobalt or Resene Bowie. If it is a collective decision - rather than just yours - I suggest you paint up large A4 cards of all of the colours and play the 'Like it Least' game. This is when each participant removes the colour sample they like least of all. And by doing this continually eventually there is only one colour left. And guess what! That is the colour that you all like and a decision has been made. All of the colour samples must be placed on the orange chairs. That is necessary as it is their relationship with the Resene Ecstasy colour that makes you see the sample colours as part of a harmony rather than an isolated or random 'other' colour
May 2019
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Q. I'm searching for an all-purpose white paint to use throughout our 1950s house. The house has matai floorboards and is north facing. I prefer black, blue and grey based whites. Right now, I'm considering Resene Alabaster and Resene Half Black White. Can you please let me know what you think would suit the dark floorboards and era of the house? A. If you prefer the cooler whites then they will emphasise the rich warmth of the matai floorboards. You won't see much difference between Resene Alabaster and Resene Half Black White as in some lights (natural and artificial) they may look almost the same. Is that what you want? If that is the case you could use just one colour - either Resene Alabaster or Resene Half Black White - for all surfaces and just change the sheen level to create a subtle difference - i.e. matt for ceilings, low sheen for walls and semi-gloss or full gloss for wooden trims. But if you do want to see a difference between the two colours you have mentioned then you may have to lighten the Resene Alabaster to Resene Quarter Alabaster so it provides more of a contrast with Resene Half Black White.
May 2019
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Q. We have a hundred year old wooden villa house. It has a new Pioneer Red metal roof with Karaka spouting and white window frames. We're stuck on a colour for the weatherboards. I am not sure whether to go with a dark exterior colour (e.g. dark browny grey) to try and hide the 1970s brown bronze aluminium windows or a lighter colour which would suit the red roof tiles more but make the windows stand out. And then which colour to choose? I definitely want to paint the house all one colour though! A. You might consider using a little more of the Karaka so it isn't the 'only lonely' green on the house - perhaps for the doors or the window sills? If you didn't want it to be too dark then you might look at the slightly lighter variant as an alternative trim option – try Resene Karaka or Resene Half Karaka. For the main house colour - with respect to the age of the house and the timber weatherboards - you could look at these options – Resene Triple Merino, Resene Double Sea Fog, Resene Half Spanish White, Resene Double Rice Cake or Resene Pearl Lusta. To work with the window colour you might check out the following – Resene Double Friar Greystone , Resene Pravda or Resene Triple Stonehenge. Or a colour with a little more olive green in it (because that harmonises well with a red like the roof) might be one of these colours – Resene Lisbon Brown, Resene Raptor, Resene Half Evolution or lighter – Resene Triple Ash. May 2019
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Q. We are halfway through our first new build and are planning to paint the weatherboard cladding in Resene Gauntlet. Our window joinery is Appliance White. We want all the trim details to be a fresh crisp white; someone has suggested Resene Black White but it looks a bit too cool to me and also a little dark against the Appliance White. A. Resene Black White is a cooler grey based white compared to the powder coat colour. If you want a white for crisp trim details I suggest you ask for the Resene version of Appliance White so you don't have two clashing whites. This is available at any Resene ColorShop or reseller.
May 2019
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Q. Can you please suggest a suitable ceiling paint colour to go with Resene Eighth Parchment walls? You might check out these whites to see which one that you prefer – Resene Alabaster or Resene Eighth Rice Cake. They both work well with Resene Eighth Parchment.
May 2019
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Q. Can you suggest a complementary colour to paint bedside cabinets with Resene Wan White walls? I was thinking maybe Resene Double Wan White or Resene Triple Wan White. A. If you want a tone or shade of a colour similar to Resene Wan White you might check out these colours as they exist already which is helpful if you need to test them – Resene Double Sea Fog, Resene Triple Sea Fog, Resene Double Black White or Resene Triple Black White.
May 2019
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Q. We have a 1950s bungalow and I'd like a change of colour. It has a Resene Karaka green roof and fence. A consultant at the reseller advised that Resene Quarter Tapa with white trim would go nicely and it seemed to be ok when I used the testpot. So I started painting with Resene Quarter Tapa. It looks nice but dull. I'm not scared of colour. I recently put in purple carpet. I just can't bear the thought of white trim with this grey looking house. I want a pop of colour but can't decide what to do. I like the idea of a bright melon or a smoky purple or both or a strong teal. Really I don't care much but I don't want a grey house with white trim. I don't need to worry about offending potential buyers as I've owned the house 16 years and plan never to sell it. I'd like a brighter look but I feel committed to the Resene Quarter Tapa because I've started and we have time restrictions on getting the body of the house painted. I can potter away with the detail later. A. If you feel you can really embrace something different - a bit of bold and bright - to stop the Resene Quarter Tapa and Resene Karaka roof etc from being too earthy then you could check out the following colours to see if they appeal to you – Resene Thumbs Up, Resene Jailbreak, Resene Dynamite, Resene Yowza or Resene Machiavelli.
May 2019
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Q. We are painting our living room ceiling and walls Resene Alabaster, but we are not sure what colour we should paint the trim. A. You might consider using one of the lighter/whiter variants of Resene Alabaster – Resene Half Alabaster, Resene Quarter Alabaster or real white - Resene White.
May 2019
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Q. The walls of my house are stained with Resene Crowshead. I need to paint the existing Monier tile roof which was a brownish terracotta colour but has faded over the years. Any suggestions would be appreciated as to suitable colours. A. You might check out these colours to see if they appeal to you – Resene Element, Resene Windswept, Resene Gauntlet, Resene Canyon or Resene Scoria.
May 2019
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Q. I want to paint our hallway a different colour for a feature. The rest of the house is Resene Half Wan White. I was thinking of a dusky pink/terracotta look. Currently the hall is carpeted but we will be removing it and polishing the floor. A. You might check out the following colours to see if they appeal to you – Resene Coral Tree, Resene Just Dance, Resene Cameo, Resene Bonanza, Resene Brandy Rose, Resene Toast or Resene Birthday Suit. You will need to carefully test the colours. All colours in an interior have the potential to double in depth (or brightness depending on the type of colour) so you need to know exactly what a large area will look like. I like the idea of a hallway painted in a definite colour - hallways tend to miss out on natural light and furniture and drapes so they can benefit by doing something a little bit different.
May 2019
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Q. We are building a new separate garage that will be close to our house. Our exterior house colours are: ground floor Resene Triple Tana and upstairs Resene Pavlova with a front door of Resene Burnt Sienna. Exterior windows are wooden and painted Resene Half Pavlova. We would like colours for the exterior garage walls, double garage door and entry door and windows. Also the roof of the garage will be visible - the roof of our house is Bone White (but except for the flashings is not really visible). Are you able to give us some ideas on all these areas please? A. If you did the walls of the garage Resene Triple Tana, the roof and flashings Resene Bone White and the double garage door Resene Burnt Sienna it could look really smart. The entry door and windows could be Resene Half Pavlova or slightly lighter - Resene Quarter Pavlova.
May 2019
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Q. I have an open-plan kitchen and lounge area I am planning to paint after installing insulation and plasterboard. It is currently painted Resene Golden Glow. Although I've liked this colour, it now looks too bright, especially in summer during the day and doesn't really go with my rich cream kitchen cabinets that are in a colour like Resene Dutch White. I already have Resene Pearl Lusta ceilings and skirting boards and are not planning to change this colour either. I'm looking for a warm, neutral colour that would suit this whole area (lounge, kitchen, etc.), that also complements the kitchen cabinets. I prefer the warmer, browner tones as I'm not as keen on the grey-toned neutral colours as they look too cold to me. The whole area gets direct sun during a lot of the day in summer, but next to no direct sun in winter, hence my wanting a warm neutral colour. I had decided on Resene Spanish White, but now I'm not as sure as sometimes it looks a bit green at night, especially next to the cream kitchen cabinets. Also, they are both pale and look like they clash. Could a darker version of Resene Spanish White (either Resene Double Spanish White or Resene Triple Spanish White) work better with the kitchen cabinets (or will this still be a bit green) or maybe another milk-coffee-coloured neutral, like one of the Resene Biscotti colours work? A. Rather than introduce a deeper(or dirtier) colour like darker variants of Resene Spanish White had you considered a lighter colour more related to the cabinets? That might work better for you instead of introducing a third type of cream (that is not related) to the kitchen. You could check out the following colours – Resene Quarter Dutch White, Resene Half Gin Fizz or Resene Half Orchid White. If you were intent on having a colour like Resene Biscotti please carefully test the colour. You may find it takes on a peachy/beige look that makes the cabinets look yellower. May 2019
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Q. I have painted my roof Resene Grey Friars. What is recommended for weatherboards? Unsure whether to go darker or lighter; I like moody colours. A. If your weatherboards are real timber (not a look alike made of fibre cement) I recommend lighter colours to safeguard the integrity of the wood – try Resene Surrender or Resene Geyser. But if the weatherboards are a fibre cement then mid to deep colours might be considered – try Resene Half Tuna, Resene Triple Truffle, Resene Stonewashed or Resene Quarter Baltic Sea.
May 2019
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Q. We are doing a kitchen renovation shortly and need to decide on colours. We live in a 100 year old villa which can be a bit gloomy so we want a light neutral colour throughout the new areas which we will probably extend in time to the whole house. Currently we are thinking Resene Half Rice Cake or Resene Eighth Parchment. The kitchen cabinetry will be Thermoform Alabaster satin which also seems close to those colours, but I'm a bit concerned it may be a bit sterile with the only colour coming from the bench top in ‘metropolis brown.' One idea I've had is painting a low half wall in colour but I'd like advice on what colours might compliment. Or can you advise other ways to bring in colour but keep a light feel to the room? A. If you were to choose Resene Half Rice Cake for the walls it may be too close (but not exactly the same) as the Resene Alabaster cabinetry. Sometimes it pays to not compete with another 'white' but to choose a colour that has a bit more of its own personality - i.e. Resene Eighth Parchment may be a warm neutral that sits well with the bench top and the cabinets. Another colour that might be considered is Resene Quarter Fossil or possibly Resene Quarter White Pointer. I like your idea of painting a low wall in a complementary colour - so perhaps one of the following might be considered – Resene Duck Egg Blue, Resene Helix, or a warmer type of colour – Resene Dawn Chorus or Resene Just Dance. With a new kitchen please don't underestimate the power of artificial lighting - as well as ceiling lights perhaps strip LED lighting recessed under the edge of the island work top and above the top of the cabinets on the window wall above the cook top will add more light to the kitchen area - not just as mood lighting but to create a lighter brighter look.
May 2019
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Q. I'm looking for a paint colour that will go well with a polished concrete floor in a house that has more windows than walls i.e. a lot of natural light. I was think perhaps Resene Eighth Tea on the walls with Resene Quarter Black White for trims and ceilings? Or Resene Half White Pointer with Resene Quarter Black White for ceilings/trims. I want the room to feel warm and light/airy but not too stark. A. You mention Resene Eighth Tea - this is a delicate pink/grey and Resene Half White Pointer which doesn't have as much definite warmth but is a delicate grey/taupe. Without testing you may not see the undertones within each colour. I always recommend that people paint up all of a testpot (two coats) onto an A2 card (available from Resene ColorShops). If you leave a narrow unpainted border all around the perimeter of the card it helps you to see the reality of the colour. The card can be moved from wall to wall/room to room so you can see how each aspect of light and angle change how the colour is seen. Some other very light neutrals that you might check out and compare to the ones you have mentioned might be these colours – Resene House White, Resene Sea Fog or Resene Double Black White.
May 2019
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Q. I am painting a room in Resene Half Black White. What ceiling white colour would you suggest? A. You might use one of these - both these whites will lift and brighten the room – Resene Eighth Black White or real white – Resene White.
May 2019
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Q. We have used Resene White Thunder in the hallways and main living areas of our home with bright Resene Spray as a pop of colour on our lights and a small table. Our kitchen and laundry are Resene Alabaster as is the master bedroom which has black as a contrast in the curtains and cushions. There are two remaining south facing bedrooms that I think Resene White Thunder and Resene Alabaster will make feel cold, or look dirty as there is not much natural light. We are in an area with a lot of native bush so the light is probably green filtered. What will warm up these rooms but still flow okay with the cooler Resene White Thunder? I was thinking I would paint the bathroom Resene Frozen, but also think this will chill the smaller south bedroom. Are there some neutrals or colours you can suggest please? A. Where you have already used Resene White Thunder it probably looks perfect. But a south facing aspect does look cool and doesn't need to look cooler or grim. Of the colours you have mentioned Resene Spray is the warmest. Have you thought of using this colour as either a whole room colour with Resene Alabaster for trims and ceiling or as a feature on one wall with a deeper variant of Resene Alabaster for the main colour - i.e. Resene Half Sea Fog (also known as Resene Triple Alabaster)? Because you have used Resene Spray for pops of colour already there will be a flow through to help with co-ordination. To add extra warmth to these two rooms you could add some sweet green or soft fruity reds and gentle lilac hues greys as accessories - i.e. similar to these colours - Resene Soft Apple, Resene Rapture and Resene Half Grey Chateau.
May 2019
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Q. We are planning to change our bedroom walls and I was hoping you might be able to suggest a colour for us. I am after a sophisticated, warm taupe colour, perhaps with a hint of green in it. The main colour on the walls throughout the house is Resene Half Black White, ceilings and trim (which I'm not changing for now) are Resene Eighth Black White. We have charcoal grey and white marble tiles in the ensuite adjoining the bedroom, and fairly dark grey carpet (quite a warm grey, almost mushroomy), so it will need to go with greys. Our lounge is Resene Half Fuscous Grey (which goes well with the carpet to give you some idea). A. Both of the rooms - on my computer - look to have some yellow undertones that warm up the green type of colour. You might check out the following colours to see if they appeal to you – Resene Thorndon Cream, Resene Double Merino, Resene Quarter Tana, Resene Quarter Ash or Resene Moon Mist.
May 2019
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Q. We have opened out our dining/living room/kitchen into one large open plan space. We're thinking of painting the walls with Resene Half Secrets (or possibly Resene Secrets) with the trim in Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta, and the ceiling in flat white. The floors are polished matai. We're keen to introduce a darker colour and thought we might paint the wall behind our log burner as a feature wall. We are thinking about using Resene Green Spring, but are wondering if it is too similar in shade to give enough contrast against Resene Half Secrets. A. I think it would be worth you checking out the following colours as they are slightly different (less yellow toned) than Resene Green Spring – try Resene Pumice or deeper toned Resene Ravine. It is all about comparing colours - so you can see their different undertones - and watching how large painted test samples alter in changing light situations.
May 2019
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Q. What colour matches with a Thunder Grey roof for the exterior of a modern house, please? A. The Resene colour that matches the Thunder Grey roof is Resene Squall. It may be quite a dark slightly oppressive look if you had everything painted to match the roof - are you sure this is the look you want? Some lighter paint colours that look harmonious with Thunder Grey that you might check out are the following – Resene Climate, Resene Triple Friar Greystone or Resene Stonehenge.
May 2019
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Q. I have a COLORSTEEL® New Denim Blue roof with white around the windows and doors etc. The house is a 1950s weatherboard with a brick base and I need to repaint it. Any suggestions for colour to tie in the brick base and the roof? A. You might check out the following colours as they may appeal to you as well as work with the blue/grey roof, white windows and red bricks – Resene Athens Grey, Resene Quarter Tea, Resene Quarter Truffle or Resene Quarter Spanish White.
May 2019
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Q. We have a full grey roof, fascia and spouting with Silver Pearl joinery. We would like to put Resene Quarter Ironsand on the weatherboards and use Resene Truffle for the soffits. What do you think we could use for the front door colour and garage door? A. If you want a deeper version of the main house colour you could use Resene Ironsand or even deeper Resene Double Ironsand. Lighter colours could be one of these colours – Resene Double Truffle or Resene Triple Truffle. Or a distinctive feature colour - if you want a statement – Resene Dynamite.
May 2019
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Q. We are painting a 80s bathroom with Denim Blue and white tiles, and contrasting Pimento Melteca® (a soft burgundy) cupboards. I have chosen Resene Quarter Parchment as the wall and ceiling colour but wonder what you would suggest for an accent colour on window trims and door. A. You have quite a few colours - four - in the bathroom now [and you haven't mentioned the floor colour which would be a fifth colour] so I would be hesitant about suggesting another one as it may look fussy. You might consider using a whiter/lighter version of the colour you have chosen for the walls - Resene Eighth Parchment. Or alternatively, you could use Resene White as you have white tiles and possibly white bathroom fittings.
May 2019
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Q. What colour would you suggest for a feature wall if the rest of the room is Resene Quarter Scarpa Flow? A. You don't mention what sort of preferences you have so the following are a random selection of possibilities - try Resene Baltic Sea, Resene Half Fuscous Grey, Resene Fast Forward, Resene Beeswax or Resene Smoulder.
May 2019
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Q. We want to paint one wall and the ceiling black - are there different blacks? Do you have any suggestions or tips? This is a restaurant environment. A. Yes there are different blacks. Apart from (real) Resene Black, there are blacks that pick up unique undertones of colour. This might not be apparent if you were looking at each colour in isolation and not comparing them with each other. If you visit your local Resene ColorShop to view the A4 real paint samples in their Colour Library, you will get a better idea of what each colour is really like. The following are a few that are worth checking out to get you started - Resene Nero, Resene Blackjack, Resene All Black or Resene Double Cod Grey.
May 2019
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Q. I have been asked to decorate a friend's lounge. They have a mid-grey carpet and dark red couch with gold/brown tones. I'm a bit lost for wall colour paint. It's a villa with very high ceiling. Help!! A. What do your friends like? Do they have colour preferences? You may need to test quite a few colours until they see a colour that they like. The following are a few that may be worth checking out to get you started - Resene Eighth Sisal, Resene Half Spanish White or Resene Half Parchment. If the ceiling is very high, then you might suggest using the same colour as the walls. This would have the effect of making the ceiling look slightly lower.
May 2019
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Q. We are using the following Resene colours for a new build, and are looking for a neutral to complement on the walls and a white for the trim and ceiling. Can you recommend a white which would work best with all of these colours – Resene Green Smoke, Resene Despacito, Resene Crowdpleaser, Resene Nourish, Resene Aura, Resene Mother Nature and Resene King Tide? A. If you want a neutral for walls you could check out these - Resene Rice Cake, Resene Half Sea Fog and Resene Half Merino or Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream. You could use one of the following whites - Resene Eighth Rice Cake or Resene Half Alabaster.
May 2019
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Q. What is the best white for trim and ceiling with Resene Double Merino walls? We have carpet which is a dark brown toned and brown leather furniture. A. You might consider one of these whites - Resene Quarter Merino or Resene Half Merino. Some people use the same colour as the walls for the skirting boards; door frames etc. but in semi-gloss enamel finish and just use a 'whiter' colour for the ceiling. You might consider that option - it merges in the trims and there is just the sheen difference.
May 2019
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Q. I have chosen a brick named Ruapehu from the Midland Classic range for the outside walls. Now I have to choose the weatherboard colour for the top of the windows. Could you please guide me on which colour is the best look for my new home? A. I think a warm toned grey/beige could look nice with the bricks, the roof and the joinery colour on the weatherboards – try Resene Truffle. But if you would prefer a paler colour then you could look at either of these suggestions - Resene Quarter Truffle or Resene Albescent White.
May 2019
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Q. We have an open plan home - upstairs is Resene Fawn Green as is the hallway, which then adjoins via a stairwell a second living space downstairs, which is currently in Resene Canterbury Clay. The curtain and carpets downstairs look good with Resene Canterbury Clay, however the Resene Fawn Green on the perpendicular wall of the stairwell doesn't go well. What colour would work in the hall/stairwell to work with both Resene Canterbury Clay and Resene Fawn Green? Alternatively I've been contemplating changing the downstairs and hall to Resene Half Canterbury Clay but I am still not sure this would work with Resene Fawn Green. A. You may need to consider using a lighter creamier colour that likes both Resene Fawn Green and Resene Canterbury Clay. That may not be Resene Half Canterbury Clay which still isn't best friends with Fawn Green. Check out the following - Resene Half Spanish White or Resene Pearl Lusta.
May 2019
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Q. If I have caramello blinds and white walls in my lounge/dining area, what colour should I use on each end of the walls as features? A. Do you want a contrast/complement to add 'colour' to the neutral toned room? Or do you want a deeper toned colour that might relate to what you already have? You could check out the following colours to see if they appeal to you - Resene Stonewashed or Resene Half Oilskin. Contrast/complementary colours that might also be considered could be - Resene Fast Forward or Resene Twilight Zone.
May 2019
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Q. For my house exterior I am looking for a grey for weatherboards to complement Resene Sheer Black wood stained cedar vertical boards and FlaxPod joinery. A. You might check out the following colours - they look really nice with FlaxPod and Resene Sheer Black stain - Resene Taupe Grey, Resene Friar Greystone , Resene Grey Area or Resene Foggy Grey.
May 2019
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Q. I have a pre-1900s cottage. I was really interested in doing the window sills a dark blue/grey and then having the rest of the house a lighter cream colour. Do you have any suggestions for this? A. For cottages of this era the following colours are considered traditional - Resene Villa White, Resene Double Pearl Lusta, Resene Half Beeswax or Resene Half Spanish White. These are some dark blue/greys for you to check out - Resene Tuna, Resene Raven, Resene Avalanche or Resene Rhino.
May 2019
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Q. I have a bathroom, powder room and laundry for tiling and painting - all the same tile and colour. The tile I've chosen is very light since the bathroom will not get a lot of light. I'm thinking of getting laundry cupboards in Melteca® Baikal and wondered what white based Resene colour would go with that? A. If you wanted the Melteca® Baikal to look like a subtle colour then you could use a pure clean white - Resene Half Alabaster, Resene Eighth Black White or Resene White (this is a standard real white). Otherwise you could ask for the Resene match version of Melteca® Baikal at your Resene ColorShop so you could use the same colour.
May 2019
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Q. Could you tell me what colour goes with Resene Karaka and Resene Redwood. I am looking at an outdoor wall colour that will go with these two. I see on your site that they complement each other which is great! So the deck is in the red and the roof is in the green. A. Perhaps one of these colours might be considered - Resene Double Thorndon Cream, Resene Triple Ash, Resene Tapa, Resene Castle Rock or Resene Craigieburn.
May 2019
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Q. I have painted a feature wall in my bedroom Resene Baltic Sea and I'm struggling with a colour for the rest of the walls that will go with that. I don't want a blue tinge with it. A. Creams and beiges wouldn't have a blue tinge to them. Even though you haven't said what type of colour you are looking for, I am guessing you want to use a grey. Perhaps warmer greys like the following would appeal to you - Resene Quill Grey, Resene Silver Sand, Resene Half Foggy Grey, Resene Dusted Grey or Resene Triple Black White.
May 2019
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Q. If I paint my walls Resene Black White, what colour would be best for the trims and ceiling? A. If you want to see a nice crisp contrast then you might use one of the following whites - Resene Quarter Black White or Resene Eighth Black White. If you didn't want to see the contrast then you could use the same colour as the walls (Resene Black White) or Resene Half Black White.
May 2019
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Q. We have found a stain colour that we really like – Resene Shadow Match. We need to use Resene Lumbersider paint, is there something similar available in a very dark grey, with a hint of brown? A. You may have to carefully test a few colours like these ones to see if they appeal to you – try Resene Bokara Grey, Resene Blackjack, Resene Dark Web or Resene Porter. All paints appear stronger/darker than stain does. Paint isn't a 'see through' coating like stain.
May 2019
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Q. Is it trendy at the moment to paint skirtings, window and door trims the same colour as the walls? Also, is it on trend to paint doors bold/dark colours? I'm thinking of Resene Black White walls and trims and a dark colour like Resene Nocturnal or Resene Nero for the doors. Would that work in general? A. It depends very much on what style of house you have as to whether or not you want to blend in the woodwork trims and doors by using the same colour as the walls. Sometimes just using a different sheen – semi-gloss enamel - in the same colour as the walls - for the trims and doors opens up the spaces and allows for flooring, drapes, furniture etc. to have more presence in the house. In some very large contemporary houses, having really dark colours for the doors, works really well. But if your house isn't large, open plan, contemporary and open to dramatic statements then having a mass of dark doors (especially in hallways) can dominate the space.
May 2019
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Q. I have just done a scheme for a coastal crib. It has painted tongue and groove look walls. I have used Resene Cut Glass and Resene Half Robin Egg Blue in two bedrooms. There is Resene Double Villa White in the living and kitchen and Resene Double Alabaster. My only disaster is the master bedroom in Resene Sandy Beach as it is too bright for me. I chose it as I wanted something that looks like golden sand. Can you please give me some options in the same theme but not so bright? A. Resene Sandy Beach might be called Sandy Beach but that is its only similarity to a sand colour. It is a bright yellow/orange peach. So yes – bright and not at all like any golden sand beach I have ever seen. Taking into account, the late afternoon bright red/gold quality of light in the room, and the other colours that you have used, in my mind perhaps one of the following may work - Resene Half Sisal, Resene Sandspit Brown or Resene Quarter Canterbury Clay. N.B. The westerly light in the later part of the afternoon is when you need to check out any colour samples, to see how they respond to this particular low cast of the sun. All colours have the potential to look double their depth or brightness in an interior but the west facing rooms get the most sunset glow, and any clean yellow or orange based colour will be fluoro intensified.
May 2019
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Q. The current wall and door colour is Resene Solitaire. I want to paint the wall a lighter colour but don't want to paint the doors. I have painted some Resene Quarter Solitaire but it is just a little too pinky. We want the warmth of colour as the lounge is south and west facing. The carpet is going to be replaced so matching that is not an issue. A. If you do go lighter on the walls, will you mind if the doors take on more of a pinky/peach/cream colour and look stronger by comparison? If that doesn't worry you then it is all good. You might check out these colours - they are slightly creamier - Resene Island Spice or Resene Quarter Spanish White.
May 2019
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Q. I have a 25 year old house with green joinery and black/grey carpet. Years ago the inside was painted Resene Pearl Lusta and over the years, different colours have hit the walls but the ceiling has remained the same. Now I want to paint a family room and lounge in a lighter/whiter colour that will go with Resene Pearl Lusta ceilings and doors. A. My main worry is that once you change the wall colour, the remaining Resene Pearl Lusta on the ceiling may look much yellower and (depending on the wall colour you choose) may look a bit too strong or even a bit dingy. The safe default option is to use a lighter variant of Pearl Lusta - perhaps Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta. Alternatively, you might check out Resene Half Villa White.
May 2019
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Q. We are trying to choose colours for our weatherboard house. We are thinking Resene Double Villa White or Resene Villa White on the weatherboards and then Resene Black White for the windows but we are not sure what for the roof. Would you have any other recommendations for the windows that would go well with Resene Villa White and Resene Double Villa White? And then should we paint the baseboards the same colour as the roof? A. If you wanted a good white to use with either Resene Double Villa White or Resene Villa White, you could use one of these slightly warmer whites - Resene Quarter Villa White or Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta or a whiter colour - Resene Alabaster. A roof colour might be one of these colours - Resene Steel Grey, Resene Canyon, Resene Ironsand or Resene High Tide. If the baseboards are painted the same colour as the roof it can create a 'sandwich' effect on the house. You could consider using the same colour as the windows.
May 2019
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Q. We are doing a kitchen upgrade with the cupboards in Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream and the windows painted Resene Alabaster. The bench top is old, awaiting a black stone bench top and white subway tiles will be installed under the window. What would be a good colour to go on the walls? We think the colour at the moment is a shade of Resene Spanish White. A. If you wanted a warmer (slightly peach/beige) colour for the walls like Resene Half Spanish White, it would pay to note that it may make the kitchen cabinetry (Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream) look a little dull/green edged at certain times of the day or night according to the changing light. A few alternative colours for you to carefully check out might be these ones - Resene Double Rice Cake, Resene Half Thorndon Cream or Resene Albescent White. It is all about comparing colours and judging them with the things you have (or hope to have) in order to see how they like each other.
May 2019
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Q. I have a New Denim Blue roof and want to know what colour to paint the walls which are rough cast? A. You do have a few options to check out to see what appeals to you – try Resene Barely There, Resene Half Thorndon Cream, Resene Quarter Truffle or Resene Quarter Delta.
May 2019
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Q. I've painted my villa, Resene Siam with Resene Double Sea Fog windows. I now need a colour for the front cement steps, veranda floor and garage door. I want a grey that's not too harsh, but dark enough to act as a solid base for stairs and floor. I've looked at Resene Zeus as it relates to the Resene Siam, but wonder if it's too green? Otherwise I have considered Resene Ironsand and Resene Element. A. Resene Ironsand may look too brown at certain times of the day (later afternoon possibly to the west side of the house) and too olive/bronze (south or east sides of the house), so I think that Resene Element may be slightly better.
May 2019
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Q. We are going to paint our exterior in Resene Baltic Sea. Can you recommend a colour for the roof? A. You don't say whether you want a pale roof, a very dark roof or a very specific coloured roof. The following are a few options to consider - Resene Lighthouse, Resene Atmosphere, Resene All Black, Resene Rustic Red or Resene Palm Green.
May 2019
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Q. Could you give me some natural colour suggestions, for a dark villa hallway with matai floorboards? A. There are a lot of options available to you - the following may be worth checking out - try Resene Pearl Lusta, Resene Villa White, Resene Double Bianca, Resene Half Wheatfield or Resene Ecru White.
May 2019
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Q. We are renovating and have converted an existing sleepout into two girl's bedrooms (9 and 10 years) and a kid's playroom. I'd like to do the playroom in Resene Half Lemon Grass as that works nicely with its existing blinds. I'm keen for recommendations please for colours for the girl's rooms they can choose from, as I'd like them to have some input but also tie into the overall scheme for their zone. One room is quite small but north facing with lots of windows/light, the other is larger but southwest facing and less glazing. At this stage we're looking at Resene Sea Fog or Resene Half Sea Fog as the ceiling colour with woodwork in Resene Quarter Sea Fog to tie in with the base neutral through the main part of the house. A. I think that Resene Quarter Sea Fog may be better as a ceiling colour. It might also be used as window surrounds/sashes, skirting boards and doors to give the rooms a crisp clean contrast. Usually ceilings look more shadowy, so in order to stop the colour on the ceiling from looking deeper - twice the depth that you might imagine it will be - it is better to go paler. The following colours are worth showing your daughters - they are pretty, playful, dreamy and full of charm - and they look nice in relationship with the grey/green of Resene Half Lemon Grass - Resene Duck Egg Blue, Resene Solitaire, Resene Half Beeswax, Resene Half Rakaia, Resene Half Opal or Resene Alaska.
May 2019
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Q. We have a bright north facing master bedroom that we want to paint, as well as two bedrooms afterwards. There is a black headboard, black side tables, drawers and a grey bedspread. There are white sheers going on the windows next week and we want to add some personality and colour! We have a number of testpots and are looking for a light blue colour for the entire room. We probably like Resene Frozen the most at the moment but are concerned it is a little too ‘baby boy's room blue'. I like the Scandinavian inspired colours like your website has listed under 'Trends'. Looking for advice on how light/dark we could/should go. Also any colour recommendations for this room and potential complementary colours, for another north facing room and a south facing room. A. The brightness that you mention is what is seen out of the windows and onto a small portion of the floor in the room. North facing rooms receive more natural light during the winter when the sun is lower in the sky and reaches further into the room - sometimes even to the far end of the side walls or to the back walls of the room. You don't mention which other colours you have looked at - apart from Resene Frozen. These are some blues that you may not have looked at - Resene Half Spindle, Resene Half Halcyon, Resene Quarter Frozen, Resene Slipstream or Resene Remember Me. Because of the shadow on the walls, it is very important to test colours. Please take the time to carefully test by painting all of a testpot (two coats) onto A2 card (available from Resene ColorShops), leaving a narrow unpainted band all around the perimeter. The white unpainted portion does two things - it helps you focus on the reality of the tested sample and the unpainted portion stops the existing wall colour from negatively influencing how you see the test colour. It is important to move the large painted card from wall to wall and watch how it alters during the day and at night under electric light.
May 2019
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Q. We have a two storey house with a concrete block ground floor and vertical wooden cladding on the upper level. We have previously painted the top cladding in Resene Double Pavlova, and now need to paint the concrete block ground level. Can you help with a colour idea or two please? A. You don't mention whether you want a lighter colour or a darker colour so the following address both options - Resene Quarter Pavlova, Resene Double Fossil, Resene Masala or Resene Triple Friar Greystone .
May 2019
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Q. Should the door frame and the door be painted the same colour? If not, should the door frame be the lighter colour or darker colour? A. There is no one right choice - it is a case of what you like. A darker door frame (and lighter door colour) would frame it and make it pop. A lighter door frame (and darker door colour) especially if the light colour is very closely related to the wall colour, will not make such an eye catching feature of the door. Painting the frames and the doors the same colour, sorts out a lot of problems. May 2019
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Q. We have a house with Woodland Grey eaves and would like a mid-tone bluey colour for the walls. Is there one that would go with the greenish tinge that the grey has? A. Woodland Grey is an earthy olive based grey. It is tricky to find a blue that works well with it. Greeny/greys are more harmonious than blues. But the following blue colours may appeal to you - Resene Triple Duck Egg Blue or Resene Dusted Blue. I suggest you look also at other alternatives to see if you might prefer them after due consideration - Resene Grey Area, Resene Helix, Resene Haven or Resene Ravine.
May 2019
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Q. Could you please advise me on the best white trim/ceiling colour to go with Resene Half Truffle and Resene Quarter Truffle? I have considered Resene Alabaster, however, I think it is too white and stark looking. A. All whites take on a slightly 'greyer' undertone when seen on a ceiling. Yes even real Resene White. But if you want a softer tint of white, you might consider one of the following but please note they all will look more ‘coloured' - Resene Black White, Resene Double Alabaster, Resene Half Sea Fog or a definite colour - Resene Eighth Truffle. This particular colour may look the same as Quarter Truffle.
May 2019
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Q. We are doing up a café and would like some colour options. We would like an industrial look for the inside and currently have carpet on the bottom half of the walls. We were thinking of removing this and putting chequer plate on there and painting the top. The ceiling is going to be lowered as well. A. If you favour the industrial look, then using the metal cladding on the lower part of the walls will go some way toward achieving this look. Were you considering the cool contemporary look of white and using grey and black to increase the industrial aspect? If this is the case you might check out these options - Resene Black White, Resene Grey Area and Resene Extraterrestrial. The last colour is a sparkly metallic in a warm charcoal shade which may be seen as an alternative to using a true black - just to be a bit different and fitting the criteria of 'industrial'.
May 2019
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Q. I would like to make my laundry units out of marine ply. Can you please recommend a white wash and sealer? A. You can use Resene Colorwood Whitewash, followed by several coats of Resene Aquaclear over this. Resene Colorwood Whitewash is available in a testpot - so suggest you do a trial on an offcut to confirm this is the look you want. May 2019
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Q. I am going to have my house painted and was thinking of a very light grey with white Resene Black White windows and a darker accent colour, maybe a darker grey. What colour greys do you suggest? I don't want a lilac looking house. A. Here are some colours you may like; these do not have a blue or lilac undertone - Resene Athens Grey, Resene Half Silver Chalice, Resene Quarter Delta, Resene Eighth Tapa or Resene Eighth Lemon Grass. Colours outside will appear roughly half a shade lighter, so keep this in mind when selecting house colours. You may need to make the colour slightly deeper in order to get the contrast you like. All of the colours I've suggested can be made darker if required. Resene stores 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 testpot or paint. You may need to carefully test colours to see how they respond to light and shadow. Don't apply a testpot to the already coloured walls - it won't look true to reality because of the greater amount of existing colour influencing it negatively. If you paint large A2 card which is available for a modest cost from all Resene ColorShops with all (two coats) of the testpot, it lets you see a huge amount of colour. Please leave an unpainted white card border all around the edge of the card to act as a barrier between the tested colour and the existing wall colour. You can move it from wall to wall so you can see how it alters during the day and night. Each wall may show the colour in a different way.
May 2019
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Q. We have varnished pine timber walls and ceilings in our house and it can seem quite dark at times in some rooms. We are thinking of painting the ceiling out in a 'white' type colour to try and lighten up the place. What shade/colour would you recommend? A. Would you like a solid painted finish on the ceilings, or would a whitewash on the timber (grain still visible) work too? I ask because we have a product called Resene Colorwood Whitewash which is essentially a white polyurethane, applied directly onto previously varnished timber, and will give you a cool white finish. Alternatively, you will either need to sand all of the existing varnish off, then apply a primer and two topcoats. Or you can use a sealer called Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer directly onto the varnish, leave 48 hours, then overcoat with topcoat. These are both solid paint systems and no grain will be seen. If you are in a Lockwood® type house, I would recommend using a warmer white for the ceilings. Try Resene Half Bianca.
May 2019
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Q. We are building a house and have chosen Resene Surrender for most of the house. What colour should we have on the doors, skirting boards and ceiling? Our aluminium windows are Grey Friars. A. You might consider using two colours - a paler version of the wall colour for doors, door frames, window frames and skirting – Resene Quarter Surrender. And a whiter colour for the ceiling to reflect a crisp contrast – Resene Eighth Black White.
May 2019
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Q. We are repainting the whole exterior of our house and have decided on Ironsand for the roof spouting and garage door and have Resene Pearl Lusta window frames. What would you suggest for the exterior which is a plaster house? A. Perhaps some of these colours may appeal to you – Resene Bison Hide, Resene Quarter Surrender or paler colours – Resene Half Spanish White or Resene Half Pearl Lusta.
May 2019
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Q. Please could you advise me if Resene Spanish White would be good trim colour for windows and doors etc with Resene Clotted Cream exterior weatherboards? A. Resene Clotted Cream is a warmer/yellower colour by comparison to Resene Spanish White, which appears slightly earthier (green/brown toned) but if you didn't mind that slight discord then you could definitely use it. Or you might check out Resene Astra or Resene Popcorn.
May 2019
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Q. We are moving into a 1950s brick home next week and the first thing we are going to do is rip off the old wallpaper and then start painting. My goal is to freshen up the house, add colour and lighten it up without being all white. We are from America so are used to colour in our homes. For the lounge I have chosen Resene Lazy River. Resene Quarter Merino will be on all ceilings, walls and trims. The small kitchen and dining room graduates into the lounge. What would be a complementary colour to Resene Lazy River for the kitchen/dining space? Something lighter perhaps so it's not all too dark. Most of our art is blues and teal (we are big water people), if that helps. The master bedroom is Resene Half Duck Egg Blue. A. A lighter colour for the kitchen/dining room might be one of these colours – Resene Raindance, Resene Breeze or Resene Opal. But a complement (in the true sense of the word) is a colour that is directly across the colour wheel from your main colour - i.e. blue/orange (yellow/purple and red/green) and because you are water people I haven't suggested that you use an orange (or peach, apricot or terracotta) for the kitchen/dining room. But you might think about accessories picking up the complementary colour to balance the watery hues I have suggested. Another thing to take on board is how natural light and artificial light alters how colours are seen and colours in an interior can appear double the depth that you might imagine they will look.
May 2019
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Q. We are needing some advice on exterior house colours for the renovation of our small house near the beach. The inside will be kept fairly neutral with maybe some muted blues. We want a neutral colour for most of the house but to have a contrasting yet complementary colour for one part and another darker colour for the door and some trimmings. We have a silver (flat) roof and 'White Pearl' aluminium joinery. Do you have any suggestions? I do like Resene Duck Egg Blue. A. I like Resene Duck Egg Blue too. Colours on an exterior can look a bit lighter due to bright natural light reflecting off the surfaces. This may need to be taken into account. You might check out these colours to see if they appeal to you – Resene Triple Duck Egg Blue, Resene Dusted Blue or Resene Half Inside Back. Some deeper colours that may work for a complementary contrast could be like these ones – Resene Safehaven, Resene Atomic or Resene Dark Slate.
May 2019
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Q. l would love colour advice for a hallway/entranceway project in our home. To date we have Resene Quarter Tea on all walls and ceilings and this continues throughout our multi-level home. The front door is Resene Double Sea Fog with Resene Element trim. There is a black slate floor in the hallway with a rimu staircase. I would quite like to keep Resene Quarter Tea on the ceiling, but from there down l am unsure. I am beginning on a room by room project sequence, and prefer a contemporary flow throughout the house. We have timber flooring and ceilings, grey carpet (soon to be updated to a natural possibly sisal looking carpet). The timber is rimu and cedar on sloping ceilings. The front door will need to be painted on both sides. Any advice about how to get the front door to work in a colour scheme in the hallway would be appreciated. I am unsure about what to do with skirting boards, doors, walls and architraves. I would like the hallway to still flow with the rest of the house but l am looking for a more luxurious entranceway. I have testpots including Resene Tea and Resene Pearl Lusta. Are they warm whites? I quite like looking at those whites, plus l have a Resene Half Truffle drawdown card which l also like the look of. Black aluminium joinery and the exterior colour scheme is black and grey. A. If you were to use Resene Tea, which is a warm colour. It would harmonise well with the Resene Quarter Tea which is on the ceiling. Resene Half Truffle is slightly greyer/cooler than Resene Tea but it would still work with the Resene Quarter Tea which is on the ceiling. Resene Pearl Lusta is a brighter colour and it is warm but if it was used with Resene Quarter Tea which is on the ceiling it would make the ceiling look dirty. I think the door needs to have more colour - had you thought of using a deeper variant of the wall colour - whichever one you choose? At the moment the Resene Double Sea Fog on the door is a little bit random as it doesn't harmonise with Resene Quarter Tea or the other colours you mention. Plus it is a cooler colour. The door architraves painted in Resene Element will look smart and relates well to the black slate floor and the warmth of the rimu and cedar. If you are unsure about the skirting boards you could paint them to match the wall colour or the ceiling colour.
May 2019
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Q. We want to repaint the exterior and front door of our house, with a view to sell it. What colours are 'on trend' at the moment? Greys? A. Greys are a very popular trend at the moment. If you are planning on selling the house in the near future you might consider one of the following colours to see if they appeal to you – Resene Eighth Bokara Grey, or slightly lighter – Resene Quarter Fuscous Grey, or paler - Resene Delta. If you paint all the window joinery and the garage door in a toned white like Resene Sea Fog it keeps the house looking fresh with lots of contrast. The front door could be a statement colour – Resene Salsa or Resene Thumbs Up.
May 2019
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Q. I am looking for guidance on exterior house colours. My question is whether we should change the colour of some of the woodwork to white, particularly the window frames. I am proposing to use the Resene colours of Resene Fuscous Grey or Resene Double Gravel for the dark grey and Resene Quarter Foggy Grey or Resene Quarter Delta for the light grey on the shingles and Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream for stucco walls. If I used white on the window frames instead of dark grey would I need to paint the walls the same colour as the shingles? And I think the veranda balustrades would also need to be painted white? A. If you painted the shingles a different colour to the stucco it would make the house seem shorter in height. It will emphasise the shingles and make the upper storey which is all shingles sit like a hat on the lower storey. Is that the look you want? If you used white on the window frames instead of dark grey then you might use a light grey for both the stucco and the shingles so there was a distinct contrast. If your preference for the main body of the house and shingles was Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream you may not see the contrast between the white window surrounds and the main colour. You could use Resene Quarter Foggy Grey or Resene Quarter Delta for the window surrounds and sashes.
May 2019
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Q. We are going to paint the exterior of our house which is by the sea and has plenty of planting around it. We are limited by bronze aluminium joinery, the deck balustrade which is pretty much like Resene Akaroa, and greenish tiles in the front porch. It has an iron roof and Hardiplank® walls, with no trims round the windows. The double garage door is near the front door. A painter has suggested Resene Ironsand as a good colour for the roof, spouting and barge boards (as it is very close in colour to the bronze joinery). I'm wondering about Resene Akaroa for the walls and a highlight colour (red or yellow) for the front and garage doors. But maybe this is a bit boring and dated looking. I'm not very keen on greys, preferring greens and warmer neutrals. Note that the fold-out shade awnings are not green as in one of the photos, they are a similar colour to the walls and balustrade. We've lived here a long time and I feel that fresh eyes looking at it might give us new ideas. A. If you like Resene Akaroa you may also like to check out Resene Parchment and Resene Fossil and compare them with each other. Any of them would work well with Resene Ironsand. Some nice greens and reds for the front door and garage door might be one of these colours - Resene Family Tree, Resene Atlas, Resene Seaweed, Resene Pohutukawa, Resene Salsa or Resene Dynamite.
May 2019
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Q. We have painted our art deco two storeyed house Resene Surrender with Resene Innuendo detail i.e. stripes and chimney base. We would like a complementary bright colour for our front door. A. You might check out the following colours to see if they appeal to you – Resene Green Leaf, Resene Bird Flower, Resene Thumbs Up or Resene Yowza.
May 2019
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Q. I need to select a white exterior paint for our rural property's Rockcote plaster walls. The facade also has a black banner of paint - we have selected Resene Black. The interior of the house is all in Resene Half Barely There. The house has some cedar under the soffit and black corrugated steel on the back. Can you please recommend a white that would be suitable? Also we have two twin boys aged 10. We were keen on adding a block of colour to the back walls as a feature in both their rooms, any recommendations? The house has a dark charcoal/black carpet upstairs. A. Some 'white' colours for you to check out for the exterior – Resene Barely There, Resene House White, Resene Double Black White or Resene Double Sea Fog. If you were to compare these 'whites' with a real white - like a sheet of printer paper - it would help your eyes pick up the undertones of colour that are hiding in them. Boys of 10 usually have very definite ideas of what they like and what they don't like. Have you encouraged their input? I would - it helps them personalise their space and adds an individual element - this may be important to them. But if they don't really care then perhaps you could show them a few colours to see if they are interested – try Resene Away We Go, Resene She'll Be Right, Resene Code Red, Resene Adrenalin or Resene Moana.
May 2019
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Q. I'd love to get some inspiration on possible paint colours to help modernise a stucco house with an Ironsand roof. I haven't seen many good examples around here but these days everyone seems to be painting things grey or black so keen to try something a bit different but still on the reasonably safe side! A. You are right in regard the widespread use of grey, charcoal and blacks on the exterior of houses - it is considered to be a trend driven choice. If you prefer to walk a middle path between trendy and a more timeless (safe) option for the exterior you might check out the following colours – Resene Triple Blanc, Resene Thorndon Cream, Resene Tea, Resene Truffle, Resene Quarter Stonehenge, Resene Double Ash, Resene Triple Sea Fog or Resene Merino. These colours offer you a lot of neutral influenced colours all of which will work with your roof and joinery.
May 2019
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Q. I am painting my bathroom walls and door Resene Blackberry and the ceiling is going to be Resene Quarter Black White. I am having trouble deciding whether to use a different colour for the window sill. Do you think I should use a different colour or just paint the window sill Resene Blackberry too? A. I think that painting the window - all of it not just the sill - in Resene Quarter Black White might add a bit of crisp contrast to the main colour of the bathroom. Resene Blackberry is such a rich deep colour it can suck up a lot of natural light. If the vanity, bath, shower etc are white and you have a large mirror it would add more lightness over all to the room.
May 2019
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Q. We are painting our weatherboard house Resene Quarter Grey Friars with Resene Quarter Black White trim on windows, balustrades etc. What colour would you recommend for our timber veranda? I don't want it too dark so it gets hot on the bare feet in summer. A. You might check out the following colours to see if they appeal to you – Resene Silver Chalice, Resene Grey Chateau, Resene Triple Concrete or Resene Raven. Alternatively you could use a whiter colour that is related to the colour you are using on the windows – Resene Triple Black White. I recommend that you use Resene Walk-on which is a paint specifically made to withstand a lot of foot traffic. Also if you were to have the reformulated Resene CoolColour™ version of the colour (this is what the CC means in our colour charts} it will help reflect the sun's rays away from the timber surface of the deck so it doesn't get as hot.
May 2019
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Q. We have painted our downstairs hall and one of the bedrooms walls with Resene Triple White Pointer and a Resene Black White ceiling; what's a good colour for the doors and door frames in these areas? A. If you want the doors and door frames to pop out you could use Resene Black White. But if you wanted a softer transition you might use Resene White Pointer. The default choice would be to use a semi-gloss enamel version of the wall colour - i.e. Resene Triple White Pointer - so it was a different sheen level but not a different colour.
May 2019
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Q. I want to paint the interior of my house with soothing pale grey walls and white ceilings. I am painting over textured wallpaper. Two bedrooms are quite sunny but the hall, third bedroom and office are quite dark. A. Some soothing (but not cold} greys might be like these ones – Resene Quarter Foggy Grey, Resene Quarter Delta, Resene Half Silver Chalice or Resene Double Concrete. Any rooms that are quite dark may not look their best in a grey - they could look quite grim and industrial. Greys can be like that if the space isn't large and very bright. Perhaps you might consider using a greyed/white for these areas – Resene Half Barely There or Resene Half House White. For the ceilings and any other trims one of these whites would work well – Resene Quarter Alabaster or Resene Eighth Black White.
May 2019
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Q. We have a dark bedroom that also feels a bit cold. Which colour would be good on the walls? I have white textured curtains and a soft white textured bedspread with a red throw at the end of the bed. The floor is light sage toned carpet. A. You could check out these colours to see if they appeal to you – Resene Eighth Drought, Resene Half Secrets, Resene Quarter Spanish White, Resene Quarter Parchment or Resene Quarter Tea.
May 2019
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Q. I am building some small units 7.2m by 3m and they have one side with two sets of double sliders so they will get a bit of light into them. Unit A has dark charcoal carpet, dark chocolate brown plank vinyl and a black kitchen, white benchtop and I am wanting to do grey walls, maybe Resene Concrete? What would you suggest for the trims, sills and ceiling? Unit B has light plank flooring and light grey carpet, a white kitchen and grey benchtop. I want to do a bright grey based white (not cream). What would you suggest for the walls etc? And could I just paint everything the one colour? A. It would be a simple and economical thing to do - painting the same colours in both units and using a lighter/whiter ceiling and trim colour. So with that in mind the following may provide you with some palettes of grey/white toned neutrals that may appeal to you – option 1 – Resene Double Sea Fog for walls and Resene Half Sea Fog for ceilings and trims, or option 2 – Resene Double Black White for walls and Resene Quarter Black White for ceilings and trims.
May 2019
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Q. Our house exterior bricks are painted Resene Sandcastle - now we have started painting our concrete foundations with Resene Stack but it is too light a colour vs the Resene Sandcastle. Can you please recommend a darker colour that would suit? A. If you are wanting to use a deep grey on the concrete foundations you might check out these ones to see if they appeal to you – Resene Friar Greystone , Resene Gunsmoke or Resene Stonehenge. If none of these colours do it for you have you considered using a warm beige colour, such as Resene Half Biscotti, or a warm cream, such as Resene Half Spanish White.
May 2019
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Q. Do you think Resene Quarter Napa goes with Resene Wafer? The Resene Wafer would be the feature wall. This will be in my living and dining area. A. Those colours create a slight discord when seen together. They are both the exact same depth of colour which is not what one usually looks for in a feature colour - usually one is lighter and one is deeper. But it is all about personal taste. If you absolutely have to have Resene Wafer as the feature then I suggest using a slightly cleaner pale colour for the other walls - i.e. Resene Eighth Akaroa. If you absolutely have to have Resene Quarter Napa as the main colour perhaps you might change the feature wall to a deeper colour like Resene Del Rio.
May 2019
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Q. I'd like a suggestion to paint our house including the bricks and iron fence. I'm looking for a white colour palette with brighter white windows and trims. We live in the city. I'm thinking about changing the roof to a silver. There's blue stained glass in the door so I thought I'd go with a deep blue front door. Are there any popular combinations that would work? A. Try these colours to get you started – Resene Athens Grey for the main walls and brick base, Resene White for all trims, Resene King Tide for the door and Resene Sword for the roof.
May 2019
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Q. We are deciding between Resene Quarter Atmosphere, Resene Double House White and Resene Truffle for the walls and perhaps Resene Alabaster for the trims, ceiling and door. Our wall trimmings have also a lot of detail. Our house is currently a warm, reddish tone however we would like to keep it neutral to a light grey for walls throughout and a white for the rest. Also we are looking to paint the kitchen cabinet and staircase rails, would the same colour as the ceiling/trimmings be appropriate? A. The colours that you favour are radically different from each other – Resene Quarter Atmosphere has a yellow/grey undertone, Resene Double House White has a mushroom/grey under tone and Resene Truffle has a yellow/beige undertone and is deeper than the first two. Before the colour decision comes the hard work of stripping, sanding, sealing and plastering all the walls to ensure you get the best outcome. It also creates a lot more light and makes you see spaces in a completely different way - often your initial idea of a space undergoes a radical change once all walls are clean, totally smooth and white. You do need to carefully test colours to ensure that you know exactly how they will look on every wall/every room during the natural and constantly changing daylight and under the artificial light. All colours alter and you need to see this in order to know what will work best. Every room (using the same colour) will look different. I like the idea of maintaining a crisp fresh white - Resene Alabaster for all the trims, ceilings and doors. Yes it is a very good idea to paint the kitchen cabinets and stair rails the same colour. There may be soft furnishings that exist now and are not being replaced, likewise flooring and furniture. You need to ensure that the grey tone you choose looks marvellous with all of these elements. If you are planning to change soft furnishings or flooring please choose these first so you have freedom of choice. The paint colour comes last - it is what ties everything else in the house together.
May 2019
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Q. We are painting the walls of our 80s Lockwood home - we are keeping the timber ceilings. We want to paint our walls white and really like the fresh look of Resene Alabaster but want to know if it will draw the orange colour out of the timber. What whites would you suggest? A. In order to not overly emphasise the warm orange/gold tone of the timbers you might consider using a slightly less stark white - perhaps one of these – Resene Quarter Bianca or Resene Eighth Pearl Lusta.
May 2019
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Q. I'm renovating a 70s flat. The curtains and carpet are good quality and in good condition so I am keeping them. The curtains are almost exactly the colour as Resene Pearl Lusta. The carpet is taupe with a little fleck of green, but the overall appearance is taupe. What colour should I paint the walls and trims/doors please? I have already chosen Resene Alabaster for the ceiling. Resene Rice Cake seems to work, and I was thinking Resene Eighth Rice Cake for the trims and doors, but now I wonder if Resene Half Rice Cake would be better for the walls? A. Colours in an interior can look quite a bit stronger than you might imagine so choosing a slightly lighter colour is often a wise choice. I like your idea of using Resene Eighth Rice Cake for the trims and doors and Resene Half Rice Cake for the walls. Other options might be Resene Eighth Pearl Lusta for doors and trims and Resene Half Pearl Lusta. You might compare the colours to see which appeals more to you.
May 2019
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Q. I have painted my bedroom Resene Sea Fog but am unsure what colour to paint the windowsill, trims and doors. Any advice would be much appreciated. A. If you like the idea of a lighter/whiter colour (so the walls look a wee bit more coloured) you could use Resene Double Alabaster. Or if you prefer a bit more (a soft tone deeper version of the wall colour) then you could use Resene Double Sea Fog. The default choice would be to use the same colour as the wall – Resene Sea Fog - in a semi-gloss enamel finish so it is just a different sheen compared to the wall but not a different colour.
May 2019
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Q. I want to paint my windowless laundry which is of a good size and has a wall of shelving. White? But which white? The floor is aqua. A. A warm bright light reflecting white may appeal as it stops a windowless room look cold or grim. You could check out these colours as they like aquas as well - Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta, Resene Half Orchid, Resene Half Bianca or Resene Half Rice Cake.
May 2019
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Q. I am interested in a 'warm' white for our large lounge area. The house has verandas so it's quite dark (hence keen on a light warm colour). The lounge has little sunlight - only in the winter. The carpet is dark brown/grey and the curtains are charcoal. A. A warm light reflecting white may appeal as it stops a dim room (that is not blessed with hours of bright sunlight each day) from looking cold or grim. You could check out these colours – Resene Eighth Biscotti, Resene Half Orchid White, Resene Half Bianca or Resene Quarter Albescent White.
May 2019
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Q. I would like to paint my wooden front door yellow. Our house is weatherboard and recently painted Resene Rakaia with a white trim. I am looking for some recommendations for a strong mustard yellow that would be complementary. A. You might check out these mustard/gold colours – Resene Coyote, Resene Harvest Gold, Resene Apache or Resene Thumbs Up.
May 2019
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Q. Our house is Resene Half Tea and I need a change. I'm leaning towards Resene Half Rice Cake, but I want to paint a feature wall in my 5 year old daughter's room. She loves pinks, purple and turquoise and her room has a small window so it is dark. I need a colour to brighten it up. A. Your new main colour - Resene Half Rice Cake - will look really fresh in a lighter/whiter way compared to Resene Half Tea which is a deeper toned beige. Some of these colours might be worth checking out for the feature in your daughters' room – Resene Unicorn, Resene Ballerina or Resene Aqua.
May 2019
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Q. What goes with Resene Half Caraway and Resene Quarter Caraway? A. Any of these colours would look good with Resene Half Caraway and Resene Quarter Caraway: Resene Grey Olive, Resene Earthen, Resene Camouflage, Resene Desperado, Resene Volcano, Resene Eighth Rice Cake, Resene Matakana or Resene Pavlova.
May 2019
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Q. What exterior colour schemes might work well with our COLORSTEEL® Azure roof and white window frames? We currently have Resene Sandy Beach walls with a touch of Resene Tia Maria and stained garage and front doors. A. Your bright roof colour does compromise your freedom of choice in regard what exterior colours you use. The joinery will go with anything which is a blessing. These warm tones might be worth checking out - Resene Quarter Spanish White, Resene Orchid White or Resene Anglaise. Removing the strong definite colour (Resene Tia Maria) and using the same colour on the fascias and barge boards as the house will lift the look of the exterior by making it look taller.
May 2019
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